ther, who has (*) delivered us from the Power of [Heathenish] Darkness, [Acts xxvi. 18. 1 Pet. ii. 9. Eph. iv. 18. v. 8.] and tranflated us into the Kingdom of his dear Son." And thus, confequentially, are "delivered from the Wrath to come," 1 Thef. i. 10.

94. 1 Cor. i. 18, "For the Preaching of the Crofs is to them that perish, Foolishness, but unto us which are faved, it is the Power of God." vii. 16, "What knoweft thou, O Wife, whether thou shalt fave thy Hufband? or how knoweft thou, O Man, whether thou shalt fave thy Wife?" That is, convert her to the Chriftian Faith. x. 33, "Even as I pleafe all Men in all Things, not feeking mine own Profit, but the Profit of many that they may be faved." Eph. ii. 8, "For by Grace are ye faved through Faith." 1'Thef ii. 16, The Jews "forbid us to fpeak to the Gentiles that they might be faved.” 1 Tim. ii. 4, "Who will have all Men to be faved, and to come unto the Knowledge of the Truth." 2 Tim. i. 9, "Who hath faved us, and called us with an holy Calling, not according to our Works, but according to his own Purpofe and Grace." In this general fenfe faved is in other Places applied to both Jews and Gentiles; particularly to the Jews, Rom. ix. 27. x. 1. xi. 26.-Hence God is ftiled our Saviour, Tit. iii. 4, 5. "But after that the Kindness and Love of God our Saviour

toward

(*) Who hath delivered us," faith the Apostle, ranking himself among the Gentile Chriftians. For as he was the Apoftle of the Gentiles, he might, as he frequently doth, well confider himself as one of their Body. See Note on Rom. v. 1. "Who hath delivered us," may we alfo properly fay, as being the Pofterity of Heathenifh Anceitors, whote vain Converfation we also fhould have received by Tradition, had not the Grace of God appeared and redeemed us from it, 1 Pet. i. 18. Though but one Generation of the Jewish Nation were, in Fact, delivered from Egyptian Bondage; yet as that Deliverance was attended with great and happy Confequences to all fucceeding Generations, fo all fucceeding Generations were inftructed to fay, (Deut. xxvi. 6, &c.) "The Egyptians evil intreated us, and afflicted us, but the Lord brought as forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand,--and he hath brought us into this Place, and hath given us this Land."-In like manner, though but one Generation of our Ancestors were, in Fact, converted from Heathenifm, by the Light of the Gospel, yet, as all the happy Effects of that great Event are handed down to ns, we may with the strictest Propriety fay, he hath delivered us from Hea thenif Darkness, and tranflated us into the Kingdom of the Son of his Love." A Nation, in all Ages, is reckoned the fame People.

And here it may be further obferved; that the Church, in all Ages, is in Scripture confidered but as one Body, Mat. xxii. 31, "Have ye not read what was spoken unto you by God;" though fpoken to their Ancestors about 1500 Years before they were born. See alfo Mark x. 3. John vi. 32.-vi. 19, 22. So I Cor. xv. 51, 52, "Behold I fhew you a Myftery; we fhall not all fleep [die,] but we fhall all be changed, in a Moment,—at the last Trump," &c. 1 Thef. iv. 15-17, "We," or thofe of us, "who are alive, and remain unto the Coming of the Lord, fhall not prevent them which are afleep. For-the Dead in Christ shall rise firft: then we who are alive and remain, shall be caught up together with them in the Clouds," &c. The Apostle doth not here intimate, (as fome learned Men have fancied) that the Coming of our Lord would be in the then prefent Generation; but he confiders all Chriftians, in all Generations to the End of the World, as one Body. And therefore, he might properly enough fay, in relation to thofe Chriftians who fhould be alive at the Coming of our Lord, We, or thofe of us, who are then alive.

toward man appeared, not by works of righteoufnefs we have done, but according to his mercy he faved us. 1 Tim. i. 1, "Paul an apoftle of Jefus Chrift by the commandment of God our Saviour.". ii. 3. Tit. i. 3. Rom. xi. 11, "Through their [the Jews] fall, falvation is come to the Gentiles." And as this falvation is by Jefus Christ, he alfo is frequently. called our Saviour.

