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Fourthly, we are taught, 2 Cor. iii. 7. that the law written and engraven in stones was the ministration of death, and therefore was done away. Now the law engraven in stones was not the ceremonial law, but the decalogue.

Fifthly, that which was, as just stated, a law of sin and death, (of sin, because it is a provocative to sin; of death, because it produces death, and is in opposition to the law of the spirit of life,) is certainly not the ceremonial law alone, but the whole law. But the law to which the above description applies, is abolished; Rom. viii. 2. the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

Sixthly, it was undoubtedly not by the ceremonial law alone that the motions of sin which were by the law, wrought in our members to bring forth fruit unto death, Rom. vii. 5. But of the law which thus operated it is said that we are become dead thereto, v. 4. and that being dead wherein we were held, v. 6. we are delivered from it, as a wife is free from the law of her husband who is dead, v. 3. We are therefore delivered, v. 6. not from the ceremonial law alone, but from the whole law of Moses.

Seventhly, all believers, inasmuch as they are justified by God through faith, are undoubtedly to be accounted righteous; but Paul expressly asserts that the law is not made for a righteous man, 1 Tim. i. 9. Gal. v. 22, 23. If however any law were to be made for the righteous, it must needs be a law which should justify. Now the ceremonial law alone was so far from justifying, that even the entire Mosaic law had not power to effect this, as has been already shown in treating of justification: Gal. iii. 11, &c. therefore it must be the whole law, and not the ceremonial part alone, which is abrogated by reason of its inability in this respect.

To these considerations we may add, that that law which not only cannot justify, but is the source of trouble and subversion to believers; which even tempts God if we endeavour to perform its requisitions; which has no promise attached to it, or, to speak more properly, which

takes away and frustrates all promises, whether of inheritance, or adoption, or grace, or of the Spirit itself; nay, which even subjects us to a curse; must necessarily have been abolished. If then it can be shown that the above effects result, not from the ceremonial law alone, but from the whole law, that is to say, the law of works in a comprehensive sense, it will follow that the whole law is abolished; and that they do so result, I shall proceed to show from the clearest passages of Scripture. With regard to the first point, Acts xv. 24. we have heard that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law. v. 10. why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples? Certain of the Pharisees which believed, said that it was needful for them to keep the whole law, v. 5. when therefore Peter in opposition to this doctrine contends, that the yoke of the law ought to be removed from the necks of the disciples, it is clear that he must mean the whole law. Secondly, that the law which had not the promise was not the ceremonial law only, but the whole law, is clear from the consideration, that it would be sufficient if one part had the promise, although the other were without it; whereas the law which is so often the subject of discussion with Paul has no promise attached to either of its branches. Rom. iv. 13, 16. the promise that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. Gal. iii. 18. if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise; but God gave it to Abraham by promise; and therefore not by the law, or any part of it; whence Paul shows that either the whole law, or the promise itself, must of necessity be abolished, Rom. iv. 14. if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise is made of none effect. Compare also Gal. iii. 18. as above. By the abolition of the promise, the inheritance and adoption are abolished; fear and bondage, which are incompatible with adoption, are brought back, Rom. viii. 15. Gal. iv. 1, &c. v. 21, 24, 26, 30. as above; union and fellowship with Christ are dissolved, Gal. v. 4. Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law, whence follows the loss of glorification; nay, grace itself is abolished, unless the

abolition of the law be an entire abolition: Gal. v. 4. whosoever of you are justified by the law, ye are fallen from grace, where by the word law is intended the entire code, as appears not only from the preceding verse, he is a debtor to do the whole law, but from other considerations; finally, the Spirit itself is excluded; Gal. v. 18. if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law; therefore, vice versa, if ye be under the law, ye are not led of the Spirit. We are consequently left under the curse: Gal. iii. 10. as many as are of the works of the law, are under the curse; for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them; therefore all things which are written in the law, and not the things of the ceremonial law alone, render us obnoxious to the curse. Christ therefore, when he redeemed us from the curse, v. 13. redeemed us also from the causes of the curse, namely, the works of the law, or, which is the same, from the whole law of works; which, as has been shown above, is not the ceremonial part alone. Even supposing, however, that no such consequences followed, there could be but little inducement to observe the conditions of a law which has not the promise; it would be even ridiculous to attempt to observe that which is of no avail unless it be fulfilled in every part, and which nevertheless it is impossible for man so to fulfil; especially as it has been superseded by the more excellent law of faith, which God in Christ has given us both will and power to fulfil.2

