Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

thren, by the mercies of God, that ye prefent your bodies a living facrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reafona.

are now capable of Pardon and A. D. 57Happiness, upon the Terms of Faith in Chrift, and Obedience to the Gofpel; let me now intreat you all, as you value the Mercies of God in this Covenant, or expect any Benefit by it, to endeavour after the Practice of all its moral and reafonable Duties, viz. the fubduing your finful Lufts and irregu Jar Appetites; a Sacrifice much better, and more acceptable to God, than that of flain Beasts, and legal Oblations.

ble fervice.

2. And be not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.

Christian Duties and

3. For I fay, thro' the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more

highly than he ought

to think, but to think foberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the mea

fure of faith.

2. Forfaking and renouncing all the wicked Čuftoms and Fafhions of the World, by a Change of your Sentiments and Principles from what they formerly were, by being fully fatisfied yourfelves, and by your Practices demonftrating to all others, how truly good and excellent your Services are.

3. And whereas feveral, both of Jewish and Gentile Converts, are now, as Chriftian Profeffors, bleft with extraordinary Gifts and Endowments of the Holy Ghoft, I as an infpired Apoftle, do now

forewarn and exhort fuch of you, neither to extol and magnify any fuch Gifts beyond what they really are, nor to exalt themselves into a Contempt of other Chriftians upon Account of them. But let every one look upon a fpiritual Gift, as a Truft and a Charge committed to his Care and Fidelity.

4. For as we have

44. For as in the human Body, many members in one though fome Members may be of

body,

more

Ver. 2. 'Eis To Soxsualsiv, That ye may approve, i. c. either judge and fully difcern within your felves; or prove and recommend to others.

A. D. 57. body, and all mem-
bers have not the fame

*See 1 Cor. office:
xii. . nourable, others lefs;
ceffary Functions for

5. So we being ma-
ny are one body in
Christ, and every one
members one of ano

more apparent and visible Use than others, fome ftronger *, 0thers more feeble, fome more hoyet all have their proper and nethe Good of the whole Frame:

5. Even fo in the Christian Church, while fome fpiritual Gifts may be more eminent and remarkable than others; yet all Degrees of them, even the meaneft, have their excellent Ufes and Purposes; all gifted Perfons are fome Way needful Members of this Body of Chrift, and none ought to be despised.

ther.

6. Having then gifts, differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophely, let us prophesy t according to the proportion of faith:

6. As therefore God has diftributed these extraordinary Endowments according to his own good Pleasure, and your Offices and Pofts in the Church are of different Kinds, let every one exercife his own prudently, and modeftly, and to the best Advantage. He that has the Gift of Prophecy, for Inftance, i. e. either of interpreting Scripture by Infpiration, or of foretelling future Things, let him interpret or foretel no further than the Spirit clearly and plainly directs him, and let him do it with the Diligence and Faithfulness that fuch a Truft requires.

7. Or ministry, let 7. He that hath any Office une us wait on our mi- der arty chief Minister in the Church,

niftring;

+ Ver. 6. Κατὰ ἢ ἀναλογίαν τῆς πίςεως, According to the Proportion of Faith, i. e. So far as he has the Gift of Infpiration, which was bestowed upon Men in Proportion to the Progress they had made in the Chriftian Faith. Or elle thus: Let him interpret and foretel nothing but what is agreeable to the Rule of Chriftian Faith and Doctrine. There is yet another Senfe of the Word Faith, in this and in many other Paffages; it is that of the judicious Dr. Clark, According to the Proportion of Faith, i. e. "According to the Nature and "Ufe of the Gift, or Power, or Trult, committed to a "Man's Charge or Fidelity." So in Ver. 3. Serm. Vol. II. pag. 267.

niftring; or he that teacheth, on teaching:

Church, let him attend that: He A. D. 57-
that is to teach others the Chrif-
tian Faith, to qualify them for

Baptifm, let that be his Bufinefs.

:

8. Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation he that giveth, let him do it with fimplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that fheweth mercy,

8. Whoever is endowed with a peculiar Talent of exhorting, comforting, and fupporting others in their Profeffion, let him mind that good Work. Whoever is either disposed to an extraordinary Act of Charity, or is a with cheerfulness. Distributer and Steward of charitable Collections, let him do it without any private Ends, or finifter Designs. Such as prefide over others in any Capacity, let them govern with Diligence. He whofe Office it is to minifter to the Sick, the Widow,. or the Stranger, let him do it heartily and chearfully*.

