Chap.i6. and the Covenant ofGrace. IOg ferve it falls , all ftanding equally guilty of the breach of it no help ofgrace being of power to enable to keep Covenant. 7. Then it followes that fincerity is never called for as a duty, or required as a grace ; but only difpenfed with as a failing in- dulged as a want, It is not fo much a Chriftians honour or cha- ra&er as his blemifl: or failing rather his defeét then praife. But we finde the contrary in Noah, Job, era, Hezel¿iah, Zachary and Elizabeth, Nathaniel, an Ifraelite indeed that entred Cove- nant, and keptCovenant. And therefore I conclude, that as in the Law there was pure juflice as well in the command given, as the penalty threatened, without any condefcenfion or indul- gence : So in the Covenant there is mercy and condefcenfion, as well in the condition required as the penalty that is annexed, to it ; The Covenant requires no more then it accepts. The alone argument, fo farre as ever I could learn, that bath Objett, brought force of reverent efteeme into this opinion, is, That if the Covenant requires not exa& perfection in the fame height as the Law calls for it, then a Chriftian may fall fhort of the Law- in his obedience, and not fin, perfection being not called for from him, nor any more called for from him then through grace he doth performe; he rifes as high as his rule, and fins not through any.ímperfection : therefore to make it out that a beleevers im- perfections are his fins, it mutt needs be that the Covenant re- quires perfection, as to make good that he may be Paved in his imperfections ; it mutt be maintained that he accepts fincerity, But this argument is not of weight, Chrift entering a Gofpel-Co- So/.. venant with man lindes him under the command of the Law, . which command the Law ftill holds, the Gofpel being a confir- mation, not a deftruc ion of it. All imperfection then is a finne upon that account, that it is a tranfgreflìon of the Law, though (being done againff heart, and laboured againft) it is no breach of Covenant, we are under the Law as men, we are taken into Covenant as Chrltians,retaining the humane nature, the Law lull commands us, though the Covenant inChri'ft, through the a- bundant grace of it upon the termes that it requires and ac- cepts, frees us from the fentence of it. There is yet a third opinion, which I may well cábubt whether I underftand ;, but fo farre as 1 do underftand, I am as farre from p 3 alrent:
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