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DISCOURSE XI.

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COLOSSIANS iii. I.

If ye then be rifen with Chrift, feek thofe Things which are above, where Chrift fitteth on the right Hand of God.

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OW much the metaphorical Language of Scripture has been mistaken, and what Errors and Abfurdities Men have fallen into, under Pretence of adhering to the literal Senfe, is well known. The Words of the Text are hardly capable of being fo abused; for it is not poffible to imagine that St. Paul should intend to tell the Coloffians, or that the Colofians fhould believe him if he did, that they lived no longer in this World, but were, in the literal Senfe, Men raised from the Dead.

Dead. But, as our State and Condition in this World is often fet forth in the Scriptures in metaphorical Language, it has not fared fo well in all Parts of it, but Men have fometimes loft Sight of the Metaphor, and raised very abfurd Notions from a literal Interpretation, as I fhall have Occafion to obferve to you in treating upon this Subject.

The Words now read to you are an Inference from what had been before faid, as is evident from the Manner in which they are introduced: If ye then be rifen with Chrift. It is plain likewise that they must refer to fomething which had been faid of our Refurrection with, or in Chrift: For this Conclufion supposes that Doctrine already laid down and established. To find this Connection, we must look back as far as the Middle of the foregoing Chapter, where the Doctrine referred to in the Text is plainly declared. At the tenth and following Verfes thus you will read: And ye are complete in him, (that is, in Chrift Jefus) which is the Head of all Principality and Power. In whom alfo ye are circumcifed with the Circumcifion made without Hands, in putting off the Body of the Sins of the Flesh by the Circumcifion of Chrift. Buried with him in Baptifm, wherein also you are ri→

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fen with him through the Faith of the Operation of God, who hath raised him from the Dead: And you being dead in your Sins, and the Uncircumcifion of your Flesh, bath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all Trefpaffes. From this the Inference in the Text naturally follows: If ye then be rifen with Chrift, feek thofe Things which are above, where Chrift fitteth on the right Hand of God.

For the Explication of these Words, it will be necessary to set before you the Reprefentation which the Scripture makes of the Natural State and Condition of Man, and of his

Gospel State upon his becoming a Chriftian.

In the State of Nature the Scripture reprefents Men, Eph. iv. 17, 18. as walking in the Vanity of their Minds. Having the UnderStanding darkened, being alienated from the Life of God, through Ignorance and Blindness of Heart. As walking according to the Course. of this World, according to the Prince of the Power of the Air, the Spirit that worketh in the Children of Difobedience, Chap. ii. 2. As Children of Wrath, having their Converfation in the Luft of the Flesh, fulfilling the Defires of the Flesh and the Mind, ver. 3. As Strangers to the Covenants of Promife, as having no Hope, and without God in the World, ver. 12. VOL. III.

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As Servants of Sin, yielding their Members Servants to Uncleanness and to Iniquity, unto Iniquity, Rom. vi. 19, 20. And because the End of these Things is Death, therefore this State of Sin is called likewise a State of Death: You bath be quickened, fays our Apostle, who were dead in Trefpaffes and Sins, Eph. ii. 1. The fame he repeats at the fifth Verfe. Whilft Men were thus dead to God, and unto themselves, they lived only to Sin and Unrighteousness. Sin therefore is faid to reign in them, to have Dominion over them. The natural Paffions and Affections in this State of Corruption were but the Inftruments of Sin, in all things fubfervient; and therefore are faid to conftitute the Body of Sin, that Body over which Sin, as the Soul or active Principle, had entire Rule and Dominion. Thus we read, Rom. vi. 6. The old Man is crucified with him, that the Body of Sin might be deftroyed, that henceforth we fhould not ferve Sin. And in the second of the Coloffians, and eleventh Verfe, we are Said to put off the Body of the Sins of the Flesh. The Members, of which this Body is made up, are in the next Chapter defcribed: Mortify therefore your Members which are upon Earth, Fornication, Unclean

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nefs, inordinate Affection, evil Concupifcence, and Covetousness, which is Idolatry, Eph. iii. 5. This Body is by St. Paul, in his Epistle to the Romans, called the Body of Death, for the fame Reason that the State of Sin is called the State of Death: O wretched Man that I am, who fhall deliver me from the Body of this Death; or, as the Margin renders it, from this Body of Death, Ch. vii. 24. The Body, together with the Soul, which is the active Principle of Life, and the Influencer and Director of the Body and all its Motions, conftitutes the Man. From hence therefore, by an easy and natural Metaphor, these depraved Appetites and Affections, which are the Inftruments or Members of Sin, and which compose the Body of Sin, together with the evil Principle ruling in us, and directing these Affections in the Pursuit of all Uncleannefs and Iniquity, and which is called Sin, are faid in Scripture to be the Old Man; the Man which only lived before the Regeneration by Christ Jefus. Thus, Rom. vi. 6. The old Man is crucified with him, that the Body of Sin might be deftroyed. And the Ephefians, Ch. iv. 22. are exhorted to put off, concerning their former Converfation, the old Man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful Lufts. This is the State of Nature, according

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