2,15 A CAVEAT AGAINST INP!DELIT4. change our sinful natures to holiness without his special influ- ences : We cannot mortify all the rising corruptions, and reign- ing iniquities of our hearts, and transform our ownsouls into the likeness of God : By nature we are enemies to God and goodness ; our own reasonings, our moral motives, our rules of philosophy, and all our methods of austere penance. and mortification, will not wean our hearts from the love of sin and vanity, and work that supreme love to God in our souls, and that delight in him above all things, which is necessary in arder totrue happiness. It is a new creation, it is a resurrection from ,the dead, it is a being born again ; and what ruere creature is sufficient for these almighty works ? As it is nothing but the gospel that shews us the atonement of Christ, which is equal to the guilt of our offences : and how by that atonement we are to be reconciled to God, so it is nothing butthe gospel that reveals to us the condescending grace of God, and the powerful influences of his own Spirit, whereby we may have our natures renewed and fitted for the presence and enjoyment of God*. III. " Since the gospel of Christ is established as the way of our access unto God, there is an awful and terrible curse pronounced against those, who bring in any other pretendedgos- pel or way of salvation." If any man preach any other gospel to you than that ye have received, let him be accursed; Gal. i. 9. And thiscurse is not only pronounced against men, but against angels themselves, if we could suppose any of them should at- tempt such an affront to the government of God, verse S. Though we, or an angelfrom heaven preach any other gospel to you, than that which we have preached, let him be accursed. Behold here St. Paul, a little and despicable figure of a man, but under the influence of the divine Spirit, pronouncing a curse upon himself, an apostle, and upon the highest angel in heaven, if he should preach another gospel. The sovereignty of God, in the appointment ofthe means of our salvation, will maintainits own unrivalled character and dignity in a sublime degree, and he declares his holy jealousy of the least entrenchment upon it. Woe be to the man that attempts to lay any other foundation for a sinner's hope ; he exposes himself to Bich a curse as would sink an apostle, or an angel down to hell and eter nal misery. IV. " The great God bas already made several persons-he- come terrible instances of his indignation, when they have pre- tended to attempt to please, or serve him in other methods, than he himself has appointed." Read the story of Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, in Lev. x:' 1, 2. when they took their * See these things proved more at large in the two first discoursedof my iirst.volumeof Serrions ; volume the first, page 1 -2ó.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=