Answ. The meaning of it is this, That Christ doth by them, or in them, write an Epistle to the world, to declare to the world His mind and His will; 'tis as if the Apostle should say, You that are believers, know that Christ makes use of you to declare to the world, what He is, what His glory is, you are His Epistle; Christ sends by you the knowledge of Himself into the world, so that when the world looks upon you, they that run may read in your lives and Conversations, and examples the very Epistle of Christ (transcribed to the life) whereby He declares to the world His excellencies and His glory in lively Characters. Now my brethren, this should be the Conversation of all Saints, (that is) They should in their lives be the Epistle of Jesus Christ, there should be (as it were) fairly written in their lives the graces of Jesus Christ, the mysteries of the Gospel, the deep things of God. Would you know what Christs mind is? and what the excellencies of Christ are, and of the Gospel? Read it in the Saints, in their lives, see their ways and you may know much of the mind of Christ in them, you that cannot tell a letter in the book, yet you may read this Epistle, you may read the Epistle that Jesus Christ sends to the world, to convince the world: Now the Epistle that Christ sends to the world, is not only in His Word (there indeed is a great Epistle that Christ hath sent, for the Scripture is no other, but as an Ancient calls it, the Epistle of God to the world, God sends His Letter to the world) but the Saints are Christs Epistle likewise wherein Christs mind is to be read and known; then let your Conversations be such, as that you may be a full Epistle of Christ to the whole world, that all the world may read what Christ is in you, take heed of blotting and blurring this Epistle. If there be a Letter sent from a great man, if a Prince or a King send a Letter, it uses to come fairly written, and if those that should bring it, should all besmear it, and blot the Letter so as it could not be read, it would be taken exceeding ill.
Answ. The meaning of it is this, That Christ doth by them, or in them, write an Epistle to the world, to declare to the world His mind and His will; 'tis as if the Apostle should say, You that are beleevers, know that Christ makes use of you to declare to the world, what He is, what His glory is, you are His Epistle; Christ sends by you the knowledge of Himself into the world, so that when the world looks upon you, they that run may reade in your lives and Conversations, and examples the very Epistle of Christ (transcribed to the life) whereby He declares to the world His excellencies and His glory in lively Characters. Now my brethren, this should be the Conversation of all Saints, (that is) They should in their lives be the Epistle of Jesus Christ, there should be (as it were) fairly written in their lives the graces of Jesus Christ, the mysteries of the Gospel, the deep things of God. Would you know what Christs mind is? and what the excellencies of Christ are, and of the Gospel? Reade it in the Saints, in their lives, see their waies and you may know much of the mind of Christ in them, you that cānot tel a letter in the book, yet you may read this Epistle, you may reade the Epistle that Jesus Christ sends to the world, to convince the world: Now the Epistle that Christ sends to the world, is not only in His Word (there indeed is a great Epistle that Christ hath sent, for the Scripture is no other, but as an Ancient cals it, the Epistle of God to the world, God sends His Letter to the world) but the Saints are Christs Epistle likewise wherin Christs mind is to be read and known; then let your Conversations be such, as that you may be a full Epistle of Christ to the whole world, that all the world may reade what Christ is in you, take heed of blotting and blurring this Epistle. If there be a Letter sent from a great man, if a Prince or a King send a Letter, it uses to come fairly written, and if those that should bring it, should all besmeer it, and blot the Letter so as it could not be read, it would be taken exceeding ill.
