know from what Slavery, what more SERM. than Egyptian Bondage, of Sin, we are VII. fet free; which we could not poffibly know any other Way: For as it is true, that we had not known Sin but by the Law, fo is it likewife true, that we had not known the Goodness and Love of God in delivering us from it, but by the Gospel.

There are alfo greater Sanctions of Rewards and Punishments under the Gospel, than there were under the Law; and it more clearly fets forth to us the Duty and the Nature of Repentance. It teaches us alfo the Infufficiency of our best Perform ances, and tells us, that when we have done all we can, we are unprofitable Servants. To do a good Action, and not to put it down. to the Score of Merit, would have been thought a hard thing under the Law; for they knew no other Condition of obtaining Happiness: But the Gospel teaches us better things; for there we are taught that as by one Man Sin entered into the World, and Death by Sin, fo Death paffed upon all Men, for that all have hnned; and therefore our Good-Works, imperfect

as

SERM, as they always are, cannot avail to the ob VII. taining Happiness; but the Gospel fhews us the only way to make them useful and advantageous to us, by fupplying them with the Merits of Jefus Chrift. Not that those, under the Law, were deftitute of the Promife; for they had the fame Promise, in Substance as we; but then they had it not, barely as under the Law, for it was made to Adam, and delivered to Abraham, tho' he was not yet circumcifed; fo that still it fignifies nothing to them, who were the Children of Abraham, according to the Flesh, and fo only Jews by Birth, but only as they were the Seed of Abraham, according to the Promife. Therefore it is of Faith, that it might be of Grace; to the End the Promise might be sure to all the Seed, not to that only which is of the Law, but to that alfo, which is of the Faith of Abraham, who is the Father of us all. Having proved that the Gospel does not make void the Law, but that it con-firms and establishes it, I fhall draw a few Inferences from the whole, and fo conclude.

Since

upon

VII..

Since then the Law is not made SERM void through Faith, it is incumbent us not to act, as if it was. Let the Gospel establish the Law never fo much, yet unless we do fo too by our good Lives, it will be to no Purpose to us; for a wicked Life will make void both Law and Gospel too. And as there is one, who will accufe the Jews, even Mofes in whom they truft, fo there is one, who will accufe us Chriftians, if we think to make our Faith attone for our wicked Lives, even Chrift in whom we thus vainly truft. If the Gospel is fo great a Refinement upon the Law, as we find it to be, let our Lives declare that it is fo; that we may not be reproached both by Jew and Gentile, who will be ready enough to fay, that the Dispensation we are so fond of, is nothing else but a Difpenfation for a wicked Life.

4

'Tis true, Sin fhall no longer have Dominion over us; for we are not under the Law, but under Grace: But what then? fhall we Sin, because we are not under the Law, but under Grace? God forbid. Know ye not, that to whom ye yield your Jelves

U

VII.

SER M. felves Servants to obey, his Servants' ye are to whom ye obey, whether of Sin unto Death, or of Obedience unto Righteouf ness? We were indeed made free from Sin, but it was to this End, that we 'fhould become Servants to Righteousness.

a

We ought to confider the Law and the Gospel thoroughly; and if we do fo we shall find no reason to think, that the keeping of the one will difpenfe with Neglect of the other; nor that the Gospel is opposed to the Law as a Rule of Life; for the Rules are not opposed to one another, tho' the Covenants are. If we confider Faith as a diftinct thing from Morality, we don't confider it, as it is; for Faith is not the fame thing to a 'Chriftian, as it is to a Heathen: To him it is only an Affent of the Mind, but to the other, it is a great deal more; for it is always accompanied with Good Works. Had the Jews understood this, they could not have fuppofed, that St. Paul had set himfelf up in oppofition to Mofes; or that there was any Occafion for him to purify himself, to fhew that he walked orderly, and kept the Law.

"Tis

"Tis easier to believe indeed than it is to SERM. practise; and many People think, that VII. if they have Faith all is well: And fo indeed it is, if they have it; but unless it be attended with Good Works, the Misfortune of it is, that at the fame time they value themselves fo much upon their Faith, like an Argument that proves too much, it ferves only to demonftrate, that they have believed themselves even into a State of Infidelity, for it is not Faith, but Confidence. It is not Faith, as it is described by our Saviour; and therefore it is no Faith at all, in the Gospel-fense of the Word.

Tis certainly a Matter of great Concern to understand the true Design of the Law and of the Gofpel, that we may know the Nature of that Slavery from which we are fet free, and of that Liberty to which we are advanced. And fince the Law and the Gospel agree fo well together, we ought not to contribute any thing to make them difagree. Let us fanctify the Lord God in our Hearts; that if any, envying us the Liberty and Happiness of the