each PERSON cdiníily. 307 (r) The not taking any thing into their affeRions and efteetn for Chore ends and purpofes, for which they have received Jefus Chrift. Here the Galatians failed in their conjugal affeftion to Chrift, they preferved not themfelves chafte to him. They had received Chrift fot life, and jollifica- tion and him only ; but being after a while overcome with (a) charms, or bewitched, they took into the fame place with him the righteoufnefs of thé law. How Paul deals with them hereupon is known ; how forely, how pathetically doth he admonifhthem, how feverely reprove them, how clear ly convince them of their madnefs and folly ? This then is the firft chafte affeftion believers bear in their heart to Chrift; having received him for their righteoufnefs and falvatiou before God, for the fountain, fpring, and well -head ofall their fupplies, they will not now receive any other thing . into his room and in his ftead. As to inftance in one particular. We re- ceive him for our (b) acceptance with God 1 All that here can fland in competition with him for our affeRions, muft he our own endeavours for a (c) righteoufnefs to commend us to God. Now this mutt be either before we receive him, or after, for all duties and endeavours of what fort foever for the pleating of God before our receiving of Chrift, you know what was the apoftle's frame, Phil. iii. 8, q, ro. all endeavours, all advantages, all privileges he reje&s with indignation as lofs, with abomination as dung ; and winds up all his aims and defrres in Chrift alone and his righteoufnefs for thofe ends and purpofes. But the works we do after we have received Chrift, are of another confideration. Indeed they are, acceptable to God ; it pleafeth him that we fhould walk in them. But as to that end for which we receive Chrift, ofno other account than the former, Eph. ii. 8, g, to. Even the works we do after believing, thofe which we are created unto in Chrift Jefus, thofe that God hath ordained that believers fhauld walk in them, as to juftification and acceptance with God here called fai- vation, are excluded. It will one day appear that Chrift abhors the jang- liugs of men, about the place of their own works and obedience, in the bufinefs of their acceptation with God. Nor will the faints find any peace in adulterous thoughts of that kind. The chaftity we owe unto him, re- quires another frame. The neceflity, ufefxlnefs, and excellency of Gofpel- obedience !hall be afterward declared. It is marvellous to fee, how hard it is to keep force profeffors to any faithfulnefs with Chrift in this thing. Howmany difputes have been managed (d), how many diftin`tions in- vented, howmany fhifts and evafions ftudied, to keep up fomething in fame place or other, to fame purpofe or other, that they may daily withal. Thofe that love him indeed, are otherwife minded. Herein then of all things, do the faints endeavour to keep their affeRions chafte and loyal to Jefus Chrift. He is made unto them of God righteouf- nefs, and they will own nothing elfe to that purpofe, yea fometimes they know not whether they have any intereft in him or no ; he abfents and withdraws himfelf, they ftill continue folitary in a fate of widowhood, refufing to be comforted, though many things offer themfelves to that pur- pofe, becaufe he is not. When Chrift is at any time abfent from the foul, when it cannot fee that it bath any intereft in him, many loversoffer them- felves to it, many woe its affeRions to get it to refs on this or that thing for relief and fuccour ; but though it go mourning never fo long, it will have nothing but Chrift to lean upon. When ever the foul is in the wil- (a) Gal. iii. t. (b) Cor. i. 50. (c) Rom. s. 4. (d) Perfice hoc precihus, pretio, at hxteam in parté arqua raodon, Qryc. detnefs,
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