Of tle Kingdom of God. x65 but that cannot be meat and drink for, no S E R M. one can imagine that a man is really a better VI. man for eating, or the worfe for forbearing, `' and that confequently on fuch accounts he is the more or lets acceptable to the Deity. Further, It is not to be imagined that the apoille's defign in this text is confined to meats and drinks, or to the diflinc Lion of days fill held facred by fome chriflians, which he had treated of in the preceding part of the chapter, that is, that it is confined to the ceremonial appointments about thefe things; which, whether the obligation to obferve them fubfifted or not, were remote from the efi'ence of religion. The reafon of the cafe, and other declarations of the gofpel, will dire us to enlarge it and comprehend other ceremonial and pofitive inftitutions un- der meats and drinks, or to make the fame judgment of them, namely, that the king- dom of God doth not confift in them. The apoflle pronounceth the fame concerning circumcifion, that it is nothing, z Cor. vii. ;9. and that it availeth nothing, Gal. v, 6.--vi. 15. that is, it is of no account in chri- flianity, and is not available to our acceptance with God. Circumcifion was the great di- £inguifhing badge of the jewilh profefiion M 3 a Peal
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