Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us that is whereas the Law left Sinners as to those Sins which stood most in need of pardon under a Curse having provided no expiation for them Christ hath redeemed them from that Curse by making a general expiation for Sin and in this sense it is that the Author to the Hebrews says Ch. 9. 15. that Christ died for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first Covenant that is for those Sins for which the Covenant of the Law had provided no way of forgiveness and therefore St. John says emphatically 1 Joh. 1. 7. that the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all Sin Thirdly The Law did not afford sufficiently plain and certain Rules and Directions for a good Life As the corruption and degeneracy of Mankind grew worse so the light of Nature waxed dimmer and dimmer and the Rule of Good and Evil was more doubtful and uncertain and that in very considerable instances of our Duty The Law of Moses was peculiar to the Jews and even to them who only had the benefit and advantage of it it did not give clear and perfect light and direction as to Moral Duties and those things which are of an Eternal and Immutable Reason and Goodness And therefore our Saviour in this Sermon explains it to a greater perfection than it was understood to have among the Jews or the letter of it seemed to intend and hath not only forbidden several things permitted by that Law as Divorce and Retaliation of Injuries but hath heightned our Duty in several instances of it requiring us to love our Enemies and to forgive the greatest injuries and provocations tho' never so often repeated and not only not to revenge them but to requite them with good turns which were not understood by Mankind to be Laws before but yet when duly consider'd are very agreeable to right Reason and the sense of the wisest and bâ—st Men. So that the Christian Religion â—ath not only fixt and determined our Duty and brought it to a greater certainty but hath raised it to a greater perfection and rendered it every way fit to bring the Minds of Men to a more Divine temper and a more reasonable and perfect way of serving God than ever the World was instructed in before Fourthly The Promises and Threatnings of the Law were only of temporal good and evil things which are in comparison of the endless Rewards and Punishments of another World but very languid and faint Motives to obedience Not but that the Jews under the Law had such apprehensions of their own Immortality and of a future state of Happiness and Misery after this Life as Natural Light suggested to them which was in most but a wavering and uncertain perswasion and consequently of small efficacy to engage Men to their Duty but the Law of Moses added little or nothing to the clearness of those Natural Notions concerning a future state and the strengthning of this perswasion in the Minds of Men it did rather suppose it than give any new force and life to it And for this Reason more particularly the Apostle tells us that the Law was but weak to make Men good because it did not work strongly enough upon the hopes and fears of Men by the weight of its Promises and the terrour of its Threatnings and that for this weakness and imperfection of it it was removed and a more powerful and awakening dispensation brought in in the place of it Heb. 7. 18 19. For there is verily a disannulling of the Commandment that was before that is of the Jewish Law for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof for the Law made nothing perfect but the bringing in of a better hope did that is the Covenant of the Gospel which promiseth Eternal Life And Ch. 8. 6. for this Reason more especially the Apostle says that Christ had obtained a more excellent Ministry being the Mediator of a better Covenant which was establish'd upon better Promises And Rom. 1. 16 18. St. Paul tell us that for this Reason the Gospel is the power of God unto Salvation because therein the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of Men. The clear Revelation of a Future Judgment was that which made the Gospel so proper and so powerful an Instrument for the Salvation of Men. The great impiety of Mankind and their impenitency in it was not so much to be wondred at before while the World was in a great measure ignorant of the infinite danger of a wicked Life and therefore God is said in some sort to overlook it but now he commands all Men every where to repent because he hath appointed a day in which he will judge the World in righteousness by that Man whom he hath ordained whereof he hath given assurance unto all men in that he hath raised him from the dead Acts 17. 30 31. The clear discovery and perfect assurance of a future Judgment calls loudly upon all Men to leave their Sins and turn to God Fifthly The Covenant of the Law had no spiritual Promises contained in it of the grace and assistance of God's Holy Spirit for the mortifying of Sin and enabling Men to their Duty and supporting them under Sufferings but the Gospel is full of clear and express Promises to this purpose Our Saviour hath assured us that God will give his Holy Spirit to them that ask him Luke 11. 13. and this the Apostle tells us is actually confer'd upon all true Christians those who do sincerely embrace and believe the Gospel Rom. 8. 9. If any Man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his Hence the Gospel is call'd by the same Apostle the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus v. 2d of that Chap. The Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of Sin and Death and in the next words he tells us that herein manifestly appeared the weakness of the Law that it left Men destitute of this mighty help and advantage at least as to any special promise of it What the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and by making him a Sacrifice for sin condemned sin in the flesh that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit that is that that Righteousness which the Law aimed at and signified but was too weak to effect might be really accomplisht in us who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit that is who are acted and assisted by a higher and better Principle than Men either have in Nature or the carnal dispesnation of the Law did endow Men withall And because of this great defect the Law is said to be a state of Bondage and Servitude and on the contrary
