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upon higher, and contemning thofe who had received lower Measures of the fame kind, is here condemned, and forbidden.

This I conceive to be the meaning of the Three foregoing Verfes, and Thefe the Virtues prefs'd upon us in them. It remains only, that I fhew, how they are enforced, by this Confideration of our being united as one Body in Chrift. To which purpose a very few Words may fuffice.

That the First of them is fo, which confifts in mortifying the fenfual and carnal Appetites, and confecrating our Bodies to the Service of God, I need no other Proof, than this Apoftle's own Authority. Obferve, how he endeavours to create in the Corinthians, a particular Abhorrence of unclean Lufts. Know ye not, fays he, that your Bodies are the Members 1 Cor. vi. 15. of Chriji? Shall I then take the Members of Christ, and make them the Members of an Harlot? God forbid. And farther yet, to make them fenfible, that this Argument ought to take place, not only against the grofs Acts of Impurity, but even all Pollution of the Thoughts and Defires; He proceeds, What? Know ye not that He which is joined to an Harlot is Ver. 16, 17. one Body? But, He that is joined unto the Lord is one Spirit. You fee, by the very manner of the Apostle, how exceeding contrary to, how utterly unbecoming our Character, any finful Indulgence in carnal Pleasures is. So manifeftly thus, That he does not defcend to a cool and formal Argument, but turns the matter off with Scorn and Deteftation; and reprefents it fo abfurd and monftrous, that a Man must be perfectly ftupid, not to perceive the horrid Vileness, and Incongruity of it.

And fure, if we go to the Reason of the thing, this fingle Reflection ought to have great weight with For, if the Moralifts of old could difcern the Reafonableness of reftraining, denying, defpifing, thofe

us.

vicious

vicious Gratifications, which degrade Us and our Na-
ture; How much more just is a Chriftian's Abstinence
and Difdain, who cannot debase himself alone, but
at the fame time commits an Indignity upon Chrift?
Surely He ought to treat his own Perfon, as a Mem-
ber belonging to that Head: to respect a
Body which is the Temple of the Holy Ghost:
not to prostitute a thing fo facred and venerable, to the
Filthiness of Brutes; nor invade the Property of that
God, to whom he hath the Honour, by fo manifold
a Title, to belong.

1 Cor. vi. 19.

2. The Second, of a New Heart and Life, is no less evident a Confequence of this Union. For, fince we know that Christ abideth in Us, and We in Him, by the Spirit be bath given us; fince his Spirit is here diftinguished from a worldly Spirit, his Kingdom from the Kingdoms of this World; it follows, that to retain the One of thefe, is to declare we have nothing to do with the Other; and, that, to make the One our Aim and End, is to abandon the Other. As Chrift then is our Head, with regard to his directive Power; we must fee to the keeping that Correfpondence, which appears in Nature. The ready Confent of every Faculty to execute, what the Head contrives and appoints; The nimble Sallies of our Animal Spirits, that fly, we know not how, as fwift as Thought, through every Nerve, and inftantly move the moft diftant Limbs of our Bodies; Thefe are lively Emblems of that ready and chearful Conformity, which fhould be paid this mystical Head, in every inftance of his Will, fignified to us, whether by Precept, or his own Example. Hence we are told of every Thought being brought to the obedience of Christ. That fo in this, as in our ordinary Compofition, no fuch thing as Rebellion may be known. For, if at any time the Dictates of the Soul be not obeyed, this comes to pass through Weakness and Indifpofition. Sometimes for want of

B 3

2 Cor. X. 5:

Power,

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Power, but never for want of Will. But, not to have the like mind in Us, that was in Chrift Jefus, is to fuppose two Spirits, and two contrary Wills: Which quite deftroys the Notion of one and the fame Body. And therefore All, who would maintain this Union, muft make His Will Theirs; and have no Opinions, no Affections, no Delights of their own; but in all things be transformed into, and (as the Scripture expreffes it) put on Chrift.

3. Of the Third, which is Humility, there can remain no doubt, fince this Allufion of a Body is urged by the Apostle, as an exprefs Reafon for it. But, of this, more hereafter.

