466

GOD having committed to him the Miniftry of Reconciliation, Sect. 9. concerning him. And thus, it will be with 17 Therefore, if if any

Man be in Chrift, he is a new Creature: Old Things are paft away, behold all Things are become new.

18 And all Things are of GOD, who hath recon

ciled us to himself by Jefus Chrift, and hath given to us the Miniftry of Recon

ciliation.

others, who enter truly into the Genius of the 2 Cor. V. 17. Gofpel; fo that if any Man [be] really in Chrift Jefus, if he have a vital and prevailing Faith in him [there is] a new Creation in the Heart of that Man fo entirely are his Principles, Apprehenfions, and Purfuits changed: Old Things are paffed away, and with Refpect to him, behold all Things are become new; he is brought as it were into another World, and is himself quite a dif18 ferent Creature from what he before was. And as it is the Work of GOD to create; fo here it may properly be faid, that all Things [are] of GOD, who bath in his infinite Condefcenfion conquered our Prejudices, and reconciled us to bimfelf by Jefus Chrift; having by his Grace in him, laid a proper and honourable Foundation for the Exercife of his Mercy towards us, and for the fubduing of our Hearts to Love and Obedience. And in Pursuance of this great and condefcending Defign, he hath committed to us his Ministers, and especially to his Apoftles, the Miniftry of Reconciliation; intrufting us with this important Meffage, to proclaim it to the World, and fo far as in us lies, to tranfmit it to the remo19 teft Ages. And this is an Abstract and Epitome of it all; namely, that GOD was in Chrift united to him, and manifefting himself by him, there by reconciling the World both of Jews and Gentiles unto himself; and in Confequence of that, not imputing to them, and charging to their Account, with righteous inexorable Severity, their various and aggravated Offences: but fetting forth an Act of Grace, and unlimitted Pardon, to all those who should believe in him. This is that great Divine Truth on which our Salvation depends; and GOD bath committed unto us, as a Truft of the highest Importance, the gracious Word, or Meffage of Reconciliation. Therefore we are to be confidered by you, as fuftain- Ambaffadors for Chrift, as ing the Office and Dignity of Embajadors for Christ (d), on his Account, and in his Stead;

20

19 To wit, that GoD

was in Chrift, reconciling imputing their Trefpaffes unto them; and hath com mitted unto us the Word

the World unto himself, not

of Reconciliation.

20 Now then we are

though

(d) Embajadors for Chrift.] The Apostles were fo in a peculiar Senfe; but if it be the

Will

、

him to be Sin for knew no Sin;

us, who
that we

that

your

And 21

457

to befeech them in Chrift's Stead to be reconciled to GOD. though GOD did befeech fo that GOD is, as it were, intreating [you] by Sect. 9. you by us: We pray you in Chrift's Stead, be ye reconus, and we beseech [you] in Chrift's Stead (e), with ciled to God. the greatest Importunity and Tenderness of Ad- 2 Cor. V. 20. drefs, that, when fo much is done on God's Part to make up the Breach, which muft otherwife have been fatal to his offending Creatures, ye would not, by your own Obstinacy, reject the Benefit of all these condefcending Overtures; but would be cordially and truly reconciled to GOD, and thankfully accept of that Friendship and Pro21 For he hath made tection, which he vouchfafes to offer you. Hearts may, if poffible, be melted, might be made the Right- we urge you by the most affecting of all Arguments, even the Blood and Death of his incarnate Son: For we tell you, that be, that is, GoD, hath made him who knew no Sin, but was perfectly innocent and perfectly holy, [a] Sin [Offering] for us; that by the Sacrifice of himself, he might expiate the Guilt of our Tranfgreffions, and that so we might be accepted in him, and furnished with a Plea, as prevalent for our Justification and Admiffion into the Divine Favour, as if we had retained our Innocence untainted, and in every Refpect conformed ourselves to the Righteousness, which the Law of GOD (f) required and de

eousness of GOD in him.

also that ye receive not the Grace of GoD in vain :

I.

