'c6 An Expofit:on of the C Id A P. I. fromwhence mankind ufually did, ormight with any hopes or probabilities ixpeel re- lief in this cafe, would yield them any at all. Thebell that theGentiles could attain, all that they had to treat -unto, was but the Improvement of naturalLight and Reafon, with an attendance unto thofe feeds and Principles ofGood and Evil, :which are petleft in the depraved nature of man. Under the Conduit, and in Obedience unto thefe, they fought for Kejt, Glory, and Immortality ï howmiferably they were dipppointed in their aims and expedatious, and what a wofull Mile all their endeavours had, the Apltle declares and proves at large, Ram. t. 18. unto the end. The eras, who enjoyed the benefit of Divine Revelation, having loft for the mol' part the time fpiritual import of them, fought for the fame ends by the Law, and their own diligentOblervation of it. They relied in the Law; Rom. 2.17. namely, that by it, theyMould obtainDeliverance from tin, and Acceptance withGod ; and fbliewed after it, Chap. 9.31. that is, to attain Righteoufnefs and Salvation by it And this Reined to bea fuftìcicnt bottom and foandaaon for them to build upon : for having loll theffriritual underltauding, the ufe and Endofthe Law, as renewed unto them in the Cov;nant ofHoreb, theywent back unto the primitive ufe and End ofit; upon its dril giving in Innocency i and fooldilly thought, as many more yet do, that it would do ilíe fame things torfinners, that it would have done for men, if they had not finnedin Adam; that is, havegiven themAcceptance with God here, and Eter- nal Life hereafter ; -Wherefore the .41.4/e. in many places takes great pains tounde- ceive them, to reditie their miltake, and to prove that God had no with defign iii giving them the Laws, as that, which they would impofe upon him. And Fir ¡t, He aflètts and proves ingen_ra1, that the Law would deceive their Ek. pedation t and that by thedeedsof the Law no flea fhvuld he jujiified, Rom. 3. 20. and that it wouldnot give them lifi, Gal. 3. 21. orRighteoufnefs. And that they might not complain, that thenGod himfelf had deeeivedthetn ingiving a Law that would not Curve the tarn for which it ' was given ; he declares, Secondly, That they had tniliaken the Endfor which the Law was renewed unto them,; which was not that it might give them Life or Righteoufnefs, but that it might difcover fn, exa l obedience; and by both drive and compell them tolook out after force other thing, that might both Jive than from their fin, and afford them a Righttoufsefsunto Salvation. And furthermore, he Thirdly, Acquaints thetas whence it was, that the Law- was .become unfeficient for thefe ends ; and that was, becaufe it was become weak through the ¡kb, Rom.8.3. The Lawwas able tocontinue our Acceptance with God,in that condi- tion wherein at Mt we were created; but after that man by fin became flejb, to have a Principle of Enmity againjt Godinhim, bringing, forth the fruits of tin continually, the Law flood afide, as weakened and infutlicient to help and Cave fuch an one. And thefe things theAp exprely and carefully inlìlls upon in his Epijtles to Melton/am. and Galatians. But Thirdly, Though the Law, and an earnejt endeavour after the Obfei vation of it in general, would not ferve to fave us Frain our tins, yet there were efßecial Inftiru -' clans of the Law, that were appointed for that End and Purpofe; as namely, the Sa- crifices inparticular ; which were detigned to makeAttonementfor the delivery of (in- ners, and to procure their Reconciliation with God. Thefe the Jews principally rated on, and trutled unto ; and indeed to expel Righteoujn.fland Julihcation bythe Mofeicsi Sacrifices, as they did, was far moue ratiiotal, than to expect it by the ¡Yorks of the Moral Law as format nowdo; for all Good works whatever, are required in the Law, and fo farare works of the Law i For in the Sacrifices, there was afuppojtion offin, and an appearance of a campenfation.to be made, that the limier might go free; but in theMoral Law,there isnothing but aif rate xniverfirland exact Righteoufnefs required or admitted, w:thoutthe leati provilion of relief for them who come fhort therein. Bat yet our Aujiie declares, and proves that neither were thefe available for the End aimed at , as 'we (ball tèe at large on the ninth and tenth Chapters of this Epihle. Now within the compafs of theft three, Natural Light or Reafon, with ingrafted princ:pl. s cfGood an i Ev 1, the Moral Law; and the Sacrifices thereof; do lye. and contìl, all the hopes and endeavours of fanners after Deliverance and Acceptance with Cod. Nothing is therethat they can do; or put any confidence in, but may be re- ferred unto one of theft- heads. And if all this fail them, as affuredly they will, ( whichwe mightprove by Rcafons and Demonlrations innumerable , thong& at preftnt
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