» IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) y ^ ^ V. ^ ^ 4i^ <■ % i/x A 1.0 I.I 1.25 !-iM IIM •- I— III 2.2 ^,'- IIIIIM hull 11 1.8 1.4 1.6 ^P ^ ^ %/ > ■> •^c^ /A o^. Hiotographic Sciences Coiporation 33 MIST MAIN STRUT WIBSTIi),N Y I4SI0 (716) «7a-4S03 '^ ^ CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHM/ICMH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions / Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiques Technical a id Bibliographic N^tes/Notes techniques et bibliographiques The Institute has attempted to obtain the best original copy available for 'ilming. Features of this copy which may be biblio(iraphically unique, which may alter any of th( images in the reproduction, or which ma/ significantly change the usual method of filming are checked below. n Coloured covers/ Couverture de couleur I I Covers damaged/ D Couverture ervdommag^e Covers restored and/or laminated/ Couverture restaurde et/ou pellicul^e □ Cover title missing/ Le titre de couverture manque □ Coloured maps/ Cartes gdographiques en couleur Coloured ink (i.e. other than blue or black)/ ere de couleur (i.e. autre que bleue ou noire) □ Coloured plates and/or illustrations/ Plane D n iches et/ou illustrations en couleur Bound with other material/ Relid avec d'autres documents Tight binding may cause shadows or distortion along interior margin/ La reliure serree peut causer de I'ombre ou de la distortion le long de la mc>rge ini^rieure Blank leaves added during restoration may appear within the text. Whenever possible, these have been omitted from filming/ II se peut que certainas pages blanches ajout^es lors d'une restauration apparaissent dans le toxte, mais, lorsque cela itait possible, ced pages n'ont pas 6ti film^es. Additional comments:/ Commentaires suppl^mentaires. L'Institut a microfilmd le meilleur exemplaire qu'il lui a dt6 possible t^e se procurer. Les details de cet exemplaire qui sor>t pr (meaning "CON- TINUED ") or the symbol V (meaning "END "), whichever applies. Un des symboles suivants apparaitra sur la dernidre image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbole -^ signifie "A SUIVRE", le symbole V signifie 'FIN". Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent dtre film6s A des taux de r6duc^ion diff^rents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre reproduit en un seul clichd, il est film6 A partir de Tangle sup^rieur gauche, de gauche d droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images ndcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mithoda. rata ) alure. J 33X 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 8 6 5 T /"'. EXPOSITORY DISCOURSES 1 ON THK JEtiistU to tl|e 3Etif|^$idn$ 7 Expository Discourses ON THE EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS. BY Hev. d. b. came RON, ACTON. tloronto: JAMES BAIN & SON._39_KING STREET EAST. 1885. TORONTO : PRINTED BV C. BLACKETT ROBINSON, 5 JORDAN STREET. PREFACE. A S authors often state some reasons, valid or otherwise, for troubling the public with a new book, the writer of the following discourses, in conformity with this practice, has to say that, some years ago his attention having been speci- ally directed to the Epistle to the Ephesians, he found it so very rich that he resolved to study it with care. Bcfo/e he proceeded far in this exercise he believed that not only his own edification, but also that of his congregation, might be promoted by preaching a series of sermons on the whole of it. Entertaining that view, he devoted a good part of his time for two years to the preparation of the discourses which form this volume. During the time of their delivery from the pulpit he was led to think of publishing them by the expressed desire of an intelligent hearer that certain discourses of the series should be printed, as also by the favourable opinion of them by ministerial brethren to whom some of them were read. The author begs to advise the reader not to expect in this volume anything novel or fanciful, which goes so far to ensure popularity to literary productions ; for, in composing these sermons, his aim was the instruction of his hearers, and, therefore, he did not wish to introduce anything in thought or style that might interfere with that object. Instead then of i / 6 Preface. distracting the minds of the people by the different interpreta- tions of difficult passages by various expositors, he has simply stated what, after careful consideration, he had reason to believe to be the mind of the Spirit. In saying this, however, he does not mean that all his interpretations are undoubtedly correct, nor does he desire that every one who may read this book should, without any question, accept all his views ; for such implicit confidence in any man with regard to religious matters would be idolatrous credulity. We are forbidden to call any man master, or to be so called, "for one is our Master, even Christ." The author" has also excluded extracts from the learned criticisms on the authorized version and the Greek text which abound, because, since scholars have ready access to these, they would not thank him for introducing them in such a work as this, and to the common reader such lumber would be a useless annoyance, if not worse. Guided by these views, he hardly consulted, while writing these sermons, any expounders of the epistle but two, namely : the eminent Puritan, Dr. Thomas Goodwin, and the late Dr. Hodge, of Princeton, to both of whom he is not a little indebted. Hoping that the perusal of these sermons may help in the preservation of .sound religious principles among the people, and also promote the spiritual edification of the devout reader, they are now given to the public with the author's prayer to God for their success. D. B. CAMERON. Acton, August, 1886. CONTENTS. DISCOURSE I.-Paul's Salutation to the Ephesians. EpJi i i . II.— A DoxoJogy. Eph. i. 3 . . . III.— Election. Eph. i. 4 . . . IV.— Predestination. Eph. i. 5, 6 - v.— Redemption. Eph. i. 7 8 VII.— The Inheritance. Eph. i. 11-13 VIII.—Bdievers Sealed. Eph. i. 13, 14 IX.-Paul's Prayer for the Ephesians. Eph. i. ic x6 17! ^7"^^'" ^°'; '^'' Ephesians-.o.. Eph. i. ''''~''i9!'L''''^" ^°! ^^^- Ephesians-.o». Eph. i ""''-^^^J^'^^'-y-^ fo'- theEphesian^-co;.. Eph. i". XIII.-The Spiritual Resurrection of Be'lievers. Eph. ii" ^""vw ""^"^"^ '" Trespasses and Sins. Eph. ii. i-J J{^;-^'''l'' ^^"^^ 'o '^^^ People. Eph. ii. 4.6 - . XVI.-Gods Great Design in the Work of Redemption. I^i]]'-^^^''^'^'''' ^y Grace. Eph. ii. 8-10 - ' XVIII.-Aliens Made Nigh by the Blood of Christ. Eph! XlX.-Christian Peace. Eph. ii. 14-17 XX.— Access to God. Eph. ii. 18 XX^ ""t^^ '''"""' ^°^- Eph.ii.ao-aa - . AXlII.-The Mystery of Christ. Eph. iji. 1-7 PAGE 9 22 35 47 59 71 83 96 no 123 136 150 163 176 189 201 214 226 239 251 263 275 286 8 Contents. DISCCURSE XXIV, XXV. XXVI. XXVII, XXVIII. XXIX. XXX. XXXI. XXXII. XXXIII. XXXIV. XXXV. XXXVI. XXXVII. XXXVIII. XXXIX. XL. XLI. XLIL- XLIII.— XLIV. XLV. XL VI. — Tlie Unsearchable Riches of Christ. Eph. iii. 8,9 — Tlie Manifold Wisdom of God. Eph. iii. IO-I2 — The Tendency of Tribulation. Eph. iii. 13 - — The Family of God. Eph. in. 14, 15 - — The Apostles Prayer for the Ephesians. Eph. iii. 16-19 ..... — God Glorified in the Church. Eph. iii. 20, 21, — The Christian Walk. Eph. iv. 1-3 — Diversity in Unity. Eph. iv. 4-7 - —The Gospel Ministry the Gift of Christ. Eph. iv. 8-13 — The Profjress of Believers from Childhood to Perfection. Eph. iv. 14-16 — Immorality inconsistent with Growth in Holi- ness. Eph. iv. 17-19 ... - — Learning Christ. Eph. iv. 20-24 " —Putting off the Old Man and Putting on the New. Eph. iv. 25— v. i, 2 —Causes of God's Wrath. Eph. v. 3-7 - —The Christian's Walk. Eph. v. 8-12 — The Believer's Walk in Light. Eph. v. 13-21 —Relative Duties of Husbands and Wives. Eph. V. 21-30 ...... —The Mystical Union. Eph. v. 30-33 —The Relative Duties of Children and Parents. Eph. vi. 1-4 - The Relative Duties of Masters and Servants. Eph. vi. 5-g The Great Conflict. Eph. vi. io-i8 How Believers obtain the Power Needed to Sustain them in the Spiritual Conflict. Eph. vi. 18-20 - The Valedictory. Eph. vi. 21-24, PAGE 299 312 348 359 372 384 396 411 422 434 446 458 467 478 491 502 525 536 550 561 EXPOSITORY DISCOURSES ON THE Epistle to the Ephesians. DISCOURSE I. I>AUL S SALUTATION TO THE EPHESIANS. Eph. i, I, 2 : " Paul, an apostle of Jesus Clirist by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus : grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ." npHIS is considered one of the richest of Paul's -*- epistles, and it seems that he so viewed it him- self. In the third chapter, referring to the previous part of the epistle, as I think, he says, speaking of the revelation of the mystery of the Gospel made known to him : " As I wrote afore (already) in few words, whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my know- ledge in the mystery of Christ. " Eph. iii. 3, 4. What was the occasion of his writing this epistle we are not distinctly told. It might be the uncomfortable appre- hension that he had of the rising among them of false teachers who, to support their wicked errors, would 3i*lt{ lO Discourses on Ephesians. wrest the Scriptures to the ruin of many souls. In his interview with the elders of the Church he said : " For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them." Acts XX. 29, 30. Some time after this interview, remembering the danger to which the Church of Ephesus was exposed, he wrote to confirm them in the doctrines of the Gospel, and began the epistle with the usual apostolic salutation. I. Notice the person who writes. I. His name : " Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ." He prefixed his name to all his epistles except that to the Hebrews, and he also mentioned hi.s office in each of them except in those to the Philippians, Thessalonians, Philemon, and the Hebrews. • The apostle is first introduced to our notice in the Acts of the Apostles by his Hebrew name Saul, by which he is called until he and Barnabas went to Cyprus, where they met Ely mas the Sorcerer, a Jewish impostor, called also Bar-Jesus, who was patronized by the Governor of the Island, Sergius Paulus. When Barnabas and Saul explained the Christian religion to the Governor, this false prophet resisted them for fear he would lose his influence with his patron ; and this opposition so awakened Saul's indignation that he The Salutation. II rebuked him sharply, baying : " O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enen->y of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord ? And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and darkness; and he went about seeking one to lead him by the hand. Then the deputy when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord." Acts xiii. lo-i 2- F'rom that time the apostle is called Paul. Probably his name was so pronounced by the Governor of Cyprus and his friends because they were accustomed to say ** Paulus. and in the exercise of the prudence by which the apostle was always disposed to accommodate him- self to the tastes and even prejudices of other people, he adopted the Roman name that sounded so nearly like his own, though not the same in sense : Saul means "asked," and Paul means "little." There is a tradition, in support of which there is, perhaps, some historical evidence, that the apostle was of small stature : some say three cubits, that is, four feet and a half, in that c ise the new name, expressive of his size, was likely given to him by the Romans for that reason, and he, instead of rejecting it as an insult to him, meekly accepted it as the name by which he has since been known. As this is conjecture, we drop the subject. 12 Discourses on Ephesians. 2. His official title was "an apostle of Jesus Christ." When Saul, the noted persecutor, was converted he preached the Gospel in Damascus, and proved with such power that Christ was the promised Messiah that "all that heard him were amazed, and said, Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem, and came hither for that intent, that he might bring them bound unto the chief priests?" Acts ix. 2 1. On account of his early opposition to Christ and the Gospel, he called himself " the least of the apostles." and " not meet to be called an apostle," • I Cor. XV. 9. Though he had so low a view of himself on account of his early life, which he regarded with regret, yet he was appointed an apostle by Jesus Christ. He was chosen to the most honourable office that was ever conferred on any creature, whether an- gelic or human. " God hath set in the Church, first (higher in rank) apostles." i Cor. xii. 28. It was the next dignity to that of Christ himself The high priest- hood was the most exalted rank under the law, but the apostleship was niore honourable because it superseded it. Both titles are given to Christ himself, because he is so much more exalted than all his .servants ; he is called "the Apostle and High Priest of our profession." 3. Observe that the founder of the ajjostolic office is Jesus Christ: " Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ." Christ chose the apostles to the high dignity of The Salutation. 13 ambassadors for him, and sends forth all the ministers of the Gospel as his messengers to men. He himself is the Father's messenger because he was sent by him to finish the work to which he was appointed, and to act as God's minister plenipotentiary in his negotia- tions with sinners. He received plenary power, not only to act personally, but to send forth ambassadors with all needed instructions, qualifications, and authority to discharge the duties entrusted to them. When set apart to the work, he said to them : "As my Father hath sent me, ev^en so send I you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto t?hem. Receive ye the Holy Ghost." John xx. 21, 22. When the Lord arrested Saul of Tarsus in his career as perse- cutor, " and he. trembling and astonished, said. Lord, what wilt thou have me to do } . . . he said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do." Acts ix. 6. At what parti- cular time the Lord formally appointed him to the apostolic office we are not distinctly told, but himself clearly says that he was called to it by Christ : "I testify to you, brethren, that the Gospel which was preachc;d of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. ' Gal. i. 11, 12. When Christ ascended on high, "he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers ; for the |)erfecting of the saints, for the work of the H Discojirses on Ephesians. ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ." Eph. iv. II, 12. As he instituted in the Church all the offices that, in his unerring wisdom, he saw neces- sary to its prosperity, anything beyond that, which men have invented, has not his sanction. Those who, there- fore, presume to occupy such unauthorized positions are daring usurpers. The titles given to offices of human devising may be lofty and high-sounding, but they have no real dignity. Ministers in the Church who can only be acceptable to Christ, receive their commissions in the way appointed by himself to act in an office created by him, otherwise they are false apostles. 4. Observe that the Person who designed Paul for the apostolic office was God the Father. " Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God." " It pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace, to reveal his .Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen." Gal. i. 15, 16. God, by a special decree, purposed to prepare, and in due time to set him apart for the apostleship, so he could say of himself, " Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the Gospel of God." Rom. i. i. Having been elected by God for this work, he knew that this great honour was by the good will of God conferred upon him, not on account of any sxcellency in himself. He reckoned this favour as next The Salutation. 15 only to his salvation. " I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry ; who was before a blas- phemer, and a persecutor, and injurious." \ Tim. i. 12, 13. Paul's honour was greater than that of the other apostles, inasmuch as the Lord, in a miraculous way, called him after he had risen from the dead, and ascended into heaven. The other apostles were called by Christ when living on earth, except Matthias, who, by the disciples, was chosen along with Barsabas Justus, but designated to the apostleship by the Lord, whose mind in the matter was made known through the lots cast by the other apostles; whereas Christ appeared to Paul in glory, and intimated his will to him by Divine revelation. 1 1. Notice those whom the apostle saluted. " Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus." I. Observe that they are described as "saints and faithful in Christ Jesus." This was the ordinary way in which Paul styled the members of the churches to which he addressed his epistles. " Paul, ... to all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints." Rom. i. 7. " But now I go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saints." Rom. XV. 25. " Paul, . . . unto the Church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in HI i6 Discourses on Ephesians. Hi Christ Jesus, called to be saints." i Cor. i. 2. " Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God. and Timothy our brother, unto the Church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia." 2 Cor. i. I. The title saints is in modern days popu- larly regarded as proper only to a few eminent believers in the past, including the apostles ; but to speak of the whole body of the disciples of Christ as saints is con- sidered by many as something bordering on profanity. There must be some reason for this change of sentiment on the subject. It may be a consciousness of inconsis- tency in life with the character mdicated by the term. Many professors of religion secretly feel that, if they were called saints, it would be unsuitable to them, if not an insult. This feeling seems to be a proof of our want of spirituality. When real devoutness diminished, people ceased to use the name saints, and the Pope reserved it for a few persons who were, for the most part, remarkable only for absurd austerities but not for true godliness. The apostle called the saints at Ephesus "faithful," and meant thereby that they were true believers, whose profession of faith and obedience was sincere. In the language of Solomon godly men are called faithful. ** Most men will proclaim everyone his own goodness : but a faithful man who can find } " Prov. xx. 6. Paul recommended to Timothy to "commit the things that" he had "heard of" him "among many witnesses, . . to faithful men, who" should "be able to teach others TJie Salutation. 17 also." 2 Tim. ii. 2. In an evangelical sense, a faithful man means a believer. " Be not faithless, but believ- ing." John XX. 27. Besides the possession of faith, the word implies that believers are men of steadfast integrity. From the application of the two words, " faithful " and "saints," to the same people, we may see that faith and holiness are by God joined together. As the devil would separate them, in many cases he leads men to think that if they believe the doctrines held by the branch of the Church in which they are members they shall be saved, though wholly destitute of holiness ; and he leads others to believe, that, if virtuous in life, faith of any kind is not necessary. The latter opinion is becoming prevalent in Christian lands. Agnosticism, which is but another name for Atheism, is, we regret to say, making considerable progress in this day among the ungodly Many, though blessed with the Gospel, do not like to retain God in their knowledge because they do not love the truth, and on that account theni is danger, as in former times, that God will give " them over to a reprobate mind," and "send them strong delusion, that they may believe a lie ; that they all " may "be damned who" believe "not the truth, but" have "pleasure in unrighteousness." 2. The residence of these saints and faithful people, to whom the epistle was addressed, was Ephesus, one of the most luxurious, dissolute, and superstitious cities in i8 Discourses on Ephesians. the whole world. It is said that the rulers of Ephesus enacted a law that any man who would presume to excel others in frugality, temperance, or any virtue, should be expelled from the community. The licen- tious rites that were practised in the worship of Diana cannot be named. God, out of this people, chose saints and faithful people, who, before their conversion, " in time past, . . . walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of dis- obedience. Among whom also "' they " had " their "conversation in times past in the lusts of" their "flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others." Eph. ii. 2, 3. In our natural judgment Ephesus was one of the last cities where we would expect a holy church to be gathered : seeing the people wallowed in vice, in consequence of the sanction given to the vilest practices by their religion. Many in that city were soothsayers ; but not a few of them were spiritually enlightened. When these " believed" they "came, and confessed, and showed their deeds. Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men ; and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver." Acts xix. 18, 19. 3. Saints stand in a very interesting relationship to Christ. The Salutation. 19 They are not only in Christ by union to him. but what they are as saints, they are so in Christ. Many are religious and moral without Christ, but the religion and morality of true believers are of a different nature — for they spring from Christ, who continually supports them by the gracious operations of his Spirit. True holiness is . rought in those only who are in Christ, those who are "created in Christ Jesus unto good works." Eph. ii. 10. Whatever is good in God's people is imparted by Christ, and he sustains in healthy exercise the spiritual principles which he creates in them by the continual production of pure motives in their hearts. Paul's admonition to Timothy applies to all believers, " My son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus." 2 Tim. ii. i. There is considerable danger in trusting in the grace that we already have, which, if it were enough for the present, would not serve for the future. The faith that we had yesterday is not sufficient for to-day : we must always receive fresh supplies for our varied necessities. F'or that end we must maintain communion with Christ. " Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me." John xv. 4. III. Notice the matter of the salutation. " Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ." TT w^ I 1 1 20 Discourses on EpJiesians. Salutations are friendly expressions of good wishes which kindness prompts us to exchange with our friends, and the Gospel does not destroy the exercise of pure feelings, but purifies them. It ennobles the courtesies of the genial intercourse of neighbours. Rudeness would not much recommend the religion of Jesus Christ. The truth is, that nothing so success- fully humanizes men as true godliness. Piety alone may not train the peasant in courtly breeding, but it invariably makes the rudest gentle and courteous. The good training which the apostle received in his youth grace so improved that it made him a model of kindliness. We find salutations similar to this one in all his epistles, and, seeing that they are inspired by the Holy Ghost, they efficiently convey the blessings that are pronounced. I. Observe that he wishes grace and peace to his believing friends. The good will and peaceful purposes of God are the fountains from which all blessings How to us : and, as these are inexhaustible, the streams that issue from them to those who are brought into living connection with Christ never fail. " Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst ; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life." John iv. 14. " He that believeth in me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water." John vii. 38. •-•^ tm^ The Salutation. 21 To all these the fountain of life shall be given to refresh them for ever. When justified, grace and peace are imparted by God. " Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Rom. v. i. The peace which meets believers at the beginning of their Christian course shall increasingly accompany them until at last it shall become perfect, unbroken, and eternal peace. " Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright : for the end of that man is peace." Ps. xxxvii. t^']. 