is, to the Happiness of Heaven. But if we do not fo improve them, we fhall, notwithstanding our present Privileges, be fhut out, or denied Access to Life, and Happiness.

177. Mat. xxv. 1431; Here the fame Difpenfation is explained, by the Comparison of "a Man travelling into a far Country; who called his own Servants, and delivered unto them his Goods: And unto one he gave five Talents, and to another two, and to another one ;- -He that had received five Talents-traded- -and made them other five. And likewise he that had two gained other two. But he that had received one, went and digged in the Earth, and hid his Lord's Money. After a long Time the Lord of thofe Servants cometh, and reckons with them." Ver. 21, "His Lord faid unto him, that had gained five Talents, and also to him, that had gained two, Well done, good and faithful Servant, thou haft been faithful in a few Things, I will make thee Lord over many Things; enter thou into the Joy of thy Lord. But unto him, that had hid his Talent in the Earth, his Lord faid, Thou wicked and flothful Servant, &c. And caft ye the unprofitable Servant into outer Darkness; there fhall be Weeping and Gnafhing of Teeth."In this Parable, our Lord is the Man who travelled into the far Country, Heaven. His own Servants are the whole Body of Chriftians. And it is our prefent great Privilege, that we are his Servants, and have received Talents; that is, various Capacities, Means, and Advantages. These Talents are the Gift of free Grace, being our Lord's Money, and not merited by any Works, or Obedience of ours. But, having received thefe Talents, we are obliged to employ and improve them. For at the last Day, when our Lord fhall come, he will enquire how we have used them; and then, the Servant, who has done well, fhall be honoured and exalted. But the flothful Servant, who hath done nothing, or very ill, fhall be condemned, To the fame Purpose alfo is the Parable of the Pounds, Luke xix. 12-27.

178. [Mat. xxv. 32, to the End; "When the Son of Man fhall come in his Glory,before him shall be gathered all Nations; and he fhall separate them one from another, as a Shepherd divides his Sheep from the Goats," &c. Obferve well; the two foregoing Parables, of the Virgins and Talents, refer plainly to the Church, or to fuch as are in the Kingdom of Heaven, or to thofe who are Chrift's own Servants, in a peculiar Senfe; and fhew, upon what Terms they are favoured with Church Privileges. But this Parable of the Sheep and Goats refers to all Mankind, to all Nations; and fhews, how Chrift will deal in Judgment with the whole World; thofe that are not, as well as those that are, in the Church. Now, though this Parable is not for our prefent Purpose, yet we may from thence learn, (1.) That all Mankind without Exception have a Rule of Duty.. (2.) That all Men will be judged at the laft Day, in Reference to their prefent Conduct. (3.) That then it will appear, there have been righteous Men among all Nations. (4.) That a righteous Man in any Nation, Chriftian or Pagan, is one of Christ's Brethren, Ver. 40.-(5.) That righteous Men, in all Nations, Chriftians or Pagans, are bleffed of God, and shall be received into his Kingdom, Ver. 34.(6.) That the finally Wicked and Im

penitent

peninent in all Nations, Chriftians as well as Pagans, are curfed of God, and fhall go into everlafting-Fire, Ver. 41.]

179. John xv. 1-6; "I am the true Vine, and my Father is the Hufbandman. I am the Vine, ye are the Branches [123] Every Branch in me that beareth not Fruit he taketh away: And every Branch that beareth Fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more Fruit. Now you are clean [Ephef. v. 26. 125.] through the Word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the Branch cannot bear Fruit of itself, except it abide in the Vine: No more can ye except ye abide in me. I am the Vine, ye are the Branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the fame bringeth forth much Fruit: For fevered from me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is caft forth as a Branch, and is withered; and Men gather them, and caft them into the Fire, and they are burned." Ver. 8, " Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much Fruit, fo fhall ye be my Difciples." Ver. 9, As the Father hath loved me, fo have I loved you: Continue ye in my Love. If ye keep my Commandments, ye shall continue in my Love."Here Chrift, (that is to fay, the Church, or the Chriftian Community, which is planted upon, and profefles the Faith and Doctrine of the Gofpel, I Cor. xii. 12, 27.) is the Vine, and particular Members of the Church are the Branches; who are clean through the Doctrine which Chrift has taught us. This is our prefent great Privilege, and the Effect of Chrift's Love. But this will not fecure our final Salvation. In order to that, we must bring forth Fruit, and continue in Christ's Love, by keeping his Commandments: Otherwife, we fhall be taken away, and like ufelefs withered Branches, caft into the Fire.

Gofpel Privileges, &c. the Means of restoring true Religion, and Motions to a good and virtuous Life. Proved to be fo from the Apoftolic Writings.

180.

