unless they speak that which cannot be understood by the Wit of Man; and, like the Priests of Apollo, are then inspired when they utter unintelligible Riddles and Ambiguities: As if to adorn the Doctrine of Chrift, were to veil it, and it were then most beautiful when most obfcure. Others think they adorn it, when they are still altering and changing it; cafting out this Way, and bringing in another; and then finding Fault with that; as if Religion were defigned not to reform us, but ftill to be reformed it felf; and were made to no other Purpose in the World, but only to be mended. This is not to adorn the Doctrine of Christ, but abundantly to difparage it, when either we think to add any new Excellency unto it, which before it had not; or to dress and trick it up in new Fashions, and new Modes of Religion. It is not to be done by old Traditions, or new Opinions, or any fantaftical and affected Way of Delivering and Expounding the Truths of the Gospel.

Secondly, But Pofitively: To adorn the Doctrine of God our Saviour, is to live conformably unto it: For the Doctrine of Chrift confifts, as I told you, in two Things; The Mysteries of Faith, and the R 4 Duties

Duties of Obedience. And we adorn this Doctrine, when we live fuitably to both of these.

ift. When we endeavour to live according to the Belief of those Mysteries of Grace and Mercy that are revealed in it. In this Doctrine it is, that we have the Glad-tidings of Happiness and Salvation restored unto Mankind by a Mediator; that the Forfeiture we had made of our very Lives and Souls to the Juftice of God, is now redeemed by our Surety Jefas Chrift, who hath undertaken the defperate Work of reconciling Sinners to an holy and jealous God, and hath himself fill'd up that sa a, that vaft and unpaffable Gulph, that was between Heaven and us, laying his Cross for our Bridge, and Himself for our Way to pass over into eternal Blifs and Joy. Now we are faid to adorn this Doctrine of God our Saviour, when we live answerably to the Obligations that the Grace of the Gospel lays upon us. What Obligations they are, the Apostle tells us in the two next Verfes after my Text; The Grace of God that bringeth Salvation, hath appeared unto all Men; teaching us, that denying Ungodliness, and worldly Lufts, we should live righteously, foberly, and godly in this prefent World. It is the greatest Reproach that can be caft

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upon the Doctrine of Christ, that it makes Men Libertines, or gives them Indulgence to Sin. Some may poffibly fo argue, that if Chrift procured Happiness and Salvation for them, there lies no Neceflity upon them to exercise Holinefs and Strictness, but they may live at Random, for Chrift hath done all, This is that curfed Inference which the Apostle, all along in his Epiftles, confutes and abhors: Shall we continue in Sin, that Grace may abound ? God forbid. And this is the greatest Reproach that can be caft on this Doctrine, that it should hold forth Chrift as a Par tron of Licencioufnefs, who was the greatest Pattern and Example of Holiness and Purity. No certainly, he never intended by fatisfying the Juftice of God, to encourage the Wickedness of Man; nor, that the Promises of the Gospel should be produced to invalidate the Precepts of the Law. But, as the Apostle tells us, Ver. 14. of this Chapter, He gave himfelf for us, that he might redeem us from all Iniquity, and purify to himself a peculiar Peaple, zealous of good Works. The proper Influence that Divine Mercy fhould have upon us, is to conform us to the Divine Purity: So faith the Apostle, 1 Cor. 7. 1. Having thefe Promifes, (the Promises of Heaven and Glory through Chrift) let us

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cleanse our felves from all Filthiness both of Flesh and Spirit, perfecting Holiness in the Fear of God. And 1 John 3. 3. Every Man that hath this Hope in him, purifieth himself even as God is pure. Now when the Grace which is exhibited to us in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, is suffered to have this kindly Effect upon us, by a sweet and genuine Attractiveness to engage us to an holy and blameless Life, then is our Converfation such as adorns the Doctrine of God our Saviour.

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2dly. To adorn this Doctrine, is to live conformably to the Commands of it; requiring from us the Duties of new Obedience in order to our eternal Salvation. Now these Commands of the Gospel, are the whole Moral Law, which is taken in, to the Protection of it, and fenced about with the fuper added Authority of Christ's Sanction. It is only through the Grace of the Gospel, that the imperfect Obedience of a Believer is at all available to his Salvation, fince the Law of Works accepts not of any Obedience under the Degree of most perfect and abfolute, So that when we endeavour, according to the uttermoft of our Power and Ability, to conform our Lives to the Commands of the Gofpel; when by our universal Holinefs and Obedience, we strive in all Things

to please God, then do we adorn the Doctrine of Chrift. We credit our Profeffion, and set it off to the Esteem of others, when our Practices answer our Pretences. This is in the General, to adorn the Doctrine of God our Saviour; To live suitably to the Grace revealed in it, and to the Duties injoined by it.

Ornaments ferve for two Ufes and Intents: The One is, to cover the Nakedness of those that wear them: The Other, to beautify and fet them off to the Esteem and Acceptance of others. Now fuch an holy Gospel-life, adorns the Doctrine of Chrift both these Ways:

Firft, It hides the Nakedness, and takes away the Shame of Religion: For nothing is a greater Blemish and Reproach to our Profeffion, than the unfuitable Lives of Profeffors. I need not tell you, what a Difcredit Chriftians have brought upon Christianity it felf, by their diforderly. Converfation. It were not fo much to be lamented, if the Shame of it lighted only upon those who were guilty: But the Name of Christ is blafphemed thro' their Miscarriages; and every one is ready to caft the Dirt and Mire into which a Profeffor falls, into the very Face of Religion

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