2. Observe that these blessings are conferred by God the F'ather and by Jesus Christ. "Grace be unto you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ." God bestows his grace upon us, not as our Creator, but as our Father in Christ, in token of his redeeming love. The Father is called the God of all grace and the God of peace ; Christ is called the Prince of peace ; and the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace. The grace and peace which come from God with effectual power exert sanctifying influences upon us. The more we appreciate them, the more are they communicated to us, and the greater is our capacity to receive them. The best saints need daily supplies of grace and peace ; they also need that their knowledge of their value to them should be dai'^^ increased. Let us, therefore, wait daily upon God for fresh supplies : for his store is inexhaustible, and his benevolence is unbounded. J "" It 'I i 4 M i 22 Discourses on Ephesians. Sinners : Whatever you think of the matter, you greatly need the grace and peace which God in his benevolence offers to you. If you refuse them you shall have no peace for ever, because God will be your adversary. "There is no peace, saith the Lord, to the wicked." Isa. xlviii. 22. If not prepared for such a dismal end, turn to God who says : " Fury is not in me : who would set the briers and thorns before me in battle .'* I would go through them, I would burn them together. Or let him take hold of my strength, that he may make peace with me ; and he shall make peace with me." Isa. xxvii. 4, 5. DISCOURSE II. I !•' , I !i;'l A DOXOLOGV. Eph. i. 3 : " Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ." 'T^HE apostle abruptly breaks out in a song of praise "^ to God as he thinks of the manifestations of his power in giving him such success in Ephesus that many were "quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins," and who "in time past . . . walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience." Eph. ii. i, 2. After giving A Doxology. 23 his you ^our . the ch a Dt in ne in them lathe peace utterance to his feelings, he enumerates the blessings that God bestowed upon them as the fruit of his ministry. He laboured for three years among them, " serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations, which befell " him "by the lying in wait of the Jews; and'' he "kept back nothing that was profitable unto" them, "but . . . showed" them "and . . . taught" them "publicly, and from house to house, testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ." Acts xx. 19-21. He sowed in tears, but reaped with a joy so great that he could not restrain himself from giving utterance to it in praise to God for his goodness in making his labours so abundandy fruitful. He ascribed all to the mercy and bounty of God. " Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ." I. Notice the matter of this doxology. " Blessed be God." In all ages the saints were wont to bless God when they appreciated his character and loving-kind- ness. Though we cannot add to his blessedness, he is pleased with our praises and adorations. I. Observe that we bless God when we speak well of him, and express our interest in his great enter- prise, the salvation of his people. Curposes are eternal, for he does not form new plans in time as we do to meet emergencie.s, 3! i 40 Discourses on Epiiesians. or because we get fresh knowledge concerning things. If he acted in that manner he would be changeable, be- cause he would be dependent on the source of his addi- tional knowledge, and would not therefore be an infinite, omniscient and immutable Being.. Though, beyond certain limits, these truths are too high for us, yet since they are rev^ealed for the edification and consolation of believers, it is our duty to accept them, as they are taught in Scripture, that we may be practically benefited bv them. If God chose a people from eternity, it is bt;cause he loved them. We see then th't \-' 'ove of God is not a temporary feeling, but an everlasting affection wherein there is no fickleness nor the slightest danger of its ever being withdrawn from the objects of it. We do not exjject that a man of honourable character will readily change his sentiments with regard to the objects of his love, and if he does, we shall be so much disap- l)ointed in him that our respect for him will be consider- ably diminished. If. therefore, any people believe thai God may cast away at last, as reprobates, some persons whom he loves, their estimate of his characu r :;mnot be very high, nor can their conlidence in him be . y -trong. It is not in our nature to trust a person of an inconstant disposition. God loved his people from eternity with a love so strong that he chose them in Christ, and re- .solved to give him for them to be a sacrifice to satisfy justice on their behalf. " For God so loved the world, % 4 t Election. 41 be- :ldi- lite, ond iince >n of ] are -fited ■cause jod is cction Umger We er NviU )bjects disap- insider- ■0 thai )crsons inotbc ■trong. instant ir with a md re- satisfy world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." Johniii. 16. What value do we then set on the love of God ? The psalmist so appreciated his good- ness that he joyfully sang : " I will love thee, O Lord, my strength." Ps. xviii. i. "I love the Lord, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications." Ps. cxvi. i. " How excellent is thy loving-kindness, O God ! there- fore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings." Ps. xxxvi. 7. " Whom have I in heaven but thee ? and there is none upon (^arth that I desire besides thee. My flesh and my heart faileth : but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion forever." Ps. Ixxiii. 25, 26. As God valued his people more than the whole world, we should love him more than all things, however desirable they may be. These y Solomon by the title of Wisdom idvvellirj with Gpd from everlasting. "The Lokd possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the I 62 Discourses on Ephesians. beginning, or ever the earth was. When there were no depths, I was brought forth ; when there were no fountains abounding with water. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth. . . * . When he gave to the sea his decree, that the water should not pass his commandment : when he appointed the foundations of the earth: then I was by him as one brought up with him : and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him ; rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth ; and my delights were with the sons of men." Prov. viii. 22-31. He is the angel who was with the church in the wilderness. It was he who spake to Moses from the burning bush, whose voice, proclaimed from Mount Sinai, all the people heard, saying : " I am Jehovah thy God^ which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bond- age." Ex. XX. 2. He is declared to be God's fellow. " Awake, O sword, against my Shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the Lord of hosts.' Zech xiii. 7. He is Jehovah whom Jehovah sent to his people. " Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion : for, lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith Jehovah. And many nations shall be joined to Jehovah in that day, and shall be my people ; and I will dwell in the midst of thee, and thou shalt know that Jehovah of hosts hath sent me unto thee." Zech. ii. 10, 11. He is the Word that was in the beginning, " was with God, and . . . was God." John i. i. Redemption. 63 This Divine person was appointed our Redeemer with hi-ii own full consent, and that he might discharge the duty that he undertook, it was agreed that every- thing necessary to the successful accomplishment of his undertaking should be provided for him. He engaged to redeem the people given to him by his Father, and the Father engaged to prepare a human nature for him, anoint him with the Holy Ghost, and sustain him while carryini^ out the work of redemption. "Wherefore, when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me." Heb. x. 5. " Behold my servant, whom I uphold, mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth, I have put my spirit upon him. . . . He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth.' Isa. xlii. 3, 4. When he and the Father entered into a covenant with regard to our redemption, he agreed to take our nature into personal union with himself, and to assume our responsibilities to obey the law and suffer for our sins, on condition of obtaining for us everlasting glory, perfect holiness, sonship, redemption, regenera- tion, faith, justification, pardon, and deliverance from the pollution of sin, together with his own exaltation, as our Mediatorial Head, to supreme power over all things. As he performed all that he undertook, the Father performed to him all the stipulated promises ; for he who was "in the form of God," and "thought it not robbery to be equal with God, "because he made . m m '"& 1 I i '' ill 64 Discourses on Ef^hesians. himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the hkeness of men : and being found in fashion as a man. he humbled him- self, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name." Phil. ii. 6-9. The Father "raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but in that which is to come ; and hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the Church, which is his body." Eph. i. 20-23. III. Notice the redeemed. "In whom r.'^ have redemption." I. Observe the significance of the pronoun ''we'' in this pL .e. The apostle by " we " meant himself and the saints which were "at Ephesus, and the faithful in Christ Jesus." The passage refers to believers ir, every place and all ages, whom "the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, . . . hath blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ : according as he hath chosen " them " in him before the foundation of the world, that " they " may be holy and without blame before him in love : having Redemption. 65 predestinated " them " unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his (»^race, wherein he hath made" them "accepted in the Beloved." These then are the persons who have redemption through the blood of Christ. 2. Observe also that the apostle says : "We have redemption." The saints under the old dispensation could not say " we have redemption," as New Testament believers can. Christ obtained credit with the Father, on the ground of which believers of that period were saved. They saw the day of Christ afar off, but the price of their redemption was not actually paid in their day. He was "the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world " onl)' in covenant and type, but he had not really suffered and died until he was crucified on Calvary. They had been saved, but Christ had not yet actually paid any of their indebtedness. New Testament saints are differently situated ; for in their case the debt is paid, and their legal obligations are cancelled. " We see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honour ; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man." Heb. ii. 9. "Christ . . . offered himself without spot to God. . . . And for this cause he is the Mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the i r56 Discourses on Ephesiatu redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.' Heb. ix. 14, 15. When he came into the world and died, he settled by his obedience and death, for all already saved on his credit, and paid in advance for all the rest of those chosen to holiness ami predestinated unto adoption. To know that the debt is paid is a great help to the faith of New Ttstament believers ; for we see Jesus crucified, dying, rising again from the dead, ascending to heaven, and there "crowned with glory and honour." 3. Ob.serve that "we have" this redemption in Christ. " In who)ii we have redemj)tion." Christ, like Adam, is a representative person : as we were condemned in Adam when \\v. sinned, his people were all justified in Christ when he paid the ir indebtedness ; but the iXv.vA of justificati(Mi is not actually put into their hands uni ' hy faith in him they agree to accej)t it ; until that is done no man can claim a discharge froin his liability to punishment. IV. Notice the means whereby the retlemption is receive'!. " We have redemption Ikroiigk Ins blood'' When God transacted with Christ about the salva- tion of those given to him. h(^ demanded a just jjricc for their redemption ; seeing this was agreed to, in di c' Redemption. 67 time the amount was paid in full. On this account it is said : " Ye are bought with a price ; therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which arc God's." I Cor. vi. 20. Christ "gave himself a ransom for all." 1 Tim. ii. 6. The ransom, or price of our redemption, is in the text called his blood, not because his obedience formed r :> part of it, but because his work culminated in the shedding of his blood. In the Old Testament it is said that the blood is the life of a creature, so is the blood of Christ the life of his obedience and sul rings. Under the typical dispen- sation "almost all things" were " purged with blood ; and without sheddfng of blood" was "no remission." Ileb. ix. 22. The blood of Christ Wiis shed for the covering of sin ; and so lively does this truth affect the minds of saints in glory that they exclaim : " Thou art worthy to take the book, and to t)pen the seals thereof; for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood." Rev. v. 9. V. Notice the; blessing conferred on believers as the fruit of redinnption. " In whom we have redemjjtit)n through his blood, the fori^ivencss of sins'' This is an Import.int matter, for it lies at the foundation of our ex[/<:rw!nce of all gospel blessings- When a poor sinner is convinced of his sin, guilt, .iiul condetnnation to punishment, he can have neither ...rt 68 Discourses on Ephcsians. rest nor comfort until his sins be forgiven him, nor can peace be satisfactorily found until he comes to Christ for it. Many things promise relief from a condemning conscience, which, if they give ease, it is only a delu- sion : for sooner or later, when conscience will discover the deception, it will denounce the sinner with greater vigour than before. Without forgiveness there can be no communion with God. no experience of "consolation in Christ," no " comfort of love," no " fellowship of the Spirit." nor any solid ho|)(! of heaven. Then; may be some pleasurable cnnotions, but they produce no s;mctifying effects. When a man's sins are pardoned, other spiritual blessings will follow. If any one asks what sins are forgiven, the .Scriptures rej)ly : all sins. " And you, being dead in )'our sins and uncircumcision of your tlesh, hath he (juickened together with him, having forgiven you all tre.spa.sse.s. ' Col. ii. 13. VI. Notice the source of redemption. '• We have redtMnption . . . according to the riches of his o race. Grace means (iod's good will in conferring an\ favour on us. " He hath justifietl us fn'cly by his grace. Rom. iii. 24. The love anil mercy of (iod arc grace, because he fri'ely, or of his own good will, e.ver- • cises them with regard to his creatures, (iod's gracit is not of .my necessity of his nature, or from any ob- ligation to us. but a matter of Pivine freedom, "lb Redemption. 69 hath mercy on whom he will have mercy." Rom. ix. 18. It is said that he blessed his people "with all spiritual blessings," chosen, adopted, and accepted them "to the praise of the glory of his grace," and forgiveth them " according to the riches of his grace." 1. Observe then that it was grace that appointed Christ to the mediatorial office to render satisfaction tor his people, that thus he should redeem them. Di- me justice demanded satisfaction, for without it par- don was impossible. Grace called Christ to meet the demands that were made. It was not justice but grace that suggested this arrangement, and urged Christ to discharge for us oui heavy obligations. 2. As Goil was not l)ound to accept a substitute for sinners, that he did so was a matter of grace. He might insist upon the punishment of tht; guilty in their own person, for that would be strictly just, holy, and good. He might say to Christ: I grant the infmitc value of thy merits, but I am at liberty to accept thine ')ffer or not. .Such howevt-r is (lod's grace that he gave hi"^ \\t\ Son tt) offer himself a sacrifice for u.s. 3. W lien satisfaction was matle, and redemption purchased, (iod was under no obligation to fipply it to any rvne. nor even to accept the offer of the Spirit to do so. Grace, however, moved liie iloK (ihost to under- l.ike the work of renewing siiUKTs. and of persuading tlKin to accept Jesus Christ and his redemption. Grace acted with e()ual ix>wer in the minds of the leather. Son and HfJ% Ghost. 70 Discourses on EpJiesians. 4. To comfort believers, the grace of God is said to be so rich that it abounds " toward them in all wis- dom and prudence." If their sins are many and their guilt great, grace is greater. If our folly and ignorance are great, his wisdom and prudence, which he abun- dandy imparts to his people, are infinite. Sinners, God, who offers this rich grace to you, in proof of his g(jod faith, proclaims it to you in the gos- pel, and urges it upon your acceptance by his servants ; besides this, the Spirit in many cases presses it forcibly upon your attention. If you then come short of the grace of God it is because you will not accept redemp- tion from the guilt and dominion of sin. I f you, through the love of sin, refuse salvation you shall inevitably perish. Considering your perilous position, pray to God to give you repentance unto life that you may turn to him with true contrition. The Mysterious Congress. 71 DISCOURSE VI. THE MYSTERY OF THE CATHKRINd TO(;ETHER INTO ONE OF ALL THINGS IN CHRIST. Eph. i. y, 10: ' Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath pur- posed in himself: that in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, anil which, are on earth : even in him. T X these verses the apostle continues the enumeration "■■ of the blessings that God purposed to bestow upon his people : from everlasting, he had chosen, predesti- nated and accepted them in Christ; in time, he redeemed them by his Son, and on the ground of the ransom paid by him, he regenerates, pardons, justifies, adopts, sancti- fies, and glorifies them. " He hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence ; ha.ing made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to the good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: that in the dispen- sation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth ; even in him." I. Notice the character of God's purjjose with regard to this great gathering together. It is a mystery. m i m 72 Discourses on Ephesians. I. It is a mystery, because none but God fully understands it. The purpose of convening this glorious congress was hid in God's mind until he saw proper to reveal it; first, obscurely and gradually ; afterwards, with greater clearness ; but notwithstanding the brightness of the revelation of it in the Gospel, there is much in it that, to us, is mysterious, "We speak," said the apostle, "the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdt)m, which God ordained before the world unto our glory." i Cor. ii. 7. There never was a greater secret than the Gospel ; for the highest intelligence in creation could not discover that the salvation of fallen men was possible until Gotl revealed it, and even when revealed, no man can understand the method of it, so as to accept it, until his mind is enlightened by the Holy Ghost. The great secret of redemj)tion and of the august gathering of the saints was hid in (iod's mind, nor would it ever be known if he had not revealed it, and had he not given power of apprehend- ing it to men. As a subordinate agent in the work ol making it known, the apostle says that God bestowed the great favour on him of being ap|)ointed to "preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ ; and to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God." Kph. iii. 8, 9. All the wise men of the world could not discover it. " None of the The Mysterious Congress. n princes of this world knew" it, "for had they known it. they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory ; " for "eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. Hut God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit." i Cor. ii. 8, 9. Profound politicians, who understand the principles of civil government, who have keen discernment in dis- covering the secret purposes of cabinets, and who have inventive genius to counteract the schemes of their opponents, cannot imderstand the mystery of the gospel without Divine illumination. Old Testament saints, and even prophets, had but (lark ideas of the glory of the gospel ; for they "searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto " us ; " searching what, or what man- ner of time, the .Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow." i Peter i. 10, II. They wrote as they were inspired by the Holy Ghost, but they did not clearly understand their own predictions. They were given to know that they ministered to the edification of future generations, but the manner of the display of the coming glory they did not comprehend. This mystery was hidden from angels ; for, though they were near God as faithful servants and ministers, they did not know his mind concerning this matter. !..;nn W 74 Discourses on Ephesians. Indeed the Church knew it before angels did, for it is by the Church it is made known to them. " From the beginning of the world" it "hath been hid in God. who created all things by Jesus Christ : to the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the Church the manifold wisdom of God." Eph. iii. 9, 10. Prom this it seems that they learn the gospel from the Church, and that in Christian assemblies, where the gospel is preached, there is a large concourse of angels present to hear the mystery unfolded, in order that their desire to know more of the wisdom of God may be gratified ; for we are told that they *' desire to look into these things." 2. This is a mystery because it is a product of God's will. In purposing redemption and the glorious gather- ing of the saints God did not consult any one but him- self ; because none of his creatures, ht)wever high in intelligence, could give him the least aid in the matter, as the best of them had not sufficient capacity for the solution of so great a problem. The whole plan must be traced back to the divine will as the adequate cause. •' For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom 1 will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy." Rom, i\. 15. 16. Suppose that a sinful man knew all that God himself knows except his The Mysterious Congress. n purpose to save sinners and the plan that he devised for this end, it would not in the least benefit him ; for such extensive knowledge would increase his misery, as it would make him like the devils. The knowledge of this mystery is unspeakably more valuable than that of everything else. To know that God in his goodness will have mercy on sinners is worth more than all the world. To have true comfort we need to know that it is God's will to save us by living faith in Christ. When an awakened sinner realizes his own lost state, and is assured that it is God's good pleasure to save such as he is for the sake of his own Son, he is enabled to be satisfied with God's good will in the matter and with the ransom paid by Christ. Thus, he is enabled to rest on Christ and to surrender himself to God to be dealt with as he sees proper. Such a one is then enabled to know in some measure the mystery of God's will with regard to himself. Suppose that one of Solomon's courtiers, who had been the king's companion in his studies, committed some treasonable acts, and discovered that his treason was reported to his master, he would be so agitated with fear that, notwithstanding his knowledge of the king's views on so many subjects,, his anxiety for his life would not be removed until the justly incensed monarch should intimate to him that it was his will to pardon and reinstate him in his favour. He might before that have heard rumours that such was the \S\ rw n 76 Discourses on Ephesians. king's purpose, but the mystery would be too dark to relieve his mind until he should be assured of his sovereign's clemency ; and even then he might not be able to account for the motives that caused him to show mercy : there would still be considerable mystery connected with the king's conduct.