Serm. XXXII. of adding to the Dodrine of . the Gofpel. 2 3 another Gofpel is preached, and new Terms and Conditions, not declared in the Gofpel, are added to the Chriftian Religion ; for if they be not able to judge of this, the Apoftle does in vain caution them againft the Seductionof thofe whoper- verted the Dotirine of Chrz1, and endeavoured to remove them from him that bad called them by the grace of aryl, unto another Gofpel. It may perhaps be faid, that there was no need that they fhould be able to dif- cern and judge of the Doftrines of thofe falfeTeachers, it was fufficient for them to believe the Apoftle concerning the Doftrines of thofe Seducers, when he decla- red to them the Falfhood, and pernicious Confequerice of them. But the Apoftle fpeaks to them upon another Suppofition, which does neceffarily imply, that they were able to difcern and judge what Doftrines were agreeable to the Gofpel, and what not `> for he puts the Cafe, that if he himfelf, or any of the Apoftles, or an Angel from Heaven, fhould preach to them another Doctrine, contrary to that of the Gofpel, they ought to rejeft it with deteftation ;rt but this doth neceffarily fup- pofe them able to judge, when fuch Doftrines were preached, and confequently that all things neceffary to he believed and praftifed by all Chriftians, are clearly and plainly declared in the Gofpel ; all the Doftrines whereof are now containedin the Holy Scriptures, in which all things neeeffary to Faith and a good Life, are fo plainly delivered, that any fober and inquifitive Perfori may learn them from thence, and the meaneft Capacity, by, the Help and Dire&ion of their Guides and Teachers, may be inftrufted in them. And this is not only the Principleof Proteftants, butthe exprefsand conftant Do- drine ofthe Ancient Fathers of the Church, whatever the, Church of Rome, for the maintaining of her ufurped Authority over the Confciences of Men, pretends to the contrary. And ifthis were not fo, that Men are able to difcern and judge which are the Doftrinesof the Gofpel, and what is contrary to them; the Do- (trine oftheGofpel was in vain preached, and the HolyScriptures containing that Marine were written to no purpofe. Some things in Scripture are granted to be obfcure and difficult, on purpofe to exercife the Study and Enquiriesof thofe who have Leifure and Capacity for it But all things ngceffary are fufficiently plain ; otherwife it would be impoffible to judge when another Gofpel is preached, which the Apoftle here fuppofeth the Galatians capable of doing. For if theRevelation of the Gofpel be not fufìlciently plain in all things necef 'ary to be believed and prafifed, then Chriftians have no Rule whereby to judge what Doftrinesare agreeable to the Gofpel, and what not, for an obfcure Rule is of no ufe ; that is, in truth is no Rule to thofe to whom it . is obfcure. I proceed to the IVth Obfervation, which is plainly confequent from thofe laid down before ; namely, that lince the Declaration of the Gofpel, and the Confir- mation given to it, there is no Authority in the Chriftian Church to impofe upon Chriftians any thing, as of neceflity to Salvation, which the Gofpel hath not made fo. The Commiffion given by our Lord and Saviour to his Apoftles, was to preach the Gofpel to all Nations, ( or as St. Matthew expreffes it) togo andteach all Na- tions, to obferve all thingswhatfoever he had commanded them ; and this is that which we call the Gofpel, viz, that Dofrinewhich Chrift commanded his Apo- files to Preach and Publifh to theWorld; and if theApoftles themfelves had ex- ceeded their Commiffion, and added any other Points of Faith orPraftice to thofe which our Saviour gave them in charge to teach and publifh to the World, theyhad, in fo doing, been guilty of that which St. Paul here in the Text, chargeth the falfe Apoftles with, viz. of preaching another Gofpel. And if the Apoftles had no Authority to add any thing to the Gofpel, much lefs can any pretend to it, fine they have neither fo immediate a Commiffion, nor fuch a miraculous Power to give teftimony to them, that they areTeachers comefrom God. Now this Dotrine of the Gofpel, which the Apoftles preached to the World, is thatwhich Chriftians are fo often, and fo earneftlyby the Apoftles in all their E- piftles exhorted to continue in, and not tofiner themfelves to be fhaken in mind, by every windof new Dotirine, becaufe that which the Apoftles had delivered to them,
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