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2. Some farther Inftructions of this kind may be gathered, from the Subject, which St. Paul chufes here to enlarge upon. Not the Greatness of his Miracles, Not the Power of his Eloquence and Arguments, Not the Succefs of his Labours, the Number of the Converts he had won, or of the Churches he had planted; (tho❜ no Man could with greater right have alledged these.) But only the Toils and Hardfhips, the Perfecutions and Afflictions, which the Difcharge of his Miniftry had engaged him in. Thefe were fuch Privileges, as his Adverfaries neither had, nor defired to have to boast of. They, as the 20th Verse intimates, had other things in view. The Gain of private Contributions, the Command of the Purses, and an abfolute Dominion over the Perfons of their Hearers. The Grounds, Ver. 21, 22.

upon which they exalted themselves, were all taken from worldly Advantages, and in that refpect St. Paul is content to declare himself their Equal. The Regards He declares himself their fuperior in, are fuch, as They were well enough fatisfied to give him Preference in. Such as Stripes and Imprisonments, Shipwracks and Deaths, hard and perilous Journeys, Cold, and Hunger, and Thirst. These it was fo far from Vanity to glory in, that the Apostle found it requifite to fubjoyn his being honoured with exChap. xii. traordinary Visions and Revelations, to prevent fo great a degree, fo conftant a fucceffion, of Sufferings, from being turned into an argument of God's Displeasure, against one fo inceffantly exercifed with them. And yet thefe Afflictions were really the propereft, and most worthy matter of glorying, to the Apoftle. The propereft, because it was perfectly free from Vanity or Self-feeking, (for His were not Sufferings, either induftriously courted, or magnified to be made a Gain of) And the moft worthy, because, to all, who duly confidered them, they were Proofs of large measures of Grace fupporting him under them;

of

of unparallel'd Sincerity and Zeal, difpofing him fo chearfully to perfevere in encountring them; and of the Truth of that Doctrine, which, by the Miniftry of one fo ill treated, could yet gain fo much ground, and triumph over them.

The Profit fit for Us to make of the Paffage thus explained, is as follows.

1. The Defcription given here of falfe Teachers fhould be a Warning to all Chriftians against listening to them: And a Seafonable Admonition to fufpect and beware of Such, as make it their business to infufe into Men Jealoufies and evil Surmifes against their lawful Paftors. A Method, than which there cannot be a furer Sign, that They, who have recourfe to it, do therefore draw off our People, because thereout they fuck no fmall Advantage. For Thefe Corinthians are far from the only Inftance, of the People being even devoured by Seducers, and finding the Little-fingers of fuch, thicker than the Loins of regular Apoftles. And if it fhould, as fometimes it may, happen, that Such my have Sufferings and Hardships to alledge for their niftry; yet even then care muft be taken to look into the ground of thofe Sufferings: whether thefe alfo be not a profitable Bargain for this World; and a Perfecution fo called, but in truth a fetting their Quiet to fale at the highest Market. In a word, None, who urge St. Paul's Argument rightly, will fuffer for Eldoers against the Laws of Men, in cafes, where tnofe are not manifeftly against the Laws of God.

2. The Inftance now before us fhews, how far w ought to be, from reckoning what we endure for God's Caufe (when it is really God's Cause) matter of Sa row or Shame to us. St. Paul was, in comparison. the rest of the Apoftles, a Labourer called in c Eleventh hour. And he thought, as he taugnt t.. Philippians to esteem it, a particular Grace, that was given him, not only to believe in Jefus, but to fur

1

And

for kis Name. The Fervency of his Charity and Zeal made up what was wanting in point of time. We (efpecially thofe among us, that are Ministers of the Cofpel) never make a more just Computation of our Services; than when we reckon them, by the Harafhips and Self-denials we are content to undergo, for the good of our own Souls, or those of our Chriftian Brethren.

3. Thirdly, When St. Paul, to all his other Sufferings, adds the Care of all the Churches, and the zealous Compaffion over them that failed, or were afflicted in them; This fhews the Abundance of His, and inftructs us what ought to be the measure of Our, Charity. We are not to neglect, or think our felves excufed from a tender Concern for, the Afflictions or Dengers of cur Brethren, upon the account of any Sufferings of our own. Be our other Circumftances what they will, yet fill we are Members of Chrift's Body; And while that Relation continues, all the Duties refulting from it, nuft do fo too. So indifpenfable and perpetual a Duty is Charity, for the Souls of others efpecially; So far indeed are thofe Hardfhips, which lie outward and open to the view of others, from being the moft fenfible part of what Good Men endure.

