CH A P. III.

1.

The CONTENTS. Of Duty to Magiftrates, agains Railing, and EvilSpeaking. The Gospel-Religion intended for the Reformation and Happiness of both Gentile and Jew. Pardon and Salvation not to be attained by the nicest Observation of the Ceremonial Law, but is the Effect of the pure Mercy of God, on Condition of our sincere Obedience to the Gospel Commands. Against Jewish Traditions and Genealogies. A Heretick not to be Excommunicated, till after just and due Admonition. Charitableness recommended. The Salutations and Conclusion.

UT them in mind PUT 1. be subject to

· A Nother, Prejudice, you must 4.1.64.

carefully warn principalities and pow- Zealots against, is, That no Heathen ers, to obey magiftrates, Governors have any Obedience due to to be ready to every them from God's People ; * nor any

* See Rom. good work,

Magistrates that are not of their Na- xiii. I. tion and Religion. Remind them often, That Christianity alters no Civil Rights ; and that they ought to pay all just Submission to the Emperor, and all due I and chearful I rã épz Respect to all their Superiors.

γον αγαθών. 2. To speak evil of 2. Warn them also against that no man, to be no prevailing Temper of Reviling, and brawlers, but gentle, furiously Contending with all that shewing all meekness

are not of the same Religious Sentiunto all men.

ments with themselves. 3 For we * ourselves

3. All Christians, both Gentile and also were sometimes Jewish, ought to be the more Patient foolish, disobedient,de- and Condescending in their Behaviour ceived, Р

*

A.D.64, ceived, serving divers toward their Adversaries, when they

lufts and pleasures, li- consider, this Turbulent, Selfish, and
ving in malice and en- Quarrelsome Disposition favours too
vy, hateful, and hating much of that unregenerate State,
one another.

wherein they all lately were, before

their Conversion. 4 But after that the

4, 5, 6 & 7. And that it was the kindness and love of Design of this great Mercy of God God our Saviour to- in the Gospel Revelation, and in reward man appeared,

5 Not by works of ceiving them into the happy Privi

5
righteousness which we leges of the Christian Covenant by
have done, but accord- Baptism, and the gracious Influences
ing to his mercy he of the Holy Spirit attending their Ad-
saved us by the wash- mission into it, to reform them from
ing of regeneration, such a Temper : And, to prevent all
and renewing of the further Disputes about the Necessity of
holy Ghost;

their External Matters of Religion ;
6 Which he shed on they ought to remember, they were
us abundantly, through All thus Redeemed, and put into a
Jesus Christ our Savi-

Capacity of Eternal Life and Hap-
7 That being justi. piness, by the pure and sole Mercy of
fied by his grace, we God through Chrift; a Mercy which
Ihould be made heirs neither the Gentiles could in the least
according to the hope merit, by virtue of any thing they
of eternal life.

did, or could have done ; nor the
Jews lay any Claim to, by the most exact Observance of
their Ceremonial Law.
8 This is a

faith- 8. These are the * certain and
ful saying, and these most fubftantial Points of Christiani-
things I will that thou ty; and it is of infinite Importance
affirm constantly, that to you and Them, to perswade them
they which have be.
lieved in God, might themselves of fo gentle and charitable

to be chiefly bent upon poflelling
be carefult to maintain
good works : these a Temper, and upon such Practices
things are good and as are the indispensable Conditions of
profitable unto men. these mighty Blessings and Privileges.

9. Where

our :

*

9 But

* Ver. 8. A faithful faying. See the Notes on 1 Tim. xv. 2 Tim. ii. 11.

+ Ver. 8. Might be careful to maintain good Works. Kerão igyan mopoisans to prefer, to excel in, good Works.

*

9 But avoid foolish

9. Wherefore reject and discoun- A. D. 64 questions, and gene- tenance all the frivolous and contenalogies, and conten- tious Disputes about Jewish Traditions, and strivings, about the law ; for they

ditions, Pedigrees, and Ceremonies ; are unprofitable and

as being of no manner of Advantage, vain.

but the greatest Obstacles to the Chri

itian Profession. 10 A man that is an

10 & 11. Whatever pretended heretick, after the first Christian is obstinately and incurably and second Admoni- bent upon maintaining such Doctrines, tion, + reject : 11 Knowing that

or Practices, as are directly contrahe that is such, is fub- dictory to the known Rules of our verted, and linneth, Religion*; and such as, upon fufficibeing condemned of ent Admonition, he cannot but, xGãy@pe

κάνθρωhimself.

Himself, know to be so ; and all this

out of a fallious Temper, to set himself up as Head of a Party, ready to join with any Set whatever, for promoting some worldly End and Purpose ; let him t be Expelled from the Christian Church, as one tautorá that acts against the plain Dictates of his own Conscience ; Táxpire.

τάκριτα and is to be look'd on as a loft and profligate Person, and his Conversation avoided. 12When I shall send

12. As soon as I send either ArArtemas unto thee, or temas, or Tychicus, to supply your Tychicus, be diligent Place, make it your Business to to come unto me to Nicopolis : for I have meet me at Nicopolis, for I intend determined there to

to stay there the Winter Season. winter. 13 Bring Zenas the

13. Supply Zenas and Apollos lawyer, and Apollos with all necessaries for their Voyage on their journey dili

to me. gently, that nothing be wanting unto them.

14 And let ours al- 14. And be careful to Exhort all fo learn I to maintain Christians, but especially the Jewish good works for ne. I Converts (who most want the timétepel. cessary

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Advice) * Ver. 9. Foolish Questions. See 2 Tim. ii. 23. + Ver. 10. An Heretick-rejet. sapastê avoid him, have no

, thing to do with him.

Ver. 4. Let ours learn. Some learned Persons think that by ours he means the Gentile Converss. Let the Reader judge.

.

A. D.64. cessary uses, that they Advice) to the Exercise of Charity be not unfruitful.

and * Beneficence, wherever there is xxacin špo Occasion for it, without Distinction, upon any account of

different Sentiments and Opinions.

gore

15

All that are with 15. All the Christians with me me falute thee. Greet send their hearty Love to you. Do them that love us in the same from us to all that bear us the faith. Grace be with you all. Amen. Love and Favour be with you all.

any Christian Respect. The Divine Amen.

А

PARAPHRASE

ON THE

Epistle of St. PAUL

TO

PHIL E MO N.

The PRE FAC E.
We Nefimus was Servant (or Slave) to Philemon

the Coloffian, one of St. Paul's Converts. He
had robbed, and ran away from his Master.
The better to lie undiscovered, He gets to

Rime, where the Apostle then lay, under his First (See Ver. 22.) Confinement. St Paul providentially happens upon this Man ; converts him to the Christian Faith ; and now sends him back to his Master, with this Epistle of Reconciliation : Wherein are so many lively Strokes of generous Humanity and Christian Compassion to a reformed Sinner ; of such Yuflice, mix'd with fo much Sweetness and Condescention, along with the Authorie ty of an Apojile, toward one that was both a Friend and a Disciple ; as may render it a just Wonder, to find some People of Opinion, that This Epistle contained so little in it, as to be unworthy to be ranked among St. Paul's Writings. For more particular Moral Reflections froin this Letter the Curious Reader may be referred to the Excellcnt Preface of St. Cbryfoftome.

PHILE.

!

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