then against the Promises of God that is are the Law and the Gospel contrary do they contradict one another So that the meaning of our Saviour's Declaration is this that he was not come to dissolve and abrogate and make void the Law or to encourage Men to the breach of it that the Precepts of his Religion were in no wise contrary to those of the Law and the Prophets did not thwart and oppose them or any ways contradict the main design and intention of the Law and the Prophets that is of the Jewish Religion for so the Law and the Prophets do frequently signifie Mat. 7. 12. therefore all things whatsoever ye would that Men should do to you do ye even so to them for this is the Law and the Prophets that is this is the main scope and intention of what your Religion contained in the Law and the Prophets teacheth concerning your Duty to one another So likewise Mat. 22. 40. On these two Commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets that is this is the sum of all the Duties of Religion to these two Laws all that the Jewish Religion teacheth may be refer'd I am not come to destroy but to fulfill to carry on the same Design which was intended by the Jewish Religion and to perfect and accomplish it to supply all the defects and weaknesses and imperfections of that dispensation this is the plain meaning of this caution and declaration of our Saviours Think not c. For the clearing of this Matter viz. That the Design of our Saviour's Doctrine and Religion is not contrary to those former Revelations which God made to the Jews by Moses and the Prophets this will evidently appear whether we consider the Prophesies and Predictions of the Old Testament or the Laws and Precepts therein contained First The Prophesies and Predictions of the Old Testament our Saviour came not to contradict and overthrow these but to fulfill them The chief Predictions of the Law and the Prophets were concerning the Messias and his Spiritual Kingdom In the Law it was foretold that God would raise to them a Prophet like unto Moses whom they ought to hear and obey and to him all the Prophets of the Old Testament gave witness foretelling the time of his coming his extraction the manner and circumstances of his Birth the Purity and Efficacy of his Doctrine the Actions and Miracles of his Life his Passion Death and Burial with the particular Circumstances of them his Resurrection from the Dead and his Ascension into Heaven and Exaltation at the right hand of God so that this part of the Law and Prophets he did accomplish and fulfill in a most eminent and remarkable manner all things that the Prophets had foretold concerning the Messias were punctually made good in the Person and Actions and Sufferings of our Saviour Secondly As to the Laws and Precepts of the Jewish Religion the Doctrine and the Laws of Christianity did not clash with them nor properly abrogate them and make them void especially as to the Moral Precepts which were the very Life and Spirit the ultimate Scope and Design of that Religion nay so far was it from doing so that the main and proper intention of Christianity was to clear and establish that which was the main design of the Law and Prophets to perfect the Law in this part and to raise and advance Morality to its highest pitch to supply all the defects and imperfections of the Jewish Religion and to make Men much better than that weak and imperfect Institution was able to do This was the great Design of Christianity and it is very probable that our Saviour had a principal if not a sole respect to the Precepts of the Moral Law when he here says that he came not to destroy the Law and the Prophets but to perfect and fulfill them as I shall have occasion by and by to shew more at large But that we may give a full Answer to the Objection of the Jews against this Saying of our Saviour's I shall shew that he did not come to thwart and contradict and properly to abrogate and make void the Jewish Law in any part of it neither the Civil and Judicial nor the Ritual and Ceremonial much less the Moral and Natural Precepts of it This is more than I think to be absolutely necessary to reconcile this Saying of our Saviour with the rest of his Doctrine and Actions for tho' he had properly abrogated the Ceremonial Law and in no sence fulfill'd it yet notwithstanding this it may be true that he came not to destroy the Law and the Prophets that is to destroy the obligation of Moral Duties which he speaks of in this Chapter and elsewhere declares to be the ultimate scope the sum and substance of the Law and the Prophets For if the Ceremonial Law was not designed by God to be perpetual but to give way to a more perfect dispensation then our Saviour did no way thwart and contradict the Law and the Prophets by abrogating the Ceremonial Law at that time when God designed that a period should be put to it But yet for the fuller satisfaction to this Objection I shall shew that our Saviour did not properly abrogate any part of the Jewish Law no not the Ritual and Ceremonial part of it but did fulfill it First not their Civil and Judicial Laws These in the original intention