4. Laftly, The Methods ufed for exercifing St. Paul's Patience and Virtue, teach us plainly, that the way, in which God would be ferved by Chriftians, but efpecially by his Minifters, is that of Conftancy, and indefatigable Diligence, and diffufive Charity. That Eafe, and Idlenefs, and Luxury, and effeminate Declinings of Trouble for the Publick Good, are by no means agreeable to a Difciple of Jefus his Character. And thus the Apoftle, as in the Laft, fo again in This Lord's-Day Service, does, by his own Example, encourage and prepare us, for the Difcipline of the Seafon drawing on. One great Design whereof is, 3

to

to break the Softnefs of a Nature, too indulgent to Flesh and Blood, and to inure us to endure Hardship like good Soldiers of Jefus Christ. In which Warfare, the lefs we fpare our own Perfons; the more we may depend upon His Protection and Support in the Conflict, and the brighter Trophies we shall raife to His Glory, the Honour of Religion, and the unfpeakable Advantage of our Souls and Bodies both, in that Day of Triumph and Joy: Which God grant us all a part in, for our dear Redeemer's fake. Amen.

"W

Sexagefima Sunday.

The GOSPEL.

S. Luke viii. 4.

Hen much people were gathered together, and
avere come to bim out of every City, be
Spake by a parable :

PARAPHRAS E.

4. The Multitudes that followed our Lord to the Sea-fide were fo great, that he went into

a Ship, and left them on the Shore, and fat down and taught them out of the Ship, by this following, and feveral other Parables, Matth. xiii. 1, 2, 3. Mark iv. 1, 2.

5. A fower went out to fow his feed; and as he fored, fome fell by the way fide, and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the Air devoured it.

6. And fome fell upon a rock; and as foon as it vas Sprung up, it withered away, becaufe lacked moisture.

6. Some fell on ftoPlaces, the Heat whereof caufed it to

ny

fhoot apace; but when

the Weather grew hot, the Sun fcorched it up, by reafon the Soil not deep enough to preferve it at the Root, Matth. xiii. 5, 6. Mark iv. 5, 6.

was

7. And fome fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it and choaked it.

8. And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an bundred fold. And when be had faid these things be cried, He that bath ears to bear let bim bear.

8. That which had

good Soil bore kindly Fruit, in proportion to the Condition of the Ground. See Matth.

xiii. 8. Mark iv. 8. This is a Parable, that highly deferves your At

tention.

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10. As a Reward of

9. And bis Difciples afked him, faying, What might this Parable be?

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10. And be faid, Unto you it is given to know the fieries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables, that feeing they might not fee, and bearing they might not understand.

your diligence and defire to be informed, thefe fhall be explained to You; but the reft fhall be left in the dark, and have their voluntary punished with judicial Ignorance. See Matth. xiii. 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. Mark iv. 11, 12.

12. The Perfons re

prefented by Seed fown by the way fide, are fuch as take no Care to understand what

11. Now the Parable is this: The Seed is the Word of God.

12. Thofe by the way fide, are they that bear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the Word out of their hearts, left they should believe and be faved,

they hear; but fuffer the Tempter to take away the Word, that is, are tempted to forget and neglect it, and fo lofe all good effect of it.

13. Compare Matth. xiii. 20, 21. Mark iv. 16, 17:

14. Compare Matth. xiii. 22. Mark iv. 18, ·19.

By Conftancy in fuffering, and Perfeverance in doing well.

13. They on the rock are they which, when they bear, receive the word with joy: and these have no which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall

away.

root,

14. And that which fell among thorns are they, which when they have beard, go forth, and are choaked with cares, and riches, and pleasures of this life, and bring ne fruit to perfection.

15. But that on the good ground are they which in an boneft and good beart, baring beard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with * patience.

And though all who behave themselves thus do not produce the fame Quantity of Fruit, yet are they all good Ground. Compare Matth. xiii. 23. Mark iv. 20.

S

COMMENT.

Carce any Paffage, in the whole Courfe of the Year, is more worthy our ferious Confideration, than that, which our Excellent Church hath wifely appointed to be read, for the Gospel of this Day. That Heathens and Jews, profefs'd Infidels and Enemies to Chriftianity, that They, who want Opportunities of knowing their Duty, and would gladly use them if

they

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