"not come and suffered, the time and dominion of "the law had been everlasting. But now seeing "Christ hath come, and hath died in his righteous "flesh; the power of the law against our sinful "flesh doth cease. For the end of the Law is "Christ. Rom. x. that is, the death of Christ's body is the death of the law to all that believe in "him: so that whosoever repent of their sins, and "flee to the death and passion of Christ, the con"demnation and time of the law to them is expir"ed. Wherefore, this is to be understood as a "perpetual rule in the Scripture, that the law, with "all his sentences and judgments, wheresoever "they are written, either in the Old or New Testament, do ever include a privy exception of repentance and faith in Christ, to the which always it "giveth place, having there its end, and can pro"ceed no further; according as St. Paul saith, "The law is our schoolmaster until Christ, that we might be justified by faith*.

Moreover, as the law hath its time, how long "to reign, so also it hath his proper place where to reign. By the reign of the law here is meant "the condemnation of the law: For as the time of "the law ceaseth, when the faith of Christ in a "true repenting heart beginneth; so hath the law

no place in such, as be good and faithful; that is, in "sinners repenting and amending, but only in them "which be evil and wicked. Evil men are such,

c

as walking in a sinful flesh are not yet driven by earnest repentance to flee to Christ for succour. "And therefore saith St. Paul, The law is not made "for a righteous man, but for the lawless and dis"obedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, &ct.

* Gal. iii. 24.

Tim. i. 9.

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By the just man bere is meant, not he which never had disease, but he, who knowing his dis"ease, seeketh out the physician, and being cured, keepeth himself in health, as much as he may, "from any more surfeits. Notwithstanding, he shall never so keep himself, but that his health, "(that is, his new obedience,) shall always remain "frail and imperfect, and shall continually need "the physician. Where, by the way, these three

things are to be noted; first, the sickness "itself: Secondly, the knowing of the sickness: "Thirdly, the physician. The sickness is sin. The "knowing of the sickness is repentance, which the "law worketh. The physician is Christ. And "therefore, although in remission of our sins repen"tance is joined with faith, yet it is not the dignity "or worthiness of repentance that causeth remis"sion of sins, but only the worthiness of Christ, "whom faith alone apprehendeth; no more than "the feeling of the disease is the cause of health, "but only the physician. For else, when a man is "cast and condemned by the law, it is not repen"tance that can save or deserve life; but if his pardon come, then is it the grace of the prince, " and not his repentance that saveth.

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"The third point to be considered in the doctrine "of the law, is this, that we mark well the end and purpose why the law is given, which is not to bring us to salvation, nor to work God's favour, nor to make us good; but rather to declare and "convict our wickedness, and to make us feel the danger thereof, to this end and purpose, that we, seeing our condemnation, and being in ourselves confounded, may be driven thereby to have our refuge in Christ, the Son of God, and submit our"selves to him, in whom only is to be found our VOL. III.-No. III. S

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"remedy, and in none other. And this end of the "law ought to be seriously considered by all Chris"tians; that they do not fall into manifold errors " and inconveniences. 1. They pervert all order "of doctrine. 2. They seek that in the law, which "the law cannot give. 3. They are not able to "comfort themselves nor any other. 4. They keep

men's souls in an uncertain doubt of their salva❝tion. 5. They obscure the light of God's grace. "6. They are unkind to God's benefits. 7. They

are injurious to Christ's passion, and enemies to "his cross. 8. They stop Christians' liberty. 9. "They bereave the Church, the spouse of Christ, "of her due comfort, as taking away the sun out "of the world. 10. In all their doings, they shoot " at a wrong mark: for where Christ only is to be "set up to be apprehended by our faith, and so freely to justify us; they, leaving this justifica"tion by faith, set up other marks, partly by the

law, partly of their own devising, for men to "shoot at. And here cometh in the manifest and "manifold absurdities of Rome's doctrine, which, "(the Lord willing,) we will rehearse, as in the catalogue here following."

FOR THE CHRISTIAN'S MAGAZINE,

An Evening at Home.

BUT

Concluded from Vol. II. p. 386)

we have been inspecting single figures, as with a microscope: let us cast our eyes over the group; let us cast them over the wide expanse of the Christian Church-and behold what decay and desolation sloth is producing. The question is not, Whether there be much of faith and holiness within those bounds, and much of industry? The fact is willingly, is joyfully admitted. But shall we not detest and stigmatize a vice, till virtue ceases to exist? The question is, Can no obvious sloth be imputed; and in whatever part of Christendom it becomes general, is it not the fired air, the choke-damp of death? In that doleful region, ministers who, if they were to stir up the grace that is in them, might make truth sparkle, and bosoms burn around them; could silence error, and appal guilt; could unravel intricacies, dispel doubts, and extricate the heart from its own mazes, are content to spin out the hour in any way. Rulers, who exist to stimulate the lagging, and apply the promptest remedy to whatever threatens the unity and harmony of God's household, leave corruption to take its course; and when matters are come to extremities, think they acquit their conscience by an honest vote. Fathers in Christ

neglect his babes; fathers and mothers neglect the babes that are both Christ's and theirs; the social mass ferments and assimilates; aged saints wax languid; young saints cease to be exemplary; and there is a neglected race of boys and girls springing up, prepared to surrender God's cause to the first assailant, because they know nothing of its value. Paralysis creeps over the whole body, till the symptoms of death become so numerous and decisive, that every spectator boldly speaks out his prognostication.

Civil society comes in for its share in this vice, and its attendant calamities. Families, tribes, and nations, protract an insipid existence, scarcely fed or clothed; and miserably deficient in mental culture, through neglect of a vigorous improvement and application of their resources and powers. Whether a man's station be imposed by providence, or elected by choice, his neglect of its appropriate duties is highly criminal. Titles of office became titles of honour, because the office exacted meritorious services. But men have been thrifty enough to split up these two, and retain the honour, when they have discarded the duty. In many instances, the recital of a man's rank and titles, could give you no notion of his employment. It is pretty evident, however, that this desertion of his post is not so much owing to the love of ease, as to an aversion from his proper avocations, There is an elegant fable, which represents the human race petitioning heaven to be permitted to interchange their respective calamities. They might, with equal propriety, be represented as solicitous to interchange their respective duties. Most men affect a prodigious skill in other people's business; and hence spring pragmatical busy-bodies, intruding into all possible