365 SERMON LII. Of the Nature of Regeneration, and its Necef- fity, in order to Juítification and Salvation. GALA T. VI. I5. For in Christ lefty), neither Circumcilion availeth any thing, nor Vncircumcilon ; but a new Creature. THERE are two Epiftles of St. Paul, namely, that to the Romans, and this to the Galatians, which are principally and particularly de- fign'd to confute a falfe perfuafion, which had prevailed amongft many Chriftians, efpecially thofe who were Converted from Judaifin; that it was not enough for Men to embrace and confefi the Chriftian Religion, unlefs they kept the Law of noires, or at leaft fubmitted to that great Precept, of Circumcifion ; the neg- lea whereof among all the affirmative Precepts of the Law, was only threatned with ex lion, or being cut offfrom among the People. And of the prevalency of this Errour and the great difturbance which it made in the Chriftian Church, we have a particrhr account, Ails 1g. where a General Council of the Apoftles is call'd, and a iPtter written in their Names to all the Chriftian Churches, to re- &ifie their apprehrnfons in this matter, ver. 24. of that Chap. For as much as we have heard, that certain which went out from us, have troubled you with words, fish- yeninZ your Souls, faying, ye muff be tircumcis'd, and keep the Law, to whom we grave no frch Commandment, &c. And upon this occalion likewife it was, that St. Paul wrote this Epiftle to the Galatians, as likewife that to the Romans ; in the former of which, after he had at large confuted this Errour, (which he calls the preaching of another GoJJel, than what the Apofiles had preached, and the Chr fians firfi received) In the beginning of the 5th Ch ;pt. he Exhorts them to affert the Liberty, which Chrift had pur- chas'd for them, from the obligation of the Law of Mofes, ver. 1, 2. Stand fait therefore its the liberty wherewith aryl hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoal¿ of bondage. Behold, I I'aul fay unto you, that if ye be Circumcifed, Chrift (hallprep you nothing; Not that hereby he condemneth Circumcifion, as a thing evil in it fell; for God never Inftituted- or Commanded any thing that was fo; but he oppofeth the opinion of the neceffity of it to our Juftification and Salvation, when the Gofpel had fo plainly taken away the obligation and ufe of it; and confequently to affirm Rill the neceffity of it, was really to re- nounce Chriftianity. For if Judaifm was Rill the way toSalvation, Chriftianity was to no purpofe ; and if Chriftianity be now the way, then the obligation to the Jewifh Religion was ceafed. To avoid the force of this Reafoning, it was not enough for the falfe Apoftles to fay (as it feems they did) that Chriflians were not obliged univerfally to the whole Law of Mofes, but principally to the Law of Circumcifion; becaufe Circumcifion being the fign and badge of that Covenant, whoever took that upon him, did thereby own his obligation to the whole Law, ver. 3, 4. For .Iteftifieagain to every Man that is Circumcifed, that he is a debtor to do the whole Law ; aryl is become of no effell to you, whofoever ofyou are juffifz'ed by the Law, ye are fallen fromGrace; that is, whoever of you exile& and profefs to be juftified by the Law of Mofes, ye take away the neceffty and ufe of the Chriftian Religion; and are fallen from grace; that is, do in effeâ renounce 71,e Fir71- Sermon cn this Text.
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