VER.$,q. EpOleto the HER REws. foolifh, LGer. I. zo, 21. but they areotherwife, the HolyMod being judge, and fuch they appear unto them that do believe; yea whatever is requilite to make Laws and Adminiftrations righteous, itdoth all concurs in thofe of the Lord Jefus Chrift. As 1. Authority, a juft and full Authority for enaaing is requilite to make Laws righteous. Without this, Rules and Precepts may be good materi v, but theycannot have theformalityof Law whichdepends on the juft Authority of the Legigator; with- out whichnothing canbecome a righteous Law.Now the Lord Chrifi is vetted with fuf cient Authority for the enadiingofLaws and Rulesof Adminiftration in his Kingdom; All Authority, all Power in Heaven and Earth, is committed unto Itim, as we have before proved atlarge. Andhence thofe that will not fee the Equity ofhis Rule, shall be forced at last to bow under the Excellencyof his Authority. And it were to be walled, that thofe whoundertake to make Laws and Gonftitutions in the Kingdom ofChrift, would look well to their Warrant. For it feems that the Lord Chrili unto whom all Power is éommitted, hathnot delegated any to the fons of men, but only that whereby they may teach others to doand obferve what he bath commanded, Match. 28. zó. If moreoverthey that' command or appoint ought of their own, they may dowell to confider by what Authority they do fo;feeing that is ofindifpenfible neceffity unto the Righteoufnefs of any Lawwhatever. 2. Wifdom is required to themaking of Righteous Laws. This is the eye of Au- thority, without which it can a t nothing rightly or equally. Effc is of Power without Wifdom arecommonlyunjutt and Tyranical, alwayes ufelefs and burden- fom. TheWifdom of Law - makersis that which hath principally given them their renown. Sò Moles tells the Ifraelites, that all Nations would admirethemwhen they perceived the Wifdomof their Lams, Dent.4. Now theLordChrift is abundantly fur- nithed withWifdom for this purpofe. He is the foundationfione of theChurch, that bath [even eyes upon him, Zech. 3. 9. A perfeEtionofWifdom and Underftanding in all Affairs of it ; being anointed with the Spirit unto that purpose, Ifs, r t. 3, 4. Yea, in him arehid all theTreafures of Wifdomand Knowledge, Cal. 2. 3. it having pleafed the Father, that in him all fulnefsfhould dwell, Col: 1. r 9. So that there can be no defeâ in his Laws and Adminiftrations on this accòunt. HeisWffe of heart, andknows per- fe hIy what Rules and AEtings are fuited to the Glory Of God, and the condition of the fubjeds of his Kingdom ; and what tendeth'to their fpiritual and eternal Ad- vantage. He knows how to order all things unto the great end which in hisGovern- ment he aimeth at. And thence do all his Laws and Adminiftrations become righte- ous. And this allo well deferves theirconfideration, *ho take upon them to appoint Laws and Rules withinhis Dominion unto his Subjedts, for the ends of his Rule, and fubftance ofhis Worship. Have theyWifdom fufficient to enable them fo to do? doththe Spirit ofthe LordChritf ref?upon them, to make them of quick.underftanding in the fear of the Lord ? Are they acquainted with the fluteand condition; the Weaknefs, Temptations, Gracesof all the people ofChrift? If they are not, how know they but that theymay command and appoint them things greatly to their difadvantage, when they think to profit them ? It feems a great fèlf-a eming, for men to fupposd themfelves wifeenough to give Laws to the Subje4`ts ofChrift, in thingsdire bly ap- pertaining to his Kingdom. 3. They are Righteous, becaufe theyare Eafie, gentle, and not burdensome. The Righ- teoufnefs and uprightnefs here mentioned, doth not denote ffrill, rigid, fevere Jutlice, 'extending its Pelf unto theuttnoft of what can be required of the fubjeds to be ruled ; butEquity mixedwith Gentlenefs, tendernels and condefcenfion; which if it be absent fromLaws, and theybreath nothingbut feverity, rigor and arbitrary im- pofitions, thugh theymay not be abfolutely unju/t, yet they are grievous and bur- denfom : Thus Peter calls the Law of commandments contained in the Ordinances of old, ayoke which neither their Fathers nor themselves were able to bear, Aets 15. to.that iS could never obtain rest or peace in the precifc rigid obfervatiotl required ofthem. But now for the RuleofChrift, he tells us, that his yoke, is eafie , and his burden light, Matth. 1. 3o. and that his commandments are not grievous, t John 5. 3. And this gen- tlenefs and eafinefs of the rule ofChrift conffteth in thefe three things. r. That his Commands areall ofthem Reafonable, and fuited unto theprinciples of thatnatural Obedience we owe to God; and fonot grievous unto any thing iríus, but that principleof fin and darknefs which is to be deftroyed. ' He bath not multiplied Precepts meetlyarbitrary, and to express his Authority ; but given us only fuch as are in ehemfelves good, and fuitable unto the Principles of Reafon ; as might be evincei r'3
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=