Chap. VII. — Of the Law of God.
Q. 1. Which is the law that God gave man at first to fulfil?
A. The same which was afterwards1 written with the finger of God in two tables of stone on Mount Horeb, called the Ten Commandments. Rom. ii. 14, 15.
Q. 2. Is the observation of this law still required of us?
A. Yes, to the uttermost tittle. Matt. v. 17; 1 John iii. 4; Rom. iii. 31; James ii. 8–10; Gal. iii.
Q. 3. Are we able of ourselves to2 3 perform it?
A. No, in no wise; the law is spiritual, but we are carnal. 1 Kings viii. 46; Gen. vi. 5; John xv. 5; Rom. vii. 14, viii. 7; 1 John i. 8.
Q. 4. Did, then, God give a law which could not be kept?
A. No; when God gave it, we had power to keep it; which since we have lost in Adam. Gen. i. 26; Eph. iv. 19; Rom. v. 12.
Q. 5. Whereto, then, doth the law now serve?
A. For two general ends; first, 4to be a rule of our duty, or to discover to us the obedience of God required; secondly, 5to drive us unto Christ.
Q. 6. How doth the law drive us unto Christ?
A. Divers ways; as, first, 6by laying open unto us the utter disability of our nature to do any good; secondly, 7by charging the wrath and curse of God, due to sin, upon the conscience; thirdly, 8by bringing the whole soul under bondage to sin, death, Satan, and hell, so making us long and seek for a Saviour.
← Chapter VI — Of God’s actual Providence · Contents · Chapter VIII — Of the State of Corrupted Nature →
Footnotes
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This law of God bindeth us now, not because delivered to the Jews on Mount Horeb, but because written in the hearts of all by the finger of God at the first. ↩
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After the fall, the law ceased to be a rule of justification, and became a rule for sanctification only. ↩
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It is of free grace that God giveth power to yield any obedience, and accepteth of any obedience that is not perfect. ↩
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Ps. xix. 7–11; 1 Tim. i. 8, 9. ↩
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Gal. iii. 24. ↩
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Rom. vii. 7–9; Gal. iii. 19. ↩
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Rom. iii. 19, 20, iv. 15, v. 20; Gal. iii. 10. ↩
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Gal. iii. 22; Heb. ii. 15. ↩