Ver. q.. the 8thCbapter of the ROMANS. 35 cover his Image : A finful Creature, till he be changed, cannot be acceptable to God, neither live in communion with him for the prefent, not enjoy him hereafter. Vie cannot enjoy communion with him now, r John r. 5, 6, 7. If we fay that we have fel- lowfhip with him, and wall¿ in darkneff, we he, and do not the truth. But if we walk in the light, as be is in the light, we have fellowfhip one with another. Will the Lord take us into his b'ofome while we are Motu fins ? The New Nature giveth us force knowledg of the Nature of God. Can a New Creature delight in the wicked? 2 Pet. 2.8. Lot's righteous foul was vexed from day to day. You cannot imagine fo, without a reproach to the Divine Nature 5 nor can we be admitted into his bleffed prefence hereafter, Heb. 12. 14. Without holineff no man foal! fee the Lord, The ungodly, and the un- fandified, are banithed out of his pretence. Chritt came not to make a change in God 5 to make him leis holy , or reprefent him as left hating of fin. Other - wife, 2. Chrifi's undertaking would not anfwer the trouble of a true penitent, nor remove our f refi burthen. A fenfible and compundionate finner, is troubled not only with the guilt of fan, but the power of fin: There is the root and bottom of his trouble : His language is, Hofea r4. 2. Take away all iniquity, and receive us gracioufly. Pharaoh could fay, Take away this Plague 5 but an awakened, penitent, broken-hearted (inner will fay, Take away this naughty heart : Therefore the Promifes are fruited to this double diftrefs, r John r. 9. If we can fefe our fins, he is faithful and jufi to forgive tes our fns. Micah 7. 18, 19. Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and pafth by the tranfgreon of the remnant of his heritage ,z He will return again, and have conspaifion upon us : be will fubdue our iniquities, and thou wilt cafi all our fins into the depths of the fia. They do not only deltic pardon and releafe from punilhment, but Grace to break the power of fin 5 as a man that hath his Leg broken, defireth not only eafe of the pain, but to have it well let again:Therefore to them that are pricked at heart, there is offered the promifeof the Spirit, Aa, 2.37, 38. A Malefafkor condemned to die, and rick of a mortal difeafe, needeth and defireth not only the pardon of the Judg, but the cure of the Pbyfitian. 3. To make way for the work of the Spirit : For the Divine Perlons work into each others hands 5 as the Elaion of the Father maketh way for the Redemption of Chrift, fo the Redemption of Chrift maketh way for the Sanctification of the Spirit. All the Divine Perins are glorified in the redu &ion of a finner 5. and they take their turn. The application of the merit of Chrifi, and the grace of the Spirit, are infepa- sable, Titus 3. 5. and r Cor. 6. r r. Thefe individual Companions, Santlifeation and yufl jcation, mutt not be dif.joyned 5 under the Law the Ablutions and Oblati- ons fill went together 5 the Leaven and the Altar, the Wafhings and the Sacri- fxes. 4. Chrifi's undertaking was not only for the benefit of man, but for the glory of God, to redeem us to God, Rev. 5. 9. and therefore in the work of Redemption, our Happi- nefs is not only to be confidered, but God's Honour and Interefi. Impunity, and taking away the guilt of fin, doth more direly refpe& ourgood 5 but fandifying, and fitting us for obedience, and fubjet ion toGod, doth more immediately refpe& his glory and ho- nour. That hemay be glorified again in mankind, who are fall'n from him5 it wasfor that, man was made at firft, and for that are we rettored and made again. I proceed to the Second Confideration propounded: 2. That our Natures being renewed and healed, we are to walk in newnefs of life, ac- cording to the direllions of the Law of God 5 for Principles are given for Operation, and Habits for Ails, and a new heart for newnefs of life 5 and therefore Regeneration fitti maketh us good, that afterwards we may do good. But that which I am to prove, is, That this righteoufnefs is to be carried on according to the Law 5 for God having made a Law, is very tender of it : I (hall prove it by Four Rea - Ions: r. Chrift came not to difsloe our obligation to God, but to promote it rather. Cer- tainly not to diffolve it, to free us from obedience to the Law 5 for that is impoffible that a Creature thould be fui juris, or without Law 5 for that were to make it fu. preme, and independent, and 'to to ettablilh our Rebellion, rather than. to fuppref it : No, he came upon no fuch defign, to leave us to our own will, to live as we lift, without Law and Rule : He came to rettore us to obedience, to bring us back again in heart and life to God, Luke a. 75. He bath cliivered us from the hands of our ene- mies, that we might five him in holinefs and righteoufnefs all the days of our lives 8E2 To.
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