Hence the law which was forcing by power, ecomes fettering by love, Chrift's own filken cord. Add to this, that the law leaves not off o be a rule of righteousness, because it gives not grace to obey; for then the gofpel fhould be no ule of faith, because it gives no grace to believe, and God requires no more than he gives, in the one or in the other.

Take a hint of the differences that is betwixt the law and gofpel thus: Under the law, the covenant of works, one flip from the way of life bolteth the paradife-door against the offender, and into it again he cannot enter, the law knows no fuch thing as repentance, Gal. iii. 10. Deut. xxvii. 26.

But the covenant of grace, being made with a poor undone finner, a flip, an act of unbelief, doth not forfeit the mercy of the covenant, the covenant stands firm, that there may be a repetition of grace ftill, and though a gracious child fhould not fin against a gracious father, yet can he not fin the unpardonable fin, and fin away an eternal priest and covenant out of heaven.

Secondly, The law ftints the measure of thy obedience, even to the highest degree; thy whole foul, might and ftrength, any lefs is the forfeiting of the life that is lafting, everlasting, but the covenant of grace ftints no weak foul; Chrift's racks not crying out, "The

ftrongeft faith, or none at all." Many who were poor bruifed reeds on earth, are now mighty cedars, high, tall, green, growing on the banks of the river of life.

What

What then if Adam be the first in heaven, and David be but as he defired, the keeper of the door, yet his feeing the throne, and the Lamb that fits thereon, is enough to him......

In a word, the theme or subject of this treatise is (as Paul fpeaks) holy and fpiritual, the manner and method of handling of it, very favoury, familiar, and plain. Reader, blefs thou the Lord, that thou livest in a land of light and life, and blefs God for this author, who hath like the bee, painfully fetched this honey out of various flowers, and at laft brought it into this hive Farewel in the Lord.

Thine, if thou be Chrift's,

From my ftudy in Bride's churchyard, September 22, 1648.

S. MOOR

TO THE

READER.

T is reported of Linacrus, reading a fermon of Christ's in the mount, and confidering the converfation of men in the world *, d, Either this is not God's gofpel, or we are not God's people." Look abroad into e world, and, (if thine eye be not carnal) ou wilt find that most men live without God the world, many having confcience of divine ower, yet few knowing God in Chrift, fome norant for want of teaching, others ignorant or want of will to be taught; a price they ave (as Solomon faith) in the hand to get vifdom, but they have no heart to it, despifng knowledge § and hating it, cafting it at their eels, Pfal. 1. 17. Some knowing, but not loing, others knowing, and doing something naterially good, theologically evil, yet repofng the weight of their fouls upon the crazy. ottom of their duties; ignorance of the fpiritual fenfe of the law, and of the right ufe of it appertaining unto unbelievers and believers, is a main ground of the latter.

it

B

This

This treatife will help thee to understand both; and as in Ezekiel's vifion, Rota erat rota; thou haft gofpel in the law, and law in th gofpel.

Art thou in thy fins, and out of Chrif Here thou mayeft fee the exorbitancies of each wheel, both of foul and body, and that all thy doings are a ladder too short to reach heaven O happy thou, did thy foul fathom her own mifery! Wert thou more out of love with thyself, thou wouldst be more in love with Christ! Were thy felf-confidences levelled, thy breathings after Chrift would be more ear neft; thy leanings upon Chrift, with greater confidence.

Art thou in Chrift? Here thou mayeft fee what use thou art to make of the law; lawlefs profane liberty ought not to be by thee pleaded for, or practifed. Tace lingua loquere vita. Indeed many a man's life speaks what he is, though his tongue be filent; like Erafmus's ruffian, that carried by the one fide a gay gilded Teftament, and by the other fide a good bottle of fack. Many that hear much, and talk more, having God's law in their mouths, yet hating to be reformed. Chriftian, it is thy duty to endeavour to keep the whole law of God. The gofpel requires obedience as well as the law: yea, the gofpel wills no lefs inward or outward holiness than the law: and if thy nature be fpiritualized, though thou be not able, yet thou wilt be willing to obey the law of God in the highest degree, and thy coming short of gofpel-fervice, will call for

thy

y laying out of gofpel-forrow. Whoever ou art, take heed of being wedded to thine n blindness; if thou be'eft blind, thou art ind at noon-day; thou and I have cause to lefs God for his affifting grace vouchfafed un> this author, who (I dare fay) knows much of iod, and therefore not a little of himself. The leffing of heaven go along with his labours; is is, and fhall be the earnest prayer of

Thine affectionate fervant

in the gospel,

JOHN CRADOCOT.

READER,

EVERY thing is, and is to be judged (a)

not according to its out-fide and appearance, but according to its more hidden and inward being. Therefore the Stoicks call the foul To pan homnis, the all of man, or all the man: and Solomon, fpeaking of the evileyed, or envious man, fays of him, Prov. xxiii. 7. "As he thinketh in his heart fo is he." And the lawyers fay of the law, Mens legis eft lex, the mind or meaning of the law is the law. They then which acquaint thee with things in B 2 this

(a) John vii. 2.