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lafpheme that worthy name by the which ye are called? If ye fulfil the royal law, according to the fcripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy felf, ye do zell. 9. But if ye have refpect to perfons, ye commit in, and are convinced of the law as tranfgreffors. 10. or whofoever fhall keep the whole law, and yet (1) of end in one point, he is guilty of all. II. For he that aid [Or, that law which faid], Do not commit adultery, aid alfo, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adulery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a tranfgreffor of the

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(1) The Meaning of the Apoftle cannot be, that he who breaks one of the Laws of God is as great a Sinner, and liable to as great Punishment, she who fhall break many, or all the Divine Laws; but his Meaning s, that he who wilfully and purpofely breaks one of the Laws of God, tefpifes and rebels against the Authority of God, by which the whole Law was made. The Apoftle here, probably, intends to oppofe that Principle which was commonly taught by the Jewish Doctors, and which I fear has infected many Chriftians, namely, that If a Man was but careul to keep fome of the greater Precepts of the Law, he might, without incurring God's difpleafure, break the rest. The Precepts which many of the Jews acounted the greateft, were fome of thefe: The Law of the Sabbath, he Law of Sacrificing, and the Law of Tythes. For thefe might be obServed without doing Violence to their finful Lufts, and corrupt Paffions, which to bring. Men to, and to prevail with them to practite univerfal Holiness, are the great Things aimed at by all Religion. When therefore the Jews come to our Lord with this Quetion, Which is the first and great Commandment? He anfwers them with great Wisdom, telling them, the Love of God, and the Love of our Neighbour, were the great Commandments. The Practice of which includes and takes in every Daty we owe to God, and every Duty we owe to our Neighbour. How exact foever therefore they might be in keeping the Sabbath, or doing whatever elfe they accounted the great Commandment, this could never excufe them for their Injuftice in Favouring the Rich, and Oppreffing the Poor, or for the Neglect of any Duty commanded by God, or the Commiffion of any Sin forbidden by him; for every Part of the Law was enacted by the fame Authority. A wife and good Chriftian will not oppose the Means of Religion to the End, he will not fet up one Part of Religion against another; but he will lay a ftrefs upon every Duty in Proportion to its fubferviency to the great End of Religion, univerfal Holinefs of Heart and Life, and practife every one in its proper Time and Place. The Apprehenfions he has of the Goodnefs, Wifdom, and Love of God, makes him conclude, that external Duties would not have been required, had they not been highly fubfervient to promote the internal.

the law. 12. So fpeak ye, and fo do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty. 13. For he fhall haven judgment without mercy, that hath fhewed no

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mercy; and • mercy rejoiceth [Or, glorieth] against judg

ment. 14. What doth it P profit, my brethren, though a man fay he hath faith, and have not works? can faith fave him? 15. If a brother or fifter be naked, and defti tute of daily food; 16. And one of you fay unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed, and filled: notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? 17. Even fo faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone [Gr. by it felf]. 18. Yea, a man may fay, Thou haft faith, and I have works: fhew me thy faith (1) without thy works, and I will fhew thee my faith by my works. 19. Thou believeft that there is one God; thou doft well: the devils alfo believe and tremble. 20. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? 21. Was not Abraham our father b juftified by works, when he had offered Ifaac his fon upon the altar? 22. Seeft thou [Or, thou fecft] how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made

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m +Jam. 1. 25.

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! 14. P Mat. 7. 26. Every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doth them not, fhall be likened unto a foolish Man, which built his 5 Houfe upon the Sand. † Jam.

13. + Mat. 6. 15. If ye forgive not Men their Trefpaffes, neither will your Father forgive your Trefpaffes. Mat. 18. 35. So likewife fhall my heavenly Father do alfo unto you, if ye from your Hearts forgive not every one his Brother their Trefpaffes. + Mat. 25.41, 42, &c. Depart from me rɔ ye curfed into everlafting Fire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels. For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no Meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink, &c. See 15 on Mat. 5. 7.

• 1 Joh. 4. 17, 18. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the Day of Judgment: because as he is, fo are 20 we in this World. There is no fear in Love; but perfe& love cafteth out fear.-

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(1) Some Copies read, by thy Works.

perfect? 23. And the fcripture was fulfilled, which faiti, a Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the friend of God. 24. Ye fee then how that by works a man is juftified, and not by faith only. 25. Likewife alfo, was not f Rahab the harlot juftified by works, when she had received the mesfengers, and had fent them out another way? 26. For as the body without the * fpirit [Or, breath] is dead, fò faith without works is dead alfo.

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CHA P. III.

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Y brethren, be not many mafters, knowing that we fhall receive the greater condemnation [Or, judgment]. 2. For in many things (1) we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the fame is a perfect man,

Gen. 15. 6.

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† 2 Chron. 20. 7.

See on Rom. 4. 3.

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See on Joh. 15. 14. 25.ft Joh. 2. 1.

11. 31.

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CHA P.

tIfai. 41. 8.

See on Heb.

III.

I. † Mat. 23. 8. Be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Ma.

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against thee (for there is no Man that finneth not)- Repeated † 2 Chron. 6. 36. Job 9. 2. How fhould a Man be just with God? 5† Prov. 20. 9. Who can fay I have made my Heart clean, I am pure from my fin? Eccl 7.20. There is not a juft Man upon Earth, that doth good and finneth not. † 1 Joh. t.

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fer, even Chrift, and all ye are 108. If we fay that we have no fin, Brethren. † Rom. 2. 20, 21. An inftru&ter of the Foolish, a teacher of Babes. Thou therefore which teacheft another, teacheft thou not thy felf? thou that preacheft a Man fhould not fteal, doft thou fteal? b Luk. 6.37. See on Mat.

