Answ. 1 If the Law, and the preaching of the Law cannot make a man to deny himself in Spiritual things, then the Gospel must do it: for this grace is to be obtained, and found some where, something must work it. Now the Law, and the preaching of the Law, can never make a man to Deny himself in Spiritual things; but rather it will make a man to Seek himself in Spiritual things: For, what is it to preach the Law: but when I shall come from God, and tell ye, That if ye do keep the Ten Commandments, and fail in nothing; ye shall be Saved: but if ye fail in any one point ye shall be Damned, and lost for ever: This will not make a man to Deny his own Righteousness, but rather to Seek ⟨p. 53⟩himself, his own Salvation, to avoid Damnation, and seek himself in Spiritual things. But now, when I come to ye, and speak thus unto ye from the Lord, That if you do throw down all your own Righteousness, at the feet of Christ, and rest only upon him; ye shall be saved: this will make a man to deny all his own Righteousness, and deny himself in Spiritual things: and this is the Gospel. And the Gospel must needs do it. For, what is the Gospel? but the Voice of Christ, the Preachings, and the Sermons of Christ? Now look as it was with the first Adam; the first lesson, that the first Adam did learn, practice, and teach his posterity, was, To Advance himself in Spiritual things.1 The day that thou eatest (says Satan to him) thou shalt not die; but thine eyes shall be opened, and thou shalt be as God. Which he believed, and did eat, and so laboured to Advance himself in Spiritual things: The first lesson, that ever he learned, and taught his posterity, was, to Advance himself. So the second Adam; the first lesson that ever the Second Adam (Christ) put in practice, was Self-Denial in Spiritual things.2 For (says the Apostle) He thought it no robbery to be equal with God, and yet humbled himself unto the form of a servant, and became of no reputation. This was the first thing. Now (I say) the Gospel is nothing else, but the Voice of Christ, the Sermons, and Preachings of Jesus Christ the Second Adam, and there, and there only, is this lesson to be learned.
Answ. 1 If the Law, and the preaching of the Law cannot make a man to deny himself in Spiritual things, then the Gospel must do it: for this grace is to be obtained, and found some where, something must work it. Now the Law, and the preaching of the Law, can never make a man to Deny himself in Spiritual things; but rather it will make a man to Seek himself in Spiritual things: For, what is it to preach the Law: but when I shall come from God, and tell ye, That if ye do keep the Ten Commandements, and fail in nothing; ye shall be Saved: but if ye fail in any one point ye shall be Damned, and lost for ever: This will not make a man to Deny his own Righteousness, but rather to Seek ⟨p. 53⟩himself, his own Salvation, to avoid Damnation, and seek himself in Spiritual things. But now, when I come to ye, and speak thus unto ye from the Lord, That if you do throw down all your own Righteousness, at the feet of Christ, and rest only upon him; ye shall be saved: this will make a man to deny all his own Righteousness, and deny himself in Spiritual things: and this is the Gospel. And the Gospel must needs do it. For, what is the Gospel? but the Voyce of Christ, the Preachings, and the Sermons of Christ? Now look as it was with the first Adam; the first lesson, that the first Adam did learn, practice, and teach his posterity, was, To Advance himself in Spiritual things.1 The day that thou eatest (saies Satan to him) thou shalt not die; but thine eyes shall be opened, and thou shalt be as God. Which he beleeved, and did eat, and so laboured to Advance himself in Spiritual things: The first lesson, that ever he learn'd, and taught his posterity, was, to Advance himself. So the second Adam; the first lesson that ever the Second Adam (Christ) put in practice, was Self-Denial in Spiritual things.2 For (saies the Apostle) He thought it no robbery to be equal with God, and yet humbled himself unto the form of a servant, and became of no reputation. This was the first thing. Now (I say) the Gospel is nothing else, but the Voyce of Christ, the Sermons, and Preachings of Jesus Christ the Second Adam, and there, and there only, is this lesson to be learned.
- 1Gen. 3.5.
- 2Phil. 2.6, 7.
