Vindiciae legis, or, A vindication of the moral law and the covenants, from the…Vindiciae legis, or, A vindication of the morall law and the covenants, from the…

But this is certain, the second Person is no more visible, or mutable then the first; only it may be doubted, whether all those administrations and apparitions which were by God in the Old Testament, were not by the second Person: indeed, in the New Testament, that voice from heaven, This is my well beloved Son, must needs be from the Father immediately: It hath been very hard to know when the Angel that appeared hath been a created one, or increated, the Son of God. Tostatus gives this rule, when the things communicated in Scripture, as done by an Angel, are of small consequence or belonging to one man, or a few men, then it is a created Angel; but if they be matters of great concernment, or belonging to many people, then it is by an increated Angel; he enumerates many examples, which are not to my purpose, neither may we be curious in determining of the former question. Let the use of this be to take heed, how we cry down this Law, which God hath so honoured, either by Doctrines, or Practises. We may live down the Law, and we may preach down the Law, both which are a reproach to it; and the Law is of such a perpetual, immutable obligation, that the very being of a sin is in this, that it is [Greek or Hebrew] a transgression of the Law, so that if there be no obligatory power of the Law, there can be no sin. If the Heathen thought political Laws, were the walls of a City, and it were no advantage to ⟨p. 168⟩have fortified walls, and prostrated laws; how much more is this true of Gods Commandments: Those three things which are required in a Law giver, authority, wisdom, and holiness, were transcendently in God, therefore every sin hath disobedience in it, because it is against authority; folly in it, because it's against wisdom; and injustice in it, because against righteousness.

But this is certain, the second Person is no more visible, or mutable then the first; only it may be doubted, whether all those administrations and apparitions which were by God in the Old Testament, were not by the second Person: indeed, in the New Testament, that voice from heaven, This is my welbelou Son, must needs be from the Father immediatly: It hath been very hard to know when the Angel that appeared hath been a created one, or increated, the Son of God. Tostatus gives this rule, when the things communicated in Scripture, as done by an Angel, are of small consequence or belonging to one man, or a few men, then it is a created Angel; but if they be matters of great concernment, or belonging to many people, then it is by an increated Angel; he enumerates many examples, which are not to my purpose, neither may we be curious in determining of the former question. Let the use of this be to take heed, how we cry down this Law, which God hath so honoured, either by Doctrines, or Practises. We may live down the Law, and we may preach down the Law, both which are a reproach to it; and the Law is of such a perpetuall, immutable obligation, that the very being of a sin is in this, that it is a transgression of the Law, so that if there be no obligatory power of the Law, there can be no sin. If the Heathen thought politicall Laws, were the wals of a City, and it were no advantage to