The Parable of the Ten Virgins Opened and Applied

Take heed you do not build your assurance from a mingled Covenant of Works and Grace, for this is the frame of divers when they lye under the first Covenant only of doing, they will not take this as any evidence, as they have no reason so to do, Rom. 9. 31. Nor when a man lies under the Second Covenant of Believing barely, and if it be a dead Faith, they have no evidence or reason so to do. Hence they mingle the Covenants, and think thus. If I can believe in Christ, and perform universal obedience to all the commands of God, I shall be safe; hence set upon the observance of both, and finding they can never do them, especially the latter, hence are ever troubled, and never have any settled peace. Hence those Galatians Paul writes to, perverting and mingling the Covenants, were troubled, Gal. 1. 7. & 5. 12. Not (beloved) but that whoever believes and performs universal obedience Evangelically to the whole Law, he cannot but do well; and he that doth it not, but lives in any one sin, let him evidence his Faith if he can. But I speak when a man submits to it, sub forma faederis, if I can do it, and because I cannot do it, hence doubt. Hence gather your evidence of Gods love primarily and chiefly from your subjection to the Second Covenant, Gal. 6. 16. Peace on them that walk according to this rule; for Adams righteousness that did tie him to God, it brake; hence no life, nor evidence from that, but Faith is an everlasting invincible Grace, upheld by the mighty power of God, and hence here will be everlasting evidence and peace, 1 Pet. 1. 8. Whom though we see not, yet believing we rejoice. Object. Is a Christian then free from the Law?

Take heed you do not build your assurance from a mingled Covenant of Works and Grace, for this is the frame of divers when they lye under the first Covenant only of doing, they will not take this as any evidence, as they have no reason so to do, Rom. 9. 31. Nor when a man lies under the Second Covenant of Believing barely, and if it be a dead Faith, they have no evidence or reason so to do. Hence they mingle the Covenants, and think thus. If I can believe in Christ, and perform universal obedience to all the commands of God, I shall be safe; hence set upon the observance of both, and finding they can never do them, especially the latter, hence are ever troubled, and never have any setled peace. Hence those Galatians Paul writes to, perverting and mingling the Covenants, were troubled,