The covenant of nature made with Adam described and cleared from sundry great mistakes. And thereby proving, I. That the kind of death that was threatned in that covenant, in Gen. 2.17. ought not to be understood of any other kind of death but of a double spiritual death, 1. By depriving Adam of Gods concreated image: and 2. By corruption of nature that followed thereupon. II. Proving that the said covenant was totally extinguished and made utterly null, as soon as Adam had but tasted of the forbidden fruit, and received the said threatned punishment. III. Expounding Gal. 3.10. and proving that the curse therein threatned must not be understood of the curse of the said covenant of nature, but of that curse that is threatned in the covenant of grace to the fallen posterity of Adam, for their not doing of Moses law by faith in Christ, which was given to them for the covenant of grace and reconciliation only. ... VIII. Expounding Rom. 8.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 6, 8. in ch. 25. By William Pynchon.

CHAPTER VII. (Book 7)

Wherein Mr. Nortons exposition of Gal. 3. 10. of doing the whole Law by perfect nature as in Adam, is briefly confu∣ted.

Sect. 1.

1. MR Norton cites Gal. 3. 10. in p. 2. to prove that Christ was our surety, to doe the command of the works made with Adam in a way of works; and 2. to suffer the essentiall punishment of that cursed death for our redemption.

And saith he in pag. 14.

"Christ obeyed the Law of works as God-man judicially, bare sin, suffered the punishment due for sin, in a way of satisfaction to di∣vine justice, and all this as the surety of the Elect; without which doing and suffering, the mediatorly obedience of Christ is insuffi∣cient, and ineffectuall; for we cannot beare sin nor suffer the punish∣ment of sin, so as to satisfie the justice of God, nor can we perform le∣gall obedience: yet all this must be suffered, Gen. 2. 17. and overcome 1 Cor 15. 17. and done, Lev. 18. 5. otherwise no salvation, Galat. 3. 10.

[Reply 1] There are many great errors in these two assertions, as I have shewed at large ch. 5. My intent now is to speak briefly to the confutation of his corrupt sence of Gal. 3. 10.

2. Therefore it is a great error to make Gal. 3. 10. to speak of Christ doing the Law of the Covenant of nature, as our surety with Adam, or else that we can have no salvation. But I have often shewed before in ch. 5. and elsewhere. 1. That the Covenant made with Adam, can∣not be called the Covenant of works in the plurall. And 2. That it was utterly extinguished as soone as Adam had broken it, by eating but once of the forbiden fruit. And 3. That Christ cannot be our surety in that Covenant, because that Covenant was made with no other persons but with the naturall generation of Adam only, of which kind of generation.

Christ was none, and thence it followes that Gal. 3. 10. doth not threaten that cursed death that is mentioned in Gen. 2. 17. to Christ for our non-continuance in the doing of that now nullified Covenant of na∣ture.

But saith Mr. Norton in p. 140.

"

Obedience unto the command, i.e. to the Law of works Lev. 18. 5. Gal. 3. 10. and suffering the punishment due to sin Gen. 2. 17. is that which God according to the Law demands, and the debtor, namely the sinner owes.

Therefore obedience unto the Law of works is that which the sure∣ty ought to pay.

[Reply 2] I deny this whole Argument; for 1. I have shewed in ch. 1. that the Covenant made with Adam is not now in being, but that it hath been ut∣terly extinguished ever since Adam did but tast of the forbidden fruit, and had received the punishment of that threatned death; therefore not any obedience is now due unto that nullified Covenant: and therefore Gal. 3. 10. Lev. 18. 5. and Gen. 2. 17. are cited to no better end, than to prove that he doth not understand the true nature of that Covenant that was made with Adam; nor 2. the true nature of Christs suretiship, nor 3. the true nature of Christs satisfaction, nor 4. the true nature of a sinners justification, nor 5. the true sence and meaning of his three cited Scri∣ptures.

But saith Mr. Norton in p 149.

