and duties which are then set on, we ever after do or ought most to mind, as being conditions which God designed us to, and converted us. Here Paul himself tells the story, Acts ix. 15, The Lord said to Ananias' (whom he employed first to bring the glad tidings of salvation unto Paul), Go thy way,' and tell him; he is a chosen vessel to me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel.' The children of Israel (you see) do in Paul's commission come in in the rear, but the Gentiles are the first in his commission; and the very same did God speak as expressly to him by revelation, as Paul relates it, Gal. i. Yea, and if you observe the set and full scope of that relation of his conversion in that place, it is evident to be on purpose to clear this very thing (which he makes the argument in the first part of that epistle), namely, how the Gentiles were admitted into the fellowship of the gospel, without any subjection of theirs to the Jewish ceremonies; and that he accordingly had had a revelation from the first of his conversion, to go and preach the gospel upon such terms first to the Gentiles; and a great part of that chapter is taken up with the narration of the strange workings about of his spirit to this point of the compass, to which it had stood clean contrary afore, as much as any other Jew whatever; as that singular passage in the narrative of his first conversion shews. 'You have heard of my conversation in times past,' says he, in the Jewish religion, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers,' whereof this was one, and the most deeply rooted; but when it pleased God to reveal his Son in me;' for what work? ⚫ that I might preach him among the heathen: and immediately' (for thus soon was he instructed in the main article of his commission), I conferred not with flesh and blood;' I went with so full a conviction of this new truth revealed to me, as that I would not so much as ask counsel of any man else; and then, whither did the Spirit carry him? Straight into Arabia, who were the world of heathens, Ishmael's seed and posterity, whose hands, as in Genesis, were against every man, and every man against them' (like the wild Irish), of all the most barbarous; and he fell first a-preaching unto them, without scruple or regard at all had to any Jewish tradition, or to any Jew; and as his first conversion had thus taught him this, so he accordingly bears this written in his style, and title, and glories in it, The apostle, doctor, and teacher of the Gentiles.' 6 I have but one thing more to add, the universal joy and acclamations that were in the whole church of God, at the addition and first rearing of this new and greatest part of God's house, the Gentiles; and this both in Jews and others, which in all places they were generally filled withal, which the Holy Ghost in the end of every of these stories takes notice of, and is as the Epiphonema. There was never such joy on earth as then upon all occasions; never such joy in heaven as upon Christ's nativity, when the angels sang, Glory to,' &c. For, first, those Jews who had withstood Peter, chap. xi., they sing a Glory to God on high upon it, as the angels did upon Christ's nativity, chap. xi. 18, They glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.' Then again, when the Gentiles at Antioch were converted, the news came instantly to Jerusalem; and they out of an earnest desire to know the truth of it, and to forward the work, sent Barnabas, who, when he came and saw the grace of God, Oh, how glad was he! The Holy Ghost could not but relate it; He was glad, and exhorted them all,' says the text. Then Barnabas searches out Paul, and in the end meets him; and they were well met, being alike spirited to this work; and they are sent out, chap. xiii., to the con version of new regions of the Gentiles. And this is the joyful account of that whole journey; chap. xiv. 27, They rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how God had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles.' Then again, chap. xv. ver. 3, 4, going from thence to Jerusalem, and passing through Phoenicia and Samaria, what news was it they carried which their hearts were big with? Even this, Declaring the conversion of the Gentiles; and they caused great joy to all the brethren,' even those that were Jews. THE ONE SACRIFICE. A SERMON. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sin. Wherefore, when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and burntofferings thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: in burntofferings and sacrifices for sin thou hast no pleasure: then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of thy book it is written of me) to do thy will, O God. -HEB. X. 4-7. THE apostle Paul in 2 Cor. v. 18th, 19th, and 20th verses, does summarily tell us what is the argument (as I may so speak) of that great mystery of the gospel. The theme it dilates upon is reconciliation; ' To wit,' says he, 'that God was in Christ reconciling the world.' And therefore the title he gives the doctrine of it is this, 'The ministry of reconciliation.' And so the foot of the angels' song, Luke ii. 14, was reconciliation, which consists of two parts, peace and good will.' The full scope of the words you may conceive as cast into this frame; and withal, what is the sum of all I have to deliver to you about it. 1. The world, the whole world of mankind, being created in an estate of amity and friendship with God, as the word zaraλháyrs, reconcile, implies. To make friends again, argues former friendship. 2. And then, this whole lump of men being treacherously fallen off from God into a deep rebellion against him, and become of the devil's seed and faction, 3. God, who is infinite in love and rich in mercy, bearing everlasting and secret good will to some of these rebels in all ages, hath always maintained certain lieger ambassadors in the world (as ver. 20 implies), to treat with this rebellious rout, and conclude a peace betwixt them and him. 4. And that his agents and dealers for him, whom in his business he hath and doth employ, might be fully enabled to conclude it, he hath furnished them (as all other ambassadors use to be) with a large and gracious commission, the title of which is, the ministry of reconciliation,' ver. 18; Hath given to us,' &c., which includes in it two things. 6 First, The delivery of a gracious message, as from himself, intimating and manifesting his royal mind and inclination, how it stands towards them. For when two are at variance, there can never be any hope of peace or agreement, unless the party injured shews an inclineableness at least to listen to it. VOL. V. H h |