Discourses of the Great Duties of Natural Religion, Sermon 3
SERMON III.
Chriſtianity doth not deſtroy, but perfect the Law of Moſes.
MATTHEW. V. 17.
Think not that I am come to deſtroy the Law or the Prophets. I am not come to deſtroy; but to fulfil.
THERE is no Saying in the whole Goſpel, which the Jews did ſo frequently object to the Chriſtians, as this of our Bleſſed Saviour, as if his Words and Actions were plainly repugnant, and contrary to one another: for when it is evident, ſay they, that he took away ſo many Ceremonies, Purifications, Diſtinctions of Meats, Sacrifices, Judicial Laws, and many other things; yet he ſays, he came not to deſtroy the Law or the Prophets; ſo that it is plain, that he did throw down the Law of Moſes, and in ſo doing contradicted his own Saying, that he did not intend to deſtroy the Law. To clear our Saviour's words of this Objection, it will be requ…ſite to conſider the Scope and Deſign of his Diſcourſe in this Chapter, by which we ſhall fully underſtand the ſence and meaning of theſe Words in the Text.
Our Saviour in this Sermon, (which contains the Sum and Subſtance of his Religion) doth earneſtly recommend to his Diſciples and Followers, and ſtrictly enjoyns the perfect Practice of all Goodneſs and Virtue, declaring to them, that he came to bring in and eſtabliſh that Righteouſneſs, which the Jewiſh Religion indeed aimed at, but through the Weakneſs and Imperfection of that Diſpenſation, was not able to effect and accompliſh. And to take away all ſuſpicion of a Deſign, to contradict the former Revelations of God, made to the Jews by Moſes and the Prophets or to deſtroy their Divine Authority, by carrying on a Deſign contrary to them, I ſay, to prevent any imagination of this kind, he does here in the Text expreſly declare the contrary; Think not, &c. Intimating that ſome either did, or at leaſt might be apt to ſuſpect, that his Deſign was to deſtroy the obligation of the Law, and to undermine the Authority of Moſes and the Prophets; to free them from this jealouſie, he declares plainly, that he had no ſuch thought and intention, it was far from him.
I am not come to deſtroy, foreign, to abrogate or diſſolve the Law, to encourage Men to the breach and violation of it; for the word is of the ſame ſenſe with foreign, at the 19. ver. whoſoever ſhall break one of theſe leaſt Commandments; and with foreign, Rom. 3. 31. foreign, do we then make void the Law by Faith? Which is the ſame queſtion with that of the ſame Apoſtle, Gal. 3. 21. Is the Law then againſt the Promiſes of God? that is, are the Law and the Goſpel contrary? do they contradict one another? So that the meaning of our Saviour's Declaration is this, that he was not come to diſſolve, and abrogate, and make void the Law, or to encourage Men to the breach of it; that the Precepts of his Religion were in no wiſe contrary to thoſe of the Law and the Prophets, did not thwart and oppoſe them, or any ways contradict the main deſign and intention of the Law and the Prophets, that is, of the Jewiſh Religion; for ſo the Law and the Prophets do frequently ſignifie, Mat. 7. 12. therefore all things whatſoever ye would that Men ſhould do to you, do ye even ſo to them; for this is the Law and the Prophets; that is, this is the main ſcope and intention of what your Religion, contained in the Law and the Prophets, teacheth, concerning your Duty to one another. So likewiſe, Mat. 22. 40. On theſe two Commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets; that is, this is the ſum of all the Duties of Religion; to theſe two Laws, all that the Jewiſh Religion teacheth, may be refer'd. I am not come to deſtroy; but to fulfill; to carry on the ſame Deſign which was intended by the Jewiſh Religion, and to perfect and accompliſh it; to ſupply all the defects and weakneſſes and imperfections of that diſpenſation; this is the plain meaning of this caution and declaration of our Saviours; Think not, &c.
For the clearing of this Matter, viz. That the Deſign of our Saviour's Doctrine and Religion, is not contrary to thoſe former Revelations, which God made to the Jews by Moſes and the Prophets; this will evidently appear, whether we conſider the Propheſies and Predictions of the Old Teſtament, or the Laws and Precepts therein contained.
