Page:A Treatise of the Covenant of Grace (John Ball).djvu/122

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figure Exo. 34.27,28Christ, direct unto him, and require faith in him, is a thing confessed and acknowledged of all men. Now the ceremonies are appendices of the Law, especially of the first and second Commandements, as they were given to the Israelites.Exod. 24.8
Heb. 9.19,20,23.
Pigh. disp. Ratisp. l. 2. And if they require faith in the Redeemer to come, how should we thinke it to be a thing passed over in silence altogether in the Law. The deliverance of the children of Israel out of Egypt, was a type of our spirituall deliverance from the bondage of sinne and Satan, by the power of Christ; as appeares by the Ceremonie and Sacrament of that corporall deliverance, the Passeover, Joh. 19.36.
1 Cor. 5.7.which was a figure of Christ our Saviour. Therefore in the first Precept the Mystery of our Redemption by Christ is taught and contained. That particular mercy mentioned in that Precept, taught the Israelites to expect spirituall Salvation in the Messiah promised. In Scripture Psal. 1.1,2.
Psal. 119.1,2.they are pronounced blessed, who keep the Commandements, and observe the Statutes and Judgements of the Lord: but withall Psal. 32.1,2.their blessednesse is said to consist in this, that God imputeth not sinne unto them, that their sinnes be forgiven, and transgressions covered. The true worshippers of God then are happy, not for their works, but because God is pleased to accept them in Christ, and to pardon their offences. This is the true sense of those promises made to or spoken of them that walk in the perfect way, and doe none iniquity. And if life and Salvation be promised to them that observe and keep the Statutes, Judgements and Ordinances of the Lord, not for the dignity of the work, but through the meere grace and mercy of God pardoning transgressions and sinnes, then is faith in the Messiah taught and commanded in the Law. The true sense and meaning of the Law is to be gathered out of the writings of the Prophets: for the same Spirit that breathed the Law, informed them in what sense the Law was given, and how to be understood. Jer. 4.1,2,3.
and 3.13,14.
&c. But by the Exposition of the Prophets it is cleare, that the Law as it was given by Moses did admit repentance, Rom. 3.21,22.
The righteousnesse of the Law is testified by Moses and the Prophets, &c.
Deut. 12.32.
and 31.12.and consequently, require faith in Christ. And if the Law did not command faith in Christ the Messiah, then might not the Jewes beleeve in him: for they were forbidden to adde any thing thereto, or to take ought therefrom. The Law was to the Jewes a rule, according to which they ought both to live and worship God, to which they might not adde the least jot or title of their owne heads: so that eitherthey