Word of God. St. Peter was called upon to render an Account of his Conduct, in communicating the Privileges of the Gospel to the Gentiles: when he had vindicated himself to their Satisfaction, they thus expreffed themselves: Then hath God alfo to the Gentiles granted Repentance unto Life. Now it is evident, that what God granted to the Gentiles, was the fame that the Gentiles received, and therefore Repentance unto Life was the Word of God, published to the World by our Lord and his Apoftles; and for this Reason, the Writer to the Hebrews reckons Repentance from dead Works, and Faith towards God, to be the first Principles, or main Foundation of the Doctrine of Chrift. Heb. vi. 1.

Before I proceed to lay before you the Confequences, which arife from this State of the Cafe, I beg leave to make an Obfervation or two, in Order to clear the Way for what is to follow: You may observe then, that Repentance was the very first Thing infifted on, wherever the Gospel was published, before any new Law or Doctrine was promulged, or fo much as mentioned. The Proof of this I need not at- · tempt, fince the Paffages already produced

do plainly contain it, and indeed the Nature of the Thing speaks it; for the Repentance taught, could not refpect any new Law to be delivered to the World, against which no Offence having been committed, no Repentance could be required.

Secondly, That the Gospel was ushered in by the Doctrine of Repentance, not only when it was delivered to the Jew, but also when it was proclaimed to the Gentile World. The Jews lived under the Divine Law, delivered by Mofes, and were guilty of many Offences committed against that Law, to which they owed Obedience: but the Gentiles were not under that Law, nor had they been ever called to the Obedience of it; and therefore the Repentance which was taught, as the Introduction of the Gofpel, did not regard any particular Inftitution, but that general Law of Nature, to which every Man owed Obedience, in Virtue of the Reafon and Understanding, with which God had endowed him.

Thirdly, That true Repentance requires Change of Mind, and leads to a Reformation of Manners, and a due Obedience for the future to that Law of Righteoufnefs, against which the Offence was committed:

for

1

for where the Obligation of Obedience to any Law ceases, there can be no Call to Repentance for Difobedience. This Doctrine is fo plain in Scripture, and fo uniformly taught by all the Minifters of our Church, that I would willingly fuppofe no one ignorant of it. The Baptift fufficiently explained himself, exhorting fuch as came to his Baptifm, to bring forth Fruits meet for Repentance: to which general Inftruction his particular Admonitions always correfpond. To the hard-hearted and uncharitable Jews, he said, He that hath two Coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and be that hath Meat, let him do likewife. To the Publicans, whofe Crime was Extortion, he faid, Exact no more than that which is appointed you. To the Soldiers, who were noted for Rapine, false Information, and the like Vices, he faid, Do Violence to no Man, neither accufe any falfely, and be content with your Wages. In like Manner, our bleffed Saviour, when he difmiffed the Woman taken in Adultery, he let her depart with this Advice, Go, and fin no more. did he inftruct also the Man whom he had fet free from the Infirmity, which was the Punishment of his Iniquity; Behold thou

K 3

So

art

art made whole; fin no more, left a worfe Thing come unto thee: teaching neither the one nor the other any new Doctrine with refpect to their particular Cafes, but referring both back to that Law which they had tranfgreffed, as the proper Measure of their future Obedience.

I fhall now proceed to lay before you fuch Confequences as feem to me to be the natural Result of this Method made ufe of by our bleffed Lord and his Apostles, in publishing the Gofpel to Mankind.

And the first is this: That the Religion of the Gofpel is the true original Religion of Reason and Nature. It is fo in Part: it is all that, and more. Repentance was neceffary, but it was not all. Repentance was the first Step towards Chriftian Perfection. See Heb. vi. 1.

This appears by confidering the Nature of that Repentance which our Lord, and those who came after him in the Ministry of the Gofpel, preached to the World: Repentance supposes a Tranfgreffion, and Tranfgreffion fuppofes a Law; for as the Apostle argues, where there is no Law, there is no Tranfgreffion. And fince Repentance confifts in a Change of Mind, in rectifying

what

what was before amifs, and in fulfilling that Obedience which was before wanting; it is evident, that to repent of the Violation of any Law, is to return to the Obedience of it and he that exhorts and calls you to Repentance, calls you back to the Obedience of that Law, against which you` had offended. The Question then is, against what Law thofe Offences were committed, the Repentance for which was fo neceffary, that without it there was no Admittance into the Fellowship of the Gofpel of Christ. The Laws of the Gofpel, confidered as such, are evidently excluded upon the prefent View; for Repentance being the first Thing every where taught, and antecedently to the Publication of any of the Rules and Precepts of the Gospel, the Law not yet publifhed could not be the Rule of that Repentance, which related to Sins already committed. At the Time of the Publication of the Gofpel, there were many Forms and Inftitutions of Religion fubfifting in the World: but as these were very different from one another, infomuch that if fome were true, others were certainly false; fo they could not be the Ground of that Repentance, which being generally taught to K 4

all