2 CORINTHIANS VI. 1. manded. We then, [as] the Joint-labourers [of 2COR.VI. We then as Workers toge- GOD] in this important Work, (Compare 1 Cor. ther with him, befeech you iii. 9. Note (f)) befeech [you] with the most earneft Importunity, that you receive not the furprizing Grace of GOD in vain; that you do not fo flight this merciful Proclamation of Pardon, Right

Will of Chrift, that Minifters in all Ages fhould prefs Men to accept the Treaty of Reconciliation established in him, then it is evident, they may be called his Embassadors, `even tho' fuch a Phrafe had never been used in Scripture.

(e) In Chrift's Stead.] So vp Xpire plainly fignifies here.

When Chrift was in the

World, he preffed this Treaty of Reconciliation; and we rife up in his Stead to urge it fill

farther.

(f) Made the Righteousness of GOD.] That is, divinely righteous. It is a very strong Phrafe to fignify our being accepted of GOD, as perfectly righteous, when confidered as by Faith united to him, who was perfectly fo. There is an evident and beautiful Contraft, between Chrift being made Sin, and our being made Righteousness; that is, treated as perfectly righteous.

2 Cor. VI.

2.

2 (For he faith, I have.

heard thee in a Time accepted, and in the Day of Salvation have I fuccoured thee: Behold, now is the acceptable Time; behold now is the Day of Salvation)

468
Reflections on the Love and Grace of Chrift,
Sect. 9. Righteoufnefs and Life, thro' the Blood of his
Son, as to lose the Benefit of it. Again, let me
urge immediate Compliance with it on all, who
have not as yet fecured its invaluable Bleffings;
for be fays, when reprefented as addreffing him-
felf to the Meffiah (g), in one of Ifaiah's Pro-
phecies, (Ifai. xlix. 8.) I have heard thee in an ac-
ceptable Time, and in a Day of Salvation have I
helped, and fuftained thee. GOD, there, as you
fee, fpeaks of a limitted Time, in which the
Meffiah's Petition in Favour of his People was
welcome to him, and in which he was ready to
grant Salvation; and bebold now [is] the accepted
Time, bebold now [is] the Day of Salvation: This
is the precious Seafon, when by the wonderful
Favour and Goodnefs of GoD compleat Forgive-
nefs, and eternal Felicity is freely offered. Oh,
that
you may
all be fo wife, as to accept of it!

Ho

IMPROVEMENT.

OW adorable is the Divine Condefcenfion, that fuch an Embaffy of Peace should ever be fent to any of the Children of fallen Adam! Chap. VI. 2. How wonderful the Divine Patience, that the accepted Time, and the Day of Salvation, thould after fo many Slights, be fo long protracted. Oh, let us not receive fuch Grace in vain, left affronted Mercy should forfake its Seat and give Way to inexorable Juftice!

Surely if there be a Sentiment, that may juftly excite the Heart to the greateft Fervour of Affection, and that will vindicate the most ardent Tranfports of Zeal to fpread it in the World, it must be that of the Chap. V. 14. Love of Chrift; which may well bear us away, while we ferioufly confider, in how miferable a State he found us, dead in Sin, and under a Sentence of Death by the Divine Law; efpecially, when we farther reflect, at how expenfive a Rate he redeemed us, even with the Price of his own Life. Who then, that has any Remains of Judgment at all, muft not judge and determine in his own Mind, that it is molt fit, that

Ver. 14, 15.

Our

(g) Addreffing himself to the Meffiah.] I think it evident, that as thefe Words ftand in Ifaiah, they are a Promife made to Chrift; in which God engages us to give him the Gentiles, as an Acceffion to his Church, and Reward of his mediatorial Undertaking. And in this Connection, it is as if the Apoftle had faid, "fince fuch a Promife is made, fee to it that you "feek it, and you will find it an acceptable Time." You will come as it were in a good Hour, as Chrift is reprefented to have done.

