566 How are we compleat in Chrift ? Serro. 25- Mac.3.9. ?ohn the Baptift in his time ; our Saviour in his time ; and the-A- Joh.8.39,44 poftles in theirs, do all concurre in taking them off from leaning up- on this broken reed; yet will they not be beaten out of thefe ffrong holds. Time was indeed when falvation was of the Jews ; but that wall of partition being now taken down, and the pale of the Church fo far enlarged, as to take in both Jew and Gentile , A. ro. 34. fit, Nationall priN iledge can now commend uw u.:to God ; nor can a fuc_ c,ífìon of Abraham accordirg to the fl:fh avail us , unlefs we fec- ceed him in his faith. 2. The miiiake of the circumcif;d , whether Jcws or Prof .lytes; who becaufe they had this badge of Religion upon them concluded themfelves in a priority for Heaven before all the world betdes. But however time was when Circumcifion was an Ordinance of that neceffity, that the Lord threatens to punith the neglet`t thereof, f cutting off that foul from among his people : yet was it not the outward but fpirituall part God accounted of. The Apeft a in ex- cluding this,excludes all outward religious Obfervations , as Da-tte- Gen.i7 .t4 nant inloc. Rom, 2.2 9. 3. The mistake of the Grecians, who were at that time the Ma- a cidoe- atliudatea tiers of all learning; and all other Nations in contradiflint4ion ur- Religienert- to them, were filled Barbarians; and of all Barbarians th; Scythi- nre pracipars ans were efteemed the rudeft. But whatever worth and excellency adhiberur,ita- may be in humane accomplifhments, yet all thefe in the bufinefs of gue ad defrg- nandam obfer- falvation are but poor matters. 'ris neither the having nor wanting varionem°rant- of thefe, that can contiderably advantage or çr judice us in that high ion rituum Le- concernment. galim. 4. The common miftake of the world ; who from their rank ICor.1.26'27' and quality in the world , are ready to promife themfelves a more i m.t6.. 34' S a , eafie acceptance with God. But God ú no refpe&ter of perfons : He t looks upon the children of men with another kind of eye , than man is ufed to do. Whether our outward condition be high or mean, there's nothing of priviledge or difadvantage from hence, in refpeet of falvation. And as in the former claufe of the Verfe, the Apoflle (hews the infufficiency of all things betides Chrifl ; fo in this claufe he (hews the tingle fufñciency of Chritî alone. Whatever the Jews pro - mifed themfelves from their flock and lineage ; the Prefelyces from their Circumcifion ; the Grecians from their wifdom and learn- ing ; the great ones of the world from their outward preheminen- cies, all that, yea and much more, is Chril to Believers. Chrit T6
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