that every Mouth be stopped, and all the World may become guilty before God, Rom. 3. 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19. So that here I fay lieth the Ground of our being justified by the Law, even because in the first Place we have finned againft it; for know this for certain, that if the Law doth take the leaft Advantage of thee,by thy finning against it, all that ever thou fhaft afterwards hear from it, is nothing but curfe, curfe, curfe him, For not continuing in all Things that are written in the Book of the Law to do them.

Secondly, Thou can't not be faved by the righteous Law of God, the first Covenant, becaufe, that (together with this thy miferable State, by original and actual Sins, before thou didst follow the Law) fince thy turning to the Law, thou haft committed feveral Sins against the Law. (In many things we offend all): So that now thy Righteoufnels to the Law, being mixed with fometimes the Luft of Concupifcence, Fornication, Covetoufnefs, Pride, Heart-rifings against God, Coldnefs of Affection towards him, Backwardness to good Duties, fpeaking idle Words, having Strife in your Hearts, and fuch like; I fay, thefe Things being thus, the Righte oufnefs of the Law is become too weak through this our Flesh, (Rom. 8.3.) and so notwithstanding all our Obedience to the Law, we are yet through our Weakness under the Curfe of the Law; for, as I faid before, the Law is fo holy, fo juft, and fo good, that it cannot allow that any Failing or Slip fhould be done by them that look for Life by the fame. Curfed is everyone that continueth not in every Thing, Gal. 3. 10. and this Paul

knew

1

knew full well, which made him throw away all his Righteoufnefs, (But you will fay that was his own. Anfuer, But it was even that which while he calls it his own, he alfo calls it the Righteousness of the Law, fee Phil. 3. 7, 8, 8, 9, 10.) and to account it but Dung, but as Dirt on his Shoes, and that, that he might be found in Chrift, and fo be faved by 'him without the Deeds of the Law, Rom. 3.

28.

But Thirdly, Set the Cafe of Righteousness of the Law, which thou haft, was pure and perfect without the leaft Flaw or Fault, without the leaft Mixture of the leaft finful Thought; yet this would fall far fhort of presenting of the Blamelefs in the Sight of God. And that I prove by thefe Arguments.

The first Argument is, That that which is not Chrift, cannot redeem Souls from the Curfe. It cannot compleatly prefent them before the Lord; now the Law is not Chrift; therefore the Moral Law, cannot (by all our Obedience to it) deliver us from the Curfe that is due to us AETS 4. 2.

The fecond Argument is, That that Righteoufnefs that is not the Righteoufnefs of Faith (that is by believing in Jefus Chrift) cannot please God. Now the Righteoufnefs of the Law,as a Covenant of Works, is not the Righteoufnefs of Faith; Therefore the Righteoufnefs of the Law, as acted. by us, being under that Covenant, cannot please God. The firft is proved in Heb. 11. 6. But without Faith it is impoffible to please him, mark, it is impoffible. The fecond thus, The Law is not of Faith, Gal. 3. 12. Rom. 10. 5, 6.com

d with Gal, 3. 11. But that no Man is justi

fed in the Sight of the Lord by the Law, it is evident; for the fut fhall live by Farth, and the Law is not of Faith. But for the better Understanding of thofe that are weak of Apprehenfion, I fhall prove it thus:

First, That Soul hath eternal Life, he must have it by right of Purchase, or Redemption, (Heb. 9. 22. Eph. 1. 7.) Secondly, this Purchafe or Redemption, must be through the Blood of Christ. You have Redemption through his Blood. Without bedding of Blood there is no Remiffion. Now the Law is not in a Capacity to die, and fo to redeem Sinners by the Purchase of Blood, which Satisfaction Juttice calls for (read the fame Scriptures, Heb. 9. 22.) Juftice calls for Satisfaction, becaufe thou haft tranfgreffed, and finned against it, and that must have Satiffaction; therefore, all that ever thou canst do cannot bring in Redemption; though thou follow the Law up to the Nail Head (as I may fay) because all this is not fhedding of Blood; for believe it, and know it for certain, that though thou hadst sinned but one Sin, before thou didst turn to the Law; that one fin will murther thy Soul, if it be not wafhed away by Blood, even by the Precious Blood of Jefus Chrift, that was fhed when he did hang upon the Crofs on Mount Calvary.

Object. But (you will fay) methinks, that giving up yourselves to live a righteous Life, fhould make God like better on us, and fo let us be faved by Chrift, because we are fo willing to obey his Law.

Anfw. The Motive that moveth God to have Mercy upon Sinners, is not because they are willing

- willing to follow the Law, but because he is willing to fave them. Not for thy Righteousness or for thy Uprightness of Heart doeft thou poffefs the Land, Deut. 9. 4. 5, 6. Now understand this; if they will to do Righteoufnefs was the first moving Caufe why God had Mercy on thee through Christ, then it must not be freely by Grace. (I fay freely) but the Lord loves thee and faves thee upon free Terms, having nothing beforehand to make him accept of thy Soul, but only the Blood of Chrift; therefore to allow of fuch a Principle, it is to allow, that Grace is to be obtained by the Works of the Law, which is fo grofs Darkness as lies in the darkest Dungeon in Popery, and is alfo directly oppofite to Scripture. For we are justified freely by his Grace; through the Redemption that is in Chrift, not through the Good that is in ourfelves or done by us (Rom. 3. 24.) No, But by Faith, without; mark that, without the Deeds of the Law, verfe 28. Again, not of Works, leaft any Man fhould boast, Eph. 2. 9. No, no, (faith he) Not according to our Works (or righteoufnefs) but according to his own Purpofe; mark, according to his own Purpose and Grace, which was (a free Gift) given us in Cbrift Jefus (not lately, but) before the World began, 2 Tim, 1.9.

Object. But you will fay, then, why did God give the Law, if we cannot have Salvation by. following it?

Anfu I told you before, that the Law was given for these following Reafons,

First, That thou mighteft be convinced by it of thy Sins, and that thy Sins might indeed appear very finful unto thee; which is done by the Law thefe ways: Firft, By fhewing of thee

what

what a holy God he is that gave the Law; and fecondly, By fhewing thee thy Vileness and Wickedness, in that thou, contrary to this holy God, hath tranfgreffed againft, and broken this his holy Law; therefore faith Paul, The Law was added, that the Offence might abound, Rom. 5. 20. that is, by fhewing the Creature the Holinefs of God, and alfo its own Vileness.

Secondly, That thou mayeft know, that God will not damn thee for nothing in the Judgmentday.

Thirdly, Because he would have no quarreling at his just condemning of them at that Day. Fourthly, Because he will make thee to know that he is a holy God, and pure.

Queft. But feeing you have spoken thus far, I with you would do fo much as to fhew in some Particulars, both what Men have done, and how far they have gone, and what they have received, being yet under this Covenant, which you call the Miniftration of Condemnation.

Anfw. This is fomething a difficult Queftion, and had need be not only warily, but also home and foundly answered. The Queftion confifts of three Particulars. Firft, What Men have done. Secondly, How far Men have gone, Thirdly, What they have received, and yet to be under the Law or Covenant of Works; and fo in a State of Condemnation.

As for the firft, I have fpoken fomething in general to that already, but for thy better Underftanding, I fhall fpeak yet more particularly. First, a Man hath. and may be convinced and troubled for his Sins, and yet be under this Covenant; and that in a very heavy and dreadful manner; infomuch that he may find the