The way of life, or, Gods vvay and course, in bringing the soule into, keeping it in, and carrying it on, in the wayes of life and peace laid downe in foure severall treatises on foure texts of Scripture, viz. the pouring out of the spirit, on Zach. 12. 10, 11, &c., sins deadly wound, on Acts 2. 37., the Christians charge, on Prov. 4. 23., the life of faith, on Gal. 2. 19, 20 / by ... John Cotton.

GAL. 2.19, 20.

For I through the Law, am dead to the Law, that I might live unto God.

THe words depend upon the former, and are brought in as a reason to bring Peter to a sight of his error in dissembling with the Jews.

Yet notwithstanding, because they are entire in themselves, observe, That in the words the Apostle describes his freedome from the Law, of himselfe, and of all such others as himselfe was.

Observe therefore his estate in reference to the Law; First, Dead to the Law; Secondly, observe in this 19. verse, the occasion of that his freedome, and the meanes of it, I through the Law, am dead to the Law; here is exprest the end of such his death to the Law, which is, that he might live un∣to God; which death of his to the Law, and his li∣ving unto God, are both of them amplified by

their proper and next causes. First, his death to the Law is argued by the cause of it, his fellowship with Christ in his crucifying; his life unto God, the causes of it are two:

First, principall, and that is the life of Christ in him; I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me.

Secondly, instrumentall, and that is the life of faith in his soule; where the faith by which hee lives, is amplified by the effect of it, life; and the object of it, faith in the Son of God; and the Son of God considered, as he is applied when he works new and spirituall life in us; That loved me, and gave himselfe for me.

Now though Peters failing, of which you read in the twelfth and fourteenth verses, was in breach of a point of the ceremoniall Law, refusing fel∣lowship with the Gentiles, because of some Jews comming to Antioch, yet because it was such as did trench upon the moral Law of God, therefore Paul in these former verses, carefully reasons a∣gainst the practise, as an overthrowing of the Gospel of Christ, and labours therefore to over∣throw what Peter had done, by sundry reasons. In which he labours to prove upon that occasion, that a man is justified, not by the works either of the Ceremoniall or Morall Law, but to both these a man is dead, after hee is crucified with Christ.

From the 19. verse, observe these notes.

First, That a justified person is dead to the Law.

Secondly, That a justified person is dead to the Law, by the Law.

Thirdly, A justified person is therfore dead to the Law, by the Law, that he might live unto God.

For the first: A justified person is dead to the Law.

First, what is meant by the law; and secondly, what it is to be dead to the Law. By the Law un∣derstand in this place, the Covenant of the Law, or the Covenant of works, as in chap. 4.24. These are the two Covenants, the one is Mount Sinai, the Covenant of the Law; the other is Ierusalem which is from above, which is the Mother of us all; Now this Covenant of the Law, is that which the Apostle here saith we are dead unto; In that Covenant you may consider, what it did require on our parts, and what it did give on Gods part; On our parts it re∣quired perfect obedience of the whole man, to the whole Law all our dayes, according to that Gal. 3.10. Now that which God did give on his part was, that in case a man did thus keep the Law, hee would give him eternall life; He that doth these things, shall live in them, Levit. 18.5. and it is re∣peated, Gal. 3.12. And so also, God did inflict a curse, and eternall death upon every transgressor of this Law, Gal. 3.10. Now this Law gives us no grace nor strength, for the performance of this Covenant, but presupposeth it once given in our first Parents, Ioh. 1.17. and therefore is is impos∣sible for the Law to give life, because it gave no grace to heale our sin; and so the Law gave us no surety to keep the Law for us, but that is a better Covenant that hath Christ Jesus for a surety of it, Heb. 7.22. But now to this Covenant of the

Law we are dead. This Law as it stood in the Law of the ten Commandements, so it stood in the Law of certaine Ordinances and statutes, the whole Ceremoniall Law, which if a man kept he should live in them, Levit. 18.5. For of that Law he speakes as well as of any other, so that there was an hand-writing of Ordinances given to the Jewish people to bee kept, and so it was to all the carnall Israelites, who were not borne anew to a better Covenant. But to this Covenant we are now dead, which implies that we are now free from the Ceremonial Law, wholly free from that after once justified by Christ, then (Ephes. 2.14, 15.) they all ceased, these Ceremonies caused the Gentiles to fly off from the Israelites; they look∣ed at the manifold ceremonies of the Law as re∣diculous, but Christ by his death abolished these, and so we are wholly dead to the Law of Cere∣monies, Colos. 2.14, 20.