F

ROM thefe Difcourfes and Parables of our Bleffed Lord, we may gather the Truth of the Particulars laid down [169]. Which Particulars we shall now prove more largely from the Apoftolic Writings. And, that it may be done, as clearly and briefly as the Thing will allow, I fhall ufe the following Abbreviations; namely, [Prior State,] which fignifies that the Texts, which follow, prove the State they were in, before their Converfion to Chriftianity. Anteced.] Signifies, that the following Texts fpeak of Antecedent Love, or Mercies. Reajon.] The Texts, which give the Reafon, or Caufe of thofe Mercies; namely, the Grace of God. Duty. The Texts which fhew the Duties, to which we are obliged by the Antecedent Mercies. Confeq. The Texts, which fpeak of the Bleffings, in this or the other World, which fhall be given in confe

quence

quence of the right Improvement of thofe Mercies. Suppof.] Texts, which fuppofe, or affirm, that Chriftians, favoured with Antecedent Mercies, may be, or actually are, wicked Abusers of them. Account.] Texts, which prove our Accountablenefs to God, for the Improvement or Non-Improvement of those Mercies. Threat.] Texts, which threaten final Perdition to wicked Chriftians, who abuse Antecedent Mercies.

181. Paul, the apostle, writes to all the Chriftians at Rome, without diftinction, as being "called [97] of Jefus Chrift, beloved of God, [140] called faints; [127] as justified by faith, and having peace with God; as ftanding in the grace of the gospel," Chap. v. 1. 2; as “alive [99] from the dead," Chap. vi. 13, &c. [Duty] Chap. vi. 4, 12, &c. "Walk in newnefs of life. Let not fin reign in your mortal body. Yield yourselves unto God." Chap. xii. 1, &c. "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies [142] of God, that ye prefent your bodies a living facrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reafonable service." [Account.] Chap. xiv. 10, 12, "We shall all stand before the judgment feat of Chrift. Every one of us fhall give account of himself to God." [Sup.] xiii. 11, 12, 13, 14,-" It is high time to awake out of fleep; let us therefore caft off the works of darkness; -let us not walk in rioting and drunkenness, in chambering and wan tonnefs, in ftrife and envying.-Make no provifion for the flesh to fulfil the lufts thereof." viii. 13, "For if ye live after the flesh, [Threat.] ye fhall die hereafter: But if ye through the Spirit do mortify the Deeds of the Body, [Conf.] ye shall live.”

-

I. II. CORINTHIANS.

182. Both these Epiftles were wrote to the fame Perfons. Prior State.] The body of Chriftians at Corinth had been idolatrous Gentiles, Chap. xii. 2; "Ye know that ye were Gentiles carried away unto thofe dumb Idols, even as ye were led."

183. Anteced.] But after their converfion to Christianity (1 Cor. i. 2. 2 Cor. i. 1.) they were "the church of God, [133] fanctified [124] in Chrift Jefus, called [97] faints." [127] Ver. 4, "The grace [142] of God was given them by Jefus Chrift;" Ver. 5, 6, 7, They were enriched with the miraculous gifts of the Spirit; (xiv. 18, "I thank my God, I fpeak with tongues more than you all.") Ver. 9, " They were called into the fellowship of Jefus Chrift;" Ver. 10, 11, &c. (x. 14,) The apoftle frequently owns them for his brethren, dearly beloved; Ver. 18, They were among the faved [93], in oppofition to the infidel Gentiles, who were loft; Ver. 30, "Of him are [102] ye in Chrift Jefus." Chap. iii. 9, "Ye are God's husbandry, [123] ye are God's building" [128]. Ver. 16, (2 Cor. vi. 16.) "Ye are the temple [128]

‡ Merrete arobmoney, ge shall hereafter die; meaning, in the world that is

to come.

VOL. III

of God." Ver. 23, "Ye are Chrift's." Chap. v. 7, "Ye are unleavened," [that is, with regard to the ftate into which they were put by the Gospel, according to the profeffion, principles, means, bleflings, end and defign of which they were unleavened, or purged from all wickedness] Chap. vi. 11, "Ye are washed, [125]* ye are fanctified, [124] ye are justified, in the name of the Lord Jefus, and by the fpirit of our God." Ver. 15, "Your bodies are the members of Chrift." Ver. 19, "Your body is the temple of the Holy Ghoft which is in," or among, "you" [in it's miraculous gifts and operations.] Ver. 20, "Ye are bought [93] with a price." Chap. vii. 14, "Your children are not unclean, [126] but holy." [127] Ver. 23, "Ye are bought [93] with a price." Chap. x. 17, They were "all partakers of that one bread" in the Lord's fupper. xii. 13, "By one fpirit they were all baptized into one body." Ver. 27, They were "the body of Chrift, and members in particular." xv. 1, They had "received the gofpel, and ftood in it." 2 Cor. vi. 17, 18. vii. 1, They had the promife of God's being their father, [103] and they his fons and daugh ters; that is, God was their father, and they his fons and daughters; for they had in poffeffion the grant, or promise, of this honourable relation.

All these bleflings, and happy relations, are affirmed of the whole body of the Corinthian Chriftians, without exception, or distinction. 184. Reafon.] 1 Cor. i. 4, "The grace [142] of God was given them by Jefus Chrift."

