Owen - Houston-Packer Collection BX9315 .O8 1721

of the PERSON of C.HRIST, 85 appointed for that feafon. Tliefe ate loyntly and diltindly called the law. Li.] In refpeet unto the firft of thefe, the Lord Chrift gave no new law, nor was the old abrogated by him, which it muff be if another were given in the room ofit; unto the faine ends. For the introduaion of a a new law in the place of, and unto the end of a former, is an actual abrogation ofit. Neither did he add any new precepts unto it, nor give any counfels for the performance of duties in matter or manner beyond what it prefcribed. Any fuch fuppofition is contrary to thewifdom and holinefsof God in giving the law, and incontinent with the natureof the law it fell For God never re- quired lets ofus in the law than all that was dueunto him. And his prefcrip- tien of it, included all circumstances and coules that might render any duty at any time neceflary in the nature or degrees of it. Whatever at any time may become the duty of any perfon towards God, in the fubftance or de- grees of it, it is made fo by the law. All is included in that fummary of it, Thou Jbalt love the Lord thy Godwith all thy heart, and thy neighbouras thy fell: Nothing can be the duty of men but what and when it is required by the love ofGod or our neighbour. Wherefore no additions were made unto the preceptive part of the law by our Saviour, nor counfels given by him for theperformance of more than it did require. In this regard the gofpel is no new law, only the duties of the moral and eternal law, are plainly declared in the doctrine of it, enforced in its motives, and direfted as to their manner and end. Nor in this fenfe did the Lord Chrift ever declare himfelf to be a new lawgiver; Yea he declares the contrary, that he came to confirm the old, Matth. v. 17. [a.] The law may be confidered, as containing the inititutions of wor- Ihip, which were given in Horeb by Mofes, with other fotates and Judg- ments. It was in this fenfeabolilhed by Chrift. For the things themfelves were appointed, but unto the time of reformation. And thereon as the fu- preme Lord and lawgiver of the gofpel church, lie gave a new law ofwor- jbp, confining in feveral institutions and ordinances of worship thereunto belonging, See Heb. iii. 3, 4, 5, 6. and our expofition ofthat place. Obedience unto the Lord Chrift may be confidered with refpe& unto both thefe; the moral lawwhich he confirmed ; and the law ofevangelical worshipwhich he gave and appointed. And fame few things may be ad- dedto clear the nature ofit. a.) Obedienceunto Chrift cloth notconlff meerlyin doingthe things which he requireth. So far the church under the Old Teflon-lent was obliged to yieldobedienceunto Mofes; and weare yet lb unto theprophets and apoftles. This is done, or maybe fo, with refpe& unto anyfubordinate dire&ive caufe of our obedience, when it is not formally fo denominated from his au- thority. All obedience unto Chrift proceeds from an exprefs fubje&ion of our fouls and confciences unto him. o.) No religious obedience could be due unto the Lord Chrift direly, by theruleand command ofthe moral law, were lie not God by nature alfò. The reafon and foundation of all the obedience required therein, is, I am the Lord thy God, thou(halt have no other Gods before me. This contains the formal reafon ofall religious obedience. The Socinians pretend highly unto obedience tothe precepts ofChrift : but all obedience unto Chrift him- felf they utterly overthrow. The obedience they pretend untohim, is but obeying God the Fattier according to his commands : but they take away the foundation of all obedience unto his perfon, by denying his divine nature. And all religious obedience unto any, who is not God bynature is idolatry. Wherefore all obedience unto God, due by the moral law, Y liath

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