1i6 The Gofpel-Myflery Dire. VL or in a natural ftate, and that, as far as we aa ac- cording to it, we can do nothing but fin. The law is fo weak thro' the flefh, that it cannot bring us to fulfil its.own righteoufnefs, Rom. viii. 3, 4. It is married to a crofs piece of flefh, that is enmity to it, and can never be fubjea to it, Rom. viii. 8. It fu- eth the natural man for an old `debt of obedience, that he 'is utterly unable to Pay fuzee the fall ; and the fuccefs accordingly, it gets nothing. Neither do thofe take a better courfe, that would bring them- felves to holinefs, by making fincere obedience to Chrift's commands the condition of their falvation. Their way is the fame for fubftance with that of the Galatians before mentioned, who would be made perfect in the flefh, not by perfea obedience, but fincere as hath been {hewed before. Their endea- vours to procure an intereft in Chrift by their fincere obedience, do teftify againft themfelves, that they do not aa as people that are in Chrift, but rather as people that judge themfelves to be without an in- tereft in Chrift, and to be yet to feek for it And fincere obedience is as impoffible to be attained un- to, as perfea obedience, if we at according to our dead natural ftate. idly, As the law bereaveth of all ftrengthening means, that are to be had by faith in Chrift, and findethus without ftrength inour natural Late; fo of itfelf, it affordeth us no ftrength to fulfil its own corn- inands : " If there had been a law given that could " have given life, verily righteoufnefs fhould have been by the law, Gal. iii. a t." It loth not fo much as promife life, until we have performed the obedience requiredby it. "The man that doth thefe things {hall live by them, Rom. x. s." It is well called avoice ofwords, Heb. xii. 19. becaufe its high and big words are not accompanied with an enliven- ing power. And the do&rine of life and falvation by fincere obedience is no better - natured, or more bountiiéi to us; for it exaeteth of us the perform-
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