185. Duty.] The foregoing bieffings and privileges will appear to be motives to virtue and obedience, if we confider the following paffages. 1 Cor. v. 7, 8, "Purge out therefore the old leaven, + that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Chrift our paffover is facrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feaft [of a Christian life] not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of fincerity and truth." vi. 18, 19, 20, "Flee fornication. Your body is the temple of the Holy Ghoft,—and ye are bought with a price: Therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's." ix, 24-27, "They which run in a race, run all, but one receives the prize. So run [in the Chriftian courfe] that ye may obtain. And every man that ftrives for the mastery is temperate in all things: Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible. I therefore fo run, not as uncertainly: So fight I, not, as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into fubjection: Left by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself

fhould

"Ye are washed," is here of the fame import with " purged from his old fins," 2 Pet. i. 9. And ii. 22, "the fow that was washed, " is an apoliate Chriftian. The Jewish church is faid to be washed, when it was born, Ezek. xvi. 4, 9.

Though, according to the profeffion, principles, means, bleffings, end and defign of the gospel, they were unleavened, or washed, purged and fanétified, yet the Apoftle here fuppofes there was among them the old, heathenish leaven of malice and wickedness, which it was their duty to purge out. This is clearly explained in Ezek. xxiv. 13, "Because I have purged thee, [by the instructions, means and motives afforded for that purpose,] and thou wait not purged (by a due improvement of them,] thou fhalt not be purged from thy filthiness any more, till I have caufed my fury to pass upon thee.'

fhould be a caft-away," or reprobate. ‡ iv. 16, "I befeech you be ye the fol] lowers of me." xv. 58, "My beloved brethren, be ye ftedfaft, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord." xvi. 13, 14, "Watch ye, ftand faft in the faith, quit you like men, be ftrong. Let all your things be done in charity." 2 Cor. v. 15, "Chrift died for all, that they which live, fhould not henceforth [after they have embraced Christianity] live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rofe again." vi. 1, « We e befeech you alfo that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.' Having therefore these promifes

"* vii. 1,

[that

Paul was not caft away, or reprobate, but was, at that time, of the "remnant according to the election of Grace," Rom. xi, 1, 5. And yet, had he not kept under his body, &c. notwithstanding his gifts and preaching, as an apostle, he would have become a caft-away, or reprobate, in the day of judg

ment.

The Corinthians had received the gospel and stood in it. (1 Cor. xv. 1.) Which gofpel, as appears from the whole chapter, was this; that Chrift will raife us from the dead, and give us eternal life. And this gospel is a motive to engage us to be "stedfast and unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord; forasmuch as we know that our labour fhall not be in vain in the Lord."

It is worth our while to obferve; that in 2 Cor. v. 20, 21, vi. 1, 2, 3. the. apoftle gives us a fpecimen of the apoftolic manner of address to two different forts of people. i. To the unconverted Gentiles. 2. To those who had al ready embraced Christianity.

we were

I. That he speaks to the unbelieving Gentiles in Chap. v. 20, 21, is evi dent; because he is fpeaking of God's reconciling the world to himself by Chrift, Ver. 19, "To wit, that God was in Chrift reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trefpaffes unto them; and hath committed unto us," apoftles, "the word of reconciliation." The world, or this world, commonly, if not always, in the apoftolic writing, when applied to the men that are in the world, fignifies the unconverted Heathens. See, particularly, I Cor. v. 10, 11.. x. 32. And, reconcile, [xarasow] when fpoken of the world, fignifies. changing men from Heathenifm, to the faith of the gofpel. Rom. v. 10, "For if when we," Chriftians, " were enemies," idolatrous Gentiles, " reconciled," or changed "to God by the death of his fon: much more being now actually reconciled, we fhall be finally faved by his life." Confequently, he could not, as our tranflators fuppofe, address the Chriftians at Corinth, when he faith, Ver. 20, "Now then we are ambaffadors for Chrift, as though God did befeech [you] by us; we pray [you] in Chrift's ftead be . ye reconciled unto God." Our tranflators have inferted [you] twice in this. verfe; as if the apoftle was speaking to the Corinthians: but [you] is not in the original Greek; and the Corinthians, to whom he writes, were already reconciled to God, or changed from Heathenifm to the faith of the gospel they had "received the grace of God," Chap. vi. !. And therefore in this Verfe he gives a fpecimen of their manner of preaching to the unconverted, unreconciled Gentiles. "Now then we are ambassadors on the behalf of Chrift, as though God did befeech," or intreat, "by us, we pray," we beg "on the behalf of Chrift, be ye reconciled, [or changed from your enmity and idolatry,] unto God." In fuch language the apoftles addreffed, and intreated the Gentile world. He adds, Ver. 21, the grand argument which they urged to inforce this intreaty: "For he," God," has made him to be fin for us who knew no fin, that we might be made the righteoufnefs of God in him.” As if he had faid, "God by a furprifing fcheme of wisdom and mercy ap Bb 2

"pointed