* If the case is so with regard to the acts of men, how much more with regard to God's act. II. Notice the great work that God purposed to accomplish. "He hath purposed in himself: that in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all thill in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth ; even in him." 1 . Observe that the residence of those whom God [)urposed to gather together in one are heaven and .earth. The intelligent inhabitants of these two places are angels and men, and it is to be observed that there is a third region to which no reference is made in this enumeration, hell, the habitation of devils and lost souls. The solemn omission excludes them from this glorious assembly ; their jiames are not written in the book of life. In this distinguished congress there shall be all the ran.somed and the holy angels of every rank, "prin- cipalities, and powers, and mights, and dominions in the heavenly places, ' and men of all nations, ages, and The Mysterious Congress. 77 positions. It is God's will that men of all stations in this life should "be saved and come unto the know- ledge of the truth," and we are therefore exhorted to make "supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanks- givings for all men for kings, and for all that are in authority." i Tim. ii. i, 2, 4. 2. The time when God purposetl that this gather- ing together should openly commence. It is called "the dispensation of the fulness of times." There were some gathered before, but u was when Christ came, died, and ascended into heaven that the mystery began to be clearly unfolded. Christ came into the world for this purpose when four thousand years had passed away. When the time appointed by God for the old state of things had run out, a new era commenced wherein God purposed to work in a differ- ent way. Up to that time the field where the gather- ing was carried on had been sm.ill ; the Ciospel in its old dispensation was confined to one people, for the Church was in its infancy. The time had arrived when the children of God should obtain the liberty of their majority. When, tht;refore, "the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons." (jal. iv. 4, 5. The Jews had the true religion exclu- sively iiii" generations, but after the resurrection of Christ it was extended to the Cientiles, and it soon m :i m%' 78 Discourses on Ephesiaus. passed over to them to the exclusion of the Jews for a period. There is, however, an era appointed by God when his ancient people shall be gathered again into the Church. When these various periods come to an end, the events settled in God's purpose shall take place. Christ came when the world was ripe, because the condition of Jews and Gentiles was ready for the change that was to be introduced. Though we cannot clearly see all the reasons for it, it was a fit season for Christ's advent. Had he come earlier, all the ends would not be accomplished, and if his coming had been longer postponed, loss would be sustained. In devis- ing and carrying out his plans, God commits no mis- takes. It was the right time for the granting of liberty to the Jews from ceremonial restraints, and the Gentiles began to be ripe for the harvest. It is true that it was the early ripening, but the ingathering has gone on since, and there are now indications of the speedy coming of the time wherein all nations shall be gathered to Christ, and the Jewish field which has lain fallow for eighteen hundred years shall be cultivated, that it may yield a rich harvest for the honour of Christ, and to the joy of the Gentiles, 3. But observe that a dispersion is implied in this Divine purpose of gathering together. Sin caused a serious separation : first, between God and his sinful creatures ; and, secondly, between rebel and holy angels, between holy angels and men, The Mysterious Congress. 79 and to such extent among men themselves that this world has been a wild scene of enmity, strife, and con- fusion. Up to this time the earth has been the theatre of animosities, oppression, war, and bloodshed. King- doms are always suspicious of each other, so that in times of peace they are prepared for hostilities, nor can we see that mutual confidence prevails to any extent among them. Though the Jews, on account of their dispersion, are not able to wage war, their hatred to the Gentiles, particularly to Christians, is intensely bitter. They curse Christ to-day with as much venom as they did in Pilate's judgment hall, when the excited mob cried : " Away with him, away with him. crucify him, crucify him." All this enmity between man and God, between holy angels and men, between tribes, nations, and kingdoms, and between Jews and Gentiles, was virtually destroyed on the cross of Christ, and it shall be actually destroyed in God's time by the Gospel through the power of God. Men are by nature enemies to God, who though he is merciful and gra- cious, yet, as the righteous Judge, he has pronounced a sentence of eternal death on all sinners. As there is a sad disruption of friendship between God and men, holy angels, in their loyalty, have declared for their Sovereign Lord against the rebels. God, however, purposed to remove this hostility between his people and himself, ,and to establish friendship between them and angels, and also among themselves. Along with 1 V :H|, ■'im m \ ;- !ill i 'I 80 Discoursi'A on liphesians. all other graces, he fills their ht^arts with love to hini- seir, and to each other. '\\\v tiiiK; for reconciliation in tliis world is fi.xed in (ioil's counsel of peace. "And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall he (;stal)lished in the top of the mountains, and shall he exalted above the hills ; and all nations shall (low unto it. And many peoj)le shall go ,ind say, Come ye. and let us go up to the moimtain of the Li)Ui), to the house of the ( iod of Jacob; and he will leach us of his ways, and wt; will walk in his paihs : for out of Zion shall go forth the law. and the word of tht? I.okn from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people; and they shall beat their swords inln ploughshares, and thc;ir spears into pruning hooks : nation shall not lift up sword against natioji, neither shall thi y learn war any more. " Isa. li. j-4. 4. Observe; that the Person in whom they arc gathereil together is the Lord Jesus Christ, who made peace between (iod and men, betwxu-n men and angels, between Jews ami (ientiles, and between all men. " For it pleased \\\v leather that in him shoukl all Jul ness dwell ; anil. ha\ ing made peaci; Uirough tin blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unlo himself: by him. 1 say. whelluM* the\ be things i.i -arth, or things in ht'aven." Col. i, K), 20. Idiis grci'.t recoii c'liation having been accomplished by Christ. llu\ shall be all gathered together in him as unto a I lead The Mysterious Congress. 8i That he might, gather them together, and be a suitable Head to them, he took uiito iiim. in personal union, the nature of mtm. He took a nature wherein that of men ant! angels may be regarded as combineil ; lor tlu! human soul which hi; took to himself is a sj)irit which, though not strictly speaking angelic, is similar to angels. nd the body that he took is material, so that in his nerson th phy sical t;re' I- bodv. lit; 1) In h ivine th V crt^ated s|)irit, aiu 1 th( mi tl lesc th ree great elements meet, that men and ang<'ls should be closely and lirmlv united to him. and through him to (lod. 'I'o secure this grand union \\v. submitted to a temj)orary separa- tion from (iod and men. All his disciples forsook him m the hour of his ju-ril. aiul when he was on die cross die bather hid his face; from him. which caust^l him to cry : " My God. m\ (iod, why hast thou forsaken me.'^" by \ irtue of this awful separation \\v are reconcileil. His ificarnation was the summing of all in his Person, his ditath was a short separation, antl his resurrection \v;is \ irtually a gathering of all in him. and an assur- aiuf that all intended to fill up his mystical body shall he actually united to him. 5. Observe that there \vas a necessity for this gathering together, not oiiU for fallen men, but also lor holy angels, for though tht; latttM* were in friendshi]) with Ciod th(;re was no absolute certainty that they would not fall as other angrls had tdready done ; for <1'>(1 "putteth no trust in his saints; yea. the heayens ml '-Am ML.i m A Ml 1\ aL Ill 83 Discourses on Ephesians. are not clean in his sight." Job xv. 15. To make them secure, God gave them to his Son to be united to him as their Head, as well as the Head* of saved men, though in a different way. Because then he is, by Divine appointment, the Head of both, in him they stantl. We should aj)preciat(! the gospel that reveals this profound mystery, and that our knowledge of it may increase to our growth in holiiu.'ss, we should, in depentl- ence on .!ic Holy Spirit, prayerfully study the Word of God wherein he has l)een pleased to make his will known concerning the salvation of men, and the gather- ing together in one of " all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are in (;arth ; even in him." if truly desirous of knowing the mind of God concern- ing this matter, we will submit ourselves to his instruc tions with an hoiu^st desire to follow his directions. " If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of Ciod." John vii. 17. No one who has the Scriptures has a right to e.xcuse his ignorance of the way of salvation, for all who sincerely endeavour to ol)ey God shall bi' enlightened in the knowledge ol Christ. It is therefore our part to avail our.selves dili- gently of all the means of growth in spiritual knowkidj^t that Goil has graciously i)laced within our reach, look- ing to him for the e.verci.se of his power to make them effectual unto our salvation. The Inheritance. 83 DISCOURSE VII ''*v" TIIH INHKRITANCE. l"2pli. i. 11-13 : " III whom also wc have obtained an inheri- tance, heiiij; predestinated acconhiij,^ to the purpose of liini who worketh all thinf^'s after the counsel of his own will : that we should be to the praise of his ^lory, who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the Gospel of your salvation." T T AVI NG stated thi.' hicssings which Goil had jjur- -'- -■■ posed to b(;stow on his people, the apostle proceeds to make a practical .ipplicatioii of the great doctrines set lorlh. In his eternal counsels God chose them in Christ to holiness, he predestinated them to atloption hy Jesus Christ, "in wliom " thc^y "have redemption through his hlootl." and he purposed to " gather together in one all things in Christ," " in whom also," says he, ■' we have obtained an inheritance . . . who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye .ilso " obtained the same inheritance. I. Notice the inheritance of the saints. I. Observe that it is a rich inheritance. A man to whom an estate worth millions of money is left, by his father or some other relative, is consiilered wealthy, .so that friends congratulate and pa\ him 84 Discourses on Ephcsiaus. court; l)iit in comparison with tlut heirs of (iod, he is poor ; for believers inherit all things. " Whether I^iul, or Apollos. or Cephas, or tlie world, or life, or death, or thinjj^s present, or thinj^s to come, all are " theirs. I Cor. iii. 22. Being "heirs of (iod, and joint-heirs with Christ," therefore, all that (iod is, and possesses, are theirs. It is characteristic of those that they regard Ciod hims(!lf as their chief property, for each of them says: "I'he Lord is the portion of mine iidieritance and t)f my cii[): thou maintainesi my lot. The lin('sare fallen unto me in pleasant places ; yea, 1 have a goodly heri tage." IVs, wi. s. 6. 2. Observe th(Mi that this inheritance is inexhaust- ible, luring infmile in \alue and amount. (iod's wealth, as it is displaved in nature, shows his rt'sourctrs lo be bountlless. Litdil and heat ha\c been communicati;d to the earth for thousands of years, nor does it appear th.it these inlluences, so iu;cessar\ to the life of j)lants. animals, and men. arc; in the K'asi diminished. IMu,' earth has been for ages yielding sustenance to the \arious creatures li\ ing thereon, nor is its power of producing su|)|)ort to them appreciably less than at an) formi-r lime ; though possibly the number nourished thereby was never greater than al preseiu. .Since the fu'st mist arose "from the t;arth. and v itercd the whole face of the ground," then* has been no poverty of rain to refresh the fu-lds, and the trt^asury is as Jul! to-day as it was when the first shower fell. It TfTfirJiri • The Inheritance. 85 is true that (jrocl clistrihutes it as he pleases, when, where, and how it seems good to himself, for he does not. like us, require to ,)ractise economy lest the store should give out. If thi; trc^asures of his bounty in the natural world are so great, much more so are those of his grace. His compassion is houndU;ss. his mercy is unlimited, his lov(! is unfathomable, and his g(merosity is inexhaustible'. " I'Or (iod so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever l)elieveth in him should not perish, but hav(.' (everlasting life." |()hn iii. i6. "lie that spanxl not his own Son. but (Nelivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also Ire.ely give us all things?" Rom. viii. 32. 3. It is an inalienable inheritance. In this world parents ma\ becjueath laige (,'states to iheir children, but through various causes their patri- mony may pass away from them in a few y(;ars, so that such heirs, frotii a state of altluence. may fall into ])(>verty. To prevent such a result, many, in the exercise of what they consider wise foresight, entail their property so that it cannot be lost ; but it may income so encumbered that the owniT may be rt;ally poor; and in every case, each succe.ssive proprietor must h'ave it behind him, when he gcu:s out of this life into another world where he can bring no part of it with him, and if he iloes not lay up treasure in heaven, he will be absok>t(!ly poor through eternity. Not so, how- ever, the heirs of Ciod, for they have an everlasting ■I'i'H m ; .'I *\sk ^^i|i 86 Discourses on J ^fiesians. inheritance, which is "incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for " them, and they " are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation." i Peter i, 4. 5. Their title cannot be forfeited, for it is confirmed by an everlasting covenant with their Head, who amply fulfilled its conditions to the satisfaction of God the Father ; so that, in the midst of anxious misgivings, each of them may say : " Although my house be not so with God : yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure." 2 Sam. xxiii. 5. The endless jjos- session which is promised them, God will faithfully bestow upon th'-n. " I give unto them eternal life ; anil they shall nrtver perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of mv hand. Mv leather, which gave them me, is greater than all ; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand," John x. 2S. 29. II. Notice the heirs. "We have obtained an inheritance, . . who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also" obtained thi; same. I. The apostle and other believing Jews obtained the heavenly inhtritance. These have the distinguished honour of having it recorded of them that they " first trusted in Christ. " Some of the apostles had the jjrivilegt; of being first called by Christ, and of trusting in him before others, so that they are the first fruits of this New Testament The Inheritance. 87 Church. For these to whom Christ preached first, he specially prayed before his last sufferings. " I pray for them : I [jray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me. ... I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the (;vil. . . . And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might he sanctified through the truth. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which believe on me through their word." John xvii. 9-20. Though, as was natural, his human affections embraced his com- panions, yet he remembered all his futures disciples. To believe in Christ before others is represented by the apostle as an advantage. He says that thi; (iospel " is the power of God unto salvation to (;\ i;ry one that helieveth ; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.'' Rom. i. 16. On one occasion, as Peter preached in the temj)le to a congregation of Jews, he said : " Unto you first, God having raised u[) his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you. in turning away every one of you from his iniquities." Acts iii. 26. In one of Christ's inttTviews with his disciples after his resurrection, he uuiiL,du them "that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations. lK'L,nnning at Jerusalem. " Luke xxiv. 47. Me ijiformed them that the Gospel shouUI bt; preached first to the jews. It was Paul's practice, when he came to a city or country, to make Christ known to the Jews first, if .:M ? i % i i 88 Discourses on Ephesians. there were any there. Christ had a peculiar regard for them, and it was reasonable that he should, seeing that he was of them according to the flesh ; and though ascended into heaven, we are not entitled to think that he has lost his affection for his kinsmen. It is distinctly stated that, though unbelieving, "they are beloved for the fathers' sakes." Rom. xi. 28. We are at present, however, considering the privilege of being first in Christ ; for it may well be valued by those who are so distinguished in a family, neighbourhood, or country, and certainly those who belie:ve aftt-r them should treat them with considerate respect. To see a convert of a few weeks, or even a few years, pert and opiniona- tive before an old believer, is, to say tht- least, not very seemly. Such conduct plainly indicates lack of modesty, if not a more serious defect. Paul mentions to the honour of Andronicus and Junia. his " kinsmen, and . . . fellow prisoners," that they "were in Christ before" him. and also of Epa^netus, that he was "the hrst fruits of Achaia unto Christ." When a j)erson. whether young or old. is the first that is spiritually enlightened in a family, and believes savingly in Christ, he is the first fruit in the family. When one is thus become holy to God. the family becomes holy. " For if the first fruit be hob. the lump is also holy. Rom. .\i. 16. In the first converts to the Gospel in Hindostan, China, and Africa, these nations are con secrated to Christ. In this way the Mediator asserts till;:.!'' The Inheritance, 89 his universal sovereignty, by taking enfeoffment in his propi ity, as the old law term says, as a pledge of taking full possession of it in due time. 2. Gentiles also ohtaincicl the inheritance, " In whom ye also trusted. ' The word "trusted" is printed in italics, 1/^cause there is no word C(m> sponding to it in the ori;^inal. and though it n\akes good sense, it seems that wc should rather unvleiMand, in whom \e als«»> obtained an inheritancf anvl trusted. The wo things may b«' m\\Krstood , (o\ all that the apostle says of the Jews, rxcept the [)riority of trusting in Christ, he says also ol the (ientiles. 'i'he Kphi!sians trusted in Christ. lliough later than the apostles and other Jews ; but like them the: pLphesians were chosen in Christ to he holy, predestinated to the adoption of childr<:n. redeemetl, called, united to Christ, justified, and to obtain the inheritance. The same ransom was paid for them, they were saved by the same faith, they had the same Father and Saviour, they were members of the same family, and b(,'came entitled to the same privilege.s. 111. Notice the Person in whose right believers obtain the inheritance. " In whom also we have obtained an inheritance." 1. Ob.serve that the person meant is Christ, who. a^ Mediator was appointed heir of all things. ■uiM •4-W 90 Discourses on Ephesians. ml . As Mediator, God man, the Son ^ ^^ ..„,,de so much better '*^- J^^„;X\han they." ,,WerUance obuuned a more e e .^ ^^^^ tub. i. 4. He obtamed ""'^'•'^'" , ^„ .. „orshi,. '.U theangeUof God" '^'-^^^^^[^ ,hrone, C. him," and unto him the .athcr -^. ^^^^^ God, is for ever and ever a -ept ^ .^^^^^^^ i, ,he sceptre of ^V K'n^^"- J^J' J,y ,„a pro- h, is, like the Father, ^ ^^^^^^ character prietor of all things, yet tn h M r. ^^ ^^^^ LHeadoftheChu.h,a tW;^^^^^ saints was g.ven to h m ^^^ ^^^^ ^^„, When he was chosen to be th ^^^^^^^ ._, chosen in him ; for --^'^^^^^^^ „„ ,„,,„•,„,. God him his appointment "-"^'f,^, „,,,,„„, because it knew the whole object ol^^e - ^^ .^ .^ „as planned ^^'^j;;;; He fitted for the enjoy- necessaty that the ^e'rs shou ^^ „^^ ^^,^ „ent of the inheruance, C^ what they tua\ly it. |.\ u\)<\n kI thai everything necessary to put them in possession of it was properly arranged. " Being predestinated accord- ing to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will." If God works all things after the counsel of his will, he does everything necessary for his heirs to put them in actual possession of the inheritance. He works mightily in their hearts to induce them to accept it, and to fit them for the glorious blessedness in heaven that is settled upon them from everlasting, of which the title was duly purchased by Christ according to agreement. If it required the exercise of Divine wisdom and power to plan and carry out all the other works of God, much more did the devising and perfecting of the work of redemption and the producing of gracious effects on men's hearts ; Sr these are the greatest works of God. If " he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth," in regulating the affairs of nations, much more does he so in the heirs of salvation. If he " hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of the habitations " of men, then the heirs of heaven have their lot |)redestinated according to God's good pleasure. In preparing his people for receiving the tide to their inheritance, and fitting them for everlasting glory, he re(juired to exercise greater power and wisdom than he (lid in carrying on all his other works. Besides the moral change in their souls, there is the change that '■ li I '^% 94 Discourses on Ephesians. the bodies of the saints shall iindercro in the resurrec- tion. We are told that, when the Saviour will come the second time, he "shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things to himself." Phil. iii. 21. God will put forth upon the bodies of the saints to fit them for heaven the same power whereby all his enemies shall be conquered and overthrown for ever. V. We must, however, notice God's end in be- stowing the inheritance on his people. " That we should be to the praise of his glory." Though God's essential glory is incapable of increase or diminution, yet he is pleased to display his attributes by his works, that rational creatures may admire his excellence. He does not nved our praises, for they can add nothing to his blessedness ; but there is no exercise so healthy to ourselves as adoration and thanksgiving. What God principally re(|uires of us is praise. He represents other religious acts of obedience as much inferior to this. " Hear, () .ny people, and I will speak ; O Israel, and I will testify against thee : I am God, even thy God. I will nor reprove thee for thy sacrifices or thy burnt offerings, to have been con- tinually before me. I will take no bullock out of thy house, nor he-goat out of thy folds : for every beast ot the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. The Inherit a nee . 95 of his may St'S, \erc iintl us is liencc ;incl hec : IV. i'or con- liist of bills. I know all the fowls of the mountains ; and the wild beasts of the field are mine. If I were hungry, I would not cell thee : for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof. Will I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats .-* Offer unto God thanksgiving. . . , Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me." Ps. 1. 7-14, 23. From this we may understand that, unless we aim at glorify- ing God, he is not pleased with any service that we render to him. He did so much for us, not only to display the glory of his attributes, but also that we should show forth his praises, not merely as the irra- tional creation does, but with an intelligent purpose. Let those then, who are conscious of having never made the glory of God their end in anything, consider th< Ir position as guilty sinners exposed to the wrath of God. It is our duty and wisdom to pray to him to create in us a new heart and right spirit, that we may be able to rest on Christ for salvation. We need spiritual illumination that we may know him so as to be able to rest upon him for salvation with confidence. i ■ . ■ ; f l'^ nil 'm [_jmmMMnJm^i&^. 