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196 Reflections on the obligations of the Christian calling.

SECT.

i.

verse

1

IMPROVEMENT.

LET us remember, that we also are sanctified in Christ, and saints by our calling. Though we are not enriched with such extraordinary endowments as those which were bestowed upon this primitive Corinthian church, yet we call on the name of the 2 Lord Jesus Christ; and let it be considered as a band of love to all those who join with us to acknowledge him under the character of their Lord and their Saviour. Let it engage us to pray, 3 that the same grace and peace may be with them from God our Father, and from Christ Jesus our common Lord, which we wish

4, &c.

for ourselves.

Let our hearts be ever open to such noble sentiments of Christian love; not envying the gifts or endowments of others, but rather rejoicing in them, blessing God for them, and praving 6 that they may be largely increased; that so the testimony of Christ may be confirmed, by the flourishing state of religion among his followers; than which no confirmation will probably carry a stronger and more affecting conviction into the hearts of those who observe it.

7 To quicken us to this, let us be continually waiting for the revelation of Jesus Christ; thinking seriously, how certainly, and how quickly, he will be revealed from heaven, to bring us, and all our brethren, to an account for the improvement we make of the various favours he hath conferred upon us; of which, surely to 9 be called into the fellowship of Christ, and the participation spiritual blessings by him, is to be reckoned among the chief.

of

and

Let us rejoice in the fidelity of those promises which encour age us to hope, that he whose grace hath called us to a participa8 tion of the gospel, will confirm us blameless, even until the day of Christ and, as we have such prospects of present support comfort, and of final and complete salvation from him, let us, like this blessed apostle, take a pleasure in sounding forth his name, and in keeping up a most affectionate remembrance of 1-9 him, even of Jesus Christ our Lord and our Saviour, in our own minds, and in those of our Christian brethren.

He exhorts the Corinthians against schisms.

SECT. II.

The apostle expresses his great concern on account of the factions in the church of Corinth, of which he had been informed; and expostulates with them, as to the unreasonableness of setting up Christian ministers as heads of parties, when they were under such strong engagements to unite in Christ, as their common Saviour and Master. 1 Cor. I. 10-16.

1 COR I. 10. OW I beseech

by the name of our

1 CORINTHIANS I. 10.

197

ii.

No I NOW hasten to the great things, which I SECT. you, brethren, have in view in this address to you and I Lord Jesus Christ, must first of all beseech, as well as exhort you, 1 Cor. that ye all speak the my brethren, by the venerable and endearing i. 10 same thing, and that name of our Lord Jesus Christ, as you desire there be no divisions either to secure his favour, or to advance his ye be perfectly join. cause and interest in the world, that ye all ened together in the deavour so far as possible to speak the same thing, same mind, and in that is, that you do not unnecessarily and unkindthe same judgment. ly contradict each other, but rather maintain a

among you; but that

11 For it hath

peaceful unanimous temper; [that]there may be
no schisms among you, nor mutual alienation of
affection; but [that] ye be all knit together in the
same mind, and in the same sentiment, waving
unnecessary controversies, debating those which
are necessary with temper and candour, and de-
lighting to speak most concerning those great
and excellent things in which as Christians you
cannnot but be agreed, and which, if duly con-
sidered, will cement your hearts to each other
in the strictest and most tender bonds.

I urge this with the greater earnestness, be- 11 been declared unto cause it hath been certified to me, my brethren, me of you, my brethren, by them which concerning you, by those of Chloe's [family,] that are of the house of there are some contentions among you, which by Chloe, that there are no means become the relation wherein you contentions among stand to each other, and the regard which you profess to the gospel of Christ.

you.

a

By the venerable and endearing name was in which he would have them agree. of our Lord Jesus Christ.] This is beauti- The words must therefore express that fully and properly opposed to the various peaceful and unanimous temper which human names under which they were so Christians of different opinions may and ready to list themselves. ought to maintain towards each other; which will do a much greater honour to the gospel, and to human nature, than the most perfect uniformity that can be imag ined.

