upon higher, and contemning those who had received lower Measures of the fame kind, is here condemned, and forbidden.

This I conceive to be the meaning of the Three foregoing Verses, and These the Virtues press'd upon us in them. It remains only, that I fhew, how they are enforced, by this Confideration of our being united as one Body in Chrift. To which purpose a very few Words may fuffice.

That the First of them is so, which confifts in mortifying the sensual and carnal Appetites, and confecrating our Bodies to the Service of God, I need no other Proof, than this Apostle's own Authority. Obferve, how he endeavours to create in the Corinthians, a particular Abhorrence of unclean Lufts. Know ye not,

fays he, that your Bodies are the Members I Cor. vi. 15. of Chrift? Shall I then take the Members of Christ, and make them the Members of an Harlot? God forbid. And farther yet, to make them sensible, that this Argument ought to take place, not only againft the grofs Acts of Impurity, but even all Pollution of the Thoughts and Defires; He proceeds, What? Know ye not that He which is joined to an Harlot is Ver. 16, 17. one Body? But, He that is joined unto the Lord is one Spirit. You fee, by the very manner of the Apostle, how exceeding contrary to, how utterly unbecoming our Character, any finful Indulgence in carnal Pleasures is. So manifestly thus, That he does not defcend to a cool and formal Argument, but turns the matter off with Scorn and Detestation; and represents it fo abfurd and monftrous, that a Man must be perfectly stupid, not to perceive the horrid Vileness, and Incongruity of it.

And fure, if we go to the Reason of the thing, this single Reflection ought to have great weight with For, if the Moralifts of old could difcern the Reafonableness of restraining, denying, despising, those vicious

vicious Gratifications, which degrade Us and our Nature; How much more just is a Chriftian's Abstinence and Disdain, who cannot debase himself alone, but at the fame time commits an Indignity upon Chrift? Surely He ought to treat his own Person, as a Member belonging to that Head: to respect a Body which is the Temple of the Holy Ghost : not to prostitute a thing fo facred and venerable, to the Filthiness of Brutes; nor invade the Property of that God, to whom he hath the Honour, by fo manifold a Title, to belong.

1 Cor. vi. 19.

2. The Second, of a New Heart and Life, is no less evident a Consequence of this Union. For, since we know that Christ abideth in Us, and We in Him, by the Spirit be bath given us; fince his Spirit is here diftinguished from a worldly Spirit, his Kingdom from the Kingdoms of this World; it follows, that to retain the One of these, is to declare we have nothing to do with the Other; and, that, to make the One our Aim and End, is to abandon the Other. As Chrift then is our Head, with regard to his directive Power; we must fee to the keeping that Correfpondence, which appears in Nature. The ready Consent of every Faculty to execute, what the Head contrives and appoints; The nimble Sallies of our Animal Spirits, that fly, we know not how, as swiftas Thought, through every Nerve, and instantly move the most distant Limbs of our Bodies; These are lively Emblems of that ready and chearful Conformity, which should be paid this mystical Head, in every instance of his Will, signified to us, whether by Precept, or his own Example. Hence we are told of every Thought being brought to the obedience of Christ. That so in this, as in our ordinary Composition, no such thing as Rebellion may be known. For, if at any time the Dictates of the Soul be not obeyed, this comes to pass through Weakness and Indisposition. Sometimes for want of

B 3

2 Cor. x. 5.

Power,

:

Power, but never for want of Will. But, not to have the like mind inUs, that was in Christ Jesus, is to fuppose two Spirits, and two contrary Wills: Which quite destroys the Notion of one and the fame Body. And therefore All, who would maintain this Union, must make His Will Theirs; and have no Opinions, no Affections, no Delights of their own; but in all things be transformed into, and (as the Scripture expresses it) put on Chrift.

3. Of the Third, which is Humility, there can remain no doubt, since this Allusion of a Body is urged by the Apostle, as an express Reason for it. But, of this, more hereafter.

