of Grace is to Communicate it self 2. The Gospel having such a Communication of Righteousness so High so Perfect can accept a Sinner by putting upon him a Perfect Righteousness and Obedience and so blot out all his Transgressions and Imperfections by a full and free Pardon the Penalty being fully Answered and discharged by Christs Death and Sufferings even as the Righteousness is fulfilled by him who is that Image of Glory But the Law being only a Rule and no more can accept no less than the whole and Perfect Obedience For the least Offence being as they speak Solutio continui a Convulsion or Breach of the whole Frame of Righteousness the Law can pronounce nothing but Condemnation to a Sinner who hath not that Full and Perfect Righteousness of the Gospel to offer to it but sollicits and stirs up and works Wrath by the discovery of Sin and it stains all Imperfect Righteousness by declaring the Offendor in one Point guilty of all It brings to nothing all outward Righteousness by shewing the very first Desire or Coveting to be Sin 3. The inward Inherent Righteousness so absolutely Necessary to be in every Person redeemed by Christ and united to him is not only enjoin'd upon him by a Letter that Kills by Commanding and giving no Power but is conveyed to him by a Quickning Spirit changing him into the same Image from Beginning Glory to Perfect Glory as by that Lord who is that Spirit Jehovah one with that Spirit and who himself is that Image and that Spirit So every one Redeemed by Christ is the Epistle and Gospel of Christ it self written not with Ink but with the Spirit of the living God This the Law can never do it Commands and supposes the Power which was once given but the Law never considers the Loss by the Fall nor takes Compassion of it So never it can become a Gospel For the Gospel brings every good Work from the Treasury of Eternal Love and Grace from the Blood of the Everlasting Covenant by a meeting of the Spirit of the Gospel in the Heart of every Elected in Christ and from Providential Opportunities and Advantages of such holy Action and good Work according to the Will of God Heb. 13. 4. The Reward therefore and the whole procedure of Judgment is according to the Gospel of and according to meer Grace to all the Elect of God though in and with a Splendor of Holiness and Purity But whatever is done at that day so that the Law hath the Superiority even to and upon Those who enjoy the Gospel all is turned to Condemnation and Aggravation of Punishment even to and upon all those who are not the Evangelized the Children of the Gospel by Election and yet in a way of clearest Justice and Righteousness according to their Works in that Righteous Judgment as shall presently be in a particular Head of this Dscourse made out concerning that great day 5. The Gospel hath this most illustriously peculiar to it that it toucheth nothing even that is in its own Nature most severe and farthest from Grace but it by its high Dominion of Grace it Subordinates it to the Ends Purposes and Service of Grace even the Law Sin and Death that where they Abound Grace does much more Abound where Sin by the Law does Reign unto Death All who receive abundance of Grace and of the Gift of Righteousness shall much more Reign in Life by Jesus Christ and Grace it self so Reigns As therefore it hath been made out Even the Law is throughout taken into this great Service of the Gospel for the great Ends and Purposes of Grace but now the Law takes nothing under its Cognizance but so far as it comes under its Hand with Relation to Fallen Man it turns it like it self into a Killing Letter and into a Ministration of Condemnation Let us therefore consider the most different Influence of the Law in Three Dispensations that Comprehend all the Dealings or manner of Treaties God hath had with Man since the Transgression of Adam 1. That which is the most Universal Dispensation of God towards all Mankind and is generally stiled the Law or Light of Nature or as the Apostle calls it The Work of the Law written in the Heart wherein All should be doing by Nature the things contained in the Law Men being a Law to themselves And this though it be the lowest of Divine Dispensations to Men in order to recovery of the Elect in order to Humane Society for the Elects sake yet it is general to All Only in Children and Ideots it is hidden and close folded up for want of the Use of the Faculties else it is the same And it is by the Interposal of the Mediator for the Elects sake that there should be a World under the Patience and long-Suffering of God and by the same Patience and long-Suffering there was a Reserve and Reprieve from the utter Loss of the Image of God as from Christ Communicated on account of which he is said to enlighten every Man that comes into the World which Light is capable of more and more degrees of Clearness and Power if closely attended to whereby the World becomes habitable by being under the Government of that Eternal Wisdom by which Kings Reign Princes and all the Judges of the Earth decree Justice Prov. 8. 