willing himself to be as an Anathema, for his brethren's fake: his "heart's defire and prayer to GOD for Ifrael was, that they 66 might be faved.”

My brethren, though it may be confidered as unneceffary, thus to guard against mifapprehending the text, what we have now faid, in demonstrating that it is not an imprecation, and that it does not countenance wishing or praying for what is evil, to any fet of men, how criminal foever, is not without an object. It ferves to excite and fecure our love and veneration towards our blessed LORD and his Gofpel. It is always with much advantage that we confider "the

grace of the LORD JESUS," the fpirit manifested by his followers, the character formed by his Gospel.

INSTEAD of confidering, then, the text as an imprecation of his own, or as recommending and justifying imprecation to the Corinthians, and the Christian world, the words of the apostle must be interpreted fo as to be perfectly confistent with the purest and most extenfive charity.

It is one of those pithy and important exhortations with which he concludes his epiftles. I am perfuaded that in this folemn and impreffive manner he befeeches the Corinthians to regard with abhorrence those men who, notwithstanding fpecious appearances of friendship, injure and oppose the Gospel.

It is not in this place, only, expreffions of the fame kind are adopted, refpecting fuch enemies of the truth. See the complaint of the apostle against the Galatians for being removed "unto another Gofpel,-there are "fome that trouble and would pervert "the Gospel of CHRIST,-but though we, or

you

an angel from heaven, preach any other "Gospel to you, let him be accurfed:" he repeats it, "let him be accurfed." And again, in the fifth chapter of the epistle, "I would they were even cut off that trou"ble you."

WHEN the Gospel was oppofed and attacked by reafon and argument, reafon and argument were employed in its defence. Over violence and perfecution, Chriftians prevailed

and

and triumphed, by patience in fuffering: but the truth was most injured and endangered by falfe brethren, by thofe who, in the church, and expreffing regard to revelation, departed from the truth, and undermined and fubverted the faith, in its leading and effential doctrines. The fevereft wounds of religion are received in the house of her friends. Against fuch falfe brethren, the churches are warned. In fpeaking of them, the apostle shews the warmth of a juft zeal and indignation; while his exhortation is, not merely confiftent with charity, but the effect of fincereft good will. Regard with abhorrence oppofition to the Gospel, especially by those who do fo, under the profeffion of friendship.

As to the peculiar phrafeology, "Let them "be Anathema Maranatha who love not the "LORD JESUS CHRIST," the most natural account or explanation of it is this. Anathema fignifies what is devoted to deftruction, and is therefore naturally ufed to fignify what is to be regarded with averfion and horror. Maranatha means "the LORD will come. After being deprived of the power of life and death, the Jews ftill retained the forms, observed in

[SER. V. their trials; and entertained the belief that the condemnation they pronounced would be executed, fooner or later, in the providence of GOD; and Maranatha referred to the coming of the LORD to judgment. Expreffions familiar and folemn as thefe, were ufed with the highest propriety to mark the guilt of thofe "who love not the LORD JESUS "CHRIST ;" and to imprefs it on the minds of the Chriftians at Corinth, that, with much averfion and abhorrence, they were to regard thofe who love not the LORD.

By not loving the Lord Jefus, more is meant than mere want of affection: juft as will not bold him guiltless, fignifies will affuredly regard as very guilty and feek not my face in vain, expreffes the certain and exalted advantages of devotion. In ftigmatifing those who do not love the Lord Jefus, it is ftrongly afferted that our LORD is the object of the highest affection; and it is declared their guilt is exceedingly heinous, who pervert, injure, or oppose his Gofpel. They to whom his Gospel has been propofed, who are not his friends, are his enemies: "they that are not for us are against us: they that gather not scatter

"abroad."

"abroad." Think of their fituation and guilt as condemned, and as they will be condemned, at the coming of the LORD. Regard them as highly criminal: let their injuring and perverting the Gospel fill you with horror; let that part of their conduct and character, be regarded as an abominable and accursed thing.

It is thus I understand the text: I believe the exhortation is, I have faid, Let the injuring, perverting and oppofing, of the Gospel, fill you with horror: confider this character as deteftable and abominable, mindful of the coming of the Lord.

Is the question put, Who are of this character? I have faid, it is exceedingly probable, and indeed I have no doubts, that the apostle intended to fill the minds of the Chriftians at Corinth with abhorrence, for the character of the falfe teachers, who were active in perverting and oppofing the Gofpel; or, in other words, for the falfe, unchriftian and antichriftian, doctrines of fuch teachers. In condemning them, and exciting abhorrence for their character and conduct, he excites the abhorrence of all Chriftians

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