64 True Signt o f Gr'scv. S E c r c II: 3. Thirdly, We rosybefail tofulfillthe Law, whenalthough through daily infirmities wefail oftheflrü`iobligation, yet wedo not by anygroffe fin break it. In this fenfe we keep it fine crimine , though not fine vitio, as Aug-Reline fometimes, that is, without a crime, though not without fin. And although they arebut few that do fo, yet fometimesGod gives Come ofhis children to walk in fuch harmlefle and fpotleffe lives. Thus Laki.6. Zachary and Elizabeth are Paid to be blameleffe, Phil.z. a §. That ye maybe blameleffe andharmlcffe, thePus of God is the midi} of acrookedgeneratiou : Sajt's required inaBi/hop thathebe blameleffe, that is, not withoutfinne, but without crime, for which hemay juftly be cenfured , in which fenfe the Apottle, a Cor.13. praieth, that the Corinthiansmat do noevil, that is, nofuch crime, tor which the Apoftle fhould haft a Churchcenfure , as formerly we afferted. Thus youhave heard in what fenfe we are(àid to keep the Command- tricots, theformer and the lacer being pertinent to our fcope. In the next place, let us confider how it is a figs, for even whenCigna are agreed on, yet theremay be muchdeceit about the explication of the fign , cutting it too that(, or ftretching icouttoo long. How obedi- Therefore in the firtf place, This aniveralobservance isPeen, when our Obedi- ence to Gods cute id internaland ffiritualds well as external. Could a man anfwer all the affir- meatsns meats is a fgn mauveand negative precepts inthe outward converlacion, yet ifnot fpirirualin all ofgrace. . theft, they were asabody without a foul. And herein the Pharifees hypocrifie was r. difcovered, they retied wholly upon the outwardobedience of theLaw,when their hearts wereDens of thieviJh Tufts ; Hence our Saviourdid fo often pre(fe them to make clean and wafh the inward man : The Law iefpiritual, faith Paul, and Goals aSpirit, faith out Saviour, feeking them that wor¡hip in .föirit and truth. Hence Mattb.s. our.Saviour fpends many words to convince the Pharifees that they were horriblevioiaricuof Gods Law, wretchedAdulterersand Murderers, though grail- tyof no fueh Outward crimes. Oh what a piercing and ditcovering figne mutt this be. This makes the moral, yea andreligious man, whofe piety isonly in the out- ward exercifesof grace,to bewithout any hope. Alas all theft externals arenothing if there benot an inward fpiritualreftitudtof thewhole man. Hence Tani excel- lently, Rom.7. ¡ delightin the Lawof God, in the inwardman. Objei. The Antiromianpleads, That this univerrelObedientecannot bea fign ofgrace, becaufe Paul while unregenerated performed it, as appeareth Ali. 13.1. Aet.24.c6. where Paul with, He lived witha good confcience void of offence both cowards God and man ; Here (feiy they) Paul lived inan univerfal Obedience unblameably, and kept entirely to hisconfcience,yet was not in Chrii?. Anfw' But to anfwer this, A good confciencemaybe called good ina two-fold refpeli, A dif}inftion either when a man liveth not a ainfe thediftacesof hisconfcience, or Both any abouragood g confcience. thing agaioft that as thole Chriftians did , whomPaul compelled through fear of death to blafphetne : and thus Paul had a good confcience,becaufeheverily thought he was bound to do ashe did : in this fenfe a Papal, a Jew, any Heretick may be laid tohave a good confcience. Orelfe a confcierce is laidgood, when renewed by Gods Spirit, and rightly informed and regulated by Gods word ; and thus Paul had a very evilconfcience, in whichrefpeet he called himlelf a Per/ tutor, and the grease?? of allfinners, and fo by the wayyou may fee it's no argument of comfort for chofe who broach any damnable herefres, ro excule the matter, laying, Are they not confciencious men ? Are they not tobe pitied rather then punifhed? Is it not according to their light ? All this might have been 'laid for Taal, yet for all this hisconfcience was a veryevil and wicked confcience, partly becaufe it was not renewed, partlybecaufe it was riot informed out ofGods word. , Secondly, Though Paul walkedwith a good Confcienee, and that towards God at wellas man, yet that was for externals only, he wasnot acquainted with all the frnfull motions Of his heart, howmuchdiffidence, ignorance, lukewarmneffe,love to the world, hiscredit andglory was inhim more then of God, he did not per- ceive. Now Gods Law requireth that internal good frame above all. That Taal was
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=