95. Acts xx. 28, "Feed the church of God, which he has purchased with his own blood." I Cor. vi. 20, "And ye are not your own; for ye are bought (*) with a price." vii. 23, "Ye are bought with a price." 2 Pet. ii. 1," Falfe prophets-fhall bring in damnable herefies, even denying the Lord that bought them." Rev. v. 9, "Thou waft flain and. haft redeemed [bought] us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people and nation."

96. Tit. iii. 14, "Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity."-1 Pet. i. 18, "Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as filver and gold, from your vain [Heathenifh] converfation, received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Chrift." And at the fame time he redeemed or bought us from death, or "the curfe of the law," Gal. iii. 13. And the Jews, in particular, from" the law, and the condemnation to which it subjected them, Gal. iv. 5.-Hence frequent mention is made of "the redemption which is in Jefus Chrift," Rom. iii. 24. 1 Cor. i. 30. Eph. i. 7. Col. i. 14. Heb. ix. 12, 15. Hence alfo Chrift is faid to give himself a ransom for us, Mat. XX. 28. Mark x. 45. 1 Tim. ii. 6, "Who gave himself a ransom for all.” 97. III. As God fent the gofpel to bring Gentile Christians out of Heathenifim, and invited, and made them welcome to the honours and privileges of his people, he is faid to call them, and they are his called. [16] Rom. i. 6. 7, "Among whom are ye alfo called of Jefus Chrift.. To all that are at Rome called faints." viii. 28. 1 Cor. i. 9," God is faithful, by whom ye were called into the fellowship of his Son." vii. 20. Gal. i. 6, "I marvel that ye are so foon removed from him that called you." v. 13. Eph. iv. 1, "I-befeech you, that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called." iv. 4. 1 Thef. ii. 12, "That ye walk worthy of God who has called you unto his kingdom and glory." iv. 7, "God has not called us unto uncleannefs, but unto holinefs.". 2 Tim. i. 9, “Who hath faved us, and called us with an holy calling; not according to our works," &c. 1 Pet. i. 15, "But as he which hath called you is holy, fo be ye holy in all manner of converfation." ii. 9, "Ye [Gentile Chriftians] are a chofen generation,-to fhew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light." 98. Note; the Jews aifo were called, Rom. ix. 24, "Even us whom he has called, not of the Jews only, but alfo of the Gentiles." 1 Cor. i. 24. vi. 18, Is any Man called being circumcifed." Heb. ix. 15. But the Calling

I

of

) How buying is to be understood in a moral figurative fenfe, fee the note [14]. Chrift bought us, as he did with much labour and fuffering, what was in its own nature proper to free us from ignorance and fin, and to purify us into a peculiar people fitted for eternal happinefs and as what he did was, with respect to God, the lawgiver and judge, a proper ground and reafon for pardoning fin, and conferring all other bleflings. See more [145, &c.]

of the Jews must be different from that of the Gentiles. The Gentiles were called into the Kingdom of God as Strangers and Foreigners, who had never been in it before. But the Jews then were Subjects of God's Kingdom under the old Form; and therefore could be called only to fubmit to it, as it was new modelled under the Meffiah. Or they were called to Repentance, to the Faith, Allegiance and Obedience of the Son of God, and to the Hope of eternal Life through him; whom rejecting, they were caft out of God's peculiar Kingdom.

99. IV. As God formed believing Jews and Gentiles into one Body; and as he brought the Gentiles out of Darkness and Idolatry into a new and happy State of Exiftence, he is faid, 1. to create and make them, and they are his Work and Workmanship, 2. to quicken them, or to give them Life, 3. to have begotten, or regenerated them. [17] Eph. 11. 10, "We are his Workmanship, created in Chrift Jesus unto good Works." Col. iii. 10, "And have put on the new Man, [the Chrif tian State] which is renewed in Knowledge after the Image of him that created him." Ver. IL, "Where [in which new Man] there is neither Greek nor Jew," &c. Eph. ii. 15, "To make [or create] in himself of twain one new Man." iv. 24, "And that he put on the new Man, which after God is created in Righteoufnefs and true Holinefs." Jam. i. 18, "Of his own Will begat he us with the Word of Truth, that we [Chriftian Jews] fhould be a Kind of Firft-fruits of his Creatures." [The Jews were firft converted by the Preaching of the Gof pel, that they might be, like the First-fruits under the Law, the beft of the Kind, and the most exemplary Chriftians.] Rom. xiv. 20, " For Meat deftroy not the Work of God." [The Work of God here is a Chriftian; and destroying him is, in the Senfe of the Apostle, giving him Occafion to renounce his Christian Profession.