of them were not Laws designed for Mankind but suited and fitted to the disposition and temper the Condition and Circumstances of a particular People and Nation to these our Saviour taught obedience and paid it himself and never did any thing contrary to them nor in the least weaken the obligation of them but they continued in full force 'till that Nation and Commonwealth was dissolved So that these Laws were no way impeached or abrogated by the Christian Religion but they fell for want of a subject to exercise their power upon and because the People that were to be governed by them were destroyed or dissipated and tho' they neither are nor ever were obligatory to other Nations as given by Moses and as they were the peculiar Laws of a particular Nation yet the Natural Reason and Equity of them so far as it concerned Mankind is duly considered and regarded by us and many of these Laws are adopted into the Laws of most Christian Nations It is plain then that this part of the Jewish Law received no prejudice by Christianity but continued in full force so long as that Nation and Commonwealth lasted which was to be governed by it Secondly As to the Ritual and Ceremonial part of the Jewish Law which consisted in Circumcision and Purifications and Sacrifices in distinction of Meats and Times and innumerable other Rites and Observances this was not properly abrogated and made void by the coming of Christ but fulfill'd and made good by him The Rites and Ceremonies of the Law were the Types and Shadows of
done for that the Apostle seems to mean by sinning after the Similitude of Adam 's Transgression Thirdly God hath shewn us what is good by the general Vote and Consent of Mankind Not that all Mankind do agree concerning Virtue and Vice but that as to the greater Duties of Piety Justice Mercy and the like the Exceptions are but few in comparison and not enough to infringe a general Consent And of this I shall offer to you this threefold Evidence 1. That these Virtues are generally praised and held in esteem by Mankind and the contrary Vices generally reproved and evil spoken of Now to praise any thing is to give Testimony to the Goodness of it and to censure any thing is to declare that we believe it to be evil And if we consult the History of all Ages we shall find that the things which are generally praised in the Lives of Men and recommended to the Imitation of Posterity are Piety and Devotion Gratitude and Justice Humanity and Charity and that the contrary to these are marked with Ignominy and Reproach the former are commended even in Enemies and the latter are branded even by those who had a kindness for the Persons that were guilty of them So constant hath Mankind always been in the Commendation of Virtue and in the Censure of Vice Nay we find not only those who are virtuous themselves giving their Testimony and Applause to Virtue but even those who are vicious not out of love to Goodness but from the Conviction of their own Minds and from a secret Reverence they bear to the common Consent and Opinion of Mankind And this is a great Testimony because it is the Testimony of an Enemy extorted by the meer light and force of Truth And on the contrary Nothing is more ordinary than for Vice to reprove Sin and to hear Men condemn the like or the same things in others which they allow in themselves And this is a clear Evidence that Vice is generally condemned by Mankind that many Men condemn it in themselves and those who are so kind as to spare themselves are very quick-sighted to spie a Fault in any body else and will censure a bad Action done by another with as much Freedom and Impartiality as the most virtuous Man in the World And to this consent of Mankind about Virtue and Vice the Scripture frequently appeals As when it commands us to provide things honest in the sight of all Men and by well-doing to put to silence the Ignorance of foolish Men intimating that there are some things so confessedly good and owned to be such by so general a Vote of Mankind that the worst of Men have not the Face to open their Mouths against them And it is made the Character of a virtuous Action if it be lovely and commendable and of good report Philip. 4 8. Whatsoever things are lovely whatsoever things are of good report if there be any Virtue if there be any praise make account of these things intimating to us that Mankind do generally concur in the Praise and Commendation of what is virtuous 2. Men do generally glory and stand upon their Innocency when they do virtuously but are ashamed and out of Countenance when they do the contrary Now Glory and Shame are nothing else but an Appeal to the Judgment of others concerning the good or evil of our Actions There are indeed some such Monsters as are impudent in their Impieties but these are but few in comparison Generally Mankind is modest the greatest part of those who do evil are apt to blush at their own Faults and to confess them in their Countenance which is an Acknowledgment that they are not only guilty to themselves that they have done amiss but that they are apprehensive that others think so For Guilt is a Passion respecting our selves but Shame regards others Now it is sign of Shame that Men love to conceal their Faults from others and commit them secretly in the dark and without Witnesses and are afraid even of a Child or a Fool Or if they be discovered in them they are solicitous to excuse and extenuate them and ready to lay the fault upon any bodyelse and to transfer their Guilt or as much of it as they can upon others All which are certain Tokens that Men are not only naturally guilty to themselves when they commit a Fault but that they are sensible also what Opinions others have of these things And on the contrary Men are apt to stand upon their