15. Now this Reserve of the Image of God in Man as it falls under the Law or the strict Rule of Holiness It serves only to Self-Accusation as to every particular Person that he hath not acted up to that Law and Light within and yet still if they did live up to the highest degrees it could not make a Recovery or Restoration of any Man without Christ For without any the least Acceptance of what is done according to it It only Aggravates what was not done to the height so that That Accusation of Thoughts the Apostle speaks of the Law hath its Power over and the Excusings or Apologies of Thoughts are from the Grace of the Gospel which does allow them in Abatement of Condemnation for any good thing found in them or done by them and therefore the Apostle says God will Judge the Secrets of all Hearts at that Day according to this Gospel by Jesus Christ shewing that with Relation to this Light given by the Mediator and for his sake God will proceed with great Gospel Equity and Mercy which may be another and greater Senâ—e of those words before given to all those who have laid together those Remainders or Reserves of the Light of Nature and the Patience and Goodness of God of which he hath given so many Witnesses So that it shall be more Tolerable for such than others who have trodden all these under Foot and run into all Excess of Riot Cruelties and all Uncleanness with Greediness But in all the Elect the Grace of the Gospel makes much a higher use of this Light for it lifts them up above it into a New-Creation
as Before the Children had done either Good or Evil That the Purpose of God according to Election might stand Who worketh all things according to the Council of his own Will to the Praise of the Glory of his Grace Who hath called us with an Holy Calling not according to Works but according to his Purpose not of Works but of him that Calleth Mathew the Publican was called from the Receipt of Custom The Apostle Paul in the height of Persecution that he might be a Hypotyposis a Pattern Hoe every one that Thirsteth come without Mony and without Price The Son of Man came to seek and to save that which is lost I am found of them that sought me not I came not to call the Righteous but Sinners to Repentance Being justified freely by his Grace c. who Believeth on him who justifieth the Ungodly Publicans and Harlots go into the Kingdom of Heaven before you Now it is most Evident the Settlement of whole Salvation in the Eternal Councils of God is most free absolute independent without having any Respect to having done Good or Evil and so of Grace and in such an Opposition to Works that here and indeed throughout Grace and Works do so Remove one another that they cannot consist in an equal Domination but either Grace must cease to be Grace or Works cease to be Works One of them must lose its very Genus or Nature Seeing then none can so much as dare to deny The Gospel gives the Preheminence to Grace It is a Necessity according to the so positive and peremptory Arguing of the Apostle Rom. 11. 6. Works must submit and fall under Grace If so it most necessarily follows Works foreseen must be as much excluded as if they could be supposed present For else Works had the Primiere Ascendency And seeing the Scripture ascribes All to Grace either Grace had not been grace or Works not Works or All is Grace and Works done by Grace so inherent and Resident in us as not to be in Christ as the Sun and Fountain from which it every moment flows as much shut out as Works done by that Rectitude of Nature God at first gave to Man so that they could be neither a Condition nor Qualification foreseen by Electing Grace and so moveing God to Elect But Works are Elected to and not for or upon As the Apostles express Doctrin assures For God hath Chosen us in Christ That we should be Holy and without Blame before him in Love Eph. 1. and good Words are fore prepared as the Margininal Translation Eph. 2. For us That we should walk in the or God hath fore-prepared for good Works that from himself they should be He hath provided them a Being in their very selves as well as in us and that we should walk in them He hath also Fore-prepared And seeing this Fore-preparation even of Works is not of Works lest any Man should boast it must be of Grace even as much as Election Otherwise Work is