they must not worship, praise, pray unto and believe in God in and through the Messiah, or else faith in him must necessarily be required. The Decalogue, if we precisely consider the things expressed therein, doth not containe many things written of Moses: but as it was a summe and abridgement of the whole Law, whereunto every particular must be referred, and from which, as a fountaine it was derived, it is a perfect rule whereunto nothing might be added. And if without faith it be impossible to please God, or to obtaine Salvation, the Law which promiseth eternall life to them that keep it, doth require faith as well as love or obedience. For if faith be necessary to Salvation, it cannot be that man a sinner should be justified, if he could keep the Law: because he cannot by future works purchase Redemption from former transgressions. And from all this it followeth, that the Law as it was given to the Jewes, is for substance the Covenant of grace, or a rule according to which the people in Covenant ought to walke. The Law is and ever was a rule of life to men in Covenant. Matt. 5. 18. One jot or title of the Law shall in no wise passe, till all be fulfilled: fulfilled in respect of unpartiall and sincere obedience, for of that our Saviour speakes, as is manifest by the words following, He that shall breake the least of these Commandements, and teach men so, shall be called least in the Kingdome of Heaven: except your righteousnesse shall exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees; that is, righteousnesse of habite and practise, which is that which the Law, as it is taken in that place, required.
Many things are objected to the contrary, which must be cleared before we passe further. As first, it will be said, that in the Law there is no mention made of Christ, without which there is no faith. And what the Law revealeth not, that it commandeth not. But in the Law there is frequent mention of the Messiah, and Heb. 10.1.
and 8.5.perpetuall adumbration and representation of him, and his oblation in washings and sacrifices. The Apostle Paul, where he professedly handleth the chief heads of faith, to wit, Act. 26.23
1 Cor. 15.3,4.that Christ ought to suffer, and rise againe from the dead, denieth that he said any thing besides that which the Prophets and Moses did foretell should come. And Luk. 24.27,44.our Saviour proved out of Moses, that he must first suffer, and then enter into glory. And no marvell, seeing Moses by divers types and figures shadowed forth the death and resurrection of Christ, as shall be shewed after.But