In the same mind, and in the same sentiment. It was morally impossible, considering the diversity of their educations and capacities, that they should all agree in opinion; nor could he intend that, because he does not urge any argument to reduce them to such an agreement, nor so much as declare, what that one opinion

Those of Chloe's [family.] Grotius supposes Fortunatus and Achaicus, (mentioned chap. xvi. 17,) to have been her sons.

198

SECT.

1 Cor.

i. 12

He expostulates with them concerning their contentions;

Now this I say and mean by the preceding 12 Now this I say, ii. charge, that, if my information be right, there that every one of you saith, I am of Paul, are among you various parties, which avowedly and I of Apollos, and set themselves up, as under different heads, I of Cephas, and I of Christ. though you are not yet come to an open separation; so that every one of you lists himself under one or another of those dividing names which are so unhappily used among you on this occasion. One, for instance, says, I am for Paul, admiring the plainness and purity of his doctrine; and a second, I am for Apollos, charmed with the eloquence and beauty of his address; and a third, I am for Cephas, the apostle of the circumcision, who may be well called a foundation stone in the church, as he maintains so strict a regard to the Mosaic ceremonies, and the peculiar privileges of God's ancient people; while a fourth says, I am for Christ,d whose superior name, and strict ob servation of the Mosaic law in his own person, unanswerably testify its perpetual obligation; however any of his ministers may regard, or neglect it.

13

13 Is Christ divid.

Give me leave now to ask, is Christ divided into as many parties as you are split into, so ed? was Paul crucithat each has a distinct Saviour? or is he be- fied for you? or were ye baptized in the come only the head of one party of his followname of Paul ? ers, that his name should thus be appropriated by way of distinction, as if it were to exclude all the rest of his disciples from any relation to him? And on the other hand, (not to introduce the name of my honoured and beloved brethren upon this invidious occasion,) was this Paul, whom some of you so much extol, crucified for you? Or were you baptized into the name of Paul; that you should thus affect to wear it as a mark of distinction? Since there have been these unhappy divisions in your society, and my name,

among others, has been made use of to such a 14 I thank God, 14 purpose; I thank God, that it so happened in that I baptized none

I am for Christ.] They might, perhaps, be displeased with Peter, for his condescension to the uncircumcised at Antioch, (Gal. ii. 12,) which happened long before the date of this epistle; and might also, as L'Enfant intimates, have valued themselves on having heard Christ preach in his own person, during the time of his

ministration on earth.

Was Paul crucified for you?] As if he had said, Are your obligations to me equal, or comparable to those you are under to our common Master, to him who. died for us upon the cross ? He mentions himself, as it was least invidious to do it; though the application was equallyjust as to every other instance. Compare chap. iii. 6.

and declares that he had given no occasion for their factions. 199

and Gaius ;

name.

1 Cor. i. 15

of you, but Crispus the course of his Providence, that I baptized sect. none of you, except Crispus, once the ruler of the ii. synagogue, and my worthy friend, the hospita15 Lest any should ble Gaius: Lest any should have a pretence say, that I had bap- to say, though ever so falsely, that I made the tized in my own waters of baptism, waters of strife; and had baptized into my own name, or in a view of particular and personal attachment to myself, to the injury of my brethren, or of the Church 16 And I baptized in general. I remember, that I baptized also 16 also the household the family of Stephanus, the first fruits of Aof Stephanas: besides, I know not chaia; and I know not whether I baptized any whether I baptized other. And indeed, it might very naturally 17 happen, that I should baptize only these few; for Christ sent me not so much to baptize; which me not to baptize, but to preach the was an office that others of a much inferior rank gospel: in the ministry might as well perform; but to preach the gospel, and thereby to bring persons to that faith which would entitle them to this appropriate ordinance of Christianity. And I bless God with all my heart, that I have been enabled to do it with such simplicity, fidelity, and success.

any other.

