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 Accountableness to God, for the Improvement or Non-Improvement of those Mercies. Threat.] Texts, which threaten final Perdition to wicked Chriftians, who abufe 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 juftified 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 newness of life. Let not fin reign in your mortal body. Yield yourselves unto God." Chap. xii. 1, &c. "I befeech 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 wantonnefs, 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 fhall live.”

I. II. CORINTHIANS.

182. Both thefe 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 those 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]

‡ Mehere arobinoxsw, ye shall hereafter die; meaning, in the world that is

to come.

VOL. IIL

Bb

of

vi. II,

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 wickednefs] Chap. "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. I, They had " ceived the gofpel, and flood 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 daughters; 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.

re

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

185, Duty.] The foregoing bleflings and privileges will appear to be motives to virtue and obedience, if we confider the following paffages. I 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 feast [of a Christian life] not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickednefs; but with the unleavened bread of fincerity and truth." vi. 18, 19, 20, "Flee fornication. Your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost,-andye are bought with a price: Therefore glorify God in your body, and in your fpirit, 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 course] that ye may obtain. And every man that ftrives for the mastery is tempe rate 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 wafhed," is here of the fame import with "purged from his old fins," a Pet. i. 9. And ii. 22, "the fow that was wafbed," is an apofiate 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 gofpel, they were unleavened, or washed, purged and fanctified, yet the Apoftle here fuppofes there was among them the old, heathenifh 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 inftructions, means and motives afforded for that purpose,] and thou waft not purged [by a due improvement of them,] thou shalt not be purged from thy filthiness any cre, 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 followers of me." xv. 58, "My beloved brethren, be ye ftedfast, 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 befeech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain."* vii. 1, "Having therefore these promises

[that

Paul was not caft away, or reprobate, but was, at that time, of the "remnant according to the eletion of Grace," Rom. xi. 1, 5. And yet, had he not kept under his body, &c. notwithstanding his gifts and preaching, as an apoftle, 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. I.) 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 gofpel is a motive to engage us to be "stedfaft and unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord; forafmuch 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 addrefs to two different forts of people. i. To the unconverted Gentiles. 2. To thofe who had al

ready embraced Christianity.

I. That he speaks to the unbelieving Gentiles in Chap. v. 20, 21, is evident; because he is fpeaking of God's reconciling the world to himself by Christ. Ver. 19, "To wit, that God was in Chrift reconciling the world unto himfelf, not imputing their trefpaffes unto them; and hath committed unto us," apostles, "the word of reconciliation." The world, or this world, commonly, if not always, in the apoftolic writings, when applied to the men that are in the world, fignifies the unconverted Heathens. See, particularly, 1 Cor. v. 10, II. xi. 32. And, reconcile, [xatarasow] when spoken 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, " we were 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, addrefs the Chriftians at Corinth, when he faith, Ver. 20, "Now then we are ambaladors 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. 1. And therefore in this Verfe he, gives a fpecimen of their manner of preaching to the unconverted, unreconciled Gentiles. "Now then we are ambaffadors 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 righteousness of God in him." As if he had faid, "God by a furprifing scheme of wifdom and mercy apBb 2 "pointed

[that God is your father, and you his fons and daughters] let us cleanse ourfelves from all filthinefs of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

186. Confeq.] Performing the foregoing duties, they were fure of further bleffings. I Cor. i. 8, "Jefus Chrift will establish you unto the end; that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jefus Chrift."xv. 58,-"For as much as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord." 2 Cor. iv. 17, " For our light affliction, works for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." xiii. 11, "Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of peace will be with you."

187. Suppof. But they might, and some of them actually did, neglect their duty in a very grofs manner. I Cor. i. 11, "There are contentions, Egis, among you" [which are the works of the flefh, Gal. v. 19, 20, 21.] iii. 3, "Whereas there are among you envying and ftrife, and divifions, are ye not carnal and walk as men?" v. 11, "If any man that is called a brother, [106] be a fornicator, covetous, an idolater, a railer, a drunkard, or an extortioner." vi. 8, "You do wrong, adale and defraud, and that your brethren.” x. 6-15, "Luft not after evil things, as

they

"pointed his only begotten Son, who was in a ftate of the highest excellency, "and glory, to fink into a ftate of fuffering, and even to die, in order to lay a proper and juft foundation for the pardon and falvation of a finful and "apoftate world." After this manner the apostles preached to the unconverted Gentiles.

