SERMONS upon Serm.3. determine what Articles are ablolutely neceffary to Salvation; it will be hard to de- fine, and we know not by what ru to proceed. In the general, it is exceeding dan- gerous to leffen the Mifery of Mans Nature, the Merit and Satisfa &ion of Chrift, or the care of good Works ; thefe are contrary to that Do &rine which the Spirit teach - eth and urgeth in the Church. John 16. 8. When he is come, he will convince the Weild of Sin, of Righteoufnefi, and of judgment. All that can be certain is, that thofe Opini- ons which are irreconcilable with the Covenant of Grace, or do overturn the Pillar upon which it ftandeth, are irreconcilable with Salvation. 7Jfe t. To confute them that fay, that every Man {hall be Caved in his own Rel'ìgià on, if he be devout therein, Turks, Jews, Heathens ; and among Chriltians, Tapifls, Socinians, &c. You fee this is Life Eternal; this and nothing elfe; no Religion, but that which teacheth rightly to believe in Chrift, is a way of Salvation. There is no Salvation. but by Chrift. 1 Cor. 3. 1 t. For other Foundation can no Man lay, than that is laid, which is Jefas Chrifi. Ads 4. ra. Neither is there Salvation in any other; for there is no other Name underBeaven given: among Men, whereby we muff be faced. There is no Salvation by Chrift, but by Faith and Knowledg : they cannot have benefit by him (as fomefay) if they live only according to the Law and Light of Nature; Heb. 1 r.'6. Without Faith it is impoffible to pleafe God : And here it is Paid, This is Life Eternal, to know thee the only true God, and yefru Chr f whom thou haft _lint. The Hea- thens had many Moral Vertues ; but unlefi God did reveal hirnfelf to them by extra- ordinary ways, which we cannot judg of, all their priviledg was ut mitibs ardeant, their Works being but fßlendida peceata. If any now may be faved without Chrift, Chrift is dead in vain, and we may want the whole Gofpel, and yet be fafe 5 the Phi - lofophy of .Arifotle and Seneca, would be the Way and Power of God unto Salvation, as well as the Gofpel. We muff have a care, left, by going about to make them Chri- ftiant, we make our felves Heathens. Vfe a. Let us biers God for the Gofpel, that revealeth God and Chrift. Many Na- tions are fpilt on the World without any Knowledg of God and Chrift, and are as Sheep, whom no Man taketh up; bleffed be God for (Mr Privileges. When we look to the Hole of the Pit from whence we were digged, we (hall find our felves as barba- rous as others. Portento diabolica pent .lEgyptiaca Nomina vincentia, faith Gildas of our Idols. God threatneth Ifrael, Hof. 2.3. I will firip her naked, and fit her as in the day that fhe was born. If we fhould defpife the Gofpel, abufe the Meffengers of it, God will return us to our old Barbarifm ; and we that were fo fhy of letting in Popery, fhould tither in AtheiCm. When the Profeffors of the Gofpel were banifhed Cambridg, and Teter Martyr heard the Sacring Bell, he laid, There is the Gapers Pang -Bell; It would be fad, if we fhould hear fuch a found. The Miniftry (I may fpeak it without arogancy) are the only vifible Party that uphold the Life of Religion in the Land : the Lord knows what may be the fad Fruits of their Suppreffton, if either thefe Lights fhould be extinguifhed by Violence, or be {carved for want of Oil : Methinks our Meffage fhould make our Feet beautiful. We preach God and Chrift : If we be a little earneft for the Faith of the Saints, remember it is for the good of your Souls ; it can- not be Zeal for our Interefts, for this is the way to endanger them: bear with us, it is in a Cafe of Salvation or Damnation : If we be befdes our felves, it is for Chriff, 2 Cor. 5. 13. If we feemto hazard all, many Nations to whom God bath denied the Mercy, would welcome it with all Thanksgiving ; when God hath opened -a Door of Hope to the Indians, it may be it will be more precious. efe 3. Study God in Jefus Chrift. This is the moft glorious Subje& of Contem- plation; there we may find him infinitely juft, and yet merciful ; pardoning Sinners, yet falving the Authority of this Law; there we may fee God and Man in one Perlon, and the Beams of Divine Majefty allayed by the Vail of Humane Nature : in the God- head of Chrift, we may fee his Power; in his Humane Nature, his Love and Conde - fcenfion. He is our Lord, and yet our Brother; a Man, and yet God's Fellow and Equal. Zech. s 3.7. ...Awake, O Sword, againft my Shepherd, and again{{ the Man that is my Fellow, faith the Lord of Hofs. He would have a Mother on Earth, that we might have a Father in Heaven; our Relation and Alliance to Heaven, groweth by him. In Chrift only can we look upon God as a Father ; Deum abfolatum debent mines fagere, qui non volant perire, otherwife we (hall perifh, and be overwhelmed with defpair.
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