200 Moral law s in force frill in re. fpeft of o- bedience : Eor Chrift came co confirm the law,and not o dellroy ic.Matth.Ç. An Ex, pofztion upon Ch ap.ó bath refpc& unto that which one day Chrifiians do hope thall be ; to wit, that their fm, which is partly mortified and dead in them, (hall be perle &ly dead and pluckt up by the roots : in the meane (pace, there are (till in the belt men ma- ny things to be reproved by the Law, to be lamented for,and to be amended and reformed according to the rules of the Law : but the Law as it is the force of finne to encreafe it,fo it is taken away ; as alto touching the curfe,it is abolifhed to the beleevers, &`concerning the ftri& obfervation, whereupon followeth ma- ledi &ion. T r M,Wbat inffruc`lioni are wee to learn now from the fìrft work of the text, thus o- pened and declared? S I L. Two : firlt, they fit before us the marke that all our life long we are to ayme at; that is,carefully to fttppre(s and mortifie our finfull lufts, for this is a worke not of one day or one yeare. Secondly, as any Chriftian gets power to mortifie his lulls, and goes on (till (o to doe,let him allure himfelfe that he is fo much the further off from the con - demnation and rigour of the Law, and fo much neerer to Chrift and heavenly blefIednefle. 2.Part. T a M. By what mean, are the faithful dead to finne,and to the Law ? Tor ...rp m cs,;dan Sr L. By the body of Chrift crucified eMñä and raifed againe from the dead; for p,bW p,E we are laid to be dead to finne, by the body of Chrift dead and crucified, in as much as the body of Chrifl fattened up- on the croffe,hath merited and obtained for beleevers,remiflìon of all their fins, and the holy Choft alto, by whole ver- tue in-dwelling, finne is dayly mortified and mattered inthem, till it be quitea- bolilhed and extin& utterly at their na- turall death. T s M. What doti, this teach? S r L. That the death and nsortifica- don of finne, as well as the forgiveneffe offinne is the fruit and effea of Chrifls death. Ti M. Whereunto fhould this ferve no? S r t. To a twofold purpofe: Fiat, to ftirre up in Chriftians a great care to fubdue and -kill their finnes, left Chrifts r death bemade void unto them ; for it never profits any unto forgiveneffe, whom it cloth not profit unto mortifica- tion. Secondly, loch as feele finne die and lofe ftrength , may be perfwaded thereby, that they have a Paving part in the death ofChrift, it being made ef- feauall to them for mortification of their luffs. T i M. What is the end of our liberty and 3. Part, freedome from finne and the Law? S t L, That it may be free and law - full for Chritlians to paffe over a fecond marriage,to be joyned to another hus- band ; that is, to Chrifl being dead and railed againe :and for very good realon it is, that the Apoflle after the death of Chrift, cloth make mention of the re- furreaion of Christ. Firft,becaufe upon his refurreaion dependeth the force,efli- cacy, and fruit of his death, which had no whitbenefited the Church, if he had not been raifed from the dead. Second- ly, becaufe Chrift being now raifed a- gaine to life, and raigning in glory, he is able to doe towards his Chu rch, and every member of it, all husbandly du- ties of proteaion, fnpporting, inffru- aing,ble(ling, enriching her with graces and gifts of all forts. Laffly, to teach that as Chrifl dyed and role againe,fo it is not enough for us to crucifie fin, but we are to rife to a new life, as well bound to live godly and righteoufly, as to ceafe from evil¡. T r M. What are we to ¡carne from this thatyou have faid ? S=s L. _T'irff, fuch as have not finne mortified in them, are ftrangers to Chriff:for we cannot at once be under the Law as the fervants to finne,and yet be joyned to Chri(t as a wife to an hus- band. Secondly, the great dignity of e- very true Chriflian which bath his fins taken away touching the guilt, by for - giveneffe,as touching power and tyran- Note that ny,by mortification ; fuch a one is the Chru i dead fpoufe of Chrifl, and is one with him ana raised, andwith all his graces, and lives by his Goálabto- Spirit,which enableth him to doe good butely. workes acceptable to God, as tweet fruits are acceptable to men,or as chil- dren which are the fruit of the wombe, be
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