Wesley Corpus

iv. 4, 5: “God sent forth his Son, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law.” Friend.--The plain meaning of this I mentioned before: “‘God sent forth his Son, made under the law,’ (the Jewish dispensation,) ‘to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons; ’ might ‘serve God without fear, in righteousness and holiness, with a free, loving, child-like spirit.” (First Dialogue, page 270.) Ant.--So you say, “Christ was made only under the Jewish dispensation, to redeem the Jews from that dispen sation.” (Cudworth's Dialogue, pages 8, 9.) Friend.--I do not say so. By inserting “only” you quite pervert my words. You cannot deny, that Christ “was made under the Jewish dispensation.” But I never affirmed, He was “made under it only to redeem the Jews from that dispensation.” Ant.--Was he made “under the moral law” at all? Friend.--No doubt he was. For the Jewish dispensation included the moral, as well as ceremonial, law. Ant.--Then the case is plain. “If he was under the moral law, we are redeemed from the moral law.” (Ibid.) Friend.--That does not follow. “He redeemed them that were under” this, as well as the ceremonial, “law.” But from what did he redeem them? Not “from the law;” but “from guilt, and sin, and hell.” In other words, He redeemed them from the “condem nation of this law,” not from “obedi ence to it.” In this respect they are still, “not without law to God, but under the law to Christ.” (1 Cor. ix. 21.) Ant.--“‘Under the law to Christ !” No. The Greek word is swowo; Xpis?, in a law to Christ; that is, the law of love and liberty.” (Ibid.) Friend.--Very true. This is the exact thing I mean. You have spoken the very thought of my heart. Ant.--It may be so. But “a believer is free from the law of commandments,” call it moral, or what you please. Friend.--Do you mean only, that he obeys the law of Christ, by free choice, and not by constraint? that he keeps the com mandments of God, out of love, not fear? If so, you may tri umph without an opponent. But if you mean, he is free from obeying that law, then your liberty is a liberty to disobey God. Ant.--God forbid.