& The two next terms expreſs violators of the ſeventh Command- ment, whether by Fornication, Adultery, Inceſt, or any beaſtly luſts, þ Sodomit:s. i The word fignifieth ſuch as carry men into Captivity,or make ſlaves of them in the firſt place ; it ſignifies alſo any ſtealing of men. It 1s probable the firſt of theſe is rhe man-ftealing, principally intended, being the moſt common fin by Pyrates at ea, and Souldi- ers at Land ; yet not excluding any other ftealing of men from their Relations, which he inftanceth in, as one of the higheſt violations 0! the eighth Commandment. k By Lyars, he meaneth ſuch as knowingly ſpeak what is falſe, eſpecially to the prejudice of others, / By Perjur:d Perſons, he means ſuch as ſwear falſely, m And becauſe it would be too long to reckon up all kind of finners, he comprehends them all in 4 general phraſe, and if there be any other thing, that is contrary to ſound Doerine, that is the holy and pure truth of God, that is not corrupted, but judges aright of good and evil ; for theſe he ſaith the Lew is made, that is, to deter from ſuch Crimes, or to condemn foy them ; but not to terrifie ſuch who either never we:e guilty of ſuch fagicious Crimes, or if they had been guilty, yet are now waſhed aud ſantified, and jufti- fied in the name of the Lord Jeſus, and by the Spirit of Got, as the A- poltle ſpeaks, 1 Cor. 6, 10, 11. 1he Law(as the Apoſtle here laith ) Was never made to terrifie, or to condemn, and affright theſe, tor Rom. 5. I. There is no condemnation 10 thoſe ybat are in Criſt Fejus, Tho walk + cha2 not after the fleſh, but after the Spirit. : I%.
11 According to the glorious goſpel of * the bleſſed +; rie
F. 9s ſohn 5
tt, 3.17
God * which was commicted to my truſt, _ 5 lc;
—D—
s- ws ov@”qdh Aa 2 fra ca os cap
hap. I.
Here the Apoſtle fpecifies the found Doftrine of which he ſpate 3 that *tis contained in the Goſ\yel,the nerfect rule of righteouſneſs, which he ftiles the gloricus Goſpel of the bl:fj:4 God, it being a Dottrine reveal- ed from Heaven, wherein the concurrence c* the Divine Attributes,
vViſlom, Power, Mercy, and juſtice doth 1inoit clearly ſhine to the Giory of God, 2 Cor. 4.6, Eph. 1.6, 12. and he gives-the Title of ll-fed to God, therevy to ſiznifie his tranſcendent goodneſs, in that be- ing infinitely happy in tlie poſſeſſion of his own excellencies, without any poſſible advantage and profic from any Creature, yet he was plea- {el to give his Son to be our raniom, and with him Grace and Glory to us, The Apoſtle ads which was commirred to me, to diſtinguiſh it f:0: the falle Dottrine which ſeducers publiſht under the name of the Goſpel, i2 And I thank Chriſt Jeſus our Lord who hath en- abled me, for char he counted me faithful, putting me
into the miniſtry.
Here St. Paul exprefies his moſt humble and ſolemn thanks to Chriſt for his rich favour in calling him to the High Office of an A- poltle : for by the miniſtry, that is to be underſtood, and 'ris ſo called by way of excellnce, it being the moſt glorious and Divine Miniſtry that ever was eſtabliſht in the Church : and he aſcribes to our Saviour the praiſe of all that he performed in the faithful diſcharge of it, He ſaich Chriſt enabled me, that is, endowed him with fidclity, Zeal,Courage,and all other qualifications requitite for that honourable and dithcuit Mini- ffry, 2 Cor. 3- 5, 6. Theend of that Sacred Minitiry was to enlighten ard inform the World from ſuperſtition, and that vicious and vain con- verſation that was ſo pleaſing to carnal men,to aboliſh thoſe corrupt cu- ftoms that had taken ſuch deep root, and to plant the truth that comes from above, and to publiſh a holy Law ſo oppoſite to corrupt nature. This work was oppoſed by craft and cruelty, the artifice and violence of the powers of darkneſs, in conjunQion with the perverted World. And theGlory of the 5 poſtles reſiſting ſuch Enemies is entirely due toChrift. He adds as a motive of his thankfulne(s, that Jeſus Chriſt counted him faithful, which is an evident proof that he intends that h: made him faithful. His faithfulneſs was not the cauſe or motive, but the fruit and effett of the Grace of God in calling him to the miniP®ry, This he expreſly declares, 1 Cor, 7. 25. Having obtained mercy to be faithful, If our Saviour had only diſcovered his fidelity, without beftowing that Grace upon him,there had not been a reaſon of ſuch affeRionate thanks- giving : for that always ſuppoſes ſome favour and benefit received,
13 * Who was beforea blaſphemer q,and a perſecutor Y, andinjurious s, But I obtained mercy ft, becauſe *I did hn 9.2 12norantly 4, in unbelief w, | y, q The kindneſs of God putting me into ſw noble a ſervice was the tt. 3-17. greater and more thank-worthy, becauſe before that time I was a blaſ-