ped, and that all the World might become guilty before God, Rom. 3. 19. So that now in cafe any in the Judgment Day, fhould object against the Judgment of God, as thofe in the 35th of Matthew do, faying, Lord when faw we thee thus and thus? And why doft thou pafs fuch a fad Sentence of Condemnation upon us? Surely this is Injustice and not Equity: Now for the preventing of this, the Law was given; I, and that it might prevent thee to Purpose, God gave it betimes, before either thy firft Father had finned? or thou was born. So that again, if there fhould be thefe Objections offered against the Proceedings of the Lord in Juftice, and Judgment, faying, Lord, why am I thus condemned? I did not know it was Sin. Now against these two, was the Law given, and that betimes, fo that both these are answered. If the first come in and fay, why am I judged? why am I damned? then will the Law come in, even all the Ten Commandments, with every one of their cries against thy Soul, the firft faying, he hath finned against me, damn him; the fecond faying alfo, he hath tranfgrefled against me, damn him; the third alfo faying the fame, together with the, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. even all of them will difcharge themselves against thy Soul, if thou die under the firft Covenant, faying, he, or they, have tranfgreffed against us, damn them, damn them And I tell thee alfo, that thefe ten great Guns, the ten Commandments, will with difcharging themfelves in Juftice against thy Soul, fo rattle in thy Confcience, that thou wilt in fpight of thy Teeth, be immediately put to Silence, and have thy Mouth ftopped; and let me tell thee further, that if thou fhalt appear before D

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God, to have the ten Commandments difcharge themselves against thee, thou hadft better be tied to a Tree, and have ten, yea ten thousand of the biggift Pieces of Ordnance in the World, to be fhot off against thee; for thefe could go no further, but only to kill the Body; but they, both Body and Soul, to be tormented in Hell with the Devil to all Eternity.

3. Again, if the fecond thing fhould be objected, faying, But Lord, I did not think this had been Sin, or the other had been Sin; for no Body told me fo: Then alfo will the giving of the Law take off that, faying, Nay, but I was given to thy Father Adam before he had finned, or before thou waft born, and have ever fince been in thy Soul to convince thee of thy Sins, and to controul thee for doing the thing that was not right. Did not I fecretly tell thee at fuch a Time, in fuch a Place, when thou was doing of fuch a thing, with fuch a one, or when thou waft all alone, that this was a Sin, and that God did forbid it, therefore if thou didst committ it, God would be difpleafed with thee for it? And when thou waft thinking to do fuch a thing, at fuch a time, did not I fay, forbear, do not fo? God will fmite thee, and, punish thee for it, if thou doeft do it? And befides, God did fo order it, that you had me in your Houses, in your Bibles, and alfo you could fpeak and talk of me; thus pleading the Truth, thou fhalt be forced to confefs it is fo; nay, it fhall be fo in fome fort with the very Gentiles, and barbarous People, that fall far fhort of that Light we have in thefe Parts of the World (for faith the Apoftle) The Gentiles which have not the Lary, thefe do by Nature the Things eined in the Law, thefe having n t the Law

(that

(that is, not written as we have, yet they) are a Law unto themfelves, which fheweth the Works of the Law is written in their Hearts, Rom. z. 14, 15. that is, they have the Law of Works in them by Nature, and therefore they shall be left without Excufe; for their own Confcience fhall stand up for the Truth of this, where he faith, Their Confcience alfo bearing Witness, and their Thoughts the mean while accufing, or else excufing one another. I but when? Why, in the Day when God fhall judge the Secrets of Men by Jefus Chrift according to my Gospel, Rom. 2. 15, 16. So this I fay is another End, for which the Lord did give the Law, namely, that God might pafs a Sentence in Righteousness, without being charged with any Injuftice, by those that shall fall under it, in the Judgment.

4. A fourth End, why the Lord did give the Law, it was, because they that die out of Jefus Christ, might not only have their Mouths stopped, but also that their Perfons might become guilty before God, (Rom. 3. 19.) and indeed this will be the Ground of filencing, (as I faid before) they finding themselves guilty, their Confciences .backing the Truth of the Judgment of God paffed upon them, they shall become guilty; that is, they shall be fit Veffels for the Wrath of God to be poured out into, being filled with Guilt by reafon of Tranfgreffions, against 'the Commandments: Thus therefore fhall the Parties under the first Covenant be fitted for Deftruction, (Rom. 9. 22.) even as Wood, or Straw, being well dried, is fitted for the Fire, and the Law was added and given, and speaks to this very End, that Sins might be fhewn, Mouths might be ftopt from quarrelling: And that all the World,mark,the World might

become guilty before God, and fo be in Juftice for ever and ever overthrown, because of their Sins. And this will be fo, for thefe Reasons.

First, Because God, hath a Time to magnifie his Justice, and Holiness, as well as to fhew his Forbearance and Mercy. We read in Scripture that his Eyes are too pure to behold Iniquity, Hab. 1. 13. and then we fhall find it true. We read in Scripture, that he will magnifie the Law, and make it honourable, and then he will do it indeed.

Now because the Lord doth not ftrike fo foon as he is provoked by Sin, therefore poor Souls will not know, nor regard the Justice of God; neither do they confider the Time in which it must be advanced (which will be) when Men drop under the Wrath of God as faft as Hail in a mighty Storm, 2 Pet. 3. 9. Pfal. 50. 21, 22. Now

therefore look to it all you that count the longJuffering and Forbearance of God's Slackness; and because for the prefent he keepeth Silence, therefore to think that he is like unto your felves. No, no, but know that God hath his fet Time for every Purpose of his, and in its Time, it fhall be advanced moft marvelloufly, to the everlafting Afonishment and overthrow of that Soul, that hall be dealt withal by Justice and the Law. O! how will God advance his Justice? O! how will God advance his Holiness? First, By fhewing Men that he in Justice cannot, will not regard them, because they have finned: And fecondly, in that his Holiness will not give way for fuch unclean Wretches to abide in his Sight, bis Eyes are fo pure."

Secondly, Because God will make it appear that he will be as good as his Word to Sinners; Sinners

Sinners must not look to escape always, though they may efcape a while, yet they fhall not go for all ado unpunished; no, but they fhall have their due to a Farthing, when every Threatning and Curfe fhall be accomplished, and fulfilled on the Head of the Tranfgreffor. Friend, there is never an idle Word that thou fpeakeft, but God will account with theee for it; there is ne-. ver a Lie thou telleft, but God will reckon with thee for it; nay, there fhall not pass, so much as one Paffage in all thy Life-time, but God, the righteous God, will have it in the Trial by his Law (if thou die under it) in the Judgmentday.

But you will fay But who are thofe that are thus under the Law?

Anfw. Thofe that are under the Law, may be branched out into three Ranks of Men: either first, fuch as are grofly prophane, or fuch as are more refined; which may be two Ways, fome in a lower fort, and fome in a more eminent Wav. First, Then they are under the Law as a Covenant of Works who are open, prophane, and ungodly Wretches, fuch as delight not only air, but alfo make their Boaft of the fame, and brag at the Thoughts of committing of it: Now as for fuch as thete are, there is a Scripture in the firft Epistle of Paul to Timothy, 1 Chap. at the 9. and 10. Verfes, which is a notable one to this Purpofe, The Law (faith he) is not made for a righteous Man (not as it is a Covenant of Works) but for the (unrighteous or) lawless and dijobedient; for the ungodly, and for Sinners, for unholy, and prophane, for Murderers of Fathers; and Murderers of Mothers, for Man-flayers; for Whoremongers, for them that defile themfelves with Man