"The immutable truth of God, Gen. 2. 17. and his inviolable justice Rom. 8. 32. requires obedience in the Mediator; the Law requireth obedience, both active, Lev. 18. 5. and passive, Gal. 3. 10. or else there can be no life.

[Reply 3] In this Assertion he cites Gal. 3. 10. to prove the passive obedience of the mediator to the eternall curse of the Law of Grace; I wonder at his oversight seeing this Text speaks not at all of the curse of the Covenant of nature, but of the curse of the Covenant of Grace onely, as it is due to un∣believers only, as J shall make it manifest in my after exposition of it.

But saith Mr. Norton in p. 191.

"The Law in case of innocency required only doing, Lev. 18. 5. but in case of sin it cannot be satisfied without suffering, Gen. 2. 17. and doing, Gal. 3. 10.

[Reply 4] In these words he doth confound the Covenant of nature, with the Covenant of Grace, and 2. he cites Gal. 3. 10. to prove that Christ was the surety of the Elect, to do the Law of the Covanant of nature made with Adam. But I have sufficiently proved, that the Law of that Covenant is ut∣terly dead and void, and therefore a dead Law cannot act as to the point of doing, neither can it threaten any new punishment; but yet the difini∣tive and inviolable justice of God, doth continually execute that first threatn∣ed punishment of a double spirituall death upon all Adams naturall posterity successively, by depriving them of Gods concreated image, for the breach of the Covenant of nature to the worlds end, as I have shewed it in chap. 1.

But saith M^r Norton in pag. 199.

"The Law is fulfilled as concerning them that are saved, Gal. 3. 10. either by the obedience of Christ, God-man Mediator, or by the personall obedience of the believer; but not by the personall obedi∣ence of the believer, Rom. 3. 3. Gal. 3. 10. therefore by the perso∣nall obedience of Christ, God-man Mediator.

[Reply 5] 1. I have shewed that Christ was none of Adam's naturall generation: therefore he was not bound to fulfill that Law in Gen. 2. 17.

2. That the Covenant of Grace and Reconciliation in Gen. 3. 15. is ful∣filled, as concerning them that are saved, even by the personall obedi∣ence of the believers faith: for faith in Christ is the only condition that is required on the sinners part, for the fulfilling of the Law of Grace: and this is the great fulfilling that is required of all them that shall be saved, by Gal. 3. 10. and by Rom. 5. 1, 2. and by Rom. 8. as I shall shew ere long.

But I deny that the Law of the Covenant of nature is fulfilled, as concern∣ing them that are saved: because that Law is now become no Law, seeing it hath been utterly extinguished, ever since Adam did but tast of the for∣bidden fruit. God never ordained any other way to eternall life in Hea∣ven, but by faith in Christ only on the sinners part: and I say also, that he never made any Covenant for eternall life in Heaven, by any Covenant of works.

But saith M^r Norton in pag. 212.

"Not only he that doth whatever the Law forbiddeth, shall die, Gen. 2. 17. but he that continueth not in all things that are written in the Book of the Law, to do them, Gal. 3. 10. shall die.

[Reply 6] Doubtless it is the ready way to make men able Ministers of the New Testament, not of the letter, but of the Spirit, 2 Cor. 3. 6. to observe a right distinction between the word Law, as it belongs to the Covenant of nature, and the word Law, as it belongs to the Covenant of Grace: and on the contrary, it is the ready way to make heterodox Ministers to con∣found the word Law; but in both those Covenants, surely it is the ready way to make men leaders of the blind into the ditch of Errour.

2. By observing the said distinction aright, it will be found that the word Law in Gal. 3. 10. doth not at all relate to the Law of the Covenant of nature, in Gen. 2. 17.

3. Therefore the doing of the Law of Grace, (as it is required of all that shall be saved) in Gal. 3. 10. is not to be understood, of the doing it by perfect naturall obedience, as in Adam's Creation; but of the doing it, according to the condition of the Covenant of Grace, which is done no otherwise, but by faith in Christ only: this is the great fulfilling of the Law which God requires, of all that shall be saved in the Covenant of Grace.

