904 Mtl{l we Preac/, on aText ! Is Mofes Law abrogated and not to be ~ad in (hnrcbes ? Q£e!l:. 154. Mrifl all otlr preaching be upo11 a Text of Scriptllre ~ Afi: !. &: ;. Anfw. I· IN ma.ny c.fes it may be lawful to preach without a Text ; to mike Sacred Orati011s like Grtf!.· Nasr,ianz:,wul and Homilies like MacariM's, Ephrem Syrm's and many other antients, and like our own Church·Homilies. · Luke 4. 1i. 2. But ordinarily it is the fittcfi way to preach upon a Text of ScripfUrc. r. Becaufe it is our very Office to Teach the people the Scripture: The Prophets brought a new word or meffage from ~bl•.:.. 7 . ~ad ; but the PricflJ did buc keep, interpret, and teach the law already received : And we are not fuccrffors , of the infpircd PropbetJ, but as the Priells were, Teache11 ofGodJ received Word. And this praCtice will help the people to undcrfiand our Office. 2· And it will prcfcfVC the due ellcem and reverence of the Holy Scriptures, which the contrary practice may dimini!h. ,Quell:. 15 5· Is not t!Je La~v ofMofes abrogated, and the "'bole Old Teftammt out of date, and tiJerefore not to be !J(rad publick ly and preacbed o1d An[w. I. THe Covenant of lnnoc:enc;:y is c;:_eafed , ttffaHtt [Hhditorum capacitate, :as a Covt'" nalu or promife. And fo ate the fofitivc Laws proper to A dam, in that itnr, and to mtny particulu p'erfons fince. . 2. The Covenant mixt ofGrace and Works p·roper to the Jews, with all the ]ewifh Law., fuch was nc:ver made to m, or to the refi of the world ; and to the Jews it is 'eafed by [he comingan'J perfeCter Laws and Covenant of Chrifl. 3• The Prophecies and Types ofChrill, and the Promifes made to Adam, Abraham and others ef his Coming in the flcfh, are all fulfilled , and therefore not ufeful to all the ends ol their lir!t making : And the many Proph<cios of particular things and perfons pall and gone are ac– comp!Jfhed. 4· But the La"' of Nature is fiill Chrifis Law: And that Law is much expounded to us in !he Old Tefiament : And if God once, for anotbtr ufi , did fay , "[b;, it tbt Law of N.,ure, the truth of thcfc words as a Divine DoUrine and Expofirion of the Law of Nature is fiill the fame. 5· The Covenant of Grace made with Adam, and Noab for all mankind, is Hill in force as to the great btntjiiJ and mai11 condition, that is, as to pardon given by ;, to lrue ptnilent btlitverJ, with a right 10 tvtrlajfing lift , and as to r:he obligation to finccre obedience for falvation : :. Tim. 3· 1 ~· though not as to the yet fnturt ceming of Chrifl in the fleCh. And this Law of Grace was never l{om. ''· 4.& yet repealed any further than Chrifls coming did fulfill it and perfeCt it: Therefore to the reil of ~ 2 6:. the world who never can have the Gofpel or perfcd:er Tdlarncnt as Chrifiians have, the f<;rmer Law of Grace is yet in force : And that is the Law, con)oyned with the Law of Nature, which 1\titth. tz. 19 . now the world R1itbt~ut the Church is under: Under I fay, as to the force of the Law, and a for– Luke 24. 1.7, mer promulgation made to Adam and Noah, and forne common intimations of it in merciful for- )2,_45· bearances, pardons and benefits; though how many arc under it as to the knowledge, recep[i· ~~~ {;.3;~u. on, belief and obedience of it , and confequently are fave~ by it, is more than I or any man & tS.t 4 , 2 s. knowt:th. )oha ,o. 9· 6. There are many Prophecies of ChrHl and the Chrillian Church in the Old Tdlament yet to be J- ho 7·J8,•'· fulhlltd ; and therefore are fiill Gods Word for tJS. ~810&,3S'.&I_;. 7· lhereare many Precepts of Godtothe]ews and to particu1ar perlOns, given them on Rea- . 19 ' ~~. fons common to themwith us; where parity of Reafon will help thence to gather our own du... Lu~e- 4.18.~1. ty now. 2 Tom.J- t6. 3, Thrre are many ~oly exprdlions (as in the !'[alms) which arc fitted to perfom in our condi- :z. P(t, '· ' 9 : t:on, :md came from the Spirit of God; and therefore as fuch are fit for us now. Afrs S. 32 , ;~: 9· En:n the fullitled Promifes, Types andProphecies, atdli11 Gods Word, that is, his Word given Ji. to dttir fevcnl proper ufes: And though much of their Vfi be changed or ceafed, fo is not all: Rom. t, 2. They are yet ufeful to us, to confirm our faith, while we fee their accompliChmenr , and fee how much G0d flill led his Church 10 Happinefs in one and the f.1me way. · 10. On all rh~fe accounts 1hcrctOre we may flill Read the: Old Teflamenr, and preach upon it in the publick Churches. Qlefi.
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