Firſt, The Propheſies and Predictions of the Old Teſtament; our Saviour came not to contradict and overthrow theſe; but to fulfill them. The chief Predictions of the Law and the Prophets were concerning the Meſſias, and his Spiritual Kingdom. In the Law it was foretold, that God would raiſe to them a Prophet like unto Moſes, whom they ought to hear and obey; and to him all the Prophets of the Old Teſtament gave witneſs, foretelling the time of his coming, his extraction, the manner and circumſtances of his Birth, the Purity and Efficacy of his Doctrine, the Actions and Miracles of his Life, his Paſſion, Death, and Burial, with the particular Circumſtances of them, his Reſurrection from the Dead, and his Aſcenſion into Heaven, and Exaltation at the right hand of God; ſo that this part of the Law and Prophets he did accompliſh and fulfill in a moſt eminent and remarkable manner; all things that the Prophets had foretold concerning the Meſſias, were punctually made good in the Perſon, and Actions, and Sufferings of our Saviour.
Secondly, As to the Laws and Precepts of the Jewiſh Religion, the Doctrine and the Laws of Chriſtianity did not claſh with them, nor properly abrogate them, and make them void, eſpecially as to the Moral Precepts, which were the very Life and Spirit, the ultimate Scope and Deſign of that Religion; nay, ſo far was it from doing ſo, that the main and proper intention of Chriſtianity, was to clear and eſtabliſh that, which was the main deſign of the Law and Prophets, to perfect the Law in this part, and to raiſe and advance Morality to its higheſt pitch, to ſupply all the defects and imperfections of the Jewiſh Religion, and to make Men much better than that weak and imperfect Inſtitution was able to do. This was the great Deſign of Chriſtianity, and it is very probable that our Saviour had a principal, if not a ſole reſpect to the Precepts of the Moral Law, when he here ſays, that he came not to deſtroy the Law and the Prophets; but to perfect and fulfill them; as I ſhall have occaſion by and by to ſhew more at large.
But that we may give a full Anſwer to the Objection of the Jews againſt this Saying of our Saviour's, I ſhall ſhew that he did not come to thwart and contradict, and properly to abrogate and make void the Jewiſh Law, in any part of it, neither the Civil and Judicial, nor the Ritual and Ceremonial, much leſs the Moral and Natural Precepts of it. This is more than I think to be abſolutely neceſſary, to reconcile this Saying of our Saviour with the reſt of his Doctrine and Actions; for tho' he had properly abrogated the Ceremonial Law, and in no ſence fulfill'd it; yet, notwithſtanding this, it may be true, that he came not to deſtroy the Law and the Prophets; that is, to deſtroy the obligation of Moral Duties, which he ſpeaks of in this Chapter, and elſewhere declares to be the ultimate ſcope, the ſum and ſubſtance of the Law and the Prophets. For if the Ceremonial Law was not deſigned by God to be perpetual, but to give way to a more perfect diſpenſation; then our Saviour did no way thwart and contradict the Law and the Prophets, by abrogating the Ceremonial Law, at that time, when God deſigned that a period ſhould be put to it. But yet for the fuller ſatisfaction to this Objection, I ſhall ſhew that our Saviour did not properly abrogate any part of the Jewiſh Law, no not the Ritual and Ceremonial part of it; but did fulfill it.
Firſt, not their Civil and Judicial Laws. Theſe, in the original intention of them, were not Laws deſigned for Mankind, but ſuited and fitted to the diſpoſition and temper, the Condition and Circumſtances of a particular People and Nation; to theſe our Saviour taught obedience, and paid it himſelf, and never did any thing contrary to them, nor in the leaſt weaken the obligation of them; but they continued in full force, 'till that Nation and Commonwealth was diſſolved. So that theſe Laws were no way impeached or abrogated by the Chriſtian Religion; but they fell, for want of a ſubject to exerciſe their power upon, and becauſe the People that were to be governed by them were deſtroyed or diſſipated! and tho' they neither are, nor ever were obligatory to other Nations, as given by Moſes, and as they were the peculiar Laws of a particular Nation; yet the Natural Reaſon and Equity of them, ſo far as it concerned Mankind, is duly conſidered and regarded by us, and many of theſe Laws are adopted into the Laws of moſt Chriſtian Nations. It is plain then, that this part of the Jewiſh Law received no prejudice by Chriſtianity, but continued in full force, ſo long as that Nation and Commonwealth laſted, which was to be governed by it.