But now for the Morall Law, the Law of the ten Commandements, we are dead also to the co∣venant of that law, though not to the cōmand of it; as that we must have one God, &c. yet we are free from the Covenant of it, that is, free from either expecting life by our obedience to it, or from feare of death by the breach of it; wee are free from the curse of the Law, and from the provoking power of it, as also from the rigour and exaction of the Law.

First, from the curse of the Law, Gal. 3.10. Notable is that speech of David, Psal. 49.5. Why should I feare in the day of evill, when the iniquity

of my heels follow me? why should he not feare, when his sinnes follow him, and are ready to tri∣umph over him? True, he had cause to feare, if he should stand to the Covenant of the Law, but ver. 15. God hath redeemed me from the power of the grave; If faith carry us to lay hold on Christ our Redeemer, we are free from the curse of the Law, and from feare of death by the breach of the Law. And as we are free from the curse of the Law, so we looke not for life and sal∣vation from the keeping of the Law; It is true, many temporall blessings wee may get by it, yet it is not so much from the Law, as from Gods acceptance of our Euangelicall obedience, but otherwise wee challenge not life, by any of our best performances: Nehem. 13.22. when he had done much good, yet even then Spare me, accor∣ding to the multitude of thy mercies; when a man hath done all that he can, yet he doth not chal∣lenge righteousnesse by the Law, but desires mer∣cy in Jesus Christ to accept their weake endea∣vours.

This is that you read Gal. 3.18. The inheritance is not by the Law, but by promise, and therefore we challenge nothing by our most perfect obedi∣ence to the Law.

Again, secondly, we are free from the provo∣king power of the Law, that is that whereby it stirres up in us an earnestnesse to the commission of sin; for this is the nature of man, that if you for∣bid him any thing, or limit him any thing, that his conscience is bound to this or that duty, he can by

no meanes endure it; Nitimur in vetitum, cupimus{que} negata; Had not God forbidden our first Parents to eate of the fruit of the tree, they would not have desired it; but stolne waters are sweet: For you reade of the motions of sin by the Law, Rom. 7.5. In our carnall estate, many sinfull motions we had, to stirre us up to doe wickedly, because the Law of God restrained us; meaning the Law did stirre us up to more earnestnesse after it, by how much the more it restrained our liberty from it; but this now we are freed from. The Law to a godly man doth not provoke him to be more wicked, but if he see any Commandement of God against him, it is a sufficient discouragement to him to forbeare that sin, Gen. 39.9. A godly man disallowes himselfe in any thing that is evill.

And so, thirdly, we are free from the rigour of the Law, so as though we doe not fulfill the Law to the exact perfection thereof, yet we look for life by another Title, Gal. 3.18.

Now by this Covenant of grace it comes to passe, that God spares his children, as a man spares his son that serves him, Mal. 3.17. Thus you see what it is to be freed from the Law. But there is yet something more in the freedome, for it seemes to be such a freedome, as is purchased by death, Gal. 3.13, 14. and therefore there is some weight in the word, Dead to the Law; Dead to the Law, we are partly by the death of Christ, and partly by the death of our lusts, in our selves, Rom. 7.4. We are dead to the Law by the body of Christ;

Christ having dyed, he hath satisfied the Law; and look as the Law hath no Dominion over a man, when once he is dead, so our head being dead, the Law is satisfied, and our bond is dis∣charged.

And we are dead to the Law also in the death of our own lusts, Rom. 7.6. By our sinfull lusts we were kept under the dominion and bondage of the Law, now they being dead in us, we are freed from the Law.

Now because the second point is sutable to this, let me handle them both together.

We are dead to the Law, by the Law.

Now we are said to be dead to the Law by the Law: First, because the sentence and curse of the Law crucified Christ our head, and so conse∣quently in him crucified us, Gal. 3.13. Deut. 21.23. Now then the Law gives sentence against Christ, as cursed, not for any desert of his own, but be∣cause he was willing to take upon him our sin, and therefore in crucifying our Head, it hath kil∣led us.