But saith M^r Norton in pag. 240.

"The Law required not only death in case of sin, Gen. 2. 17. but also the doing of legall obedience unto the command, Deut. 27. 26. Gal. 3. 10. otherwise there is no life.

[Reply 7] I deny that the Law in Deut. 27. 26. and in Gal. 3. 10. did require obe∣dience unto the first arbitrary Law of the Covenant of nature, made with Adam: for that Law required no other obedience, but to eat once only of the Tree of the two-fold life, for the fulfilling of it, as I have shewed in Chap. 1. But the doing required in Deut. 27. 26. and in Gal. 3. 10. is meant of such a doing only, as is required in the Law of the Covenant of Grace: which is done by saith in Christ only, as I shall more fully clear it, in my following Exposition of Gal. 3. 10.

But saith M^r Norton in pag. 244.

"Perfect obedience to the Law, is the matter of our Justification, Gal 3. 10.

[Reply 8] I have before shewed in Chap. 5. and else-where, That perfect morall obedience was not ordained by the Covenant of nature, to be the matter of Adam's Justification, because God in that Covenant required no more of him, but to do one only transient act of obedience, in eating but once only of the Tree of the two-fold life, for the confirmation of him, and of all his naturall posterity, in his concreated morall perfections for ever, in the sweet contents of an earthly Paradise, as I have shewed in Chap. 1. Sect. 4. And 2. That that Covenant is now totally extinguished, and therefore that now it cannot be the matter of a sinners Justification. And 3. that nothing else is required of sinners for their Justification, by the Law of Grace, but the supernaturall obedience of faith in Christ: and therefore the Apostle doth make Christ only, to be the true end, scope, and aim, of all Moses Law, for Justification to every one that believeth.

Thus much in brief, for the confutation of M^r Nortons Heterodox∣all Exposition, of Gal. 3. 10.

Sect. 2.

The true Exposition of Gal. 3. 10. doth now follow.

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 that are written in the Book of the Law, to do them. * 1.1

Four phrases must be explained, for the better understanding of the force of Paul's Argument.

• 1. What is meant by as many as are of the works of the Law.
• 2. What by this, that continueth not in things that are written in the Book of the Law.
• 3. What by this, to do them.
• 4. What by this, are under the curse.

1. By as many as are of the works of the Law, I understand, as many as held their Justification to be attained from their morall sins, (as well as from their ceremoniall sins) by their bodily performance of the works of the Law: and for this end, it was the constant endeavour of the false Apostles, to perswade the believing Gentiles, that faith in Christ was not the only condition to be performed on their parts, for the obtaining of

their full Justification from all ki••d of sins, except they did also perform * 1.2 the outward works of the Law, as a necessary condition to be conjoyned to their faith in Christ: and in that respect they did vehemently presse the believing Gentiles, to be exactly carefull in the observation of all the Laws of Moses, or else that they could not be saved, Act. 15. 1, &c.

2. The Brethren at Jerusalem said unto Paul, Thou seest brother how many ten thousand Jews there are which do believe, and yet they are all zealous of the Law, Act. 21. 20. and now (saith he in Vers. 21.) they are informed of thee, that thou teachest the Jews, which are (in dispersion) among the Gen∣tiles, to forsake Moses, and that they ought not to circumcise their Sons, neither to live after the customes. And by the example of Ananias we may see, that many Jews which were eminent for their faith in Christ, were also for a time exceeding zealous in the observation of Moses Laws; for Ana∣nias was a godly man as pertaining to the Law, Act. 22. 12. And there were divers other Jews which did believe in Christ, and yet were zealous also not only for the practice of circumcision, but also for all the other cu∣stomes of Moses, Act 15. 5. And such as were converted by the preaching of Paul, and others in the Jews Synagogues, were by the malignant Jews of that Synagogue, often persecuted to strange Cities, and then they did separate themselves from the Synagogues, and joyned themselves into Christian Churches, and yet they did still continue zealous for the obser∣vation of Moses Law, even after they had separated themselves into Chri∣stian Churches, Act 21. 20. Act. 15 5, 24. Jam. 1. 1. 1 Pet. 1 1. and many of them did sometimes resort to Jerusalem, to observe the Festivall Sab∣baths, Act. 2. 5.