Secondly, As to the Ritual and Ceremonial part of the Jewiſh Law, which conſiſted in Circumciſion, and Purifications, and Sacrifices, in diſtinction of Meats, and Times, and innumerable other Rites and Obſervances; this was not properly abrogated and made void by the coming of Chriſt, but fulfill'd and made good by him. The Rites and Ceremonies of the Law, were the Types and Shadows of thoſe future good things which were promiſed under the Goſpel, a kind of rude draught of a better and more perfect Inſtitution, which was deſigned, and at laſt fin…ſht and perfected by the Chriſtian Religion. This account the Apoſtle gives of the legal Rites and Obſervances, Col. 2. 16, 17. Let nb ma… judge you in meat or in drink, or in reſpect of a holy day, or of the New Moon, or of the Sabbath days, which are a ſhadow of things to come, b…t the body is of Chriſt; that is, he is the ſubſtance and reality of all thoſe things, which were ſh…dowed and figured by thoſe legal obſervances, And ſo the Apoſtle to the Heb. calls the Prieſts and Sacrifices of the Law, the Examples and ſhadows of Heavenly things, Chap. 8. 5. and ſo Chap. 10. 1. the Law having a Shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, that is, being but an obſcure Type, and not a perfect Repreſentation of the Bleſſings and Benefits of the Goſpel, which we now have in truth and reality. Now reaſon will tell us, that the Laws concerning theſe Types and Shadows, were only to continue 'till the Subſtance of the things ſignified by them ſhould come, and that they would be of no longer uſe, when that more perfect Inſtitution, which was figured by them, ſhould take place, and then they would expire, and become void of themſelves, becauſe the reaſon and uſe of them ceaſing, they muſt neceſſarily fall.
But they did not expire immediately upon the coming of Chriſt, and therefore he himſelf ſubmitted to theſe Laws, ſo long as they continued in force; he was Circumciſed, and preſented in the Temple, and performed all other Rites required by the Law, that firſt Covenant to which theſe Laws and Ordinances belonged, continuing in force, 'till the ratification of the ſecond Covenant by the death of Chriſt, and then theſe Laws expired, or rather were fulfill'd, and had their accompliſhment in the Sacrifice of Chriſt, which made all the Sacrifices and other Rites of the Jewiſh Religion needleſs, and of no uſe for the future; Chriſt having by this one Sacrifice of himſelf, perfected for ever them that are ſanctified, as the ſame Apoſtle ſpeaks, Heb. 10. 14. So that Chriſt did not properly abrogate and repeal thoſe Ritual and Ceremonial Laws; but they having continued as long as they were deſigned to do, and there was any uſe of them, they abated and ceaſed of themſelves.
And that the death of Chriſt was the time of their expiration, becauſe then the new Covenant took place, St. Paul expreſly tells us, Eph. 2. 15. having aboliſht or voided in his fleſh the law of Commandments contained in Ordinances; and this v. 16. he is ſaid to have done by his Croſs; and more plainly, Col. 2. 14. blotting out the hand-writing of Ordinances, which was againſt us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his Croſs.
So that you ſee that even the Ceremonial Law was not ſo properly abrogated by the Sacrifice and Death of Chriſt, but rather had its accompliſhment, and attained its end in the Sacrifice of Chriſt, which by the Eternal efficacy of it to the expiation of Sin, and the purifying of our Conſciences, hath made all the Sacrifices and Waſhings, and other Rites of the Ceremonial Law, for ever needleſs and ſuperfluous.
Thirdly, But eſpecially as to the Moral Law, and thoſe Precepts which are of Natural and Perpetual obligation, our Saviour did not come either to diſſolve, or to leſſen and ſlacken the obligation of them.
