round to the Brethren, and faid, My Brethren, you fee now that it is clear and evident, that it is freely by the Grace of Chrift, that we do inherit eternal Life. And again, for your Comfort, my Brethren, let me tell you, that your Condition is wondrous fafe, in that you are under Grace; for faith he, Sin fhall not have dominion over you, that is, neither the damning Power, neither the filthy Power, fo as to deftroy your Souls: For you are not under the Law, that is, you are not under that, that will damn you for Sin; But (you are) under Grace, or ftand thus in relation to God, that though you have finned, yet you fhall be pardoned. For you are not under the Law, &c. If any fhould ask, What is the meaning of the Word [UNDER ?] I answer, It fignifieth, you are not held, kept, or fhut up by it, fo as to appear before God under that Adminiftration, and none but that; or thus, You are not now bound by the Authority of the Law, to fulfil it, and obey it, fo as to have no Salvation without you fo do; or thus, If you tranfgrefs against any one Tittle of it, you by the Power of it must be condemned No, no, for you are not fo under it, that is, not thus under the Law. Again, For you are not under the Law; What is meant by this Word [LAW?] The Word Law in Scripture, may be taken more ways than one, as might be largely cleared. There is the Law of Faith, the Law of Sin, the Law of Men, the Law of Works, otherwife called the Covenant of Works, or the firft, or old Covenant, Heb. 8. 13. In that he faith a new Covenant, (which is the Grace of God, or commonly called the Covenant of Grace) he hath made the first old; that is, the

Covenant

Covenant of Works, or the Law. Ifay therefore the Word [LAW] and the Word [GRA-CE,] in this fixth of the Romans, do hold forth the two Covenants, which all Men are under, that is, either one or the other. For ye are not under the Law; that is, you to whom I do now write these Words, who are and have been effectually brought into the Faith of Jefus : You are not under the Law, or under the Covenant of Works.. He doth not therefore apply these Words to all, but to fome, when he faid, But ye, mark, [Y E] ye Believers, ye converted Perfons, ye Saints, ye that have been born again. (Ye) for ye are not under the Law; implying, others are that are in their natural State, that have not been brought into the Covenant of Grace, by Faith in Jefus Christ. The Words therefore being thus underftood, there is discovered thefe two Truths in them.

Doct. 1. First, That there are fome in Gofpel times, that are under the Covenant of Works.

Doct. 2. Secondly, That there is never a Believer under the Law (as it is the Covenant of Works) but under Grace through Chrift. For ye (you believers, you converted perfons, Ye) are not under the Law, but under Grace; or, for you are delivered and brought into, or under the Covenant of Grace.

For the firft, That there are fome that are under the Law, or under the Covenant of Works, fee I pray you that Scripture in the third of the Romans, where the Apostle speaking before of Sins again.ft the Law, and of the denunciations thereof, against thofe that are in that Condition, he faith, What things foever the Law faith, it faith to them that are under it; Mark

it faith to them that are under the Law, That every Mouth may be stopped, and all theWorld become guilty before God, Rom. 3. 19, that is, all thofe that are. under the Law, as a Covenant of Works, that are yet in their Sins and unconverted, as I told you before. Again, Gal. 5. 18. he faith, But if you are led by the Spirit, you are under the Law, implying again, that thofe which are for finning against the Law, or the Works of the Law, either as it is the old Covenant; thefe are under the Law, and not under the Covenant of Grace. Again, Gal. the 3d, the 10th verfe, there he faith For as many as are of the Works of the Law, are. under the Curfe; that is they that are under theLaw, are under the Curfe; for mark, they that are under the Covenant of Grace are not under the Curfe. Now there are but two Covenants; therefore it must needs be that they that are under the Curfe are under the Law; feeing those. that are under the other Covenant, are not under the Curfe, but under the Bleffing. So then they which be of Faith, are bleffed with faithful Abraham, but the reft are under the Law, Gal. 3. 9., Now I fhall proceed to what I intend to speak.

unto.

First, I fhall fhew you what the Covenant of Works, or the Law is, and when it was first given, together with the Nature of it.

Secondly, I fhall fhew you what it is to be under the Law, or Covenant of Works, and the miferable State of all thofe that are under it.

'Thirdly, I fhall fhew you who they are that are under this Covenant or Law.

Fourthly, I fhall fhew you how far a Man may go, and yet be under this Covenant, or, Law.

For

For the Firft, What this Covenant of Works is, and when it was given.

The Covenant of Works, or the Law here spoken of, is the Law delivered on mount Sinai to Mofes, in two Tables of Stone, in ten particular Branches or Heads; for this fee Gal. 4. The Apostle fpeaking there of the Law, and of fome alfo that through Delufions of falfe Doctrine, were brought again, as it were under it, or at least were leaning that way, verfe 21, he faith, As for you that defire to be under theLaw, I will fhew you the Mystery of Abraham's two Sons, which he had by Hagar and Sarah; thefe two do fignify the two Covenants, the one named Hagar, fignifies Mount Sinai, where the Law was delivered to Mofes on two Tables of Stone, Exod 24. 12. Chap. 34. 1. Deut. 10. 1. Which is that, that whofoever is under, he is deftitute of, and altogether without the Grace of Chrift, in his Heart at the prefent. Gal. 5. 3. 4. For I teftify again to every man (faith he fpeaking to the fame People) that Chrift is become. of none effect unto you, whosoever of you are juftified by the Law, namely, that given on mount Sinai. Ye are fallen from Grace. That is, not that any can be juftified by the Law, but his Meaning is, all thofe that feek Juftification by the Works of the Law, they are not fuch as feek to be under the fecond Covenant, the Covenant of Grace. Alfo the 2 Cor. 3. 7, 8. The Apoftle fpeaking again of these two Covenants, he faith, For if the Miniftration of Death (or the Law, for it is all one) written and engraven in Stones (mark that) was glorious, how fhall not the Miniftration of the Spirit (or the Covenant of Grace) be rather glorious? As if

he had faid, 'Tis true, there was a Glory in the Covenant of Works, and a very great Excellency did appear in it; namely, in that given in the Stones on Sinai, yet there is another Covenant, the Covenant of Grace, that doth exceed it for Comfort and Glory.

But fecondly, Though this Law was delivered to Mofes from the Hands of Angels on two Tabels of Stone, on Mount Sinai; yet this was not the first appearing of this Law to Man; but even this in Subftance (though poffibly not fo openly) was given to the firft Man Adam, in the Garden of Eden, in thefe Words, And the Lord· God commanded the Man, faying, of every Tree in the garden thou mayeft freely eat: But of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, thou shalt not. eat of it; for in the Day thou eateft thereof, thou fhalt furely die, Gen 2. 16, 17. Which Commandment then given to Adam, did contain in it, a forbidding to do any one of those things, that was and is accounted Evil, although at that time it did not appear fo plainly, in fo many particular Heads, as it did when it was delivered. on Mount Sinai; but yet the very fame: And that I fhall prove thus:

God commanded Adam in Paradife, to abstain from all Evil against the firft Covenant, and not from fome Sins only; but if God hath not commanded Adam to abstain from the Sins spoken against the ten Commandments, he had not commanded to abftain from all, but from fome; therefore it must needs be, that he then commanded to abftain from all Sins forbidden in the Law given on mount Sinai. Now that God commanded to abstain from all Evil, or Sin, ainft any of the ten Commandments, when he