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not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be;" (Rom. viii, 7;) therefore, that man over whom it has dominion, cannot perform what the law commands. The same Apostle says, "When we were in the flesh, the motions of sins wrought in us," or flourished energetically. (vii, 5.) To the same purpose are all those passages in which the man existing in this state is said to be under the power of sin and Satan, reduced to the condition of a slave, and "taken captive by the Devil." (Rom. vi, 20; 2 Tim. ii, 26.)

XI. 4. To these let the consideration of the whole of the Life of Man who is [constituti] placed under sin, be added, of which the Scriptures exhibit to us the most luminous descriptions; and it will be evident, that nothing can be spoken more truly concerning man in this state, than that he is altogether dead in sin. (Rom. iii, 10-19.) To these let the testimonies of Scripture be joined, in which are described the benefits of Christ, which are conferred by his Spirit on the human mind and will, and thus on the whole man. (1 Cor. vi, 9-11; Gal. v, 19-25; Ephes. ii, 2-7; iv, 17-20; Titus iii, 3-7.) For, the blessings of which man has been deprived by sin, cannot be rendered more obviously apparent, than by the immense [cumulo] mass of benefits which accrue to believers through the Holy Spirit; when, in truth, nature is understood to be devoid of all that which, as the Scriptures testify, is performed in man and communicated by the operation of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, if "where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty;" (2 Cor. iii, 17;) and if those alone be "free indeed whom the Son hath made free; (John viii, 36;) it follows, that our will is not free from the first fall; that is, it is not free to good, unless it be made free by the Son through his Spirit.

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XII. But far different from this is [ratio] the consideration of the Free Will of man, as constituted in the Third State of RENEWED RIGHTEOUSNESS. For when a new light and knowledge of God and Christ, and of the Divine Will, have been kindled in his mind; and when new affections, inclinations and motions agreeing with the law of God, have been excited in his heart, and new powers have been [ingenerata] produced in him ; it comes to pass,-that, being liberated from the kingdom of darkness, and being now made" light in the Lord," (Ephes. v, 8,) he understands the true and saving Good ;-that, after the hardness of his stony heart has been changed into the softness of flesh, and the law of God according to the covenant of grace has been inscribed on it, (Jer. xxxi, 32-35,) he loves and embraces

that which is good, just, and holy;-and that, being made [potens] capable in Christ, co-operating now with God he prosecutes the Good which he knows and loves, and he begins himself to perform it in deed: But this, whatever it may be of knowledge, holiness and power, is all begotten within him by the Holy Spirit; who is, on this account, called "the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, of counsel and might, of knowledge and the fear of Jehovah,” (Isai. xi, 2,) "the Spirit of grace," (Zech. xii, 10,) "of faith," (2 Cor. iv, 13,)" the Spirit of adoption" into sons, (Rom. viii, 16,) and "the Spirit of holiness;" and to whom the acts of illumination, regeneration, renovation, and confirmation, are attributed in the Scriptures.

XIII. But two things must be here observed. The FIRST is, That this work of regeneration and illumination is not completed in one moment; but that it is advanced and promoted, from [die] time to time, by daily increase. For "our old man is crucified, that the body of sin might be destroyed," (Rom. vi, 6,) and "that the inward man may be renewed day by day." (2 Cor. iv, 16.) For this reason, in regenerate persons, as long as they inhabit these mortal bodies, "the flesh lusteth against the Spirit." (Gal. v, 17.) Hence it arises, that they can neither perform any good thing without great resistance and violent struggles, nor abstain from the commission of evil. Nay, it also happens, that, either through ignorance or infirmity, and sometimes through [malitia] perverseness, they sin, as we may see in the cases of Moses, Aaron, Barnabas, Peter and David: Neither is such an occurrence only accidental; but, even in those who are the most perfect, the following Scriptures have their fulfilment, “In many things we all offend;" (James iii, 2;) And, "There is no man that sinneth not." (1 Kings viii, 46.)

XIV. The SECOND thing to be observed is, That as the very first commencement of every good thing, so likewise the progress, continuance and confirmation, nay, even the perseverance in good, are not from ourselves, but from God through the Holy Spirit. For "He who hath begun a good work in you, will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ;" (Phil. i, 6;) and "we are kept by the power of God through faith." (1 Peter i, 5.) "The God of all grace makes us perfect, stablishes, strengthens and settles us." (i, 10.) But if it happen that persons fall into sin who have been born again, they neither repent nor rise again unless they be raised up again by God through the power of his Spirit, and be renewed to repentance. This is proved in the most satisfactory manner, by the example of David

and of Peter. 66 Every good and perfect gift, therefore, is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights," (James i, 17,) by whose power the dead are animated that they may live, the fallen are raised up that they may recover themselves, the blind are illuminated that they may see, the unwilling are incited that they may become willing, the weak are confirmed that they may stand, the willing are assisted that they may work and may co-operate with God: "To whom be praise and glory in the church, by Christ Jesus, throughout all ages, world without end. AMEN!"