And of this I told you our Saviour doth principally, if not ſolely ſpeak here in the Text, as will appear to any one that ſhall attentively conſider the ſcope of his Diſcourſe. In the beginning of his Sermon, he promiſeth Bleſſing to thoſe, and thoſe only who were endowed with thoſe Virtues which are required by the Precepts of the Moral Law, or comprehended in them; and then he tells them, that Chriſtians muſt be very eminent and conſpicuous for the practice of them, v. 16. Let your light ſo ſhine before Men, that they may ſee your good works, and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven; and then he cautions them not to entertain any ſuch imagination, as if he intended to diſſolve the obligation of the Law, and to free Men from the practice of Moral Duties, which probably ſome might have ſuggeſted againſt him; think not that I am come to deſtroy the Law and the Prophets; as if he had ſaid, you cannot entertain any ſuch conceit, if you conſider that the Precepts which I inculcate upon you, and thoſe Virtues, the practice whereof I recommend to you, are the ſame which are contained in the Law and the Prophets. So that I am ſo far from croſſing the main deſign of the Law and the Prophets, and taking away the obligation of Moral Duties enjoyned by the Jewiſh Religion, that I come purpoſely to carry on the ſame Deſign to further perfection, to give a more perfect and clear Law, and to give a greater enforcement and encouragement to the practice of Moral Duties; theſe were always the ſum and ſubſtance of Religion, the ultimate deſign of the Law and the Prophets, and therefore I am ſo far from diſcharging Men from the obligation of the Moral Precepts of the Law, that I come to bind them more ſtrongly upon you. And verily I ſay unto you, that is, I ſolemnly declare, that whoſoever ſhall break one of theſe leaſt Commandments, and ſhall teach Men ſo, he ſhall be called the leaſt in the Kingdom of Heaven; that is, he ſhall in no wiſe enter therein. You think the Scribes and Phariſees very Pious and Excellent Men, and to have attained to a high pitch of Righteouſneſs; but I ſay unto you, that except your Righteouſneſs ſhall exceed the righteouſneſs of the Scribes and Phariſees, ye ſhall in no wiſe enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. And then he inſtanceth in ſeveral Precepts of the Moral Law, which in the letter of them, eſpecially as they were interpreted by the Teachers of the Law among the Jews, were very much ſhort of that Righteouſneſs and Perfection which he now requires of his Diſciples and Followers. So that his whole Diſcourſe is about Precepts and Obligations of the Moral Law, and not a word concerning the Ritual and Ceremonial Law; which makes me very prone to think, that our Saviour's meaning in the Text is this, that his Religion was ſo far from thwarting and oppoſing that which was the main deſign of the Law and the Prophets, that is, of the Jewiſh Religion, that the principal intention of Chriſtianity was to advance the practice of goodneſs and virtue, by ſtrengthning the obligation of Moral Duties, and giving us a more perfect Law and Rule of Life, and offering better Arguments, and greater Encouragements to the obedience of this Law. Therefore for the fuller explication and illuſtration of this Matter, I ſhall endeavour to clear theſe three Points.
Firſt, That the Main and Ultimate Deſign of the Law and the Prophets, was to engage Men to the practice of Moral Duties, that is, of real and ſubſtantial goodneſs.
Secondly, That the Law of Moſes, or the diſpenſation of the Jewiſh Religion, was comparatively very weak, and inſufficient to this purpoſe.
Thirdly, That the Chriſtian Religion hath ſupplied all the defects, and weakneſſes and imperfections of that diſpenſation; theſe three Particulars will fully clear our Saviour's meaning in this Text.
Firſt, That the Main and Ultimate Deſign of the Law and the Prophets, was to engage Men to the practice of Moral Duties; that is, of real and ſubſtantial Goodneſs, conſiſting in thoſe Virtues which our Saviour mentions at the beginning of this Sermon; Humility, and Meekneſs, and Mercy, and Righteouſneſs, and Purity, and Peaceableneſs. This our Saviour more than once tells us was the ſum and ſubſtance, the main ſcope and deſign of the whole Doctrine of the Law and the Prophets. Mat. 7. 12. Therefore all things whatſoever ye would that Men ſhould do unto you, do ye even ſo unto them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. And Mat. 22. 40. That the love of God and our Neighbour, thoſe two great Commands, to which all Moral Duties are reduced, are the two great hinges of the Jewiſh Religion, on theſe two hang all the Law and the Prophets. St. Paul calls Love, the fulfilling of the whole Law, Rom. 13. 10. St. James, the Perf…ct and the Royal Law, as that which hath a Soveraign influence upon all parts of Religion. And therefore the Apoſtle Rom. 3. 21. tells us, that this more perfect Righteouſneſs which was brought in by the Goſpel, or the Chriſtian Religion, is witneſſed by the Law and the Prophets. And indeed the Prophets every where do ſlight and undervalue the Ritual and Ceremonial part of Religion, in compariſon of the practice of Moral Duties. Iſa. 1. 