Justification and to glory when they have done well The Conscience of a Man 's own Virtue and Integrity lifts up his Head and gives him Confidence before others because he is satisfied they have a good Opinion of his Actions What a good Face does a Man naturally set upon a good Deed And how does he sneak when he hath done wickedly being sensible that he is condemned by others as well as by himself No Man is afraid of being upbraided for having dealt honestly or kindly with others nor does account it any Calumny or Reproach to have it reported of him that he is a sober and chast Man No Man blusheth when he meets a Man with whom he hath kept his Word and discharged his Trust but every Man is apt to do so when he meets one with whom he has dealt dishonestly or who knows some notorious Crime by him 3. Vice is generally forbidden and punished by Humane Laws but against the contrary Virtues there never was any Law Some Vices are so manifestly evil in themselves or so mischievous to Humane Society that the Laws of most Nations have taken care to discountenance them by severe Penalties Scarce any Nation was ever so barbarous as not to maintain and vindicate the Honour of their Gods and Religion by publick Laws Murder and Adultery Rebellion and Sedition Perjury and breach of Trust Fraud and Oppression are Vices severely prohibited by the Laws of most Nations A clear Indication what Opinion the generality of Mankind and the Wisdom of Nations have always had of these things But now against the contrary Virtues there never was any Law No Man was ever impeached for living soberly righteously and godly in this present World A plain Acknowledgment that Mankind always thought them good and never were sensible of the Inconvenience of them for had they been so they would have provided against them by Laws This St. Paul takes notice of as a great Commendation of the Christian Virtues The fruit of the Spirit is Love Joy Peace Long-suffering Gentleness Kindness Fidelity Meekness Temperance against such there is no Law the greatest Evidence that could be given that these things are unquestionably good in the Esteem of Mankind against such there is no Law As if he had said turn over the Law of Moses search those of Athens and Sparta and the twelve Tables of the Romans and those innumerable Laws that have been added since and you shall not in any of them
the Gospel by Reason of this mighty advantage is call'd a state of Adoption and Liberty ver 15. for ye have not received the Spirit of Bondage but the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father and 2 Cor. 3. 17. where the Spirit of the Lord is there is Liberty And to this very thing St. Paul appeals as that whereby Men might judge whether the Law or the Gospel were the more excellent and powerful Dispensation Gal. 3. 2. This only would I learn of you received ye the Spirit by the works of the Law or by the hearing of Faith As if he had said let this one thing determine that whole Matter were ye made Pertakers of this great Priviledge and Blessing of the Spirit while ye were of the Jewish Religion or since ye became Christians And ver 14. he calls it the blessing of Abraham that is the blessing promised to all Nations by Abraham's Seed namely the Mâ—ssias that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christâ— that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through Faith And then for the supporting us under afflictions the Gospel promiseâ—h an extraordinary assistance of Godâ—s holy Spirit to us 1 Pet. 4. 14. if ye be reproached for the Name of Christ happy are ye for the Spirit of Glory and of God resâ—eth upon you But were theâ—e no good Men undeâ— the dispensation of the Law Yes certainly there were and they were so by the grace and assistance of God's Holy Spirit but â—hen this was an effect of the Divine goodness but not of any special Promise contained in that Covenant of Divine grace and assistance to be conferred on all those that were admitted into it But thus it is in the New Covenant of the Gospel and therefore the Law is callâ—d a dead letter the oldness of the letter and the ministration of the letter in opposition to the Gospâ—l which is call'd the Ministration of the Spirit And this the Apostle lays special weight upon as a main difference between these two Covenants that the first gave an external Law but the new Covenant offers inward grace and assistance to enable Men to Obedience and hath an inward and powerful efficacy upon the Minds of Men accompanying the Ministration of it Heb. 8. 7 8 9 10. For if that first Covenant had been faultless then should no place have been sought for the second For finding fault with them he saith behold the days come saith the Lord when I will make a new Covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah not according to the Covenant which I made with their Fathers c. For this is the Covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days saith the Lord I will put my Laws into their minds and write them in their hearts And of this inward Grace and assistance we are further secured by the powerful and prevalent and perpetual intercession of our High-Priest for Sinners at the right hand of God not like the intercession of the Priests under the Law who being Sinners themselves were less fit to intercede for others but we have an High-Priest that is holy harmless undefiled and seperate from Sinners who by the Eternal Spirit offer'd himself without spot to God to purchase for us those Blessings which he intercedes for The Priests under the Law were Intercessors upon Earth but Christ is entered into Heaven it self now to appear in the presence of God for us Heb. 9. 