Serro. LII. in order to f u/iification and Salvation. 36.7 Creature. And here the Conditionof the Gofpel is expreft to us, by the change of our State, which in Scripture is call'd our Regeneration, or becoming new Creatures, and new Men. Circumcifion was but an outward fign and mark upon the Body, and the Fiefh, though it did indeed prefigure and typifie the inward Circumcifion of the heart, the giving of Men new Hearts, and new Spirits, under the more perfeót difpenfation of the Gofpel : but now in Chrill yefus, that is, in the Chriftian Religion, the prefence or the want of this outward mark will avail nothing to our juftification; but that which was fignified by it, the renovation of our Hearts and Spirits, our becoming new Creatures, is now the Condition of our juftification and acceptance with God. The falfe Apoftles indeed did lay great firers upon the bufinefs of Circumci- fion, not fo much out of zeal to the Law of Mofes, as to avoid Perfecution, ver. 12. They confirain you to be Circumcifed, only left they fhould finer Perfecution for the Croft of Chrift. For at that time, though the Chriftians were Perfecuted, yet the Pews by the Roman Edi&s had the free exercife of their Religion, and therefore they gloried in this external mark of Circumcifion, becaufe it exempted them from fuffering 5 but St. Paul gloried in his fufferings for Quiff, and the marks of that upon his Body, ver. 14. God forbid that I lhould glory fave in the Croft ofour Lord Yefus Chrifi 5 and ver. x7. I bear in my Body the marks of the Lord ye fm. He tells them, what neceflities foever they might pretend of Circumci- fion, either for their Juftification, or Salvation, the true ground of all was to fave themfelves from Temporal Sufferings ; and that in the Chriftian Religion it fignified nothing to recommend them to the favour of God, whether they were Circumcifed or not; nothing would be available to this purpofe, but the renovation and change of their Hearts and Lives. For in Chrift jefus neither Circumcifion availeth any thing, nor vncircumcifion ; but a new Creature, tvrl x9imç, a new Creation, to intimate the greatnefs of the Change, which Chriftianity, throughly entertained, made inMen. Having thus cleared the occafion and meaning of thefe words, I come now to confider the particulars contained in them, namely, thefe two things. Firft, That the Gofpel hath taken away the Obligation of the Law of Mofes ; inChrift Jefus neither Circumcifion availeth any thing, nor 2.incircumcifion. Secondly, That according to the terms of the Chriftian Religion, nothing will avail to our juftification and acceptance with God, but the real renovation of our Hearts and Lives; neither Circumcifion, nor Vncircumcifion: but a new Creature. e. That the Gofpel bath taken away the obligation of the Law of Mofes. In Chrifl Jeff's, that is, now under the difpenfation of the Gofpel, neither Cir- cumcifion availeth any thing, nor Üncircumcifíon. There was never any general Obligation upon Mankind to this Rite of Circumcifion, but only upon the Seed of Abraham; but yet upon the preaching of the Gofpel, many of the Jewifh Chriftians would have brought the Gentiles under this yoak; pretending that Chriftianity was but a fuperftrufture upon the Law of Mofes, which together with the Gofpel, was to be the Religion of the whole World; and there was force colour for this, becaufeour Saviour himfelf fubmitted to this Rite, and was Circumcifed; which the Apofile takes notice of in the 4th Chap. of this Epift. ver. 4. When the fislnefs of time was come, God Pent forth his Son made of a Woman, made under the Law, that is, Circumcifed. And 'tis true indeed, that our bleffed Saviour was Circumcifed, but not to lignifie to us the perpetuity of Circumci- fion, and the continuance of it under the Chriftian Religion, but for a quite different end; as a teftimony of his Obedience to that Law, which tho' after- wards it was to expire, yet was to be obeyedwhilfi it was in force, by all that were born under it; he was made under the Law, and it became him, who came to teach Mankind Obedience to the Laws of God, to fulfil all Righteoufnefs himfelf. And therefore the Apoftle in this Epittle, where he takes noticeof this, that Chrift was made under the Law, gives this Reafon of it, that he might be the fitter to free thofe who were under it, from the fervitude of it; he was made under the Law, that he might redeemthem that were under the Law g and that thofe who were ill
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