der the strictest engagement to seek after that blessedness which is connected with obedience to him.

(3.) We are hereby convinced of our inability to keep the law, and of the sinful pollution of our nature, hearts, and lives, as an expedient to humble us under the sense of sin and misery. The law being spiritual, we are thereby convinced that we are carnal, and sold under sin, as the apostle expresses it, Rom. vii. 14. And he also says, I had not known sin, but by the law, ver. 7. When we consider ourselves as being obliged to yield perfect obedience, and compare our hearts and lives therewith, we shall see nothing but holiness and purity on the one hand, and a wretched mass of corruption and impurity on the other. God demands perfect obedience; and we are unable, of ourselves, to perform any obedience. And our best duties being attended with many imperfections, we are hereby led to be humbled under a sense of sin, whatever thoughts we, before this, had of ourselves. When the law enters, sin will abound, chap. v. 20. and if we were apprehensive that we were alive, as the apostle expresseth it, without the law; when the commandment comes, sin will revive and we die, chap. vii. 9. and see ourselves exposed to the miseries threatened to those that violate it.

(4.) From hence arises a clear sight of the need that persons have of Christ, and of the perfection of his obedience. When we find ourselves condemned by the law, and that righteousness is not to be attained by our own obedience to it, then we are led to see our need of seeking it elsewhere; and when the gospel gives us a discovery of Christ, as ordained by God, to procure for us righteousness, or a right to eternal life by his obedience, this will shew us the need we have of faith in him, whereby we derive from him that which could not be attained by our own conformity to the law.

2. The moral law is of use in particular to the unregenerate. We have considered, under the former head, that it is of use to all men (among whom the unregenerate are included) as it gives them a discovery of the pollution and guilt of sin; and now we are led to enquire into the consequence hereof. Sin may be charged on the conscience, and the guilt thereof make it very uneasy, so that a person may apprehend himself under the condemning sentence of the law, and yet receive no saving advantage hereby; he may have a sight of sin, and not be truly humbled for it or turned from it. In some, corruption is hereby excited, and the soul grows worse than it was before; thus the apostle says, sin taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence, ver. 8. Others, when filled with a dread of the wrath of God, are inclined to stretch out their hand against him, and strengthen

themselves against the Almighty; resolving, some way or other, to disentangle themselves, though they render their condition much worse thereby. These are compared to a wild bull in a net, full of the fury of the Lord, Isa. li. 20. or, as our Saviour says concerning Paul, before his conversion, they kick against the pricks, Acts ix. 5. Every step they take to free themselves from the horrible pit and miry clay, into which they are cast, sinks them deeper into it. Others are convinced of sin by the law, and, at the same time, despair of obtaining mercy; they complain with Cain, My punishment is greater than I can bear, Ġen. iv. 13. or, as it is in the margin, Mine iniquity is greater than that it may be forgiven. These see themselves lost, or condemned by the law, but have no sight of Christ as coming into the world to save sinners, or, at least, the chief of them. The wound is opened, but there are no healing medicines applied. But there are others whose condition is no less dangerous, in whom the wound is healed slightly, who say, Peace, peace, when there is no peace, Jer. vi. 14. They are indeed, convinced of sin, and this is attended sometimes with an external humiliation, arising from the dread of God's judgments. This effect it had in Pharaoh, Exod. x. 16, 17. and Ahab, 1 Kings xxi. 27-29. and they are willing to part with some particular sins, while they indulge others, that by this partial reformation they may free themselves from the condemning sentence of the law; but all this is to no purpose, sin gains strength hereby, and the guilt thereof is still increased. This is a wrong method taken to flee from the wrath to come; and therefore, when these convictions of sin have a good issue, in flying from it, they have recourse to Christ. This is called a being driven to Christ; by which we are to understand that they see themselves under an unavoidable necessity of going to him, as not being able to find peace or solid rest elsewhere. But since this effect is, in a peculiar manner, ascribed to the gospel, the law being only the remote means hereof, I would rather express it by their being drawn to him, or encouraged by the grace contained therein, to close with him by faith; and then the work is rendered effectual, and convictions end in a saving conversion. But if it be otherwise, or they apply themselves to indirect means, to ease themselves of the burden that lies on them, they are farther described as left inexcusable, and still remaining under the curse and condemning sentence of the law.

3. The moral law is of use to the regenerate. In considering which it may be observed; that there is something supposed in the answer, which treats on this subject, namely, that they who believe in Christ are delivered from it as a covenant of works; which is the only sense in which we are to under

stand those scriptures, which speak of believers as not being under the law, Rom. vi. 14. and being dead to the law, chap. vii. 4. as being redeemed from the curse thereof, Gal. iii. 13. The moral law is to be considered in two respects, as a rule of life, and so no one is delivered from it; or else, as a covenant of works, in the same sense in which it was given to man in innocency, the condition of which was his performing perfect obedience, in default whereof he was liable to a sentence of death. In this latter respect a believer is delivered from it.

