heart corruption. And if they do acknowledge, that man is not to be justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Christ, it is rather because they have heard it so preached, or because they have read it in the Bible, or some other book, than because of any imperfection which they see in their own works, or any need they see of the righteousness of Jesus Christ. And if they see any imperfection in their own works, and any need of the righteousness of Jesus Christ, then they imagine that so long as their hearts are upright and sincere, and they desire and endeavor to do their best to fulfil the law, God will accept of what they do, and make up their imperfect obedience, with Christ's perfect obedience, and so will justify them and save them; but all this while their own works must have a hand in their justification and salvation, and so they are still of the works of the law, and therefore under the curse; the Lord be merciful both to you and them, and bring you under the blessing of Abraham.

Nom. Sir, I thank you for your good wishes towards me, and for your great pains which you have now taken with me, and so I will for this time take my leave of you: only, sir, I could wish, if I might not be too much trouble to you, that you would be pleased at your leisure, to give me in writing a copy of what you have this day said concerning the law.

Evan. Well, neighbor Nomologista, though I shall hardly spare so much time, yet because you desire it, and in hope you may receive good by it, I will ere long find some time to accomplish your desire.

Neo. I pray you, neighbor Nomologista, tarry a little longer, and I will go with you.

Nom. No, I must needs be gone, I can stay no longer. Evan. Then, fare you well, neighbor Nomologista, and the Lord make you see your sins.

Nom. The Lord be with you, sir.

Neo. Well, sir, now I hope you have fully convinced him that he comes far short of keeping all the commandments perfectly: I hope he will no longer be so well conceited of his own righteousness as he has formerly been. But now, sir, I pray you tell me before I depart, whether you would have me to endeavor to make the same use of the law, which you have advised him to make?

Evan. No, neighbor Neophitus, I look not upon you as an unbeliever, as I did upon him, but I look upon you as one who have already been by the law driven out of yourself to Jesus Christ; I look upon you as a true believer, and as a person already justified in the sight of God by faith in Christ, and so as one who is neither to question your inheritance in heaven, nor fear your portion in hell. And therefore I will not persuade you to labor to yield obedience to the law, by telling you that the more obedient you are thereunto, the easier torments you shall have in hell, as I did him. Neither would I have you to make application of the curse of the law to yourself, as I advised him, to do; for if you truly and thoroughly believe (as God requires you, 1 John 3: 23.) that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and your surety, has by his active and passive obedience fully discharged and paid both the debt and the forfeiture, which the law and justice of God obliged you to pay, then will not you yield obedience to the law, to pay that which you truly believe is fully paid and discharged already; and if you do not yield obedience to the law to discharge that, then do you not yield obedience to the law, in hopes to be thereby made just or justified. in the sight of God; and if you yield not obedience to the law, in hopes to be thereby made just, or justified in the sight of God, then are you not of the works of the law; and if you are not of the works of the law, then are you not under the curse of the law; and if you be not under the curse of the law, then must you not make application of the curse unto yourself. And therefore, whensoever you shall either hear or read these words, "Cursed is every one which continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them." And your conscience tells you that you have not, continued in all things, and therefore you are accursed; then make so much use of the curse, as thereby to take occasion by faith to cleave more closely unto Christ, and say, O law! thy curse is not to come into my conscience, my conscience is freed from it; for though it is true, I have not continued in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them, yet this my surety Jesus Christ, hath continued in all things for me, so that although I am unable to pay either the

debt or the forfeiture, yet he has paid them both for me, and so discharged me from the curse, and therefore I fear it not.

Neo. But, sir, though I am a believer, and so set free from the curse of the law, yet I suppose I ought to endeavor to do what is required, and to avoid whatsoever is forbid. den in the law.