no more Work or Grace is no more Grace if Works are not throughout of Grace If you say Then Work is not Work I Answer It is much more suitable to the Gospel Work should lose its Nature into Grace than Grace into Work But still the precise Nature of Works and Grace remain distinct in their Abstract Consideration Yet It is most true Work is compris'd by Grace For in every Work we are his Workmanship which is of Grace And indeed Thus it must needs be For upon the Infinite Fore-knowledge of God He Predestinated in whole and not in parts to the Conformity to the Image of his Son whatever then is in the Image of his Son One thing as well as the other He hath Predestinated unto Rom. 8. and so Eph. 1. He hath Predestinated unto the Adoption of Children by Jesus Christ Whatever we are Predestinated unto therefore is Essential to the being Children of God by Adoption in and according to Christ as in one entire sum Predestinated to and as in one Act of God upon his Fore-knowledge and then there is a Distribution into its distinct Heads fitted to our Understandings Calling Justification Glory and every Head is as Free and as Certain one as Another That which in the Manifestation in time comes after as that which went before For each single Head of Salvation was by it self singly and distinctly determined by God as well as the whole Contexture or the Order of each Head I call them Heads Because each is a whole and not apart each is of that Worth and Dignity that It cannot fall so low as a Condition or Qualification or Means in Respect to or with Relation to any other of those Heads So that those entire supream absolute and most acknowledged and Independent Acts of God His Fore-knowing a Number of Persons and Predestinating them to the Adoption of Children by making them Conformable to the Image of his Son being laid in the Foundation according to his Eternal Love and Grace the Arche-Type or first Ememplar of all we may find each of those Heads coming forth in its distinct and single Dignity As first he did according to his own Grace Purpose Will and Determine Such as he hath Fore known and Predestinated to be Conformed to his Son should come to his Son upon no either fortuitous or supreamly Free use of their own Will or Actuation of their Powers by their own Work but upon the certain efficacious Call from himself in his Word and an Instinct or Implantation of Wisdom flowing from himself in Christ that Original Wisdom all their Intellectual Powers seeing Him and their applying Faculties cleaving and uniting to Him Now this is stiled Vocation or Calling And it is Absolute and by it self and worthy to be so And as It First and must needs be so in an Intellectual Salvation and as so distinct from Sanctification it is called Wisdom 1 Cor. 1. So there is no one Head that is more specially ascribed to Grace and to Purpose than it iâ— Rom. 8. 2 Tim. 1. called according to purpose Called with a Holy Calling not according to our Works but according to his own Purpose and Grace which was given us in Jesus Christ before the World began not of Works but of him that Calleth And why is this Head of Calling kept so distinct even from Justification and Sanctification and so ascribed to true Grace Is it because it is indeed a Condition of all the Rest No because it includes the certainty of all the Rest and all others certainly join themselves and therefore It is as much as any or if it could be more ascribed to Grace 2. God hath Chosen a People whom he Justifies and makes Righteous and Pardons freely in Christ and by the Imputation of his Righteousness and in whom the Glory of so great a Righteousness shall appear as the Righteousness of God in Christ This is then Absolute and by it self 3. God hath Chosen a People to
of God in Christ by Eternal Election what Qualification or Condition can there be of Cutting out of the Wild Olive or Vine unless to be in the Wild ones or in Darkness are made a Condition Sanctification or making Perfect in every good Work to do his Will and Working in us what is well-pleasing in his sight is as much secured as Glorification is and Justification may as well be called a Condition of Sanctification For God Sanctifies none but whom he Justifies as Calling a Condition of Justification or Sanctification of Glorification Seeing then cutting off only some Particularities as proper to the present State All These are of God in Christ and are found together in the state of Grace here and perfected each distinct in Glorification and Glorification distinct from them All and by it self in that Illustrious state of Saints superadded to all that Perfection of Grace even in Glory I may conclude none of Them is either