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Thus indeed some have run into extremity,¹ and thought Christ was not preached, because he is not always proffered as a Saviour to sinners, but the Law and Duties, and Hell torments are preached. Now to this we say many things:

Thus indeed some have runne into extremity,¹ and thought Christ was not preached, because he is not alwayes proffered as a Saviour to sinners, but the Law and Duties, and Hell torments are preached. Now to this we say many things:

1. 1Answ.

First, When the Ministers of God preach duties, the work of repentance, or ⟨p. 154⟩mortification; they preach them not as foundations, They do not lay them in Christs room, and therefore they do not cross this Text. Doth not this Paul, who is so careful to lay no other foundation but Christ, diligently exhort in other places to avoid sin, to live in the fervent practice of holy duties? Who is more zealous in this way than Paul? Paul to these very Corinthians, hath many severe admonitions, to make them humble and sorrowful for their sins, yet he did not lay another foundation, because these are preached only as the way whereby Christ may be obtained. We do not then transgress this Text, when we preach repentance to the sinner, humility to the proud man, heavenly-mindedness to the earthly man, righteousness to the unjust man, chastity to the unclean man. We do not forget our Office, we do not run from our Text, because we preach them not as a foundation. Indeed if any preach them so as to rest on them, to put confidence in them, this man layeth another foundation; but so do not the Orthodox, we preach Christ the meritorious cause, duties are the way, not the cause. And although Christ be said to be in a different sense the way, yet duties are the way, Christ is the way effectively and meritorious; but so are not duties.