96 Discourses on Ephesians. DISCOURSE VIII. HELIEVERS SEALED. Eph. i. 13, 14: " In whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our mheritance unto the redemption of the purchased posses- sion, unto the praise of his glory. " npHE apostle speaks of an inheritance to which the "*■ Ephesians and all believers were "predestinated according to the purpose of hiri who worketh all things after the council of his own will." Though the right to it was purchased by Jesus Christ, and though they wert: appointed by the Father to possess it, yet they knew nothing of it until they heard of it " by the word of truth, the gospel of" their "salvation." When they believed in Jesus Christ, and began to hope that in due time they should be put in possession of it, they "were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, which " was " the earnest of" their " inheritance." I. Notice this work done in believers. They arc " sealed." I. This .sealing is distinct from faith, for it is after that they believe they are sealed. It is true that the Holy Ghost seals the truth Believe rs Sealed. 97 believed on the mind, and gives an assurance of it. The beHever is persuaded that the objects of faith are true, and he rests upon them with a measure of confi- dence ; but this is different from an assurance of his own interest in them. A person hears that a wealthy relative of his bequeathed his property to the nearest kinsmen. He knows himself to be one of these, and he firmly believes the report ; but he is not sure of his own title to a share in it until his claim is satisfactorily established. Paul says of the Thessalonians that "the Gospel came not unto" them "in word only, but also in i)Ower, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assur- ance," so that they "became followers of" the preachers of the word, "and of the Lord." i Thes. i. 5, 6. Their hearts were persuaded of the truth, and drawn after Christ in a manner that was above the power of natural reason. They had the assurance of faith, for the truth was sealed upon their minds, so that they were convinced of the certainty of the things which were revealed by the word. It must be observed, however, that it is not of the sealing of the promises concerning Christ that the apostle speaks here, but of the persons of believers, and it is evident that it is distinct from faith. It is not the cause of faith, for it is after men believe that they are sealed. Whatever this sealing means, it takes place after the first exercise of saving faith, either immediately, or at an interval of some time, iknng after faith, it is not regeneration, nor even sanctification :• S.1 1 !''' !''i' i'S iT 'hi •' ■ M 98 Discourses on Ephesians. in the ordinary sense. Sanctification is a sealing, but . not exactly what is meant in the text ; for all the elements of holiness, or all the parts of the new creature, are formed in the heart in regeneration prior to faith, but this sealing is after they believe. This sealing is with reference to an inheritance, ^ and in that respect a seal is used for two purposes : first, it makes the inheritance sure ; and, secondly, it makes the heir sure of the inheritance. It may be settled upon the heir by the testator, and the will may be duly sealed ; but the heir may not yet be sure that he is entitled to the estate. The heavenly inheritance is sure to those for whom it was designed in the will ot the Father, even before they believe, for " the founda- tion of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his." 2 Tim. ii. 19. The Lord's purpose with regard to his heirs is sure in itself, though they, even after they believe, are not necessarily sure of their interest in the inheritance of the saints. This assurance is given by the Holy Ghost when he per- suades them that the inheritance is theirs as " heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ." This is what the apostle means when he says : " Now he which stab- lisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is Ciod : who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts." 2 Cor. i. 21, 22. The three expressions, " stablisheth," "anointed," and "sealed," mean an assurance of an interest in the promises and Believers Sealed. 99 of these good things whereof he gives an earnest in the heart. Of this sealing baptism is an emblem. In the Acts of the Apostles we read that when adults believed, they were baptized, and then the Holy Ghost fell upon them, and they rejoiced. When the eunuch was baptized, " he went on his way rejoicing." Acts viii. 39. Also, when the jailor was baptized, " he rejoiced, believing in God with all his house." In the early days of the Gospel, the seal of the Spirit followed the external seal of baptism, and in modern days we ought to pray for joy in the Holy Ghost and assurance of our own salvation. Assurance is obtained in two ways : a man is en- abled by the Spirit to see the work of grace in his own soul ; and thus, to his comfort, he is persuaded that he is the subject of a saving work. This is what the apostle means when he says : " Tribulation worketh patience ; and patience, experience ; and experience, hope." Rom. V. 3, 4. Believers also obtain a direct manifestation of God in their souls by the Spirit ; for they have, at times, a living intercourse with God, an intuitive sense of his presence which does not require any process of reasoning to make it more satisfactory. Like the axi- oms of mathematics, the matter admits of neither proof nor argument. In the case any process of reasoning would be impertinence. Though this blessed realiza- tion of God's favour is satisfactory at the time, yet genuine believers do not rest upon it. We read that IS ' m lit ■'■,lil 'i 100 Discourses on Ephcsiaus. jni|i|ii| " there are three that bear record on earth ; the Spirit, and the water, and the blood." i John v. 8. The be- hever's appreciation of the blood of Christ gives him the assurance of faith, but this, though real, may be so very faint that the person who rests upon it may fear that his faith is not genume. He has the testimony of the blood, but he may not be able to apprehend it with clearness. Besides that of the blood there is the testimony of the water in the work of sanctification. This is an internal evidence, "the witness in himself," which, when the Spirit enables him to read it, gives him "the assurance of understanding." When it pleases him to do so " the Spirit himself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God." Rom. viii. 1 6. This is the assurance of hope, a sealing of us "with that Holy Spirit of promise unto the day of redemption."* H. Observe that this sealing is after we believe. The apostles were believers, and trusted in God before they had received the Spirit to seal them and give them assurance of hope. The Spirit in regenera- tion enabled them to see the glory of Christ as of the only begotten of the Feather, so as to believe and follow him, before he had given them a comfortable assurance of their title to eternal blessedness. Christ • The author is indebted to the late Rev. D. McNab, of Renfield Street Free Church, Glasgow, Scotland, for the above exposition of i John v. H Believers Sealed. lOI us of antl lera- thc- table ;.hrist Id street said to them : "Ye believe in God "; but they needed more than that to cheer and strengthen them. Though spiritually enlightened in a measure, they did not clearly know the way to heaven, nor had they solid "assurance of hope." They had the Spirit, for Christ said so. " The F"ather . . . shall give you another Com- forter, that he may abide with you for ever ; even the Spirit of truth ; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him : but ye know him ; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you." John xiv. 1 6, 17. The meaning is evidently this: they had the Holy Ghost already as a sanctifier, for he had quickened them into spiritual life, and opened their eyes to know and lay hold of Jesus Christ by faith ; but he promised to send him to them as the Comforter. The Spirit must come first into a man's heart to con- vert him, and then as the Spirit of adoption and joy. Cornelius and his friends by the Spirit's operations believed the Gospel as preached by Peter, and then he was given to them in richer measure so that they spake " with tongues and magnified God." Acts x. 46. " God which knoweth the hearts " saw that they believed, and "bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost." Acts XV. 8. Christ must first be yours before you can say that he is yours. He becomes yours by faith, and in due time you are enabled to know that you have re- ceived him to be yours. He may be yours in the pur- pose of God, but you are without him until you believe WW " ■■[111 t'W m ■'^''■^WBi .iW'imM :lm ^i :: ■ <; ■ '{•■1 'M^. " ''*"*'*'lil > rjM 4 9 'r ( M HHB^^BSS! 11 ] . '! 1 02 Discourses on Epiiesians. He is not yours actually until you believe, nor can you be persuaded of your receiving him until the Holy Ghost demonstrates to you the fact when he seals you " unto the day of redemption." n. Notice the Person who seals believers. "Ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.'' The apostle refers in this chapter to the part of each Person of the Godhead in our salvation. The Father "hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in Christ : according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we sho aid be holy and without blame before him in love : laving predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ unto himself, according to the good pleasure of his will." In the Son "we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace," and by the Spirit, who "is the earnest of their inheritance," believers "are sealed." I. Observe that the Person who seals believers is called the "Spirit of promise." Because the Holy Ghost is promised to believers to seal them, he is called " that Holy Spirit of promise." The great promise of the Old Testament was Christ. and the promise of thel New Testament is the Holy Ghost. "We declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers, God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath Believers Sealed. 103 Christ- Holy w that Id hath ke batb raised up Jesus again ; as it is written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee." Acts xiii. 32, t,t,. All the holy witnesses " having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise," that is, Christ. Heb. xi. 39. In New Testa- ment times, when he came into the world he promised to send the Spirit, to *' reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment," and to enlighten believers to their comfort. Before his ascension Christ said to his disciples : " Behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you : but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high." Luke xxiv. 49. " And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water ; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence." Acts i. 4, 5. That great promise began to be fulfilled on the clay of Pentecost, when by the Spirit who descended upon them, the apostles spake to the strangers present at the feast "the wonderful works of God" in various lan- guages, and in answer to the scoffers who said that they were drunk, Peter said: "This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. Therefore, being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear." Acts ii. t^t,. "is ' ' .^ II; i I t.i -ft {' '^^^' 1 r m 104 Discourses on Ephesians. I I "That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ*, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith." Gal. iii. 14. God promised his Son, and in due time gave him ; he also promised the Spirit, and he has also fulfilled his word. Besides the Son and the Spirit, God promises himself: — " I will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." 2 Cor. vi. 18. "I will be their God, and they shall be my people." Jer. xxxi. ^^^y- ^^ ^^^ '^i*^' believers we have God's promise of the Spirit, not only to sanctify, but to seal and comfort us. If we then appreciate the promise we will pray for its fulfilment. Those who rest on Christ by faith are then justified and pardoned, but they greatly \\ii^<\ an assurance of the fact, and this is given only by the Si)irit. This explains Peter's words to those who were pricked in their hearts on the day of Pentecost : — " Repent, and be baptizetl every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy (ihost," to give you an assurance of pardon. 2. Observe that he is the Holy Spirit. "That Holy Spirit of promise." 1 ie is called Holy, not only because he is essentially so, but also because he produces holy effects in believers in sanctifying and sealing them. He makes all whom he seals holy by that very act. I'his is the effect ))r()duced by the assurance that the Holy Ghost gives. If this blessed Believers Sealed ■ __________^ ■ 105 res.,lt is not produced by the confi 1 ~" ."-e experienced, they are no, T^'^^"'" ^"^ joy that 'he products of the /e.sh There"" ^f '" '"^''^'y "ot at all uncommon amon^ nJ " ^^^"rance, of P-ducing charity, hu ly^ndTr''''' '"^"^'^ censoriousness, pride ,„,,^;.' °'''^''"^"'='^. Produces <-^- I' - on y to tTo e T"' °' ""^ *'•" °^ holiness God grants hi S """"^">' -"-••«e Christians who'ar:.:;;rt:tr "^v,'"™- ^^™^' "'"ch comfort. •• He th t h ""^ '■■'""°' '^^^^■ ^""1 keepeth them, he it is th.M '? """""^'"^hnents. lo>eth me shall be lov«1 o T'!' '"' ' ^'"'' ''<-■ '^at f™. -c. Will n,ani^:r ;:j;^:t",^'r'h' "'" ''^- '' 's when people desire "''*" '"^'- -^'■ ^;-fngthatUor:it::'ySt::sr7r''^''''^ "htan, it make real progress in I, r "'°'" *''° '™""' ;■" «-y good' wor, , • ;:::d """ '•^^--^ paratively carnal ,nJ r i, ''J''^'^'^'^ ^ere com- -- upon them ' ht' t T. '"^ ""'>■ «"-. ";- powerfully devote, t 1 L ™""'-^'' "^ ^ ■'"'••'•■ It niigh, |„. ,„.,, ,1^ '«"'"« 'mmediately ""^ ■'^P.Vit upon th n h t" " "'" "^'^ ''™ °' "■« 'hey iere bcfr ^ "'"''■."''''''--- men '■•■-I'^'^'y that their ;.„ ^^' '""""' "^ Christ so »-''h Jest,.s," Acts iv ,; f ":• f " "'^>' had been ■'■-"duced in us if we received'ir"' """'" """''' "^^ --- i„,ycom,„andXoiir;it^;;v"^'r '^r u as Were the in \'\) 1 06 Discourses on Ephesians. apostles. Let us, therefore, pray for the fulfilment of the promise, and act like people who desire to receive it ; for if we do so, we shall hardly have much taste for frivolous amusements, whether of a secular or religious character. Indeed, we should rather fear them ; for they have a blighting influence on spiritu- ality. Let us noi then obey the flesh in its lusts, but do the will of Christ, that God by his Spirit may dwell in us, and be our God. and we his people. .^. Observe that the Holy Ghost is the earnest of the inheritance of the saints. An earnest differs from a pledge ; for the latter is something given in security for money or anythin<( else that one may borrow, and it is of greater value than what is secured by it ; but the former is of the* same kind as the thing promised. An earnest is given to confirm the promise and pledge the promiser to fulfil his word. By it he binds himself, his property, and his character to stand by his agreement. In certain countries it is customary, when one nires a servant for a stated period at such wages as may be agreed on, to hand him a piece of money to bind tlu' bargain. This is of the same kind as the wages promised, and pledges the honour and property of the employer to pay the stipulated wages when due. This God does to his people when he gives them his .Spirit as the earnest of the 1 ward promised to them. From this we may see w at the object of their hope is Believers Sealed. 107 :i»i!f: { ti e Dr av LU- veil ■nest ter Is value f the iriveu cr to perty. ires 'V hay 1^^' wage^ of tht 'Vbis Spivli Seeing that the Holy Ghost, who is God, is the earnest of the inheritance of the saints, by giving him, God pledges his honour to give himself to his people as their everlasting reward. The Psalmist so understood the matter when he said : — " The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance." Ps. xvi. 5. God gives his Spirit to believers to sustain them " until the redemption of the purchased possession." Though Christ redeemed them by a ransom, yet there is a further redemption. When the Holy Ghost works "faith in us, and thereby unites us to Christ." the r(;demption purchased by Christ becomes ours ; but jjesides this there is the redemption of the body at the resurrection, for which the new creature waits ; for not only does " the whole creation groan and travail in pain together until now, . . . but ourselves also, which have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we our- selves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body." Rom. viii. 22, 23. IH. Notice God's end in sealing believers by his Spirit. " Ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise . . . unto the praise of his glory." It is for this high end that God performed all his works. He created the worlds with their inhabitants to display the greatness of his power, wisdom, and goodness. " The Lord hath made all things for him- n r ^pi«i 1 08 Discourses on Ephesians. self." Prov. xvi. 4. "The heavens declare the glory of God." Ps. xix. I. He made responsible creatures which he endowed with intelligence whereby they knew the duty they owed to their Maker. He gave them capacity to know himself, and to derive comfort from the gifts of his goodness wherewith he bountifully sur- rounded them. While they continued in this blessed state they admired the glory of God's attributes as they were manifested in his works. Though they clearly understood that God had a just right to their allegiance, they had yet no clear demonstration of retributive justice. It is when they revolted by trans- gression that they perceived themselves with horror to be bound to suffer merited punishment for ever ; nor did any creature know that mercy for the guilty existed in the Divine mind until it was revealed. To exhibit the glory of all his attributes, God permitted some of his moral creatures to sin by disobedience to his will. When the rebel angels fell, he manifested his grace in fortifying other angels in their loyalty, but revealed his justice in delivering the transgressors into "chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment." 2 Peter ii. 4. For the purpose of displaying his mercy he suffered man to disobey his will ; and though in his treatment of the human race he shows his abhorrence of sin, he made known the glory of his grace by the intimations of his merciful purposes towards his chosen people which were made in Old Testament days, and t..^^: Believers Sealed. 109 by the fulfilment of these promises in sending his own Son into this world in their nature to make satisfaction for them. His glory is further displayed by the work of the Holy Ghost in applying the redemption pur- chased by Christ to men, and in sealing believers. As every blessing that God confers on his people is to the praise of his glory, it is our duty to bless him heartily for them. If one is enabled to rest on Christ by ^aith, he should live to the praise of God's glory. If he has gospel assurance, he should exhibit his gratitude in holy submission to the will of God, and in practical love to God and men. If the earnest of the inheritance of the saints is so glorious, and produces such joy in those who receive it, the inheritance itself must be unspeakably blessed, and if we have the earnest, we should serve God with patience until he sees proper to call us to our eternal rest. The question, however, is, whether we have accepted redemption from condemnation ; if not, we have not the earnest of the Spirit, nor can we be "sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise," until we agree to God's proposal of deliverance through Jesus Christ. This is a matter of pressing importance that should be settled without delay ; for sinners have an earnest of future misery, inasmuch as the devil dwells in their hearts. They have a foretaste of future misery in the various sorrows of life and the accusations of conscience. Sinners are certainly in great peril, but »vf] III *■ i- Vm "Wiif 11 ■M.f ' ''If \ < ¥ )'! r jv, no Discourses on Ephesians. escape is open. Let them, therefore, cast from them the earnest of woe, forsake the service of the devil, and engage with Christ to obey him in dependence on his grace to sustain them therein. " Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts : and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him ; and to our God, for he will abun- dantly pardon." Isa. Iv. 7. DISCOURSE IX. PAULS PRAYER FOR THK KPirKSIANS. Eph. i. 15, 16: "Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers." TI)ECAUSE in apostolic days people had not such ^~^ facilities of communication as we have, it is possible that Paul heard nothing of the Ephesians since he met their elders at Miletus, when he warned them of evils that he knew would arise among them. to corrupt their faith and morals. Until some years afterwards, when prisoner in Rome, his anxiety was relieved by good news concerning them. To this favourable report he gratefully refers, saying : "after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, I cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers." Paul's Prayer for the Ephesians, III I. Notice Paul's prayers for the Ephesians: "I cease not to give thanks for you, making men- tion of you in my prayers." The apostle had been the instrument of the con- version of the Ephesians, 'as we see recorded in Acts xix. I -20. On his first visit to them such was his suc- cess that he remained three years among them ; during which time he "ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears." Acts xx. 31. After he left them he continued to pray for their spiritual prosperity ; and it appears that he was stimulated to increased earnestness in this Christian exercise by the good report of their steadfastness in the faith which he had received. By this gratifying news his apprehensions of the rising of heresies and irregularities among them were much relieved. 1. Observe that it was Paul's custom to make mention in his prayers of those in whose welfare he was interested. The word means either remembrance or mention. Here it evidently means the latter, for we do not say make remembrance, but have remembrance ; but it implies that he remembered them. The remembrance of another in prayer is the root from which the mention of him springs. When the Holy Ghost binds believers to each other in Christian attachment, he causes them so to bear each other on their spirits that they refer to each other in their prayers. It was tlie apostle's custom :i:\ \S\ 'M\ \ ' > ' ( I I i Discoursex on Ephesuxiis, ■M to act in this way towards churches and individuals. Ill the l^pistlo to the Philippiaiis he: said : " licinj^ con- fident of lliis very thinj;, that he which hath l)e};un a good work in you will perforin it until th(! day of Jesus Christ : even as it is mex^t fur ni(^ to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart. " IMiil. i. 6, ;. The fact, that the Spirit l)rins.;s persons, churches, and n^ligious interests into the minds of devout peoples in prayer, is an encouraL»t'ment to pray lor them with con fidence that (iod will grant their petitions on their behalf. The apostle often prayed for persons by name. "To Timothy, my dearly beloved son: (irace, mtM'cy, and peace, from God the bather and Christ Jesus our Lord. I thank (iod, whom 1 .serve from my foritfallu is with pure conscience, that without ceasing I haxc remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day; 2 Tim. i. 2, 3. To Philemon he said : " I thank my Ciod, making mention of thee always in my prayers." Philem. 4. So warm was the generous-h(NU*ted Paul's Christian aftection that he must have s[)ent much time in intercession for others. In almost all his epistles he tells those to whom he writes that he prayeil for them. " Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ : Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our b'ather and the Lord Jesus Christ. We give thanks to God always for you all, making me4ition of you in our prayers ; remeiii- PaiiPs Prayer for the liphesians. 113 bcriiij^ without ceasing your work of faith, ami labour of love, ami paticnia^ of ho|)<; in our Lord Jl'sus Christ, ill the sight ol (iod and our I'athcr." i Thess. i. 1-3. 