Day, and, having done all in his Power, to ftand.-It is his Duty to bind fast about him the Breaft-plate of Faith, and to take for an Helmet the Hope of Salvation; and it is his Duty, if he will fecure that Salvation, to take effectual Care, that neither Life, nor Death, nor Angels, nor Principalities, nor Powers, nor any other Creature, be able to separate him from the Love of God, which is in Chrift Jefus our Lord.

SERMON

SERMON IX.

Preached on New-Year's Day.

ROM. ii. 29.

-Circumcifion is that of the Heart, in the Spirit, and not in the Letter; whofe Praife is not of Men, but of

God.

T

HERE are two fatal Errors which all good Men ought to avoid with equal Care and Diligence, with respect to the external Obfervances of Religion. One is, that of making the whole of their Duty to confift in a bare outward Compliance with them, and of looking upon themselves as pure and perfect in the fight of God, when they have discharged them. The other is, that of looking upon them as Ordinances of no manner of Weight and Significancy in themselves, and fuch as may with Reason be neglected and defpifed by those who attend to the more weighty Precepts of Juftice, Mercy, and Truth.-The former was the Crime of

many

many Jews, who contented themselves with having enter'd into Covenant with God, and from thence concluded that they were entitled to his Promises, tho' they continually neglected and disobeyed his Laws. The latter is the Fault of those who contend, that the moral Laws only are to be regarded as of any Moment, and no Rule or Injunction to be obeyed as the Ordinance of God, the Usefulness and Convenience of which they do not clearly fee and comprehend. And both these seem to be condemned by St. Paul in this fecond Chapter to the Romans. He fhews largely the Folly and Wickedness of the Jews in refting in the Law, and making their boast of God, when at the fame time they dishonoured God, and caused his Name to be blafphemed among the Gentiles, by breaking the Law: and he contends on the other hand, that Circumcifion, and the other pofitive Precepts of the Jewish Law, were nevertheless to be confidered as the Laws of God, and to be obeyed as long as in Force; and that if obeyed jointly with the other Precepts, would contribute their share to render fuch Obedience pleafing to God the Author of them. Circumcifion, or the ceremonial Laws in general (for this, which was the most remarkable, feems to be put for all the reft) fays he, doth verily profit, or will certainly entitle thee to the Divine Favour, if thou keep the other Parts of the Law with it. And confequently the Rule is, neither to neg

lect,

lect, nor confine thy Attention wholly to, the external Parts of the Divine Law; but carefully and dutifully to obey these Ordinances, and at the fame time to extend thy View beyond the outward Act to that inward Purity and Piety, to which they ought to lead thee, and without which the Ceremonial itself will be vain and infignificant. And this feems to be the true Meaning of the Words of the Text. Circumcifion is that of the Heart, in the Spirit, and not in the Letter; whofe Praije is not of Men, but of God. Or, in other Words, the Ceremony of Circumcifion, or any other Part of the Jewish Law, if confidered as the Ordinance of God, did certainly oblige, and ought to have been obeyed, as long as that Law continued in Force; but God's Design herein was not barely to exa& your Compliance with Rites and Ceremonies, but to form your Minds to Love and Obedience to his Authority; and when they are difcharged with this View, and the true End of them is attained, they are then truly religious Acts, fuch as he propofed in giving these Injunctions, and will intitle Men to the Divine Favour. So that thefe Words, when thus explained, imply these three Things:

I. First, that the pofitive Commands of God ought to be carefully obeyed, as well as those which are called moral. Circumfion is allowed by the Apostle to have

been

been an indifpenfible Duty to the Jews, till the Law was abrogated by God himfelf. II. Secondly, That this Obedience confifts not so much in the outward Act, as in thofe inward Difpofitions of Mind and Heart, which ought to accompany it. True Circumcifion is that of the Heart, in the Spirit, more than in the Letter. And, III. Thirdly, That thefe Duties, when thus performed, are acceptable to God, and will be rewarded by him. Their Praife is not of Men, but of God. They are not bare outward Compliances with the Religion received and in Fashion, in order to gain the Efteem and Applause of Men; but they ought to be confider'd as true and proper religious Acts, done in Obedience to God, and in the Manner he requires; and confequently such as his Wisdom approves, and his Juftice and Goodness will reward.

And my Design in the following Difcourfe is firft to prove the Truth of thefe general Propofitions, and then to fhew the Usefulness and Neceffity of attending to them, by a reafonable Application to ourselves.

I. The first Propofition is, That the pofitive Commands of God ought to be carefully obeyed, as well as thofe which are called

maral;