24. The Priests under the Law were removed from this Office by Death but Christ because he continues for ever hath an unchangeable Priesthood and is an everlasting Advocate and Intercessor for us in the virtue of his most meritorious Sacrifice continually presented to his Father where he is always at the right hand of God to present our Prayers to him and to obtain pardon of our Sins and grace to help in time of need and by his intercession in Heaven to procure all those Blessings to be actually conâ—er'd upon us which he purchased for us by his blood upon Earth wherefore he is able to save to the utmost all those that come to God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them as the same Apostle speaks Heb. 7. 25. And thus I have as briefly as well I could shewed how the Christian Religion doth supply all the weaknesses and defects and imperfections of the Jewish Religion and consequently does in no wise contradict or interfeer with the great Design of the Law and the Prophets but hath perfected and made up whatever was weak or wanting in that Institution to make Men truly good or as the Expression is in the Prophet Daniel to bring in everlasting Righteousness that is to clear and confirm those Laws of Holiness and Righteousness which are of indispensible and eternal obligation And if this be the great Design of our Saviour's coming and the Christian Doctrine be every way fitted to advance Righteousness and true Holiness and to make us as excellently good as this imperfect state of Mortality will admit since it hath many advantages incomparably beyond any Religion or Institution that ever was in the World both in respect of the perfection of its Laws and the force of its Motives and Arguments to Repentance and a Holy Life and in respect of the Encouragements which it gives and the Examples which it sets before us and the powerful assistance which it offers to us to enable us to cleanâ—e our selves from all filthiness of Flesh and Spirit and to perfect holiness in the fear of God What a shame is this to us who are under the power of this excellent Institution if the temper of our Minds and the tenour of our Conversation be not in some measure answerable to the Gospel of Christ The greater helps and advantages we have of being good the greater things may justly be expected from us for to whomsoever much is given of him much shall be required Christianity is the fulfilling of the Righteousness of the Law by walking not after the Flesh but after the Spirit by mortifying the deeds of the Flesh and by bringing forth the fruits of the Spirit which are Love Joy Peace Long-Suffering Gentleness Goodness Fidelity Meekness and Temperance The Righteousness of Faith doth not consist in a barren and ineffectual belief of the Gospel in a meer embracing of the Promises of it and relying upon Christ for Salvation in a Faith without works which is dead but in a Faith which worketh by Love in becoming new Creatures and in keeping the Commandments of God The Righteousness of Faith speaketh on this wise This is his Commandment that we should believe on the Name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another as he gave us Commandment 1 John 3. 23. and this Commandment have we from him that he who loveth God love his Brother also 1 John 4. 21. That we approve the things that are
excellent being filled with the fruits of Righteousness which are by Jesus Christ to the glory and the praise of God Phil. 1. 10 11. Whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are honest whatsoever things are just whatsoever things are pure whatsoever things are lovely whatsoever things are of good report if there be any virtue if there be any praise mind these things Ch. 4. 8. And then considering what abundant provision the Gospel hath made for our attainment of Everlasting Salvation we are altogether without excuse if we perish Since God hath raised up so mighty a Salvation for us how shall we escape If we die in our Sins it is not because God would not forgive them but because we would not Repent and be Saved the fault is all our own and we owe it wholly to our selves if we be lost and undone for ever If when Life and Death Heaven and Hell are so plainly set before us Eternal Misery and Perdition fall to our Lot and Portion it is not because we were not warned of our Danger or because Happiness and the things of our Peace were hid from our eyes but because we have made Death and Destruction our obstinate and final Choice But Beloved I hope better things of you and things which accompany Salvation tho' I thus speak Only let your Conversation be as becometh the Gospel of Christ and if we be careful to perform the Conditions which the Gospel requires on our part we shall not fail to be made Partakers of that Eternal Life which God that cannot lie hath promised to us for his Mercy 's sake in Jesus Christ SERMON V. Of the Nature of Regeneration and its Necessity in order to Justification and Salvation GALAT. VI. 15. For in Christ Jesus neither Circumciston availeth any thing nor Uncircumcision but a new Creature THERE are two Epistles of St. Paul namely that to the Romans and this to the Galatians which are principally and particularly design'd to confute a false perswasion which had prevailed amongst many Christians especially those who were Converted from Judaism that it was not enough for Men to embrace and confess the Christian Religion unless they kept the Law of Moses or at least submitted to that great Precept of Circumcision the neglect whereof among all the affirmative Precepts of the Law was only threatned with excision or being cut off from among the People And of the prevalency of this Errour and the great disturbance which it made in the Christian Church we have a particular account Acts 15. where a General Council of the Apostles is call'd and a Letter written in their Names to all the Christian Churches to rectifie their apprehensions in this matter ver 24. of that Chap. For as much as we have heard that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words subverting your Souls saying ye must be Circumcis'd and keep the Law to whom we gave no such Commandment c. And upon this occasion likewise it was that St. Paul wrote this Epistle to the Galatians as likewise that to the Romans in the former of which after he had at large confuted this Errour which he calls the preaching of another Gospel than what the Apostles had preached and the Christians first received In the beginning of the 5 th Chapt. he Exhorts them to assert the Liberty which Christ had purchas'd for them from the obligation of the Law of Moses ver 1 2. Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free and be not entangled again with the yoak of bondage Behold I Paul say unto you that if ye be Circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing Not that hereby he condemneth Circumcision as a thing evil in it self for God never Instituted or Commanded any thing that was so but he opposeth the opinion of the necessity of it to our Justification and Salvation when the Gospel had so plainly taken away the obligation and use of it and consequently to affirm still the necessity of it was really to renounce Christianity For if Judaism was still the way to Salvation Christianity was to no purpose and if Christianity be now the way then the obligation to the Jewish Religion was ceased To avoid the force of this Reasoning it was not enough for the false Apostles to say as it seems they did that Christians were not obliged universally to the whole Law of Moses but principally to the Law of Circumcision because Circumcision being the sign and badge of that Covenant whoever took that upon him did thereby own his obligation to the whole Law ver 3â— 4. For I testifie again to every Man that is Circumcised that he is a debtor to do the whole Law Christ is become of no effect to you whosoever of you are justified by the Law ye are fallen from Grace that is whoever of you expect and profess to be justified by the Law of Moses ye take away the necessity and use of the Christian Religion and are fallen from grace that is do in effect renounce the Gospel for we through the Spirit wait for the hope of Righteousness by Faith ver 5 we by the Spirit in opposition to Circumcision which was in the Flesh do expect to be justified by the belief of the Gospel For in Jesus Christ neither Circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision ver 6. that is now under the dispensation of the Gospel by Christ Jesus it signifies nothing to a Man's Justification or Salvation whether he be Circumcised or not Circumcised whether he be a Jew or a Gentile All that the Gospel requires as necessary to these purposes is that we perform the Conditions of the Gospel that so we may be capable of being made Partakers of the blessings of it Now as the great blessing and benefit of the Gospel is variously exprest as by the forgiveness of our sins by our acceptance with God or which compâ—ehends both by our Justification sometimes by Adoption and our beingâ— made the Sons and Children of God sometimes by Redemption and which is the consummation of all by Salvation and Eternal Life I say as the bleâ—sing and benefit of the Gospel is in Scripture exprest to us by these several terms which do in effâ—ct all signifie the same thing so our Duty and the Condition the Gospel requires on our part is likewise as variously exprest sometimes and that very frequently by the word Faith as being the great Source and Principle of all Religious Acts and Performances but then this Faith must not be a bare assent and perswasion of the Truth of the Gospel but such an effectual belief as expresseth it self in suitable acts of Obedience and Holiness such as the Apostle here calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Faith whick worketh by Love a Faith that is inspir'd and acted or rather consummate and made perfect by Charity for so the word doth often signifie and then this Phrase will be just of the same importance with
and virtue is able to withstand But where Men are sincerely good and honestly resolv'd the Providence of God doth ward off these fierce blows and put by these violent thrusts and by a secret disposal of things keep them from being assaulted by these irresistible kinds of temptations The Consideration whereof as it is a great encouragement to Men to be sincerely good so likewise a great Argument for a continual dependance upon the Providence of God and to take us off from confidence in our selves and our own strength And this use the Apostle makes of it 1 Cor. 10. 12. Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth that is confident that nothing shall be able to shake him or throw him down take heed lest he fall there hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to Men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but what is humane nothing but what an humane strength assisted by an ordinary grace of God may be able to resist and Conquer But there are greater and more violent temptations than these which you have not yet been tried with and when those happen we must have recourse to God for an extraordinary assistance And this is the Second way I mention'd whereby the Providence of God does secure good Men in case of extraordinary temptations which no humane strength can probably resist And this the same Apostle assures us of in the very next words God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above what you are able but will with the temptation also make a way to escape that you may be able to bear it That is in case of great and violent temptations such as the Christians