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A61847 A discourse of the two covenants wherein the nature, differences, and effects of the covenant of works and of grace are distinctly, rationally, spiritually and practically discussed : together with a considerable quantity of practical cases dependent thereon / by William Strong. Strong, William, d. 1654.; Gale, Theophilus, 1628-1678. 1678 (1678) Wing S6002; ESTC R10428 996,223 490

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Sub gratia under Grace though many times in the flesh they serve the law of sin consuetudine paenali by a penal custome yet they do strive against it and they are not wholly overcome sin doth not reign in their mortal bodies 4 In pace in peace when the conflict is perfectly ended the victory is won and sin is perfectly overcome as it is in Heaven when they shall enter into rest and peace c. Every man out of Christ is in the first or the second rank either he is without the Law as Paul was and does go on in sin without controul because without the Law sin is dead or else he is under the Law in the condemnation of it and in the rigor and coaction of it They that are in Christ here are under grace and the souls of just men made perfect that are translated into Glory they are entred into peace each walking in his uprightness while they were here below The best way to open this rigor and coaction of the Law will be to shew wherein it does consist and how a man out of Christ is under it and how in Christ he is delivered from it The Law exacts of a man perfect obedience or else there is no acceptation either of his person or his works God had no respect to Cain and to his offering Gen. 4.4 because of the failing that was in it had he done well he should have been accepted and therefore see the glorious service of Jehu to which God gave so great a testimony 2 King 10.31 that he had done what was right in Gods eyes and according to all that was in his heart and yet Jehu had a by-end which blasts all his service and turns it into murder in Gods account for Hos 1.4 he says He will avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu Bona opera non renatorum mortalia So in all the services of unregenerate men their good works are mortal sins God rejects them all for the least failing and there is nothing counted a prayer or an alms or hearing or any duty and this is a rigor and a great straight that every unregenerate man is in he must pray and yet because he cannot pray without sin therefore his prayer is an abomination to the Lord and there is nothing that he can do is accepted with the Lord. Now from this rigor a man in Christ is freed there is an imperfection in the best services of the Saints which they desire God not to enter into judgment with them for and Nehemiah can pray to be pardoned and yet to be remembred and rewarded for the same actions for there is flesh and spirit in the same man Terret me vita mea c. Anselm and they act and lust one against the other in whatsoever the man does which have made some of the Saints look upon their life with horror and yet if the man be in Christ the duty is accepted and the other rejected that is out of Christ Apparet mihi aut peccatum aut sterilitas tota vita mea Phil. 4.18 2 Cor. 8.12 because their persons and services are not accepted in the beloved and if found in him the meanest service is accepted if it be but giving an alms it is an offering of a sweet smelling savour and is well-pleasing unto God a willing mind is accepted according to what a man has but a man out of Christ is under the rigor of the Law for the acceptation of his services they must be perfect or else they shall be rejected of God for their least failings 2. The Law exacts duties of every unregenerate man but it gives a man no strength to perform them for Lex respicit hominem conditum the Law regards man created as having received strength from God to perform it and requiring strength gives it not Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy might not only with all the strength thou hast but with all that I gave thee in thy creation But the Gospel does respect man fallen and therefore requires not duty by a mans own strength The Law forbids sin and lays the burden of duties upon a man but gives no strength to bear it which because a man through sin has lost therefore he sinks under it for ever So that the Law to a natural man is like the Egyptian task-masters it calls for the whole tale of bricks but yet there must no straw be given The Law gives a man no strength and yet it calls upon every unregenerate man for perfect obedience though he be dead in trespasses and sins and cannot so much as think a good thought But to a man in Christ it is far otherwise the Law calls for duty and the Gospel gives the ability to perform it for there is a promise goes with the command if the Lord command you to cleanse your selves he saith I will pour out clean water and you shall be clean from your filthiness if he requires that you should be fruitful in every good word and work he does promise that you shall grow up as willows by the water-courses and as calves of the stall c. The desart shall blossome as a rose they shall bring forth fruits in their old age they shall be fat and flourishing their beauty shall be as the olive-tree and their smell as Lebanon He says Make you a new heart c. a new heart also will I give you Again saith he Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God and he promiseth I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall never depart from me He saith Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and he promises I will circumcise your hearts to love c. It is in Gospel as it is in the body there are veins and arteries the blood is conveyed in the one and the spirits in the other if there were blood without spirits there would be nothing but weakness but the Gospel takes both together the spirits with the blood so that a man in Christ is free from the rigor of the Law also in this respect that it requires duty but gives no strength to perform what it requires 3. To an unregenerate man though it command duty yet it lays it upon him as a burden which he hates it commands duty but it gives him no inward love to it or delight in it and yet he must do it though he hates it a duty without is required but a principle of love within is not ingrafted so that a wicked man doth duties as a godly man does commit sins Rom. 7 That which I hate that do I. 1 Tim. 1.9 The law is not made for a righteous man Some place the emphasis in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is not laid upon him as a burden which he hates and desires to be freed from but he has a law of love within him an