use such expressions concerning him, as may most strengthen our faith. He is able, saith the apostle, to do exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think. Note here, The comprehensive fulness of this expression: he is able to do for us, to do abundantly for us, to do exceed ing abundantly for us, above what we ask; yea, to do exceeding abundantly for us above what we can think, as well as ask. O! how narrow, short, and poor, are our prayers, compared with the power of God! It is much that the tongue can ask; it is more that the mind can think: but the Lord is able to do for us, not only above what we can ask, but abundantly above what we can think. Lord, what an ever lasting spring of comfort is this! what encouragement doth it administer to thy people! what encouragement to prayer! what encouragement in prayer! They pray to him who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that they can ask or think. Observe, 3. That it is not God's absolute power, that St. Paul bottoms his faith in prayer upon, (for God can do many things that he never will do,) but it is his operative, promised, and formerly experi. enced power. According to the power that worketh in us; that is, according to that infinite and almighty power which God had exerted and put forth in their first conversion: this power was, and is, a main for confidence in prayer. Learn prop hence, That the experience we have had of God's gracious power in working in us, by converting and quickening grace, may and ought to confirm our faith, that he will do exceeding abundantly for us above what we can expect, yea, above what we can ask or think, when we are upon our knees in prayer before him. Observe, 4. The concluding doxology: To him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus, throughout all ages, world without end. Amen. Where note, 1. The divine praise given to Almighty God, namely, that of glory: To him be glory. Glory is the fountain of all excellency in the creatures; they all shine with beams borrowed from God's excellences, as stars shine with the light they receive from the body of the sun. Almighty God is that infinitely glorious being, in whom all the excellences and perfections of the creatures are eminently and transcendently found. Note, 2. The persons giving this glory unto God: the church, To him be glory in the church. True, it is the duty of all reasonable creatures to

set forth God's glory; but only the church (holy and gracious persons alone) can perform it in an active and acceptable manner. Note, 3. The person through whom this duty becomes acceptable unto God: through Christ Jesus, To him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus. The duty of praise and thanksgiving is what we owe to God for received favours, and indeed is all we have to pay him; but neither this, nor any other duty, can find acceptance with God, but by and through the mediation of our Lord Jesus Christ. Note, 4. The duration and continuance of this duty of thanksgiving: Throughout all ages, world without end. As God shall never want glory from his church, so there shall always be a church to the end of the world to give glory unto God, against which the gates of hell shall never prevail. Note, lastly, In this divine doxology, after what manner, and with what affection, this praise is given, intimated in the word Amen. World without end, Amen. This Amen, 1. Is a note of assent, and as such used by the Jews and christians in all ages at the end of their prayers, to testify that they assented and agreed to what was put up to God in their name, and on their behalf. Again, 2. It importeth earnest desire. Hence Jeremiah (chap. xxviii. 6.) said Amen to the prophecy of Hananiah, concerning the return of the captives to their land; to show how earnestly he desired that it might be so. 3. It imports stedfast faith that the thing we pray for shall be granted; and accordingly, in testimony of our desire and assurance to be heard, we say, Amen, So be it; So let it be; So let it be, O Lord, for ever.

CHAP. IV.

Our apostle having in the three foregoing chap ters managed the doctrinal part of this epistle, and treated of the great and deep mysteries of the christian religion, comes now (as his manner was in all his epistles) to the practical part of it, wherein he exhorts his beloved Ephesians to many excellent christian duties, which Almighty God expected from them, for all the distinguishing favours and privileges received from him. These duties are laid down, first more generally, and then more particularly; the more general duties he begins with here in this chapter, ver. 1, 2.

