beg EfOttAL tAw tINDER Tut G'GSPEL. God, through a Mediator, for the forgiveness of sin and accep tance with Gods`. SECT. IV.Of what Use is it to keep the law there before I proceed I would answer another objectionorquery or two, upon this subject, viz. " Of what use is the law of God in a christian country ? Or what use is there of keeping the com- mandments of the moral law, if we are not to obtain eternal life by them ?" Let the first enquiry beanswered first. " Of what use is the law of God in a christian country, where the gospel of Christ is preached ?" Answer. It is to be feared there are several thousand souls' in achristian nation, who make a general profession of the reli- gion of the blessed Jesus, and yet have no serious sense of the things of God and religion in their hearts : And it is evident to daily observation, that in a land professing the gospel of Christ, there are multitudes who have abandoned all piety even in the form of it, as well as the practice and power thereof, and there are some who have lost even morality itself ; now the law ofGod is needful to be maintained, and published in such a nation as this,to keep the sinful world, in awe, and to preserve even wicked men from running to all excess of riot and iniquity, by pressing the commands of God always upon their consciences, and by settingbefore themthe vengeance and corses of the lawof God, which are due to sinners, to preserve the world from universal disorder and wickedness. If there were no such representations of the holiness and justice of God in the world, what shameful impieties against God, and most outrageous iniquities and vil- lainies would be spread among the children of men : So that there would be no such thing as peace, and civility and honesty to be found in several places. The apostle Paul tells us ; I Tim. i. A, IO. " Knowing this, that the law is notmade for a righteous man, but for the lawless-and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, for whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for men -stealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be anyother thing that is contrary to sound doctrine. * Were I would caution my readers to take notice, that I am not now de- bating that point, " In what manner the righteousness, atonement or death of Christ is applied to us inorder to our interest in forgiveness of sins, the justifi- cationof our persons, or our right to final happiness :" This is an argument of a different consideration from the present debate. All that I propose here to treat of, is to determine that obvious question, whetherChrist is plainly and directly sheaving a conceited young man the way of obtaining salvation according to the gospel or covenant of grace, when he says to him, If thou will enter into life, keep the commandments of themoral law; or whether he is not rather leading him to conviction of sin, by preaching the law to him, that he may be better prepared andinclined to receive the salvation of thegospel.
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