Page images
PDF
EPUB

V.

35. This answers to what the apostle had before CHAP. stated, when he showed what it was to be crucified and dead with Christ. "Knowing that our old man Rom. vi, is crucified with him, that the body of sin [not the 6-13 natural body, nor any part or property of it] might be v. 24. destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. he that is dead [to sin] is freed from sin."

For

36. "Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin; but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin, therefore, reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instrumentų of unrighteousness unto sin; but yield yourselves unto 'God, as those that are alive from the dead; and your members instruments of righteousness unto God.”

37. "For sin shall not have dominion over you; for ye are not under the law, but under grace. What then? shall we sin because we are not under the law, but under grace? [Gr. My Yevoite.] Let it not be. Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey ; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?"

38. Did then the gospel of Christ Jesus come to count all mankind under grace who did not come under its influence? In no wise. The distinction is made plain between those who are yet under the law, and those who are under grace.

39. The law was given because of sin, that the offence might abound, and served as a school-master, until faith and obedience, grace and truth, were made manifest by Jesus Christ. And after Christ came, those who received him by faith, and became his by obedience, were no longer under that school-master, but were under grace.

see Cial

Rom.

14, 15y

40. But who were released from that school-master? Those who continued to commit sin with a gracious reluctance? Nay, in no wise. For the law was given by reason of sin, and the testimony of scripture is plain and pointed: "Now we know that what things Rem.i soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law; that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.

12.

CHAP.
V.

1 Johnii

4,6.

20.

41. And again: Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. Therefore we conclude, that whosoever committeth sin, whether he be called Christian, Jew, or Gentile, he is yet under the guilt and condemnation of the law, and hath not seen Christ, neither known him.

42. And as the law of Moses was given to convey the knowledge of sin, that all the world might beRom. come guilty before God, therefore, by the deeds of the law, shall no flesh be justified in his sight. But by Christ all that believe, are justified from all things, from which they could not be justified by the law of Moses.

Acts iii.

39.

Rom.x.4.

Heb. v.9.

Nom. viii 13, 17.

Gal. v. 18, 24.

Gal.vi.14

43. Christ is become the end of the law for righteousness to every one that BELIEVETH; and he became the author of eternal salvation to all them that OBEY him. Therefore, there is no difference, all who be lieve and obey him, are equally justified in his sight, and equally accepted of him, whether male or female, bond or free, Jew or Greek; and the righteousness of the law is fulfilled in them, because they walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

44. And it is through the Spirit they do mortify and crucify the deeds of the body, and live unto God. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God, and are not under the law, but are made free, and set at liberty, being the children of God, and joint heirs with Christ.

45. What then, because they are made free from Col. i. 20. the law, by the Spirit and cross of Christ, shall they therefore live any longer in the gratification of the flesh? Nay, in no wise; their liberty, and their peace, is through the cross of Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto them, and they unto the world.

elap. T. 33, 14,

Rom.viii. 12.

46. Hence saith the apostle, "Ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in this one word; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

47. For the greatest reason then, because the Spirit of Christ dwells in them, by which the whole law is fulfilled, the apostle concludes, "Therefore, we are not debtors to the flesh, to live after the flesh.

VI.

48. And as The tree is known by its fruit, so the CHAP. Spirit by which the Primitive Church was led, was evidently distinguished by such fruits as are briefly Gal.v.. summed up by the apostle, namely: love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance against such there is no law.

23.

CHAPTER VI.

The Order and Power of the Primitive Church.

HRIST JESUS our Saviour, during the time

of his ministry on earth, took great pains to instruct his disciples, concerning the design of his coming into the world-the nature of his kingdomthe order and place in which he stood, as the light of the world-the salt or Saviour of the earth, for their salvation and redemption-and the order in which his church should stand as his body, for the same purpose, after his decease, or departure from them.

Acts ii.34

2. "No man hath ascended up into heaven, said John. Jesus, but he that came down from heaven, even the 13-See Son of man, who is in heaven.-He that hath seen John xiv. me, hath seen the Father.-Believe me that I am in 9, 10, 14the Father, and the Father in me." Here was God and heaven made manifest in earth.

:

chap. in.

v. 22, 22,

26, 27.

3. "The Father himself loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.-The Father judgeth no 35. man; but hath committed all judgment unto the Son that all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son, honoureth not the Father which sent him."

4. "As the Father hath life in himself, so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; and hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man." He is the Son of man, because he dwells in man, and takes the lead and government of man's affections, and is therefore capable of exerci sing true judgment, in opposition to the man of sin, the son of perdition.

CHAP.

VI.

John ix.

5. "As long as I am in the world, said Jesus, I am the light of the world-I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me." From all which it is evident that in his human Col. i. 19, body, dwelt all the fulness of God the Father, pertaining to man's redemption.

5.

είν. 6.

ii. 9.

Matt.

XXVI. 18,

19.

John xiv. 20.

Rom. i. 4. 5.

Eph.i.22,

23.

chap. v.

50.

Matt. v. 18, 14

6. Through the same power and authority of the Holy Ghost with which Jesus was invested, he commanded his disciples, saying, " All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations." And he promised to endow them with the same power to perform their mission: which promise he fulfilled on the day of pentecost.

7. And as his disciples and immediate followers, stood nearest to him in point of union, therefore the descent of the Holy Ghost was properly the descent of all that he had so that whatever order, lot or of fice he had received from the Father, relative to the world, the same pertained also to the church who received his fulness.

8. Then they knew truth, that the Father was in Christ, and he in them, and they in him; and that they had both the Father and the Son. Then God, and Christ, and the Church became ONE. And such as believed and were baptized with the Holy Ghost, being of one heart and of one soul, were the true body of Christ, and members in particular; members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.

9. So that according to the measure of that dispensation, the Church was as really the body of CHRIST, a body as really ANOINTED, as the man Jesus was, while visible on the earth; and God did as really dy ell in the one as in the other.

10. And as Christ was the only light of the world, the only salt of the earth, by which men could be saved, and was now really and actually in the Church as his true body, he in them, and they in him, and they were perfect in one; therefore they were now the only light of the world, the only salt of the earth.

11. Of this Jesus had told them while he was yet with them, before the Holy Ghost was given, saying, "Ye are the salt of the earth; but if the salt have lost its savour, where with shall it be salted? it is thence

forth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.-Ye are the light of the world. A city set upon a hill cannot be hid."

12. By which he plainly intimated the order in which they were to stand, with regard to the salvation of others, and that the world could not be saved without them. And as the salt of the earth is the only saviour of the body, the Church, so all the salvation that was within the reach of the world, was in the Church, and the Church remained to be the only true saviour of the world, according to the sayings of Christ.

[merged small][ocr errors][merged small]

xvi. 11,

13. "Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no John xiv. : more; but ye see me because I live, ye shall live 19 also-And now I am no more in the world, but these 22,23. are in the world-And the glory which thou gavest me, I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them and thou in me."

14. Hence the Church was in possession of what Christ called the keys of the kingdom of heaven; for heaven was really upon earth, in them, and they sat in heavenly places, in Christ Jesus. And this order Jesus gave them when he said of the Church, "Verily I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall bind on Mat.xvi earth, shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever ye 18, 19, 20. shall loose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven."

15. 66 Again I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth, as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”

16. Now although the world could see the Son of man no more in the body and flesh of Jesus, yet his power, which he had while visible on earth, was not diminished in his followers, but increased, according to his promise: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He John xir. that believeth on me, [and keepeth my commandments,] the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go to my Father."

12.

Luke V

17. The Scribes and Pharisees had reasoned against Jesus, because he forgave sins, saying, Who is this.

« EelmineJätka »