II. The apoftle alfo gives us a fpecimen of their preaching to fuch as the Corinthians, who had already embraced Chriftianity; Chap. vi. 1, 2, 3, " And working together, (I and my fellow-labourer Timothy, Chap. i. 1.) we moreover intreat [xas is emphatical] that you receive not the grace of God in vain." [142] The Corinthians had received the grace of God, and therefore the apoftle, and the minifters of the gofpel, did not exhort them to be reconciled unto God; but, not to receive his grace in vain. And then, as before, he fubjoins the grand argument, to perfuade Chriftians to make a right improvement of the grace and privileges they had received. For he faith, (explaining the bleffed ftate of the church, or people of God) "I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of falvation have I fuccoured thee; behold," take good notice, O Chriftians," now is the accepted time, behold, now is the day of falvation." As if he had faid; "Chriftians, you are in the happy state "of pardon, in which God has promised to hear your prayers, to fupply you "with all needful fuccour and ftrength, and to carry you on to protection. Hea"ven fhines and fmiles upon you. Therefore, make a due improvement of the "glorious opportunity." Thus the apostles and minifters of the gospel preached to fuch, as had already embraced Chriftianity. And it is evident, they conAdered all profeffed Chriftians, without exception, as in a ftate of Grace. It is the great happiness of all profeffed Chriftians, that they have received the grace of God. But this will not abfolutely fecure their final falvation. For the grace of God is a motive to virtue; and if they do not fo improve it, they re receive it in vain, and fhall perish for ever. See other inftances of the like apoftolic manner of preaching to Chriftians. 2 Cor. vi. 16, 17, 18. vii. 1. Heb. iii. 6, 7, &e. xii. 22-25; 28. 29. Jam. i. 18, 19. 1 Pet. i. 2, 3, 4, &c. 13, &c. 23, &c. ii. 1; 7, &c. 11, &c. 2 Pet. i. 3, 4, 5, 6, &c. i John ii. 12-17. And in other places.

they [our fathers, the Jews in the wilderness *] alfo lufted. Neither be ye Idolaters as were fome of them;-neither let us commit fornication,

-neither let us tempt," provoke, "Christ, -neither murmur ye as fome of them alfo murmured, and were deftroyed of the destroyer. Now all these things happened unto them for enfamples, and they are written for our admonition*. Wherefore let him that stands + [in the Chriftian. faith] take heed left he fall [into thofe fins, and under the wrath of God.] -My dearly beloved, flee from Idolatry." xi. 18-33, "They eat and drank unworthily in the Lord's fupper, and were guilty of the body and blood of the Lord." xv. 34, "Awake to righteoufnefs and fin not; for fome of you have not the knowledge of God: I fpeak this to your fhame." 2 Cor. xi. 3, "I fear left by any means, as the ferpent beguiled Eve through his fubtilty, fo your minds fhould be corrupted from the fimplicity that is in Chrift." xii. 20, 21, "I fear left when I come I fhall not find you fuch as I would:--Left there be debates, envyings, wraths, ftrifes, backbitings, whifperings, fwellings and tumults: And left, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I fhall bewail many which have finned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness, and fornication, and lasciviousness which they have committed."

188. Account.] For their good or bad behaviour they were accountable to God, and obnoxious to his judgment. 1 Cor. x. 22, "Do ye provoke the Lord to jealoufy? Are we ftronger than he?" xi. 30, 31, "For this caufe [because you eat and drink unworthily in the Lord's fupper] many are weak and fickly among you, and many fleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we fhould not be judged." 2 Cor. v. 10, "For we must all appear before the judgment-feat of Chrift, that every one may receive the things done in the body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or evil."

189. Threat.] 1-15, stands and ftate bear a Now, faith he,

The Apostle's argument in this 10th chapter, Ver. upon this foundation; that our prefent Chriftian privileges correfpondence to the state and privileges of the antient Jews. "all our fathers," the Ifraelites, "were under the cloud; and all paffed through the fea, and were all baptized into Mofes in the cloud and in the fea; and did all eat the fame fpiritual meat; and did all drink the fame spiritual drink : (For they drank of that spiritual rock that followed them: And that rock was Chrift: (But with many of them God was not well pleased: For they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now thofe things were our examples:' And therefore all of us, Christians, without exception, do enjoy all the common honours, encouragements, advantages and bleffings of a peculiar people, as well as all the Ifraelites did. And further; as many of the Ifraelites, notwithstanding their privileges, were wicked, and for their wickedness were destroyed, and fell fhort of the promised land; even fo, if we Chriftians do not take care to improve our privileges; if we commit fin, as they did, we fhall, after their example, perifh, and fall short of the heavenly Canaan. Therefore, the Apoftle exhorts, Ver. 12, "Let him that thinks he ftands," in the prefent privileges and bleffings of the Gofpel, "take heed left he fall" into eternal perdition, by mifimproving them. In the fame manner he argues from Jewish privileges and duties, to Chriftian privileges and duties, Heb. iii. 7-19.—iv. 1—12.

The fenfe of doxew [think, feem] in feveral places, especially here, and Heb. iv. 1, is fo nice, and difficult to fettle, that I reckon the clearest way of rendering the words is to confider this verb as a kind of expletive.