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114
THE CHRISTIAN'S TREASURE,
iSERM.
XXXVII.
notice,
that
the apostle's
first
design here,
is
to
sheIV
that
believers need
not
be so
fond
of
assuming to
them-
selves a
peculiar
interest
in
one
minister or
another,
fur
they may
enjoy the
gifts
of
all
;
«all
are for
their
sakes
:"
And
from this single
hint
he rises high
into the
privileges
of
the
saints.
Not
ministers
only, as
Paul and
Cephas,
are
designed for
their
benefit,
but
all
are theirs:
All
things in heaven or
earthy
in
time,
or
in eternity, are
appointed
to
do some service to them.
This therefore
I
take to
be
the
true
sense
of
my
text,
viz.
"
That
all things
in the creation
of
God,
all things
it all his
vast dominions,
which
a
christian can
Or
shall
at
any
time
have to
do
with,
shall
as
certainly
serve
to
promote
his
true interest, and
his
final
happiness,
as
though
he
himself
had,
sovereign dominion over
them,
or
present
possession
of
teem:"
Always
supposing that
the christian maintain
his
character,
and
act
in his
sta-
tion
becoming the dignity
of
his
holy
and heavenly
call
-
tngThe
plain meaning
of
the words
is,,
that
"all
things
shall work for
the
good
of
the
saints." But
the apostle
chuses to express this in a noble
manner
here, and
by
such an exalted
figure
of
speech
as
aggrandizes the cha-
racter
of
the saints, and raises
their dignity:
And there-
fore
he
represents
them
as
having
a property
in
all
things,
and speaks
sublimely
of
them, as
though they
were pos-
sessors
of
heaven and
earth.
Now
the
ground
on which
he
builds this
manner
o'f
speabing,
may be
set
in
a
just
and
easy light.
We
can
properly
be
said to
possess
nothing
but
what
turns
to
our
accqunt,
that
is
of
some service or
advantage
to
us
and therefore
in
the
common language
of
life, we
say,
Concerning a
rich covetous
man,.
"
he
is
a poor
wretch,
he has nothing, because he receives
benefit
from se
small
4,
part
of
his'
estate
:
And
in
truth,
he has no
more
than
he
enjoys or
uses."
Now
the
true christian reaps
the
be-
neat
OA.
things; and God,
the
Great
God, the
Posses-
sor of
heaven
á).ßd
earth,
makes all things work together
for
the
benefit
of
his
people
;.
and
in.
this sense
it
is
that
All
things
.are
theirs.
All things shall
turn
to
their
advantage, either,
1.
for
the
support
and comfort
of
their temporal
life
;
or,
M.
for
The
beginning and
improvement
of
their spiritual life;
4