SECTION IV. 129 The holy apostle acknowledges, where the law of God is originally written in the heart, and a man is made righteous by a thorough sanctification of all the powers of nature as it is in heaven, there is no such need of the commands, threatenings, and terrors of the penal law, tokeep men in the practice of obe- dience ; their own innocent or renewed nature, their sincere and universal love to God, and to his law, will powerfully incline them to the practice of holiness, without the terrors and punishments from the hand of the blessed God, being always kept before their eyes. It is true, there are some cases wherein the law of God may not be well known even to good men, or may be mistaken by them, and there may be need of special commands to discover what is our duty, and what is sin : But where the law is well known, the inward power of universal goodnessin the soul, with- out these outward terrors, is made effectual to preserve holiness and obedience in the life. But perhaps you will then reply, as Where thére are true christians found, of what use is it for them to keep the law of God ?" This is the second enquiry, and to this I would give several particular answers, besides the first and general one. In general I say then, it must be ac- knowledged, that there are so many remains of indwelling sin in the best of men, that fears and terrors of the punishments of God, have their use in this imperfect state, to prevent the soul fromwarping aside to sinful practices, under strong and special temptations. Such frail and imperfect creatures are we in this present state. I proceed now to give some particular answers to this question, " Of what use is it to keep the law ?" and they are such as these : Answer I. Though we are not saved from the punishment of hell, nor pardoned and accepted to eternal life and happiness in heaven, by virtue of our poor imperfect obedience, and keep- ing the commands of the moral law, yet we can never be saved without it : For our love tothe law of God, anda hearty inclina- tion to keep it, is a great part of the very salvation which the gospel provides for sinful men. Jesus Christ the Son of God is become our Saviour, not only to save us.fromGod's wrath ; 1 Tess. i. 10; but also to save usfrom our sins ; Mat. i. 21. and Tit. ii. 14. He gave himself' for us that he might redeem,us from all iniquity, and purify to himself a peculiar people zealous of goodworks. We must be restored to the image of God as well as to his favour ; now his imageis all holiness. Mankind by the fall have not only lost their original state of innocencyand happiness, but their natural powers are corrupted,, the mind, will and passions are perverted, and defiled, and turned away fromGod, and from their duty to his law. Now it is one great design of thegospel to rectify these disorders in the nature Vox,. in. I
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