But yet that is not all; Therefore, secondly, the Law doth kill sin in us, and thereby kils us, it kils all our former jollities and comforts in this world, that we have no life to the honours and pleasures thereof: Rom. 7.9. I was alive without the Law; till this Law came, I thought my selfe a righteous and just man; and when the Law came he was stubborn and murmured, that God had made such Law; then sin revived, it made him lively to wic∣kednesse; but I died, I was as a dead man before

God: Not onely all his lusts were mortified, and crucified, but his affections to the world, and all the comforts of it, they all die and decay in him; now he is crucified to the world, and the world to him, Gal. 6.14. The power of the death of Christ doth wonderfully subdue the heart of a man to a weaned affection from this world, it blasts a mans contentment, even the very ministe∣ry of the Law, Esay 40.6, 7, 8. When a man is once blasted by the ministery of the Law, a spirit of bondage breathing in it, it doth so darken and dead all his comforts, as that a man is dead to sin, and dead to the world.

Again, there is a further power in the Law, though of it self it work nothing, yet it is a School∣master to drive us to Christ, Gal. 3.24. Not onely the Jewish Ceremonies, but the Morall Law, when it discovers to us our sins, occasionally, and God blessing it to that end, the spirit of Adoption striking in with it, makes us cry out, What shall we doe to be saved? Acts 2.37. and so the Jaylor, now the Law terrifies him with sense of his owne sins, and blasts all the comforts of this life, and by this occasion we are driven to Christ, the spirit of Adoption striking in, we are driven to seek to Christian communion; and being thus cast out, Christ findes us in one Ordinance or other, and gives us to see our part with him, in his death, and so we are freed from the feare of death, unto which before we lay in bondage.

And again, now also we have no life to the Law; Take you a man that is not in some measure

dead to the Law, by the Law, and in some mea∣sure driven to Christ, and he will be very earnest after the Law; and therefore Paul opposeth this death to the Law, to the desire of false Teachers to be under the Law, Gal. 4.21. They are eager to be justified by the Law, Rom. 10.2. They will not submit to look for righteousnesse onely by Christ, and Acts 24.20. they were all zealous of the Law; for want of fellowship with Christ in his death, they became zealous of the Law: but take a man whose heart is brought low by Christ, tell not him of rites and shadowes, they are all empty and beggerly rudiments, he is dead to the expecta∣tion of any comfort by these meanes; Psal. 51.17. A broken and a contrite heart is better then sacri∣fice; an humbled heart, by the sense of the Law findes no favour in these things: though for their time they were of Gods owne appointment, yet now there is no life in them; but sprinkle me with hyssop, (which typified the bloud of Christ) and thence it is, that as he is dead to the Ceremoniall Law of Moses, so he is dead to the Morall Law also; he hath no heart to look for any recom∣pence by his obedience; when he hath performed any duty never so well, tell him of meriting by it, and his heart is wholly dead to it, Luke 17.10. Even then spare me O Lord according to the multi∣tude of thy mercies; he knowes his case miserable, if God should enter into judgement with him. Nor doth he feare death, by how much the more he hath fellowship in the death of Christ; tell him of death and hell, and he will say, Wherefore should

I feare in the day of evill? Like a man that hath already been in hell, and born the wrath of God in his soule, he now feares not what flesh can doe unto him, and so he is dead to all his gifts and parts as Paul was.

Now the reason why every justified person is dead to the Law, is, first, because it was the good pleasure of God to glorifie Christ, Gal. 3.16. the inheritance is by promise, and the promise is by Christ, ver. 14.

Secondly, it is taken from the impossibility of the Law to give life, Gal. 3.21. Had there been a Law that could have given life, then righteous∣nesse had been by the Law, but it was impossible for the Law to give life, by reason of the weak∣nesse of it, Rom 8.3. Had we stood in our integrity, it could have given us life, but being faln, now it is impossible.

[Vse.] It may be first a refutation of a principall Po∣pish Doctrine, calling men to look for life of grace and glory, from the works of the Law. For you see the Apostle saith, that a justified person is dead to the Law, that is, dead to the Covenant, not to the Command of the Law; this sense is the most literall, that we by the Law are dead to the Cove∣nant of the Law, so as we look for no salvation from the Law in regard of our best performances; all we look for at the best, is but pardon of sin, and sparing, but we look for it by promise, and by promise made to us in Christ, so that such a con∣ceit is opposite to this Doctrine: When we have done the best we can, we may not promise to our

selves life by our obedience to it. And the very truth is, if they look for righteousnesse by their keeping of the Law, they must expect death by their disobedience to the Law, & then what would become of them and us all? In this respect no man living can stand in the sight of God, Psal. 143.2. Meaning of the works of the Law, no man living could be justified. The Papists say, some men there be, that may plead so; but I would fain see the man that dare stand out, and tell God that he looks for righteousnesse by his perfect obedience to the Law of God, when as Abraham, and Da∣vid, and Paul durst not expect it; and indeed it is desperate presumption against the grace of Christ.

