As evident it is, that, not only with the Jews in Circumcifion, but with other Nations, at the Performance of the Ceremonies last observed, a particular Name was impofed. Not only as a diftinguishing Character for Civil Convenience, but efpecially upon a Religious Account; that the Fellow-Profeffors might know their new Profelytes, and that the Party himself, by this constant Memorial, might be continually reminded of, and quickned in, the Engagements entred into, at the folemn receiving of It. I ought to add also, That, as our Lord's own Name had, fo the generality of pious and fober Perfons have always thought it decent, that the Names impofed upon thefe Occafions fhould have, fomewhat fignificant in them. Whence, among Chriftians, it hath grown into a very Commendable Cuftom, to make choice of thofe Names, which, either Scripture, or undoubted Hiftory, hath affured us, had the Honour to be borne, by Men and Women of Confpicuous Piety and Virtuè. That fo thefe Examples might inspire a noble Emulation of their good Qualities, and Actions; or elfe reproach us, if we degenerate from the Patterns of those bright Saints, whofe Lives and Deaths ftamped such a Value on their Memory, as to transmit their Names to, and make them coveted by, Pofterity. The only Ufe, I defire to improve this Head to at prefent, is, to applaud, and earnestly to recommend the Care, of dedicating our Children to our Lord and Master, in Holy Baptifm, with the First Convenience of doing it. The Benefits of this Practice are more than can, The objections againft it weaker than need, be infifted on. Let it fuffice to fay, That Circumcifion was as much a Covenant heretofore, as Baptifm is now: That, what God then exprefly ordained for Them, he cannot be fuppofed to difapprove with Us. For, Is he the God of the Infants of the Jews, and is he not fo, of the Chriftians? Can this be thought fo much a better and and more gracious Covenant, fuppofing it to exclude fo many Millions of Souls, which the Former readily received, nay, peremptorily demanded? And, is it not enough, that These are not pofitively refused, to fatisfy us, that, though the Ordinance be changed, yet the Subjects and Privileges of it continue ftill the fame? Why then do any of us undertake, to make the Gate yet ftraiter, to shut the up Mercies, and leffen the Family of God? Why represent the Bleffed Jefus lefs kind, than Mofes? No, let us rather lofe no Moment's Time, of impreffing upon our Offspring the Marks of the New Covenant. Let us make the best Reparation we can, for the Stain and Guilt we convey to them, by seeing this immediately washed off, in that Fountain opened by Jefus Chrift, for Sin and for Uncleanness; even the Laver of Regeneration, the Sacrament of Baptifm. Let us deliver them up to His Care, who is gracious to all Ages, and cannot but embrace, and adopt, the tender Innocence of Thofe, who are propounded as a Pattern, for all that enter into his Kingdom. And are Thofe, to whom all that enter in must be like, not capable of entring in themselves? This happy Prevention will be their Security, against the Power of the Enemy, and the Seducements of a crooked and perverse Generation. And He, who fhed his firft Blood at Eight Days old, will know and fave Them, who begin to be His, at the fame Age. But withal, let it be our conftant Business, to second and confirm these good Beginnings, by timely Inftruction, and a virtuous Education. For dreadful will Their condemnation be, whofe own Bowels fhall rise up against them in the Day of Judgment; and upbraid that cruel Fondness, which laid the Foundation of their Vices, and their Torments. But bleffed are thofe pious Souls, who increase the Kingdom of God, with every Addition to their own Family; who double every Joy of Heaven to themselves, by those of the Children, which they have led, or fent before them thither; by a Race of good Men here, Vol. I. here, and of glorified Saints hereafter. Which, that we may all be, God of his infinite Mercy grant, for the sake of his Dear Son Chrift Jefus, our Bleffed Saviour and only Redeemer: To whom be Glory for ever. Amen. The Epiphany; or the Manifeftation of CHRIST to the Gentiles. Matth. ii. 2, 9, 10. The COLLECT. God, who by the leading of a Star didft manifeft thy only begotten Son to the Gentiles; Mercifully grant, that we, which know thee now by Faith, may after this Life have the fruition of thy glorious Godhead, through Jefus Chrift our Lord. Amen. PARAPHRASE. "F 1. Since therefore God I. hath been graciously.pleafed to unite Jews and Gen The EPISTLE. Ephef. iii. 1. I. OR this caufe, I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus tiles into one myftical Body (fee Chap. ii.) I, who have fuffered fo many Perfecutions, and am now under Imprisonment at Rome, for afferting the Privileges of the Gentile Converts to the Faith, befeech you to walk worthy of the Vocation wherewith ye are called. (Chap. iv. 1.) 2, 3, 4, 5. For fure ye cannot but know, how God hath commiffioned me to be your Preacher and Apostle; and that God, by fpecial Revelation, declared to me that fecret Purpose (of which I have fpoken briefly in the two Chapters foregoing) which they who 2. If ye bave beard of the difpenfation of the Grace of God, which is given me to you-ward. 3. How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery, (as I wrote afore in few Words. 