germ. XXXII. The Sin andDanger, &c. 229 but upon due confederation, he repeats it again in the next Verfe, As we faid bey fore, faffay Inow again, If any man preach any other Gofpel unto you, than that ye have received, let him be accurfed: From the Words thus explained by the Confideration of the Context, and of the main fcope and defign of this Epiftle, thefe following Obfervationsdo natu- rally arife. Firfl, Thatthe addition of any thing:to the Chriftian. Religion, as neceffary to be believed and praftifed in order to Salvation, is a perverting the Gofpel of Chrß, and preaching another Gofpel. Secondly, That no Pretence of Infallibility is fufficient to authorife and warrant the addition of any thing to the Chriftian Doftrine, as neceffary to be believed and praftifed in order to Salvation. Thirdly, That Chriftians may judge and difcernwhen fuck Additions are made. Fourthly, And confequently, That fince the Declaration of the Gofpel, and the Confirmation of it, there is no Authority in the Chriftian Church to impofe upon Chriftians any thing as of neceffity to Salvation , which the Gofpel hath not made fo. Fifthly, That there is no vifible Judge (how infallible foever he may pretend to be) to whofe Definitions and Declarations in Matters of Faith and Praftice, ne- teeffary to Salvation, we are bound to fubmit, without Examination, whether thefe things be agreeable to the Gofpel of Chrift, or not. Sixthly, and Lafily, Whofoever teachethany thing as of neceffity to Salvation, to be believed or praftifed, betides what the Gofpél of Chrift hath made neceffary, doth fallunder the Anathema here in the Text, becaufe in fo dóing; he perverteth the Gofpel of Chr, and preacheth another Gofpel. Now the Apoftle exprefly declares, that tho' we (that is, he himfelf, or any ofthe Apoftles) or an Angel from Heaven, preach anyother Gofpel untoyou, than what we have preached unto you, let him be accurfed t As wefaidbefore, fo fayI now again, If any Man preach any other Gofpel untoyou, than that ye have received, let him be accurfed. I. That the Addition ofany thing to the Chriftian Religion, as neceffary to be believed or praftifed, in order to Salvation, is a perverting the Gofpel of Chrift, and preaching another Gofpel. This is evident from the Inftances here given in this Epiftle; for the Apoftle thargeth the falfe Apoftles, with perverting the Gofpel of Chri/l, and preaching another Gofpel, upon no other account, but becaufe they added to the Chriftian Religion, and made Circínncifion, and the keeping oftheLaw of Mofes, an Effential Part of the Chriftian Religion, and impofed upon Chriftians the Praftice of thefe things, and the belief of the neceffity of them, as a Condition of Eternal Salva- tion. That this was the Doftrineofthofe falfeTeachers, we find exprefly, AEts-i 5. r. And certain Men which came down from Judea, taught the Brethren, and faid, exceptye be circumcifed after the manner of Mofes, ye cannot befaxed ; and vers 24. in the Letter writtenby the Apoftles and Elders at Jerufalern, to the Churches abroad, there is this Account given ofit ; forafmuch as we have heard, that cer- tain which went out from us, have troubledyou with words, fubvertingyour Souls, fayingye muff be circumcifed," andkeep the Law, to whom wegave no fuch Com- mandment. Where you fee that this Doftrine is declared to be of pernicious Con- fequence, tending to fubvert the Souls ofMen, and likewife tobe an Addition to the Doftrine of the Gofpel which was delivered by the Apoftles, who here with one Confent declare, that theyhad given no fuch Commandment ; that is, had de- livered no fuch Doftrine as this, nor put any fuch Yoke upon the Necks of Chriftians; but on the contrary had declared, that the Deathof Chrift having put an end to the Jewf Difpenfation, there was now no Obligation upon Chriftians to obferve the Law of Mofes. And from the Reafon of the thing it is very plain, that the addition of any thing to the Chriftian Religion, as neceffary to be believed or praftifed in order to. Salvation, which the Gofpel bath not made fo, is preaching anotberGoofpel; becaufe it makes an effential Change in the Terms and Conditions of the Gofpel-Covenant, which
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=