[Vse 2] It may serve to avoid a cavill which some doe gather out of such like places of Scripture, who are enemies to the Law: They say, that after once a man is justified by Christ, he is no more subject to the Commandement of the Law, he doth no∣thing now in conscience of the Law, he takes him∣self not bound to it. And you have another sort of them who say, that not onely a Christian is freed from the obedience to the Law: but take you any man in the daies of the Gospel, & no man ought to have the Law prest upon him, but only the Gospel, & the promises thereof to be expounded and appli∣ed unto him: but both of them mistake this Scrip∣ture. Indeed this place exempts all from obedience to the Ceremoniall Law, so farre we agree with them; and for the Morall Law, we grant, that we are dead to the Covenant of the Law, but not to the command of the Law; you say unto me, and

so do they; but how shall I know that I am not dead also to the command of the law?

You may know it from some evident expressi∣ons of the Apostle, that he allowes us not to ac∣count our selves dead to the command of the law, Ephes. 6.1, 2. He speakes there of the Children of Christian Parents, and he presseth them to the obedience of the law; for though wee expect not everlasting life by our obedience to the law, yet our obedience to it may procure us many bles∣sings, though not from our desert, yet from Gods acceptance, and Rom. 3. ult. Christ established the law, Mat. 5.17. we should walke even as Christ hath walked, and because he hath ratified the rule of righteousnesse, given by Moses law, it comes to passe that though we be freed from the Covenant of the law, yet by the Covenant of grace, we are bound to keepe the Commande∣ment of the law, so as to doe our best endeavours that way; and hence it is, that the Apostle Iames presseth obedience to the law, Iam. 2.8, 9, 10, 11. so that we to this day are subject to the law, bound to take heed we transgresse it not, and this law of liberty must judge us at the last day: Take the Covenant of the law, and that is an estate of bon∣dage, Gal. 4.24. but take it as we are freed from the Covenant of the law, and onely the command of the law lying upon us; and so it is a Law of li∣berty, Iames 2.12. If men therefore be hypocrites under the law, it will condemne them, and it will judge Gods servants and make them fly to Christ; so that they who plead exemption from the law

after justification, they transgresse the righteous order of the Gospel of Christ; and for them who forbid the threatnings of the law to be Preached, they do most preposterously mistake the whole∣some doctrine of the childrens bread. The Cere∣moniall law, that indeed was accomplished in Christ, but for the Morall law, the law of the ten Commandements, we are never said to be dead to that while we live, The law hath dominion over a man as long as he lives, Rom. 7.1, 2, 3. so as the law ought to be pressed as that which would kill us, untill that by the law, our hearts be dead unto the law of sin, and to all the comforts of this life; he mentioneth one law, Thou shalt not lust, and that is the tenth Commandement; and after that, then indeed threatnings are not to be prest abso∣lutely, but so as may mortifie our corruptions; when the sentence of the law hath once driven us to seeke unto Christ, then the terrors of the law are not to be prest to such a soule; but thinke not that all Christians that are baptized, are freed from the Law, and know that carnall men, even in the time of the Gospel, are under both the co∣venant and curse of the Law, The wrath of God abides upon them that beleeve not, Joh. 3.3. ult.

[Vse 3] To shew you the comfortlesse condition of all such soules, as to this day are not yet justified, they are yet all subject to the whole Law of God, Rom. 7.1. while you yet live in an estate of nature, sinne is mighty in you, and the old man raignes and rules in you, while you are strong and lively in sin, you are not yet dead to the Law; there is no man

dead to the Law, but by the Law; if the Law ne∣ver killed you, Christ never justified you, and then sin was never pardoned, and an unpardoned sin∣ner is bound to keepe the whole Law; whilst thou thinkest of thine owne righteousnesse, and hopest to be saved by thy good meaning, thou art alive to the Law; though Paul sinned not against his conscience, Acts 23.1. neither Law nor con∣science did accuse him, yet hee looked not for righteousnesse by that meanes, Phil. 3.6, 8. And all you that walke in acts of civill Justice in your callings, though it bee much to be commended above mens disorderly walkings, yet I say, I beseech you, and charge you, as ever you looke for salvation by Christ, that you rest not in these. Paul had as much to boast of as any man, but he is now dead-hearted to all these, and so will you be, as soon as ever you have fellowship with Christ and his death.

