DISCOURSE IV.

Of the various Callings in Life: And the Inferences from thence. That Christianity makes no Change in Human Callings, or in the Civil Relations of Life: And the Inferences from thence. Of the Requifites of a lawful Calling, and how it is to be diftinguish'd from one that is unlawful. Of Gaming.

[Deliver❜d in Two Sermons.]

I COR. vii. 17.

But as God hath diftributed to every Man, as the Lord hath called every one, fo let him walk: And fo ordain I in all the Churches.

A

T the first reading of these Words one would think that God's Diftribution to every Man, here spoken of, was meant of the Charifmata, or thofe Spiritual Gifts which

were

were in the Times of the Apostles plentifully bestowed upon all Sorts of Chriftians in an extraordinary and miraculous Way, for the Edification of the Church, as indeed the Phrafe is fometimes used in thefe Epiftles. But the Relation which this Text hath to what goes before doth neceffarily determine us to understand the Words, as God hath diftributed to every Man, in another Way. The Apoftle, in this Epiftle, has frequent Occafion to discourse about the Notion and Limits of Chriftian Liberty; and in this Chapter he refolves a Cafe or two ex profeffo which were put to him about one great Point, wherein it was pretended Chriftian Liberty was mightily concerned, and that was in the Bufinefs of Matrimony. The Cafe was this, whether a Chriftian who was married to an Unbeliever, (that is, either to an Infidel, Jew, or Heathen) might not, by virtue of his Chriftian Liberty, depart from the unbelieving Party, and difpofe of himself as he thought fit. Of this, St. Paul's Refolution is, that if any, who hath taken V. 12. upon him Chrift's Religion, have an unbelieving Woman to his Wife, and she is willing to dwell with him, notwithstanding his new Religion, he bould not put her away: And, V. 13. on the contrary, if a Christian Woman had an Infidel for her Husband, fhe fhould not depart from him fo long as he was willing to cohabit with her. This is the Effect of what he has faid in the Verfes immediately

before

1

before my Text. And for this Advice he gives two Reafons; one drawn from the Benefits which might come to both by thus living together; for, in all Probability, it might be a Means to bring over the Unbeliever, whether it was Husband or Wife, to the true Belief, and fo fave their Souls: The other is drawn from the Nature of Christianity in general, which is fuch, that it never made, nor doth make, any Altera, tion in the civil Relations or Callings of Mankind; but left Men, as to these things, in the fame Circumstances in which it found them; and therefore it was fit and reafonable that all Men fhould continue in that Calling, and that Condition, into which they were disposed by the Divine Providence at that Time when they were called to be Christians. And this is that which is represented in the Words of my Text, and the true Account of the Relation it hath to the foregoing Part of the Chapter. As God bath diftributed to every Man, as the Lord bath called every Man, jo let him walk: That is, into what Condition or Lot foever a Man is put by the Providence of God, in what State or Function foever he was placed, when our Lord Jefus called him to be a Disciple, in that let him continue, in that let him walk, even after his becoming a Christian. And this, fays the Apostle, Į do ordain, as a Rule to be obferved, not only among you Corinthians, but in all other

Churches.

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Churches. And having laid down this neral Advice, he dilates upon it in an Instance or two more in the following Words; v. 18. Is any Man called being circumcifed? Let him not become uncircumcifed. Is any called in uncircumcifion? Let him not become circumcifed: That is to fay, Is any Few converted to Christianity? Let him not, after his Converfion, ufe any Art to make himfelf appear as if he had never been circumcifed. And fo, on the contrary, let no Gentile when he comes over to Chrift's Religion, put on the Badge of Judaism, which is Circumcifion, but let him remain as he is. And fo again, in the 21ft Verfe; Art thou called being a Servant? Care not for it; but if thou may't be made free, ufe it rather: That is, Art thou in a Condition of a Slave or Bondman when thou receiveft Chriftianity? Do not think that the Liberty which thou obtaineft by thy Christianity will allow thee to go away from thy Master; No, If thy Mafter will fet thee free, it is well for thee, and thou art to thank him for it: But if he will not, thou must keep as thou art; for thy Religion doth not alter the civil State or Condition of thy Life; only there is this for thy Comfort, when thou art once a Christian, tho' as to thy civil Condition thou art a Bondman, yet thou art Christ's Freeman. Thou fhalt enjoy all the Privileges which he purchased for thee; which indeed are glorious and great, for

thou

thou shalt be fet free from the Power of Sin, and from the Confequence of it, eternal Death. Which is a far greater Privilege than any Manumiffion from thy earthly Mafter can inftate thee in.

This is the plain Meaning of St. Paul's Inftances; which having laid down, he concludes this Point with a Repetition of the general Exhortation that went before in my Text: Brethren, let every Man abide in the fame Calling, wherein he is called, viz. let him continue in the fame civil State of Life wherein he was when he firft became a Chriftian.

Having thus given an Account of the Text, I obferve these three Points from it, which I fhall make the Heads of my Difcourfe:

I. God hath made various Distributions to Mankind; or, the Distribution of Mankind into various Conditions and Functions is from God.

II. The Chriftian Religion hath made no Change or Alteration as to Matters of civil Degrees or Callings; but hath left all Men, as to these things, in the fame Pofture and Station in which it found them.

III. Since the various Circumftances and Callings into which Men are difpofed, are from God, no Man can be justified who