10. 536 The Apostle fends them his Salutation; II ye As for what remains, my dear Brethren, farewell; and may all Joy and Happiness ever attend you. And that this may be the Cafe, let it be your great Care, that ye may be perfect, that may arrive at the higheft Degrees of Goodness. May you all be comforted with these strong Confolations, which true Chriftianity fuggefts, and exhorted and animated by the Instructions it inculcates. Attend to the fame Thing (b), purfue with the greatest Unanimity of Heart, and Intenseness of Affection, that which ought to be the great End of all our Schemes and Designs, the Care of glorifying GoD, and adorning the Gofpel. And as you have in fome Inftances, feemed to have forgotten, how effential it is to true Chriftianity, that its Profeffors should abstain from mutual Injuries, and cultivate unfeigned Friendship, let me urge it upon you, that ye be peaceful, candid, and affectionate in your Sentiments; and the GOD of Love and Peace will graciously own you as his Children, and be favourably with you, and fix his Refidence among you. 12 And in Token of this intire Harmony, and endeared Affection, falute each other, according to the Custom of your Affemblies, with an boly Kiss, as a proper Expreffion of the pureft and most Thorng abfent, left being prefent, I fhould use Sharpnefs, according to the Power which the Lord hath given me to Edification, and 10 Therefore I write thefe being not to Deftruction. snod II Finally, Brethren, fareComfort, be of one Mind, well: Be perfect, be of good live in Peace; and the GOD of Love and Peace shall be with you. Sermon (b) Attend to the fame Thing.[ Solo aulo Oporile fhould undoubtedly be rendered, rather than be of one Mind; which in fome Refpects might have been impoffible. See my on Candor and Unanimity, pag. 8, and Phil. ii. 2. and Note theres Si ebumy (3) Favour And gives them his folemn Benediction. 537 13 All the Saints falute moft ardent Love. All the Saints, that is, the Sect. 21. Chriftians here, in the Place from whence I now you. 14 The Grace of the Lord Jefus Chrift, and the Love of God, and the Communion of the Holy Ghoft, be with you all. A men. 13. write, falute you with the fincereft Affection, and 2 Cor. XIII. I conclude all with my most affectionate good 14 IMPROVEMENT. your DORED be the Name of that compaffionate Redeemer, who was once crucified as thro' Weakness; and when he could have Ver. 4. commanded more than twelve Legions of Angels to his Rescue, voluntarily submitted to be seized and bound, like an helpless Mortal, subject to fuperior Force, and thus led away to Torture and Death! He lives for ever by the Power of GOD, by a Life derived from him: May we, weak as we are in ourselves, live thro' him to all the Purposes of the Chriftian Life. And that this Life may flourish abundantly, let us be often engaged to examine ourselves; fince it will be fo great a Scandal, and fo great a Snare, Ver. 5. to be Strangers at Home. Do we not indeed after all know ourselves? Let us fearch, whether Jesus Christ be in us? Whether he be formed in our Hearts, whether he live and act in us by his holy Spirit? Elfe shall we be treated as reprobate Silver, fhall be justly rejected of GOD, and Ver. 6. no Gifts or Priviledges will avail us. Having gained the fure Evidences of (i) Favour of the Lord Jefus Chrift.] I exprefs xaps by Favour here; for if Grace be taken for fanaifying Influences communicated from Chrift, (which to be fure makes a great Part of the Idea,) it may be lefs eafy to diftinguish it from the Communion of the Spirit. It is with great Reason, that this comprehenfive and inftructive Benediction is pronounced, just before our Affemblies for publick Worship are difmiffed; and it is a very indecent Thing to fee fo many quitting them, or getting into Poftures of Remove, before this fhort Sentence can be ended. Compare Numb. vi. 26, 27. Yyy VOL. IV. 53.8 Sect. 21. of fincere Goodness in ourselves, we may, with the greater Chearfulness and Confidence, pray for our Brethren; and let us offer the Apostle's PeVer. 70s tition for them, that they may do no Evil, but every Thing that is just Reflections on the concluding Section. and honourable, beautiful and lovely: Never defiring to exalt ourselves on the Mistakes and Follies of others; but on the contrary, wishing their Ver. 9 Perfection, and labouring to the utmost to promote it. How charming a Spirit breathes in thefe Sentences, in which the Apoftle takes his Leave of the Corinthians! So much Wisdom and Goodness, Ver. 11, 12. that one is almoft grieved, that he who bids farewel in fuch an engaging Manner, does it fo foon. Let us however bear his parting Words in Mind. When Minifters are leaving thofe, among whom they have laboured, when Chriftian Friends are feparated from each other, let this be their common Petition and Care that they may be improved, and comforted; that Unanimity and Peace may prevail and encrease; and that the GOD of Peace may be with them all: That he may be with them in those happy Effects, and bleffed Operations, which will be the Refult of the Grace of our Lord Jefus Chrift, the Love of GOD, and the Fellowship of the Holy Ghoft. Ver. 13. How often hath this comprehenfive Benediction been pronounced? Let us ftudy it more and more; that we may value it proportionably, that we fet ourselves to deliver, or to receive it, with a becoming Solemnity ; with Eyes and Hearts lifted up to GOD, who when out of Zion be commandeth the Bleffing, beftows in it Life for evermore. Amen! |