The True Bounds of Christian Freedom

31. Thesis.

To the second we Answer: ¹This mystery was by so much the more obscurely propounded, by how much the time was farthest distant from the coming of Christ. First, because by how much nearer the coming of Christ was at hand, by so much the more earnestly ought the minds of men be stirred up in expectation of his coming. Secondly, because by how much those times were farthest off from the coming of Christ; by so much was God pleased more clearly to manifest himself for other reasons also; he called upon them from heaven, he spake unto them by his Angels, &c. And by how much nearer yet the times approached to the coming of Messiah, by so much the ⟨p. 372⟩less clearly for those very reasons, was he pleased to manifest himself to men, and therefore they were to make up this defect (as I may so speak) after some other manner. Thirdly, the Church, look by how much she is the nearer to her beginnings, so much the more imperfect is she; and therefore to be instructed after a more imperfect manner. Fourthly, before the law given, the sense of sin was not so sharp; the law once given, it became now sharper, yet so as it was to be most of all sharp and piercing then at length, when the law was to be expounded by the Prophets; and when the truth of those threats, annexed to the law, should by experience it self, be more evidently made good upon them by so many calamities. Fifthly, for that, before the Law given, the people had not as yet undergone the yoke of the law; (which, what it is, we shall afterwards declare in Thes. 60. and those following.) After that the law being given, they had undergone it, being but as yet newly entered into the covenant, they were not sensible of the burden of it, [on the sudden;] until, in process of time, having by experience learned, as also having been warned by the Sermons of the Prophets, at length, when it was late first,