4 Whereby when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Chrift.) 5. Which in other ages was not made known unte the Sons of Men, as it is now made known unto bis Apoftles and Prophets by the Spirit. lived heretofore had not the like distinct knowledge of, as is now by the Holy Ghost imparted to the Minifters of the Gospel. (For the calling of the Gentiles, though predicted under the Old Teftament, yet was not, as to all the Terms and Methods, and Privileges of it, understood as now it is.) 6. That purpose of God 6. That the I mean, concerning the the fame body, Gentiles being received in- by the Gospel. to all the Privileges of Gentiles fhould be fellow-beirs, and of and partakers of his promife in Chrift the Gofpel, (not as they that were Profelytes to the Jewish Church had used to be, but) in all points upon equal advantage with the Jews, and this too without any obligation of submitting to their Law. 7. Whereof 7. Whereof I was made a minifter, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me, by the effectual working of his power. 7. And, in order to the making known and bringing about this purpose, it hath pleafed God in his great Goodness to make use of Me as an Inftrument, and to certify his choice and approbation of me, by Miracles confirming the Doctrine I preach. 8. Unto me who am less than the leaft of all Saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unfearchable riches of Chrift: 9. And to make all men fee what is the fellowfhip of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world bath been bid in God, who created all things by Jefus Chrift. 8, 9. Not that I fuppose my self to have any Merit or Abilities fuperiour to others. Quite otherwife. But it hath pleafed God to commit the meaneft of Chriftians, that greatest to me, of Trufts; to bring the glad Tidings to the Gentiles, of the ineftimable benefits of the Gofpel, and the wonderful goodness of Christ, in knitting all Nations together in one Body, which hath been God's defign all along, who thus both made the Material, and new made the Spiritual World, by Jefus Chrift. 10. To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the Church, the manifold wisdom of God. JO, 11. Thus, by the gathering of fuch a Church Univerfal, that intricate and wonderful Wisdom of God will appear to all the World, Earth and Heaven, Men and Angels; Thofe Spirits above, or, (as others) the Heathen Powers, and Princes, and Magiftrates of this World, for fo aguai nai įsσías are used Luke xii. 11. and Tit. iii. 1.) The feveral Methods, and Dispensations in every Age, being now manifeftly feen to confpire, in accomplishing that purpose of God from all Eternity, of faving all Mankind by Jefus Chrift our Lord. 11. According to the eternal purpose which he purpofed in Jefus Christ our Lord." 12. In whom we bare boldness and access, with confidence, by the faith of bim. 12. And, as all God's dealings with Men center in Him, fo do all our hopes too. For the believing and trufting in him, as our Saviour, this, and this only, does procure us admittance to God, and qualify us to come freely, as refting upon, and being well affured of, his Love and Favour upon this account. COMMENT. HAT this Festival was always had in great Venera Ttion, is evident from the Writings of the Fathers, and the conftant practice of all Ages in the Chriftian. Church. How deservedly it was fo, appears from the mighty Bleffings, commemorated by it: The Manifeftation of our Lord and Saviour, not only to the Wife Men, who who came from the East to worship him; but to all thofe, of whom They were the Figures and Fore-runners, the whole Gentile World. Thus was the Mercy accomplished, which in Them had been begun. Thus is the Solemnity ofour Lord's Birth closed with Thankfgivings, for a Benefit, which finished, and gave effect to, all we have already praised him for. For, to how little purpose had Light come into the World, if the World had not been directed to, and made partakers of, that Light? Most just therefore are the Solemnities of this Day, Moft fitly do they follow thofe of our Lord's Incarnation, which celebrate a Difcovery fo happy; that, without it, that very Incarnation, an act of Grace, how Glorious and Wonderful foever in it fself, had yet been no Bleffing to Us. Tom. v. Serm. 74. Ed. Eton. It was a farther Acceffion to the Honour of this Day, that the Holy Jefus is fuppofed to have been, upon it, baptized in the River Jordan by John. Which St. Chryfoftom mentions, not only as a thing notorious in his time, but as a principal Caufe of the Refpects paid to it by the Church. To which let me add an ancient Tradition, that, upon this Day alfo, our Saviour is fuppofed to have given the first proof of his Divine Power, by turning Water into Wine, at the Marriage in Cana of Galilee. Upon fo many Accounts, hath this Festival been thought to challenge our more than ordinary Regard. The Memory of the Two latter continues ftill to be, in fome measure, preferved and acknowledg Luke iii. John ii. ed, by the Second Leffons appointed for Morning and Evening Service. But the Two former, as more important in themselves and their ·Confequences, and more nearly concerning Us, are chiefly recommended to our Obfervation. Of These, the Gospel propounds to Us the Cafe of the Wifemen; The Epiftle, that of the Gentiles at large. This I am now therefore to enter upon; And it does not appear to me |