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† Pfal. 34. 13. † Ecclefiafticus 14. I. t Ecclefiafticus 19. 16. Ecclefiafticus 25. 8. See on Jam. 1. 26.

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e † Mat. 12. 37. By thy Words thou fhalt be juftified, and by thy Words thou fhalt be condemned.

(1) Had Revelation been filent, Experience and Obfervation would. have convinced us of this fad Truth, That we all in many Instances offend and fin against God. But those who from hence take occafion to indulge their Corruptions, not only deceive and cheat themselves, but their Sins are attended with this bigh Aggravation, that they abufe the holy Scriptures, which were written to teach Men, that denying all Ungodliness and worldly Lufts, they fhould live foberly, righteously, and godly in the World. For though all Men are Sinners, yet all are not alike guilty. There is great difference with reference to the Nature and Kinds, the Number and Aggravations of the sins of Men. Some repent of and forfike their Sins, others live and continue in them. In fome Sin reigns, in others it is fubdued and mortified. Some not only yield to moft Temptations that offer, but even go into the Way of Temptation, and feek

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and able allo to bridle the whole body. 3. Behold, we put f bits in the horfes mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body. 4. Behold alfo the fhips, which though they be fo great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whitherfoever the governour lifteth. 5. Even fo the Tongue is a little member, and boafteth great things. Behold, how great * a matter [Or, wood] a little fire kindleth! 6. And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: fo is the tongue amongst our members, that it defileth the whole body, and fetteth on fire the courfe [Gr. wheel] of nature; and it is fet on fire of hell. 7. For every kind [Or, nature] of beafts,and of birds, and of ferpents, and things in the fea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind [Gr. nature of man]: 8. But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poyfon. 9. Therewith blefs we God, even the Father; and therewith curfe we men, which are made after the fimilitude of God. 10. Out of them fame mouth proceedeth bleffing and curfing, My brethren, thefe things ought not to to be. II. Doth a fountain fend forth at the fame * place [Or, bole] fweet water and bitter? 12. Can the fig-tree, my brethren, bear olive-berries? either a vine figs? fo can no fountain both yield falt water and frefh. 13. Who

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5. Prov. 12. 18. There is that fpeaketh like the piercings of a Sword: but the Tongue of the Wife is Health. + Prov. 15. 2. The Tongue of the Wife ufeth Knowledge 10 aright but the Mouth of Fools poureth out foolishnefs.

Pfal. 12. 3. The Lord fhall cut off all flattering Lips, and the Tongue that Speaketh proud things. 15 Pfal. 73. 8, 9. They are corrupt, and fpeak wickedly concerning Op preffion: they speak loftily. They

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fet their Mouth againft the Heavens; and their Tongue walkesh through the Earth.

6. Mat. 15. 11, 18. See on Jam. 1. 26.

8.

k See on Rom. 3.13.

9.

It Gen. 1. 26. Let us make Man in our Image after our Likenefs.

IO. m Ecclefiafticus 28. 12. If thou blow the Spark, it fhall burn; if thou fpit upon it, it fhall be quenched and both thefe come out of thy Mouth.

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13. Gal. 6. 4. Let every Man prove his own Work, and then fhall he have rejoicing in himfelf alone, and not in another.

for Opportunities of committing Sin; others are feriously endeavouring to die unto Sin, and live unto righteoufnefs, perfecting holines in the fear of God, which is indifpenfibly neceffary to our being in a ftate of Salvation.

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is a wife man and endued with knowledge amongst you? let him fhew out of a good conversation his works with › meekness of wifdom. 14. But if ye have a bitter envying and ftrife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not againft the truth. 15. This wifdom defcendeth not from above, but is earthly, "*fenfual [Or, natural], devilish. 16. For where a envying and ftrife is, there is ✶ confuon [Gr. tumult, or, unquietness], and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above, is first pure, then, peaceable, gentle, and eafie to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, [Or, wrangling] and without hypocrifie. 18. And the fruit of righteousness is fown in peace of them that make peace.

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CHA P. IV.

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17.

OR whence come wars and fightings [Or, brawlings] among you? come they not hence, even of your* lufts [Or, pleafures], that war in your members? a

2. Ye luft, and have not ye* kill [Or, envy], and defire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not,

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See on 2 Tim.

14. See on Rom. 13. 13.

Rom. 2. 17, 23. Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the Law, and makeft thy boast of God. Thou that makeft thy boast of the Law, through breaking the Law difhonoureft thou God?

15. * *. Jam. 1. 17. See I Cor.

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ther in Tongue, but in Deed and in Truth.

18. d. Phil. 1. 11. Being filled with the Fruits of Righteousness, 5 which are by Jefus Chrift to the glory and praife of God.. † Prov. II. 18. Hof. 10. 12. See on Gal. 6.8.

e: Mat. 5. 9. Bleffed are the 10 Peace-makers: for they fhall be called the Children of God. † Heb. 12. 11. No chaftning for the prefent feemeth to be joyous but grievous: neverthelefs afterward 15it yieldeth the Peaceable Fruits of Righteousness.

17. I Cor. 2. 6, 7. We speak Wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the Wisdom of this World, nor of the Princes of this World, that come to nought. But 20 we fpeak the Wisdom of God in a Myftery, even the hidden Wisdom which God ordained before. the World unto our glory.

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CHA P. IV.

I. † Rom. 7. 23. I fee another Law in my Members, warring against the Law of my Mind† Gal. 5. 17. The Flesh lufteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the Flesh: and thefe are contrary one to the other. + I Joh 3. 18. My little Chil- 25 Pet. 2. 11. -Abftain from fleshly dren, let us not love in Word, nei-Lufts which war against the Soul.

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