SICT.ÌI. True Siens of Grace.), nation toobey hisLaw, though wehave loft thepower. Neither is this as the ir- minians (ay, as if a Judge fhould fencence a mans eyes to be put out for a former fault, and then afterwardshang him, becaufehe cannot let, for it lieth not as a mortal duty upon a man to fee ; not hathany blagillrate fuch fupream power over a man, as God hath overus. And by thete commands of God is demonftrated Our duty only, not our ability : hence Godmakes it his promife,Togive us a new heart, andto make ue toWalk in abis pelmet j and although 4rmintass think it an abfurdity to make the fame thing Requiftam and Promiffam, a conditi- on required and yet a gift promifed ; there is nothing moreordinary in Scripture. Afecondimpotftbilityof keeping the Commandments is, In reffiell of the Re- 2, generate, CO WhomGodgivethnot 'itch a meafure ofgrace, as that they are able to keep themaccording to theperfia obligation of it." Rom.8.3,4.Wekeep Gods Com- mandments in truth, not in perfection, not but that God is able togiveus perfect grace, but he hath thought good to exalt imputedrighteoufnetfe, rather then inhe- rent in thislife. A third impo[fibility of keeping the CommandmentsofGod, is not only Co//e.. 3. Etively, that we arenot able to keep them all, but fail in tome, but diflributively, there being not one Commandment weareat any time able to keep in any duty pettedly. Andalthough it becaller to bringArguments toprove we fin fometimes, and do not keep all theCommandments we Ihould, then toprove we finin every goodduty, yetRom.7.r9. 941.5.17. doftrongly confirm, that becaufe ofthe in- nate corruption(till abiding in us, weare not able todo any thing fo perfectly as the Law requireth : in the molt holy men there are both Deflates privaste:, and ._- .4ff ilseobf$antes, defects depriving us ofthe inward purity thatought tobe in us, andaffectionscontrarily withftanding theobligation of the Law. In the next place wewill thew thepoffibility of ir, and that is , firfk, By a fn. How it is po cere inchoate Obedience, whereby weknowGod in part, love him in part, though tal o kkeep not to fuch a ink degree. This is affirmedof the godly, therefore is is potfìble, I. Lnk, s.6. ThusZacharyand Elizabeth are faid to be Righteous betre Clod, Walking inali his Commandments. David faith, PA/ t9. Hefball not beconfoseded When he bath veld.' toall hie Commandments. s the peopleofGodhave done this, fo God hath promifed this, Iwigcirenmcife their hearts to lovemewith all their heart andminde. So Yer.3 s. and this is the univerfal keeping of Gods Commandments fpoken of in the Text, and much pretfed in feveral places ; for there is the truthof all Obedience, though not thegradual perfedion. It is no wonder that the peo- ple ofGod are faid to keep theLawof God, feting they endeavour after it , and ü'sufual inPhilofphy tocall motions from the terminus to which they tend t Rege- neration is thewriting of the Law in their inwardparts, whereby the Law is not a burden, but pleafingand matrerof delight to them, as Paul profetfeth it was to him, Rom.y. And by thismeans the Apofle faith, We dosot abolifh the Law, but effablifh ir, becaufethe graceofGod giveth fuck abilityand tlrength, that in tome meafure weare able toobey it : Sothat the aft of Faith ad intros, which is recei- vingofChri(t, mul'cnot beoppofed to, but conjoyned with thataft offaith ad ex. tra, whereby we walk inall the Commandments of God. Secondly, The Pofftbilityofkeeping them is bean evangelicalfenfe, that is,when Z° whattoever we fail in, ispardoned untous, forfo it is through the Covenant of grace, that when wehavefineerçly applied our (elves to the obedience ofthe whole Law, and falling thou of our duty in many refpeds. God through Chrift Both forgiveus, and fo our righteoufaeffe confrftsmore in theremiffionof what is im- puted, then in doing what ispetted. In this fenfe Rom.8.3,4. Chrift is faid to came inthe fie(h that the righteonfseffeofthe Law may befrslfîlled in us: and Rom. to. Cbrifi is theend oftheLaw fir righteoofseffetothebeliever, not to the worker, fo that in all exercifes of fandification we are to have a greater refped to what God doth forgive, thenwhat we do, which bath made fome fay, Our perfection is toacknowledge our imperfection. Thifdlyy
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