A continuation of the exposition of the Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the…

Amongst all the vain Imaginations about Religious things vented in these latter days, there is none savours more rankly of Satanical Pride, and Humane folly, than that of such a state of Perfection attainable in this Life, wherein as it is phrased, men should be above Ordinances, that is, should be vainly puffed up in their fleshly minds, above the Authority, and Wisdom and Truth of God. Whilst we are in the way under the conduct of the Gospel, we need all the Advantages it affords in our progress. Of this sort are all the Threatenings, Promises, Exhortations, Encouragements contained in it. And the proper use of Gospel Threatenings in particular, such as that here insisted on by our Apostle, I have declared at large on the first and second Verses of the fourth Chapter, and shall not here again insist thereon.

Amongst all the vain Imaginations about Religious things vented in these latter days, there is none savours more rankly of Sathanical Pride, and Humane folly, than that of such a state of Perfection attainable in this Life, wherein as it is phrased, men should be above Ordinances, that is, should be vainly pussed up in their fleshly minds, above the Authority, and Wisdom and Truth of God. Whilst we are in the way under the conduct of the Gospel, we need all the Advantages it affords in our progress. Of this sort are all the Threatenings, Promises, Exhortations, Incouragements contained in it. And the proper use of Gospel Threatenings in particular, such as that here insisted on by our Apostle, I have declared at large on the first and second Verses of the fourth Chapter, and shall not here again insist thereon.

It followeth hence: (1) That whatever be the state and condition of them unto whom we dispense the Word, or whatever we may conceive it to be, that we are not with respect thereunto to balk or wave the delivery and pressing of any Evangelical warning, or the severest Threatening contained in the Gospel, much less Encouragements and Motives unto Faith and Obedience, though we are persuaded they both believe and obey. For as it is not impossible but that both they and we may be mistaken in their condition, and that the severest Menaces may be their proper portion in the World; so be their condition what it will, all these things have not only their proper use towards them, but are necessary for them in their several kinds. For although they every one of them as singly laid down, are of the same signification in themselves, yet in their Application unto men they have a sense suited unto their condition: for Instance; The same Threatening as applied unto Unbelievers, tends to beget Dread, Terror, and fear of Wrath in them, to fill them with Evidences of Gods displeasure. As applied unto Believers it tends only to fill them with Reverential Fear of God, Care to avoid the sin threatened, and to excite diligence in the use of means for its avoidance. All of them are good for all. As therefore if we should always in the Dispensation of the Word insist on the Threatenings of the Law and Gospel, whose Denunciation multitudes do certainly stand in need of, we might weaken and discourage those whom God would not have to be discouraged: So on the other hand if out of an Apprehension that our People or Congregations are made up of Believers, we should continually insist on the Promises of the Gospel, with the like Springs of Consolation, seldom or never pressing on them the Threatenings and severe Menaces thereof, we should certainly defraud them of a blessed means which God hath ordained for their Edification and Preservation in Faith. The holy intermixture of all these things in the Scripture it self, is to be our Rule and not any Imagination of our own.