10 -~ Serm. T. ~ An Expofition of the Epiftle r. The main Gmerat Scope. • I take thefe words to be both a Salutation Chrillian, and alfo a Ble!Iing Apollolical and Minillerial, and both Tranllated or continued ( though with an hlghtning addition) from the hke Salutation of the Jews, and the ble!Iings of the Priells in the Old Tellament. Thefe words . I. A Salutation, fo himfelf exprefly terms it, """''l'a,, The Salt1tatio11 of me •· A Salur.J. Paul, the Grace of our Lord Jejus Chrijl, 1. Thef. 3• I6. and I Cor. 16. 1.1 ,2J. 00 ' Now Salutations both among Jews and Gentiles were well·wdhes, by definng k>me <>ood thing, either when they met or parted; or in Letters or Epillles, at the b~<>inning or end, or both; in which they llill wilh'd the bell things they knew ~f. The Heathens they wilh'd Health, Joy, f!lc. The Jews and Eallern Nations ( whofe Language the Apoflles more follow) all Profperity, and that under the name of Peace, thereby underllanding a perfection or integrity of Good, This language the Gmtilnufed.. Thus that ~JPP.tiall to Jo(eph's Bre– thren, Gm. 43. 1. 3· .feace be tbyott; fo hkewtfe the AjJyr~am ; for Ne6uchadThem.nnerofllezz,zr writing to all Nations, 'Dan.4. I. begins thus, Peace h multiplied '"' _<afiem u 11 to yoz:. Alfo the Perjimu, for Artaxerxes the King of Perjia, in his Letter, N•«oosfalu<" thus falutes them he writes to, Ezra4· I7• Peace, and at fuch ,,time (both which are inllances alfo for their l<ind of falutes in Letters and Epiflles to have been then in ufe, as we fee here ; ) So the Jews ufed to enquire of one another's welfare, when they met, under the name of Peace, and alfo wilh'd all outward Profperity under that name at their meetings, and alfo partings, which they thus exprelfed, Go in Peare, 2 Sam. •5· 9• Not to name many places for either, see J•dc~> I will inltance in one th•t bath both wgether at once in. it, • Sam. 2); 5"•.when "'· '>· V avidintended to fend to Naba! a kmd Meffage, he b1ds the man that went ~~~;.'·,~~·,9• Greet him in my tzame ( faies he;) the Original hath it, Ask him inmyname of 'lV'<· 9· ''' Peace; like unto what we ufe to ask when we meet, How do yo~< do? Are yott • 8• well ? And then verj: 6, further bids him wilh Peace to him (as the manner then was) thus 1l1alt thou fay to him that liveth in profperity, Peace be to thu , ;mdthy Hot~fe, and peace be to all that thou hall, where by pet~ce is meant all Job.;.,~. good and profperity, and in that Notion is peace often elfewhere taken. And l"· , 9 • 7 • this fame kind of Salutation was in ufe in Chrilt's time, and prefcribed by him .l•·H• "•'l• to be ufed by his Difciples, L11kno. )· falute them and fay, 'Peace 6e 1<11fo this ' 4 • Hottfe.. zf•· 66 •'" Now this Duty of common Ftiend1l1ip, which Nature taught the Gentiles, and Brotherhood which Religion taught the Jews, Chrillianity, and the Gofpel teacheth us now.And this is one reafon why thefeSalutations are fo frequently and folemnly ufed by the Apollles in their Epillles, and herein Chrill himfelfinllruCt– ed them when he fent them out, L11ke 10. 5". and by his own example alfo, as I lhall /hew by and by, ufing the fame phrafes and form of Speech, yet fo ( asun– der the fame expreiiion ot words ) they intended to wilh higher and greater good things, than the 1ews or Ge~ztiles ordinarily either meant or underllood, even as the Gofpel it feffhath a clearer revelation of better good things, as our Apollletothe Hebrews fpeaks. Thus whereas the Greczans ufually faluted with x•'P•, which the Lati11s exprefs by Salutem, Health andSalvation, which is all one with our E11glijh of old, fending greeting, or all Hail orloy; that very fame word the Angel h1mfelf ufeth to Mar)' in his faluting her, uke 1.1.9, when he brought her the firll news ofthe Me!Iiah ; Hail, Mary, &c. And the very fame do the Apollles in the Church of Jerufalem in their Letters, Aeh ch<ifi'•5•lu· I).2j. which we Tranflate, Greeti11g; the fame alfo, Jam. I.I. ye•,Chrill ;~;~;~~h;re. himfelf to the Difciples after his RefurreCl:ion, Matth. 28. 9· AD Hail, faies he, 10 • In all which 'phrafes the ~riark, according to the phrafe of the Eall, llill renders thofe words, Peace be to yo11. Now by this Heathenilh Salutation, thus turned Chrillian, they all did mean and intend a Spiritual and Heavenly joy, even JOY m the Holy Glloll and eternal Salvation; whereas the Gentiles meant only, what was c•rnal and outward; fo in like manner whereas the Eallern Na– tions, both Jew and Gentile wilhed peace, the Gofpel retains the fame; rhus Chnll lumfelf at another time after his Rcfurrec:t,on, faies to his Difciplcs, .'fob. '20, 26.
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