[Vse 4] Of comfort and direction, to comfort all the servants of God, that ever had experience of their death to the Law, by the Law; if ever the Law of God blasted thy sinne, and thy estate, and the World, and thou hast found them all as dead things, let this then be a direction to thee; thou must now take heed, that thou dost not suspend thy peace, upon thy good performances, and exact obedience to God, for that is the misery of many a poore soule; could they but alwaies per∣forme duties with life and power, they could be∣leeve that God had pardoned their sin; but when they see they are so weake, and so cold in their

best duties, then they cannot beleeve; but when thou art dead to all thy best performances, as well as to thy sins, it is a signe thou art dead to the law, for it was the law that brought thee to a sight of thine owne corruption, and let thee see the emp∣tinesse of thy performances, and therefore now looke for no comfort from them, suspend not thy comfort and peace, and contentment upon thy exact obedience to the Law; and therefore for comfort, feare not what the law can doe against thee, onely make not Christian liberty a cloake to flesh and blood, but walke we with God, as closely as we can, and though we doe fall short of what we desire to reach unto, yet doubt not but Justification and salvation is laid up for us in Christ.

COme we now to a second Note, though it be the third in order.

[Doctrine.] God leadeth a Christian soule unto the Law, by the Law, that he might live unto God.

Thus Paul expresseth Gods manner of dealing with him, and he speakes in the name of all justi∣fied persons; I through the Law am dead to the Law, that I might live unto God; so that this is Pauls case, and in him generally, the case of all justified persons.

That you may understand what is meant by living unto God, see some part of the Coherence of the words with the former. In the 15. and 16. verses, the Apostle saith, that he, and such native Jews as himselfe was, knowing they could not be

justified by the law, but by Christ, they therefore sought righteousnesse by faith in him. Now a∣gainst this protestation of the Apostle, an ob∣jection might be moved by carnall reason, and the Apostle answers it; the objection may be raised thus, That if justified persons renounce the Law, seeke righteousnesse by faith in Christ, this will open a doore to licentiousnesse, and justified per∣sons will make no conscience of the Law, but live without and besides the Law, under pretence of justification by faith, and so you shall pin upon Christ the sin of all justified persons. This is men∣tioned in the 17. verse, Is Christ the Minister of sin? &c.

Now the Apostle labours to prevent this ob∣jection, and gives a double answer to it. First, by aversation, or a word of abomination, as his man∣ner is, God forbid; that we should transgresse the Law without feare or care, God forbid.

Secondly, he answers it by three Reasons; all of them shewing the necessary conjunction and connexion that is betweene justification and san∣ctification; the first of the Reasons removes the imputation of sin from Christ, and not from him only, but from any who are justified by him, ver. 18. the Reason stands thus, If I build againe the things that I have destroyed, I make my selfe a trans∣gressor, and not Christ. And as he removes it from Christ, so from himselfe, as unreasonable, that a man who hath laboured to be freed from sin, and lookes for righteousnesse only by Christ, that he should turne againe to it, to shew, that it is in∣compatible

to such mens spirits.

The second Reason is taken from the end which God aymeth at in using the meanes that he doth use to bring us to justification by Christ; and the meanes hee useth is to kill us to the law: and to what end doth he use that meanes? not that we might live to our selves, but unto God, as in the words of the Text.

The 3. Reas. is taken from the neer communion which every justified person hath with Christ, in both his death and life; as I have part with Christ in his death, so have I part in his life, and there∣fore having partnership with him by justification of faith in both his death and life, therefore The life I now live, is by the faith of the Son of God. Thus you see what is meant, by this living unto God; Now then, to prove the Doctrine, and see what it is to live unto God in particular, and then the Reasons, and the Application, Rom. 7.4. We are dead to the Law by the body of Christ, that we might be married unto Christ, and bring forth fruite unto God; this is the way by which God leads us on to spiritual life; to the same purpose you reade, 2 Cor. 5.15. Christ once died for all, that they that do live, should live no longer unto themselves, but unto Christ, who died and rose againe for them; so that when men are driven to seeke righteousnesse by Christ, they doe by the power of his death, live no longer to themselves, but unto Christ, that is the end of the worke of Christ, 1 Pet. 4.1, 2. As Christ suffered in the flesh, &c. So arme your selves likewise, to be of the like

mind; he that hath suffered in the flesh, hath ceased from sin, that he should no longer live unto sin, but to the will of God; and therefore now none of us live or dye to our selves, but to the Lord, Rom. 14.7, 8, 9. For this cause, Christ dyed and rose againe, that hee might be Lord of quick and dead. Now for further opening of this point, see what it is to live unto God in particular, and then, how this death to the law leads us to such a life.

