ing saved and coming to the knowledge of the truth, being it seems the same thing.

It were easy to show, that the term called is applied in a similar sense, both to the children of Israel and to converted Gentiles, and that it signifies no more than being invited to enjoy certain external privileges, and not any irresistible impulse upon the mind, as some have supposed.

The Jews were created, we have seen, when they were formed into a national body under the Mosaic institution; and Christians are also created, when they are brought into subjection to the law of Christ. Paul speaks of some, who had" put on the new man, or the Christian state, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him." Of the Christian Jews he says, including himself in the number, "of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures," i. e. of those who profess the Gospel. The language of the apostle James is similar: “ of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures."

As God is said in this and other passages to beget Christians by bringing them to the profession of the Gospel, as he was said to beget the Israelites by bringing them under the law of Moses, he must of course be represented as their father, and they his children, his sons and daughters, born to him. Thus "we are all" (referring to Jews and Gen

Paul says,

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tiles) "the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus." Beloved," says the apostle John, "what manner of love the father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God." And the apostle Peter represents the converts to whom he wrote, being born again (or regenerated), not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which lives and abides for ever;" where the phrase, born again, signifies, not a renovation of moral character, but a change of external profession, or a transition from idolatry or Judaism to the belief of the Gospel.

On account of this change likewise, Gentiles, who were once strangers and foreigners, are now fellow citizens with the saints; they are no longer enemies as they were in their gentile state, but they are at peace with God, they are reconciled to him and become his subjects and servants.

While the Gentiles were in a state of idolatry, they were regarded as unclean; but by embracing the Gospel they are washed and sanctified, rendered holy, and become saints. Paul exhorts the Colossians to put on, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercy. The Thessalonians he charges, that his epistle should be read to all the holy brethren, i. e. to all the believers in Christ. The writer of the epistle to the Hebrews thus addresses his believing countrymen ; "Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling"-and Peter tells them, that "they are a chosen generation, a royal

priesthood, a holy nation." Luke, the writer of the book of Acts, tells us, "that as Peter passed through all quarters, he came down also to the saints which dwelt in Lydda," i. e. to the Christians who lived in that place, and not to men, who on account of the excellence of their moral characters had deserved to be so denominated. Paul's usual method of addressing his epistles is, to the saints who dwelt in different places, that is, to the believers in those places.

Other examples of the same kind might easily be produced; but these are sufficient to show what we have been attempting to prove, viz. that the same terms and phrases, which were once applied by God himself and by divine messengers to the children of Israel under the institution of the law, are applied by the apostles to all Christians under the institution. of the Gospel. And to this the apostle Paul refers in the text, when speaking of the privileges of Christians, or, according to his language, of the things, which are freely given to them of God, he says, "which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth," (i. e. not in the philosophical language of human art, or in such words as occur in the common intercourse of life) "but which the Holy Ghost teacheth, comparing spiritual things with spiritual," or the spiritual privileges of Christians with the spiritual privileges of Israelites. I shall now conclude with one or two remarks. I. We see from what has been now said, that seve

ral words are used by the apostles in a double sense, or that they have two significations. Thus the term saved sometimes signifies deliverance from future punishment, as when the apostle James says, a man is not saved by faith alone without works, and somesimes it signifies no more than recovery from idolatry by professing the Christian religion, as in the passages already quoted, and in the following, "not by the works of righteousness we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us." In like manner holiness sometimes signifies moral excellence, as when it is said, "without holiness no man shall see the Lord;" at other times it expresses no more than a privileged state in consequence of receiving a divine revelation, as when a whole body of Christians, among whom there must, no doubt, have been some bad men, are addressed as holy brethren. So the word sinners is sometimes to be understood of persons of immoral character, at other times it means the Gentiles as such, and is applied to the whole body without exception, although no doubt there were some persons of virtuous character even among them. But although these words have different significations when they occur in different places, it is easy in general to ascertain the sense in which they are to be taken, from the connection, and from the design and scope of the writer.

II. This mode of interpreting the language of the New Testament from that of the Old is authorized by an apostle, who tells us, that he had adopted

that language, and it furnishes us with the best means of understanding the apostolic writings. It was first suggested in modern times by one of the greatest philosophers whom this or perhaps any other country has produced-Mr. Locke, in his paraprase upon the Epistles. It was afterwards illustrated and confirmed by Dr. Taylor in his excellent Key to the apostolic writings, prefixed to his Paraphrase upon the Romans, and has since been adopted by the most learned and judicious commentators upon the Scriptures. But it is supported by a stronger recommendation than that of these names, by the declaration of the apostle himself, and by being ab solutely necessary to understand his epistles, and to give them a rational and consistent meaning. Whoever attempts to explain them without admitting this interpretation, will find himself not only involved in inextricable mysteries, but likewise in many very pernicious errours. In consequence of this rule having not been attended to, and of the words of the apostle having been taken in a philosophical or common, and not in a scriptural sense, a system of religion has been introduced into the world, which is at variance with the rest of Scripture and with every principle of reason and justice.

Lastly, We see what is requisite to prepare us for reading the apostolic writings, particularly those of Paul: it is not a knowledge of the words, which man's wisdom teacheth, an acquaintance with the terms of art used in the schools of philosophy or ora