ther doth Christ in the Gospel any way dissolve, but much strengthen, this obligation.k

h Rom. 13: 8, 9, 10; Eph. 6:6, 1, 2; 1 John, 2 : 3, 4, 7, 8. i Jam. 2: 10, 11. k Matt. 5: 17, 18, 19; Jam. 2: 8.

m

VI.

n

Although true believers be not under the law as a covenant of works, to be thereby justified or condemned; yet it is of great use to them, as well as to others; in that, as a rule of life, informing them of the will of God and their duty, and directs and binds them to walk accordingly; discovering also the sinful pollutions of their nature, hearts, and lives; so as, examining themselves thereby, they may come to further conviction of, humiliation for, and hatred against sin," together with a clearer sight of the need they have of Christ, and the perfection of his obedience.P It is likewise of use to the regenerate, to restrain their corruptions, in that it forbids sin, and the threatenings of it serve to show what even their sins deserve, and what afflictions in this life they may expect from them, although freed from the curse thereof, threatened in the law. The promises of it, in like manner, show them God's approbation of obedience, and what blessings they may expect upon the performance thereof, although not as due to them by the law, as a covenant of works, so as a man's doing good, and refraining from evil, because the law encourageth to

the one, and deterreth from the other, is no evidence of his being under the law, and not under grace.

u

1 Rom. 6: 14; Gal. 2: 16, and 3: 13, and 4: 4, 5; Acts, 13 39; Rom. 8: 1. m Rom. 7: 12, 22, 25; Psal. 119: 4, 5, 6; 1 Cor. 7: 19; Gal. 5: 14, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23. n Rom. 77, and 3: 20. o Jam. 1: 23, 24, 25; Rom. 79, 14, 24. p Gal. 3: 24; Rom. 7: 24, 25, and 8: 3, 4. q Jam. 2: 11; Psal. 119: 101, 104, 128. r Ezra, 9: 13, 14; Psal. 89: 30 to 35. s Lev. 26:3 to 14, with 2 Cor. 6: 16; Eph. 6:2, 3; Psal. 37: 11; Matt. 5:5; Psal. 19 11. t Gal. 2: 16; Luke, 17: 10. u Rom. 6: 12, 14; 1 Pet. 3: 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, with Psal. 34: 12 to 16; Heb. 12: 28, 29.

VII.

Neither are the fore-mentioned uses of the law, contrary to the grace of the Gospel, but do sweetly comply with it," the Spirit of Christ subduing and enabling the will of man to do that freely and cheerfully, which the will of God, revealed in the law, required to be done.* w Gal. 3: 21. x Ezek. 36: 26, 27; Heb 8: 10; Jer. 31: 33.

CHAP. XX.

OF THE GOSPEL, AND OF THE EXTENT OF THE GRACES
THEREOF.

I.

THE Covenant of works being broken by sin, and made unprofitable unto life," God was

b

pleased to give unto the elect the promise of Christ, the seed of the woman, as the means of calling them, and begetting in them faith and repentance.c In this promise, the Gospel, as to the substance of it, was revealed, and was therein effectual for the conversion and salvation of sinners.d

a Rom. 8:3; Gal. 3: 12. b Gen. 3: 15; Gal. 4 : 4, 5; Rev. 13: 3. c 1 Cor. 1: 23, 24, 26; Jam. 1: 18; Rom. 108; Acts, 11: 15, 18. d 1 Cor. 2: 2.

II.

The promise of Christ, and salvation by him is revealed only in and by the word of God; neither do the works of creation or Providence, with the light of nature, make discovery of Christ, or of grace by him, so much as in a general or obscure way; ' much less that man destitute of the revelation of him by the promise, or Gospel, should be enabled thereby to attain saving faith or repentance.

e Matt. 11 27; 2 Tim. 1: 10; fRom. 1: 19, 20; Eph. 2:12; Rom. 16: 25, 26; Eph. 3: 9. g1 Cor. 1 : 21; Rom. 10 14, 15; Prov. 29: 18.

III.

The Revelation of the Gospel unto sinners, made at divers times, and by sundry parts, with the addition of promises and precepts for the obedience required therein, as to the nations and persons to whom it is granted, is merely of the sovereign will and good pleasure of God, not

h

being annexed by virtue of any promise to the due improvement of man's natural abilities, by virtue of common light received without it, which none ever did make, or can so do.i And therefore in all ages, the preaching of the Gospel hath been granted unto persons and nations, as to the extent or straitening of it, in great variety, according to the counsel of the will of God.

h Heb. 1: 1, 2; Deut. 7: 7, 8; Psal. 147: 19, 20; Matt 21: 43, and 11:25, 26. i John, 1 : 13, and 3; 6; Rom. 9: 16; Phil. 2: 13; John, 15:5; 1 Cor. 2: 14; Rom. 8: 7. k Amos, 3:2; Matt. 28: 19, and 21: 43; Eph. 1:11.

IV.

Although the Gospel be the only outward means of revealing Christ and saving grace, and is as such, abundantly sufficient thereunto; yet that men who are dead in trespasses, may be born again, quickened or regenerated, there is moreover necessary, an effectual, irresistible work of the Holy Ghost upon the whole soul, for the producing in them a new spiritual life, without which no other means are sufficient for their conversion unto God.'

1 Eph. 2: 1, 5; Tit. 3: 5; John, 16: 7 to 12; Acts, 16: 14; Eph. 1: 19, 20; Thes. 5: 23; John, 3:6; Gal. 2: 8; 1 Cor. 3:6, 7.

CHAP. XXI.

OF CHRISTIAN LIBERTY, AND LIBERTY OF CONSCIENCE.

I.

с

THE liberty which Christ hath purchased for believers under the Gospel, consists in their freedom from the guilt of sin, the condemning wrath of God, the rigor and curse of the law;a and in their being delivered from this present evil world, bondage to Satan, and dominion of sin; from the evil of afflictions, the fear and and sting of death, the victory of the grave, and everlasting damnation; as also in their free access to God, and their yielding obedience unto him, not out of slavish fear, but a child-like love and willing mind: All which were common also to believers under the law, for the substance of them; but under the New Testament, the liberty of Christians is further enlarged in their freedom from the yoke of the ceremonial law, the whole legal administration of the covenant of grace, to which the Jewish church was subjected, and in greater access to the throne of grace," and in fuller communications of the free Spirit of God, than believers under the law did ordinarily partake of.a

a Tit. 2:14; 1 Thes. 1: 10; Gal. 3: 13. b Gal. 1:4 ; Col. 1: 13; Acts, 26: 18; Rom. 6: 14. c Rom. 8:28; Psal. 11971; 1 Cor. 15: 54 to 57; Rom. 6: 1. d Rom.