idolaters, but now converted Gentiles, I Paul, who am a prisoner for preaching the gospel, and for declaring this grace to you, do most affectionately exhort you, that ye live answerably to your profession, and according to the great obligation of your high and holy vocation from heathenism to christianity." Here note, 1. The person exhorting and beseeching, I Paul, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you; I that am in bonds for Christ, I that am imprisoned for preaching the gospel to you, and for proselyting you by it to christianity. Nothing can more oblige a people to hearken to the exhortations of the ministers of Christ, than this consideration, that the truths which they deliver to them, they stand ready both to suffer for and to seal with their precious blood: I, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you. Note, 2. The comprehensive duty exhorted to, That ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called; worthy, that is, besecming and becoming your holy profession, an swerable to the dignity and obligation of your christian name; or, as he exhorteth the Philippians, chap. i. 20, "walk as becometh the gospel of Jesus Christ." But when may we be said so to do? Ans. When we walk according to the precepts and commands of the gospel; answerable to the privileges and prerogatives of the gospel; answerable to that grand pattern of holiness which the gospel sets before us, the example of Jesus Christ; answerable to the helps and supplies of grace which the gospel affords. Finally, to walk worthy of our vocation, is to walk answerable to those high and glorious hopes which the gospel raises the christian up to the expec. tation of.

2 With all lowliness and meckness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love; 3 Endeavour ing to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Having exhorted them to the practice of their general duty, namely, to walk worthy of their holy vocation, in the former verse; in these two verses he presses upon them more special and particular duties, the chief of which is the duty of christian unity and concord; endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit. The word signifies a diligent, industrious, and united endeavour, to preserve and keep, to support and maintain, the unity of the Spirit; that is,

1.

an union of heart and spirit, an unity of faith and doctrine, an unity of judgment and affection, amongst all the professors of christianity. Observe, 2. The means by which this duty may be performed, and the unity of the Spirit maintained; namely, in or by the bond of peace: a peaceable disposition and temper, a peaceable deportment and behaviour, is the bond or ligament which binds christians together; whereas discord and division cuts that bond asunder. Observe, 3. The special graces which the apostle recommends. unto us, as excellent helps for preserving unity and peace; namely, bumility, meekness, and mutual forbearance. Humility; ver. 2. With all lowliness; that is, with all submissiveness of mind, and humble apprehensions of ourselves. What Tertullus said of Festus flatteringly, we may say of humility truly, By thee, O humility, we enjoy great quietness. The humble man is a peaceable man; only by pride cometh contention. Meekness; which consists in a backwardness to provoke others, or to be provoked by others; as lowliness stood in opposition to pride, so meekness here stands in opposition to peevishness: With all lowliness and meekness. 3. Long-suffering and mutual forbearance; when christians are so far from resenting every wrong, and revenging every injury that is offered to them, that they can bear with one another's weaknesses, cover each other's infirmities, pity one another's failings, and pardon each other's provocations. And this duty of mutual forbearance ought to proceed from a principle of love to each other; forbearing one another in love.

2.

4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; 5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

The apostle having exhorted the Ephesians to a strict unity and concord amongst themselves, next proceeds to enforce his exhortation with several arguments; and there are no fewer than seven summed up in the three verses now before us. 1. Says the apostle, there is one body, that is, one universal church, whereof ye are all members. 2. There is one Spirit, by which ye are all animated and enlivened, and therefore keep the unity of the Spirit. 3. There is

one has his several graces from God, and no one has all, if one hath that grace which another wants, and if one wants that grace which another has, it shows that we want the help of one another, and therefore ought to love one another: this is the apostle's argument. Next he proceeds to prove that Christ has dispensed this diversity of gifts amongst his members; affirming, that in the day of his ascension into the highest heavens, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. In which expression there is a manifest allusion to the Roman conquerors, who in the day of their triumphs scattered their munificence and bounty, their largesses and donatives, among their soldiers and their subjects. Thus Christ, after he had triumphed over his own and his church's enemies upon the cross, rode in the triumphant chariot of bis ascension into heaven, where he received gifts as the purchase of his blood, and shed forth those gifts of his Spirit in various kinds, upon his members in general, but upon his ministers in particular: which gifts, in the first ages of christianity, were extraordinary, as the gift of tongues and miracles; but now ordinary, and to continue to the end of the world. Now from the apostle's scope and design in this argument, we learn, That though diversity of gifts in the church, and divers measures of grace in and among the members thereof, are too often a sad occasion of division and strife, through the prevalency of envy and pride, and other dividing lusts; yet this great variety and diversity of gifts and graces, rightly considered, would be found to be one of the strongest ties and bonds of union, seeing we all stand in mutual need of the gifts and graces of each other. It is very evident, that our apostle's scope here is, to urge and enforce unity, from the diversity of gifts and graces which are amongst the members of the church; God forbid then that they should occasion envy and animosities, strife and contention, rents and divisions. Our apostle's next argument for unity, is in the 11th and 12th verses, where he proves, that as the unity and edification of the church was the design of Christ in dispensing divers gifts and graces amongst the members of the church, so was it likewise his aim and end in instituting such variety of offices and officers in his church for this end it was that he gave to his church by qualification and mission, first, Apostles, sent forth first by his own mouth, to be witnesses of his doctrine and miracles, and then to preach the

