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DISCOURSE

IV.

Of the various Callings in Life: And the Inferences from thence. That Chriftianity makes no Change in Human Callings, or in the Civil Relations of Life: And the Inferences from thence. Of the Requifites of a lawful Calling, and how it is to be diftinguish'd from one that is unlawful. Of Gaming.

[Deliver'd in Two Sermons.]

I COR. vii. 17.

But as God hath distributed to every Man, as the Lord bath called every one, so let him walk: And so ordain I in all the Churches.

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T the first reading of these Words one would think that God's Diftribution to every Man, here spoken of, was meant of the Charismata, or those Spiritual Gifts which were in the Times of the Apostles plentifully bestowed upon all Sorts of Christians in an extraordinary and miraculous Way, for the Edification of the Church, as indeed the Phrase is sometimes used in these Epistles. But the Relation which this Text hath to what goes before doth necessarily determine us to understand the Words, as God hath diftributed to every Man, in another Way. The Apoftle, in this Epistle, has frequent Occafion to discourse about the Notion and Limits of Christian Liberty; and in this Chapter he resolves a Cafe or two ex professo which were put to him about one great Point, wherein it was pretended Chriftian Liberty was mightily concerned, and that was in the Business of Matrimony. The Case was this, whether a Christian who was married to an Unbeliever, (that is, either to an Infidel, Jew, or Heathen) might not, by virtue of his Christian Liberty, depart from the unbelieving Party, and dispose of himself as he thought fit. Of this, St. Paul's Resolution is, that if any, who hath taken

were

v. 12. upon him Christ's Religion, have an unbelieving Woman to bis Wife, and she is willing to dwell with him, notwithstanding his new Religion, he frould not put her away: And,

v. 13. on the contrary, if a Christian Woman had an Infidel for her Husband, she should not depart from him so long as he was willing to cohabit with her. This is the Effect of what he has faid in the Verses immediately before before my Text. And for this Advice he gives two Reasons; one drawn from the Benefits which might come to both by thus living together; for, in all Probability, it might be a Means to bring over the Unbeliever, whether it was Husband or Wife, to the true Belief, and so save their Souls : The other is drawn from the Nature of Christianity in general, which is such, that it never made, nor doth make, any Alteration in the civil Relations or Callings of Mankind; but left Men, as to these things, in the fame Circumstances in which it found them; and therefore it was fit and reasonable that all Men should continue in that Calling, and that Condition, into which they were disposed by the Divine Providence at that Time when they were called to be Christians. And this is that which is represented in the Words of my Text, and the true Account of the Relation it hath to the foregoing Part of the Chapter. As God hath diftributed to every Man, as the Lord bath called every Man, fo let him walk: That is, into what Condition or Lot soever a Man is put by the Providence of God, in what State or Function foever he was placed, when our Lord Jesus called him to be a Disciple, in that let him continue, in that let him walk, even after his becoming a Christian. And this, says the Apostle, I do ordain, as a Rule to be observed, not only among you Corinthians, but in all other Churches,

Churches. And having laid down this general Advice, he dilates upon it in an Instance or two more in the following Words;

v. 18. Is any Man called being circumcised? Let him not become uncircumcised. Is any called in uncircumcifion? Let him not become circumcised: That is to say, Is any Few converted to Christianity? Let him not, after his Conversion, use any Art to make himself appear as if he had never been circumcised. And so, on the contrary, let no Gentile when he comes over to Christ's Religion, put on the Badge of Judaism, which is Circumcifion, but let him remain as he is. And so again, in the 21st Verse; Art thou called being a Servant? Care not for it; but if thou may'st be made free, use it rather : That is, Art thou in a Condition of a Slave or Bondman when thou receivest Christianity? Do not think that the Liberty which thou obtainest by thy Christianity will allow thee to go away from thy Master; No, If thy Master will set thee free, it is well for thee, and thou art to thank him for it: But if he will not, thou must keep as thou art; for thy Religion doth not alter the civil State or Condition of thy Life; only there is this for thy Comfort, when thou art once a Christian, tho' as to thy civil Condition thou art a Bondman, yet thou art Chrift's Freeman. Thou shalt enjoy all the Privileges which he purchased for thee; which indeed are glorious and great, for

thou

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thou shalt be set free from the Power of Sin, and from the Consequence of it, eternal Death. Which is a far greater Privilege than any Manumiffion from thy earthly Master can instate thee in.

This is the plain Meaning of St. Paul's Instances; which having laid down, he concludes this Point with a Repetition of the general Exhortation that went before in my Text: Brethren, let every Man abide in the fame Calling, wherein he is called, viz. let him continue in the fame civil State of Life wherein he was when he first became a Christian.

Having thus given an Account of the Text, I observe these three Points from it, which I shall make the Heads of my Difcourse:

I. God hath made various Distributions to Mankind; or, the Distribution of Mankind into various Conditions and Functions is from God.

II. The Christian Religion hath made no Change or Alteration as to Matters of civil Degrees or Callings; but hath left all Men, as to these things, in the same Posture and Station in which it found them.

III. Since the various Circumstances and Callings into which Men are disposed, are from God, no Man can be justified who

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