A Sermon on Gal. 3· to. ~2:7 Wherein we have thefe Two Pans: Fir[I , .ATbtjiror Pojition : iJ.rmany ar areoftbeWorkr of tbe Low areunda tbe Curfe. · Secondly, A Proof of this Pofirion by an Irrefragable.Tcllimony of Scripture :. Fo~ it is written, Cuifed is every one that con11nut1h not tn all Thrngs that are wruun in tbe Book of tbe Law to do tbe.m. . . The Words are plain and obvwu•; only I !hall bncf!y enqu~re, fi>jl, Wbat the Apol!le means by tbefe who are of tbe Works of t!Jf Law. An~ Secondly, What it is to be llautftd. . To the tormer I anfwer, To be of rhe Works of tbe Law figmfies no other tlian to expeEl Jufiificarion and Eternal Happinefs by Legal Works, to depend wholly ori our Obedience unto and ObH:rvation of, the Law, to render us acceptable to God, and worthy of Erer~al Life. Thofe who rhus rely on a Legal Righreoufnefs are faid to be of the Work; of tbe Law, (as Perfons are fa id ro be of fuch or fuch a ~arty,) he· caufe they friffiy defended the Caufe of the Law, and frood for Ju!ltficatton by the Obfervance of it, in Oppofition to the Grace of rhe Gof~el, and the Way of obtaining Juftificarion and Eternal Life by believing. But, faith the Apoille, as many as are of rh is Parry and FaElion are accurfed, even by the Sentence of that Law wluch they hope will juftifie them. For it is written in the Lavl, Curfed i.r every one tbat contimeetb not m ali Things, &c. Now, Secondly, To be accurfl:d, or to be under the Curfe, is no orher than to be liable unto or aaually under; that Wrath and Punifhmem which the Law threatens fhall be i~ftiaed on the Tranfgre1fors as a SatisfaCtion to Divine Juftice for their Oltences; fo that the True and Proper Notion of a Curfe is this) that ir is the Denunciation, or Execution, of the PunHhmentcontain'd in the Law, in order to the SatisfaEHon of Divine Jullicy for tranfgrelling the Precepts of it. Some therefore are only under the Curfe denounc'd, and to are all Wicked Men whofe Srare is profperous in this Life 1 though they flourifh in Wealth and Honour, and float in Eatc and Pleafure, yet are they liable ro all that Woe and Wrath with which the Threarnings of the Law !land charged againft them. Some are under the Curfe already executed, and fo are all Wicked Men, on whom God begins to take Vengeance, and exaa Satisfa8:ion in the Mifcries and Punifbmems which he infl.ias on them in this Life. He fometimes puts: the Cup of Fury and Trembling into their Hands while they are on Earth, and gives them forne Foretaftes of that Bitter Draught, the Dregs of which they muft for ever drink of in Hell, and there they are accurfed compleatly and eternally. For the Curfe of the Law contains in it alithe Direfullngredients of God's Wrath, whatfoever we can fufFer either in this World, or in the World w come, all Plagues, Woes and Miferies, be~ng comprehended in that Death threatned in theCovenant ofWorks, in the Day that thou eauft thereof thou fha!t fl~relj die, Gen. 2. 17. ~ris true many Godly Men fuffer Sore AfRiElions in this Life, Pains, Difeafes, Lo!fes, Per! fecmions) fromMen, and Chaftifements from God; yet thefe are not Curies w them, becaufe not infliCted for the SarisfaElion of Divine Ju!lice, but for the Exercife of their Graces, and the Manifeftarion of his Ho! inefs, (as I !hall hereafter !hew you ~ore at large:) But whartoever Evil any Wicked Man fuffers, it is from the it,Wgnity of the Curfe, which will at laft pou r all its Venom into their Cup id And rhus you have feen what it is to be of tbe Works of the Law, and what it is '< to.be of rhe Curfe of the Law. ·suffer me only ro Paraphrafe the Words, and I !hall add no more for Explication. 1t i~ impollible, faith the Apo!lle, that any fhould be now ju!lified by the Obfervation of the Law; for as many as rely upon their Works only to juftifie them, and endeavour to uphold the Faaion of a Legal Righteoufnefs, again!l the Grace of the Gofpel, and the Way of Jollification by Faith, they arc. under a Curfe, and ftand liable eo all the Punifh111ems which the Law threatens : For even in the Law it is f!Jriuor, Cu1:ftd is evtry one tbat continuctb not in all Things that art written iit the Book of tbe Law to do rbmz 1 which becaufe no meer Man bath done, therefore all lye under the Doom of this Curfe, and thof~ who expea Ju!lification by no other Way ·mu{\ for ever lye under the Executton of 11. And this I take to be the ClearScope of .the Apofile's Argument. · No~ whereas he faith, It is written, he certainly refers us to Deut. 27. 26. Curfed rs be that confirmeth not all tbe Words of tbis Lau to do than. In rh~ Otiginal ' Ggg 2 i;
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