Qualification or Condition but of and by it self in Free grace And this is Caution Limitation Prevention of Deception sufficient That no one part can be without the other Scripture therefore speaking of these Things so freely so manifoldly It shews All is alike Free-gift Free-grace All is in Connexion and inseparable Concatenation and indefailable Certainty to the Elect and Grace opens sometimes one way sometimes another as to Appearance or Manifestation But whoever is to be advised or directed to the most wise and hopeful Method in Case of Doubt It is to lie at the Foot of God through Christ for All grace from first to last and not to stay for or rest in any of our Preparations or Qualifications but to press up as near and as close to Christ as we can And happy is he whom he Calleth so to do for from whom else can we hope for any for so much as the First Turn of our Souls to God Himself and into the whole way Everlasting as from in and throuâ—h him alone And 〈◊〉 have dispatched the Third Head I proposed and come to the â—ourth and Last I am yet to speak to And that is That the Procedure of the Judgment of Christ at that Great Day However it be Represented in regard of the Exactness Righteousness and Equity of it as if it was and shall be by the Examination of every Mans Works and an Application of those Works to Law and that the Law as vindicating the Gospel Yet from undoubted and undeniable Grounds of Scripture it must needs be that the Good and the Bad are judged by their very Appearance in and out of Christ and so found written or not found written in the Book of Life And that so every Man's Case is determined and yet that the Works of the Servants of Christ Cloath Apparel and adorn them or as the Scripture says Follow them and the Works of Evil Men or their Sin finds them out Comes as Water into their Bowels and as Oil to their Bones is as the Garment that covers them and as the Girdle wherewith they are girded continually Notwithstanding this All these three Things are most admirable in the grand Oeconomy of that Day which the Father only and not so much as the Created Humane Nature of Christ could adjust or set in Order or in that sense knows or hath Cognizance of 1. The Spirits of Good and evil Men re-invested with Bodies must necessarily be understood to return into them with those Resentments they had in the Enjoyment of Christ or in Separation from him the Happiness of the one and Misery of the other For it is not possible to be supposed that such their Re-investiture should stupifie and benum and efface what they were so newly in the full Sense of That to me is the great Argument against Pre-existence that there are no Traces of the Sentiments in that former supposed Existence without which no Improvement can be apprehended to be made of the State before this and the Experiences therein but we are as much Strangers to them as if it were on all sides confessed we never were before This would be much stranger here when the whole Man Spirit Soul and Body are immediately to enter into the full Possession of the Happiness or Misery before enjoyed or sadly felt and therefore can by no means be supposed to lose what they had both in regard of the Justice of God upon that state of Spirits as in Prison and what is to be further executed upon them and much more in regard of his Grace to Spirits that had been as the Apostle says with Christ and that are so immediately to appear in Bodies of Glory 2. The very Company and especially the great Head and Prince under whom and with whom the Saints appear does most illustriously shew their Pardon and perfect Absolution and Justification from all their Sin and the perfected compleated Holiness and inherent Righteousness received from the imputed Righteousness and Spirit communicated by his Spirit of Christ So that they appear in Robes made white in the Blood of the Lamb and with Palms of Victory in their Hands They are Just Men made every way Perfect their Sins are blotted out when the times of Refreshing come from the presence of the Lord Herein they are above Judgment in themselves even as Christ their Head their appearing with Him is their immediate Justification both according to the Eternal law and Everlasting Gospel and with him they Judge Angels and the World But those who have no Interest in Christ not being with him even that is their Condemnation That he knows them not that they are made to depart and to go away from him Thus he that is Justified is for ever Justified and he that is Filthy and unrighteous is so for ever All which is in one view determined by being with or not with Jehovah our Righteousness the Sun of Righteousness arising with Glory in his