Evan. Yea, neighbor Neophitus, that you ought in deed, for mind it, I pray you, thus stands the case, as soon as any man truly believes, and so is justified in the sight of God, then, as the Holy Ghost, from the testimony of holy writ, warrants us to conceive, Jesus Christ, or, which is all one, God in Christ, delivers unto him whatsoever is re. quired and forbidden in the ten commandments, saying, Col. 2:14. Eph. 2:15. This hand-writing, even this law of commandments, which was against thee, and contrary to thee, whilst it was in the hands of my father, as he stood in relation to thee as a Judge, and was not cancelled, but had the curse or penalty annexed unto it, Isa. 38: 14. and so had power to convince, Heb. 7: 22. accuse, condemn, and bind thee over to punishment; I, who undertook for thee,* and become thy surety, bave paid the principal debt, and have also answered the forfeiture which did lie against thee, for the breach of that bond; and my Father hath delivered it into mine hands, and I have blotted out the curse or penalty, so that one letter or tittle remains not for thee to see, yea, I have "taken it out of thy way, and fastened it to my cross;" yea, and torn it in pieces with the nails of my cross, so that it is altogether frustrate, and has no force at all against thee, yet notwithstanding the matter contained in this law, even those precepts, and prohibitions which I have now delivered unto thee, be ing the mind and will of my Father, and the eternal and unchangeable rule of righteousness, and that which is in my heart, Psal. 40: 8. Yea, and that which I have promis. ed to write in the hearts of all those that are mine, Jer. 31: 33. Yea, and that which I have promised to make them yield willing obedience unto, Psal. 110: 3. I and my Father do commend it unto thee, as that rule of obedi

*Elton on Col. p. 311, 312.

ence whereby thou art to express thy love and thankfulness unto us for what we have done for thee. And therefore I will say no more unto thee but this, "If thou love me keep my commandments," John 14: 15. And thou art my friend, "If thou do whatsoever I command thee," John

15: 14.

Neo. But, sir, does God in Christ require me to yield perfect obedience to all the ten commandments according as you have this day expounded them?

Evan. I answer, year for though God in Christ do not require of you, or any true believer, any obedience to the law at all, by way of satisfaction to his justice, for that Christ has fully done already; yet he requires that every true believer purpose, desire, and endeavor to do their best to keep all the ten commandments, perfectly, according as I have this day expounded them; witness the sayings of Christ himself, Matth. 5: 48. "Be ye therefore perfect, as your Father which is in heaven is perfect."

Neo. But, sir, do you think it possible, that either I, or any believer else, should keep the commandments perfectly, according as you have this day expounded them?

Evan. O no! both you and I, and every believer else, have, and shall have cause to say with the apostle, Phil. 3: 12. “Not as though I had already attained, or were already perfect."

Neo. But will God in Christ accept of my obedience, if it be not perfect?

Evan. Yea, neighbor Neophitus, you being a justified person, and so it not being in the case of justification, but in case of child-like obedience, I may, without fear of danger, say unto you, God will accept the will for the deed, and "will spare you as a man spareth his own son that serveth him," Mal. 3: 18. Yea, “like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord will pity you, for he knoweth your frame, he remembereth that you are but dust," Psal. 103: 13, 14. Nay, he will not only spare you and pity you, for what you do not, but he will also reward you for what you do.

Neo. Say you so, sir, then I beseech you tell me what this reward shall be.

Evan. Why if there be degrees of glory in heaven, as

some both godly and learned have conceived there are, then I tell you that the more obedient you are unto the law, the more shall be your glory in heaven; but be cause degrees of glory are disputable, I cannot assure you of that.

to

Howbeit this you may assure yourself, that the more obedience you yield unto the ten commandments, the more you please your most gracious God and loving Father in Christ, 1 Sam. 15: 20. And the more your conscience witnesseth that you please God, the more quiet you shall feel it to be, and the more inward peace you shall have, according to that of the Psalmist, "Great peace have they that love thy law, and nothing shall of fend them." For though faith in the blood of Christ has made your peace with God as a Judge, yet obedience must keep your peace with him as a Father; yea, the more your conscience witnesses that you do that which pleaseth God, the more encouragement you will have, and the more confidently you will approach towards God in prayer. Beloved, saith the beloved apostle, if our hearts condemn us not, then we have boldness wards God," 1 John 3:21. For though faith in the blood of Christ takes away that guilt which subjects you to the legal curse, yet obedience must take away that guilt which subjects you to a fatherly displeasure. Furthermore, you are to know, that the more obedience you yield unto the ten commandments, the more temporal blessings, outward prosperity, and comfort of this life (in the ordinary course of God's dealing) you shall have: O! saith the Lord, "That my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways, he should soon have fed them with the finest of the wheat, and with honey out of the rock, should, I have satisfied thee." Besides the more obedience you yield unto the ten commandments, the more glory will you bring to God, according to that of our Saviour, John 15: 8. "Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit." To conclude, the more obedience you yield unto the ten commandments, the more good you will do unto others, according to that of the apostle, Tit. 3: 8. "This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which