2. Paul gave thanks to (iod for th(t grace Ixistowed oil tiiose in whose W(;lfare he was so much int(!rested. " 1 cease not to giv(! thanks for you." iiy prayer we declare our d<;pend(!nce uj)on (itnl for what wt' want, hut in thanksgiving we make an acknowledgmt'iit of what he has aln^ady Inistowtul on us. In the Iniginning of this chai)ter the apostle n-fers lo s(*veral great blessings which (iod conferr(;d upon th(! l^phesian.s, and h(NU'ing that th(;y were effectual in producing faith and love, h(! hi^artily gives thanks to (iod for his liln^rality to them. As (iod was glorified by the fruits of his grace in th(;m, i'aul glorifu^s him by offering thanksgiving. We are bound to praise (iod for mercies rc;ceived as well as to pray for mercies iicaU^d. "Offer unto (iod thanksgiving ; and pay thy vows unto the Most iligh: and call upon me in the day of trouble." Ps. 1. 14, 15. 3. Observe that the aposth; was constant in thanks- giving and prayer. " 1 cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers." It is as if he said : In my .secret prayers which I offer to God I always mention you, asking him to bless you, and praising him for what he has already given you. He was persevering in his re(iuests to God for himself and others, and mightily e.xemplified the teach- 'I'^IH .1^ " i^i 114 Discourses on Ephesians. W ' I ing of Christ, " That men ought always to pray, and not to faint." Luke xviii. i. As he believed that, when he asked things necessary to his own salvation and that of others, for the glory of God, they would be given, he therefore persevered until it pleased God to grant his requests. In this he was encouraged by God's libe- rality in bestowing already such valuable gifts on himself and his friends. It is our duty to pray in faith for whatever things are needed to secure our own salvation, and for the manifestation of the glory of God by the gracious effects produced by the gospel : but for such things as are not expressly promised we should pray in submission to God's will. That we should praise God as we ought, we must be able to recognize his answers to our prayers ; for our thanksgivings should correspond with our petitions. If we do not see that God answers our prayers, we cannot sincerely thank him ; and words of gratitude that come merely from the head, but not from the heart, are simply hypocrisy. Let us then see how far we can perform this duty, or whether we can honestly thank him for anything. Some may flatter themselves that they can, but they had better see whether they are not mistaken. How can any one thank God if he does not savingly know him ? II. But we notice the apostle's reasons for thanks- giving. "Wherefore I also cease not to give thanks for you." Paul's Prayer for the Ephesians. 115 ►t le of t\e lis De- self for ion. the such ay in God swers spond ^swers words ut not en see e can flatter hether God it thanks- to give I. The word "wherefore" indicates an inference from what is already stated. It might here be supposed to have some reference to what follows, but it rather ser ms to direct us to the preceding mention of blessings bestowed by God as the apostle's reason for prayer and thanksgiving. The consideration of these Divine favours filled his mind with hope, gladness, and admiration of God's bounti- ful grace " Wherefore," that is, for this reason, " I cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers." When the apostle thought how they were chosen in Christ, predestinated to the adop- tion of children, redeemed by the blood of Christ, regenerated to faith and holiness, sealed by the Spirit, who is the earnest of our inheritance ; and since he heard of their faith and love, he ceased not to thank God for them. He observed that all these blessings were bestowed upon them "unto the praise of" God's "glory," as his great end in all his purposes. As he himself was so much at one with God, he thanked him for such a display of his wisdom and goodness in the case of the Ephesians. If he praised God for his bounty to them, much more ought they to thank him for his mercy. He speaks of the matter as if he were a spec- tator, " I also." Seeing that I feel bound to express gratitude to God for you, surely you will thank him for yourselves. If Paul's thankfulness for the Ephesians should stir up grateful sentiments in them, it is clear m '■•hm iNli! n ii6 Discourses on Ephesians. that the solicitude of godly friends about the salvation of kinsmen and acquaintances should deeply affect the objects of their concern. Suppose that this is read by a careless person who knows that his father, mother, or some Christian friend, has, for months or years, been wrestling with God in prayer for him, should not the knowledge of this fact awaken anxiety in his mind con- cerning himself ? They understand his perilous position as he advances towards outer darkness, into which he may any day pass away from the comforts of this life, to the regions of woe, the everlasting habita- tions of devils and damned souls. They fear that, in the midst of his recklessness, or in a drunken state, he may be snatched away to lift up his eyes in the torments of hell. If pious people have such painful apprehen- sions of the possible fate of foolish sinners, ought they not to consider their own danger, and cry to God for grace that they may repent and believe ? 2. Observe that God's gifts to the Ephesians produced such gracious effects upon them as were manifest to others. Their faith and love to the aints were so evident that they could be reported tO the apostle. Grace generally manifests itself in its subjects so that their acquaintances see by their lives that they are under its influence. It produces holy dispositions in various degrees in different believers. It causes some who are naturally proud to study to be humble, PauTs Prayer for the Ephesians. 117 some passionate people to be meek, some mean people to be generous, some covetous people to be liberal, some extravagant to be provident, and some who were dissolute to become virtuous. It is not characteristic of those who savingly know the Lord to proclaim the same in words, but to exhibit it in their conduct ; for grace tends to make men modest, because it makes them more conscious of defects than goodness. Those who make the most satisfactory progress in the Divine life do not so much speak of their advancement as those who make least progress therein or none at all ; for the latter would fain pass for saints among men. A wealthy or learned man seldom speaks of his pos- sessions or acquirements, whereas those who possess litde of either often boast. Let us then study rather to have grace than to make a loud profession ; for by the former we shall glorify God, whereas by the latter we dishonour him if our behaviour be inconsistent with it. y^ti III. But this leads me to notice the occasion of his increasing earnestness in his prayers and thanksgiving for them. " Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers." The apostle was at their conversion an eye-witness of their faith and love ; for "many that believed came, 1 1 ■ '1 i ;■ ' t J t ii8 Discourses on Ephesians. and confessed, and showed their deeds. Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burnt them before all mc^n : and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed." Acts xix. 18-20. Some years after- wards, when on his way from Greece to Jerusalem, he landed at Miletus, sent for the elders of the church at Ephesus, and expressed to them his apprehension of the rising among them of serious errors in doctrine and morals ; but when now some years had passed, he was credibly informed in his prison in Rome that they continued in f;.ith and love. Being greatly refreshed by this report, he gave thanks to God for them. These two graces are often joined together in the; Scriptures, and both are always in the hearts of God's people. Faith without love is not genuine. If "1 have all faitl.,' says the apostle, "so thai I could remove mountains, and have not chanty, \ am nothing." I Cor. xiii. 2. "What doth it p-ofit, my brethren, though a man say that he hath faith, and have not works? Can faith save him ? If a brother or sister be nai\\ the cross. There is much faith that ne\er lays hold of a dying Saviour, but it is (lead faith. The cross is the place where an awakened sinner becomes first united to Christ. People may have no doubt of Christ's birth, miracles, teaching, siifterings, death, resurrection, and ascension to heaven, hut they need to rest upon him as his people's substi- tute offering h!.nself to God to make an atonement for their sins, in order to their justification. \\ iin'J?l!l i'! I20 Discoursrs oft liplusiatis. 'X\\v apostle hcrt" means not merely the first act of lailh l)y vvhieh they became united to Christ, hut th<' continueil i!,\ercis(; of it. He saw the fn'st manitesta tion of their faith when they turned from iilols to God through his preaching, but the fiith to which he r(!fers here was reported to him by others who saw its con tinned fruits, lie calls it " your faith," and expresses his pleasure at the fact that it was well known to other churches. It appears that tin; ICphesians had a high reputation for fn'th. Paul says also of th(! Romans that their fiilh was "s|)oken of" throughout the whole world.' Rom. i. S. These churches were distin- guished for their f»ith. Some renu'mber wIumi the b'ree Church of Scotland eminently showetl herself lo be so richly endow(>d with the same grace that, lo uphokl the honour of" Christ and the liberties of his people, she gavi" up her liMiipoial support, cast hersell on Christ for maintenance, and iiopefully engaged in more than her former enterprises both at home ami abroad ; nor has she had to this day any cause to regret her trust in the Head of" the Church. \\'» occasion. dly see men who, becau.se their faith is strong, .iccomplish far nK)re than other l)eli(;vers in the work of Christ. There is, f"or instance, (ieorge M tiller ot liristol, Mnglaml, also Pr. Mackay of T'ormo.sa, Chiiui, and there was Dr. Duff, the prince of modern amhas- .sadors for Christ to the heathiMis. The (juestion arises, Why have we not strong faith as well as these ? (ioil Paul's Prayer for the Ephcsians. 121 is not less faithful to lis than to them. May not thr! reason be that we do not know him sufficiently because we are not disposed to do his will. Our faith, if we have any, is well nij^h beinj^ smothered by disobedicMice and the love of the world. 2. 01)S(,'rve that the faith of the I'^phesians mani- fested itself by "love unto all the saints." I'he apostle doc^s not here s|»(;ak of I()V(; to (iod, because when; th(;re is love to the saints as saints, there is love to Goil, because it is from it that Christian charity springs. " livery nwv. that Iov(;th him that hej^at loveth him also that is bejj^otten of him." i John V. 1. "if a man say, 1 love (iod, and hateth his brother, he is a liar* for he that loveth not his hrolher whom he hath seen, how can he lov(! God whom he hath not seen .'* And this commandnKMit have we from him. That hv. who loveth (jod love his hr()llu!r also." i John iv. 20, 21. If men do not love those in whom is the imaj^e of God, and because ihcy iliscern it in them, they cannot possibly love Ciod himself, whatever their profession to that effect may be. It must be ol)S(;rved that love to th(; saints as such is much higher than geiuiral benevolence to men ■ukI natural kindness to relations. It is a supernatural affection, an e.xercise of the spiritual life implanted in the soul by the Holy Ghost. People may love be- lievers as pleasant neighbours, but not l)ecaus<,' they •irc saints. The Saviour makes this distinction wh<,'n '• t.*l M **.* m 122 Discourses on Ephesians. he says : "He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward ; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward. And whosever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall In no wise lose his reward." Mat. x. 41, 42. It is said of the Ephesians that they loved all the saints ; and this I regard as no small trial of Christian charity; for there are some saints that are rather fro- ward than amiable. Many of them are naturally proud, censorious, peevish, pettish, or not particularly scrupu- lous in some things. If w^ believe, however, that we discern indications of the image of Christ in them we are bound to love them, even if they condemn our conduct, injure our property, slander our reputation, and even hate us as enemies. It is hard to do this, but grace is able to sustain us therein ; and if we hon- estly desire to exercise this charity, God will enable us to do it, and will give us much comfort in our en- deavours. Let us, therefore, love the saints, that our souls may prosper spiritually, and God may be glorified in us. PatiVs Prayer for the Ephesians. 123 DISCOURSE X. PAULS PRAYER FOR THE EPHESIANS — CONTINUED. Eph. i. 17, 18: "That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him : the eyes of your under- standing being enlightened ; that ye may know wiiat is the hope ot his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints." "1 1 T'HEN the apostle, while prisoner in Rome, heard ^ ^ of the steadfastness of the Ephesians in the faith, and in love to all the saints, he was stirred up to give thanks to God for them, and to pray that he would enlighten them by his Spirit in the knowledge of himself, that they might know what was "the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints," and also the greatness of Divine power whereby they were renewed and sanc- tified. In these verses there are two things to which I purpose to direct the reader's attention : The spiritual illumination of believers, and the valuable effects of it. 1. Notice the spiritual illumination of believers. '• That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit iS '-, • i ■I > Mi ' n m I mm ■< .,■,■'■> 'W T24 Discourses on Eplwsians. of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him : the eyes of your understanding being enlightened." I. The Agent who enlightens. Men may communicate knowledge of natural things to each other, as we can, by observation and diligent application of our powers, acquire knowledge both of physical and religious truths ; but no one can aj)prehend spiritual things unless the Holy Ghost gives him the power of discerning the truths which are re- vealed to his mind by God. In this department wc are altogether powerless ; for the eyes of the untU;r- standing are blind, so that " the light of the glorious gospel of Christ " cannot shine into the hearts of those who do not believe. It is hard to convince sinners of this darkness and of their own inability to remove it. It is those who are enlightened who are truly con- vinced that it is God who (enables them to know the way of reconciliation through Christ. " Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona : for llesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in hea- ven." Matt. xvi. 17. 2. Observe that the chief blessing prayed for is the knowledge of God. " That God . . . may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him." It was not the saving apprehension of Christ, whereby a sinner rests upon him by faith for pardon, Paul's Prayer for the Ephesians. 125 re of »elng i\c can t gives are rt'- ent we glorious lof those nners ol move it. ly con- l\0\V tlK* ssec\ art -»ath not s in hca- red for in nvay elation in )f Cbrist, )r pardon. justification, and accei)tance, that the apostle has here in view, .seeing his prayer was for those who were believers already; neither is it merely an enlargement of the renewed understanding in spiritual truths, so that they might have clearer views of God and the princi- ples of the Christian religion, hut an experimental knowledge resulting from living communion with God. Till' minds of l)elievers are enlarged by the study of the gospel, as were the two disciples who went to l^inmaus, when on the way Christ "expounded unto them in all th». scrip'^u'-es the things concerning him- self"; but this might be done without their having spiritual fellowship with him. One may understand much of the character of a stranger, but he knows a friend with whom he is intimate in a very different wav ; to the one he is reserved, but to the other he is frank. One may have correct ideas of the properties of a certain article of food, but he who u.scs it, though not learned in chemistry, and though he may be ignorant of the elements of which it is composed, has an experimental knowledge of its strengthening effects. Natural men may have intelligent \iews of God and Divine truth, but they do not know him as their friend: and some believers may have an intelligent conception of the principles of the Christian religion, while men far inferior to them in intellectual acquirements may oxcel them much in holiness, through the knowledge produced by intimate fellowship with God constantly tiil'l 4 ■:i - H Hi ||* ii iii ' 126 1 pi '\ Discourses on liphesiaus. !, maintaitu'cl. VV lien Christians attain toaj^oocl m(;asurc of this c\[K;ri(Mic(' they have incn^ascd hbcrty in draw ing near to Ciod, and fhul it good to lo so ; for then thoy hav(! courage; to speak to their Ahnighty I'^riend of all things concerning themselves and others in whose welfare they are interested. Sometimes th(!y have much to say of these matters, and it gives them great relief to poin^ their joys, sorrows, or i)eri)le.\iti('s into the ears of a faithful friend on whose sympathy, aid, and wisdom they can rely. God, in return, imparls his iiiitul to them, and often gives thcMn assurance ol his interest in their wc^lfare. When Moses, with grcii familiarity, but ht)ly reverence, prayed to him, saying, " I pray thee, if I have found grace: in thy sight, show me now thy way, that I mjiy know th(!e, that I may find grace in thy sight . . . ," Ciod replies, " 1 will ilo this thing also that thou hast spoken ; for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name." Ex. xxxiii. 13, 17. In their friendship they mutiiallv knew each other. We fnul the same holy familiarity exemplified by Abraham when he interceded for Sodom. The Psalmist refers to it, when he says; " It isLiood for me to draw near to God." Ps. Ixxiii. 28. Christ said that the intimacy between him and his disciples was like that between himself and his I'^ither. ** I know my sheep, and I am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the F"ather. John X. 14, 15. This is so important a part of spiritual 'eye into t| them 1 1 l^nowel The c(l doin aj the clif/ Pnid's Prayer for the liphesians. 127 Iclijjfion that every oiu; of us should strive to attain it, ami to continue steadfastly therein. As it is the fruit of holiness, it cannot be enjoyt'd r(;gularly without prayer and watchfulness. "Wt; do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might he filh^d with th(; knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding ; that ye might walk worthy of the Lortl unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of Ciod." Col. i. 9, 10. It is those who are careful to i>lease Ciod who grow in th(! knowledge of him, and this in its turn promotes holy ol)etlience and comfort. Peter says, "Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of (iod." 2 Peter i. 2. To those who cultivate communion with him, God gives spiritual comfort. 3. Observe that this knowledge is bestowed by "the Spirit of wisdom and revelation." It seems that the "Spirit" here mentioned is the Holy Ghost, because all Divine revelations are made by him. The apostle says that the things which no "eye hath seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, . . . God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit : for . . . the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God." i Cor. ii. 9-1 1. The common distinction between knowledge and wis- dom appears to be applicable here, and that it constitutes the difference between revelation and wisdom. In this \m J ^U f\ r 128 Discourses on liphcsians. t i:;J place it is not an extraordinary r(;v(!lation that is meant, such as the prophets received when (iod communicated to them, for the instruction of the church, n(;w truths that were not known ht^fore, nor such as Paul himsell received rrt)m Christ to ([ualify him to preach the j^ospcl, anil of which lie saitl : " IMie n()S|)el which was preached of me is not after man. Voy I neither received it of man, neither was I lauijht it, hut by the rev(;lation of J(?sus Christ." Cial. i. 11, 12. Though not the same as that, it resembles it inasmuch as it is not from man, but from Ciod. " They shall Ik* all laui^ht of God," John vi. 45. It is common to all believers, but imparteil in different degrees according to the good pleasure of Ciod. It is called revelation because the malli'rs rc'vealed could not be othervvi.se known, neidier can this experiment.il knowledge of God be communicatixl by one man to another, nor can any natural man know it at all. " I thank thee, O b'ather. Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wi.se and prudent, and hast revealed them imto babes. Even so. leather ; for .so it seemed good in thy sight. All things arc delivered unto me of my Fatht'r : and no man knowcth the Son, but the Father ; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whom.soever the Son will reveal him." Mat. xi. 25-27. Seeing this know- ledge is peculiar to believers, all other people are utter strangers to it. It is a new knowledge, a revelation ol what those receiving it never saw or understood before. PauVs Pray. . for the Efyltcsians. 129 Niitiiral men have sonic true, thouj^h dim, conceptions ol" Gotl ; they know him to be omnipotent, omniscient, just, and benevolent ; l)Ut wh(!n he reveals himself to any one in the face of Jesus Christ, h(; obtains a view of iiim that makt^s his former notions .appear as nothing. 1 meet a ptM'son for the first timi; in the dark, havinjj^ light (^nou^h to ascertain sonKithinjj^ of his height, si/e, ami strenLi'th ; but if we both come; to the light, where I s('(! his features, my conceptions of him will Im; very (liffercnt from what I formi^d In'fore, and the cleartT the light bi^comes, th(^ Ix^tter do I see him, so as to un(l(;r- st.ind more of him. The exi)erimental knowledg(; of (iod is somewhat similar. To know (iod by wisdom as distinct from revela- tion may be regarded as meaning the result of sj)iritual skill in turning all the means of knowKxlge to good account. It makes use of the word of (iod, the truths of thc! gospel, sanctified reason, with all other powers of mind and body, to secure the knowledge of God. It avails itself of all Divine ordinances of religious instruc- tion ; it makes use of the views of God already obtained, and, in dependence on grace, the person possessing it endeavours, by their aid, to know God so as to have communion with him. He acts as a wise man who is made so by the Spirit of God. By revelation the end is secured in a more direct way than by wisdom ; and there are some weak Christians who know God but little in the way of wisdom, for the lack of the mental ability A . ' ''ill .J .. ! iV "'' — M n 130 Discourses on Ephesians. necessary to exercise it. Such may excel in holiness, but they are deficient in power to instruct and help others. II. Notice the valuable effects produced by this Divine illumination. *' The eyes of your under- standing being enlightened ; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints." The clause, " the eyes of your understanding being enlightened," may be understood as in apposition to the clause, " may give unto you the Spirit of wisdom and understanding in the knowledge of him," and explanatory of it. The meaning is, that they might be so perfectly enlightened as to know *• the hope of" their " calling, and the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints." I. Observe that it is by this illumination that the hope of the calling of God is known. The word hope may mean either the thing hoped or the grace of hope. It often i eans the former, as in the following passages : " For *he hope which is laid up for you in heaven." Col. i. 5. " Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearance of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ." Tit. ii. 13. It is, however, more frequently used for the grace of hope, and this seems to be its meaning here ; for if it meant 'fhe ap g'ory. have as| but We apostle underst£ able to si Some thi but the ^^e grour, clearness PauVs Prayer for the Ephesians. 