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ye would that Men fhould do to you, do ye even fo unto them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. By all which, as likewife by the whole Courfe of his Life and Doctrine, it manifeftly appears, that he came not to deftroy the Law and the Prophets, by annulling, oppofing, or any ways leffening our Obligation to them.

Yea, he was fo far from deftroying the Law or the Prophets, that he affirms the Defign of his coming was to fulfil both; which will lead us to enquire into the true fenfe and meaning of thofe Words. And here we may obferve again, that tho Chrift punctually obferv'd the whole Law, which is in Scripture exprefs'd by his fulfilling all Righteouf ness; yet the Expreffion here chiefly relates to the Moral part of it, which he not only obferv'd and establish'd, but likewife improv'd and perfected: the word in the Original is @anga, which fignifies not only to perform, but to perfect and fill up; and fo our Saviour's fulfilling the Law was his advancing, accomplishing and perfecting of it, which he did in fome fenfe in all its Branches.

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He fulfil'd the Ceremonial Law, not only by his own Obedience to it, but by accomplishing of it, and introducing the Subftance of what was only prefigur'd and fhadow'd by it. The Sacrifices injoin'd in that Law were but Types of the great Propitiatory Sacrifice of Chrift himfelf; and all the legal Wafhings and Purifications reprefented only that fpiritual Purity that he requir'd under the Gospel. These were Shadows of good things to come, but the Body is Chrift, fays the Apoftle, Col. 2. 17. He was the Subftance of thofe Shadows, and introduc'd the things themselves that were represented by them: which is the fense of those words of St. John, The Law was given by Mofes, but Grace and Truth came by Jefus Chrift; John 1. 17. meaning, that Chrift brought in the Life and Subftance of what was only pictur'd and prefigur'd in the Law of Mofes. Again,

He fulfill'd the Judicial Law, not only by fubmitting himfelf to it, but by adding that Royal Law of Love and univerfal Kindness, which tends more to preferve the Peace and Profperity of a Commonwealth, than any Book of Statutes, or the whole Body of Human Laws.

But above all, he fulfill'd the Moral Law, not only by his own Perfonal Obedience, but by adding to it fome stricter Rules of Holiness, and filling up thofe Vacuities that Mofes had left in Moral Duties. He eftablifh'd the Covenant upon better Promises, and gave fublimer Precepts than

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thofe given of old; he repair'd and made up what was wanting in Mofes's Law, and reftor'd what was taken from it by falfe Gloffes and Interpretations. He enlarg'd the Sense of it farther than the Jews ever receiv'd it, and extended the Obligation of it, not only to the outward but to the inward Man, forbidding the Murder of the Heart, as well as of the Hand; the Adultery and Impurity of the Mind, as well as of the Body; Coveting as well as Purloining Inftead of returning Evil for Evil, allow'd by the Law of Retaliation, he requir'd to overcome Evil with Good: and whereas it had been faid by them of old, Thous fhalt love thy Friends, and hate thine Enemy; he hath commanded us to love our Enemies, to do good to them that hate us, and pray for them that despitefully use and perfecute us.

In fhort, he fulfill'd the whole Law, by accomplishing what was contain'd in it, and answering all that was intended by it. The Defign of the Ceremonial Law, was not any delight which God took in the Blood of Bulls and of Goats, but in a broken and contrite Heart; which he fulfill'd by requiring Obedience, which is better than Sacrifice, and to hearken, than the Fat of Rams; as we read, Fer. 6. 20. Ifa. I. II, 12. Mic. 6. 6, 7.

The End of the Judicial Law was to do Judgment and Juftice, and to preferve the Peace and Welfare of the Commonwealth, which he effectually provided for by many ftrict Precepts of Juftice and Charity: So that Chrift, both in his Perfon and Doctrine, was the End of the Law for Righteousness, which was the thing mainly intended in the whole Mofaical Difpenfation. By all which, we see how truly our Saviour affirm'd, that he came not to destroy the Law, but to fulfil it: for his addition of higher and better Precepts, was no Deftruction but Improvement: as a Child is not deftroy'd, but improv'd and perfected, by arriving to the Stature of a Man.

But are we ftill then under the Law? Do we not read often of a Liberty wherewith Chrift hath made us free; and that we are not under the Law, but under Grace? and how can this be, if the Obligation of it remains? In answer hereunto,

1. The Liberty mention'd by the Apostle, is a Freedom from the Yoke of Legal Rites and Ceremonies, which before the coming of the Meffias, lay hard on the Neck of the Jews; but now, neither they nor we are under the Obligation of them; and to continue them now, would be

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to intangle ourselves in a Yoke of Bondage. For that Law of Ceremonies was only a Schoolmaster to lead unto Christ, who being come, hath caus'd that Law to cease, not by any oppofition to it, but by fulfilling of it, and removing any farther ufe and occafion for it. For fince they all refer'd to, and were accomplish'd in him, there can be no reafon for the longer continuance of them, he being the subftance and completion of them. Again,

2. For the Moral Law, we are freed from that too as to the Rigor and Curfe of it: the Law in its Rigor exacts perfect Obedience, and pronounces Sentence upon every Breach and Violation of it; as it is written, Curfed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the Book of the Law, to do them. By this we are all guilty and condemn'd Perfons, lying under the heavy Sentence of Eternal Death; but Chrift hath redeem'd us (fays the Apostle) from the Curse of the Law, being made a Curfe for us, Gal. 4.

