: content, that Death and Judgement should overtake us just such as we are? or have we not every one fomething to do, before we are ready? And if so, when shall it be done? Not a Moment, beyond the present, are we sure of and why should the one Thing needful be deferred till the next? Delays are Nothing but Cheats, that we put upon our Souls and never, I believe, did any one's Refolution of Amendment hold good, who did not refolve to amend immediately. If then you mean it at all now is the accepted Time, now is the Day of Salvation". And may God, who now calls upon you by me, grant, that in this our Day we may all know the Things that belong to our Peace, left they be for ever hid from our Eyes". 2 Cor. vi. 2. • Luke xix. 42. SERMON SERMON XVII. GAL. vi. 15. For in Chrift Jefus neither Circumcifion availeth any Thing, nor Uncircumcifion, but a new Creature. IN : N difcourfing on these Words you may remember I proposed, I. To vindicate the Juftice and Goodnefs of God, in diftinguishing the Jews by a peculiar Covenant : II. To give an Account of the Expiration of that Covenant, and its ceaf ing to oblige or avail any Part of Mankind: III. To fhew, what alone can avail Men: explaining for that Purpose, the Phrafe of a new Creature, by which the Apoftle here describes it. I have finished the two firft of thefe Heads; and fhall proceed, without any Repetition, to the third: a Point the more worthy of your careful Attention, both as the Subject itself is of the utmost Importance, and as the figurative Expreffions ufed in Relation to it, here and elsewhere in Scripture, are not only despised and ridiculed by the profane, as unintelligible or extravagant; but, through Inconfiderateness or Prejudice, too commonly misunderstood by the ferious; who from thence fall into Notions, which, if they are not rectified, may greatly affect, often their prefent Peace, and sometimes their future Happiness. : To explain the new Creation, it will be requifite to begin with the old. God created Man in his own Image, holy and pure and unquestionably furnished him with fufficient Powers and Motives to continue fuch. But by his miferable Fall he became prone to Sin, as well as mortal. His primitive His primitive Uprightnefs, and Strength of Mind, were by that pernicious Indulgence depraved and weakened: his Affections and Appetites grew irregular; and his now corruptible Body pressed down a Gen. i. 27. bis Soul'. The unhappy Disorders, which he had thus introduced into his own Frame, he muft of Confequence tranfmit, as an hereditary Disease, to his Pofterity: and accordingly in Fact, a Tendency to Evil, and Inability of doing Good, is experienced, more or lefs, by every one that comes into the World. Then as Men grow up, instead of correcting their bad Inclinations, they never fail to cherish them, if left to their own Ways: by which Means they become worfe of Course; generally fo much worse, that the Nature, 'which they received at their Conception, may be accounted virtuous and good, in Comparison with that fecond Nature, which by evil Habits they form to themfelves. And thus doubly changed, by original Defilement and actual Tranfgreffion, far from continuing to be the Creatures which God first made, and preserving that Likeness to their heavenly Father, which would give them the Title of his Sons, they are justly called in Scripture the Children of the Devils, and therefore the Children of Wrath d. The divine Goodness, however, was defirous • Wifd. ix. 15. VOL. V. < 1 John iii. 10. * Eph. ii. 3. to |