Rays or Righteousness upon us or Healing in his Wings And this is according to what hath been said and according to all that hath been discoursed of our being found in Christ and receiving all from him and so apprehending that State of Perfection for which we are apprehended of Christ Jesus 3. The very View and Appearance in Bodies of Glory and Light and Purity called Armies of Heaven on White Horses in Linnen white and clean Bodies made like to his glorious Body by that Power of his subduing all things to it self the being made like to Christ by seeing him as he is does without any other Law but the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus set free from the Law of Sin and Death sufficiently declare Saints to be so without laying them to any other Law And all the Wicked are known by their Bodies of Shame and Contempt like Men condemned and known to be so by their Prison Cloths their Chains and Fetters Sheep are presently known and Goats appear Goats by that very Law of Appearance And
among all Nations to whom it comes and is most strictly enjoined and commanded by it And so the Apostle might most elegantly say Boasting is excluded By what Law of Works viz. The Law as it Commands Works Nay by the Law as it Commands Faith or the Receiving Christ as a Saviour and his Righteousness by meer Gift and of Grace in which Righteousness hath so great Honour and full Satisfaction paid to it that it cannot but accept and charge upon All that hear of it the Acceptation of it But because thus Faith will stand as a Work though as I may call it a Post-Work or a Work after Sin I rather understand the Apostle using here the Word Law of Faith in a Lax and Allusive Sense as any Doctrin or Divine Manifestation may be called a Law 2. The Law hereupon cannot but enlarge its Promises according to this Divine Constitution For if God have declared that He will give Eternal Life to all that Believe in Christ and savingly Turn from Iniquity by Repentanâ—â— and doth accept the Righteousness of Christ imputed to Believers instead of unsinning Obedience the Law must needs join Issue with these Declarations of God and with what Infinite Truth and Grace have said and Confirm with its own Sanctions all these Promises as earnestly to be desired and laid hold of yet still this belongs to the Law as Law and enterferes not with Gospel as Free Grace For as all the Commands of the Law are grounded upon the Sovereignty and Righteousness of God So are its Promises grounded upon the Power Truth Goodness and Unchangeableness of God If then the Gospel declares a Righteousness of God a Righteousness of God by Faith in Jesus Christ accepted of God beyond any Righteousness by Works of the Law The very Law it self opens and enlarges all its Promises to that Righteous Person by the Righteousness of Christ and as this Righteousness on which such a Person is Justified is exceeding unto Him and upon Him as the Apostle speaks that is every way over flows him and so beyond all other Righteousnesses So does the Law extend its Promises to the utmost in Relation to it and therefore God is said as in Triumph to declare herein and at that very time his Righteousness that he might be Just and the Justifier of him that Believes in Jesus Rom. 3. And the Apostle John saith If we Confess our Sins that is acknowledge our Absolute Necessity of such a Righteousness by Christ and receive it He is Faithful and Just Even according to the Eternal Law of Righteousness to forgive us our Sins and to Cleanse us from All Unrighteousness So they who receive abundance of Grace and of the Gift of Righteousness shall Reign in Life by Jesus Christ Not only Live as the Law saith to the Man who doth its Works but Reign in Life the Promises of the Law being stretched out and accumulated upon such a Person so Justified by the Transcendent Righteousness of Christ 3. The Law opens wide its Threatnings in the Cause of and on Injury done to the Gospel and the Grace of God Revealed in it for Seeing It is Essential to the Law of Righteousness to Condemn Sinners It is also Essential to it to Condemn and Adjudge to its Punishments according to the Degrees of Sin and Guilt For saith the Apostle He that Transgressed Moses Law died without Mercy under two or three Witnesses and every Transgression Received a just Recompence of Reward that is according to the degree of Guilt and Demerit Of how much sorer Punishment suppose ye shall he be thought Worthy who hath trod under Foot the Son God and Counted the Blood of the Covenant a Common Thing and done despite to the Spirit of Grace This is plainly according to the Law of Righteousness according to which also Christ said