The fhort is. As the Principles of natural Vigour, and Motion, and Senfation, are dispensed from the Head, as from a common Fond, through these Bodies of Flesh: So are the Graces of the Spirit, from Christ. But with this difference, that His Distributions are not mechanical, but voluntary, and entirely free. These therefore are derived down, in fuch quality and proportion, as his Wifdom fees fit, for the common Exigencies and Benefit. They are not the Effect of Ours, but the Overflowings of His, Goodness. And therefore our part is, to difpofe our felves, for giving them a meek and thankful Reception, to improve under them, to admire and adore the Kindness of the Giver: But often to beat down those unfeasonable and dangerous Self-complacencies, (which any partial and diftinguishing Bounty in our Favour is fo ready to blow up,) with a Who hath made thee to 1 Cor. iv. 7. differ from another? And what haft thou, that thou hast not received? Now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it? And efpecially, It will become us to remember with great Seriousness, that the Iffue, upon which every Chriftian's Fate will turn at laft, is not the Quantity of what he receives, but the Ufe, or the Neglect of it, the

the Answering or Defeating the Purposes, for which it was bestowed. This leads to another Inference, drawn from this Comparison, which will come under Confideration the next Lord's Day.

Ver. 6.

N

The First Sunday after the Epiphany.

The GOSPEL.

St. Luke ii. 41.

OW bis Parents went to Jerufalem every
Year at the Feast of the Pallover.

42. And when he was twelve Years old, they went up to Jerusalem, after the Cuftom of the Feast.

PARAPHRASE.

41,42. His Parents diligently obferved that Law, which exprefly required the Atten

dance of all the Males at Jerufalem, to celebrate

three folemn Feafts every Year, of which the Paffover was one. See Excd. xxiii. 15, 17. Levit. xxiii. Deut. xvi. Upon which occafion the Females (though not expreffed) were not excluded, but frequently attended alfo: And their Children, when capable of understanding the Intent of those Feftivals, were bound to it.

43. And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the Child Jefus tarried bebind in Jerufalem, and Jofeph and bis Mother knew not of it.

their Journey

44. But they, fuppofing him to have been in the company, went a days Journey; and they fought bim their Kinsfolk and among their Acquain

among Lance.

45. And when they found him not, they turned back to Jerufalem, fecking him.

made, (Ver. 44.) the fecond day

46. And it came to pass, that after three days they found bim in the Temple, fitting in the midst of the Doctors, both bearing them and asking them Quefrions.

47. And all that beard him were aftonished at bis Understanding and Answers.

43. This Solemnity lafted feven days, at the expiration whereof Jofeph and Mary began back to Nazareth.

45. Not hearing of him upon the Enquiry they went back.

46, 47. The Third day, (computed from their fetting out homeward) they found him in that part of the Temple, where the Learned in the Law ufed to

teach, and expound publickly. With whom he conferred, to the Admiration

of all People prefent.

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48. This was a fight very furprizing to them; and his Mother, out of the vehemence of her Affection, expoftulated

48. And when they faw him they were amazed; and his Mother faid unto him, Son, why haft thou thus dealt with us? Bebold, thy Father and I have fought thee ferrowing.

with him about what had paffed.

49. To whom his Anfwer was, That a Son was no where fo properly as in his Father's Houfe, nor fo fitly employed, as about his Father's Affairs.

49. And be faid unto them, Hor is that ye fought me? ift ye not, that I must be about nty Father's business?

50. The meaning of 50. And they understood not that Saying which be this Anfwer they did spake unto them. not perfectly comprehend.

51. Hereupon he bore them Company home, and fubmitted to their Authority, like common Sons. But none of thefe things paffed without the particular obfervation and remembrance of his Mother.

51. And be went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was fubje&t unto them. But bis Mother kept all thefe fayings in ber Heart,

52. Mean while Je

52. And Jefus increased in rifdom and flature, and fus grew in his Mind in favour with God and Man. to maturity of Judg

ment, as well as in his Body to the full proportion of a Man, by gradual and vifible acceffions of Both, like other Youths: And behaved himself fo, as to engage the general Love and Approbation of all forts of People.

TH

COMMENT.

HE Gofpel for this Day deferves our very particular Confideration, becaufe containing all the Account, thought fit by the Holy Ghoft to be given us, of our Bleffed Saviour's Life, from his Infancy, to his Baptifm, and the Entrance upon his Prophetick Office. A little compafs of Words for fo long a tract of time; and chiefly confined to one fingle Occafion. But That is fuch, as furnishes a great deal of matter for ufeful Reflection and Practice. And to these purpofes it fhould be our endeavour to improve it, with regard to the following Inftances particularly.

1. The Forty-first and Forty-fecond Verfes take notice, how religiously Jofeph and Mary obferved the Paffover; that the diftance of their dwelling did not

hinder

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