The Hebrews have a more strict word for precept, and that is [Greek or Hebrew], yet some say this also sometimes signifieth a promise, Psal. 133. 3. There the Lord commanded a blessing, i. e. promised; so John 12. 50. his commandment, i. e. his promise, is life everlasting: So then, if we would attend to the Hebrew words, it would not so trouble us, to hear that it is good. But yet the use of the word [Law] is very general: sometimes it signifieth any part of 1the Old Testament, John 10. It is said in the Law, You are gods. And that is in the Psalms: Sometimes the Law and the Prophets are made all the books of the Old Testament; sometimes the Law and the Psalms are distinguished; sometimes it is used for the ceremonial law only, Hebr. 10. 1. The Law having a shadow of things to come; sometimes it is used synecdochically, for some acts of the Law only; as Galat. 5. Against such there is no law: sometimes it is used for that whole economy, and peculiar dispensation of Gods worship unto the Jews; in which sense it is said to be until ⟨p. 11⟩John, but grace and truth by Christ Jesus: sometimes it is used in the sense of the Jews, as without Christ: And thus the Apostle generally in the Epistle to the Romans and Galatians. Indeed, this is a dispute between Papists and us, In what sense the Law is taken: for, the Papists would have it understood only of the ceremonial law. But we answer, that the beginning of the dispute, was about the observation of those legal ceremonies, as necessary to salvation: But the Apostle goeth from the hypothesis to the thesis; and showeth, that not only those ordinances, but no other works may be put in Christs room: Therefore the Antinomian, before he speaks any thing against, or about the Law, he must show in what sense the Apostle useth it: Sometimes it is taken strictly, for the five books of Moses; yea, it is thought of many, that book of the Law, so often mentioned in Scripture, which was kept with so much diligence, was only that book called Deuteronomy: and commonly it is taken most strictly for the ten Commandments. Now, the different use of this word breeds all this obscurity, and the Apostle argueth against it in one sense, and pleadeth for it in another.
The Hebrewes have a more strict word for precept, and that is 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, yet some say this also sometimes signifieth a promise, Psal. 133. 3. There the Lord commanded a blessing, i. e. promised; so John 12. 50. his commandement, i. e. his promise, is life everlasting: So then, if we would attend to the Hebrew words, it would not so trouble us, to heare that it is good. But yet the use of the word [Law] is very generall: sometimes it signifieth any part of 1the Old Testament, John 10. It is said in the Law, You are gods. And that is in the Psalmes: Sometimes the Law and the Prophets are made all the books of the Old Testament; sometimes the Law and the Psalmes are distinguished; sometimes it is used for the ceremoniall law onely, Hebr. 10. 1. The Law having a shadow of things to come; sometimes it is used synecdochically, for some acts of the Law onely; as Galat. 5. Against such there is no law: sometimes it is used for that whole oiconomy, and peculiar dispensation of Gods worship unto the Jewes; in which sense it is said to be untill ⟨p. 11⟩John, but grace and truth by Christ Jesus: sometimes it is used in the sense of the Jewes, as without Christ: And thus the Apostle generally in the Epistle to the Romans and Galatians. Indeed, this is a dispute between Papists and us, In what sense the Law is taken: for, the Papists would have it understood onely of the ceremoniall law. But we answer, that the beginning of the dispute, was about the observation of those legall ceremonies, as necessary to salvation: But the Apostle goeth from the hypothesis to the thesis; and sheweth, that not onely those ordinances, but no other works may be put in Christs roome: Therefore the Antinomian, before he speaks any thing against, or about the Law, he must shew in what sense the Apostle useth it: Sometimes it is taken strictly, for the five bookes of Moses; yea, it is thought of many, that book of the Law, so often mentioned in Scripture, which was kept with so much diligence, was onely that book called Denteronomy: and commonly it is taken most strictly for the ten Commandements. Now, the different use of this word breeds all this obscurity, and the Apostle argueth against it in one sense, and pleadeth for it in another.
- 1The acceptions of the word Law in Scripture, are divers.
