394 An Expo[ition of the Epiflle ~ Thefe were the eream of Notions in the Primitive times, both in the Sermons J'ermo1t of the Apofllcs,and in the daily talk and thoughts of the Chriflians. They were XXIX. the great Notions in that Golden Age. Thcfe made them comfortable, heaven. v-"V"'J ly, Spiritual Chriflians, to.ha~e theirconverfation in Heaven, ready to facrifice their lives at an hours war~IQg, becaufe fo the Apoflles preached~ and fo they be. lieved, as he telleth themm that place of the Cormths. . Other Doarines my Brethren, that are the great Doctrines of this Age, (that you may fee what Children we are,) the Apoltle proi'c!Teth that they are but the beginnings, the principles of the knowledge of Chrifl. Do but look into Rd 1• 6. 1, 2, 3, 4· Leaving (faith he,) the pri11ciplu of the 'Doflri11e of Chnfl, let uo go 0111111to perfeC1Jolt, What are the p•·iiJciples of the 'Doflri11es of Chrijl? Saith he, Not laying agai11 thefoundatioiJ of Rept~~tancefrom deadworks, and Faith towards God, mJd of the'Dof1ri1u of B«ptifmes, a11d of lqyi11g 011 of ha11ds, a11d of Reji<rrefJ.ioiJ of the dead, tJIJd of tter11al Judgmmt: T hefe,the laying open of Faith, the works thereof, and of Repentance and Sanctification, the laying open of the Doctrine of Church Government, (which impofition of hands as fame think is put for,) although they are all necelfary and ufeful, and fo likewife to terrific mens Confciences, and preach Hell to them, and Judgment, and Wrath, and the like, thefe faith he, are but the principles of the Doctrine of Chrifl, a,nd he chideth them that they fhould flick at thefe, In the )th, Chap. verfe 1 o, 11. he fpeaks of Chrifl,that he was called of God, a High Priefi,after the Order of Melchifedeck, of whom (faith he,) we have ma11y thil~,gs toJqy, a11d hard to 6e uttered, [tti11gye are dull of heari11g; (he chideth them pre. fently,) while ye are preaching and talking of Faith and Repentance from dead works, and impofition of hands, and the like. But to lay open the great things of Cluifr, his RefurreCl:ion from the dead,and fitting at Gods right hand, (which the Apoflle makes the fum of this Epiflle to the Hebrews, read Chap. 8. ver. r, is the fum of thofe things that he had fpoken, and to be fpoken, the word in the Original bearetb both, that Chrifl is fet down at the right hand of the Maje. fly in the Heavens.) To lay open, I fay the Death and RefurreCl:ion of Chrifr, and his fitting at God's right hand, and all the myfleries thereof; thefe are the great points that the.Apoille would have them go on to the knowledge of, thisis agoing on to perfechon. Now, How contrary is the flrain of Chriflians in this Age ? They on the other . fide account thefe Doctrines, ( becaufe you have them in your Creed, ) the prin· ciples of Chrifl, and of the Doctrine of Chrifl, and therefore they leave them and go to inlifl altogether in their thoughts, and every way upon the other, My Brethren, though thofe other are not to be neglected, yet thefe are the great things of the Gofpel,as our Saviour fpeaks in another cafe. And know thefe will be the current truths of that Age that is to come, and men will rejoyce in them, and the true knowledge and conflant apprehenfion of thefe points will make men to live in Heavenl So much now for the general Obfervation. Only I will add this. The reafon why mens thoughts are no more taken up with thefe common points aboutChrifl, is bccaufe they do not mingle them with Faith : For you mull all acknowledge this for a mofl certain truth, that they are all the greatefr things the Gofpel re· vealeth, now if they be the greatefr things of the Gofpel, if you had Faith an· fwerable, they would make your minds great, they would have a proportionable influence upon your Souls, both to comfort them, and to quickctJ them. But the errorlieth in this, not that thefe are not the great points of Religion,but becaufe you have not Faith to rife up to them, to make ufe of them, thats the truth of it. My Brethren,nre you troubled with the guilt offin?If you could but fee by Faith, Jefus Chrifl riling from the dead, and fitting at God's right hand, and crowned with glory and honour, the guilt of lin would vanilh with the real and ferious thoughts of thefe, more than by all the affurance ofyour own graces. Ooth the power of fin trouble you? That Jefus Chrifl died for fin, for this very fin that I am now committing; you are now a !inning; why, did not Jefus Chrifl rife agam from the dead, in whom I believe to be faved : Have but Faith in it, and
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