GENERAL PRINCIPLES CONCERNING an year and six months, var. IL but also furnished the though they had not received, chap. iv. ver. 7. For- first converts with such eminent, and some of them such miraculous gifts, as might be a prevalent means to the conversion of many others. For he will never be want- ing to provide instruments and suitable means for the effectual attaining of any end that he aimeth at. In the use, exercise and management of these spiritual gifts that church, or sundry of the principal members of it, had fallen into manifold disorders; and abused them unto the matter of einulation and ambition, where- on other evils did ensue"; as the best of God's gifts may be abused by the lusts of men, and the purest water may be tainted by the earthen vessels whereito it is poured. Upon the information of some, who loving truth, peace, and order, were troubled at these mis- carriages, chap. i. I. and in answer unto a letter of the whole church, written unto him about these and ether occurrences, chap. vii. 1. he gives them counsel and advice for the rectifying these abuses. And first, to prepare them aright with humility and thankfulness becoming them sebo were intrusted with such excellent privileges as they had abused, and without which they could not receive the instruction which he intended theist, hemindeth them of their former state and condi- tion before their calling and conversion to Christ, ver. 2. You know that you were Gentiles, carried away with dumb idols, even as you were led; d51, ¿a,91 zora- yoµrro, hurried with violent impressions from the devil, into the service of idols. This he menions, not to re- proach thein, but to let them know what frame of mind, and what fruit of life might be justly expected from them, who liad received such an alteration in their con- dition. e Particularly, as he elsewhere tells them, if they had not made themselves to differ from others; if they had nothing but what they had received, they should not boast nor exalt themselves above others, as xag,ó;uara áe ittier im barrera i, 'Sr rTSa. Ka, rsTO «tnor 7,,,ictearos'av1.o4s iysrere; s ,raga TOY *arma Cprra, áTTa nraga áyva- Faoo'mv san i,Teporar, 'Otrs yag TZ tc4ora iT,rovreç bmrygorT xara T Tu iTrarrova atar7114Erar. Or/m t ói atio awTCr ryTyav ,y SOIS ra tos,;ona ixsv.n ipSouoon.Chrysost. in Loc. * Spiritualia illis traditurus, exemplum prioris conversa- tionis memorat; ut simulacrorum fileront forma colentos idola, et ducebantur duce voluntate daemonioru; ita et co- leqtes deum sintTormo legis dontinicre.r-Ambrose in Loc. it is a vain thing for a man to boast in himself of what he bath freely received of another, and never deserved so to receive it; as it is with all who have received either gifts or grace from God. Sect. `L. This alteration of their state and condition he further declares unto them by the effects, and author of it, ver. 3. Wherefore Igiveyou to understand, that no aman speaking by the Spirit of God, calleth Jesus ac- cursed; and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. The great difference which was then in the world, was concerning Jesus, who was preached unto them all. Unbelievers, who were still carried with an impetus of mind and affections after dumb idols, being led and acted therein by the spirit of the devil, blasphemed, and said Jesus was Anathema, or one accursed. They looked on kim'as a person to be detested andiabominated as the common odium of their gods and men. Hence, on the mention of him, they used to say, Jesus Anathema, he is, or let him be accursed, detested, destroyed. And in this blasphemy do the Jews continue to this day, hiding their cursed sentiments under a corrupt pronunciation of his name. For instead ofrtw they write and call him lei the ini- tial letters of 'clan nann; that is, let hisnaine and memory be blotted out; the same with Jesus Anathema. And this blasphemy of pronouncing Jesus accursed, was that wherewith the first persecutors of the church tried the faith of Christians, as Pliny in his epistle to Trajan, and Justin Martyr, with other apologists agree. And as the apostle says, those who did thus, did not so by the Spirit of God; so lie intends that they did it, by the acting and instigation of the devil, the unclean spirit, which ruled in those children of disobedience. And this was the condition of these Corinthians them. selves to whom lie wrote, whilst they also were carried away after dumb idols. On theother side, those that believed called Jesus Lord, or professed that he was the Lord, and thereby avowed their faith in him and obedience unto him. Principally, they owned him to be Jehovah, the Lord over all, God blessed for ever. For thename i ' is every where in the New Testament, expressed by avgar, here used. He who thus profes- seth Jesus to be the Lord, in the first place acknow- ledgeth him to be the true God. And then they pro- fessed him therewithal, to be their Lord, the Lord of
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