Then, first, as Christ died a Law-death and was under death, because under the Law, so are we legally in him freed from the Laws dominion, and death following thereupon. 2. As Christ defies the Laws dominion and death,1 so do we. 3. As Christ cannot twice satisfy the Law by dying (for then the first had not been sufficient) so neither can we ever be under Law-death and Law-condemnation, for we was once in Christ legally condemned and crucified in our Surety and so cannot suffer in our persons legal condemnation and legal death. 4. As Christ is dead to the dominion of the Law and death having once died and come out from under both, so are we dead and come legally out in him, which answereth the several tentations we can be under in Christ. Obj. But then may we not sin, because we are freed from the dominion of the Law and death? as Rom. 6. he had said, ye are not under the Law, but under Grace, v. 15. What then? Shall we sin, because we are not under the Law, but under Grace? God forbid, ver. 16, 17. He answers from an absurd, then we that are ransomed by Christ, should not be our ransom-payers servants, but the servants of sin. Now except the meaning had been, we are not under the Law, that is, the Laws dominion and the Laws condemning power, there had been no place for such an Objection, nay, nor any shadow; but the true Objection is, we are not under the Law to be thereby condemned and eternally punished, therefore what is the hazard of sin? We may sin at will, there is no fear of hell. Paul answers not from that evil of servile fear that followeth sin, but from the woeful ingratitude to our ransom-payer.2 O then we should not be under Christ and the directing light and rule of our Lord Ransomer, if we sin at will, but still servants and slaves to sin and so not redeemed, by which we gather that there is two things in the Law. 1. The condemning power of it. 2. The directive commanding power: As to the former, Christ by being condemned and suffering a cursed death for us, took that wholly away. We are not then under the Law as condemning, yea neither as saving and justifying, for then should ⟨p. 213⟩we be married to the Law and under conjugal power as wife and husband living together, which Paul refutes, Rom. 2.1, 2, 3, 8. (2.)
Then, first, as Christ died a Law-death and was under death, because under the Law, so are we legally in him freed from the Laws dominion, and death following thereupon. 2. As Christ defies the Laws dominion and death,1 so do we. 3. As Christ cannot twise satisfie the Law by dying (for then the first had not been sufficient) so neither can we ever be under Law-death and Law-condemnation, for we was once in Christ legally condemned and crucified in our Surety and so cannot suffer in our persons legall condemnation and legall death. 4. As Christ is dead to the dominion of the Law and death having once died and come out from under both, so are we dead and come legally out in him, which answereth the severall tentations we can be under in Christ. Obj. But then may we not sin, because wee are freed from the dominion of the Law and death? as Rom. 6. he had said, ye are not under the Law, but under Grace, v. 15. What then? Shall we sin, because we are not under the Law, but under Grace? God forbid, ver. 16, 17. He answers from an absurd, then we that are ransomed by Christ, should not be our ransome-payers servants, but the servants of sin. Now except the meaning had been, we are not under the Law, that is, the Laws dominion and the Laws condemning power, there had been no place for such an Objection, nay, nor any shadow; but the true Objection is, we are not under the Law to be thereby condemned and eternally punished, therefore what is the hazard of sin? We may sinne at will, there is no fear of hell. Paul answers not from that evill of servile fear that followeth sin, but from the woefull ingratitude to our ransome-payer.2 O then we should not be under Christ and the directing light and rule of our Lord Ransomer, if we sin at will, but still servants and slaves to sin and so not redeemed, by which we gather that there is two things in the Law. 1. The condemning power of it. 2. The directive commanding power: As to the former, Christ by being condemned and suffering a cursed death for us, took that wholly away. We are not then under the Law as condemning, yea neither as saving and justifying, for then should ⟨p. 213⟩we be married to the Law and under conjugall power as wife and husband living together, which Paul refutes, Rom. 2.1, 2, 3, 8. (2.)
- 1Christ Mystical, Christ & believers are freed from the law-dominion.
- 2The Antinomian objection charged upon is answered by him.The Antinomian objectiō charged upon is answered by him.
