104 SERMONS upon Serm. XVI. not perifb, but have everla fling life; If that his fins are too great, or too many to be par- doned, then Ifa. 5 5. 7. Let the wicked forfake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy.upon him , and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon; If Satan tempt him to live fenfually, Rom. 8. 13. If ye live after the fief?), ye (ball dye; If to defile himfelf with bate Lulls , I Theft4. 3, 4. This is the will of God, even your fan¿Xiftcation, that ye jhould abflain from fornication : That eve- ry one of you fhould know how to KW; his veil in fanllifieation and honour; If to a neg- ligent carelefs Profeffion, then Phil. 2. 12. Work out your own falvation with fear and trembling. r Theft. 2. 12. That ye would walk worthy of God , who path calledyou unto his kingdom and glory ; if to defpondency and fainting , 2 Cor. I2.9. My grace is fiif- cient for thee, for my flrength is made perfeíl in weaknefs. SERMON XVI. R O M. VI. 15. What then ? pall zne fin, becaufe we are not under the Law, but under Grace ? God forbid. HE RE the Apoflle preventeth an abfurd Conclufion, which might be in- ferred by people of a libertine Spirit, from what he had Paid in the former verle, either from the firfl, or the la(t claufe, the Priviledge or the Rea- fon ; from either , carnal men might collect what might be matter of fe- curity to them in fin r, either becaufe of the Priviledge, Sin ¡hall not have dominion over you, therefore they might let loofe the reins, fin fhould not reign, and confequently not damn : Or elfe from the Reafon, Te are not under the Law, but under Grace: the Negative part might feem to infer an exemption from the Duty of the Law : the Pofitive, But under Grace, which provideth pardon for the lapfed, they might infer hence, that therefore they might fin impunè, without any fear of punifhment. So that in fhorr, three Doctrines of Grace are apt to be abufed. Firfl, The free Pardon or exemption from Condemnation, which the new Cove- nant bath provided for Sinners, therefore they might fin fecurely, no harm would come of ir. Secondly , The Liberty and Exemption from the Rigour of the Law , which requi- reth things impoffible at our hands under the penalty of the Curie, as if this had freed us'from all manner of bonds and tyes to obey God, they were not under the Law. Thirdly, The Doerrine of Perfeverance, as if they might do what they lift, the Cove- nant of Grace would fecure their intereft, and whether they watched or flrived, yea or no, fin fhould not havedominion over them. All thefe are rejefted as unreafonable Conclufions, What then ? (hall we fin, becaufe we are not under the Law, but under Grace God forbid. In the words we have, 1. An Interrogation to excite us to regard what Conclufions we draw from Chriftian Priviledges, What then ? that is, What do we conclude thence ? 2. A faulty Inference or Conclufion is mentioned, Shall we fin, becaufe we are not under the Law, but under Grace? Where firfl, I. The Inference it felt, Shall we fin ? that is, let us continue in fin, or ferve fin, or not foive againft fin. 2. The Ground whence it is inferred, t. From the Evangelical (late negatively propofed , Becaufe we are not under the Law, as if we were exempted from the Rule of the Law , becaufe we are exempted from the Rigour of it. 2. From
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