in the height of their Persecutions were exposed to God will secretly minister strength and support equal to the force and power of the temptation And this God did in an extraordinary manner to the Christian Martyrs and that to such a degree as made them joyfully to embrace their Sufferings and with the greatest chearfulness in the world to endure those torments which no humane patience was able to bear And where God doth thus secure Men against temptations or support them under them it is no reflection at all upon the goodness or justice of his Providence to permit them to be thus tempted Secondly God permits others to be thus tempted by way of Judgment and Punishment for some former great Sins and Provocations which they have been guilty of And thus many times God punisheth great and notorious Offenders by permitting them to fall into great temptations which meeting with a vicious disposition are likely to be too hard for them especially considering how by a long habit of wickedness and wilful commission of great and notorious Sins they have made themselves an easie prey to every temptation and have driven the Spirit of God from them and deprived themselves of thoâ—e aids and restraints of his Grace which he ordinarily affords not only to good Men but likewise to those who are not very bad And thus God is said to have hardened Pharaoh by those Plagues and Judgments which he sent upon him and his Kingdom But if we carefully read the Story it is said that he first harden'd himself and then that God hardened him that is he being hardened under the first Judgments of God God sent more which meeting with his obstinacy had this unnatural effect upon him to harden him yet more not that God did infuse any wickedness or obstinacy into him but by his just Judgments sent more Plagues upon him which hardened him yet more and which were likely to have that effect upon him considering the ill temper of the Man And it was just by way of punishment that they should And so likewise Joshua 11. 19 20. it is said that the Cities of the Canaanites did not make peace with Joshua because it was of the Lord to harden their hearts that they should come against Israel in Battel that he might destroy them utterly that is for their former iniquities the measure whereof was now full the Providence of God did justly bring them into and leave them under those Circumstances which made them obstinate against all terms of Peace and this proved fatal to them And in the like sense we are to understand several other expressions in Scripture which likewise might seem very harsh As Isaiah 6. 10. Make the heart of this People fat and make their ears heavy and shut their eyes lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their hearts and convert and be healed all which expressions signifie no more but that God for the former provocations and impenitency of that People did leave them to their own hardness and blindness so that they did not desire to understand and make use of the means of their recovery So likewise Rom. 1. 24. God is said to have given up the idolatrous Heathen to uncleanness to vile and unnatural lusts and Ver. 28. to a reprobate and injudicious Mind that is as a punishment of their Idolatry he left them to the power of those temptations which betrayed them to the vilest lusts And to mention but one Text more 2 Thes 2. 11. the Apostle threatens those that rejected the truth that for this cause God would send them strong delusions the efficacy of error that they should believe a lye that they all might be damned who believed not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness that is as a just punishment for their renouncing the truth God gave them over to the power of delusion their error had its full scope at them to tempt them with all its colours and pretences But it is observable that in all these places which I have mention'd God is said to give Men up to the power of temptation as a punishment of some former great Crimes and Provocations And it is not unjust with God thus to deal with Men to leave them to the power of temptation when they had first wilfully forsaken him and in this case God doth not tempt Men to Sin but leaves them to themselves to be tempted by their own hearts lusts and if they yield and are Conquered it is their own fault because they have neglected God's grace whereby they might have been able to have resisted those temptations and have forced his holy Spirit to withdraw himself from them and to leave them open and naked to those assaults of temptation against which they might otherwise have been sufficiently armed Thirdly The last end of temptation which I mentioned is to try Men with a direct purpose and intention to seduce Men to Sin Thus wicked Men tempt others and thus the Devil tempts Men. Thus he tempted our first Parents and seduced them from their Obedience and Allegiance to God Thus he tempted Job by bringing him into those Circumstances which were very likely to have forc'd him into impatience and discontent And thus he tempted our blessed Saviour but found