But as soon as the Apostles did perceive, that the said believing Jews grew stiffe and sturdy, for the observation of Moses Ceremonies in Christi∣an Churches, as a necessary condition to be performed on their part, for their eternall Justification, then Paul and the other Apostles grew resolute, to oppose this practice of theirs in Christian Churches, Gal. 2. 5. as it is most evident by Paul's down-right reproofs of them, in the Churches of Galatia, Gal. 2. 3, &c. Gal. 3. 1, &c. Gal. 4. 9, &c. Gal. 5. 1, 2. But especially mark the manner of his reproof, in Gal. 4. 9, 10, 11. for he doth there call all the customes of Moses, but weak and poor Rudiments, whereunto as from the beginning, (when you were first converted, and whilest ye lived in the Jewish Synagogues) ye will be in bondage again.

3. The Apostle in Heb. 13. 9. exhorted the Jews (in dispersion) that were now joyned into Christian Church-Assemblies, not to be carried about with divers and strange Doctrines, (namely touching the observation of Moses customes, for their eternall Justification) for (saith he) it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace, and not with meats, which have not profited them that have been exercised therein. And he calls the ob∣servation of meats and drinks, and divers washings, carnall Justifications, in Heb. 9. 10. which were imposed on them (as teaching types only) untill the time of bettering, by the Mediatours fulfilling of the better Covenant.

4. The Apostle saith thus to the Colossians, Let no man judge you in meat or drink, or in respect of an holy day, or of the new Moon, or of the Sabbaths which are a shaddow of things to come, but the body is Christ, Col. 2. 16, 17. And saith he in Vers. 18. Let no man beguil you of your prize; that is to say, of that pretious liberty from the bondage of Moses Rites, which Christ hath merited for you by his death: and then he passeth his sentence against the authors of this evil, saying in Vers. 19. that they are but self-willed in humbleness: and then he concludes in Vers. 20. If ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why as though living in the world, are ye sub∣ject to Ordinances? that is to say, why do you still live in the observation of Moses Rites, seeing they are but externall and worldly things?

5. The Apostle doth again call them the elements of the world, in Gal. 4. 3. and he doth also call the holy Sanctuary, but a worldly Sanctuary, in Heb. 9. 1. Therefore why do you subject your spirituall consciences to these worldly things, seeing Christ hath through his death in the flesh abrogated this Law of Commandements, contained in Decrees (or Ordinances,) Eph. 2. 15. But of these things see more in Chap. 5. Sect. 4, 5. and in my Book of the Institution of the Sabbath, in pag. 116, &c.

6. Paul saith in Phil. 3. 5, 6. As concerning the Law I was a Pharisee, con∣cerning zeal I persecuted the Church, and as concerning the Justification which is of the Law, I was unrebukeable: and from thence the Apostle inferreth, that if any man had cause to glory in the Justifications of Moses Law, he had more cause to glory in it than any other. But saith he in Vers. 7. What things were gain to me, I now count loss for Christ: and in Vers. 8, 9. I count them but dung that I may win Christ, and be found in him, not having my own Justification which is of the Law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the Justification which is of God by faith.

7. The Apostle Peter doth write to the same sence to the Jews, (in * 1.3 dispersion) saying in 1 Pet. 1. 18. Ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver or gold, from your vain conversation, or as the Sy∣riack hath it, from your vain (or empty) works (of the Law) receiv∣ed by tradition from your Fathers.

D^r Alle saith in his poor mans Library, part. 2. fol. 105.

