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apostle, nor the Ephesians were any more concerned, than other men; is totally to alter it, and to put a meaning upon it, wholly different from that which the writer intended to convey; or, at least to give but a very small part of his meaning, without the peculiar energy and animation with which he expressed it. No doubt the apostle knew what ideas he intended to communicate, and the most proper words for that purpose; but if there were no sound sense, in which he and the Ephesian believers were actually "saved by grace," or rather "had "been saved by grace,* through faith;" it does not appear how his language can be justified, as it is evidently suited to convey that sentiment; and to induce the Ephesians to conclude, that "their salvation had actually taken place;" and not merely that they were ' enabled to obtain salvation:' for that may be said, at least, of all those who have heard the word of salvation, or may hear or read it, if they will.† Indeed if this were all, what advantage had the Ephesian Christians, above their heathen, or Jewish neighbours, who rejected the gospel, and persecuted the preachers of it?" Being saved," in the language of the New Testament, often signifies being actually pardoned, and reconciled to God, through Jesus Christ, and by faith in him. "And Jesus "said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven."-" Thy faith "hath saved thee; go in peace." "And the Lord adshould be saved."

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"ded to the church daily such as "To us who are saved, it is the power of God."¶ "Who hath saved us and called us with a holy calling, "not according to our own works, but according to "his own purpose and grace, which was given in Christ

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"Jesus before the world began."*"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to "his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, "and renewing of the Holy Ghost, which he shed on "us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; that, "being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs "according to the hope of eternal life." But saved and salvation are also used more exactly according to the import of the words, for coraplete and final deliverance from sin and all its consequences, to the full enjoyment of heavenly glory: "Now is our salvation nearer "than when we believed." And in this sense, as to the body, Salvation itself will not actually take place, 'till the sentence is pronounced at the day of judgment.'

P. xxxix. 1. 2. It can scarcely be supposed, that every christian then at Ephesus, will be finally saved.' Whether the general address to the church at Ephesus, as saints, or holy persons, implies that all professed christians, whether hypocrites or sincere believers, were called saints in the apostle's language; or whether he speaks of the whole company, as being, in the judgment of charity, what they appeared and professed to be, is a question, which will require a fuller investigation in the sequel. Every true Christian; however, at Ephesus, and in every other place, and every true Christian, through all succeeding ages, and in all places, have been and are, brought into a state of acceptance and reconciliation to God, according to the plain language of the New Testament. "Being justified by "faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Je

sus Christ; by whom we have access into this grace, "wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of "God."-"Much more then, being justified by his

* 2 Tim. i. 9.

Tit. iii. 5-7.

Rom. xiii. 11.

"blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. "For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to "God, by the death of his Son, much more, being re"conciled, we shall be saved by his life."* In what sense these latter verses are to be interpreted; and whether all true christians will be finally saved, forms a distinct question, the discussion of which is reserved to another part of the work.

P. xxxix. 1. 9. "According to his mercy he saved "us, by the washing of regeneration." "No one will 'contend that every baptized person is actually saved, 'or certain of salvation.'-Whether 'the washing of re'generation' be synonymous with 'being baptized,' will require a fuller consideration hereafter: but the apostle adds, "and renewing of the Holy Ghost, which he shed "on us abundantly, &c." Now "the renewing of the "Holy Ghost" evidently denotes something distinct from baptism, if not subsequent to it.-The apostle writing to the Christians, who had been baptized, says, "Be ye transformed in the renewing of your mind." "That ye put off, as concerning the former conversation, "the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceit"ful lusts;" and be renewed in the spirit of your mind."+ "The inward man is renewed day by day;" that is, "Beholding, as in a glass the glory of the Lord, we are "changed into the same image, from glory to glory, "even as by the Spirit of the Lord." "That we, being 'thy children by adoption and grace, may daily be re

'newed by the Holy Spirit.' But Calvinists in general do not maintain, that all who are regenerate, and in a measure renewed by the Holy Spirit, 'are certain of sal'vation.' We indeed believe, that they will certainly be

• Rom. v. 1, 2, 10, 11.
2 Cor. iii. 18. iv. 6.

† Rom. xii. 2. Eph. iv. 23.
§ Col. Christ. Day.

saved; but it is only by diligence in every good thing, that they can obtain, or preserve, the assured hope of final salvation, or be certain of it in their own minds.*

P. xxxix. l. 17. The same observations will apply 'to the passages, "Baptism doth now save us."-The outward baptism admits into the visible church; the inward grace of baptism admits us into "the church of "the first-born, whose names are written in heaven;"† in the same manner, as Noah entered into the ark, and was saved. He was not actually safe from all perils, on first entering the ark; for it might have been wrecked, had not the covenant and promise of God secured both it and him. For these "were immutable things, in "which it was impossible for God to lie." Yet Noah had to endure various privations, hardships, and apparent perils; and if his faith had not been very strong, many alarms also. Thus, as we think, every true christian, every one, who has the inward grace of baptism, is "saved." His salvation is secured by the promise and covenant of God, and will certainly be accomplished, though he have to pass through many trials and temptations, perils and alarms, in the mean while.-'Mercifully 'look upon this child: wash him and sanctify him with 'the Holy Ghost, that he, being delivered from thy 'wrath, may be received into the ark of Christ's church, and, being stedfast in faith, joyful in hope, and rooted in charity, may so pass the waves of this troublesome ' world, that he may finally come to the land of everlast'ing life.'—'Ye have heard, that our Lord Jesus Christ 'has promised in his gospel to grant all these things, 'which ye have prayed for.'¶ If then we have prayed, 'not only for the child's admission into the ark, but for

* Heb. vi. 11, 12. 2 Pet. i. 6--10. § Heb. vi. 17, 18.

† Heb. xii. 23. Gen. vi. 18, 19.

¶ Baptismal service.

his preservation to eternal life: why should we assume, that Christ has fulfilled his promise and answered our prayer, in the first particular; and yet doubt whether he will ever fulfil his promise and answer our prayer, as to all the subsequent particulars? "He is faithful, who has "promised:" and whatever we expect and pray for in true faith, according to his promise, will assuredly be granted. "The like figure whereunto, even baptism, "doth also now save us; not the putting away the filth "of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience to"wards God."* If one professing faith in Christ, was sincere in doing it, he had "the answer of a good con"science towards God;" and, being baptized on this profession, he was saved, in the same sense, as Noah was in the ark. This was the case of the Ethiopian treasurer.† If any one, on the other hand, made this profession, hypocritically, or, with a mere notional and dead faith," "he had the washing away the filth of the flesh," but not "the answer of a good conscience towards God;" and so was not saved. This was the case of Simon Magus, as recorded in the same chapter. Both were baptized by the same person, and both rightly, in this sense: yet one had the inward washing by the Holy' Spirit, the other the outward washing of water alone.

P. xxxix. 1. 18. "We are saved by hope." The words may be rendered "We have been saved in hope."¶ A "hope that maketh not ashamed, because the love of "God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost." P. xxxix. Į. 21. 'The persons, &c.'|| Had no persons

1 Pet. iii. 21. † Acts viii. 37-39. Acts viii. 13. § Art. xxvii. xxviii. ¶ Rom. viii. 24. Τη ελπίδι εσώθημεν. Whether the first aorist, in this connexion, can bear to be interpreted in a future sense, the learned must determine.

The persons here spoken of, were not actually and completely saved

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