The  doctrine  of  the  holy  will  of  God,  as  revealed,  and  directed
to  those  that  are  in  Christ,  is  improperly  called  Giving  Law:
where  we  find  it  so  called,  that  word  is  used  out  of  its  strictly
proper  sense.  The  giving  law  to  another  is  the  exacting  con-
formity to  the  declared  will  of  the  lawgiver.  There  may  be  a
command  without  a  law  :  a  declaration  of  another's  will,  with-
out an  exaction,  is  not  a  giving  law :  a  being  under  the  law,  is
being  under  such  an  exaction.  God  may  be  said  to  exact  obe-
dience of  men  to  the  commands  of  the  law,  when  he  signifies,  or
makes  known  to  them  that  they  are  by  his  power  held  bound
either  to  obedience  or  the  penalty  of  the  Law.  And  they  that
receive  a  declaration  of  another's  will,  but  at  the  same  time
have  it  not  exacted  of  them,  have  it  not  as  a  law,  but  only  as  an
instruction  or  doctrine.  A  declaration  of  a  superior's  will  with-
out its  being  signified  or  supposed  that  it  will  be  exacted  by  power,
may  be  called  a  doctrine,  a  rule,  a  precept,  or  command,  but  not
a  law,  unless  improperly,  as  God's  declaration  of  his  will  to  his
saints  is  called  the  law  of  liberty :  the  expression  shows  that  the
word  is  not  designed  to  be  used  in  this  strictly  proper  sense.
Object.  But  is  not  sincere  obedience  exacted  of  believers,
though  perfect  obedience  be  not  ?  The  scripture  often  gives  us
to  understand  that  no  man  can  be  saved,  and  that  every  one
shall  perish  without  sincere  obedience.
Ans.  I.  If  sincere  obedience  be  exacted  of  them,  yet  it  is  not
by  the  law  by  which  it  is  exacted  of  them.
