Robert Traill (Sermons from 1 Peter 1:1-4), Works 4:86:
The law deals with a man as it finds him, and leaves him as it finds him: it finds him a sinner, and leaves him a sinner; it finds him condemned, and it leaves him condemned; it finds him corrupted, and it leaves him corrupted; it finds him in his grave, and it leaves him there. The law finds a man in the grave, bound hand and foot, and commands him to do what it knows he cannot do; but gospel grace changes the man, and changes the tree. This is old doctrine, that a great many of our new preachers, and new Christians, know nothing of. O generation of vipers! how can ye, being evil, speak good things? Matt. 12:34. This world will still run upon this, that a bad man may grow good by doing good things. Our Lord tells us just the contrary: a man must first be good before he can do any good thing. Either make the tree good and his fruit good, or else make the tree corrupt and his fruit corrupt; for the tree is known by his fruit, Matt. 12:33; Luke 6:43; as our Lord at large and plainly teaches. Gospel grace is the only mean of sanctification; for it alone changes a man, renews and quickens him.
The law deals with a man as it finds him, and leaves him as it finds him: it finds him a sinner, and leaves him a sinner; it finds him condemned, and it leaves him condemned; it finds him corrupted, and it leaves him corrupted; it finds him in his grave, and it leaves him there. The law finds a man in the grave, bound hand and foot, and commands him to do what it knows he cannot do; but gospel grace changes the man, and changes the tree. This is old doctrine, that a great many of our new preachers, and new Christians, know nothing of. O generation of vipers! how can ye, being evil, speak good things? Matt. 12:34. This world will still run upon this, that a bad man may grow good by doing good things. Our Lord tells us just the contrary: a man must first be good before he can do any good thing. Either make the tree good and his fruit good, or else make the tree corrupt and his fruit corrupt; for the tree is known by his fruit, Matt. 12:33; Luke 6:43; as our Lord at large and plainly teaches. Gospel grace is the only mean of sanctification; for it alone changes a man, renews and quickens him.