The short is. As the Principles of natural Vigour, and Motion, and Senfation, are dispensed from the Head, as from a common Fond, through these Bodies of Flesh: So are the Graces of the Spirit, from Chrift. But with this difference, that His Distributions are not mechanical, but voluntary, and entirely free. These therefore are derived down, in fuch quality and proportion, as his Wisdom fees fit, for the common Exigencies and Benefit. They are not the Effect of Ours, but the Overflowings of His, Goodness. And therefore our part is, to dispose our selves, for giving them a meek and thankful Reception, to improve under them, to admire and adore the Kindness of the Giver: But often to beat down those unseasonable and dangerous Self-complacencies, (which any partial and diftinguishing Bounty in our Favour is so ready to blow up,) with a Who hath made thee to 1 Cor. iv. 7. differ from another? And what haft thou, that thou hast not received ? Now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it? And especially, It will become us to remember with great Seriousness, that the Issue, upon which every Chriftian's Fate will turn at last, is not the Quantity of what he receives, but the Ufe, or the Neglect of it, the the Answering or Defeating the Purposes, for which it was bestowed. This leads to another Inference, drawn from this Comparison, which will come under Confideration the next Lord's

Day.

Ver. 6.

41.

The First Sunday after the Epiphany.

The GOSPEL.

St. Luke ii. 41.

OW bis Parents went to Jerufalem every

N

Year

at the Feast of the Paffover.

42. And when be was twelve Years old, they went up to Jerusalem, after the Custom of the Feast.

PARAPHRASE.

41,42. His Parents diligently observed that Law, which exprefly required the Attendance of all the Males at Jerufalem, to celebrate

three folemn Feasts every Year, of which the Passover was one. See Exod. xxiii. 15, 17. Levit. xxiii. Deut. xvi. Upon which occafion the Females (though not expressed) were not excluded, but frequently attended alfo: And their Children, when capable of understanding the Intent of those Festivals, were bound to it.

43. And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the Child Jejus tarried behind in Jerufalem, and Jofepb and bis Mother knew not of it.

their Journey

44. But they, fuppofing him to have been in the company, went a days Journey; and they fought bim among their Kinsfolk and among their Acquain

Lance.

45. And when they found him not, they turned back to Jerufalem, Secking bim. made, (Ver. 44.) the second day

46. And it came to pass, that after three days they found bim in the Temple, fitting in the midst of the Doctors, both bearing them and asking them Queftions.

47. And all that beard him were astonished at bis Understanding and Answers.

43. This Solemnity lasted seven days, at the expiration whereof Jofepb and Mary began back to Nazareth.

45. Not hearing of him upon the Enquiry they went back.

46, 47. The Third day, (computed from their setting out homeward) they found him in that part of the Temple, where the Learned

in the Law used to

teach, and expound publickly. With whom he conferred, to the Admiration of all People present.

48. This was a fight

very furprizing to them; and his Mother, out of the vehemence of her

Affection, expoftulated

49. To whom his An

fwer was, That a Son

was no where so pro

perly as in his Father's

48. And when they saw him they were amazed; and his Mother faid unto bim, Son, wky baft thou thu's dealt with us? Bebold, thy Father and I have fougbe thee forrowing.

with him about what had passed.

49. And be faid unto them, Horo is that ye fought me? wift ye not, that I must be about my Father's business?

House, nor fo fitly employed, as about his Father's Affairs.

50. The meaning of

this Answer they did

not perfectly comprehend.

50. And they understood not that Saying which be spake unto them.

51. Hereupon he bore them Company home, and fubmitted to their Authority, like common Sons. But none of thefe things passed without the particular observation and remembrance of his Mother.

51. And be went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them. But bis Mother kept all these fayings in ber Heart,

52. Mean while Je

52. And Jesus increased in wisdom and ftature, and

fus grew in his Mind in favour with God and Man. to maturity of Judg

ment, as well as in his Body to the full proportion of a Man, by gradual and visible acceffions of Both, like other Youths: And behaved himself fo, as to engage the general Love and Approbation of all forts of People.

T

COMMENT.

HE Gofpel for this Day deserves our very particular Confideration, because containing all the Account, thought fit by the Holy Ghost to be given us, of our Bleffed Saviour's Life, from his Infancy, to his Baptifm, and the Entrance upon his Prophetick Office. A little compass of Words for so long a tract of time; and chiefly confined to one fingle Occafion. But That is such, as furnishes a great deal of matter for useful Reflection and Practice. And to these purposes it should be our endeavour to improve it, with regard to the following Instances particularly.

1. The Forty-first and Forty-second Verses take notice, how religiously Joseph and Mary observed the Paffover; that the distance of their dwelling did not hinder