V er. t 5. the 8th Chapter.to the ROMANS. 155 our fenfe of fin and mifery, fo is a Saviour and Redeemer welcometo us, and prized by us. There mutt be a tenable awakening knowledg of our great neceffity, before we will make ufe of Chrift for our Cure and Remedy. None but the tick will carè for the Phy- fitian, Match. g. 12. the burdened for cafe, Match. in. 28, 29. thepurfued for a Sanctu- ary and Refuge, Lieb. 6.18. None but the condemned, to be juftified and acquitted,Rom. 8. 33, 34. the loft and miferable to be Caved, Lake 19. to. .2. How is it the fruit of the law covenant ? The law covenant is double, either the covenant of nature, which concerned both Jew and Gentile; or the firfr adminftration of the covenant'' of Grace, made with the Jews only. Firftthe covenant of nature, which we are all under, naturally breedeth Bondage and thynefs of God ; we are fenfible that we , are his creatures, and fo owe him duty and fubje tion;that we have faird in our duty to him, and therefore lye obnoxious to his wrath, and punilhmenr. Heathens that had, but Come obfcure notions of God, felt fomewbat of this Bondage, Rom. 1. 32. They knew the judgment of God, and that they which commit fuch things are worthy of death. They Rood in dread of angry juftice, and not only they, but all mankind are under it, Rom. 2. 15. according to that natural fence which men have of religion, fo is their Bondage more or lets 5 (till under fear of death, and the confequents thereof. This fenfe or confcience of fin, and wrath, which the breach of Gods law hath made our due, is Co ingrained in the nature of man, that he cannot difpofefs himfelf of ir. The Apofile compareth it to the bond of marriage, which is indiffolubte, till one of the parties die, Rom. 7. 1, 2, 3. The confcience of man is either married to the law, as its husband 5 or Chrift, as its husband : not to the latter, till it be dead to the former, v. 4. re are become dead to the law, by the body of Chriff, that ye might be marrid to an- other, even to him that was raifedfrom the dead. Well then, this Bondage is the effect of the law, or covenant of Nature, impreffed upon the heart of man, and arifeth from a confcioufnefs of guilt, and obnoxioufnefs to Gods wrath and difpleafure , becaufè of Gods broken covenant. Secondly, Theftrfi adminifiration'of the covenant ofgrace,That bred a fpirit of Bondage; witnefs that allegory, Gal. 4. 22, to 26. Abrahams two Wives did reprefent the two Covenants : the firft and fecond adminiftration of the Covenant of grace. The fira gendred to Bondage, men of a fervile,fpirit, doing what they did, not out of love, but flavifhfear, 2 Cor. 3. g. But if the minifiration of death, written and ingraven inffones, was glorious 5 fo that the children of Ifrael cord not .Fledfafily behold the face of Mofes, for the glory of his countenance, which glory was to be done away; for if the minifIration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the minif1ration of righteoufnefs excel in glory. J4ssoenss7axps a s their Gofpel was dark, and had little efficacy to change the heart of man, it did little allay and vanquith this thynefs of God ; rather increafcd it, as it conduced to revive the knowledg of God in their minds, and held forth the ranfom and way of appealing Gods angry juftice ;obfcurely and darkly,rather (hewed our diftance from God. Ifrael was Gods firft -born, and fo his heir, but an heir in .non-age, Gal. 4. 1, 2. Their ordinances was a Bond, ours an Aquittance; but what is this to us ? Anfwer. Much every way: 1. That we may blefs God for the greater advantages that we have to breed a Child- like fpirit in us by the new Covenant; where the Lord who is offended by fin, is pro- pitiated by the death of Chrift, and willing to admit man into his pretence ; and blef him, that God as a Judge driveth us by the fpirit of Bondage to Chrift as Mediator ; that , Chrift as Mediator by the fpirit of adoption may bring us back again to God as a Father ; and then having God for our Father, we may have Chrift for our Advo- cate, and the Spirit for our Comforter and Santifier, to finable us to obferve the Gofpel precepts of repentance towards God, and faith in our Lord Jefus Chrift : and fo be made capable of the promifes of pardon and life; one covenant maketh us fenfible of the grace of the other. Chrift dealeth with us as children of the family, requiring duty from us upon reafonable and comfortable terms. 2. Becaufe thofi that live under the Gofpel.difpenfation, and have not received the power of it, may le yet under a fpirit of bondage, and cherifh a legal may of religion. In every one that entertaineth thoughts of Religion, Law and Gofpel are at confliet in his heart, as well as flefh and corruption; this is clear, by Gal. 5.17, 18. For the flefh lùffeth a- gainfl the fpirit, and the fpirit againfl the flefh, and theft are contrary the one to the other; fa that ye cannot do the things that ye Would 5 but if ye be led by the fpirit,ye are not under the law 5 as fpirit and Beth do luft U agaNsft, and contlantly oppofe one another, and
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