SER M. of the Jews who were in those quarters, that IV. is, he did it only to prevent prepoffeffion

against Timothy; yet when profeffed chriftians infifted on the use of that ceremony, in itself indifferent, as neceffary to qualify a man for communion with them, or for being a teacher of christianity, the apostle would not yield to them, fo much as for an hour; because that was an invafion of liberty, an attempt to bring the chriftian church into a fervile condition, as that of the Jews was, and because it tended to corrupt the true gospel scheme of religion, which is of of itself sufficient to all the purposes of mens acceptance with God and their fellowship one with another, and which was intended by its divine author, to be always free from all fuch debafing mixtures and impofitions.

There is another cafe related in the fame chapter, which, I think, remarkable to our prefent purpose, and it is this, whereas the christians at Antioch, confifting of Jews and Gentiles, and the apoftle Peter with them, lived freely together in friendly fellowship, without any distinction on account of the legal ceremonies, particularly meats, clean and unclean, according to the Mofaic inftitution; when certain Jewish christians came who were otherwife minded, Peter fearing

to

IV.

to exafperate or offend them, withdrew, SER M. and separated himself from that fócial communication with the Gentiles which he had before maintained, thus forming an inclofure in the christian church, on the foot of the abrogated ceremonies; for the confequence was, that others, and among them even Barnabas, imitated the example of that eminent apostle, joining in the feparation, fo that here was the beginning of a fchifm among the disciples of Chrift, and alienation of affections, and a causeless breach of communion: On this account the zealous St. Paul, regarding the truth of the gospel more than the perfons of men, withstood the apostle Peter to the face, charging him and his followers with diffimulation, because they acted inconfiftently; First, living freely with the Gentiles, and then forfaking their fellowship, without any juft caufe given on their part; and because they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, that important truth which St. Peter himself had been taught by a vifion from heaven, namely, that God has now taken away the distinction between perfons and meats, clean and unclean; and charging him likewife with an invafion of liberty, compelling by the authority of his example, as being a VOL. IV. perfon

H

SERM. perfon of great eminence in the church, the IV. Gentiles to do that, as of neceffity, and for

the fake of religion and confcience, to which they were under no manner of obligation by the laws of Jefus Chrift, but merely in compliance with the will of men.

Many other declarations of the New Teftament might be mentioned, proving the abolition of the ceremonial law, and that this is an eminent part of the liberty wherewith Chrift has made us free; but it is needless to infift on a point so very clear; the truth is, any one who confidereth attentively the nature of that conftitution, and the form of service prefcribed by it, must be convinced that it was calculated for one nation only, and that of no large extent; and is therefore no way fuitable to the gospel, which, by its obvious defign, and the declared will of its Author, was to be published to all nations; and that the Jewish ceremonies were intended to separate a peculiar people, fettled under a certain political form, from all others; whereas Jefus Chrift died and rofe again, and revived, that he might be Lord of all, and that he might gather together into one religious fociety all the children of God that were fcattered abroad, every where, who truly fear him and work

all

righte

righteoufnefs: We have therefore full rea- SERMA fon to acknowledge with thankful hearts the IV. great goodness of God to us, who hath appointed our lot under the laft and beft difpenfation; Many prophets and righteous men have defired to fee these things which we fee, and bave not feen them, and to hear those things which we hear, and have not heard them; Mat. xiii. The miniftration of Mofes was very glorious, given with awful and magnificent folemnity, and it was a very peculiar favour to the Ifraelites, for God fhewed his word unto Jacob, his ftatutes and his judgments to Ifrael, he did not deal fo with any nation, Pfal. cxlvii. 19, 20. but the apoftle calleth it the miniftration of condemnation and of death; 2 Cor. iii. 7, 9. Now there is granted to us by Jefus Chrift the miniftration of righteousness, of life, and of the fpirit, which exceedeth in glory, in every thing the human mind can efteem glorious, grace and truth, in beautiful fimplicity, in clearnefs and knowledge, in hope and joy; God having abounded towards us in all wisdom and prudence, love and compaffion, and in Jefus Chrift his image, difplayed the moft amiable rectitude and benevolence of his nature. By the chriftian inftitution as fet againft the Mofaic economy, the condition.

in

SERM. of God's fervants is changed from childhood IV. to the state of grown man, from obfcurity to clear light, from fhadows to fubftance, from terror to hope, from bondage to liberty; doth not this juftly demand our gratitude, should not our fouls rejoice in the Lord, and our fpirits magnify God our Saviour, for he that is mighty hath done great things for us, and holy is his name?

may

But the privileges of christianity are granted to us as to rational beings, and that they have their proper effect, there must be on our part a suitable improvement of them. The bleffings of light, and fpiritual confo lation, and liberty, are thrown away upon low, groveling, and fervile minds, which have no tafte for them; as Solomon obferveth that a price is put into the hands of a fool to get wisdom, but he hath no heart to it; and our Saviour reprefenteth it as the unhappy state of many of his hearers, that light was come unto the world, and they loved darkness rather; so the spirit of a bondman, or child, whofe condition is no better, no way correfpondeth to the freedom of fons: That we may therefore truly enjoy the advantages which we are intitled to by the gofpel, and attain to that high dignity and perfection, which the grace of God defigned

us