It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha Thus we may see how far the Law must needs attend the Gospel with all its Authority I will now shew how the Gospel takes in the Law and makes use of it for its own great Ends and Purposes Upon Account of which the Apostle says Do we make void the Law nay we Establish it The Law stands fair in the Gospel and in its Full Perfection of breadth and length that it may shew the Glory of the Righteousness and Obedience of Jesus Christ and also It stands with all its Penalty Severity Curse and Condemnation that it may shew the Deep of the Sufferings of our Great Mediator and Interpret to us the Agony wherein he Sweat drops of Blood and the Meaning of that loud Cry My God my God Why hast thou Forsaken me For said Christ Thus in every Iota of the Revealed Will of God It be came Him to fulfil All Righteousness 2. That it may shew to all the Glory from which they are Fallen and from which they daily fall lower and lower the Deformity of their own State the Dread and Horror of that Ruin and Condemnation of Hell and Death that is so justly come upon Sinners fallen short of that Glory of God For this Holy Righteous and good Law of such Purity and Cleanness a Fiery Law a Royal Law a Law of Liberty Shewes all the Hatefulness of Sin and Justice of Punishment and Condemnation And All This is in order to Humiliation Sight and Sense of Sin Conversion from it and especially to shew the great Necessity of Christ's Redemption Grace the Free Gift of Righteousness and Justification by him For thus by the Law is the Knowledge of Sin Thus the Law worketh Wrath That is it both stirs up the due Apprehension of it and if not prevented by Pardon and Justification It calls up Vengeance against the Offender wherefore the Law is our School master to bring us to Christ by the Severity and Rigor of its Justice And as such it is in the hand of the Gospel 3. That the Gospel may by the Law shew that perfect Pattern and Exemplar of Holiness and Purity of Thoughts Words and Actions to which we are to aspire that Cleansing of our selves from the Filthiness of Flesh and Spirit to perfect Holiness in the Fear of God that exceeding Broad Commandment that sets an End or bound shewing all other Perfection too short and too narrow compared with it self and so the Law may be as a Rule of Holy Life and Action to which we should follow on according to the Mark even of Perfection it self If it could be to attain the very State of that Perfection that shall be in the Resurrection of the Dead And herein there are Four great Gospel Ends Aimed at by the Gospel thus taking the Law under it self 1. That we may feel a continual Necessity of making Recourse to the Blood of Christ the Fountain set open for Sin and for Uncleanness because by this holy Law there is a discovery of daily Defilements Failings Falls Imperfections and Infirmities concerning which there can be no Attonement between
may be said of Repentance Arg. 2. The supposal of the Gospel's being a new Law necessarily supposes a new Power given as large as that Law So that whoever teaches the Gospel a Law must also assert All to whom the Gospel comes must have a Power vouchsafed enabling them to Faith and Repentance which seeing Mr. Williams disowns as given to All the Argument is very heavy upon him But as I have stated Faith and Repentance within the first Law The first Power given obliges without any Power vouchsafed a new even as to all other Duties of Obedience as hath been said For the further Illustration of the Point that a new Law requires new Power Let it be supposed Adam had no power of Faith or Repentance ever given him he could not forfeit from his Posterity what he never had If there be then a Law of Faith and Repentance given there must be a Power of Faith and Repentance answering that Law and so there must be such universal power of Grace given as may answer that Law in all to whom it extends as a Law But now let us look upon Faith and Repentance to be a Law included within the universal Law of Righteousness as I do and as must needs be done viz. Upon two Suppositions 1. That Man is fallen into Sin 2. That God is pleased to offer a Mediator and a Pardon and so to accept the Righteousness of another and Repentance after Sin It will then follow the Faith and Repentance commanded are but the exertions of that Power of the Image of God first given for the same Power that tends to Conservation in the first Righteousness works to Restitution to that Righteousness when lost upon any possibility of Recovery Herein therefore is the Grace of the Mediator to all Mankind that he hath shored up the lapsed Faculties of Humane Nature Universally that there are some Reserves