3

and our Obligations to live unto him.

our ranfomed Lives fhould be facred to him that redeemed them; that our Breath should be on Fire, with the most earnest Defires to promote his Cause and Kingdom; that henceforth, from the Time we come to the Knowledge of this important Truth, we should not live to ourselves; but to bim, who died for us, and rofe again, refuming, with his renewed Life, the same tender Concern for our Happiness, which engaged him continually to exert it in the most generous Efforts, for our Recovery and Salvation.

469 Sect. 9.

Let all fecular Views therefore be given up; and let us labour to improve in that Renovation of Soul, which is the effential Character of the Ver. 17. true Chriftian; and as ever we defire to have any fatisfactory Evidence, that we are in Christ, let us fee to it that we are new Creatures; and if we are indeed fo, let us daily acknowledge our Obligations to his transforming Grace. From him are the firft Propofals of Peace and Reconciliation Ver. 18. to offending Creatures; from him, the Difpofition of Soul, humbly to submit ourselves to the Terms fo kindly proposed, and to fue out our Pardon agreeably to the Purposes of this grand Act of Indemnity. How amazing the Condefcenfion that grants it; and appoints Embaffadors to urge us, to have Compaffion on our own Souls, and not reject this Counfel of GOD against ourselves. May the Minifters of the Gospel often con- Ver. 19, 20 fider themselves in this View, as Embajadors and Agents for Chrift, by whom GOD befeecheth Sinners to be reconciled; and let them profecute this Embaffy, with all holy Importunity and earnest Addrefs. Oh, that the Success of it might be more apparent; that fo that Friendship might be established between Earth and Heaven, which may bring down daily Anticipations of Heaven to Earth! Amen.

SECT

470

Sect. 10.

3.

4

The Apoftles approved themselves the Minifters of GOD,

SECT. X.

The Apoftle enlarges with great Freedom, on the Temper,
with which in the Midst of all their Afflictions and Per-
fecutions, he, and his Brethren, profecuted that impor-
tant Embally, of which he had been Speaking in the for-
mer Section.
2 Cor. VI. 3,---10.

T

2 CORINTHIANS VI. 3.

Iving no Offence in any

niftry be not blamed :

HIS is the Affair we negociate, this is the G Things that the MiMeffage we deliver; and while we are thus 2 Cor. VI. employed, it is our conftant Care, that we may behave in fuch a Manner, as may add the greateft Efficacy to our Addrefs, and give no Offence (a) to any, by any Part of our [Conduct;] that the Miniftry of Reconciliation be not blamed, and the Success of the Gofpel thereby obftructed. But on the contrary, we would be, and I hope we are, in every Respect approving our felves to all that fee and know us, fuch as they ought to be, who have the Honour of being the Minifters and Embaffadors of GOD; in this.View. we govern the inmost Emotions of our Souls, endeavouring to poffefs them in much Patience, in the Midft of all the Afflictions which his Providence calls us to bear, in all the Neceffities we are compelled to endure, in all the Straits to which we are at any Time reduced, and all the Anguish of Heart we

may

4 But in all Things approving ourselves as the MiPatience, in Afflictions, in Neceffities, in Diftreffes,

nifters of GOD, in much

(a) Give no Offence, &c.] This Claufe is fo connected with the foregoing, that it would have been highly expedient to have continued the preceding Section, at leaft to the End of this; but the Length would be inconvenient. And there are fome other Inftances, in which we have been forced to yield to Neceffity on fuch Occafions; but the common Divifion, which separates the laft Verfe of the 5th Chapter from the firft of the 6th, feems yet more improper. To render the Beginning of the Section lefs apparently abrupt, I render that, we give no Offence, which had more literally been tranflated by the Particle, giving, &c. as in the following Claufes; but fuch little Variations, as they affect not the Senfe, will I hope be excused, as what on my Plan, I knew not how to avoid.

6

(b) Afflictions