ttttt., Ver. 3. the 8th Chapter of the R O MANS. Chrift is dead in vain. If there had been anyother way poffrble in Heaven, or in earth, than the death of Chrift, by which the falvation of loft tinnerscauld have been brought about, Chrift would not have died; no, our difeafe was defperate as to any other way of cure, before this great Phyfitian took our cafe in hand. Chrift is of no ufe till our wound be found incurable, and all other help in vain. 3. The Lam coming firfi into confideration, as our remedy; its imps bility to jufIA and give life, needs to he fitffuiently demonffrated; for till we are dead to the law, we (hall but carelelly Peek after the Grace of God in Jefus Chrift; therefore Both the Scripture tra- vel fo much in this point, and fheweth us, we mull not only be dead to fin and dead to the world,but dead to the law,before we can live unto God, Gal. 2. r q. I tlrongh the lain am dead to t he lam, that I may live unto God :and again,Rom. 7. 4. Te are become dead to the law, by the body of ChriJf,that ye may be married to another, even to him that was rai- fed from the dead, that ye may bring forth fruit to God. Thefe two places (hew the means how we become dead to the law, partly through the law requiring a righteoufnefs fo exaáand full, in order to life,as the corrupt elate of man cannot afford ; partly, by the body of Chrift introducing a better hope, that is, his crucified body, which is the foundation of the new Covenant; betides Paul argueth this, that the law Both only dif cover fin, but cannot abolifh it, but doth increafe it rather; it bindeth over to death,and therefore cannot free from death; and fo to fallen man, 'tis a law of fin and death ; and then ànfwereth theObjeaions that might be brought againl this is therefore the lam fn ? God forbid, Rom. 7. 7. and verle io. The commandment which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death, and fo was a lam of death , and working wrath, and all not be- caufe of any defeá in Gods inftitution, but the weaknefs of our flefh; that is, the cor- ruption of our nature, nature ( being depraved ) cannot fulfil ir, or yield perfect obe- dienceito it. Oncemore'tis laid, Acts to. 39. By him all that believe are juffifred by the lam of Mofes. The Law of Mofes was either the ceremonial lam; All the oblations and Saèrifices, the wa ff ings and the offerings then required, could not take away fin, for they were but ifhadows and figures of whát was to come, Heb. 9. 9. They were figures which could not make him that did the fervice perfect, as appertaining to the confcience; and again, Heb- to. t, 4. They were fhadows of good things to come, and it was not pofible that the blood of bulls and goats fhould take e away fins. They might obtain fome temporal Wings, or remove Come temporaljudgments,as they obeyed God in them ; but did little as to the eafe of the foul, as it wa sconfcious of fin, or under fears of the eternal punifhment they that looked beyond them, to the Meffiah, to come with an humble and penitent heart, might have their confciences cleanfed from dead works. Every effe& mutt have a caufe fufficient to produce it; The blood of bulls and goats was no fuchcauCe, had no fuch vertue. the effeá was far above it, there was amore precious ,blood fignified, and fhadowed out thereby, that could do it indeed. Or fecondly, the moral law given by Mofes; partly,becaufe we cannot keep it of our felves, and the belt works that the re- generate perform ,are fo impeded and mixed with fo many infirmities and defels, that they land in need of pardon, Jam. 3. 2. In many things we offend all of us. Our righte. oufnefesare as filthy rags, Ifa. 64. 6. and partly, besaufe they cannot fatisfefor the leafifin, whereby the Infinite Majefly of God is provoked : This is only fpoken to (hew why the Scriptures do fo often (peak of the weaknefsof the Law, and how impofiible it is the Law fhould give us life, that we may wholly be driven to Chrift. 4. The utter impotency of the Law to produce this eaï#, may be known by thefe two Things, which are neceffàry to falvation, Jufliftcation and Sanúfiatiotr. The Law can giveneither of thefe. i. It cannot give us Iafiiftcation unto life; theLaw promifeth no good to (inners, but only to thofe that keep and obferve it; he that doth them, (hall live in them. Do and live, (in,and die, this is the voice of the law, that was a way whereby an innocent per - fon might be faved; but not how a (inner might be laved. The Law confidered us as innocent, and required us to continue Co. Curfed is every one that continueth not in all the words o f the lam to do them, Gal. 3. 20. But alas, all we have broken with God, Rom. .3.23. Weave all finned, and are come Port of the glory of God. The Got-pet confidereth us in this finful elate, and therefore it promifeth remi(fion, and regoireth repentance; both the priviledg and the duty concern our recovery to God. Secondly, If the law could be fulfilledfor the future, paff fns would take away all hope of reward by the law; for thepaying of new debts would not quit old Icores; what fatisfaáion (hall be given for thole Tranfgreffions? let me exprefs it thus, the paying of what we owe, will not make amends for what we have lolen ; we have robbnol Gad of his Glory, and Honours tho 8 D z for
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