Sermons preached on several occasionsSermons preach'd on several occasions

Secondly; The Corrupt Nature will not submit to the Sanctity and Purity of the Gospel. The forecited Scripture tells us, the Carnal Mind is Enmity against God: and that Enmity is armed with many strong Lusts-opposing his Law. The principal Cause of rejecting the Gospel is common to all, We will not have ¹this Man to reign over us. 'Tis observable, ⟨p. 237⟩that as Holiness is that Attribute wherein God doth most excel, and Men are most defective; so the corrupt Will is most opposite to it. The Justice and Power of God in some cases Men do approve and apply themselves to: if injuriously accused or oppressed, they desire his Justice to vindicate their Innocence, and revenge their Wrongs: if in Distress and Exigencies, they pray that his powerful Providence may regard and relieve them: but they are extremely averse from his Holiness shining in his Laws, which excites his Justice and Power to punish those who rebel against it. They are ready to say to Christ, what the rebellious Israelites said to Rehoboam, Thy Father made our Yoke grievous: ²now therefore make thou the grievous Service of thy Father, and his heavy Yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve thee. They will ⟨p. 238⟩measure out the scantling of their Obedience, how far he shall rule, and farther they will not yield. But our Saviour declares, I am not come to destroy the Law, but to fulfil it. ³'Tis true, the Gospel is a Covenant of Grace, a sovereign Composition of precious Promises of recovering Grace, and pardoning Mercy; but 'tis also a Law, and enjoins Repentance towards God, and Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. As without Compensation to the Justice, so without Conformity to the Holiness of God, we can never be restored to his Favour, and enjoy him as our Felicity.

Secondly; The Corrupt Nature will not submit to the Sanctity and Purity of the Gospel. The forecited Scripture tells us, the Carnal Mind is Enmity against God: and that Enmity is arm'd with many strong Lusts-opposing his Law. The principal Cause of rejecting the Gospel is common to all, We will not have