100. Eph. ii. 5, "When we were dead in Sins God hath quickened us [Gr. made us to live] together with Chrift, (by Grace ye are faved)." Col. ii. 13. Rom. vi. 13, "Yield yourfelves unto God, as thofe that are alive from the Dead," [the Heathen World, who are reprefented as dead, Eph. v. 14. 1 Pet. iv. 6. Hence corrupt Chriftians, who live like Heathens, are faid to be dead while they live, or, by their Profession have a Name to live, 1. Tim. v. 6. Rev. iii. 1.]

101. Jam. i. 18, "Of his own will begat he us with the Word of Truth, that we fhould be a Kind of Firft-fruits of his Creatures." 1 Pet. i. 3, "Bleffed be the God, and Father of our Lord Jefus Chrift, who-hath be gotten us again [avayemoa; regenerated us] to a lively Hope." Ver. 23, "Being born," begotten, "again [any regenerated,] not of corrupti ble Seed, but of incorruptible, by the Word of God." Tit. iii. 5, "Not by Works of Righteoufnefs we have done, but according to his Mercy he faved [93] us, by the Wafbing [125] of Regeneration, and Renewing of the Holy Ghoft." 1 John v. 1,-"Every one that loveth him that begat, loveth him alfo that is begotten of him." Ver. 18,-" He that is begotten of God keepeth himself [is obliged, [274] is furnished with Means proper to enable him, to keep himfelf] and [keeping himself] that wicked

One toucheth him not."

102. Thus as God has created us Christians, and made us live, we have received a new being or existence, [20]. 1 Cor. i. 39, "Of him ar

ye

ye" [Gentiles, who once were "the things which are not," Ver. 28.] 2 Cor v. 17, "If any man be in Chrift, he is a new creature: old things are paft away, behold, all things are become new." Further,

103. V. Hence, as he made Chriftians live and begat them, efpecially the believing Gentiles, by bringing them into a new and happy ftate of being, (1.) He fuftains the character of a Father, and (2.) They are his children, his fons and daughters, which were born to him. [21] Rom. i. 7, "To all [Chriftians] that be at Rome, -Grace to you, and peace from God our Father." I Cor. i. 3. 2 Cor. i. 2.. Gal, i. 4. Eph. i. 2. Phil. i. 2. iv. 20. Col. i. 2. 1 Thef. i. 1, 3. iii. 11, 13. 2 Thef. i. 2. ii. 16, "God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and given us everlasting confolation, and good hope through grace."; 1 Tim. i. 2. Philem. 3. Rom. viii. 15, "Ye have received the fpirit of adoption, whereby ye cry Abba, Father." Gal. iv, 6. 2 Cor. vi. 17,-"Be ye feparate [from the Gentile world] and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you."

104. Rom. viii. 16, 17, "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God. And if children, then heirs," &c. John i. 12, "As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the fons [Gr. children of God, which were born, not of blood, &c. but of God." I John iii. 1, “Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the fons [Gr.children] of God.” Rom. ix. 26, "And it fhall come to pass, that in the place where it was faid unto them, ye [Gentiles] are not my people, there fhall they be called the children [Gr. Jons] of the living God." 2 Cor. vi. 17,-"I will be a Father unto you, and ye [believing Gentiles] fhall be my fons and daughters, faith the Lord Almighty." Gal. iii. 26, "For ye are all [Jews and Gentiles] the children [Gr. fons] of God by faith in Jesus Christ." Eph. i. 5.

ye

105. 1 Pet. i. 22, 23, "Seeing ye have purified your fouls in obeying the truth through the Spirit, unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see love one another with a pure heart fervently. Being born [begotten] again [regenerated] not of corruptible feed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which lives and abides for ever." ii. 1, 2, "Whereof laying afide all malice, and all guile, and hypocrifies, and envies, and evil-speakings; as new-born babes defire the fincere milk of the world, that ye may grow thereby." I John v. 4, "For whatfover is born of God overcometh the world and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.” ́[Pfal. xxii. 31, "They thall come and shall declare his righteous nefs unto a people that fhall be born, that he has done this."]