Living to God, in that place, Rom. 14.7. is oppo∣sed to living to our selves: now what is it for a man to live to himselfe?

First, (as Civilians say) a man lives to himself, that is, his owne man, bound to no man, but is free to live as pleaseth himself; a man in bondage lives to another, what he hath, and what he can do, is another mans, but a man that lives to him∣selfe, is as it were his owne Master, no man can claime any interest in him; and so did the Jews expound it, Ioh. 8.33. Wee were never in bon∣dage to any, free from all men, in respect of sub∣ordination.

Secondly, A man is said to live to himselfe, that lives according to his owne will, and principles, and for his owne ends, as in usuall phrase of speech wee say, such a man lives to himselfe, as regards no mans profit, or pleasure, or credit, but his own, he cares for no body, further then his respect to others may accommodate his own occasions and ends; A man lives from his owne principles, for the rise of his worke, and for the end of his work, he aymes at no further end then himselfe.

Now thirdly, that which follows upon this, that such a man lives to himselfe, as lives without being desired of other men, to himself he lives, & to him∣self he dies, no man is better for him, & he may die when he please, no man will hinder him, as it was said of Iehoram, he lived without being desired, & so he died, 2 Chro. 21.20. Now this is that which the Apostle denies to justified persons, There are none of them lives or dyes to themselves, but whether we live or dye, we live and dye to the Lord; so that then the meaning of the phrase is this.

First, when hee saith, wee live unto God, his meaning is, We acknowledge our selves, not to be in our owne hands, not to bee free, to live as we list our selves; so now we doe not live accor∣ding to our owne principles, wee acknowledge the Lord hath right and interest to us, Rom. 14.8. We are bought with a price, and therefore his that bought us.

Secondly, to live unto God, implies, that as now Gods we are, to him we belong, and not to men or Angels, or to ourselves; so now, we do not live according to our owne principles and Rules, nor the wils and lusts of other men, nor their counsels, nor examples, nor commands, but we live unto God. I live, yet not I, but Christ li∣veth in me; I live now, from an inward principle of the Lord Jesus, he lives in me, and he speakes as the Father hath given him commandement, Ioh. 14. ult. And the Son can do nothing of him∣selfe, Ioh. 5.19. This is the whole life of any member of Christ, we dare not live as wee list,

nor after the wils of others, further then we see Christ in them, for Christs we are, 1 Cor. 7.23. so that they who now live, shall not live to themselves, 2 Cor. 5.15. but unto him; so that the life of a Christian man, as it springs from Christs command, so from the worke of his Spirit, and workes not for its owne ends, further then it is subordinate to Christ, for the glory of Christ, the building up of his kingdome, the doing his will; this is the bent of the whole life of a Chri∣stian.

And thirdly, hence it followes, That a Chri∣stian man thus living, as one that lives from Christ, and through Christ warranting his course by his word, and quickning his actions by his Spi∣rit, and working not for any low ends, but for the ends of Christ, the glory and will of Christ; hence it comes to passe, that a Christian lives to God, in respect that he lives not a life unregar∣ded or undesired, but God hath a speciall eye to his whole course, God desires him, and he will move others to desire him, Iob 14.14, 15. For thou wilt have a desire to the worke of thine owne hands, he shall not dye undesired; Why sayest thou, my way is hid from the Lord? Esay 40.27, 28. The most High doth neither faint nor wax weary, and they that waite on the Lord shall renew their strength; If a man live by waiting upon God, for warrant from his word, for life from the Spirit for what he doth, God will not suffer such a man to run in∣to such courses, as in which he will take no notice of him.

Thus you see what it is to live unto God; the two former being most principall, but this other followes upon both.

Now for the next thing; Can you shew us any Reasons from the word of God, that God leads his servants by death to the law, to make them live unto God?