By his New Covenant of Grace he hath abated of this Rigor, he accepts our hearty Endeavours, and takes Sincerity for complete Obedience: fo that now we are not to ftand or fall by the rigorous Terms and Demands of the Law, but may appeal from that to the Grace and Mercy of the Gofpel, there being now no Condemnation to them that are in Chrift Fefus; in which fenfe it is, that we are faid to be, not under the Law, but under Grace. But yet,

3. We are not freed from the Law as a Rule of Life and Manners, in which fenfe it remains in its full Vigor and Authority; for as God hath not left himself without a Witness of his Being, fo neither hath he left us without a Rule of our Actions. Our Saviour hath not loofen'd our Obligation to the Divine Law, but rather encreas'd and heighten'd it; nor hath he difpens'd with any Moral Duty to God or Man, but instead thereof hath perfected and added to them; he hath more fully explain'd, inlarg'd and inculcated our Duty than 'twas before: and tho he hath deliver'd his Followers from the Curfe, yet he hath not freed them from the Obfervance of Divine Precepts. Thefe are ftill to regulate our Practice, to bind our Confcience, and to be both the Measure and Motive of our Obedience; thefe are to be ftanding Directions what we are to do, and what to avoid, and will for ever continue to be fo: for tho Heaven and Earth may pass away, yet not one jot or tittle of God's Law fhall pass away or fall to the ground.

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Thus we fee the indifpenfible Obligation that lies upon us to observe the Decalogue or Ten Commandments; and likewife how far our Bleffed Saviour was from destroying or difannulling it. From whence we may learn,

First, The dangerous Error of the Libertines and Antinomians, who fondly imagine that Chrift's fulfilling the whole Law in our ftead, hath freed his Followers from any farther Duty and Obfervance of it; that nothing now is requir'd of us but only to believe, to accept of and apply to ourselves what, he hath done for us; that we are to be fav'd by the imputed Righteoufnefs of Chrift, without regard to any Holiness of our own; that all preaching up of good Works is moral preaching, and they that live in the practice of them are only moral Men; that we are to have no eye to the Strictness and Severity of the Law, but to caft ourselves wholly upon the Mercy and Favour of the Gospel.

Thefe, and the like Doctrines, too publickly vented, and too greedily receiv'd among us, let Men loofe from all the Obligations of Religion and Virtue, and open a Gap for all Licentioufnefs. We fee the End of the Law was Righteoufnefs, to induce Men to do justly, to love Mercy, and walk bumbly with God: And what was more obfcurely and typically reveal'd of this kind in the Old Teftament, is more clearly explain'd and brought to light by the Gofpel; and therefore all fuch Doctrines being contrary to the Laws of God, are to be rejected as the corrupt Defigns and Inventions of Men. Wherefore in the

Laft place; Since Chrift came not to deftroy, but to fulfil and perfect what was deliver'd in the Law and Prophets; let us not look upon it as annul'd or antiquated, but that he hath ty'd the Obligation fo much stronger and faster upon us: He hath only taken off the Load of the Mofaical Rites and Ceremonies, and thereby made his Yoke the more easy, and his Burden lighter, which we are not therefore to cast off, but to take up and bear it with the greater chearfulness; he hath remov'd the Cloud and Obfcurity that was upon many Precepts of the Law, and made our Way more plain before us. In a word therefore, let it be a Light to our Feet, and a Lanthorn to our Paths; the Guide of our Lives, and the Rule of our Actions and as many as walk by this Rule, Peace be upon them and the Ifrael of God.

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I

DISCOURSE II.

PSA L. Cxix. 96.

have seen an end of all Perfection; but thy Commandment is exceeding broad.

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Premis'd fomething in my laft touching the Obligation of the Decalogue or Ten Commandments, which I am to explain to you: I must now add fomething touching the Excellency and Extent of the Divine Law, the better to excite you to the ftudy and practice of it.

For the Excellency of it; We find the Royal Pfalmift, who, by his frequent Study and Meditation upon it, was well vers'd in it, at laft fetting forth the Perfection of this Divine Law, in Pfal. 19. 7, 8, 9. The Law of the Lord is perfect, converting the Soul; the Teftimony of the Lord is fure, giving wisdom to the Simple: The Statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the Heart; the Commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightning the Eyes; the Fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever; the Fudgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. Where he amply declares the Excellency of God's Law, from the Holiness, the Justice, the Usefulness, the Certainty, the Purity, and Perfection of it.

For the Extent and Comprehenfiveness of it, he tells us here in the words of our Text, that tho he had seen an end of all Perfection, yet the Commandments of God were exceeding broad, and he could fee no end thereof.

By the Law of God here we understand not, 1. The Ceremonial part of it; which tho not properly deftroy'd by Chrift, yet by his fulfilling of it ceas'd of course, and we have liv'd to fee an end of that. Nor yet,

2. Are we to underftand here the Judicial Law, which being the Statutes and Ordinances of the Jewish Commonwealth, were peculiar only to that Nation, and ceas'd likewife with the Diffolution of that Government; fo that with refpect to them, and many other fublunary Excellencies, we may fay with David, we have feen an end of all Perfection. But the Law, whofe Excellency and Extent are here celebrated, is the Moral Law or Ten Commandments;

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