This is the great privilege that such are made partakers of in the gospel; which sets forth Christ as our Surety, performing perfect obedience for us, and enduring the curse we were liable to; so that though it was a covenant of works to him, it ceases to be so to them who are interested in him; and accordingly it is farther added, that they are hereby neither justified nor condemned. Not justified; thus the apostle says, By the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified, Rom. iii. 20. This is therefore only to be expected from him who is the Lord our righteousness, Jer. xxiii. 6. in whom all the seed of Israel shall be justified, and glory, Isa. xlv. 25. Nor are they condemned by the law; for that is inconsistent with a justified state; as the apostle says, There is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, Rom. viii. 1. However, we must distinguish between a believer's actions being condemned by the law, or his being reproved thereby, and laid under conviction, for sins daily committed; and his being in a condemned state, according to the sentence thereof. We are far from denying that a believer is under an obligation to condemn or abhor himself, that is, to confess that he deserves to be condemned, by God, for the sins that he commits, which, if he should mark, or punish him according to the demerit of, he could not stand. Thus the Psalmist says, though speaking of himself as a believer, and consequently in a justified state, Enter not into judgment with thy servant; for in thy sight shall no man living be justified, Psal. cxliii. 2. This a believer may say, and yet not conclude himself to be in a state of condemnation; inasmuch as he sees himself, by faith, to have ground to determine that he is delivered from, and so not condemned by the law, as a covenant of works.

Moreover, it is observed, on the other hand, in the answer under our present consideration, that the moral law is of use to a believer, in those respects in which it is of use to all men ; and therefore he is laid under the strictest obligation to perform all the duties which we owe to God and man, and to be humbled for those defects which he has reason to charge himself with, which call for the daily exercise of repentance towards God, and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ.

But as to the special use of the moral law to those who are regenerate, as distinguished from all others, it is said to shew them how much they are bound to Christ for his fulfilling it, and enduring the curse thereof in their stead, and for their good. Thus Christ is said to be the end of the law for righteousness, Rom. x. 4. that is, he has answered the end and demand of the law, by performing that obedience which it requires, and thereby procuring a justifying righteousness, which is applied to every one that believes. This lays them under a superadded obligation to obedience, peculiar to them as believers; so that they are not only engaged to the practice of universal holiness, from the consideration of the sovereignty of God commanding in common with all others, but from the love of Christ, which does as it were constrain them hereunto, 2 Cor. v. 14. And hereby they are said to be provoked to more thankfulness, as they have greater inducements hereunto than any others; and this gratitude cannot be better expressed than by the utmost care to approve themselves to him in all things. Therefore the grace of God is so far from leading to licentiousness, that all who have experienced it, are hereby put upon the exercise of that obedience which they owe to God as their rightful Lord and Sovereign, and to Christ as their gracious Redeemer, whom they love entirely; and therefore keep his commandments.

I cannot but here take occasion to observe, not only with dislike, but a just indignation, how some, under a pretence of religion, sap the very foundation of it, while they frequently make mention of the gospel, and the liberty wherewith Christ has made his people free, and at the same time abuse it, not only by practising, but pleading for licentiousness. The Epicureans were libertines among the Heathen, and the Sadducees among the Jews; but these were vile and profligate out of principle; either denying the being of a God, or disowning his perfections as well as future rewards and punishments; and therefore it is no wonder they had no regard to the divine law. But I want words to express the wickedness of those who pervert the gospel of Christ, as though that exempted them from the obligation which all are under to universal obedience.

The apostle had to do with some such in his day; and therefore he represents them as saying, Is the law sin? that is, since we are delivered from the condemning sentence thereof, may we not take encouragement from thence to sin? or, as he elsewhere brings them in as saying, Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? chap. vi. 1. To both which he replies, with the greatest detestation, God forbid. After this, in an early age of the church, the Nicolaitans, Rev. ii. 6. and Gnos VOL. III.

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tics, and among them, the Valentinians held these pernicious opinions, and encouraged themselves in the practice of the greatest immoralities*. And Augustin speaks of the Aetians and Eunomians, who lived in his time, who pretended that any one who persisted in the vilest crimes, would receive no detriment thereby, provided they adhered to the sentiments which they advanced t. And there are many, in later ages, whose sentiments have been, in this respect, subversive of all religion; and from their denying the obligation we are under, to yield obedience to the law of God, are justly called Antinomians.

However, that we may not appear to be unjust to the characters of men, let it be considered, that we are not here speaking of the charge of Antinomianism, which some, who defend or oppose the doctrines of grace, bring against each other; as supposing that their respective sentiments lead to licentiousness. The Papists and Pelagians pretend, though unjustly, that the doctrine of predestination, efficacious grace, and the final perseverance of the saints, is liable to this charge; while they on the other hand, lay themselves open to the like charge, by advancing doctrines which have the most pernicious tendency, as subversive of practical godliness, in various instances; particularly their asserting, that God in the gospel-covenant, dispenses with imperfect obedience instead of perfect; and this is no other than what we are able to perform without the aids of divine grace. But this we pass over, leaving each party to defend their scheme from this imputation.

As to others, who are more especially known by the character of Antinomians, these are of two sorts, namely, such who openly maintain that the moral law is not a rule of life in any sense; and that good works are not to be insisted on as having any reference to salvation; and therefore, if persons presume, as they, according to them, ought to do, that Christ died for them, and they were justified before they had a being, they may live in the practice of the greatest immoralities, or give countenance to them that do so, without entertaining the least doubt of their salvation; and that it is a preposterous thing for those who thus presumptuously conclude themselves to be justified, to confess themselves guilty of sin; since that would be to deny that they are in a justified state, or in any sense, to pray for the pardon thereof; since that would argue that it is not forgiven. Neither can they, with any tolerable

Vid. Cov. Hist. lit. Tom. I. Page 30.

Vid. Aug. de Hares. Cap. liv. where speaking of Eunomius, he says, Fertur etiam usque adeo fuisse bonis moribus inimicus, ut asseveraret, quod nihil cuique obesset, quorumlibet perpetratio ac perseverantia peccatorum, si hujus quæ ab illo docebatur, fidei particeps esset.