17 For Christ sent

IMPROVEMENT.

verse

WHILE We live in the midst of so much darkness, and continue obnoxious to so many prejudices and errors, it will be absolutely impossible for us, so to speak the same thing, and so per- 10 fectly to be joined in the same mind and judgment, as that there should be no diversity of opinion, or expression. But let us labour to obey the apostle's pathetic exhortation, so far as the

i Lest any should say, I baptized into my own name. If any should object, that others might do it for him; it may be answered, that Paul's attendants, (who seem to have been Timothy and Silas, Acts xviii. 5; 2 Cor i 19,) were persons of an established character, so as to be above such suspicion that baptism was probably admin istered too openly to allow of this; and that the apostle herein does as it were, appeal to the baptized persons themselves, challenging any one of them all to say, that the ordinance was administered to him in Paul's

name.

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annexed to the third volume of this work. I can by no means think, with Bishop Burnet, that the reason, why Paul baptized so few, was, because baptism was delayed till some considerable time after contersion to Christianity, and that the apostle did not stay so long in a place as to do it; (Burnet on the Articles, Art. xxvii. p. 304, Edit. 1699;) for it does not appear to me, that baptism, in these earliest and purest ages, was long delayed; and it is certain, that this cause could not take place here, as Paul continued at Corinth eighteen months. I rather think the office was

I know not whether I have baptized any generally assigned to inferiors, as requir sther] This expression of uncertainty as to such a fact, is by no means inconsistent with inspiration, in that view and notion of it which I have endeavoured to state and vindicate in my discourse on that subject,

ing no extraordinary abilities, and as being attended with some trouble and inconvenience, especially where immersion was used, as I suppose it often, though not constantly, was.

(200

verse

Reflections on our obligations to avoid a party spirit.

SECT. imperfection of this mortal state may admit. Let us be entreatii.ed in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that venerable, that endeared, that sacred name, that there be no schism among us, no mutual hatred or animosity, no uncharitable contentions, no severe censures of each other. And as we desire that there may not, let us take care, that we do not impose upon our brethren indifferent things as necessary; and thereby drive them into a separation for conscience sake; and tempt them, at the same time, by our ill usage, to that bitterness of resentment, which would make them, what the mere separation would not, transgressors of this precept; and us partakers of their sins.

On the other hand, let none of us be disposed to dispute merely for the sake of disputing, nor unnecessarily oppose the judgment or taste of our brethren, out of an affectation of singularity, or a spirit of contention. But let us rather labour, so far as with a safe conscience we can, to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. And while we do this, if our brethren will exact such submissions from us, as they are not warranted by God to require, and as we cannot in conscience pay, let us follow conscience whithersoever it leads us; taking all necessary care, that it be rightly guided; and if in that circumstance our brethren will cast us out, and say, Let the Lord be glorified; and if to the rest of their unkindness, they will add the farther injury of branding us with the odious names of schismatics, or of heretics; let it be a light thing to us, to be judged of man's judgment. Let us not render railing for railing, nor injury for injury, but rather, by our meekness, endeavour to overcome their severity; and wait for that happy time, when more of the spirit of knowledge and of charity, shall dispose them to throw down those middle walls of partition, by which the temple of God is straitened and defaced, and the convenience, the symmetry, and grandeur of its original plan, so lamentably spoiled. Above all, let us wait that day, when the secrets of all hearts shall be made manifest; and that world, where they, who love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity, shall retain no remembrance of the controversies that once divided them; unless it be to balance the alienations of time with the endearments of eternity.

In the mean while, let us avoid, as much as possible, a party spirit; and not be fond of listing ourselves under the name of 12, 13 this, or that man, how wise, how good, how great soever. For surely if the names of Peter, and Paul, were in this view to be declined, much more are those, which, in these latter days, have so unhappily crumbled the Christian and Protestant interest, and have given such sad occasion to our enemies to reproach Christ is not divided; nor were Luther, or Calvin, or even Peter, or Paul, crucified for us; nor were we baptized into any of

us.

their names.

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