'Yen 4. the 8th Chapter of the ROMAN S. 37 tables of fione 5 and therefore if a man would cleanfe his heart and way, he muff fludy the Word of God, Pfal. t 19. 9. By what means may%a young man cleanfe his ropy ? by ta- king heed thereunto according to thy word. 'Tis not pide his way, butcleanfè his way; for even the youngeff are defiled. Mans heart naturally is á fink of tin, and there is no way to make his heart clean, and his way clean, but by taking Gods counfel in his Word, A young man that is in the heat and ftrength of his lulls, may learn there how to be pu- rified and cleanfed. 2. That this law flandeth in force. We are freed from the condemning, but not from the dire&ing power thereof; but it always remaineth as a rule of our new obedience. Surely 'tis in force now 5 for there is no liberty given to men to live in fin 5 God will not (pare his people when they tranfgrefs it by fcandalous or hainous fin, Prov. t. 91. Therefore they (ball eat of the fruit of their own may, and be filled with their own devices. Thothey be the dearly beloved of his foul, the eternal puni(hment (hall not be inflitted upon them, yet they (hall fmart for the breaches of his law. On the other fide they find much incouragement,dsmfort and peace when they fet themfelvs exa&ly to keep ir, they can from experience fpeak much of the gracious reward of obedience, Pfal. 119. 56. This .1 had becauf I kept thy precepts. Yea, in the ttate of Heavenly Glory , the law as purely moral is (till in force 5 for we areeverlaltingly bound to love God, and oné another; 3. That the righteoufnefs of the lam may be fulfilled in us. I rote it by this Argument. One of thefe Three Things we mutt fay, Either firft, that no obedience is now neceffary toSalvation, or that the perfeli obedience is (till neceffary ; or fame meafure of obedience to the law by the ordinary aids of Grace, vouchfafed to us in the new Covenant,is poffible and fufficient : The firm we canuot fay; for then there would be nonece(ffity of new obe. diente or holinef . But the Scripture condemneth that every where, chewing us that we are Gods workmanfhip, created in Chrifi lefue to good works, Eph. a i o. and purified to be a peculiar people zealous of good works, Tit. 2. 14. The fecund we cannot fay, that a whole, perpetual, perfe&, perfonal obedience to the law is (till neceffary ; for then there would be no hope.for them that cannot pettedly fulfil the law, which no man living can . do, Pfal. 143. 2. Enter not into judgment with thy fervant, for in thy fight (hall no man living bejuflifed. Therefore the Third Thing we mutt fay, That there isfrith a Meafure of obedience neceffary,as is [efficient to falvation, and poble by graces and they that attain to it,the Scripture pronounceth them bleffed, Luke t i. 28. Blefd are they that hear the word ofGodand keep hand John t 3.17.If ye !¿now theft things,happy are you if you do them. 4. That the righteoufnefs of the law not only can, but muff be Milled in us, or elfe we are yet in our fins, and have no portion and interefi in Chrift, 2 Cor. 5. 17. ll'hofoever is in Cbri(l, it a new creature. And a new creature mull have a new converfation, for all old things are paled away, and all things are became new. They are inabled in fome meafure to fulfil the law of God. Chrift being the Lawgiver of the Church, or renewed fiate of mankind, bath let down the terms of life and death ; to his terms we mull (land or fall : now he is the author of eternalfalvation to them that obey him, Heb. 5. 9. There- fore every one that would be delivered from wrath to come , mutt look after holinefs, and obey God according to his will declared in his law. Certainly Chr(t died not to pur- chafe an indulgence for us to live in frn5the law bath not its right, it looketh like a law given in vain, if it be not obeyed. 5. This fulfilling of the righteoufnefe of the law,is wrought in us by the fpirit, as the fruit of Chrifls purchafe 5 this real, folid Righteoufnefs is wrought in our hearts by the ope- ration of the Spirit : For thofe that have it are defcribed to be, TWO that wall after the fpirit, and not after the fiefb. Therefore do not refift his work, nor grieve the fpirit of Chriu, nor quench his motions when he cometh to work it in you, but fubmit to all his healing methods. And this fpirit we have from Chri(t as the fruit of his fin-op- ring, Titus 3.5, 6. Not by works of rigbteoufnefr which we have done, but according to his mercy he faved ut, by the wafting of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy.Ghofi, which he flied on us abundantly through yefurChri/I our Saviour. He obtained that Grace whereby we may keep the law; having fatisfiedforus as a Mediator; he becometh an Author and Fountain of Life. Upon him mutt you depend, and to him mua you look for ir. 2. USE s Reproof to two forts of People. t. To . the carnal World, who think that th` Children of God are too arid and precife,
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