131 the thing hoped for, it would refer to the inheritance of the saints mentioned afterwards. There appears to be three distinct things, the knowledge of which the aposde prayed that they might obtain : "the hope of" their "calling," "the glory of his inheritance in the saints," and " the greatness of his power." We under- stand, then, " the hope of his calling " to mean the ground of their hope. He asked first of all in his prayer that they should have communion with God, then that they should have assurance of hope, then, for a knowledge of the glory of the inheritance of the saints, and last of all for a knowledge of the power of God which was able to fit them for the inheritance. By the calling is to be understood, not the external call of the gospel, but the " effectual calling " whereby in regen- eration God caused them to rest on Christ by faith. The apostle prayed that they would be assured of their standing in Christ, and of the ground of their hope of glory. Every man that is in a state of grace should have assurance, because there is good ground for it, but we need power to discern it. On this account the aposde prayed for the Ephesians that the eyes of their understanding might be opened, that they should be able to see the evidence of their reconciliation to God. Some think that all believers have assurance of hope ; but the truth is, though all the people of God have the grounds of it, many cannot see them with sufficient dearness to remove their misgivings ; nor can they do fH4 U "It^ i»fv'a**ii>v»-... I \2 Dt'sivurstw on F.f^/itsians. si) hut as tho Holy Cihost «.Mi!ij>htcns tlu" in. 1- (>'■ this i)uri)i)S(.' ilu* apost'k: John wrote his tirst rpistU'. " Phi'si' thinp;s write wo initio voii. that voiir iov inav W t 111 joh 11 1. 4. Th oso traiius have I wriittMi 11 iilo vou that hi'l eve on llic naiiu' ol the Son ot* Clcul that may VI* mav :now vc have I'ternal Iilo. aiul tliat vi WW ii'vo on tho namo oi tho Simi ol" (>oil. " i |ohi V. 1 ;. In llu' first opistlo of Jolni, as olsowhori' in Scripture, wo havo various ovidoncos ol" tho uracimis o porations ol tho Spirit m tho hearts o\ Ih'Iu'xois. lloroLy we i\o kiunv that wt' know liiin, if we kwy lis ct>ininaiuhnents 1 \o\\\\ 11. 'v W'l" know that w e ha\o passed Irom iliMth unlo life liecause we \o\v tlu' iiu'thren. " 1 lohn iii. 1 !. " if mir heart ei>iuleinii us not. tluMi liave we eiuitiiliMieo tow.u'il lioil. " 1 John iii. Ji. "lie tli.it keepeth his eoiPin.uulnu-nts ilwellcth in him. aiul lu' in liiin. .\iui hori'h)- we know tli.ii lu ahiileth in us. hv tlie .Spirit wliieh he h.illi i^iviMi us. I |ol in 111. i.\. lie th.U behevetli iMi the Son ("lOil h.ith the witness in himseh." 1 |ohn v. ie>. \\ inanv eas(>s. liowi>ver. tlu fait! i IS so loohU ami ii" voice as .1 witness is so iaint. til, it we e.innot poivcui it. 'IMi le e\ uieiue is iliscernihle 111 proportmn to t strength ol the I'.iith. riiere ai\' pi. ices w'lere t\ti\ souiul produces an echo, ^ut .1 person may sp(\ik m low that he cannot hoar it : ov his hearinj; mav he >' tloleclivo that ho cannot iliscorn it. I'.vory j^raco in 11^ rrllccts tho mind ol Ciod tow.uils us. hut it is lun us. tliein- the (aI ^'vainii ^'v.iiniii '"'^'llloij blow "I" the J '"hcrit, [0 I,,, pi •ilso ,-,,| PiIn/'s PriiVt-r for the Eplusiaus. :>> alwavs equally clear : il is soincliiiios iMiglu, but often so (.lull that we cannot always see Christ in us. Though "the spirit (A man " " knoweth the things !>!" a man " : vet it is by the Spirit of God that we "know the thiui^s that are freely ^i\en to us o\ ^.ycsA. i Cor. ii. ii, \2. Observe that the wonls of the text are ni>t "the hoji (•\\" vour calliui;. hut "the hope \ his calli ni2 not the work ({o\w in us si> much as the wi>rk done for There is an evil icMulenry t>\(.>n in belie\ers to Mue xain-uloriinis when thev iliseo\er ilu> work of us. iH'Cl tl race ni IIumuscmnhn but when the UoK Cdiosi eau ses ihem to see that il is CuhI who works in them, i>ride is cluvkeil : K>r thev observe that ihe\ ha\ e lunhini; which they dill "not receive." and. if they diil "receive il, ihev have no riuht to " i;lory ' as if ii wa: from le more hojie arises trnm Th ihcn\>>el\i>s. i Cor. \\ . ~. ihe experimental kntnvledge o\ (\od. ihe xworc healthv bclicMM's are : bui those WllO I lie more examine ll u ir own ijraces are lo lii ■iummIIv feebh than Self- rx.unination is a valuable diiiv. bui {o be sirono atul comfortable we nei\l to h.i\e our v>\ t's iMilii^hteni'd to know CiO(\ and "the lu>pe o\ his c.illini;. J, Hy this illumination believers know "tlu: riches of the ^lory t^f his inheritance in the saints." The blessings reserved for the saints are an inheritance, the titU' lo which was fi^rfeiletl, st) that il h.».d lo he purchased bv Christ as their representative, who ilso redeemed themselves from condenuialion ,uk1 I'l ir ' ■ - 1? ■•ajver \mwh\ . . y.i 134 Discourses on Epiicsians. nierit(,'(l punishment. In the appointed time they are born a^ain of God, adopted, and thus actually con- stituted heirs of an ever-enduring inheritance that is " incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for" them, i Peter i. 4. 1 hi; whole of it is given to each of them, nor is the share of the rest any the less on that account. Some who are not heirs may receive valuable gifts, but are sent away, as Abraham did to his sons by Keturah, whereas he gave the inheritance to Isaac, the son of promise. Because; i)eliev(M's constitute "the church of the first- l)orn. which are written in heaven," they are " heirs of Goil. and joint-heirs with Christ." This inh{;ritance is exceedingly glorious ; for wiun i)eauty and grandeur are coml)ined on a large scale we have glory. When, from an elevated position. we view a wide landscape containing many pleasant objects we call tlu; sight glorious ; as we often call the starry heavens, and the; many hues of the evening clouds coloured by the rays of the setting sun. i'hc Hebrew word for glory means weight, and the aj)()sllt seems to have that in view when he said : — " Our light aflhction . . . worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." 2 Cor. iv. 17. VVIkmi men in this life saw but glimpses of the glory of (iod they were overwhelmed by it. The disciples on thi moimt of transfiguration " fell on their face, and wen sore afraid," The Roman .soldiers shook "and became PauVs Prayer for the Ephesiaus. '35 as (lead men " when they saw the angel that rolled the stone away from the tomb where the body of Christ lay, and the pious women feared wh(;n they saw him. When the I.ord appeared to Saul of I'arsus on his way to Damascus, "he fell to the earth," and when John, ill Patmos, saw the; glory of Christ in a vision, he " fell at his feet as dead." Though in heaven the glory shall be much brighter than anything seen in this world, the saints shall be fitted, not only to bear, but to enjoy it ; for even their bodies shall be sufficiently strong. " It is s< w^i in corruption, it is raised in incorruption ; it is sown in dishonour, it is raised in glory ; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power." i Cor. xv. 42, 43. WJKMi Christ shall come the second time, he shall be "j^^Iorified in his saints, and admin^d in all them that luliev(!." 2 'I'hes. i. 10. The glory of God shall be rclh^cted by the saints in grandtnir surpassing all his other works. Hticausc; they an; his inheritance, and he theirs, he will dwell among them forever. This glory is said to be rich ; for it shall be a display of th(; w(;alth of (iod. !!'>. »pints are his jewels; not because the) arc intrinsic..-') Vi'uable, but because he made them so. in (:()nd(;scensi(iii to our weakness, the glory of heaven is described by th(! most costly things that we know; a city lighted by the glory of Cod *' like a jasper stone, clear as crystal," and " very precious " ; its walls of jasper, foundations of various precious stones, gates of pearl, and streets of gold. These are symbols whereby ill ly . 'M ■Is m 'ft. ■ m ■ V- 'H' 136 Discourses on Ephcsians. the exccctling riches of God's inheritance in the saints are set forth. This glorious prospect should stimulate believers to cultivate holiness, that they may be able to maintain communion with God, whereby his people are in this life fitted to dwell with him forever. Sinners should consider what loss they sustain if they despise this inheritance. Fhey may now prefer the ;jleasures of sin, but the time is coming, when, if they do not repent in season, they cannot receive it, even if sought with tears as I'lsau did, when he was rejected, though he sought his father's blessing. DISCOURSE XI PAULS I'RAVKK R)K TIIK KI'IIKSIANS — CONTINUKD. l'2ph. i. ig, ^o : "That yc may know . . . wliat is the cxcecdinjj; fj^rcatncss of his power to us-ward wlio bchmc acxorchng to the working of his mighty power, which In wrought in Clirist, when he raiseil him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heaveidy places." "\ X /"IIICN the ai>ostle considered the great blessings ' ^ which God bestowed upon his people, ami having been informed of the faith of the Ejjhesuiiis and their "love unto all the saints," he gave thanks tn God, and prayed that he would still more enlighten their minds that they might " know what is the ho|)c Paul's Prayer for the Ephesians. 137 of Iiis calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding (rrtatness of his power to those who believe, according to the working of his mighty [jower, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places." On this i)assage I purpose to direct your atten- tion : To the pow(M" of God towards believers, the persons on whom it is exercised, and the things wherein it is revealed. m, '■'■\\V VA aiii '-% I. Notice the power of God towards i)elievers. 1. Consider the greatness of this power. In the wScriptures greatness is ap[)lied to the power of (lod when it is exercised in the work of grace and salvation. We have the phrase, "eternal power and (iodiieiid " when the apostle refers to the work of creation as manifesting them. Riches is applied to the mercy and wisdom of God, but greatness seldom. We read of the riches of his mercy, goodness, and wisdom, l)iit his power is said to be great. Ciod brought his people "out of Kgypt with great power, and with a mij^hly hand." Kx. xxxii. 11. The power of the Lord is great when he forgives sinners ; so Moses under- stood the matter when he interceded for Israel. " I beseech thee, let the power of my Lord be great, as thou hast spoken, saying. The Lord is long-suffering, land oi great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgres- m m 138 Discourses on Ephesians. sion." Num. xiv. 17, 18. We know that it requires great strength of mind to forgive known enemies who are bitterly opposed to us. In the matter our power is imperfect at the best ; but because God's power of forbearance and forgiveness is infinite, he says : — "Fury is not in me." Isa. xxvii. 4. "Great is our Lord, and of great power." Ps. cxlvii. 5. '^he powc^r of God, which is engaged to save his { jople, is as great as himself. No one's power exceeds himself, but seeing God is infinite, his power is infinite in greatness. To greatness the ai)ostle prefixes here; the wortl "exceeding," literally, " hyj)erboIical," that is, " hyperbolical greatness of his power," and means a power that excels all other power, not merely ol creatures, but exercised by God himself in any othir way than in the resurrection and exaltation of Christ. and in the salvation of sinners. The (jualifying word, " hyperbolical," is used by the apostle where he speaks of the superiority of the glory of the New restaincnt dispensation to that of the Old. " For if the ministra tion of condemnation be glory, much more doth tin ministration of righteousness exceed in glory, lor even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth. ' or hyperbolical glory. 2 Cor. iii. 9, \o. The power olj creatures is nothing to that of God. Indeed "the] weakness of God is stronger than men." i Cor. i. : That is, God, by feeble means, accomplishes greater! kt/ie •f I "^■'•t.'a.sed. '^^""cv; 0/ ^"5-' ^--^-Z- '/" A>.„W. 139 thi"S.s than n,e„ can do by ...iT^ ' power towards believers exceed • , T. """"-■'■• "''"' stands in opposition to hin, • n /i '"'*'^'' """ He saves his people i„ ^ , "oT ^ T T ' "' the resurrection Christ will "cho °''-^'^^'^'«- At '"- i' .nay be fashionej K-e hi "f'^ ;■■ "''^ '^™'>' accor-' -" things to himself." Phil 1i P^ ^ '''''" '" '^"W''^ Ijc abolished for ever He »,-n ^ ',' , '" '''-■^"' ^^all ^-^^ 'n h. people and -^r'ji'"-'' ^-"en,ies ^'" 'hrngs, even wicked n,en ani" , "'"• '"''"'"^'^ 'he "- ^larkness of this wor d ,nd ' T'""- '"''''' "' '■■«•M^'aces^.ye..beitl ;~^'''='^- g."<^s of hell shall not prev.il "°"°"-^' ^"'< "the 1'"-^ '«eeds all our ho "h f"'";"-'' '"'■ ^'-''^ ^■-«hng abundantly above ^^' ^^ '^ " " "'"«= '" '''• --•--thepweithat::;^:.::..^,:,?--' i'".-rr:i:'Lf^r---caciou'-^:.::„- ^^--«yofthet,igL':;s:L:r''"^''''-"''^' t- "f the two wo Is ■" "ht"" 'r ''""'^- •'"''^' h-«lbytheword,..e„egy ■ ^T "''"'""''"'■" '"^ ] '^y- T^he purpose of the .i l' (*;'■'■ ' ^^ I:; •rp If I m7W^ 140 Discourses on Ephesians. Spirit by the phrase is to give an infallible assurance that he will carry out to a successful issue the object of the exercise of his power. Whenever God puts forth the "might of his strength," he will bring the thing to pass. This shows the absolute certainty of the salva- tion of all believers; for God exercises for that end the "energy of the might of his strength which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places." As the resurrection and exaltation of Christ by the working of God's mighty power are accomplished facts, so is the salvation of believers equally sure, though not yet completed. Seeing that the power that did the one is engaged in the other, it cannot fail. " Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number : he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power ; not one faileth. Why say est thou. O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, My way is hid from the Lord, and my judgment is passed o\'er from my God ? Hast thou not known, hast thou iidt heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary' there is no searching of his understanding." Isa. xl. 26 28. " With him is strength and wisdom." Job xii. 16. 1 God "raised up" Christ, "having loosed the pains ol death : because it was not possible that he should bej holden of it." Acts ii. 24. It is not, therefore, pos Paul's Prayer for the Ephesians. 141 sible that God should fail in the salvation of his people. He could not leave his own Son under the power of death, neither can he leave the saints under the power of any evil, but will raise them to glory, and honour, and immortality. II. Notice those on whom this power is exercised. "What is the exceeding greatness of his power to US-ward who believe.'' The contemplation of the mighty power of God, displayed in the works of creation, providence, and redemption, may so much excite our admiration that our speculative fancy may be greatly pleased. The enjoyment of their meditations may be such as to lead some to consider themselves spiritually minded, because they find pleasure in exercising their imagination on the greatness of God's works ; but unless we know that ourselves have an interest in them we cannot obtain true solid comfort from our .thoughts of them. To derive real satisfaction from the consideration of the exercise of God's mighty power we must know it to be " to US-ward." We must observe that the apostle did not pray that they should know " the exceeding greatness of his power" simply, but that they should know that it was wrought towards themselves. Devils ^and lost souls know that there is infinite power and I riches of mercy in God, but that does not comfort them, [because they know that they are not for them, What f^T!^ i i. |< i \% '''If- ^^1 III f i '■'(] * 142 m scom. 's i<>/ /•/// ii\\iiin\. Awrvs ,\\\ ;ni\inus !;«>nl is to »lisn)\<'r ihiil (Iw pnwti n| lind is »MUMU«'rh,»ll ol an^rls. \\\c liolv an^i'ls tl»» not n<'('«l saKation. and (allrn ani;rls ,\vc nllcily lost, nor docs (i«»d spend his saving power aiul the (^seeedinj; riehes ol his j_>ia((' on eiijicr: the tornier ^\k^ not need it, and the lallowrrn ol llw world lo \> (AW (ioil liatli simwcd us liis ^lory anealression, lor God said to Mosc;s : "() that there were such an heart ill them, that they would fear me, and keep all my cominaiK inients always." IJeut. v. 29. The sole mn tcdiiiL^ soon passed away, and they sinned against dod by inakm}^^ an ic lol. A little before his death Moses W', % m 144 Disivutst's on l'f>fii'siiins. r.iithrnlly declared to lliein lliat they were not inily C(>iU' halli not given ytni an heart to perceive, and !" them that "when" ( iod "slew them. lluMi they sought him ; and they retunu-d ami en(]uired early alter (Iod: and they rememhered that Ciod was their Rock, and the high (iod their kedeeincr. Neverth(>less the\ diil (latter him with their moiitli, and they lied unto him with then* tongues. l'"or tlicir heart was not rioht with him. neither were they sU id fast m us cov(>n.uu. I's. 1 .\ \ \ u 1 ,1/ 11 lUS we se(* thai, unl(\ss llu> exceeding gi'eatness of the power of C'lod is exerted upon nun, they remain unrenewed' and altiM' some time they generalK prove that this is tlu' case. V Observe that in the salvation of his people (kk! exerts the exceeding greatness ot his pow(;r. rhis seeminglv hold statement the text hears oiil: f(M' in thc> salvation o[ his {people he puts forth the same power whereby he raised Christ "from the dead and exalted him to "his own right hand in the heavenly places." In the manifestation of his grace, for the salvation of sinners. God engages all his attributes. Paul's Prayer for t/ir Hfylusiaus. 145 lie showed i^rc.il power, wisdom, :iii(l jMiodness in llie cicilion of the world ; hut in the new creation lie used "(he i'.\ (('('(/ i ni^ i^trafiit'ss ol his power." lie shows riches ol ni(Tcy to wicked men, Imt to his peoph- he shows the exce{'a^;ed in the salvation of sinn(;rs, and it commands all his pow(;r. It is our duty to love him with all our heart, strenijth. and mind, because he thus loves his |)copI('. " I will Rejoice over them," says he, " to do them jvood." Jer. xxxii. 41. Th : tlestruction of the wicked does not give him enjoyment, nor does he put forth all his pow(M- in it, "As 1 live, saith the Lokd God, I have no pleasure in th(; death of the wicked ; but that the wicked turn from his way and live." Ez. xxxiii. II. When God punishes he acts reluctantly, 1 "•if il 111* if '«1 ■Irl -~t~ ':.| 146 D:scourst's on Ephesians. but when he shows mercy he does it with all his heart and power. " I beseech thee. " said Moses, "let the power of my Lord be great. . . . Pardon. 1 beseech thee, the iniquity of this people according unto the greatness of thy mercy." Num. xiv. 17-19. III. Notice those things wherein this great power is revealed. I. It was manifested \\\ raising Christ from the dead, and in setting him at (lod's right hand in the heavenly places. Christ came under the burden of all our sins, aiul it was heavy enough to crush all creation under its weight. He was exposetl to the most powerful tein|)- tations that men and devils couUl bring to bear upon him, and he endured the fierceness of his bathers wrath. He was made a curse for us. that is. he w.is devoted to Divine vengeanc . sooniir had ileath laiil iiold upon him than it lost its power. He bore tin curse, look it away. ;ind after, as it weri'. resting a litlu' from iht: mighty conflict, iie rose a concpieror from tin deail. "The exceeding greatne.ss t)f the power" et G(h1 was j)roved by his resurrection. He not oiiK overcame all that oj)poseil him, but he was. by th< same power, raised to the highest «lignity and authoritv Pnu/'s Prayer for the Ephesiaus. 147 in the universe; tor he was set at (lod's "rijii^ht hand in the heavenly places, far above all j)rincipality. and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is nanietl. not only in this world, but also in that which is to come ; and hath put all things under his feet, and irave him to be the head o\ er all things to the church." 2. The power that accomplished these great things is engaged in the saKation of every believer. Phis power manifests itself in their regeneration. " What is the exceeding greatness of his power to US-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power." Though by the punctu.ition in our own and various other versions, except the X'ulgate, t!ic second clause is separateil from the first ; yet it is true that they believe by the powir of Ciod working taith in them; for "the fruit of the Spirit is love, jov. peace, long-sufleri ng. gentleness, gooilness. faith." Cull. V. 22. " \\s grace are ye saveil by faith, and that ; )t of yourselves, it is tlu' gift of (iod." Mph. ii. S. "Ye are risen with him ihnu'xh the faith of the' operation of God." Col. ii. 12. It is true that it is we who believe, but in order to ilo this, our distrust of (iod, ami the opposition of the c;irnal mind, stimu- l.ileil to activity by the de\il, must be overcome, ;iiul knowledge, power. ;uul a trustful spirit must be divinely imparti d to us. Hefore his conversion a man is under the power of the devil, ami " t.iken captive at his will." 2 I'im. li. 2O. lie walks "according to the m Illli- 1,» fUxtVNfXi'.K (*tf l-f>lu\t,Vt\ DMiisr of \\\Vs wnrlil. iintHtlillfj li» lllr |»li)Ht' n| |||i |>i>>\ii ol \\\\ M\. lltr spirit lltill linw WMlkrlli ill (In rlulilirn «>( ili;oln (Ili'Mt r ," I'pll ii ' I ll<' ilivil hll, nwn s l\t\M{'< to (to lU'i will IS lit' iliti tl);lt n| ,\lKini:l'i Im l\Mlvr \\\\\\ " \\v \\\ ll((- ll(»l\ (illo'il. illlil III Ivt r|» lull Is p.nl nl |||< pMic III till' i.niil " , .Mill .IS li\ his illllllrllM on ihr hriH 111 Iml.is, wIhmi In » niiinl ii. Iir ilmvr luiW III III ||,|\ his Milsti 1. Mill iliil hi |r,|\r llitn lllllll hr h.nuM'il hiinsril \\ hni ( mil l»riii};s " tin- rsi n t|iii|; v;r»\ilMrss ol his |io\\ri io ln-.ii ii|iiiii ,i in. in ihr ilrxil's snpnin.i* \ in iln hr.ni is »lisiro\ril < InisI loiiirlli upon th«- "siioiij; in, in ,ninr«l. ovrnmnrs hint, .iiiij "l.ikrih lion^ Inin .ill his .uniinii wlinrin hrniislnj, ,\w\ \\\ hli'lh ihr spoil I iiK I'M. ' I Ihr ilrvii Di h.is AwW pown th.il noilniii; Irss ili.ni I Mvmr pnwri * ,«n r\p« I hnn liom ,i in.in s hr.n t l\<\wirn«M,ilion is » oinp.iir«l (o ihr lr;nisroiiM;ilioii nl one »r«Minir nnto .uiolhrr sprt iIm.iIIn ililliirnl. " Iln wolt .tiso sh.ill «K\«'II with ihr l.iinli, .iml thr Imp.ihl sh.ill In .low n w It h the kill , ,in«l ihr i .ill .iinl the \ oiiim; lion M\y\ [\w l.illini^ toiirtlii'i . .ind ,i liltir i liiM .li.ill lo.ul tluMU ,\i\il th'. « ow .111(1 ihr lir.ir sh.ill In il . ih« II Nonnj.; on»*s s h.ill Iir ilown liMM-thn : .iinl ihr lion .li il VAX sir.uv likr thr o\ Ami ihr siukiin; i hild sh.ill pl,i\ o\\ ihr hoir ol thr asp. .nul ihr wr.innl t hiM sh.ill piii his \\m\k\ oi\ thr »oi k.mifr' y\v\\. I h«'\ shall not hiiii nov ilrsinn in all mv holx inonnl.iin." Isa. \i. (> u If aicon\plish ihis inarvcllons « han^' in a sini\« r, (••»>! fittt/'^ rtityit fi>i till I'l^liiMivn. '4'/ l.lKr'i ;IW.IV llllldlJlIM I <;. ,|||(| |/iv«"i.l lir w ) .l| »,!« i( y to»lf» will! c; i'immI. I|( l.iki'; .iw;iv iIm slndy Im,m| | («• lit II I HI iiirl|>; iiiti I (I I ; 1 1. <; it, I II It t;ik*'<) ii .ivv.iy .irilil til. Ill < md t \t K r.t (I III ( ii iiiiijf ilic wnrl'l , |nl till !<• IS Ihk ,1 tWnliiM WMil tliit III <|( stioyili^/ r\ 1 1, .111(1 1 1 1. 1 1 itl < •( ,itili|; |mmm| |ii nil i|ilf '. .itid ,ifff ( t lori'i. "Till' r\( irijill)^ );|( MtlH '.'. » •( tin |ii»wrt ol ( #oi| is t i)iiliiiii.ili\ I II It li)i til III I ,11 1 y II i|; I'll till work ol (/r;i( «- ill till' '..Hill's .iml III |ii( ".<'i viiij^ tin III in tli<' nii'l'.t ol i;n ,it t< iii|)l.ilioii' I l>oii|;li holy |ii MM i|iN ". ,ir« iin li» ,irt |i|,lll|ri| III thrill, tllf i|i Vll i|itlno!;< li, tlir '.Iniiy l.ikiii .iw.i\, .mil tl U Ml |ir< in.n y ol t li< i ,ii imI niinr liiukiii , \rt ,ill iIh'.c fiiriiin .till I . i'.i wii II ( on I'l' f tl ,lltlr ,ii livity to ',rowi'i ol iitli unto .llv.lllnll. I INtii i. s. liy "llir «s< rcdiiij; j;i«mIii«',', ol tlir (»<»w'r of (iod llir liodir-. nl tlw '..litit', '.li.ill !•«■ r.ii'.'d in ^dr>ry .it llir '.rmiid ( oiiiitif^; ol ( 111 i.l. I Im ii .ImII liny " sliinr as llu' Mill ill lIu- kiii^;doni ol tlirii iMtlM-r." Mat. xfii. 4;^. Wr slioiild canicsdy iiM|iiii'«' wImiImt wr ,\\ th* siilijri t', ol tins rxrrnsr ol I )iviih- powrr. If w»: an-, our siipniiu' wish is to do th«' will of (iod, hfcair^'- •.♦if ifiji Wk »i ISO Pt\tiU(f\f'\ (>// h'.f>ltisiiV>s is «lrtluoiU' AW wiliiiiju; lu" will work rllci tnally III II' n I sio I' ks V. \ I I r\ri s I'K.wi'K loK iiii' iriii'siANs i on iiNt'iit. i:pl |>h. 1. .'o > \ Th.n VI" \\\.\\ Ullou llir woikiii! i»l Ins mifjlilv |><>\\ri. wliiili lir \viiMif;lil in Cliiisl, when lie i.nsi'il Inin lioin lln' dcul. ;niil set Inni .it Ins own ti|;lit ImikI in tlu- li(M\(Mil\ pi;»« rs, l.d ;il>ii\(< ;ill pi ini ip.ilil y, aiitl powfi, iinl iMii^ht, anil ilonnniDn. .iml rvciv n.iinr tli.it I'i naniiil, nnl hhK in tins woiM. Init also ni tli.it wlnrli !