Wilson - BS2663 W54 653

Ver% i 8. the Epifile to the Romans. 467 evils of other men, as AcéLz8.2.1o. (hall condemn fuch Chriftians which (corn. fully look upon and (peak of their neighbours evils. T s M. WI at may we learn from this, that Paul f eaking to many,yet uleth the fin - gular number [thy felf ?] S i L. It may teach us two things : First, that it is the office of the Minilker particularly to apply the word to every one, becaufe things generally fpoken may inflru£t, but doth not fo much af- feft and move, as when it is fitted to every person ; like a plailler laid to the fore, or a portion of meat meet for him that eateth it. Secondly, we learn that when the word of God ispreached, every one ought to attend and think all that is fpoken is fpoken to himfelf; for while we poll it offto others , it makes the word of God unfruitfull to us. Godly David went into the Temple to hear what GOD would fay unto himfelf, Pfal8 g.8.Aty. I o.3 3. The word is compared to medicines, meat, wine, &e. which will not at all profit us ex- cept they be of every one received. T 1 M. Proceed to the fecond part, and fbenlus what is meant by [the root] and how the root bears the Gentiles ? S i L. By the root is meant Abra- ham the Father of the faithfull, who is Paid to bear the Gentiles, because their falvation depends upon the cove- nant which was made with Abraham and his feed. The fumme is, that fal- vation carne from the Jews to the Gen- tiles, who conferred no dignity at all upon the Jewes, but received all from them. Therefore it were very abfitrd and unwholefome to boat again ft the Jewes, which were to infult against Abraham, the Father and root of the Jewes; for iudefpifingthat by which a thing Rands, that thing mull needs fall,and it is a very wicked unthankful - neffe to infult over them, from whom we take fo much good. T t M. What is our do/Irine from thefe words ? S t L. That is is a very unreafonable thing for Chriftians to deride the Jewes; for that is evenas ridiculous as ifan houle thould boat} againft the wals that bear it up, or the wail againft the foundation which upholds them, or as a mans head or arms againif the legs which carry them, or the Coach against the wheel that fttpp opts it. Se- condly, we learn that unthankfulneffe again(} BenefaCors, is a very uncomly and filthy thing. The reasons hereof be, firft we cannot abuse and (corn them by whom God bath done vs good,but that we nwft needs (corn and deride God himfelf. Secondly,it is a blockifh thing not to acknowledge them from whom we take good,and wicked thing to re- quite them evill for good. Thirdly, it is a dangerous thing fo to do, for God bath threatncd that evil! fhall never; depart from the houfe of fuch. GOD. will certainly plague unthankful! per-' Ions, as he did the Jewes for their un- grateful! doings to the houle of Gideon, and towards the Prophets, Chrif and theApoftles; and Pharaoh for forget - ting jofepbs kindncffe. Laftly, it makes men worfe then beasts, for the Stork will nonrilh her Dam, and the Dog will fight for his mailer which feeds him. TIM. What ufe is to be made of this point ? S t L. First, it reproves fuch as ei- Vfe. ther forget their Bene£a tors, or fore - flow to render due and meet recom- pence, if they may and be able. Second- ly, it exhorts all Chriftians to be care ful,thankfully to repay good for good: filch as be otherwife raffefled, it makes them worthy to lofe all the good, they have. But on the contrary, God is well pleafed with grateful! perfons,and doth everbleffe them; whereof we have a no- table example in 3ofeph, whofe thank - fulneffe to his parents God much al- lowed and profpered ; as he did alto the If'aelites for using kindly the pofterity ofJetbro, who met them as they `came out of the wilderneffe ; the like was done to Rabab, who entertained the fpies : alfo in David for the kindneffi to Jonathan, and Paul to Onefiphorus, &c. Wherefore as we defire it Ihould go well with us, let us remember and confider them, by whom God hath at any time (hewed

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