that our own Age did not afford us too many instances of this kind of such forward and expert Sinners as need no Tempter either to instruct or excite them to that which is evil Now in this Case the Devil betakes himself to other Persons and removes his Snares and Baits where he thinks there is more need and occasion for them So that we may reasonably conclude that there is a great deal of wickedness committed in the World which the Devil hath no immediate hand in tho' he always rejoyceth in it when it is done and that there is a great deal more reason to attribute all good to the Motions and Operations of the Spirit of God than to ascribe all Sin and wickedness in the World to the Devil because the Spirit of God is more powerful and is always every where and is more intent upon his design and as forward to promote it as the Devil can be to carry on his work nay I doubt not but he is more active to excite Men to good than the Devil can be to tempt them to Evil. And yet for all this I think there is no great reason to doubt but that good Men do many good actions of their own inclination without any special and immediate motion from the Spirit of God They are indeed at first regenerate and sanctified by the Holy Ghost and are continually afterwards under the conduct of the same Spirit but where there is a new Nature it is of it self inclinable to that which is good and will bring forth fruits and do actions answerable Much less do I think that the Devil tempts every Man to all the evil that he does or the greatest part When the Lusts of Men and the habits of Vice are grown strong and confirmed the Devil may spare his temptations in a great measure for after wicked Men are wound up to such a pitch of impiety they will go a great while of themselves I have done with the first Observation that as the Apostle acquits God from having any hand in tempting Men to Sin so neither does he ascribe the efficacy and prevalency of temptation to the Devil I proceed to the Second Observation That he ascribes the efficacy and success of temptation to the lusts and vicious inclinations of Men which seduce them to a consent and compliance with the temptations which are offered to them Every Man is tempted when he is drawn aside of his own lust and enticed We have many powerful Enemies but we are much more in danger of treachery from within than of assaults from without All the power of our Enemies could not destroy us if we were but true to our selves so that the Apostle had great reason to ascribe the efficacy of temptation to the irregular desires and vicious inclinations of Men rather than to those temptations which the Providence of God permits them to be assaulted with and consequently to lay the blame of Mens Sins chiefly upon themselves And that chiefly upon these two accounts First Because the Lusts of Men are in a great measure voluntary Secondly God hath put it in our power to resist these temptations and overcome them Now so far as the Lusts of Men are voluntary it is their own fault that they are seduced by them and if God hath put it in our power to resist and overcome temptations we may blame our selves if we be overcome and foiled by them First The Lusts of Men are in a great measure voluntary By the Lusts of Men I mean their irregular desires and vicious inclinations I grant that the Nature of Man is very much corrupted and degenerated from its Primitive Integrity and Perfectionâ— but we who are Christians have received that grace in Baptism whereby our Natures are so far healed as if we be not wanting to our selves and do not neglect the means which God hath appointed to us we may mortifie our Lusts and live a new Life so that if our Lusts remain unmortified we our selves are in fault much more if they gain new strength and proceed to habits for this could not be if we did not after we come to Age and are able to discern between and to chuse good and evil voluntarily consent to Iniquity and by wilful and deliberate Practice of known Sins improve the evil inclinations of our Nature into vicious habits but if instead of mortifying and subduing the evil propensions of our Nature which is no very difficult work to most persons if they begin it betimes we will cherish and give new Life and Power to them we forfeit the grace which we received in Baptism and bring our selves again under the Power and Dominion of Sin and no wonder then if our Lusts seduce us and make us ready to comply with the temptations of the World and the Devil Nay and after this it is still our own fault if we do not mortifie our Lusts for if we would hearken to the Counsel of God and obey his Calls to Repentance and sincerely beg his Grace and Holy Spirit to this purpose we might yet recover our selves and by the Spirit mortify the Lâ—sts of the Flesh for tho' we have left God he hath not quite forsaken us but is ready to afford his Grace again to us tho' we have neglected and abused it and to give his Holy Spirit to those that ask him tho' they have forfeited it so that tho' our Lusts spring from something which is Natural yet that they live and have domâ—â—ion over us is voluntary because we â—ight Remedy it if we would and make use of those Means which God in the Gospel offers to us Secondly God hath put it in our power to resist these temptations and overcome them so that it is our own fault if we yield to them and be overcome by them It is naturally in our power to resist maâ—y sorts of temptations and the grace of God if we do not neglect it and be not wanting to ouâ— selves puts it into our power to resist any temptation that may happen to us First It is naturally in our power to resist many sorts of temptations If we do but make use of our Natural Reason and those Considerations which are common and obvious to Men we may easily resist the temptations to a great many Sins Some Sins are so horrid in their Nature that when we have the strongest temptatioâ—s to them we cannot but have a natural aversion from them as deliberate Murder the danger and guilt whereof are both so great as make it easie for any considerate Man to resist the strongest temptation to it even that of revenge A plain act of injustice whether by great fraud or by down right oppression is so base and disgraceful so odious and abhorred by humane Nature that it is not difficult to a Man that hath but a common understanding and common inclination to be honest to overcome the greatest temptation of gain and advantage nay he must offer