Eighteen sermons preached in Oxford 1640 of conversion, unto God. Of redemption, & justification,…

And this it doth that thou mayst come to Christ: as it is enlarged in the 2. verses following. Before ⟨p. 79⟩faith came (saith the Apostle) we were kept up under the Law, shut up unto the faith, which should afterward be revealed: wherefore the Law was our Schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. Before the time then thou hast faith, (which is the day salvation comes to thine house) thou art kept under the Law. Thou art not assured of salvation, nor canst thou expect till then that God should show thee mercy. We may have a conceit, that though we are never transplanted, nor cut off from our own stock, yet God will show us mercy: But we shall beguile our selves to hell therein; for we are kept under the Law till faith comes, that so we may know our selves. We are kept, &c. (Kept) It's a Metaphor drawn from Military affairs, when men are kept by a Garrison, and kept in order. Now the Law is Gods Garrison, which keeps men in good awe and order. The Law doth this not to terrify you too much, or to break your minds with despair, but to fit you for the faith: It's a shutting up till that faith which should afterward be revealed. He's a miserable Preacher which ends with preaching of the Law; the Law is for another end, it's to fit us for faith. It's our Schoolmaster to bring us to Christ. We thunder not the Law to make men run away from God, but to bring them home unto him. The Schoolmaster by the smart of his rod makes the child weary of his bondage, and desire earnestly to be past his non-age; and this is his end, not that he delights to hear him cry. Thus are we beaten by the law, not that God delights or loves ⟨p. 80⟩to hear us sigh or sob, but that we may grow weary of our misery and cruel bondage, may desire to be justified by faith. The Law then is so a Schoolmaster, as that by making us smart, it might bring us home. We see then the course & method of the Scripture, it hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ may be made to them that believe.

And this it doth that thou mayst come to Christ: as it is enlarged in the 2. verses following. Before ⟨p. 79⟩faith came (saith the Apostle) we were kept up under the Law, shut up unto the faith, which should afterward be revealed: wherefore the Law was our Schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. Before the time then thou hast faith, (which is the day salvation comes to thine house) thou art kept under the Law. Thou art not assured of salvation, nor canst thou expect till then that God should shew thee mercy. We may have a conceit, that though we are never transplanted, nor cut off from our own stock, yet God will shew us mercy: But we shall beguile our selves to hell therein; for we are kept under the Law till faith comes, that so we may know our selves. We are kept, &c. (Kept) It's a Metaphor drawn from Military affairs, when men are kept by a Garrison, and kept in order. Now the Law is Gods Garrison, which keeps men in good awe and order. The Law doth this not to terrifie you too much, or to break your minds with despair, but to fit you for the faith: It's a shutting up till that faith which should afterward be revealed. He's a miserable Preacher which ends with preaching of the Law; the Law is for another end, it's to fit us for faith. It's our Schoolmaster to bring us to Christ. We thunder not the Law to make men run away from God, but to bring them home unto him. The Schoolmaster by the smart of his rod makes the child weary of his bondage, and desire earnestly to be past his non-age; and this is his end, not that he delights to hear him cry. Thus are we beaten by the law, not that God delights or loves