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Subsequent or following Grace does indeed assist the good purpose of man; but this good purpose would have no existence unless through preceding or preventing Grace. And though the desire of man, which is called good, be assisted by Grace when it begins to be; yet it does not begin without Grace, but is inspired by Him, concerning whom the Apostle writes thus, Thanks be to God, who put the same earnest care into the heart of Titus for you. If God [dat] incites any one to have an earnest care' for others, He will 'put it into the heart' of some other person to have an earnest care' for him."-AUGUSTINUS, Contra 2 Epist. Pelag. l. 2. c. 9. "What then, you ask, does Free Will do? I reply with brevity, Take away FREE WILL, and nothing will be left to be saved: Take away GRACE, and nothing will be left [unde salvetur] as the source of salvation. This work [of salvation] cannot be effected without two parties-One, from whom [it] it may come :-The Other, to whom or in whom it may be [wrought.] God is the Author of salvation: Free Will [tantum capere] is only capable of being saved. No one, except God, is able to bestow salvation; and nothing, except Free Will, is capable of receiving it."-Bernardus, De Libero Arbit. et Gratia.

It saves.

DISPUTATION XII.

ON THE LAW OF GOD.

Respondent, DIONYSIUS SPRANckhuysen.

1. Law in general is defined, either from its END, “An ordinance of right reason for the common and particular good of all and of each of those who are subordinate to it, [luta] enacted by Him who has the care of the whole community, and, in it, that

of each individual."—Or from its FORM and its EFFICACY, "An ordinance commanding what must be done, and what omitted; it is enacted by Him, who possesses the right of requiring obedience; and it binds to obedience a creature who abounds in the use of reason and the exercise of liberty, by the sacred promise of a reward and by the denunciation of a punishment." It is likewise distinguished into Human and Divine. A Divine Law has GOD for its Author, a Human Law has man for its author; not that any law enacted by man is choice and good, which may not be referred to God, the Author of every good; but because men deduce from the Divine Law such precepts as are accommodated to the state of which they have the charge and oversight, according to its particular condition and circumstances. present we will treat upon the Divine Law.

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II. The Divine Law may be considered-either as it is impressed on the minds of men [insito] by the ingrafted word; (Rom. ii, 14, 15;)—as it is enunciated by words audibly pronounced; (Gal. ii, 17;)—or, as it is comprised in writing. (Exod. xxxiv, 1.) These modes of legislation do not differ in their entire objects: But they may admit of discrimination in this way, The First seems to serve as a kind of foundation to the rest; but the Two others extend themselves further, even to those things which are commanded and forbidden.—We will now treat upon the law of God which is comprised in writing; and which is also called "the Law of Moses;" because God used him as mediator to deliver it to the children of Israel. (Mal. iv, 4; Gal. iii, 19.) But it is three-fold according to the variety of the object, that is, of the works to be performed: The First is called the Ethical, or Morai Law: (Exod. xx :) The Second, the Sacred or Ceremonial: The Third, the Political, Judicial, or Forensic Law.

III. 1. THE MORAL LAW is distributed through the whole of the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament, and is summarily contained in the Decalogue: It is an ordinance that commands. those things which God [habet] accounts grateful of themselves, and which it is His will to be performed by all men at all times and in all places; and that forbids the contrary things. (1 Sam. xv, 22; Amos v, 21-24; Micah vi, 6-8.) It is therefore the perpetual and immutable Rule of Living, the express image of the internal Divine conception; according to which, God, the great Lawgiver, judges it right and equitable that a rational creature should always and in every place order and direct the whole of his life. It is briefly contained in the Love of God and of our neighbour; (Matt. xxii, 36-39;)—whether partly con

sisting of those services which relate to the love, honour, fear, and worship of God; (Mal. i, 6;)-or partly consisting of those duties which we owe to our neighbours, superiors, inferiors, and equals; (Rom. xii, xiii, & xiv ;) in the wide circle of which are also comprehended those things which every man is bound to perform to himself. (Titus ii, 11, 12.)

IV. The Uses of the Moral Law are various, according to the different conditions of man.* (1.) The Primary Use, and that which was of itself intended by God according to his love for [justitiam] righteousness and for his creatures, was, that man by it might be quickened or made alive, that is, that he might perform it, and by its performance might be justified, and might "of debt" receive the reward which was promised through it. (Rom. ii, 13; x, 5; iv, 4.) And this Use was accommodated to the Primitive State of man, when sin had not yet entered into the world. (2.) The First Use in order of the Moral Law, under a State of Sin, is AGAINST man as a sinner, not only that it may accuse him of transgression and guilt, and may subject him to the wrath of God and condemnation; (Rom. iii, 19, 20;) but that it may likewise convince him [impotentia] of his utter inability to resist sin and to subject himself to the Law. (Rom. vii.) Since God has been pleased mercifully and graciously to treat with sinful man, the Next Use of the Law TOWARDS the sinner is, that it may compel him who is thus convicted and subjected to condemnation, to desire and seek the grace of God, and that it may force him to flee to Christ either as the promised or as the imparted Deliverer. (Gal. ii, 16, 17.) Besides, in this State of Sin, the Moral Law is serviceable-not only To GOD, that, by the dread of punishment and the promise of temporal rewards, he may restrain men under its guidance at least from the outward work of sin and from flagrant crimes; (1 Tim. i, 9, 10;)—but it is also serviceable To SIN, when dwelling and reigning in a carnal man who is under the Law, that it may inflame the desire of sin, may increase sin, and may "work within him all manner of concupiscence." (Rom. vi, 12—14; vii, 5, 8, 11, 13.) In the former case, God employs the Law through his Goodness and his Love for [societatem animalem] civil and social intercourse among mankind: In the latter case, it is employed through the malice of sin which reigns and has the dominion.

V. (3.) The Third Use of the Moral Law is towards a man, as now born again by the Spirit of God and of Christ, and is

* See Disputation XI, § 3, page 191.

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