"That by vain traditions from their Fathers, may be meant conversation of life, ac∣cording to Moses Law, which was vain and weak, to the attaining of eternall life: for (saith he) these works of the Law did not justifie of themselves, they were but shaddows and figures, and could not re∣mit (morall) sins: from these Lawish works the Jews were deliver∣ed, being now no more bound to Moses Law, seeing Christ our Savi∣our hath fulfilled it.

And to this sence Paul saith, that he was zealous of the Traditions of the Fathers before his conversion, Gal. 1. 13, 14. not meaning it of humane Traditions, and pharisaicall Traditions, but of the Traditions of Moses Law, which the Fathers left as an inheritance to their children, for their bodily justifications from their ceremoniall sins; though those Traditions were corrupted by their children, to serve not only for their bodily justifications, but also for their morall and eternall justification. D^r Hammond doth paraphrase this Verse of Peter thus;

"This redemption from their vain conversation, means, That Christ by his death hath taken away the legall Rites of meer externall obedience, wherein the sages of the Jews placed all their Religion.

8. The chief ground of this their superstitious Errour, both of the apo∣state and also of the converted Jews, did arise from their blind carnall reason, in taking Moses Types too much in a literall sence: for it is observ∣ed * 1.4 by M^r Ainsworth in Lev. 5. 15. that the Hebrew Doctors say,

"Behold It is said in the Law, ye shall keep my statutes, and all my judgements, and do them; our wise men have said, that the keeping and doing must be applied unto the statutes, as well as unto the judgements; now the judgements are Commandements, the reason (or meaning) whereof is manifest, and the good that cometh by the doing of them is known in this world, as the forbidding to rob, and to shed bloud, and the Commandement, to honour Father and Mother: but the statutes (or Ordinances) are Commandements, the reason whereof is not known, &c. and all the Sacrifices every one of them generally are statutes, (or Ordinances.) And our wise men have said, that for the services of the Sacrifices, the world doth continue; for by the doing of the statutes and judgements, righteous men are made worthy of life in the world to come: and the Law setteth the Commandement of the statute first, say∣ing, Ye shall keep my statutes and my judgements, which if a man do, he shall live in them, Lev. 185.

2. Maymony saith,

"That the Law, the statutes, and the Rites of it, do stand for ever, yea for ever and ever, and that nothing may be ad∣ded, nor nothing taken away; this is noted by M^r Bro. more at large in Eccl. pag. 33. And saith he in Melchisedeck H. 1. This Tenent of theirs was and is among the Jews the ground of all their Errours. This su∣perstitious opinion of theirs was also signified by Moses, when he put a vail upon his shining face, signifying thereby, that the children of Israel (after the flesh) could not sted fastly look unto the end of that which is now abolished, but their minds were blinded, for untill this day remaineth the same vail untaken away, in the reading of the old Testament, (namely in the reading of the typicall Rites of the first old typicall Covenant, of Testament, which Rites were ordained for their bodily justification from their ceremoniall sins. And 3. That they might be as a teaching Schoolmaster unto Christ, that so they might be justified from all their morall sins through faith in him. And this old typicall Covenant is also called a Testament in Exod. 24. 8. compared with Heb. 9. 20. which (ty∣picall) vail is now done away by Christ; but even to this day when Moses is read, the vail (of ignorance and unbelief) is upon their heart, 2 Cor. 3. 13, 14, 15. And indeed this literall understanding of the typicall Rites of Moses Law, was so rooted in all the Nation in generall, that it was not easily taken away even from the believing Jews, in the first preach∣ing of the Gospel.

9. Cameron saith in Triplici Foedere, Thes. 75.

"That the Sacrifices, Sacraments, and Ceremonies of the Ancients, had their carnall use, over and besides their spirituall signification. And saith he in Thes. 76.

we deny not but even the Sacraments of the New Testament, may have a carnall use by the institution and custome of man, but not any such prescribed by them, by any word of God, (as the Ceremonies of the Jews had) for God had appointed their ceremoniall works of the Law to be done, for the justification of the bodies of all the Nationall Church, from their ceremoniall sins, before they might presume to ap∣pear before God in his holy Temple, as I have shewed it more at large in Chap. 5, 6.