It appears therefore as well from the evidence of Scripture, as from the arguments above adduced, that the whole of the Mosaic law is abolished

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peace

Of conscience, which the law by ceremonies
Cannot appease, nor man the moral part
Perform, and, not performing, cannot live.
So law appears imperfect, and but giv'n
With purpose to resign them, in full time,
Up to a better cov'nant, disciplin'd

From shadowy types to truth, from flesh to spirit,
From imposition of strict laws to free

Acceptance of large grace, from servile fear
To filial, works of law to works of faith.

Paradise Lost, XII. 296.

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by the gospel. It is to be observed, however, that the sum and essence of the law is not hereby abrogated; its purpose being attained in that love of God and our neighbour, which is born of the Spirit through faith. It was with justice therefore that Christ asserted the permanence of the law, Matt. v. 17. think not that I am come to destroy the law; or the prophets; I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. Rom. iii. 31. do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law. viii. 4. that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

The common objection to this doctrine is anticipated by Paul himself, who expressly teaches that by this abrogation of the law, sin, if not taken away, is at least weakened rather than increased in power: Rom. vi. 14, 15. sin shall not have dominion over you; for ye are not under the law, but under grace: what then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. Therefore, as was said above, the end for which the law was instituted, namely, the love of God and our neighbour, is by no means to be considered as abolished; it is the tablet of the law, so to speak, that is alone changed, its injunctions being now written by the Spirit in the hearts of believers; with this difference, that in certain precepts the Spirit appears to be at variance with the letter, namely, wherever by departing from the letter we can more effectually consult the love of God and our neighbour. Thus Christ departed from the letter of the law, Mark ii. 27. the sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath, if we compare his words with the fourth commandment. Paul did the same in declaring that a marriage with an unbeliever was not to be dissolved, contrary to the express injunction of the law; 1 Cor. vii. 12. to the rest speak I, not the Lord. In the interpretation of these two commandments, of the sabbath and marriage, a regard to the law of love is declared to be better than a compliance with the whole written law; a rule which applies equally to every other instance. Matt. xxii. 37-40. on these two commandments (namely, the love of God and our neighbour) hang all the law and the prophets. Now neither of these is propounded in express

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terms among the ten commandments, the, former occurring for the first time Deut. vi. 5. the latter, Lev. xix. 18. and yet these two precepts are represented as comprehending emphatically, not only the ten commandments, but the whole law and the prophets. Matt. vii. 12. all things whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, do ye even so to them; for this is the law and the prophets. Rom. xiii. 8, 10. he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law; love is the fulfilling of the law. Gal. v. 14. all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 1 Tim. i. 5. the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned. If this is the end of the Mosaic commandment, much more is it the end of the evangelic. James ii. 8. if ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, thou shalt do well. Hence all rational interpreters have explained the precepts of Christ, in his sermon on the mount, not according to the letter, but in the spirit of the law of love. So also that of Paul, 1 Cor. xi. 4. every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head; a text which will come under consideration in Book II. chap. iv. on the outward deportment befitting prayer. Hence it is said, Rom. iv. 15. where no law is, there is no transgression; that is, no transgression in disregarding the letter of the law, provided that under the direction of the Spirit the end of the institution be attained in the love of God and our neighbour.

On the united authority of so many passages of Scripture, I conceived that I had satisfactorily established the truth in question against the whole body of theologians, who, so far as my knowledge then extended, concurred in denying the abrogation of the entire Mosaic law. I have since however discovered, that Zanchius, in his commentary on the second chapter of Ephesians, declares himself of the same opinion,"

These authorities, without long search, I had to produce...... But God (I solemnly attest him) withheld from my knowledge the consenting judgement of these men so late, until they could not be my instructors, but only my unexpected witnesses to partial men—.’ Tetrachordon. Prose Works, II. 237.

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