LXXXVI and the terms of the chriftian religion, and confe-SER M. quently" to preach another gofpel," by declaring other terms of falvation, than CHRIST in his gospel hath declared, which is to pervert the gospel of CHRIST. II. No pretence of infallibility is fufficient to authorise and warrant the addition of any thing to the christian doctrine, as neceffary to be believed or practifed, in order to falvation. After the delivery of the gofpel by the Son of GOD, and the publication of it to the world by his apostles, who were commiffioned and inspired by him to that purpose, and the confirmation of all, by the greatest and most unquestionable miracles that ever were, no person whatever that brought any other doctrine, and declared falvation to men on any other terms than those which are declared in the gospel, was to be credited, what pretence foever he should make to a divine commiffion or an infallible affiftance. The apostle makes a fuppofition as high as can be, "though we (fays he) or "an angel from heaven preach, any other gofpel "unto you, than that which we have preached unto you, let him be an anathema.” If the apostles themselves, who were divinely commiffioned, and infallibly affifted in the preaching of the gospel, should afterwards make any addition to it, or declare any other terms of falvation than those which are declared in the gospel which they had already published to the world, they ought not to be regarded. And the reason is plain; because what claim foever any perfon may make to infallibility, and what demonstration foever he may give of it, we cannot poffibly believe him, if he contradict himself, and deliver doctrines which do plainly clash with one another for if he fpake true at first, I cannot believe : LXXXVI SERM him declaring the contrary afterwards: and if he did not speak true at first, I cannot believe him at all; because he can give no greater proof of his divine commiffion, and infallible affiftance and infpiration, than he did at firft. And the reason is the fame, if an angel from heaven fhould come and preach a contrary doctrine to that of the gofpel, he were not to be believed neither; because he could bring no better credentials of his divine commiffion and authority, than those had who publifh'd the gofpel, and, confequently, he ought not to be credited in any thing contrary to what they had published before. For though a man were never so much difpofed to receive a Revelation from GOD, and to fubmit his faith to it; yet it is not poffible for any man to believe GOD against GoD himfelf; that is, to believe two revelations, plainly contradictory to one another, to be from God; and the reafon of this is very obvious; becaufe every man doth first, and more firmly, believe this propofition or principle, "that contradictions cannot be true," than any revelation whatsoever; for if contradictions may be true, then no revelation from GoD can fignify any thing, because the contrary may be equally true and fo truth and falfhood be all one. The apostle indeed only makes a fuppofition, when he fays, "tho' we, or an angel from heaven, preach any "other doctrine unto you," but by this fuppofition he plainly bars any man, or company of men, from adding to the chriftian religion any article of faith, ar point of practice, as of neceflity to falvation, which the gofpel hath not made fo; I fay, any man, or company of men, whatever authority or infallibility they may lay claim to, becaufe they cannot pretend to a clearer com commiffion, and greater evidence of infallible afli- SERM ftance, than an apoftle or an angel from heaven, and yet the text tells us, that would not be a fufficient warrant to preach another gospel; it might indeed bring in question that which they had preached be fore, but could not give credit and authority to any thing plainly contrary to it, and inconfiftent with it. III. Chriftians may judge and difcern when another gospel is preached, when new articles of faith, or points of practice, not enjoined in the gospel, are imposed upon Chriftians. This the apostle fuppofeth every particular church, and for ought I know every particular christian, that is duly inftructed in the chriftian religion to be a competent judge of, and to be fufficiently able to difcern when another gospel is preached, and new terms and conditions, not declared in the gospel, are added to the christian religion; for if they be not able to judge of this, the apostle does in vain caution them against the seduction of those "who perverted the doctrine of CHRIST, "and endeavoured to remove them from him that "had called them by the grace of CHRIST, unto another gofpel." It may perhaps be faid, that there was no need that they should be able to discern and judge of the doctrines of thofe falfe teachers, it was fufficient for them to believe the apoftle concerning the doctrines of those feducers, when he declared to them the falfhood and pernicious confequence of them. But the apostle speaks to them upon another fuppofition, which does neceffarily imply, that they were able to difcern and judge what doctrines were agreeable to the gofpel, and what not; for he puts the cafe, that LXXXVI if SER M. if he himself, or any of the apoftles, or an angel from heaven, fhould preach to them another doctrine, contrary to that of the gofpel, they ought to reject it with deteftation; but this doth neceffarily suppose them able to judge, when fuch doctrines were preached, and confequently that all things neceffary to be believed and practifed by all chriftians, are clearly and plainly declared in the gospel; all the doctrines whereof are now contained in the holy fcriptures, in which all things neceffary to faith and a good life, are so plainly delivered, that any fober and inquifitive perfon may learn them from thence, and the meaneft capacity, by the help and direction of their guides and teachers, may be inftructed in them. And this is not only the principle of proteftants, but the express and conftant doctrine of the ancient fathers of the church, whatever the church of Rome, for the maintaining of her ufurped authority over the confciences of men, pretends to the contrary. And if this were not fo, that men are able to difcern and judge which are the doctrines of the gospel, and what is contrary to them; the doctrine of the gospel was in vain preached, and the holy fcriptures containing that doctrine were written to no purpose. Some things in fcripture are granted to be obscure and difficult, on purpose to exercise the study and enquiries of those who have leifure and capacity for it but all things neceffary are fufficiently plain; otherwise it would be impoffible to judge when another gospel is preached, which the apoftle here fuppofeth the Galations capable of doing. For if the revelation of the gofpel be not fufficiently plain in all things neceffary to be believed and practifed, then christians christians have no rule whereby to judge what doc- SERMtrines are agreeable to the gospel, and what not, for LXXXVI an obfcure rule is of no ufe; that is, in truth is no rule to thofe to whom it is obfcure. I proceed to the IVth observation, which is plainly consequent from those laid down before; namely, that fince the declaration of the gofpel, and the confirmation given to it, there is no authority in the christian church to impofe upon christians any thing, as of neceffity to falvation, which the gospel hath not made fo. The commiffion given by our LORD and SAVIOUR to his apoftles, was "to preach the gospel to all na❝tions, (or as St. Matthew expreffes it) to go and "teach all nations, to observe all things whatsoever "he had commanded them; " and this is that which we call the gofpel, viz. that doctrine which CHRIST commanded his apóftles to preach and publifh to the world; and if the apoftles themselves had exceeded their commiffion, and added any other points of faith or practice to those which our SAVIOUR gave them in charge to teach and publish to the world, they had, in fo doing, been guilty of that which St. Paul here in the text chargeth the false apostles with, viz. "of preaching another gofpel." And if the apostles had no authority to add any thing to the gospel, much lefs can any others pretend to it fince they have neither so immediate a commiffion, nor fuch a miraculous power to give teftimony to them, " that they are teachers come from God." Now this dorine of the gofpel, which the apostles preached to the world, is that which Chriftians are fo often and so earneftly by the apoftles in all their epiftles" exhorted to continue in, and not to fuffer "them |