A65285:1869
A Body of Practical Divinity
A body of practical divinity consisting of above one hundred seventy six sermons on the lesser catechism composed by the reverend assembly of divines at Westminster : with a supplement of some sermons on several texts of Scripture / by Thomas Watson ...
London: printed for Thomas Parkurst, 1692
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Resp. In some sense it is abolished to Believers. 1. In respect of Justification; they are not justified by their Obedience to the Moral Law. Believers are to make great use of the Moral Law (as I shall show) but they must trust only to Christs Righteousness for Justification; as Noah's Dove made use of her Wings to fly, but trusted to the Ark for Safety: If the Moral Law could justify, what need were there of Christs Dying? 2. The Moral Law is abolished to Believers, in respect of the Malediction of it: They are freed from the Curse and damnatory power of it, Gal. 3.13. Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law, being made a Curse for us.
Resp. In some sense it is abolished to Believers. 1. In respect of Justification; they are not justified by their Obedience to the Moral Law. Believers are to make great use of the Moral Law (as I shall shew) but they must trust only to Christs Righteousness for Justification; as Noah's Dove made use of her Wings to fly, but trusted to the Ark for Safety: If the Moral Law could justifie, what need were there of Christs Dying? 2. The Moral Law is abolished to Believers, in respect of the Malediction of it: They are freed from the Curse and damnatory power of it, Gal. 3.13. Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law, being made a Curse for us.
Quest. 4. How was Christ made a Curse for us?
Resp. Christ may be considered, 1. As the Son of God, and so he was not made a Curse. 2. As our Pledge and Surety, Heb. 7.22. And so he was made a Curse for us: This Curse was not upon his God-head, but upon his Manhood. This Curse was the Wrath of God lying upon him. And thus Christ hath taken away from Believers the Curse of the Law, by being made a Curse for them. But though the Moral Law is thus far abolished, yet it remains as a perpetual Rule to Believers: Though the Law Moral be not their Saviour, yet it is their Guide: Though it be not Foedus, a Covenant of Life, yet it is Norma, a Rule of Living: Every Christian is bound to conform to the Moral Law, and write as exactly as he can, after this Copy,