of that Law and light of the First Creation some of the Characters and first impressions for very great Ends both as to the Government of the World as also to fasten the grace of the Gospel unto to whom it comes and seeing the Patience and Long-suffering and Bounty of God to mankind is a Witness of some merciful Intention Finding therefore such motions of the Law of Nature within and of merciful Providence without here is so much of the general goodness of God leading Men to Repentance as will leave even the Gentiles without Excuse at that day Now then God requiring of Fallen Man no other thing than what he gave him power for at first and what he hath by the Mediator sustained him in some Reserves of According to the Thoughts therefore Accusing or Excusing in the day of Christ and according to God judging the Secrets of all Hearts by the Gospel preserving these Remainings of the Law of Nature shall all be determined upon at that day And thus every thing stands clear and fair according to the discourses of Scripture according to sound Reason whereas all else must be full of Trouble and Rencounter against the Grace of the Gospel as against that so evident Experience of God's giving the very Light of the Gospel by his own Free Will and Grace and those Laws of Humane Justice and Equity of which we have so inward a sense and surely in every thing it appears that the First Law of Righteousness continues and stands fast Thus its Authority falls freely on the Gospel either as there is any witness of it among the Heathen or as it is published and made known to any by the immediate Preaching and Reading of it and as the Gospel for all its great Uses and Ends takes it into it self But yet still it is it self a Ministration only of Life of Righteousness and of the Spirit and the Transcript of the everlasting gracious purposes of God from Eternity Arg. 3. If the Gospel be a New Law it must have a Promulgation as universal as it is a Law and seeing it is the only Name under Heaven given to the Children of Men whereby they can be Saved if it were a Law it would certainly be by the goodness and equity of God Proclaimed and made known to all Man-kind even to every Person for Faith Repentance and Obedience but as it is a counterpart of that supream purpose of Grace in God towards his Elect and not a Law It is enough that it be made known to so many as are Called according to Purpose to all others God is at Freedom For even the general Patience and Bounty of God are sufficient manifestations of some Mercy that should excite Men to seek after God and to turn from Sin and leaving them inexcusable if they do not that Natural Law requiring it when there are such hopes to seek after God as far as they can according to those Hopes and Manifestations even as in all Natural Duties and the Case is but the same in perishing without Gospel as in perishing without Law for thus the Apostle Argues while he is discoursing with Pagans Rom. 2. 3 4. according to Natural Light But this Promulgation is not sufficient for a New Law of so great good to all Man kind Arg. 4. The Gospel if it were a New Law it must needs be a Law of Works and indeed else it were no Law for tho it be sounded in Grace and though it be a Law accepting Sincerity in the place of perfect Obedience yet it must if it be a Law as some mistakingly speak and would have it resolve it self into the last Issue into something done by our selves by our own power even tho we are assisted by the grace of the Spirit in it yet there must be a power in us to accept or refuse that Assistance and if so beside the Apostle's constant Remonstrance to any such Works or â—aw of Works in the Gospel Covenant 1. It is evident by the Experiment made in Adam how hazardous the smallest dependance on our own Created Will is So the Promise could not be Sure to the Seed as the Apostle Discourses Rom. 4. 2. 2. The Reward would be of Debt and not of Grace because to him that Worketh tho in the least of Work as the Apostle expresly says it is so Rom. 4. 4. 3. There would arise cause of Boasting to him that should so Work because by that part how littlesoever it should be of Work he improves and exerts his Power so as Thousands do not which gives cause of Boasting now there is nothing the Apostle more excludes than Boasting as most contrary to the design of God in the Gospel Arg. 5. Iâ— the Gospel be a Law it is necessarily supposed to be founded in the Grace of the Redeemer and in every thing weighed out by him that it should need no further Grace for the pardon of Sins against it it being a Law purchased by the Blood of the Redeemer Now if no Sin against the Law of the Gospel as that Law is apprehended a