Exercitations concerning the name, original, nature, use, and continuance of a day of sacred…

But this Renovation of all, which is the foundation of all our acceptable Obedience unto God, and of his present Worship, consists principally in the Regeneration of the Elect, making them new Creatures, and the erection of a new Church-state thereby to the Glory of God. Now this new Creation of all must answer unto all the Ends of the Old, in reference unto the Glory of God, and the Good of them who are partakers of it; otherwise it would not be so rightly called, nor answer the declared Ends of it, which was to gather all things to an Head in Christ Jesus. For what was lost by sin, ⟨p. 357⟩as to the Glory of God in the old Creation, in this, was to be repaired and recovered.

§. 3 We may then, as the foundation of our present Discourse, consider how these things answer unto one another. First, the old Creation comprised in it the Law of the Obedience of all Creatures unto God. This was therein and thereby implanted on their Natures, with inclinations, Natural, or Moral, unto the Observation of it. And thus must it be also in the new Creation, as unto the subject of it, which is the Church. This Law of the old Creation unto Man, consisted principally in the Image of God in him, and con-created with him. For hereby did he both know his duty, and was enabled to perform it, and was acquainted with his Relation unto God, and dependence upon him, which rendered it necessary and indispensable. But this Law in the state of Creation, fell under a double consideration, or had a double use; first of Rule, and then as a Principle. As a Rule, the light that was in the mind of man, which was a principal part of the Image of God in him, acquainted him with his whole duty, and directed him in the right performance of it. As a Principle, it respected the Ability that the whole man was endowed withal, to live to God according to his duty. This Law, as to its first use, being much impaired, weakened, and in a great measure made useless by sin, God was pleased to restore it in the vocal Revelation of his Will, especially in the Decalogue, which with his own finger he wrote in Tables of Stone. In answer hereunto, a new Law of Obedience is introduced by the new Creation in Christ Jesus. And this principally consisted in the Renovation