11. To what purpoſe is the multitude of your Sacrifices unto me? bring no more vain oblations, your New Moons and your appointed Feaſts my Soul hateth. But what then are the things that are acceptable to God? He tells us at the 16th ver. waſh ye, make you clean, put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes, ceaſe to do evil, learn to do well; ſeek judgment, relieve the Oppreſſed, judge the Fatherleſs, plead for the Widow. And by the Prophet Jeremiah God tells that People, that the buſineſs of Sacrifices was not the thing primarily deſigned by God, but obedience to the Moral Law; the Ritual Law came in upon occaſion, for the prevention of Idolatry, and by way of condeſcention to the temper of that People; and thus Maimonides and the Learned Jews underſtand theſe words, Jer. 7. 22, 23. I ſpake not unto your Fathers, nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the Land of Egypt, concerning Burnt-offerings and Sacrifices; but this thing commanded I them, ſaying, obey my voice, and walk in all the ways that I have commanded, and I will be your God, and ye ſhall be my People. So likewiſe in the Prophet Hoſea, God plainly prefers the Moral before the Ritual part of Religion, as that which was principally deſigned and intended by him, Hoſ. 6. 6. I deſired Mercy, and not Sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than Burnt-Offerings; but moſt plainly and expreſly, Mich. 6. 6. Wherewith ſhall I come before the Lord? Shall I come before him with Burnt-offerings? Wi… the Lord be pleaſed with thouſands of Rams, and ten thouſands of Rivers of Oyl? He hath ſhewed thee, O Man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do …uſtly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? Theſe it ſeems were the great things which God ſtood upon and required of Men even under that imperfect diſpenſation; and theſe are the very things which the Chriſtian Religion doth ſo ſtrictly enjoyn and command; ſo that this Righteouſneſs which the Goſpel requires, was witneſſed to by the Law and the Prophets. I proceed to the
Second Point, That the Law of Moſes, or the diſpenſation of the Jewiſh Religion, was comparatively very weak, and inſufficient to make Men truly good, and for the promoting of real and inward righteouſneſs; it gave Laws indeed to this purpoſe, but thoſe not ſo clear and perfect, or at leaſt not ſo clearly underſtood, as they are now under the Goſpel; and it made no expreſs promiſes of inward Grace, and aſſiſtance, to quicken and ſtrengthen us in the doing of our Duty; it made no explicit promiſes of any bleſſing and reward to the doing of our duty beyond this Life; ſo that the beſt and moſt powerful Arguments and Encouragements to Obedience, were either wholly wanting, or very obſcurely revealed under this diſpenſation.
And this inſufficiency of the Jewiſh diſpenſation, both to our juſtification and ſanctification, to the reconciling of us to God, and the making of us really good, the Apoſtle frequently inculcates in the New Teſtament; St. Paul, Acts 13. 38, 39. Be it known unto you therefore, Men and Brethren, that through this Man is preached unto you the forgiveneſs of ſins, and by him all that believe are juſtified, from all thoſe things, from which ye could not be juſtified by the Law of Moſes; and Rom. 8. 3. What the Law could not do, in that it was weak through the fleſh; that is, by reaſon of the carnality of that diſpenſation, conſiſting in the purification of the body. Gal. 3. 21. he calls it a Law unfit to give Life; If there had been a Law which could have given Life, verily Righteouſneſs had been by the Law. And the Apoſtle to the Hebrews, Ch. 8. 6, 7, 8, &c. finds fault with the diſpenſation of the Law, for the lowneſs and meanneſs of its Promiſes, being only of Temporal good things; and for want of conferring an inward and a powerful Principle to enable Men to obedience; but now hath he obtained (ſpeaking of Chriſt) a more excellent Miniſtry, by how much alſo he is the Mediator of a better Covenant, which was eſtabliſhed upon better Promiſes; for if that firſt Covenant had been faultleſs, then ſhould no place have been ſought for a ſecond; and this ſecond and better Covenant, he tells us, was foretold by the Prophets of the Old Teſtament; for finding fault with them, he ſaith, behold the days come ſaith the Lord, when I will make a new Covenant with the Houſe of Iſrael, and the Houſe of Judah; not according to the Covenant which I made with their Fathers. For this is the Covenant which I will make with the Houſe of Iſrael after thoſe days, ſaith the Lord. I will put my Laws into their minds, and write them in their hearts. And Chap. 10. 1, 4. he ſhews the inefficacy of their Sacrifices for the real expiation of Sin, the Law having but a ſhadow of good things to come, and not the lively repreſentation of the things themſelves, can never with thoſe Sacrifices which they offer'd year by year continually, make the comers thereunto perfect; for it is not poſſible that the blood of Bulls and of Goats ſhould take away ſins.
