XIII. But if this Law came by Mofes, Grace and S ER M. Truth came by Jefus Chrift. The full and clear Manifeftations of God's Grace, which John 1. 17. is not limited to the Jews, but extended to all Mankind; the Affiftances of his holy Spirit not known to them, and the exprefs Promifes of Pardon and eternal Life to fincere Repentance and Obedience, which are here meant by the Word Grace, and the excellent Knowledge of divine Truths ftript of obfcure Types and Figures, and the true Subftance of Virtue and moral Goodness cleared from carnal ceremonious Ordinances, these were Benefits brought into the World by the Religion of Christ only. As therefore Chriftians are happy beyond all other People in the World, in having this most excellent Law to form them to true Virtue, and these glorious Hopes to encourage them to the Practice of it, fo their Wickednefs will be more inexcufable and punishable than that of Jews and Pagans at the Day of Judgment. How shall we escape, fays the Author to the Hebrews, if we neglect fo great Salvation, ch. 2. v. 3. And this is the plain Senfe of our Saviour's Pofition in the 12th of Luke 48. For to whomfoever much is given, of him shall much be 21. XIII. SBR M. be required. That Paffage of St. Peter is very strong to this Purpose, when speak2 Pet. 2. 20, ing of fome who having escaped the Pollutions of the World thorough the Knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift, were again entangled therein and overcome, he says, that the latter End is worfe with them than the Beginning, for it had been better for them not to have known the Way of Righteousness, than to turn afide from the holy Commandment delivered unto them. I should proceed in the third and last Place, to fhew what Improvement should be made of the Doctrine before laid down, in the Life and Practice of every Christian. But this I must reserve for another Difcourse. SERMON SERMON XIV. HEBR. 9. 27. and Part of the 28th And as it is appointed unto Men So Chrift was once offered to bear the Sins of many. N my former Difcourfe on thefe ift, To prove the Certainty of a fu ture Judgment. SERM SERM. XIV. Rom.2. 14. 2dly, To fhew you what is the true and only Way of preparing for the fame. The Certainty of a future Judgment I proved from the holy Scriptures, and from the Neceffity of the Thing, arifing from the Nature of God's Government of the World, which could not otherwife be reconciled to the Rules of Wisdom and Equity. The only Way of preparing for the future Judgment, I fhewed you, was by leading holy and virtuous Lives; and that as the Law which all Men are refpectively put under is the Rule of Life to them in this World, the fame will be the Rule by which they fhall be tried and judged in the next. The Heathens fhall be judged by the Law of Nature, which is written in their Hearts. The Jews fhall be judged by the Law of Mofes, according to that Paffage of St. Paul to the Romans, ch. 1. v. 12. As many as bave finned in the Law, fhall be judged by the Law. And for the fame Reafons Christians are to be judged by the Gospel. *This may perhaps be hinted at in that Vision of the last Judgment in the 20th of Rev. 12. And I faw the Dead Jmall and great stand before XIV. before God, and the Books were opened, and SER M. another Book was opened, which is the Book of Life, and the Dead were judged out of thofe Things which were written in the Books according to their Works. The whole Paffage is figurative, alluding to the Formalities used in Courts of Judicature, and the Books that were opened, may import the respective Laws that Men lived under in this World; and the Book of Life may perhaps denote the Gofpel which is the Law to all Chriftians, and is not improperly called by Way of Eminency the Book of Life, becaufe Life and Immortality are there brought to Light. Or else it may denote a Record of those who had lived good Lives; but be this as it will, as Virtue and Vice have a neceffary Reference to that Law which is the Rule of Men's Actions, they cannot poffibly be tried and judged by any other Rule. I come now to the Improvement that may be made of the foregoing Difcourfe in point of Practice. And it of all, it may fhew Men the great Folly and Danger of hoping to be acquitted and juftified at the Day of Judg |