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remonial Law, but likewife to explain and SER M. give new enforcement to the moral, to free XVIII, it from those falfe gloffes by which it had been darkened, and reftore it to its primi-, tive purity and obligation.

But more clearly will this matter ftill. appear, from thofe pofitive Commands which are laid down in the Gospel as rules of our obedience, and which, having no foundation in the nature of the things themselves, do derive their whole obligation from the fovereign appointment and. pleasure of Almighty God. These indeed are not fo numerous with us, as they were of old under the Mofaick difpenfation. Yet: fuch is the facrament of our initiation, by. being baptized with water in the name of. the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoft. Such likewife is the commemora tion of Chrift's facrifice in the Eucharift, which we are enjoined to celebrate till Christ's coming again. And fuch in short

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is the inftitution of the Chriftian Priesthood, with all the fpiritual powers. thereunto annexed.

It is not very material to my purpose here to enquire into the reafon of fuch, pofitive injunctions, whether they be only defigned to fet forth God's abfolute fovereignty and dominion, or the better to secure our obfervance of thofe duties which are of neceffary and eternal obligation, or Ee 3 laftly

SERM. laftly to preferve a due diftance between us XVIII. and the Creator, and prevent our too hear approaches to his Majefty. This, 1 fay, is not very material, it being enough to my purpose in this place to fhew, that the Gospel does certainly (be the reason what it will) require our obedience to fome pofitive Injunctions, and muft by confequence. have the nature of a Law. I proceed next to the

(2.) Second thing to be made out, viz. that the Gospel, or the Chriftian Rule of Faith and Manners, is proposed to us by a Lawgiver of authority fufficient to oblige, God is by right of creation univerfal Lord and King; as fuch, he may prefcribe whatever Laws he pleafes, as well pofitive as moral; fo that no one may difpute the obligation of that Rule, which derives its authority from him: I have only this to add, that our Lord and Saviour Jefus Christ, the great Author of our Religion, is, as Mediator between God and Man, invefted with a Regal power over his church, and confequently muft needs have right and authority to enact what laws he fees fit for its good order and government, and require our obedience to them. To this purpose he declares himself, that all power is given unto him in heaven and in earth* that the Father bath committed all judgment * Matt. xxviii. 18.

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unto the Son, and bath given him authority toS ERM. execute judgment allo, because he is the Son XVIII. of Man*. To the fame purpose speak many other paffages of fcripture; that of St. Peter, that God hath exalted him with bis right-hand to be a Prince and a Saviour +; of St. Paul, that God hath highly exalted bim, and given him a name which is above every name; and of the Angel juft before his conception, He fhall be great, and fhall be called the Son of the Higheft, and the Lord God fhall give unto him the throne of his father David, and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there fhall be no end §. In like manner it is faid of him in the Book of Pfalms; I have fet my King upon my boly bill of Sion ||. And to the fame purpofe the Author to the Hebrews has applied another paffage of the Pfalmift, Unto the Son he faith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever, a fceptre of righteoufnefs is the fceptre of thy kingdom ¶.

From all this we may unanfwerably argue for Chrift's authority and power to rule over his church, and by confequence, for the force and obligation of all thofe Rules which he prefcribes, or which are prefcribed by thofe he has appointed to act here in his name, as the measures of our fub

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SERMO miffion, and obedience to him.

But thefe

XVIII. paffages (it will be faid perhaps) are no way applicable to the prefent fate of the church, for that Chrift himself appeared here but as a private perfon, and exprefsly declared, that his kingdom is not of this world. As if there were no medium between having a kingdom that confifts in outward pomp and grandeur, and fecular authority (which is all that is there meant by being of this world) and the having no kingdom at all conftituted in the church militant! Muft he needs either be a temporal Prince, or elfe lay afide all claim to authority? Sure ly there is a ready way to avoid both these extremes, by fuppofing him to exercife a Spiritual government and jurifdiction.

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Now in all regular governments, it is requifite fome certain, fixed, and stated laws fhould be promulged, which being the publick declared Will of the Sovereign, fhould be made the measure of the fubject's obedience. Such a law therefore is the Gofpel to us. For 'tis there we have the mind and will of God revealed to us by Chrift, and thofe Injunctions in particular which concern the Conftitution of the Chriftian Church. 'Tis That there. fore must at prefent be the Rule both of our faith and practice; and 'tis by That we fhall be condemned or acquitted at the last day. Which leads me on in order to fhew,

(3.) Thirdly,

(3.) Thirdly, That the Gofpel is efta- SER M. blished and enforced by fuch fanctions as XVIII. are requifite to Laws. And here, though I might very pertinently mention thofe fpiritual punishments and cenfures which the great Author of our Religion has commiffioned his fubftitutes to inflict in the present militant condition of the church; yet fince to explain and vindicate that commiffion against the cavils and exceptions of unreafonable men, would be a matter of fome length, and perhaps lead me too far from the fubject of the Text, and especially fince thefe punishments duly inflicted here, are proper preludes of what fhall be hereafter, I am content to draw my argument at prefent from that future everlafting punishment, which the Gospel threatens to finners after death, in terms lefs liable to exception.

The Paffages where this is threatened are fo very obvious and frequent, that they need not be repeated. Now punishment juftly inflicted manifeftly fuppofes guilt, and it is the true formal notion of guilt that it is an obligation to punishment. From whence we very juftly argue, that the Gospel has the nature of a Law. For fin is not imputed, when there is no law, fays St. Paul And whofoever committeth fin (fays St. John) tranfgreffeth alfo the law +:

*Rom. v. 13. † 1 John iii. 4.

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