which both agree as one. First, he would be unfaithful to himself; to himself; that is, to his Juftice, Holiness, Righteoufnefs, Wisdom and Power, if he fhould offer to stop thé Runnings out of his Juftice, for the Damning of them that have offended it. And, Secondly, he would be unfaithful to his Word (his written Word) and deny, difown, and break that, of which he hath faid, Luke 16. 7. It is easier for Heaven and Earth to pass away, than for one Tittle of the Law to fail, or be made of none Effect: Now, if he fhould not, according to his certain Declarations. therein, take Vengeance on those that fall and die within the Threat and fad Curfes denounced in that, his Word could not be fulfilled.

Thirdly, Because otherwife he would difown the Sayings of his Prophets, and gratify the Sayings of his Enemies; his Prophets fay he will take Vengeance, his Enemies "ay he will not; his Prophets fay he will remember their Iniquities, and recompence them into their Bofom; but his Enemies, fay they, fhall do well, and they shall bave Peace though they walk after the Imagination of their own Heart, Deut. 29. 19, 20. and be not fo ftrict as the Word commands, and do not as it faith: But let me tell thee, hadft thou a thoufand Souls, and each of them was worth a thoufand Worlds, God would fet them all on a light Fire, if they fall within the Condemnings of his Word, and thou die without a Jefus, even the right Jefus; for the Scriptures cannot be broken. What doeft thou think that God, Chrift, Prophets, and Scriptures, will al lye for thee? and falfify their Words for thee? It will be but ill venturing thy Soul upon that.

: And

And the Reasons for it are thefe, Firft, becaufe God is God; and, Secondly, because Man is Man.

First, because God is perfectly Juft, and eternally Juft; perfectly Holy, and eternally Holy; perfectly Faithful, and eternally Faithful; that is, without any Variableness or Shadow of Turning, but perfectly continueth the fame, and can as well ceafe to be God, as to alter or change the Nature of his God-head. And as he is thus the Perfection of all Perfections, he gave out his Law to be obeyed; but if any offend it, then they fall into the Hands of this his eternal Juftice, and fo must drink of his irrecoverable Wrath, which is the Execution of the fame Juftice. I fay, this being thus, the Law being broken, Juftice takes Place, and fo Faithfulness followeth, to fee that Execution to be done, and alfo to testify that he is true, and doth denounce his unfpeakable, unfupportable, and unchangeable Vengeance on the Party. offending.

Secondly, because thou art not as infinite as God, but a poor created Weed, that is here to day and gone to-morrow; and not able to anfwer God in his Effence, Being and Attributes; thou art found to fall under him, for that thy Soul or Body ean do nothing that is infinite in fuch a way as to fatisfy this God, which is an infinite God in all his Attributes.

But to declare unto you the Mifery of Man by this Law to purpose, I do befeech you to take Notice of these following Particulars, befides what hath been already spoken. First, I fhall fhew the Danger of them by Reafon of the Law, as they come from Adam: Secondly, as they are in their own Perfons particularly under it.

1. First,

1. First, As they come from Adam, they are in a fad Condition; because he left them a broken Covenant: Or, take it thus, because they, while they were in him, did with him break that Covenant. Oh! this was the Treasure that Adam left to his Pofterity, it was a broken Covenant, infomuch that Death reigned over all his Children, and doth ftill to this Day, as they come from him,both natural and eternal Death, Rom. 5. It may be, Drunkard, Swearer, Liar, Thief, thou doft not think of this.

2. Secondly, He did not only leave them a broken Covenant, but alfo made them (himself) Sinners against it: He made them Sinners, By one Man's Difobedience many were made Sinners, Rom.5. 19. And this is worse than the firft.

3. Thirdly, Not only fo, but he deprived them of their Strength, by which at first they were enabled to ftand, and left them no more than dead Men. Oh helplefs State! Oh how beggarly and miferable are the Sons of Adam!

4. Fourthly, Not only fo, but also before he left hem, he was the Conduit-Pipe thro' which the Devil did convey off his poyfon'd Spawn and venomous Nature in the Hearts of Adam's Sons and Daughters, by which they are at this Day fo ftrongly and fo violently carried away, that they fly as faft to Hell and the Devil, by reafon of Sin, as Chaff before a mighty Wind.

5. Fifthly; in a Word, Adam led them out of their Paradife, that is one more; and put out their Eyes, that is another; and left them to the Leading of the Devil. O fad! Can't thou hear this, and not have thy Ears to tingle and burn on thy Head! Can't thou read this, and not feel this, and not feel thy Confcience begin

to

to throb and dagg? If fo, furely it is because thou art either poffeffed with the Devil, or befides thy felf. But I pass this, and come to the fecond Thing, which 'is the Cause of their being in a fad Condition, which is by Reafon of their being in their particular Perfons under it.

First, therefore they that are under the Law, they are in a fad Condition; because they are under that which is more ready (through our Infirmity) to curfe than to blefs; they are under that called 'the Miniftration of Condemnation, 2 Cor. 3. that is, they are under that Difpenfation, or Adminiftration, whofe proper Work is to curfe, and condemn, and nothing elfe.

Secondly, their Condition is fad, who are under the Law; because they are not only under that Condemnation that doth condemn, but also that which doth wait an Opportunity to condemn; the Law doth, not wait that it might be gracious, but it doth wait to curfe and condemn I, it came on purpofe to discover Sin, Rom. 5. 20. The Law entred, faith the Apoftle, that the Offence might abound; or appear indeed to be that which God doth hate; and alfo to curfe for that which hath been committed, as he faith, Curfed is every one that continueth not in all Things that are written in the Book of the Law to do them, Gal. 3. 10.

Thirdly, they are in a fad Condition; because that Adminiftration they are under, that are under the Law, doth always find Fault with the Sin-. ner's Obedience, as well as his Difobedience, (if it be not done in a fight Spirit, which they that are under that Covenant cannot do, by reafon of their being deftitute of Faith) therefore, I fay, it

doth

doth controul them, faying, This was not well doth; this was done by Halves; this was not done freely, and that was not done perfectly, and out of Love to God: And hence it is that fome Men, notwithstanding they Labour to live as holy as ever they can, according to the Law, yet they do not live a peaceable Life, but are full of Condemnings, full of Guilt and torment of Confcience; finding themfelves to fail here, and fall fhort there, omitted this Good which the Law commands, and doing that evil which the Law forbids, but never giveth them one good Word for all their Pains.

Fourthly, they that are under the Law are in a fad Condition; because they are under that Adminiftration that will never be contented with what is done by the Sinner; if thou be under this Covenant, work as hard as thou can't, the Law will never fay, Well done; never fay, My good Servant: No, but always it will be driving of thee fafter, hastning of thee harder, giving of thee fresh Commands, which thou must do, and upon pain of Damnation not to be left undone. Nay, it is fuch a Mafter that will curfe thee, not only for thy Sins, but also because thy good Works. were not fo well done, as they ought to be.

Fifthly, they that are under this Covenant or Law, their State is very fad; becaufe this Law doth command impoffible Things of him that is under it; and yet doth but Right in it, feeing Man at the firft, d in Adam Strength to ftand, if he would have used it, and the Law was given them (as I faid hefore) when Man was in his full Strength; and therefore no unequality, if it commands the fame ftill, feeing God that gave thee Strength, did not take it away. I