106. VI. And, as the whole body of Chriftians are the children of one Father, even of God, this naturally establisheth among themfelves the mutual and indearing relation of brethren and fifters, and they are obliged to regard and love each other accordingly. [25] Acts ix. 30. xv. 36, "Let us go and vifit our brethren in every city." I Cor. v. II. vi. 5, 8. vii. 12, 15. Col. i. 2, "To the faithful brethren in Chrift." 2 Thef. iii. 6. Philem. 16. Rom. xii. 10. 1 Pet. i. 22. iii. 8, "Love as brethren." Rom. xvi. 1, "I commend-Phebe our fifter." Jam. ii. 15, “If a brother or fifter be naked," &c.

And, as we ftand in the relation of children to the God and Father

of

of our Lord Jefus Chrift, hence it is that we are his Brethren, and he is confidered as the Firft-born among us." Mat. xxviii. 10. John xx. 17, "Jefus faith,-Go to my Brethren, and fay unto them, I afcend unto my Father, and your Father, and to my God, and your God." Heb. ii. 11, 17. Rom. viii. 29,-"That he might be the Firfl-born among many Brethren." 107. VII. And the Relation of God, as a Father, to us Chriftians, who are his Children, will lead our Thoughts to a clear Idea of our being, as we are called, the Houfe or Family, of God, or of Chrift. [26] 1 Tim. iii. 15, "But if I tarry long, that thou mayeft know how to behave thyfelf in the House of God, which is the Church of the living God." Heb. iii. 6, "But Chrift as a Son over his own Houfe; whofe House are we, [Chriftians,] if we hold faft the Confidence and Rejoicing of the Hope firm unto the End." Heb. x. 21, “And having a great High-prieft over the Houfe of God," &c. 1 Pet. ix. 17, "For the Time is come that Judgment muft begin at the House of God; [that is, when the Christian Church shall undergo fharp Trials and Sufferings;] and if it first begin at us [Chriftians, who are the Houfe or Family of God,] what fhall the End be of them that obey not the Gofpel?" [that is, of the infidel World, who lie out of the Church. See Rom. i. 5. xv. 18. 1 Pet. i. 22.] Eph. ii. 19,-" We are of the Houfhold [Domeftics] of God."-iii. 14, 15, I bow my Knees unto the Father of our Lord Jefus Chrift, of whom the whole Family in Heaven and Earth is named," &c.

་

108. VIII. Further; as the Land of Canaan was the Eftate, or Inheritance, belonging to the Jewish Family or House, so the Heavenly Country is given to the Chriftian Houfe, or Family for their Inheritance. [27] Acts XX. 32, "And now, Brethren, I commend you to God, and to the Word of his Grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an Inheri tance among all them which are fanctified." Col. ii. 24, "Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the Reward of the Inheritance.". Heb. ix. 15, "He is the Mediator of the New Teftament,-that they which are called might receive the Promife of eternal Inheritance." 1 Pet. i. 4, "God has begotten us again,—to an Inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that paffeth not away, referved in Heaven for us (*). Hence we have the

title

(*) As the Share, which any particular Jews had in the Land of Canaan, is frequently confidered as their lot and Inheritance [xλngos nỳ xingoia] among God's People, fo fome judicious Perfons fuppofe, that the Apostles confider that Share and Intereft, which any Part of the Christian Church have in the prefent Privileges of the Kingdom of God, as their Inheritance, or the Part of their Lot. Acts xxvi. 18," To turn the Gentiles from Darknes to Light, and from the Power of Satan unto God, that they may receive Forgiveness of Sins, and an Inberitance [or Lot, x2] among them which are fanétified by Faith that is in me." So we may underland Eph. i. 11, 14, 18. [See Locke on thele Verfes] Col. i. 12, Giving thanks to the Father who has inade us meet to be Partakers (or rather, to be taken into a Part] of the Inberitance [or Lot] of the Saints in Light;" that is, who has vouchfafed you a Share in the Light of the Gospel, which he now affords to his Saints, [127] having freed you from your former Gentile Darknefs, and tranflated you into the Kingdom of the Son of his Love," as it follows in the next Verie, Ver. 13. It is thus, perhaps, that the Gentiles are faid to be Fellow-Heirs with the Jews, Eph. ii. 6. "That the Gentiles fhould be Fellow-Heirs, and of the fame Body, and Partakers of his Promife in Chrift, by the Gospel."

66

But