■< In rmnr ; unil li.itli |miI all tlnnqs niuiri Ins lirt. .nnl \i,\\v liiin to lir tlir IkmiI ovci .ill tlnnj;- to llu' > lnn« li, wliu li is Ins l>inl\. tlir liiliicss ol liiin lii.il lillrlli ..II III .ill."" 1 \ this rii.iptcr tiicrc is .i summarv ol the riiiuli mental priiuipKs ol the gospel ; lor it inlonns iis th.it "tlic (lod ami I'aliicr ol (tiir Lord jcsiis Christ has l>t>sto\\(>tl sii;n.»l ra\«>ui's on his people : he cliosi them to highness, piHHie.stin.iteil them "unto tin* adop lion ol rhiKlren by Jesus Christ." wlu) reileemed thtin hv "his hlooil " ; he piirp«>seil to "leather loj^ether in owe all ihini^s in L'hiist." providetl an inheritance lor ren. ami lor its enjoyment they are prepan-d ns (. hiUI by "the working tW his might) power whieh Ik ihcin •(« lov /'iin/'s rtityi'f for tlir li/'/iisinHs. '5 wnMi^lil in Clirisl. wlini \\v i;iis«'hori( al ex|)nssioii ; htr, seein^^ ( iod li;is not hands as we have, we imi-.t not understand sitliiij4 in this place in a iilt'ia! sense. I he phrase is a siniilitiide whereby the siipere.miiient ^dory io which ( luisl is exalted is set lorlh, and does not mean the posture ol" his hody ; lor he is oikc at least represented IS siandinj^ .it the ri^dit ha'\ lln' j^lory ol Christ was j^ranted to St«-phen, when on ihi' (lay ol his trial he adm ■jH H ^« ^HB| im ^Rl ^u i^mS i6o Discourses on Ephesians. raised, purified, and advanced to the position of Christ's spouse and queen is marvellous grace. We admire Esther's preferment, when she, an obscure Jewish maiden, was chosen out of all the young women of Persia to be queen to Ahasuerus, but her exaltation to that exalted rank is not to be compared with the honoured position of those who are united to Christ, as bone of his bones, and flesh of his flesh. I'rom the time of the formation of the union he communicates his own life to them, and continues to do so without intermission for evr.r, as their life, strength, and guitle. He watches ovci them to protect them, and provide for all thei»* wants. He administers to their necessities with unerring wisdon^ and unfailing affection. 2. Consider the honour God did to Christ as to his mystical body. God so loved the church from everlasting that, wh*'n regarded as guilty and polluted, he gave 'ur to Christ to be redeemed, so that she might become his loving spouse for ever. When he gave a human nature (body and soul) to him, as was the case of the first type of him, it was not good that he should be alone ; hi made therefore a gift of the church to him, that it> members might be his companions. He was certainly worthy of her, for ho gave himself for her to redeem her, nor was there another who could do ihis but him- self Th J Fathei' honoured him above all others ; lor, knowing his ability, he chose him to deliver the church .y^ Pan/'s Prayer for the Ephesians. i6i By his people the glory of Christ is displayed more than by anything else ; she is his mystical body. " the fulness of him that filleth all in all." The church is empty in herself, but he fills her with all grace and whatever else she needs. Without him we "can do nothing." We Jire poor, but he, who is infinitely rich, bestows his wealth on us ; we are guilty, he has right- eousness to justify us ; we are naked, he has white raiment to clothe us ; we are blind, he has eye-salve to ciuse us to see ; we are perishing of want, he s the bread of life. He filleth all in all. because all fulness (Iwclls in him. The church is the fulness of Christ ; for without his body he would not be complete as Mediator, nor shall he be full in this respect until the last member of his body be united to him, and all grown up to the stature of his fulness. If a person lacks a hand, foot, finger, or any other part of his i)ody, there is an un- comely defect, for he is not full ; but in Christ there shall be no defect. ■ 1'. i! Practical Rc»tark's : I. See ihi; love of Christ to tht; church in accept- ing her as a gift from the P'ather when he knew what her redemption woukl cost him ; but he " Iov<'d it and Kave himself for it. that he might sanctify and < k-ansc it with the washing of water by the word, that he might prt'sent it to himself a glorious church, not having spot 1 62 Discourses on Ephesiatis. or wrinkle, or any such thinjr ; but that it should In; holy, and without blemish. " I ".ph. v. 25-27. 2. Consider how glorious Christ shall appear when his mystical botly shall be complete. He will surpass all " when \\v. shall come to be glorified in his saints. and to be admired in all them that believe." 2 Thes. i. 10. 3. As the body of Christ is not lull yet, sinners arc inviteil to come to him to be made members of it. Will you nt)t then consent to in; united to him? Me is waiting for you, .uul earnestly asking your consciu. What do you say to him on the subject ^ .Speak your minil to him with ri'gard to the m.itter. litrwan- ot refusing his offer, for it shall not be always made. t4'*ts The Spiritual Resurrection of Behe%ers. 163 DISCOURSE XIII, Tlir: SIMRITUAI. 1y "the e.xceedinj^ greatness of the miiJjhty power" of ("••k1 \vh(?rel)y he rai.sed Christ "from the dead, and f'xalted him to his own rij^dit hand in the heavenly 1 iace.s, far above all principality, and powder, and niijj^ht. m ^.^■^^ 164 Discourses on Ephesians. and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come : and hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be ,he head over all things to the church," and whereby he also quickened, raised, and made them sit together with Christ in the same heavenly places. In this passage we have the spiritual resurrection of believers, the motive that prompted God to acc(jm- plish it. and the end he had in view in doing so. I. Notice the spiritual resurrection of believers. I. Observe that a resurrection implies previous death. " You hath he (piickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins." According to Ciod's warning to Adam death is tlu punishment of sin. " In the day that thou eatest there- of thou shalt surely die." Gen. ii. 17. The same truth is asserted by the apostle. " By ">ne man sin entered into the world, and death by sin." Rom. v. 12. Such is the nature of this death that it increa.ses sin through the moral corrui)tion of men's nature which it produces, so that those who are under its power "walk accord in>; to the course of this world, according to the prince ot the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobetlience." and liv(; " in the lusts of iht tlesh, fulfilling the desires of the llesh and of the mind. When a living creature dies a ch(;mica) change; sets in whereby putrefaction is produced. Spiritual death The Spiritual Resurrection of Believers. 165 produces an analogous effect ; for by it the character of the sinner is become loathsome to all holy beings. This deterioration goes on, nor have sinful men any power left them to arrest its progress, so that without the infusion of life by Divine power, it shall reach a degree of such confirmed depravity that recovery shall be impossible. This terrible progress, with all its outward manifestations, is what is here called walking "according to the course of this world." This course means not merely the direction in which the world goes, but also the mighty stream of moral corruption by which natural men are borne along. They are willingly carried by its current, nor can they resist it. because they are dead. It is those who are quickened by the power of God that really struggle against it, all others yield to its force. The living do not sometimes .ippear to make much progress against it, but with more or less energy they struggle. This distinguishes the living from the dead. Natural men move as they are iiilluenced by the course of the world brought to bear upon them by " the prince of the power of the air" ; l)ut believers resist steadfastly because they are sus- tained by the power of God. In this matter, however^ there are false appearances, inasmuch as many seem to move against the main current when they are merely fallen into an eddy of favourable circumstances to be yet caught in the great stream to be hurried into the dead sea of wrath at last unless previously (juickened :^^l \m ! l III M *r' HI I^Hi 1 1 H 1 11 i^^^B^^B, -T- !'^ t '; ! '^'!i i66 Discourses on Ephesians. by the Spirit of life. Whatever reformations unre- newed men make, they are still controlled by the devil, the " prince of the power of the air," who, while hi: carries many rapidly downwards, controls others more gently ; he has one class in the violent current, but others in apparently still waters, so that it is hard to say in what direction they move ; some are profli- gate, others virtuous, some ()i)enly irreligious, others seemingly devout. The difference between natural men may be considerable, but they all walk "accordin*; to the course of this world " until (juickened to spiritual life. Many, who are in some degree sensible of danger, think that they will yet turn from the unsafe course which they now pursue, but the greatest part of them still pursue their foolish career until their lusts, through long indulgence, accjuire an uncontrollable power over them. Some peojjle do not believe that they are in much danger, because the majority of men live much the same as they do. They do not think that a bene- volent God will consign so many to perdition. They regard themselves safe in following the customs of society, while they do not violate the laws of propriety. In such ways does " the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience " deceive men. They sd admire the spirit of the age that they regard those who conscientiously follow God's directions in his word as fanatics, who, on account of prejudices, are incural)l\ unprogressive. Many of these, in their mistaken con Tlie Spiritual Resurrection of Believers. 167 fidence in the power of human nature to raise itself to holiness, zealously advocate improvements in morals and religion that are merely devised by men without any sanction from God, as if any reformation could rise higher than the perfect law promulgated by infinite wisdom. The end of this death is everlasting destruction ; for those under its power are called "the children of wrath. " They commit these deeds for which the "wrath of God comes upon the children of diso- bedience." for they live in "the lusts of the Hesh, fulfilling the desires of the llesh and of the mind." These phrases, "children of wrath" and "children of disobedience," are solemnly significant, inasmuch as they indicate the sad truth that natural men are ripen- ing for wrath through disobedience wherein they live ;is an element. "The desires of the tlesh and of the; mind," called also "the law of sin and death," control iheir lives to the fulfilling of their demands until, unless rescued by Divine power, they plunge them into (;ternal misery in hell where they shall imperiously rule them tnrever without affording them any of the pleasures that i\\v.) gave them while they were in this life. The inhabitants of that place of woe shall be tormented by their own corruption, by conscience, called also "the worm that dieth not," and by the wrath of God. 2. This resurrection implies a restoration to life. He hath (juickened us together with Christ." m !;l^ ;. '*M ' fill ij 168 Discourses on Ephesians. As Christ is tht; rcprcscMitativc of his people hy Divine appointment, his death, (juickening, rcsurrec- tif)n, and exaltation, was legally their death, (|uicken- ing, resurrection, and exaltation, so that their si)iriiii;il (luickening was secured by his merits. When, with regard to each of them, the time of grace comes, iht: Holy Ghost, according to the arrangement made in the covenant of grace, breathes life into his souI, whereby new sensibilities are produced which at first cause pain through a conviction of guilt, ignorance, and moral impotence. His experience is supjiosed to he st)mevvhat like that of a i)erson in a state of ins(!nsi- bility when he is being restoretl to animation. .Souk have been in such distress at that myst(MMous tin-.*' that they can never forget the impression it made upon their spirits. In this life, besides scMisibility. llicrc is illumination, so that those who are (juickened i)\ it receive the power of disc(;rning spiritual tliiiiifs. Through this power given to them, they receive, not only conviction of sin, but also such knowletlgc ol Christ as enables them to rest ui)oii him for salvation. 3. This leads me to observe that spiritual (|iiick- ening is invariably followed by a resurrection. Ik "hath raised us up together" with Christ. Those who are spiritually quickened shall net he left in darkness to die again, but shall be en.iMitl through the light given to them to discern Christ so as to act upon him by faith. Inasmuch as by this first The Spiritual Resurrection of fhlicvcrs. 1 69 s.iviiii^ ;ict of the lU'wly (|iiick<'ncd soul In: bccoiiiL's vitally iim'tol to Christ, he is spiritually ris(;ii with him because he legally rose in him when \\v rose from the (lead. In proportion to th«^ strength of his faith, a believer can call the death and resurrection of Christ his own death and resurrection. 4. We observe that thosi; raised with Christ are cxalletl to},a:ther with him. " ll(; hath . . . made lis sit loj^eth(*r in heavenly j)Iaces in Christ Jesus." When Christ sat upon the; Mi;diatorial throne in ht'av( n, those, on behalf of whom he acted as r(;[>re- scntalive, wen; virtually t;nthroned in him in conse- (liK'.nce of th(; a}j^re(!ment between him and the leather. When they rested on him by faith, they became actual citizens of heaven. Though they arc. not actually introduced into the capital of Christ's d\ an oath that they shall l)e crowned with glory, "so that hy two immutabli; things, in which it is impossibh; jtnr(i()d to lie, they may have a strong consolation." lie!), vi, 18. I'hat they may be projjerly trained to hi' t their part becomingly in his royal palace in heaven, [they are left for a time on earth where diey e.xercise m m m 'M \\M\ ':^-m 'm \ ■ li'M 1 "M \u \ I 1 1 170 Discoiir.srs on F.f>/u'sinns. their s|)intiial powers in order to their sufficient dc- vc^lopineiit. (lod assigns to each of them a work in this world, the performance of which is filled lo educate him for his higli destiny, II. Notice (jod's hijj^h motive in raising liis people from spiritual ilealh. 1. We observe that lie was not inlluenced lo do ii by any consideration of their worth, for they "were dead in trespassi>s and sins.' Heinp; Satan's slaves thev had no inclinalion t(» render obedience lo (iod. liecausc they were aNcrsc to holiness their nniuls were alienatec' 'rom (iod. In conse(iuence of the steady progress ot spiritual ilccav, moral corruption constantly increased in them. 'i'lu\ were loathsome to holy beings. Justice demanded that the i)unishment merited by \\\v\y transgression should be inllictetl upon them lo the utmost. Then was. therefore, no moral excellence in them on accoiiiit of wiiich God could bestow such a favour upon thciii. 2. Gotl did nt)t (]uicken them on account of lluir good works. "Not of works, lest any man slioiilil boast." The Pharisees hoped that, by the punctual ohscrv ance of the Mosaic ritual, with the addition of tin commandments of men. they should merit the favour of God, but their expectation was vain, for Chrbi denounced them more severely for wicked hypocrisy T/zf- Spii iiunl Resurrection of Ihiicvcrs. 171 than lie (litl any other class of men. This false hoj)'- has always prevailed in the cluirch, so that iniiltitiides, ill all sections of it, have lrust<'(l in iheir performance of duties. The works done may serve vahiahh; ends, 1)111 th(;y do not merit such a reward .is restoration from spiritual d(;ath to spiritual life;, or any other rcwanl. If (iod were in the matter to act on this false principle, a disturbing (tleiiK'nt would hv. intro- (luicd into his kingdom that would d(;stroy the har- moin of heaven, because jealous diss(Misions, through l)(tasiing, would spring u|) among its iidiahitants. 3. \V(* ol)S(;rv<; that (iod raised his people from spiritual d(Mth because he lov(;d them. " liut (iod, who is rich in miircy, for his gnsit love when^with he loved us, even when we wen; dead in sins, hath (juick- ciud us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved ;) and hath raised us up together, and made us sit tog(!ther iiihcaxenly places in Christ Jesus." He. saved them through faith, because he greatly loved them. As faith is necessary in order to union to ( hrisl, (;very believer must therefore exerciser it in order to salvation, though no one naturally posses.ses it, nor can any one originate it in hims(;lf, for " it is the gilt of (iod." If we originated in ourselves the faith which connects us with Christ, we would certainly boast. It is not partly produced by God and partly by ourselves, but wholly by God, " For by grace are ye [saved through faith ; and that not of yourselves ; it 1 i T i f. i 1* !;ft*l I: T72 Discourses on Ephesians, is the gift of God." The following statements of Scripture are of the same import : — " And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power." Eph. i. 19. "Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God." Col. ii. 12. " But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith." Gal. v. 22. III. Notice God's end in the spiritual resurrection of his people. " That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ JM esus. I. Observe that God's grace is so rich that it shall never be exhausted. F^ew men, if any, have appreciated God's grace as Paul did. It was much enhanced to him by the affect- ing view he had of his own un worthiness. " Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I might preach unto the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ." Eph. iii. 8. In view of his opposition to Christ in the past, he greatly admired his grace. " He put me into the ministry. who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious : but I obtained mercy, because I did it igno- rantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord wasi The Spiritual Resurrection of Believers. 173 exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief" i Tim. i. 12-15. If all believers do not equal Paul in his high estimate of God's grace, they discover that its riches exceed the demands which their poverty makes upon it. They may think that they draw very largely upon it to supply their necessities, but they cannot exhaust it, because it is infinite. 2. God, at this present time, shows his grace to his people. When believers look back on the time wherein they lived in sinful unbelief they admire God's grace in bearing with them during those days of ungodliness. When the time determined came, in his mercy, he im- planted a living principle in their dead souls, so that they were quickened to spiritual life. Since that time, by the gracious exercise of his Divine power, he enabled them to rest on Christ by faith, and has given them many proofs of his favour. Indeed they cannot enu- merate the gifts which he has bestowed upon them. God gave his Son to redeem them, sent the Holy Ghost to apply to them the redemption purchased by the Son, and he has given himself to them to be their God. They are exceedingly enriched ; for God is the portion of their inheritance. They have no reason to desire an exchange of conditions with princes, kings, or '.H iMi.li ^\\ \nA I 1* M:'!^ 174 Discourses on Ephesians. emperors, for by grace "all things are theirs, whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or lift;, or death, or thinirs present, or things to come." i Cor. iii. 21, 22. 3. God quickened, raised, and exalted his peo|)l(; that he might show the riches of his grace to future ages. The expression " ages to come " means not onlv the endless period of future glory, hut also all ages from the days of the ai)ostles. The saKation of the saints recortled in Scripture, including Paul, shows to us "the exceeding riches of God's grace." Were the history <"t believers, who now live, put on record, ns was that ol the apostle, the grace of (iod towards many of them woukl be no less worthy of admiration. WhtMi ilit whole history of the administration of God's grace shall be made known, holy creatures shall with raptures slni,' the song of Moses and of the I.amb : "(ireat and marvellous are thy works, Lord (i')d Almighty ; jiM and true are thy ways, thou king of saints." Rev. xv. ;. Impkovkmknt : I. Have we been cjuickened from spiritual death' If wt; have, we have turned our faces resolutely agaiiM the polluted stream of the coursi; of this world becaiiv we discovered that, to walk according to it. is to he It'i to the dead sea of Divine wrath under the inllueiicc oi " the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience." The currtn: may quick seh'e."> ivorld, ff we tion w unto y 2 made tJ Th(y ,s chL'(,Tfu| 'itc the ( 'j'- read^ •> "the pri ^^'hai(;\ 'liiickeni '•ihI of th "fi^-Ts to 'iffectt'd I ^■ry to (;, 'aith l.i) i_ The Spiritual Resurrection of Beliners. •75 may seem too strong for our small strength, but. if quicktMied, we struggle, though feebly. Vv'e find our- selves forced to act in various ways in opposition to he world, though we are often callei! i)rejutliced bigots. If we do not suffer any measure of this petty persecu- tion we have reason to examine our sincerity. " Woe unto you when all men shaP speak well of you. ' 2. Believers shouKl adore thi; great love wherewith God has loved them, so that ht; (juickened, raised, and m.ule them sit together with Christ in heavenly places. They should act as citizens of heaven in rendering cheerful obedience to their King. '\\\K\y should appreci- ate the exceeding riches of Gods grace so highly as to be ready to commend it to others. ^. Sinners, seriously reflect on the course by which the prince of the power of the air" leads you to ruin. Whatever your external lilc is, unless you have been (luickened you are ktl to di.'struction. Consider the i;iul of the course that you pursue. Ciod. in his mercy, others to rescue you in the exercise of his grace. If .itfected by a conviction of thi; daiigiT of your course cry to God to impart life to your soul that you may by taith lay hold on Christ for salvation. ■\ T :. ■; f ,ttl i...!..' ! I 176 Discourses on Ephesians. DISCOURSE XIV. DEAD IN' TKKSI'ASSKS AND SINS. Eph. ii. 1-3: "And von, . . . who were dead in tres- passes and sins ; wherein in time past ye walked accordiii<,' tn the course of this world, ;iccordiii{i[ to the prince of the powtr of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobt while they continue " holy, stood in the favour (»f lii'* Dead in Trespasses and Sins. 17; and enjoyed communion with him. As Adam was constituted our head, if he had maintained his integrity, wc would have remained in the same holy and hapjjy state ; but when he fell by transgressing the command- ment of God, he died spiritually, and we died in him. God gave him clear warning of the terrible conse- quences if he should eat the forbidden fruit ; but, by yielding in an evil hour to the temptation, he involved ail his posterity in his own guilt and punishment. On that account we are by nature "dead in trespasses and sins." 2. This death is not an e.xtinction of life in every n.'spect. As in temporal death the body only dies, for the soul still lives on in the exercise of its faculties — iiuk'ctl the Scriptures iniimate that its powers are then < nlarged, because; thi.'ir activities are not imi)ede(.l by the body — so in spiritual ileath the body Irom \vm ir^.iid \ov ( .od, nor will he ((mtiiuic lIuMcin. Jiul.is rnllowcii Christ in t-niniuMN willi the «>lh(M- tlisiiplrs. I)ul the loxc nl the worM prcN .lilcd on uin ,\\ List. W iil(" ill his sclhsh t «)\cl()iisncss, In ('\|u'rf('tl person. il .nlvant.incs Iroin his .ulhcrciuc l(» CI nist. he lonliniu't! with hiin lull when He iindcr stoi>il that his teinptn.il prospcrilN would not he .id N.nucd tluTchy as lu' dcsift-d, \\v look his own t»tiii'.