6;t 8 ; Chap.6. c.4 Comment.vie rpm a meritorious maleof(aluation;and therefore congpefl>gs en d circtemcifed:it is Gads worke , they make it their ovine worke, 'yea fuch aworke as by which theyhope to be fatted. And this their de.a1ing,may fitly be paralleled by the Popith prafife at this day,in snaking baptiftne which is but a fägne and fcale Of 5 grace,to be the proper,itnenedíate.andphyfcall caufc of con faring grace,by the worke wrought.Almcs,praicr,and fal ing (which are but figncs and tcflituoxaies ofiuliification) tobe mires thereof. Nay their ovine deuifes,ofeonfeflïon, fatisFaE3i- on,fupererogation,to be meritoriouscattle*of iuflification,& t faluation. Laflly,feeherehowethe peruerfcnelre ofthecorrupt heart ofman,doth thwart the ordinance of God. As long as circum- cifton was commaunded by God, moff abhorred it; for the Apertarzadzus heathen teflflefomuch,that the Iewcs were odious for ít.But t Howebeeit abolifhcd,they take it vp againe; rcceiue it, and urge it as a thingneceffarie tobeobferuedvponpaineofdam- nation.Whereas ifGod fhouldtnioyne it againc, they would (nodoubt)account it as heauieyoke , which neither they nor their fathers were able to heave. Thisimprouing ofthat which 10' God emmands,&approuing that which he tòrbids,argues the great corruption of theheart, and that the wifedomeofthe `flefh is not onelyan enernie , but cues flat etottitieaairfGad, Rotn.3, 7. It muff therefore teach-vs tocaptivatc our reafon, and toCubic&Our wills to the will ofGod in all things. 25 The thirdpropertie ofthefefal(e Apoflles is , the teaching ofcircumcifion,that is, offalfe dothrine;bewife theywotyldtect fisffer perfctetionfar .the cropofChrif, that is,for preaching the true doctrine ofthe Gofpel , concerning Chrifl crucified. It maybe demanded whether it was neccfíàrie that tholewhich 30 taught not circumcifion,but f';pake a ainfl it, fhould be perfe- cuted?To which I anfwer,that it was neccflarie , according as Paul affi'rmeth,Gal. 5.1 r . IfI teach circ. rncroas , lvhy doe?yet /uffrper/ectetion? The reafonwas this. TheRomane Empe» tourhail giucn libertic to the Iewes :toliue according to their 35 ovine lawes,and that Without moleflation or difiurbance,in all places ofthe Romane En?perie, lo that ifa levee became a 1tierooin_ Chrifhan,hehad the priuiledge of a Iewe,fo longashekept ommerain u;,r locust. ceremonial] !awe, and taught no departing from lblofest' whereas they which taught , that ceremonies were abrogated,. 1 asrd, !- __
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