and concludes with a benediction and doxology.

181

26 But now is never before so fully exhibited. But, adored be SECT. made manifest, and his goodness, it is now made manifest according to Xxxv. by the scriptures of the tenour of the prophetic scriptures, according Rom. ing to the command- to the commandment of the eternal God.

the prophets, accord.

And it xvi.

ment of the ever- is not only discovered to us by the Spirit, but 26 lasting God, made known to all' nations publicly made known to all the Gentile nations, for the obedience of as well as the people of Israel, for the obedifaith :) ence of faith; that they, firmly believing it, may yield a correspondent practical submission to it, and so obtain by it everlasting salvation; 27 To God on- subjecting themselves in all things to the sacred 27 ly wise, be glory authority of the only wise God, who has so pruthrough Jesus Christ for ever. Amen. dently contrived, and so effectually executed, this grand scheme. To him, on the whole, [be] glory by Jesus Christ, in all the churches, and in the general assembly, to endless ages! Amen.

WORTHY are

IMPROVEMENT.

these concluding words of being deeply engraven verse on every heart. The gospel was a mystery long concealed in 25 the breast of the Divine wisdom, and opened but by imperfect hints, even to the church itself, in former ages. Let us be humbly thankful, that it is now made manifest; and that we are among the nations who are called to the obedience of the faith. 26 Let us be solicitous to answer that call; and if we have already done it in any measure, let us remember, we are still surrounded with many snares and dangers; so that we have continual need of being strengthened and confirmed by him who hath done 25 us the honour to call us into the fellowship of his gospel. Let us walk worthy of it, and faithfully endeavour to advance its interests, in a noble superiority to all those secular and mercenary mo- 18 tives, by which bad men, under a Christian profession, are often influenced, and in consequence of which, they often abuse even the ministry of religion to the most infamous purposes.

Let us shew, how thoroughly we have imbibed the spirit of this Divine dispensation, by the generosity of our sentiments; guarding both against scandals and divisions; and aiming in wis- 17, 18 dom, integrity, and love, both to unite and edify, the body of Christ. Satan will indeed lay discouragements and stumbling blocks in our way, and perhaps may sometimes use very subtle arts to promote discord and division among those who ought to be most dear to each other in the bonds of the Lord. But let us use a holy caution, and commit ourselves cheerfully to the Divine keeping; and we may humbly hope, that the God of peace will make us victorious over all the artifice and power of our spiritual enemies, and will shortly bruise Satan under our feet. 20

182

SECT.
XXXV.

Reflections on the concluding section.

Let us humbly hope that he will, through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, in virtue of that great original promise which was given to cheer our first parents, when they lay under their deep verse distress, and heavy load of new contracted guilt. (Gen. iii. 13.) And as we see how God hath taken the subtle in his own crafti. ness, and triumphed over Satan, by that event which he laboured to accomplish, as his own triumph, even the death of our Divine Redeemer; let us ascribe to him, as the only wise God, everlasting glory. And O, that we may join with all the redeemed world in this ascription, when the accuser of the brethren, the great enemy of God and man, with all his adherents and instru27 ments, shall be cast out for ever! Amen.

N. B. A note, added to the end of this epistle, says, that it was written to the Romans, from Corinth, by Phebe, servant of the church at Cenchrea. Part of this, the first verse of this last chapter justifies; but as the most ancient manuscripts have not these notes, and some of them are plainly contrary to some passages in the epistle, to which they are affixed, they are to be esteemed of no authority.

The END of the FAMILY EXPOSITOR on the ROMANS

THE

FAMILY EXPOSITOR;

OR,

A PARAPHRASE

ON THE

FIRST EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE

TO THE

CORINTHIANS;

WITH

CRITICAL NOTES, AND A PRACTICAL IMPROVEMENT OF EACH SECTION.

A

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

TO THE

PARAPHRASE AND NOTES

ON THE

FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS.

THE apostle Paul had been the instrument in the hand of God, of planting a numerous Christian church, chiefly of Gentile converts, at Corinth; where his ministry was so successful, that he continued there near two years; (Acts xviii. 1-18.) Corinth was a city of Achaia, situated on the Isthmus, which joins Peloponnesus, now called the Morea, to the rest of Greece. From the convenience of its situation for commerce, it abounded in riches, and was furnished with all the accommodations, with all the elegancies and superfluities of life. This by too natural a consequence, led its inhabitants into luxury, lewdness, and all manner of vice; and they were accordingly infamous even to a proverb.

About the space of three years after the apostle had left Corinth, to preach the gospel in other parts of Greece, he had occasion to write this epistle to the Corinthians; which he accordingly wrote from Ephesus about the year 57, the 3d of the emperor Nero. See Vol. III. sect. 42, noted, and sect. 44, note ".

The reason for which this epistle was written, was, to answer some important queries proposed by the Corinthians; and correct the various criminal irregularities and disorders of which they were guilty.