The doctrine of the law and grace unfolded, or, A discourse touching the law…

First, God did give the Law, that sin might abound, Rom. 5. 20. not that it should take away sin in any, but to discover the sin which is already begotten, or that may hereafter be begotten, by Lust and Satan: I say, this is one proper work of the Law to make manifest sin; it is sent to find fault with the sinner, and it doth also watch that it may so do, and it ⟨p. 45⟩doth take all advantages for the accomplishing of its work in them that give ear thereto, or do not give ear, if it have the rule over them. I say, it is like a man that is sent by his Lord to see and pry into the labours and works of other men, taking every advantage to discover their infirmities and failings, and to chide them; yea, to throw them out of the Lords favour for the same.

Secondly, Another great end why the Lord did add or give the Law, it was that no man might have any thing to lay to the charge of the Lord, for his condemning of them that do transgress against the same. You know that if a man should be had before an Officer or Judge, and there be condemned, and yet by no Law; he that condemns him, might be very well reprehended or reproved for passing the Judgment; yea the party himself might have better ground to plead for his liberty, than the other to plead for the condemning of him: but this shall not be so in the judgment day, but contrariwise; for then every man shall be forced to lay his hand on his mouth, and hold his tongue at the Judgment of God, when it is passed upon them; therefore saith the Apostle, What things soever the Law saith, it saith to them that are under the Law (that is all the commands, all the curses and threatenings that are spoken by it, are spoken ⟨p. 46⟩saith he) that every mouth may be stopped; mark, I beseech you, it saith, saith he, that every mouth might be stopped, and that all the world might become guilty before God, Rom. 3. 19. So that now in case any in the judgment day, should object against the judgment of God, as those in the 25. of Matthew do, saying, Lord when saw we thee thus and thus? And why dost thou pass such a sad 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 first father had sinned, or thou wast born. So that again, if there should be these Objections offered against the proceedings of the Lord in justice, and judgment, saying: Lord, why am I thus condemned, I did not know it was sin? now against these two, was the Law given, and that betimes, so that both these are answered. If the first come in and say, 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 first saying, he hath sinned against me, damn him; the second saying also, he hath transgressed against me, damn him; the third also saying the same, together with the 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9,