( and perished. rims<'. in whosi- heart sin rules, lollow ' the wav i>l Hal.i.iin the son of H(ts«>r, who N)ved the \>ai;es o\ unri_L;ht«'<>usness. eter II. I S. ()|)serve that the L;iiides, wherehy sinners .m are the wo iKI, the de\ li, and tlu' Mesh. led. time past \«- walked aeeoidiiiL: to the course ol lliis wimK!. aeeoiilini^ lo the prince »>l the power ol tile ,iir. our eon\'ersali*)ii in times past in tlu Aiu hist >ve a s ol our II had liesh. Ill le phrase, "the course ol this world, is pei iili. il" literallv reiuliM-etl. it would \\ the ai^c ol llib Wi>l Id." It (>\ ideiitlv means the prexalent spirit ol tl world., thai is. the principles, tastes, and customs ol wimKIK men. It is ecjuivalenl to the phrasi-, " tli«' spiiii of the .ii;c\" whicl 1 some Ci)mmeiul as a .sa le n lie ol conduct. riu" idea here is the jirinciple ihal^^'ovn till' lilo oi ungoillv an«! worldly i><'opl<'. lh«' " \ that lioth in wickedness. ' i ji>hn v. ig. Christ a " It" the worKl h.ile you. ye k to IIS disciiJles n«»tt I «t lll.ll it ll.ltrd inr iHlnrr il h.ilr*! yoii. lh( world, llw world would lo\r lii', ow 1 1 y /«• wn« o vc Mill 11 ; lull Itcc.iil'.r lie iioi ol (lie world, tlnir(orc llic world h.iltili (>hn N\- S. r M m\' druivr llH'ms«l\cs .ind s,n di.il th«) .lie not worldly, simpl) Ihi.iiis*' lhr\ ,\vv iiDl iiidiishioiis ;»nd provident, nor ^rr.ulv d< mic ihIx',; wliilr .It llic siinn" lime, l>rinj^f slaves to the |>eo|»|i \\\ the wol I.I. tl ley .idopl their \ lews, lasles l.isl llott' «uul m,imi''rs. M, iiiv have no other ^;nine th.in the se(Ui \\\ nil Ills .ind ( iistoiiis ol tlios* .nnoii^; wlioin llie\ live. \\\ s.i\c their souls llie\ r.uinol n hise (Ouloimil\ to llif iiiij^odly ((MidiHt ol then .iss«u i.tles. Many .i voimj; man <'|| jiom it. IMk- I'-phesians, Im lore their conversion, walked in the same sins wherein other ( icntiles walked, .111(1 in relij^ion they were like their fellow-cili/ctns : thty were horiK,' alon^ by the same stream ; they wor -hijipiil I )iana. and if they had not been ren(;w(;^ \^ \ 33 WUST MAIN STRifT WltSTIR.N.V. MSIO (716) S73-4503 ■4^ &? :'W^»!«*(„ ;f..( r:i 192 Discourses on Ephesians. Ml incorrect to say that they were justified actually then ; for they are personally under condemnation until, being quickened, they believe in Christ. The resur- rection and exaltation of Christ declare the acceptance by God of the satisfaction made by Christ and his judicial discharge from all further demands of justice on behalf of all for whom he acted. In his justification they were federally absolved, and their personal justifi- cation, pardon, resurrection of their bodies, and eternal glory were made sure to them. 2. We observe that these benefits were secured to them when they "were dead in sins," and that this shows the greatness of the favour bestowed upon thein. They owe their quickening wholly to God, for they were not simply passive, but resisting therein. To create the world in the beginning was to call into being what had no existence, and could not, therefore, oppose the Divine fiat, but to produce the new creation it is necessary to overcome the opposition of the carnal mind, that is, of all the depraved tastes, desires, and inclinations of the natural man. In effecting this, the exceeding greatness of the power of God is put forth, The prophet's repre.sentation of the miserable con- dition of sinners by nature is affecting and striking, and though .spoken directly of the original state of Israel, it contemplates the condition of lost sinners. "Thus saith the Lord God unto Jeru.salem ; Thy birth and thy nativity is of the land of Canaan ; thy fath( And nave to su died unto wasc c persor Wood, Uve." state \w with nc and .sin the coui power childrei "convc: the desi nature a [f the \^{^_^_ <, 't takes consider fh(.' durat ^^•"y greai " He that John iff. God's Love to His People. 193 father was an Amorite, and thy mother an Hittite. And as for thy nativity, in the day thou wast born thy navel was not cut, neither wast thou washed in water to supple thee ; thou wast not salted at all, nor swad- dled at all. None eye pitied thee, to do any of these unto thee, to have compassion upon thee ; but thou wasc cast out in the open field, to the loathing of thy person, in the day that thou wast born. And when I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, l.ive." Ez. xvi. 3-6. The description of the sinner's state in the context is that he is not merely abandoned with no one to care for him, but "dead in trespasses and sins; wherein" natural men walk "according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience " ; and that he also had his "conversation in the lusts of" his "flesh, fulfilling the desires oT the flesh and of the mind ; and was by nature a child of wrath." If believers are kept by the power of God, and if the life given to them is maintained in activity by him, it takes infinite power to impart life at first. If we consider the new state into which they are raised and tht: duration of it, the goodness of God will appear very great. The life infused into them is everlasting. "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life." John iii. 36. It is a life that "is hid with Christ in , 1, J- S. , :\\ 11; ii i.SL".!t" 194 Discoursi's on I'.phcsians. Ciod. ' and will. I here 'lore, cnchirt; as lon^ as Clirisi will iMidurc, that is, lor kwvx. li. Notice tlu; P('rson who hath lu'stowtnl these iKMielils upon them. "Hut ("kkI, who is lit h ill inercy, . . . hath (juickt'iicd us loLrcili,!- with Christ." I. ()l)si'r\i* that (iod is not merely said lo he mercilul, hut "rich in mercy"; as if the a|)(t.silc regarded this Divine i!.\cellcMice as among the most precious ol the attribute's of (iod. We call men rich, not on account of every thiiij^ they possess, hut on account of the most valuable ihiiij^rs they have. The apostle spt'aks of some as "rich in faith." They might have had many other gifts, niciilal powers, and nohle traits of character ; hut their faith is counted as their riches. i'he peculiar treasure; in whidi (iod has the highest ple.isure is his mercv. rhoiii^li (iod is said to he rich in mercy, grace, wiVsdom, know ledge, and piorv, he is nowhere said to he rich in wrath, justiciN or power. These latt(;r are inlinite attrihutes of his nature, hut he does not delight in their e.\( rcisf in the punishment of sinners. He " is rich unto al! that call upon him.' Rom. \. 12. The meaning i> that he is rich in goodness and compassion. Mc saw us destitute of all things necessary to our well-bciiii:. and, in his mercy, he made Christ unto us ''wisdom and righteousness, and sanctitication, and redemption. (iod's l.ovi- to I lis rcoplc. 195 t ■ I Cor. i. .^o- It '•'^ i'l I'l'^ I'l'il ^J<>^' would have us to nlory, inr.'Uisc Ik* was pltiast'd l)y it to make his j^lory known. I f it is a man's " glory to pass ov(!r a transgres- sion, ' nnich more; is it tlu; glory ot ( iod to have mercy on the vvr(;t(h(;(l who deserve, ete-rnal punishment. J. ( )l)S(;rve that there is abundance of mercy in (iod. No one is rich in anything unless he has an iihundance of it, (iod's iiutrcy is so great that it over- llows. " 'IMie (iod and I''ather of om* Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant uk rc)' hath hcgotlcMi us again unto a livt;Iy hope." i Teter i. }y. In (iod then; is fulness of m(;rcy. " According to the mullilucU; of thy tender mercies blot out my trans- irrcssions." Ps. li. i. "() (iod, in the multitude; of thy mercy hear me." Ps. Ixix. i ^^. "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrightc;ous man his tiioughts; and i(;t him return unto the Loud, and he will have mercy upon him ; and to our (iod, for he will abundantly pardon." Isa. Iv. 7. (iod's merci(;s are innumeral)le. lo meet our wretched condition the case would need to be so ; for our sins and miseries are without num- her. We have no want but God has mercy to remove it ; he has a balm for all our wounds. He has remedies for all our diseases, and can effectually cure them, however obstinate they may be. He has tender mercies to soften hardness of heart ; he has a fountain of living water to cleanse all pollution thor- ;■ f J i H W:. ¥k\\^ ^!*^l ■?. ?>> \t 196 Discourses on Ephesians. oughly, however filthy we may be. If any one is oppressed with guilt. " the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." i John i. 7, For the poor he has "gold tried in the fire," for the naked he has "white raiment that" they may "be clothed." and that "the shame" of their "nakedness do not appear,' and for the blind he has "eye-salve" that they may see. Rev. iii. 18. To examine our condition, and to apply the proper remedies, we have a great Physician who possesses unfailing skill, inexhaustible patience, and unbounded compassion. " We have not an high priest which Cr-nnot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities ; but was in all things tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." Heb. iv. 15, 16. The mercies of God are inexhaustible. " O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God ! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out." Rom. xi. 33. God exercised his knowledge and wisdom in devising ways of show- ing mercy. The Psalmist had a comfortable view of God's benevolence when he said: "Thy mercy, Lord, is in the heavens ; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds. Thy righteousness is like the great mountains; thy judgments are a great deep: O Lord, thou preservest man and beast. How excellent is thy loving-kindness, O God ! " Ps. xxxvi. 5-7. God's Love to His People. 197 III. Notice what prompted God to bestow thts*^ benefits on his people, " But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us." 1. Observe that mercy merely res[)ects misery, but love bestows favours. Love is a desire to communicate the greatest good, and mercy is a desire to deliver from distress. Parents love their children as they are their children, but when they fall into trouble love stirs up mercy, which exerts itself to relieve them. Divine mercy rescues the miserable, but God's love advances them to honour, that they may be blessed for evermore. Because a benevolent man pities any one who is afflicted, he is disposed to comfort him, whoever he may be ; but if the object of his compassion is one whom he loves, his affectionate regard for him gives intensity to his mercy. it is God's nature to pity the distress of his creatures, but the affliction of the objects of his love moves his compassion to take effectual steps to deliver them from their miseries. " Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him." Ps. ciii. 13. If God's love to his people has the command of the riches of his mercy, we may rest assured that it will be sufficiently dispensed. In the meantime he regu- lates the gifts of his love by wisdom, and shows mercy to the extent that is necessary to secure the well-being of his people. But the time is coming when he will 198 Discourses on Ej>/irsians. give them all the blessings which they shall be ca|)ahl( of eiijoN'iiig. Observi' that lovi' is the foundation of in ('1"C\ anc 1 the cause of exercisin<> it. Ciod 'is rich in in(iv\ (' Is for the great love wherewith he loved us." (khI's love moved him to show mercy. II nder no necessity of nature to extend his com[)assion is practical u to his creatures m acts of benevolence )1( I! kiinlness is regulatetl by his will, for he pardons whom he i)least's. in pnu'Iaiming his name bi'fore Moses, sail 1 wtl )e • •racious to whom I w oracious. and will show mercv on whom 1 will show mi'rcN b th; \. XWlll. U). I \\\ many !ie passes over, anc (ioil i)ardons gri'ater siniur 1 if 1 le sax'eil none mercN and e\'er\' other attribute ol his naturt^ winiKl In even then infinite. ( »ur salvation is. therefore, of his giHHl will. l>ecaus<.' it pleased him to lo\'e his peoplr from eternity, his compassion was moveil by thiii miserv to h; ive mercv on them in an efficient maiiiu .\s Clod's love fixed upon its objects, it moved lii> wisilom to devisi" the proper metluul for relicviiii; them from their wretcheilness. and it urgeil his i-owir to carry out die wt)rk to perfection. As nothing i'K( could accomplish the eiul in view, so that tile tlesirc d his love should be satisfied, Cioil appointeil his own Son to work out a deliverance tor his peoj >h ami in the fuhiess of time sent him forth, "made of a woman, made under the law." (iai. iv. 4. " For God .so lovcJ Goifs Love io J lis People. 199 thr worUl. that he .navi- his only hei^t)ttoii Son. that whensoever beheveth in him shcniKl not perish, but have cvi-rlasting \'\h." John iii. lO. V ()bst'rvt; that Ciocl lo\ I'll his people wlien ihey wtTe enemies. " l'^\i'n when wi* \veri> ile.ul in sins lie hath s." sa\ s the apostle, "were sonu'tinu's fotnlish. disobedient. decei\'eil, ser\inv hroiii;ht to* a sense iil" his faults. It must be ohscrveil that the (objects of Ciod's love are not mere characters but persons ; for character is only an ahstiaction. a nothing but as it is foimd in imliviilu.ils. » ■ .?* '¥■■ • ;]i:iP^ ''ii*-' * •»« U- J, 2(K1 /'/ StVN/.US .'// /•/// '/iwiitn.s. Ol >s(M\(' \\\M this is .1 prciU Ionh il IS L;r(\i(, hciMUsc th(< I crson vvh«> loves is itch in |M)\V(M- h) i;i\<' it ('Huicncy. jt^n^at in undcist.iiiiliii^ lo know the necessities ol the Inved ones. ^r» .n jn eoinpassion t(» h.nc nuMiv on (liein. j^reat in wisditm i(. in.ni.iee .ill (hinus netessarv to lh<'ir wellare. and i-kh in laithlnlness to bestow .ill L;o«)d upon them. Mr r«>ntiiuu's to ))e the Iriend ol his loved ones lor i vci "I "an a woin.in rtH^ct her sin kini; ehild, that she sheiild not hav e *-oinpassmii on the son ol her woinh.'* NCi. the\ ina\ lor^et. \ et will I not lorjL;et thee. Hehold | h.ive L^iaven thee ii|t(»n the palms ol my hands; ilu walls are eontiniialK helore ine sa. sli\. I s. K' i^l^reit, seeing it lu^Ids out in all its w.uinlh aL;,iiii'-i the pn»\ (uations ol its ohjeets. It IS j^reat on ac ((niiit ol the antit|uit\ ol its origin, lor it is not ol ncsIci \\,\\\ hilt Irom eti'inilv I I ia\ e IO\<'(l thee \\i th ,m e\ I'l last invi K lo\ (" It IS L;re.it Meiaus<' el il^ aahililN, lor it is a lo\«' that iMtihu'es lor ever. 1' (II ih ese reasons nothing: ean i th I lest ro\ or eoo I it. M iii\ w.iters e.unun i|neiuh it. neither e.ni the lloods drowi II Sonj; \ ni. d It IS i;ieat. seeinj^ ( iod, on .(icouiii i>f It. in.iile ,\\\ inlinit(* s.uriliee lor the lo\cd ones; tor he j;ave his own Son lo siiller and the lor them. it is then heeomin^ that \\v should express our appr(viati(>n ol (ioil's love hy j^rateliil •hetlienee to hi> will, l>v .tlleelioiiate attaehment to liiinseir ami lii> eause. h\ hatreil ti> sin aiul lovt* to holiness. l)\ luiiiiMi »U'» i\nt UlUl \t' (i(l(Mi(r ill liiin, iind hy .1 lunlcssioii ol our faith IK Clnisl in every Wiiy ' I) (liiit i w aiipoiti i|>|i led. I's l( Siimcrs! |)(» iioi Ki> (lni», I have no phMsine in the deaih ,)| ijic wicked ; Imt th.il iIk- wicked (nrii Iroin his wa) ,111(1 live; inrn ye. inrn ye Iroin yonr e\il ways; lor why will )on die, < ) hons*' of Israel Z " I'l/. xxxiii. 1 1. DISCOU KSI': \VI ,n|.s CKIAI hlSK.N IN II II', WORK li. ii. 7: " 'Iliiil in IIm' ;if;rs l«t ( oiiw Iw iiii|,'lil sli(»w tlw S('('((||ii(; IK lies (il Ills (;i.it r, in In: Kill' I IK".'. (oWilKI IIS tlltflll^,' liiisl I (MIS. G OI), Iroin all eternity, those a |)eo|)Ie for himself, whom he prctlestinaled to the adoption of c.hil- ilicM hy Jcsiis Christ, whom he appointed to redeem ihcm hy his hlood, that their sins mi^,,dit he lorj^ivfMi. W 1(11 (lc;td in trespasses and sins he (jnickened llu m [lo^clhcr with Christ, and in him he hath raised them iji lo^^cthcr, and madt; them to sit toj^jc^ther in thf: lu\ni^i'^ ^Bhi ivcnly places, "that in the. aj^^i-s to come he mi^ht mY \ '' ii vx. '.■It' 'i !^ : a II M ^o,» PistOHtsrs ,>ft I' f^/h stitns. show y\\v v\yv\'A\\\\\ ritlii"i nl lii'^ j^iiu «', in liis kiinlniss tow.uti \\\\\\\ in K Ini'U |rs\is, " In this \l H'tli'inplion U,)'. In " Jlnw tlir <'\(('ri|iiiii rn'ht's ol his pi.uc,' I Wll lllitclorr, (liliMl \iiiii .(ttrtilioM lo llic lii hfs ol iM.u r \\v,\\ (kkI (IcsJjmk ,| id show, ih( limes in whit h he ilt'sij^^iinl to show il \\h«Mtin h(" shows il. .iiul ihc rl \ow lO.Kl I'llnl IIS to ol»sr|\c |||,|| t iod's hirlu'st rnd in o\ir s.ilv.itioii is to in. miles! Ii own « h.ir.iclor N. o one ( .in know ( loij's n;iniii' ,it ittrilMilt^s Imllior th.in ho rev c.il Inmsi •n m III W Dili ,m«l Winks . InM ,(s ho Ins |tI(Msmr in m.tkini^ himscl known \y^ his iro.itmcs. ho o\lul»its " tho rsrccijiii; liilu^s ol Ins of.wc " in s.t\ inj; liis |»<'o|)|c. The ,i|iiislli s,\\ s. ih.»t t iod. "who is the Mossed ,mtl onh Tol late, the Kiui; ol kinj^s. ,nul lord ol ktrds ; wl ci; Id iijlh () 111,1" li.uh inunoii.ihlv, dwdhnj^ in the huhl which n K\\\\ ,\yy\\\\\.'\\ imi«> , whom no m.m h.ilh seen, nori.r sor {o whom he h umour .md powcf ovcil.istii .Amen." sh.ill "in lus linu's" show "oiif Toid jc V^'hrist '" .\l liis .jppo.irinj;. ist Tim. \ i. i.| i(). (ii \\v ui \\\\ <»r ,1 (i( "> Mfcs / Hll/l ( <'l,l|)(,., li'hv (•(■ nut' i"(, i/ii "I lie// ''od in himsoll". may, in liis .il'""'^B/('"a(,r. liiU- si>v«,rS (,,y,,f f,^ ".',''/ /// AVv/,7/,/,// "//. (M hi' '■ ( lir \\\,{( t I'l^ MO '"• MM,. (|„ "• 'S IMMJfj- '"IV r.ii,.. /!,.„ , If'iplay lij. II' )';r I, WrtiM 'l'''|''.i\s (.1 his v\ ''""••••"llrl (i|,„. ,,, "Vf, (,)(•(■( lf» r lie U •'MMi (fc, /(, ilf'l^^^'- (lie I >'• '""' K»'" r, /.,,, , ''l'l'"'"(f(| I, in, , '•Vr,,| |,,c 'Mil MT '^"•K 'llfd III O (Olllf '• fir "'IIIV MK ll \\ "•'■ wIiIkmii 'I, wl H'M 2. Ill ""M '■'"'•"""•'I wli(„n I, "'•I'"'. "» w/ink|( '■'■'' I'' Moilii, •MIC, to .,1, •K "I 'inrl'', ,1 III Uilll (lir (• ( "^'' """•'• lIl.MI (lir n, I ''"'" "r (li,if I, pi'ilil W; o )'"K vvord. / I M' ,1,''<'.|((|C 'XCff-dl K''" MI' ''I''!'"'-. .Mid Uryr \[ '■' ')! Ill K» ''- ro/Miff frfl |Hiwc|- ' i,, ,), |{ 'IVVCrn |M> '^^ |"I/|C,| (, I'llCC Ml (I '""''••• ""•U"-M'(l.nr,V, I ' "nrlic. ol I |'"f ''llM^^ "' f.\rn ""• ^'^^'^yi l»lcss(.,| ■'^''' nl (I,,. / "'' "").(,r(;,„( ,1,7/ '■r '"■""•r. („„| Me 111 \\v\\ IMI-Ic K. I '"''y. or Mi;iy lie l'> ll l""iisli(.,| \^y I II' "'^ "''"Mrr-, ; /,„■ ,|„. I (io(| ''N,iMnM.r(;od "■ "''<-'"vsarily l>,;st<,ws M f:.s.s- )ows the ^'^' ^" ■^InM.gih,,, ,h(. f; s v\ n'hffs o/ h IS n'th (,r |„.| J'M'actfT so Well "•^'•■'•s as his kiMd- Wl m m 'til 204 Discourses on Ephesians. ness. An awakened sinner, deeply convinced of his sin, cannot well derive comfort from God's wisdom, power, and holiness, and he finds it hard to see how God could love him ; but when the gracious disposition of God, whereby he freely bestows good things on undeserving sinnprs, is impressed on his mind, peace and hope possess him. There is no doctrine of the gospel that satisfies a guilty soul like the great truth that God's supreme end is to declare his own glory by showing forth the riches of his grace. "I, even 1, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake." Isa. xliii. 25. "Say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord God ; I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for mine holy name's sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen, whither ye went. Ez. xxxvi. 22. By these and similar statements God intimates to us that he saves and blesses, not for any- thing in us, but for himself. " I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy." Rom. ix. 15, 16. 3. The grace of God is supereminently tich both in forgiving sins and in bestowing gifts. The apostle, in his reference to the quickening and exaltation of believers in Christ, ascribes them to God's riches of mercy, and, rising in a climax, he says this was done " that in the ages to come he might Mi his \om. how iltion fs on peace 3f the truth ory by 1 1, am le own Israel r sakes, which went." tits God for any- \ercy on npassion is not of of God [ich botb licUening ^ them i^^ he savi Ihe m^^ God's Great Design in Redemption. 205 show the exceeding riches of his grace." The experi- ence of all the saints shall cause them to concur in this. When men first receive forgiveness of sin when they turn to God, they find him rich in mercy ; when they advance in spiritual life they find him richer in mercy and grace, and at last, if not in this life, at all events in the life to come, they will find that there is exceed- ing riches of grace in him towards them, so that each of them can say : — The Lord hath "dealt bountifully with me." Ph. xiii. 6. God is not only rich in mercy and grace with respect to abundance, but he is exceed- ingly rich in grace. He exceeds the most wealthy who is the most generous in bestowing gifts, for his liberality exceeds the demerits of his people. " Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage } He retaineth not his anger for ever, be- cause he delighteth in mercy. He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us ; he will subdue our iniquities ; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the Ifi I. 206 Discourses on Ephesians. against the Holy Ghost. Mat. xii. 31. "Though vour sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow ; though they be reel like crimson, they shall be as wool. If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land." Isa. i. 18, 19. " I have blotted out, as a diick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee." Isa. xliv. 22. He is exceedingly generous in bestowing rich gifts. The apostle says : " Trust ... in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy. " I Tim. vi. 17. He gives us the earth with all it contains for a dwelling-i)lace as long as we need it, and he is preparing mansions for his people in glory. He surrounds the earth with an atmosphere fitted for us to live in. He poised the sun in space at a j^roper distance from us, to give us the amount of light and heat which we need to support us in comfort. With- out attempting the impossible task of enumerating all the temporal mercies he b(;stows on us, let it suffice to say that he fills " our hearts with food and gladness. Acts xiv. 17. Though temporal things are valuable they are infinitely surpassed by the spiritual blessings that God has richly provided for his people. A view of them caused David to say: "O Lord, for thy servant's sake, and according to thine own heart, hast thou done all this greatness, in making known all these great things. O Lord, there is none like thee, neither is there any God besides thee, according to all that we God's Great Design in Redemption. 207 have heard with our ears." i Chron. xvii. 19, 20. God has a generous heart to give liberally in his infinite wisdom, knowledge, and und<;rstanding, where- by he devises and distributes blessings in the way that is i)est calculated to promote the happiness of the objects of his bounty. "The Lord will give grace and glory : no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.' Ps. Ixxxiv. fi. He possesses all good things, and will bestow them on the saints. When his i)eoj)le weni bound over by justice to merited punishment, he gave his own Son to redeem them, and "he that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things ? " Rom. viii. 32. Seeing that when dead v/e were unable to accept the redemption purchased by Christ, (iod gave his Spirit to cjuicken, renew, and make us able and willing to embrace Christ as he is freely offered to us in the gospel. He giveth him richly to sanctify us that we may be prepared for the full enjoyment of himself in glory. He "sheds him forth abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour." litus iii. 6. He gives himself to be a Father, friend, and benefactor. " I will be their God, and they shall he my people." II. Notice the times wherein he designed to show the riches of his grace. " That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace." This means all succeeding ages. 1 1 ,;4,l lid! aJi;i :: I W - !^.v: .. m :, illj ^ Nl^^H M i2^^fl^H A).S /U\ty>ttrx(.\ rn hlf>hi\\titus. I. 1 iod (IcsiiJncd to show tn^()M|n'l jijm'S (lit' liiln (III ol his ^iMi (• tnxMUth lh«' l',|th('si;iim MUtl i»lh1(| r«'slainrnt thsprMISMlinn. Ik I ('hrisl ruin«\ \\\vy\, rose nj);»in from ihr (|r;nl. jisrtmliil into hnncn. .iihl ^;H on ilu' rij)hi h;uir sjiid imw Siiur I'hrisi, as the rrpH'sciUativ •• ol his |n'o|»|<'. li.r. iMUncd into hr;t\(Mi to t.ilvc possession ol its fdoi\ ,ini| !>!( ('ss(^»lnrss lor thrm, h.- I LIS s<'nt ihr j^osprl li I .11 nations to inalvo tho l.ut known ; so that ihr l',phrM,in nul oihIlo\\ heirs, and ol il same hod\ aitd partakers ol his promise in ( hii.l llu^ gospt^l. ' I'.ph. iii. (V Thoni,;h there have heci 1 M' inanv aw;<'s snu-e the d, i\ s ol the aposlle diiriiij; whit (iod has laivtdv hesiowed lavtuirs on inan\-. his pr uv is not exhausted, nor even dinnnislu'd in the leasi ; Im it is (^\ee(\lini;l\ lieh. and will he so in all eoinins; .i.i;r'- lo a 1] et ernitN w e are entitled lo inJiM' Iroin llii"- cws passai;e that. siHMnj; (iod iKmIi iMninliliillv with | M\\.\ (i(MUiles who lu^lie\(Hl the u-i'^pel in rani's dav, li will, in hiinic agc's. doal wilh c<|ual, il" nol gicalci hiHM-alilv with hoth. (itt in Nt'iimifyfioti. 209 wilt II ii new slillr n( ^l^ill^^ sllflll l»r' r';!;ililislic»l, altfr the pn'^i'llt (limirnsMtinii ^liull |i;iss ;iw,iy. Ill ('nnmo!i wiili l'icmill«'nni;ili'il'? we cxprt 1 aii r\,\ n\ ^nrjii j^lory ,11 lliis (Mhli ; Imt vvr iKljfVr it '',h,ill lif ;i prrind wlicn'ii) (liriT sinill l»r j^'icii jMii^iiK I |HMS|»riily llii"(iiij/|i ,1 jJiMlliI