(Ver. l the Epifile to the Romans, 207 i Lee tan_ Swam fpeeu- tnm peros _ tan rep, fintas. How the law detain - eth fin, felf to be righteous by the workswhich he did, and not only negleaed C(trift, but perfecuted the do &ritie ofgrace, Phil. 3.6. AE7r 9, 1. 1 Tim. 1.13 . Howbeit, after the Law had revealed unto him the corruption of his nature,and (hewed him that his evill delires (though not contented to) werefins, and worthy of death: and after that he beleeved and confidered this, it greatly danced him, and made him to fee and feel chat all his righteoufnefs of works and civil] honefty was nothing, and that he was a dead man without Chrill, Rom.7.8i9. Therefore they are in a miferable cale which have not got the true knowledg ofthemfe]ves by the Law; for fetch can - not,nor wil not leek after the grace and health of the Gofpel. T t H. Now ye have told to what tee are to learn from the manner of his anfwer, let ur heare what the matter of hie anftven . will teach us. S I L. It teacheth us fundry things: the firft is a fpeciall office of the Law: which is to (hew and bewray fin unto us ; as by a glafs we cone to fee the fpots of our face, fo by the Law we come to know our fins, Rone.3.20. and as by the light of the Sun we difcover little moats, fo the light ofGods Law, dete &s even the leaft offences againft God or our neighbour: this office of (hewing fin unto us, the Law performs in fundry forts. First, it maketlr ap- pear unto us, what is evill and fin, and what is not. Secondly, it brings us ho behold the nature offm, how vile and filthy it is, being againft a righteous Law, and an infinite divine Jullicc. Thirdly, it reveales the danger of fin, what hurt it bringeth tothe commisters of it, to wit, no lets then everlafling de- ftru &ion in hell, after all the miferies of this life. La(tly, it gives a feeling of fin in our hearts, troubling our confci- ences by tome certain biting and ffing. This experimental] knowledge is that which is chiefly meant here : where we are further to note, that howfoever allLawes- both Civil', Ceremonial], and Judicial], as the Law of Nature alfo ferveth to manifeft fin; yet the Morali Law of God, being written by Mofee;, and rightly underitood, doth perform this office of revealing fin, molt filly and feelingly becanfe it ftriketh at the root, di(covering our hidden and fecrct The r_ aw- evil] thoughts, canting us ro feel the bCingehe e& mjé force of fin, infomuch as God hit-in-elf ofdt:vine in this Law , doth with great power ribhteonr- f eak to the Confcience; for it bath o;r;' that p C áf "ntt Le ts- his fpirit joined with ir, which difcrying and laying open our hidden náughti- fwenerh. tinefs and our bondage to it,breeds ter- ror in us, Rom.8.1 5. T1ra. What may be thetfe of this frff inflroe rion? S Fir(t,it doth admonifh all men to be converfant in the Law ofGod,and to ftudy it, it they do defire to be more and more acquainted with their own fins,and tvofull eflate,through the fine. Secondly, it renders a reafon why nien have fo ((codera fight offins,either their own or others, bcaufe they are igno- rant and rinfeì1(ble ofthe Law. Third- ly, it warneth the Godly to be thankful tinto God, who bath given them the Law, to be (as it were) a Sentinel to be- wray their enemy to th,m,and a fcourge to drive then: forward to Jefits.Fourth- ly, this direð us how to read and heare the Law with fruit; namely,when we find out fonicthing by it which nlu(t be forgiven by mercy, and repented of or amended by grace. Laltly, itferveth to pull down our ftomacks and hearts, by the view of our own finfulletate, to force us unto Chrift, and to make much of his grace and merits. Thus far of the firft inlfruE?rion. TI ra.Now tell at ofwhat lsnowleelg the Apo ffk/peaket5 whenhe faith,[he had hot !mown luJf,eec.]A_r alfo, what Law he fpeaketh of? S I t. He meaneth the Moral] Law or ten Commandements, as is plain by the üiftance of [ Lufi] which is forbidden or condemned in every one of them, as the root whence fpringeth all other fins. As for knowledge, he meaneth both fpeculative and experi- mental], but rather this; fo as the fenfe is this ; I had never underftood lull to be a fin at all, or felt it to be fo grie- vous a fin (as now I do) without the T help, 19-&I9.I
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