4. *“If virtue, said the antient Heathen, could assume such a shape as that we could behold her with our eyes, what wonderful love would she excite in us!” If virtue could do this! It is done already. The law of God is all virtues in one, in such a shape, as to be beheld with open face, by all those whose eyes God hath enlightened. What is the law, but divine virtue and wisdom, assuming a visible form? What is it, but the original ideas of truth and good, which were lodged in the uncreated mind from eternity, now drawn forth and cloathed with such a vehicle, as to appear even to human understanding?
5. *If we survey the law of God in another point of view, it is supreme, unchangeable reason: it is unalterable rectitude: it is the everlasting fitness of all things that are or ever were created. I am sensible, what a shortness, and even impropriety there is, in these and all other human expressions, when we endeavour by these faint pictures, to shadow out the deep things of God. Nevertheless we have no better, indeed no other way, during this our infant state of existence. As we now know but in part, so we are constrained to prophesy, i. e. speak of the things of God, in part also. We cannot order our speech by reason of darkness, while we are in this house of clay. While I am a child I must speak as a child. But I shall soon put away childish things. For when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done away.
6. *But to return. The law of God, (speaking after the manner of men) is a copy of the eternal mind, a transcript of the divine nature: yea it is the fairest offspring of the everlasting Father, the brightest efflux of his essential wisdom, the visible beauty of the Most High. It is the delight and wonder of Cherubim and Seraphim and all the company of heaven, and the glory and joy of every wise believer, every well-instructed child of God upon earth.
III. 1. Such is the nature of the ever blessed law of God. I am, in the third place, to shew the properties of it: not all; for that would exceed the wisdom of an angel. But those only which are mentioned in the text. These are three: It is holy, just and good. And first, The law is holy.
2. In this expression the apostle does not appear to speak of its effects; but rather of its nature: as St. James speaking of the same thing under another name, says, The wisdom from above (which is no other than this law, written on our heart) is first pure, chap. iii. 17. ἁγνὴ, chaste, spotless, internally, and essentially holy. And consequently, when it is transcribed into the life, as well as the soul, it is (as the same apostle terms it,) chap. i. 27. θρησκεία καθαρὰ καὶ ἀμίαντος. Pure religion and undefiled; or, the pure, clean, unpolluted worship of God.
3. It is indeed, in the highest degree, pure, chaste, clean, holy. Otherwise it could not be the immediate offspring, and much less the express resemblance of God, who is essential holiness. It is pure from all sin, clean and unspotted from any touch of evil. It is a chaste virgin, incapable of any defilement, of any mixture with that which is unclean or unholy. It has no fellowship with sin of any kind. For what communion hath light with darkness? As sin is in its very nature enmity to God, so his law is enmity to sin.
Therefore it is, that the apostle rejects with such abhorrence, that blasphemous supposition, that the law of God is either sin itself, or the cause of sin. God forbid, that we should suppose, it is the cause of sin, because it is the discoverer of it: because it detects the hidden things of darkness, and drags them out into open day. ’Tis true, by this means, (as the apostle observes, ver. 13.) sin appears to be sin. All its disguises are torn away, and it appears in its native deformity. ’Tis true likewise, that sin by the commandment becomes exceeding sinful. Being now committed against light and knowledge, being stript even of the poor plea of ignorance, it loses its excuse as well as disguise, and becomes far more odious both to God and man. Yea, and it is true, that sin worketh death by that which is good, which in itself is pure and holy. When it is dragged out to light, it rages the more: when it is restrained, it bursts out with greater violence. Thus the apostle, (speaking in the person of one, who was convinced of sin, but not yet delivered from it) sin taking occasion by the commandment, detecting and endeavouring to restrain it, disdained the restraint, and so much the more wrought in me all manner of concupiscence, ver. 8. All manner of foolish and hurtful desire, which that commandment sought to restrain. Thus when the commandment came, sin revived, ver. 9. It fretted and raged the more. But this is no stain on the commandment. Though it is abused it cannot be defiled. This only proves, that the heart of man is desperately wicked. But the law of God is holy still.
5. And it is, secondly, just. It renders to all their due. It prescribes exactly what is right, precisely what ought to be done, said or thought both with regard to the author of our being, with regard to ourselves, and with regard to every creature which he has made. It is adapted in all respects to the nature of things, of the whole universe and every individual. It is suited to all the circumstances of each, and to all their mutual relations, whether such as have existed from the beginning, or such as commenced in any following period. It is exactly agreeable to the fitnesses of things, whether essential or accidental. It clashes with none of these in any degree; nor is ever unconnected with them. If the word be taken in that sense, there is nothing arbitrary in the law of God. Altho’ still the whole and every part thereof, is totally dependent upon his will: so that thy will be done, is the supreme, universal law both in earth and heaven.
6. “But is the will of God the cause of his law? Is his will the original of right and wrong? Is a thing therefore right, because God wills it? Or does he will it, because it is right?”
I fear, this celebrated question is more curious than useful. And perhaps, in the manner it is usually treated of, it does not so well consist with the regard that is due from a creature, to the Creator and governor of all things. ’Tis hardly decent for man, to call the supreme God, to give an account to him! Nevertheless, with awe and reverence we may speak a little. The Lord pardon us, if we speak amiss!