9. Let love be without diffimulation. Abhor that which is evil, cleave to that which is good.

9. Let all your Expreffions of mutual Love and Kindness be fin cere and unfeigned, without Flattery and Compliment, fcorning to do a base and † injurious Turn to any Man, but always ready and defirous to do what is kind and good.

10. Be kindly affectioned one to another, with brotherly love, in honour preferring one another: nence, rather than 11. Not flothful in bufinefs: fervent in Spirit ferving the Lord:

10. Love one another, not only out of a Principle of common Humanity, but as Chriftian Brethren and Relations, being ready to give every one the Prehemideprefs or undervalue any.

11. Be no Way flothful in your Duty to God or Man, but zealous and earneft in every Performance your Station requires, as confidering it is the honourable Service of and Saviour.

God

your
12. Let

Cor. xiii. 2. Jam. v. 15. 1 Pet. iv. 11. Ephef. iv. 7. ↑ To rovnejv, A malicious Turn, z dyadŵ, a kind Action. The Context being about Love and Charity, feems to require this Senfe.

A. D. 57.

12. Rejoycing in 12. Let the Hopes of Heaven hope; patient in tri- and eternal Happiness fill your bulation; continuing Minds with a conftant Joy and inftant in prayer: Satisfaction. Be patient and refolute under all Sufferings, for the Sake of Chrift and his Religion, praying with Earneftnefs, Conftancy, and Submiffion to the divine Will, for a timely Deliverance from them.

13. Diftributing to the neceffity of faints; given to hospitality.

13. Give all the Affiftance you can to fuch Fellow-Chriftians as are under Perfecution and Diftrefs, and entertain fuch as come to you either as Preachers of the Gospel, or as Exiles for the Faith

of it.

[blocks in formation]

ty, and condole with

16. Be of the fame mind one towards a nother. Mind not high things, but condefcend to men of wife in your own

low estate. Be not

conceits.

[blocks in formation]

14. Wish well to them that injure you, and pray for their Converfion: Let no Ábufes whatill Wishes, or angry Imprecations.

15. Have fuch a Concern and Fellow-feeling in the Condition of all Chriftian People, as to rejoice with them in their Profperithem in Adverfity.

16. Endeavour after an even, condescending, and unanimous Difpofition to one another. Let not Profperity set you above a Concern for your Inferiors, nor any fpiritual Endowments make you proud of your own Wisdom and Abilities.

17 & 18. Remember no Sort of Injuries fo far as to revenge them. Do every Thing fo prudently, as to give no Occafion or Pretence of Objection or Scandal; endeavouring to gain the good Opinion of all Sorts of Men, by all Methods that are confiftent with Duty, Honour, 19. I

I

19. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, faith the Lord,

xxxii. 35.

20. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him if he thirst, give him drink for in fo doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head *.

19. I beseech you, my dear A. D. 57. Brethren, especially to feek no Revenge upon your Perfecutors, but leave your Caufe to God, who has claim'd the Prerogative of inflicting Vengeance to himself, and has promised to do it, Deut.

20. Wherefore if you should fee even any of your moft cruel Perfecutors in Diftrefs, relieve and help him; for by fo doing, you will either melt him into Repentance and a better Temper by fuch generous Behaviour toward him, or else heap the Coals of divine Vengeance upon his Head, for fuch brutish Malice, and incurable Ingratitude.

21. Be not over- 21. Let no ill Usage get fuch come of evil, but oa Mastery over you, as to break vercome evil with your Temper, and draw you ingood. to paffionate Defires of Revenge; but by returning Good for Evil, obtain the noble Victory over both yourselves and your Enemies.

CHAP.

Ver. 20. Heap Coals of Fire upon his Head. Note, I have given the two moft ufual Senfes afcribed to this Phrase. But it must be confeffed, the latter of them is most agreeable to the Expreffion, as used in other Paffages of Scripture. As in Psal. xi. 6. xviii. 8, 13. cxx. 4. cxl. 11.

« AnteriorContinuar »