I ſhould now have proceeded to the Third Particular; namely, that the Chriſtian Religion hath ſupplied all the defects and weakneſs and imperfection of the Jewiſh diſpenſation; but that I ſhall not now enter upon, but make one plain inference from the ſubſtance of what I have already diſcourſed upon this Argument.
If our Saviour came not to diſſolve and looſen the obligation of Moral Duties, but to confirm and eſtabliſh it, and to enforce and bind the practice of theſe Duties more ſtrongly upon us, then they do widely and wilfully miſtake the deſign of Chriſtianity, who teach that it diſchargeth Men from the obligation of the Moral Law, which is the Fundamental and avowed Principle of the Antinomian Doctrine, but directly contrary to this Declaration of our Saviour in the Text, that he came not to deſtroy the Law and the Prophets, but to perfect and fulfill them; (for to take away the obligation of a Law, is plainly to deſtroy and make it void;) and contrary to the Apoſtle's ſolemn reſolution of this matter, Rom. 3. 31. Do we then make void the Law through Faith? That is, does the Goſpel deſtroy and take away the obligation of the Law? God forbid, yea we eſtabliſh the Law; the Chriſtian Religion is ſo far from deſigning or doing any ſuch thing, that it gives new ſtrength and force to it.
But ſurely they that teach this Doctrine, did never duly conſider that terrible threatning of our Saviour after the Text, which ſeems to be ſo directly level'd at them; whoſoever ſhall break one of theſe leaſt Commandments, and ſhall teach Men ſo, he ſhall be call'd the leaſt in the Kingdom of Heaven; for how can Men more effectually teach the violation, not only of the leaſt, but of the greateſt of Gods Commandments, than by declaring that the Goſpel hath ſet Men free from the obligation of the Moral Law? which is in effect to ſay, that Chriſtians may act contrary to all the Duties of Morality, that is, do the moſt impious things in the World, without any offence againſt God, and notwithſtanding this, continue to be his Children, and highly in the favour of God.
And all the ſecurity they have againſt this impious Conſequence, is that weak and ſlender pretence, that gratitude and love to God, will preſerve them from making this ill uſe of the grace of the Goſpel, and oblige them to abſtain from Sin, and to endeavour to pleaſe God as much as any Law could do. But then they do not conſider the nonſenſe of this; for there can be no ſuch thing as Sin, if the obligation of the Law be taken away; for where there is no Law, there can be no Tranſgreſſion, as the Apoſtle, and common Reaſon likewiſe tells us; ſo that the Law being removed and taken away, all Actions become indifferent, and one thing is not more a ſin or offence againſt God than another. And what then is it they mean that gratitude will oblige Men to, or preſerve them from? When there can be no ſuch thing as ſin or duty, as pleaſing or offending God, if there be no Law to oblige us to the one, or reſtrain us from the other.
And what is, if this be not, to turn the grace of God into wantonneſs, and to make Chriſtian Liberty a Cloke for all ſorts of Sins? A Man cannot do a greater deſpite to the Chriſtian Religion, nor take a more effectual courſe to bring it into contempt, and to make it to be hiſs'd out of the World, than to repreſent it as a lewd and licentious Doctrine, which gives Men a perfect diſcharge from all the Duties of Morality, and obligeth them only to believe confidently, that Chriſt hath purchaſed for them a liberty to do what they will, and that upon theſe terms, and no other, they are ſecure of the favour of God in this World, and Eternal Salvation in the other. This is the ſum and the plain reſult of the Antinomian Doctrine, the moſt pernicious Hereſie, and moſt directly deſtructive of the great End and Deſign of Chriſtianity, that ever yet was broached in the World. But ye have not ſo learned Chriſt, if ſo be ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jeſus, that ye put off concerning your former converſation, the old Man, which is corrupt according to deceitful Luſts, and that ye be renewed in the ſpirit of your mind, and put on the new Man, which after God is created in Righteouſneſs, and true Holineſs.