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SER Mmanded them to go rather to thofe, and not III. into the Way of the Gentiles, nor into any

City of the Samaritans to enter. (b),---and himself exercised his Ministry, except in one or two Inftances, among his Brethren according to the Flesh,-----neither discovered plainly, that it was his Intention to put an End to the Mofaical Dispensation; it is nothing strange, that his Apostles fhould confine their Preaching to their own Nation, and not be cured of their Prejudices in its Favour, but by immediate Revelation.

THIS was made known at first to St. Peter in the Vifion of the great Sheet (c), full of all Sorts of animal Food, both clean and unclean, according to the Law, with an Order from Heaven to kill and make Ufe of it. And though the Explication instantly followed in his being invited by Cornelius, a devout Heathen, to come to his Houfe, and commanded by God to accompany his Messengers; yet it was fome Time e'er the Difciples at large were convinced, that the Gentile Converts were not bound to obferve the Law of Mofes, and longer, before it was generally believed, that the Jewish were released

(6) St. Matth. x. 5, 6, 7

(c) A&s x.

released from it,---that the Yoke, which nei- SERM. ther they, nor their Fathers were able to III. bear (d), was broken from off their Necks, and that the Law, being fulfilled, was abrogated in Chrift.

IT was on this Subject, that the first Controversy arose in the Christian Church; which was decided only by the immediate Revelation of the Holy Ghost. But one Grievance removed, another foon started up, and from this Good no fmall Evil enfued: For many, either through a mistaken or a carnal Mind, not making a Difference between the Law of Righteoufnefs and the Law of Ordinances,---between Moral Rules and Political Statutes, fince they were forbid to retain the Whole of their old Religion, were disposed to reject it altogether. Hence there fprung up among the Believers as great a Mischief as the former, and Licentioufnefs fucceeded in the Room of Superstition.

Against both thefe Errors, viz. That the Ceremonial Law remained in full Force, as afferted by fome, and that the Moral Law was become repealed, as pleaded by others, our Apostle made a noble Stand. The one he reftrained by giving repeated Directions to all

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(d) A&ts xv. 10.

SERM. all the Disciples, now fet free from Ritual III. Obfervances, not to use their Christian Li

berty for an Occafion to the Flesh (d), or as a Cloak of Malicioufness (e), the other, he wrote fome Epiftles, exprefsly to fet afide, and even reproved St. Peter for countenancing it by his Practice. The Substance of this Debate he here gives the Gallatians; and as well to recover thofe, who had been carried away with the Diffimulation of fome falfe Brethren, as to confirm thofe, who continued in the Truth of the Gospel, he explains and establishes the great Doctrine of Juftification by Faith, which yet has never been free from Oppofition in fome Shape or other, there having been always misbelieving or ill-living, if not Judaizing, Chriftians. And however clearly ftated and strongly fettled, our Apoftle left it; ftill the Unlearned and Unstable have often wrested his written Sentiments on the Point, as they have done alfo the other Scriptures to their own Destruction (f). For fome, from St. Paul's laying it down as a firft Principle, that Man is not justified by the Works of the Law, but by the Faith of Jefus Chrift, have drawn an unauthorized Conclufion, as if a naked

(d) Galat. v. 13.
(f) 2 St. Pet. iii. 16.

(e) 1 St. Pet. ii. 16.

naked folitary Belief, or a bare Affent to the SERM. Truths of Christianity was fufficient to re- III. commend them to the Divine Mercy in Christ.

BUT that these Men are, and will one Day find themselves to be, wretchedly deceived, may poffibly appear from the prefent Difcourfe.

WHEREIN fhall be confidered---What both Faith and Juftification mean,---bow the One is produced by the Other, ---and what those Works are, which are contrary to a justifying Faith, as well as what are included in, and are perfective of it.

Now Faith is a Term, which, as it frequently occurs in Holy Scripture, has there various Significations given unto it. This it has been common, because it is obvious to obferve; though few have understood the Word in all its Variety of Senfes, and fome have unluckily applied every Meaning to it, but the highest and most important.----Let us fee then, if we can acquit ourfelves better.

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SERM.

III.

IN feveral Places of facred Writ Faith ftands for Fidelity or Faithfulness: Thus the Question of St. Paul to the Romans (g) What if fome did not believe, fhall their Unbelief make the Faith of God without Effect? Must be interpreted after the following Manner; Shall their Infidelity make void the Faithfulness of God, fo as that he fhall not perform his Promifes to Abraham and his Pofterity! And fo likewife should it be understood in that threatning Expreflion of our Saviour to the leading Men among the Jews (b), Wo unto you, Scribes and Pharifees, ye have omitted the weightier Matters of the Law, Fudgement, Mercy, and Faith, i. e. Faithfulness in Contracts and Promifes, and in civil Intercourfes between Man and Man.----In other Places, Faith fignifies the external Profeffion of the Chriftian Religion; as when St. Paul exhorts the Corinthians (i) to ftand faft in the Faith, or to perfevere in an open Adherence to that Gofpel, which they had embraced.---It likewife fignifies, in those Paffages particularly where Chrift bids the in God (k), and St.

(g) Rom. iii. 3.
(i) 1 Cor. xvi. 13.

Apostles have Faith Peter tells the Jews, the

(b) St. Matth. xxiii. 23.
(A) St. Mark xi. 22.

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