And whereas they say they do add, they take nothing from the suffi- ciency of Christ : —
I answer, Circumcision was added here by those, who are notwithstand- ing condemned. For as to join poison with wholesome meat takes away the nourishment of the meat, so if we be circumcised, Christ shall profit us nothing ; and grace is no grace where there is merit, Rom. xi. 6. Again, consider the equity thereof in natural reason. Can it be thought likely that God should become man, to do anything which lies in the power of man to patch up and make good, or else it is insufficient ? Shall finite corrupt man be able to make an infinite work perfect. No. God will not give his glory to another ; and will he part with his glory in this great work, which propounds his glory as the main end thereof? Eph. i. 6, 12.
4. Fourthl}^, There are another sort of enemies, such as cast not themselves on the vierits of Christ's cross, those whose consciences were never convict of sin. Abundance there are who glory in their proud presumptuous swag- gering courses, shewing that they are either blind or stark mad. They wilfully run to perdition, they will not hear nor be controlled. Others that see their forepast life how wicked it hath been, they are so far from casting themselves on Christ's merits, as they despair and grow more and more obstinate therein, even to their own destruction ; either by not seeing the merits of Christ, or through want of confidence on them, though they see his righteousness to be above their sins. And some are so detestably wicked, a's because they see no salve for them, they run desperately into a custom of sin, and continue therein to their death. As we would desire to avoid this fearful estate and condition, so let us take heed of custom of
* That is, ' satisfying.'— G.
128 EXPOSITION OF
sinning, for that will mako us senseless, and will move God to give us over. And therefore let us take heed that we receive not the grace of God in vain, it being so freely profi'ci*ed to us. And to this end, know that so for as wo Buffer our lusts to overrule us, and we not crucify them, so far we are ene- mies. Gal. V. 4. For while we know and consider Christ as crucified for our sins, it will make us, if we have any grace, think of sin as of a thing that deserves to be crucified, and hate that that caused the death of our dear Saviour ; for they were the cruel tormentors of Christ. And if we embrace Christ, we shall have the same affection to sin that Christ had ; for Christ will not lodge but in a heart humbled for sin. And the estate of those men is miserable, that are so far from crucifying lusts, as they thrust themselves upon all occasions of temptation and sin, and esteem them as their only enemies, that tell them of their unchristian courses. Surely, howevl3r they may daub for a time, yet their outward profession will never administer sound comfort to them, but they shall find bitterness at their latter end.
5. There are yet another sort of enemies, namely, such an will endure nothing for Christ ; who notwithstanding bore his cross, and bids us take up our cross of reproach for religion. Some will endure any pain, travail, danger, and watchings, for riches or ambition, but dare not speak a word, or appear in Christ's cause. Are not these enemies ? Shall Christ out of his love come from heaven to the basest abasement for us, and shall not we endure for a while here, seeing it is also for our own good, and we are gainers thereby, and considering that Christ called us to sufier. For while we live here, and embrace true religion, there will ever bo a cross and shame in the world, accompanying the profession thereof, if it be sincere.
Preachers therefore that preach not Christ plainly and boldly, and hearers that come to the hearing of the word rather for rhetorical flourishes, witty sentences fit only for discourse sake, even thus far they are enemies. For if Christ be not preached mainly and chiefly to this end, to amend the lives of men, to win souls to Christ ; and if men, coming to hear, come not even for this end mainly, to", be bettered in their salvation, to be strengthened in grace ; they shall be damned as enemies for this, that the means of salvation they profane and despise.
And therefore letws ahase ourselves for our sins, and magnify God's good- ness in aflbrding means of salvation. Labour also to shew how we profit by suffering for the gospel, and count it an honour, and ' rejoice that we are worthy to suffer' for Christ, Acts v. 41, labour to overcome the world and our lusts, and to honour Christ even in his meanest children. If the love of Christ will not constrain us, no motives will draw us.
VERSE 19.
WJiose end is destruction.
The word signifies a reward, and is translated and taken often for an end,* because reward is given at the end of the work ; and thus is salva- tion called a reward for goodness, because it is given at the end of a holy life. The other word signifies damnation or destruction, which implies all things tending to or accompanying the punishment of a wicked life. And the connection of these words with the former may be thus framed. He that is an enemy to the cause of life is an enemy to life, but those that are enemies to the cross of Christ are enemies to the cause of life and to that * The original is reXog, — G.