So that amongst the Fruits of the Spirit, Love is mentioned first, and Temperance, which implieth Sobriety, or that Virtue which is contrary to Gluttony & Drunkenness, is last mentioned, as flowing from that Mother-grace of Love, which hath many Daughters, whereof Temperance or Sobriety is one. Also true Christian Sobriety is ⟨p. 27⟩from Faith. Hence Peter faith concerning the Gentiles, That their Hearts were Purified by Faith, Act. 15.9. The Gentiles were much given to that defiling sin of Drunkenness, as the same Apostle elsewhere showeth, 1 Pet. 4.3. But by Faith they were taught to see the Evil of that, as well as of other Iniquities, & to Live Soberly as becometh the Gospel. Again, Christian Sobriety is from that Grace of Hope: A Believer hath Good Hope through Grace, that he shall be with Christ for ever in Heaven: this hope hath that blessed Effect upon his Heart & Life, as that it causeth him to abstain from all those Practices which are displeasing to the Lord, and to Purify himself, as He is Pure. Here now is Christian Sobriety. All this may be intimated to us in that Scripture, 1 Thes. 58. Let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith & love, & for an helmet the hope of salvation. Now this Christian Sobriety is that which is especially necessary. So it is as to the necessity of the Precept: The Moral Law requireth Sobriety, and this Law is confirmed by the Gospel, Rom. 3.31. Do we then make void the Law through' Faith? God forbid: Yea, we establish the Law. The Gospel, which is the Word of Faith, doth establish, tho' not the Ceremonial, yet the Moral Law: Wherefore it is said, that the Grace of God, i. e. the Gospel, which is a very Gracious Doctrine and Dispensation, which brings Salvation, hath appeared to all men, teaching us, that denying ⟨p. 28⟩Ungodliness & worldly Lusts, we should live [Soberly,] Righteously, & Godly in this present world, Tit. 2.11, 12. Men under the Gospel are taught Piety towards God, Righteousness towards Men, & Sobriety in respect of Themselves. This Sobriety is also nece•••ry, in ord•• to attaining Eternal Life; 1 Cor 9 25,— And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible Crown, but was an incorruptible; I therefore so run: I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection;
So that amongst the Fruits of the Spirit, Love is mentioned first, and Temperance, which implieth Sobriety, or that Virtue which is contrary to Gluttony & Drunkenness, is last mentioned, as flowing from that Mother-grace of Love, which hath many Daughters, whereof Temperance or Sobriety is one. Also true Christian Sobriety is ⟨p. 27⟩from Faith. Hence Peter faith concerning the Gentiles, That their Hearts were Purified by Faith, Act. 15.9. The Gentiles were much given to that defiling sin of Drunkenness, as the same Apostle elsewhere sheweth, 1 Pet. 4.3. But by Faith they were taught to see the Evil of that, as well as of other Iniquities, & to Live Soberly as becometh the Gospel. Again, Christian Sobriety is from that Grace of Hope: A Believer hath Good Hope through Grace, that he shall be with Christ for ever in Heaven: this hope hath that blessed Effect upon his Heart & Life, as that it causeth him to abstain from all those Practices which are displeasing to the Lord, and to Purify himself, as He is Pure. Here now is Christian Sobriety. All this may be intimated to us in that Scripture, 1 Thes. 58. Let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith & love, & for an helmet the hope of salvation. Now this Christian Sobriety is that which is especially necessary. So it is as to the necessity of the Precept: The Moral Law r•quireth Sobriety, and this Law is confirmed by the Gospel, Rom. 3.31. Do we then make void the Law thro' Faith? God forbid: Yea, we establish the Law. The Gospel, which is the Word of Faith, doth establish, tho' not the Ceremonial, yet the Moral Law: Wherefore it is said, that the Grace of God, i. e. the Gospel, which is a very Gracious Doctrine and Dispensation, which brings Salvation, hath appeared to all men, teaching us, that denying ⟨p. 28⟩Ungodliness & wordly Lusts, we should live [Soberly,] Righteously, & Godly in this present world, Tit. 2.11, 12. Men under the Gospel are taught Piety towards God, Righteousness towards Men, & Sobriety in respect of Themselves. This Sobriety is also nece•••ry, in ord•• to attaining Eternal Life; 1 Cor 9 25,— And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible Crown, but was an incorruptible; I therefore so run: I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection;