[Reas. 1] Taken from the power which the Law hath had, over and against such as are dead by the law, to the law; when the law hath had such power over a man, as to kill him to the law, then the law hath done with a man: take a male factor that hath committed any capitall crime, when the law hath had power over him, and put him to death, now he no longer lives to the lawes of this world, but he lives to another world, Rom. 7.1. so is this case, there is not any Christian that hath beene put to death, by the law of God, that hath beene struck downe by the terrors of the law, but ever after he is as a dead man to this world, and he now lives as a man of another world, his conversation is in Heaven, Phil. 3.20.

[Reas. 2] Taken from the second marriage, which God cals us to, when he cals us to death to the Law, by the Law; Rom. 7.4. We are dead by the law; so as that the law, and consequently sin which had power over us by the law, should have no more dominion over us that we should be married to Christ, and so bring forth fruit unto him, so that when by the law we are dead to the Covenant of the law, now all the fruits we bring forth are to the Lord Jesus, we depend upon his grace for gui∣dance,

and upon his word for warrant, and his Ordinances we frequent, the seeds of his grace we conceive, and so bring forth fruit unto God.

[Reas. 3] Taken from the purchase which Christ hath made of us unto himselfe by his death, the posses∣sion which he claimes, whensoever he strikes us dead to the Law, Christ having dyed for us; hee therefore dyed, That we might not live unto our selves, but unto him, 2 Cor. 5.15. When Christ strikes us dead to the Law, so as he doth not only blast our lust, but makes us run to Christ, by which occasionally, the life and death of Christ working together, brings us on to Christ, and by this meanes Christ hath laid fast hold on us, for otherwise; the Law of it selfe would never lead us to Christ, were not the blood of Christ sprinkled upon our hearts, so as that the soule cannot rest, untill it find something of Christ dispensed to it.

[Vse 1] This serves to warne all Christian men from three principall vices, that do commonly accom∣pany their lives, Self-pleasing, Security, and Dif∣fidence, all of them expresly here reproveable, Rom. 15.1, 2. When we live no other life, but to please our selves, we think we are our owne, and we live from our owne Rules, and to our owne ends, and live securely, and many times Gods own servants are to be blamed herein, they grow diffident, and thinke neither God nor man cares for them; doe but therefore try, and you may know, whether ever the Law had any kind of working upon your spirits, or no: If we be such as stand upon our owne freedome, Our tongues are

our owne and we will speake, Psal. 12.4. and we breake the bonds, and cast the cords from us, Psal. 2.2, 3. If we will stand upon our owne bot∣tomes, free to live according to our owne wils, and rules, and principles; certainly the law of God never had any worke upon such unbroken hearts. And so you may make it an use of tryall, if wee thus stand upon our owne bottomes, the Law never came so neere us, that wee understood the true sense of it; and how many are there, that live in the bosome of the Church, who yet will beare no yoakes, nor bee bound to any thing? You say, you respect God, though not his ser∣vants. The Scribes and Pharisees pretended they respected God the Father, though they did not the person of Christ, and yet when they cast his cords from them, they resisted God himselfe; so if God by his servants call us to repent, and to lead a new life, and we have a devise to put this off, because we thinke it is the devise of some cu∣rious braine, this is not a legall way, and so put it off, this is to stand out against God himselfe; but if God give us an heart to thinke that wee stand bound to his Law, it is a signe the Law hath had its worke upon us, else wee could never have lived to any mans ends but our owne; but when we live so, as to advance nothing but our owne pleasures, wee need not wonder if wee live with∣out being desired, and dye without being lamen∣ted; and therefore let this weane us from such a disposition, for if wee doe not live to God, then wee live without God in the World, and so

the life of an Atheist.

[Vse 2] This may serve to teach men, not to bee too sharpe in censuring their brethren in such wayes, as wherein they desire to live unto God, and dare not but so live; Rom. 14.7, 8, 9. One man keepes a day to the Lord, another man keepes it not, why, both doe it to the Lord; Who art thou then that judgest another man? for hee lives not to him∣selfe, but to the Lord. While a man lives by the Rules of the Word, and in what ever he doth, he seekes the glory of God, and the good of the Church, though other men doe not so, yet judge not one another in cases of this nature; Suppose one man keepeth this or that day, prescribed by Moses law, another man keepes it not; hee that keepes it, thinkes he is bound by the law of God to keepe it, and for the edification of the few whom he would not offend, another man keepes it not, because he thinkes they are abolished in Christ, for the benefit of the Gentiles, yet hee that doth either, doth it to the Lord; so that here is the point, If it appeare that the life of our bre∣thren is by the Son of God, and by the Spirit and word of God, and desire to live no other life but so, then be sparing in judging and censuring one another.

