Thirdly, The Law was given to humble men for sin, and this is a fruit of the former, Rom. 3.19, 20. Now we know what ever thing the Law saith, it saith to them that are under the Law, that every mouth might be stopped, and all the world might become guilty, that is, sensible of their own guilt, for we were no less guilty before, but now by the Law men are made sensible of their own guilt, for saith the Apostle, By the Law is the knowledge of sin, 1&c. So in Rom. 4.15. Where there is no Law, there is no transgression, that is, no transgression doth appear, where no law to discover it, or no transgression will be charged upon the conscience, where no Law to discover sin; And this seems to ⟨p. 116⟩be excellently set out in Rom. 5.13, 14. Until the Law sin was in the world but sin is not *imputed where there is no Law, nevertheless, death reigned from Adam to Moses, &c. The meaning is, there was no less sin, or guilt and death before the Law then after, sin reigned, and death reigned over all the sons of men, and it reigned the more, because it reigned in the dark, there was no Law given whereby to discover and reveal it to them, and to help to charge sin upon them. And so he saith; 3Sin is not imputed where there is no Law, that is, though sin and death did reign, yet men were secure and careless, and having no Law to discover sin to them, they did not charge their hearts with sin, they did not impute sin to themselves. And therefore God renewed the Law, and promulged the Law in Mount Sinai, to discover and impute sin to men, to charge them with sin. I will give it you in this similitude. Suppose a Debtor to owe a great sum of money to a Creditor, and the Creditor out of mere mercy should promise him to forgive him all the debt, yet after this should send forth Officers to Attach and Arrest him, one would think surely this ⟨p. 117⟩man is contrary to himself, he hath repented of his former promises, when yet he is the same and repents of nothing, only desires that his mercy might be more conspicuous and advanced in the thoughts of the Debtor, and therefore suffers him to be brought to these extremities, that mercy might more clearly appear, that he may be more thankful. The case is the same between God and us, We are deeply indebted unto God;
Thirdly, The Law was given to humble men for sin, and this is a fruit of the former, Rom. 3.19, 20. Now we know what ever thing the Law saith, it saith to them that are under the Law, that every mouth might be stopped, and all the world might become guiltie, that is, sensible of their own guilt, for we were no lesse guiltie before, but now by the Law men are made sensible of their own guilt, for saith the Apostle, By the Law is the knowledge of sinne, 1&c. So in Rom. 4.15. Where there is no Law, there is no transgression, that is, no transgression doth appeare, where no law to discover it, or no transgression will be charged upon the conscience, where no Law to discover sin; And this seemes to ⟨p. 116⟩be excellently set out in Rom. 5.13, 14. Ʋntill the Law sinne was in the world but sinne is not *imputed where there is no Law, neverthelesse, death reigned from Adam to Moses, &c. The meaning is, there was no lesse sinne, or guilt and death before the Law then after, sinne reigned, and death reigned over all the sonnes of men, and it reigned the more, because it reigned in the darke, there was no Law given whereby to discover and reveale it to them, and to help to charge sin upon them. And so he saith; 3Sinne is not imputed where there is no Law, that is, though sinne and death did reigne, yet men were secure and carelesse, and having no Law to discover sinne to them, they did not charge their hearts with sinne, they did not impute sin to themselves. And therefore God renewed the Law, and promulged the Law in Mount Sinai, to discover and impute sinne to men, to charge them with sinne. I will give it you in this similitude. Suppose a Debtor to owe a great summe of money to a Creditor, and the Creditor out of meere mercy should promise him to forgive him all the debt, yet after this should send forth Officers to Attach and Arrest him, one would thinke surely this ⟨p. 117⟩man is contrary to himselfe, he hath repented of his former promises, when yet he is the same and repents of nothing, onely desires that his mercy might be more conspicuous and advanced in the thoughts of the Debtor, and therefore suffers him to be brought to these extremities, that mercy might more clearely appeare, that he may be more thankfull. The case is the same between God and us, We are deeply indebted unto God;
- 1Per legem peccati agnitio, per evangelium peccati aboliti•. Alsted.
- *[Greek or Hebrew]. Beza, non putatur: alii, non consetur, non aestimatur: vetus interpres, non imputatur.〈non-Latin alphabet〉. Beza, non putatur: alii, non consetur, non aestimatur: vetus interpres, non imputatur.
- 3Cum aperte proponeretur lex, clarum fuit peccatum, cum tacite, peccatum minus compunxit conscientiam. Ante legem propositam nemo peccavit ad similitudinem Adae, qui de fructu commedit ipsi externa voce prohibito. Ham. myro. in loc.Cum aperte proponeretur lex, clarum fuit peccatum, cum tacite, peccatum minus compunxit conscientiam. Ante legem propositam nemo peccavit ad similitudinem Adae, qui de fructu commedit ipsi externa voce prohibito. Cham. myro. in loc.