From hence we may see, that the false Apostles took these ceremoni∣all justifications of their body, in a larger sence than God intended it, namely for the justification of their souls from their morall sins, as well as for the justification of their bodies from their ceremoniall sins.

But the Apostle Paul denies this Tenent, and doth labour to confute it by three sorts of Arguments. * 1.5

1. From the appointed time of ending all the Rites of Moses Law: namely from the fulness of the time (appointed of the Father) was come, God sent forth his Son, to redeem them that were under the Law, (from that bondage of Moses Rites) that we might receive the adoption of Sons, (by faith in Christ) which is the full fruit of such as are come to ripe age, from being children under the rudiments of the world. But of this full time see my Exposition of Dan. 9. 24.

2. The second sort of Arguments which he useth is, because the said typicall works of the Law, were never ordained for any other kind of ju∣stification, but of the body only from ceremoniall sins, as I have shewed it more at large in my Exposition of Heb. 9. 10. and in that respect the Apostle doth peremptorily deny, that the said works were ordained to justifie the conscience from dead works, (namely from morall sins) Heb. 9. 9, 13, 14, 15. Heb. 10 4, 11. Act. 13. 39.

3. The third sort of Arguments which he useth is taken from Faith in Christ, which God hath ordained to be the only condition to be perform∣ed by the sinner for his full justification from all his moral sins; as it is well observed by Mr. Wotton (and by many others) the Apostles disputation against the false Apostles (saith he) was not so much by what we are formally justified, as by what God requireth to be preformed on the sin∣ners part for his justification, whether works, or Faith in Christ, Gal. 2. 16. Eph. 2. 8. 9. neither was their disputation whether their own ful∣filling of the Law, or whether our Saviour Christs fulfilling it for them, was imputed to them for their formall justification; but what it is that God requireth on mans part to his justification, whether Faith alone, or Faith joyned together with the works of the Law.

Mr. Woodbridge saith in his Method p. 53.

"That Christians attain that Righteousnesse by Faith, which the Jews sought after by workes, Rom. 9. 31, 32. Israel which followed after the Law of Righteousnesse, have not attained to the Law of Righteousnesse, wherefore? Because they sought it not by Faith, but as it were by the works of the Law. Ergo, saith he when justification is ascribed unto Faith, it must be taken in the same sence, as when it is denied unto works: but saith

he the Jews sought to be justified by works, as the matter (of that condition) for which they should be justified; and therefore the Apostle doth directly oppose it in these words: By the deeds of the Law shall no flesh be justified, namely in the sight of God; as it is ex∣pressed by the Psalmist in Psal. 143. 2. and by the Apostle also in Rom. 3. 20. and Gal. 3. 11.

Conclusion.

From the consideration, of what is alledged in the said nine par∣ticulars, it followes; that by as many as are of the works of the Law; is meant, as many as sought for their eternall justificati∣on ex opere operato by their bodily doing of the workes of the Law.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Gal. 3. 10.
• * 1.2

  The false A∣postles taught the believing Gentiles, that their faith in Christ was not sufficient for their Justifica∣tion from all sin, without they joyned the works of the Law thereto. Of which see before in Chap. 5. at Rep. 13. ult.
• * 1.3

  1 Pet. 1. 18.
• * 1.4

  The Hebrew Doctors expound the statutes in Lev. 18. 5. not a•• M^r Norton doth of the Law of the Covenant of nature made with Adam, but of the bodily do∣ing of Moses statutes, as the condition of eternall life: and 2. they did as grossely erre in making these statutes to con∣tinue as the con∣dition of life to the end of the world.
• * 1.5

  The Apostle doth confute the Doctrine of ju∣stification by the works of the Law, by three sorts of Argu∣ments.