Religion & morality > Human nature in its four-fold state ... in several practical discourses

Head II. off from the nat. Stock. 305
le the Deceiver, which facrificeth to the Lord a
corrupt ‘thing, Mai. i. 13, 14. And thus he be¬
comes To far broke off, that he fees, he is not able
to fatisfy the Demands of the Law.
Seventhly, Hence like a broken Man, who finds
he is not able to pay all his Debt, he goes about
to compound with his Creditor. And being in Pur-
fuit of Eafe and Comfort, he does what he can to
fulfil the Law; and wherein he fails, he looks that
God will accept the IVill-fox the Deed. Thus
doing his Duty, and having a Will to do better,•tie
cheats himfelf into a Perfuafion of the Goodnefs of
his State : And hereby Thoufands are ruined. But
the Eleft get another Stroke, which loofeth their
Hold in this Cafe. The Do&rine of the Law is
bom in on their Confidences ; demonllrating to
them, that exaft and perfeft Obedience is required
by it, under Pain of the Curfe : And that ’tis do¬
ing, and not wijhing to do, which will avail. IViJh-
ing to do better, will not anfwer the Law’s De¬
mands : And therefore the Curfe founds again, Gmf-
ed is every one that continueth not--*—to do them ;
that is actually to do them. In vain is wiftiihg
then.
Eightly, Being broken oft from Hopes of com¬
pounding with the Law, he falls a borrowing. He
fees that all he can do to obey the Law, and all
his Defires to be, and to do better, will not fave
his Soul: Therefore he goes to Chrift; intreating,
that his Rightebufnefs may make up what is want¬
ing in his own, and cover all the Defcfts of his Do¬
ings and Sufferings; That fo God for Chrift’s Sake,
may accept them, and thereupon be reconciled.
Thus doing what he can to fulfil the Law, and
"looking ■ to Chrifl to make up all his Defetfs; he
comes.