MISCOITRSE 1V. 217 they cannot obey it perfectly ? Answ. Yes, there is abundant security for their diligence in duty to the law, though they can never work out a righteousness for themselves, to be justified by the Iaw. Let these reasons be considered : 1. It is the great design of the gospel to restore us to holi- ness as well as to happiness: and therefore the law, in the com- mands of it, runs through all the gracious dispensations of God to fallen man, as I have shown you: And God will have no re- gard to them in away ofgrace, who have no regard to his law in a way of obedience. The law constantly requires and points out our duty, it shews us our sin, it lays us under condemnation, and makes us seek a refuge in the gospel of forgiveness. Now the gospel is not prepared, for such as knowingly and wilfully re- nounce the law of God; which is holy, and just, and good, and who persist in this practice, and abandon the commandments of it. Can it be ever expected, that the great God should pardon and save those rebels through Jesus Christ, who knowingly and wilfullypersist in their rébèllions ?' God forbid. The very light of nature will not suffer us to believe this. This would be to make Christ the minister of sin, and to build again the things which Christ came to destroy ; Gal. ii. 17, 18: For it is the design of all the blessings of the gospel, to makeus conformable to God and to this law, which is. the unchangeable imageof his holiness. The great design of it is to make us practise love to God dud our neighbour, which is the fulfilling of the law, as far as our stateof frailtypermits ; Rom. xiii. 10. The design of the grace of God in Christ Jesus is, that we might be holy, and without blame before God, in love. Are we chosen in Christ ? It is that we may be holy ; Eph. i. 2, 3. Both God forgive us ? It is that we may fear, and love, and serve him ; Ps. cxxx. 4. There is forgiveness with God, that he may be feared. Are we redeemed with the blood of Christ? It is that we might be a peculiar people, zealous of good works 'Tit. ii. 14. Both the grace ofGod bring salvation to us? It teaches us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, to live righteously, soberlyand reli- giously, in this present evil world; Tit. ii. 11, 12. We are under the law still unto Christ, as it is the rule whereby Christ governs his church, while he pardons their failures and imperfections : But we are not under the law, as it is the ruleof judgment, and condemns all that have not fulfilled it. We are freed from the Curse of the law, but not from the obliga- tion to obedience. So the apostle,.1 Cor. ix. 21. All believers have this freedom from the curse of the law, that from a new principle of holiness and love, they may fulfil the commands of the law, as far as our present circumstanceswill admit : Rom. vii. 0. But nowwe are delivered from the law, that being deadwherein
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