[Vse 3] It may bee to provoke any man to an holy and Christian life before God, and not to bee afraid of the meanes that lead to it; Many a poore soule thinkes when God begins to worke upon him, hee feares hee shall never see good day after; if once the Law of God strike in upon him, that

once hee begins to become a dead man to his lusts, cannot drinke, nor sweare, &c. if he be∣gin to make conscience of his waies, he thinks he shall now live a disregarded life, but bee not afraid of that which is the life and comfort of a Christian soule, the onely way to bring a man to an honourable life, wherein he lives not to his base lusts, nor to the unthankfull and base world, but unto God; and in very deed, till a man bee by the Law struck dead to the Law, that a man finde himselfe a dead man in the sight of God, no better then a man given over to death and de∣struction, till then, he is full of self-pleasing, and selfe-seeking, till then, a man lives to himselfe, and unto others but for himselfe. Take you the measure and scantling of any naturall man upon the face of the earth, take but the scantling of your heart, and give mee the Summa totalis, and see if he lives any way but to himselfe, and for himselfe; shew mee the noblest Heroes a∣mong the Gentiles, the bravest spirits among Christians, the stoutest and wisest among the Sonnes of men, and let them tell mee if this bee not so, That a man that lives a life of nature, whether he lives or dies, he lives and dies to him∣selfe; and shall wee thinke this to bee the onely brave life, which the sonnes of men satisfie themselves in, the onely honourable life? and a man would thinke himselfe a mad man, if hee should live otherwise; to live besides a mans selfe and the world, is counted a life of phrenzie and madnesse, whereas indeed, a man must be

besides himselfe, or else hee cannot live to God. So when Paul discoursed of his owne conver∣sion and manner of life, the Governor told him rightly, hee was besides himselfe, he stood not upon himselfe, as many a man in such a case would have done, and yet, Paul knew full well, he was never neerer God, then when he was fur∣thest off from himselfe, never more sober and wise then at such a time to preach the Gospel; And therefore in the name of Christ, let me call upon you, not to be afraid of legall terrors, nor of a Christian life; looke not at such wayes, as an utter undoing to you, it is the onely way to live unto God, despise not such a life; true it is, As long as thou doest well to thy selfe, men will praise thee, Psal. 49.18. and men will thinke that thou deservest to live in the world, but know this, that wee should not wholly live to our selves. And therefore since the Holy Ghost is pleased, to call us on to lead an higher life then nature, I beseech you, let me perswade you to some better affection to the life of God, bee not discouraged with it, nor discourage others from it; know this, there is an higher life then the life of nature, a life that lives not to it selfe, but from the hand, and word, and Spirit of Christ, from the Rules of Christ, and to the glory of Christ, and to the good of others.

[Vse 4] To direct and comfort Christians, that by the Law are dead to the law, to encourage such men the more to goe on, and to be farre from

the former life which they have lead. Know if ever the Law of God have struck you dead to s;inne, it hath struck you downe from all depen∣dance upon your owne righteousnesse, so as that now for ever you must live to the Lord Jesus: Why are you discouraged because of dulnesse and livelesness in the performance of holy duties? you would still live to the Law, but your life is from Christ, and not from your owne works, be they never so good.

And let it be a further direction unto you; la∣bour to bee weaned from the world: not that I call upon any man to neglect his calling, but that must be had respect unto, though after the other; A man must not be so carefull for his daily bread, as that he wholly forget, and neglect his duty to God. And for your comfort, let no Christian man thinke, he lives an unregarded life; many men complaine, they may dye when they will, no body ownes them; David himselfe sometimes was ready to thinke so, No man cared for my soule, Psal. 142.4. It was his complaint indeed, but there was sinne wrapped up in it, Esay 40.27. If thou livest to God, make account of this, there is not the poorest Christian, that hath learned to live to the Lord, but God will regard him, both in life and death; Thou shalt never live but desired, nor dye but lamented, and therefore never feare what will become of thee, though thou beest cast aside as a refuse commodity, and every wretch can tell how to trample upon a poore Christian,

yet know, that the candle of the wicked shall be put out, when he dies he shall stinke, as the snuffe of a candle, but the light of the righteous shall shine, and the memory of the just is precious; and when thou diest, the stoutest and toughest heart will secretly say, Would God I might dye the death of such a man, and that my latter end might bee like his.