Paragraph 1. God gave to
Adam a law of universal obedience written in his heart, and a particular
precept of not eating the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil;1
by which he bound him and all his posterity to personal, entire, exact,
and perpetual obedience;2 promised life upon the fulfilling, and
threatened death upon the breach of it, and endued him with power and ability
to keep it.3
1 Gen. 1:27; Eccles.
7:29
2 Rom. 10:5
3 Gal. 3:10,12
Paragraph 2. The same law
that was first written in the heart of man continued to be a perfect rule
of righteousness after the fall,4 and was delivered by God upon
Mount Sinai, in ten commandments, and written in two tables, the four first
containing our duty towards God, and the other six, our duty to man.5
4 Rom. 2:14,15
5 Deut. 10:4
Paragraph 3. Besides this
law, commonly called moral, God was pleased to give to the people of Israel
ceremonial laws, containing several typical ordinances, partly of worship,
prefiguring Christ, his graces, actions, sufferings, and benefits;6
and partly holding forth divers instructions of moral duties,7 all
which ceremonial laws being appointed only to the time of reformation,
are, by Jesus Christ the true Messiah and only law-giver, who was furnished
with power from the Father for that end abrogated and taken away.8
6 Heb. 10:1; Col.
2:17
7 1 Cor. 5:7
8 Col. 2:14,16,17;
Eph. 2:14,16
Paragraph 4. To them also
he gave sundry judicial laws, which expired together with the state of
that people, not obliging any now by virtue of that institution; their
general equity only being of modern use.9
9 1 Cor. 9:8-10
Paragraph 5. The moral law
does for ever bind all, as well justified persons as others, to the obedience
thereof,10 and that not only in regard of the matter contained in
it, but also in respect of the authority of God the Creator, who gave it;11
neither does Christ in the Gospel any way dissolve, but much strengthen
this obligation.12
10 Rom. 13:8-10;
James 2:8,10-12
11 James 2:10,11
12 Matt. 5:17-19;
Rom. 3:31
Paragraph 6. Although true
believers are not under the law as a covenant of works, to be thereby justified
or condemned,13 yet it is of great use to them as well as to others,
in that as a rule of life, informing them of the will of God and their
duty, it directs and binds them to walk accordingly; discovering also the
sinful pollutions of their natures, hearts, and lives, so as examining
themselves thereby, they may come to further conviction of, humiliation
for, and hatred against, sin;14 together with a clearer sight of
the need they have of Christ and the perfection of his obedience; it is
likewise of use to the regenerate to restrain their corruptions, in that
it forbids sin; and the threatenings of it serve to show what even their
sins deserve, and what afflictions in this life they may expect for them,
although freed from the curse and unallayed rigour thereof. The promises
of it likewise show them God's approbation of obedience, and what blessings
they may expect upon the performance thereof, though not as due to them
by the law as a covenant of works; so as man's doing good and refraining
from evil, because the law encourages to the one and deters from the other,
is no evidence of his being under the law and not under grace.15
13 Rom. 6:14; Gal.
2:16; Rom. 8:1, 10:4
14 Rom. 3:20, 7:7,
etc.
15 Rom. 6:12-14;
1 Pet. 3:8-13
Paragraph 7. Neither are
the aforementioned uses of the law contrary to the grace of the Gospel,
but do sweetly comply with it,16 the Spirit of Christ subduing and
enabling the will of man to do that freely and cheerfully which the will
of God, revealed in the law, requires to be done.17
16 Gal. 3:21
17 Ezek. 36:27