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and the evil, Matt. 5. 44, 45, 48. and as for the guidance and direction of all religious Worship, we are forbid to give that to any Creature whatsoever, whether Saint or Angel; Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only fhalt thou ferve, Matt. 4. 10.

As for all thofe Sins then, which the Law of Nature did not difcover at all, or but very darkly, to the Heathens of old; they are almost plainly discovered to us Chriftians by the Law of Chrift; we are fhew'd Sin more plainly, and taught it more fully, because we must be reformed from it, more perfectly than ever they were.

2. The Laws of Chrift difcover an Irregularity, and Sinfulness in feveral Actions, which the Jews difcern'd not under the Law of Mofes ; altho' they had a more perfect way to walk by, than the Heathens had, yet even their Obedience fell much short of that pitch which ours must attain to; for in feveral things, as the marrying of many Wives, the putting away their Wives for every caufe, the praying against their Enemies, and retaliating of their Injuries; the Law it felf was indulgent to them, by reafon of the hardness of their hearts. And as for o

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ther things, whofe Sinfulness the Law did really discover to them; they were ftill kept in a general Ignorance of them, thro' the corrupt Gloffes, and perverse Interpretations of their Wife Men. Of these our Saviour has given us feveral Inftances; for as for the main, and most fubftantial Duties of the Law; such as Justice Mercy, and the like; they had made them needlefs, by an Opinion of the fufficiency, either of their Sacrifices, for which the Prophets are often reproving them, or of fome cheap exterior Performances. Woe unto you Scribes and Pharifees, fays our Saviour, for they pay tythe of Mint, Anife and Cummin; but omit the weightier Matters of the Law, as Judgment, Mercy and Faith; whereas thefe things chiefly, ye ought to have done, and not to have left the other undone, Matt.23. 23. They had taken off all Duty to Parents requir'd in the Fifth Commandment, by an unrighteous Vow, or Oath called Corban, of their own devifing. Te Jay, fays our Saviour, in oppofition to what God has faid in the Fifth Commandment; That if a man shall fay to his Father or Mother, it is Corban, i. e. a gift by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by he fhall be free. And ye fuffer him

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no more to do any thing for his Father or Mother, Mark 7.11,12. They had evacuated the Obligation, and cancelled in great part the reverence that is due to Oaths; by their corrupt Cafuiftry about them : Woe to you Scribes and Pharifees, fays Chrift, which fay, whofoever shall fwear by the Temple, it is nothing; or whosoever fhall fwear by the Altar, it is nothing; but whosoever shall fwear by the Gold of theTemple,or the gift upon the Altar, he is bound by his Oath to become a Debtor,Matt.2 3. 16,18.They had undermin'd all Obligations of Confcience to Obedience towards the Roman Governours, because they were Foreigners and Heathens, and by a proud conceit of their own Freedom and Privileges, as they were Abraham's Children. For upon this account, it was they came to Christ, with that captious Queftion, Mafter, what thinkest thou, is it lawful to give tribute unto Cæfar or not ? hoping by his Anfwer to have matter to accuse him, either of Difloyalty to Cafar if he denied, or of betraying the Freedoms, and Privileges of the Jewish Nation if he affirm'd it, Matt. 23. 15,16,17.

Thus defective was the Sense of Duty, which even the Jews themselves were generally guided by under Mofes's

Law.

Law. But when Chrift came he fupply'd all these Defects, and made up every thing which before was wanting. I am not come to deftroy the Law, or the Prophets, faith he, but λngoai to fill up, or to fulfill them, Matt.5.17. He fet down all those things which Mofes had omitted, and restored all those Laws to their true meaning, which the Pharifees had corrupted: he drew up a moft compleat Body of all manner of Virtues,fuch as neither the Gentile, nor the Jewish world had ever feen before; and these he enjoyns for the indifpenfible Duties of his Kingdom. For except your righteoufnefs fhall exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharifees, faith he, you shall in no cafe enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, Matt. 5. 20.

As for the Laws and Precepts of the Gospel then, 'tis plain, that the Salvation which they are fo rarely fitted to effect in us, is the Reformation of our Lives, and a Deliverance from our Sins. Their end is plainly to oblige us to the highest Virtue, and the moft exalted Piety, to make us better men, and more perfect Livers, than ever the world had feen before They require the most compleat Amendment and Reformation

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of our Lives, and therefore are a moft powerful means in effecting our Salvation. I come now,

Secondly, To confider the Promifes of the Gospel, and the Deliverance which they aim at, is the very fame Reformation of our Lives, which is defign'd by all thofe Precepts, which they are annexed to. They are made to us for no other end; but to quicken our Obedience, and encourage it: They are used as means to excite our Endeavours, and make us diligent in the purfuit of that Reformation and Amendment, which are the very thing that they are made to. For all the Promises of Pardon and Happiness in the Gospel run upon condition of our repentance. Except ye repent, fays our Saviour, you fhall all perish, Luk. 13. 3. and when he fends out his Apoftles to proclaim remiffion of Sins, and other benefits purchased by his Death to all the world, he makes this the terms whereon they are to be tendred; Preach repentance and remiffion of fins, fays he, in my name to all Nations, beginning at Jerufalem, Luk. 24. 47. Chrift never died to procure men a Liberty to fin, and to purchase Benefits and Rewards for evil

doers;