gospel throughout all the world, having received the Holy Spirit in an extraordinary manner, at the feast of Pentecost, to fit them for that service, Acts ii. 1, 2. Next, Prophets, who explained the mysteries of faith, foretold things to come, and expounded the writings of the old prophets. Then, Evangelists, who were sent out by the apostles, some to plant, others to water the churches which they had planted, without being fixed to any particular place. Lastly, Pastors and Teachers, called also Bishops and Elders, who were set over the churches as guides and instructors. Learn hence, 1. That it is Christ's special prerogative, as head of the church, to institute and appoint such offices and officers in his church, as to his own wisdom seems meet, for the edification and government of it. Learn, 2. That the great end and design of Christ, in instituting such variety of offices and officers in his church, was, his church's unity, that by all ministerial helps and endeavours his members might be compacted and knit together, and made one entire body, by the increase of sanctity, concord, and unity. He gave some apostles, some pastors and teachers, for the perfecting of the saints, (not for converting of sinners only,) and for the edifying of the body of Christ. The apostle declares how long the work of the ministry, appointed by Christ for his church's edification and advantage, was to continue; namely, to the end of the world, to the day of judgment; till all come, by means of the same faith in Christ, and knowledge of him, unto a perfect man, and unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ; that is, till the church, which is Christ's mystical body, shall be complete and perfect, and attain its full stature from infancy to full manhood. Learn hence, 1. That the church of Christ here on earth, is labouring for, and endeavouring after, perfection in grace and knowledge, to come unto a perfect man, and to attain to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. Learn, 2. That the ministry of the word is an ordinance of Christ's own appointment, to continue to the end of the world, in order to that purpose and design. Learn, 3. That none of the most eminent saints on earth (the most knowing and pious ministers of the gospel not excepted) are above ordinances, above the ministry of the word, above receiving benefit and advantage by the plain and prac

Observe lastly,

tical preaching of it; even St. Paul here puts himself in, and reckons himself among, the number of those who stood in need of the ministry of God's word, to bring him to a perfect man, and to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ; he says not till ye, but till we all, come unto a perfect man. Such people then as think themselves above ordinances, are above God himself; none need ordinances so much as those that want them least. And such hearers as turn their backs upon the preaching of the word, because they know more than the minister can teach them, and can better instruct the preacher than be in structed by him, they betray their own ignorance both of the intent and end of the ministry of the word, and also of the state of their own hearts; for if their understand ings want no light, do their affections need no warmth? Have you no grace to be perfected, no corruptions to be weakened, no good resolutions to be strengthened? If y your knowledge be imperfect, as sure it is, do not your affections want a fresh excitement? Admit the despised preach er cannot be your instructor, yet sure he may be your remembrancer, and excite you to that duty which you know already perhaps better than you practise it. 14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive ;

St. Paul, in these words, declares one special end for which the ministry of the word was instituted and appointed; namely, to preserve from error and seduction, to prevent instability of mind, and unsettledness of judgment, and to confirm persons in fundamental truths, that we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, &c. Observe here, 1. The name which St. Paul gives to unstable persons and unsettled professors: he calls them children, not in regard of age, but in respect of knowledge and understanding: children, is a word that denotes imperfection and weakness, instability and ungroundedness in knowledge. Observe, 2. How the unsteadiness of these profess ors is expressed by a double metaphor; the former is drawn from a wave of the sea, they are tossed to and fro: the latter is drawn from a light cloud hovering in the air, carried about from place to

place: neither wave nor cloud have any constancy, but are both moving if the least wind be stirring. Observe, 3. The cause of this instability; every wind of doctrine: professors that have no solid principles, every wind of doctrine has power over them to drive them to and fro, every teacher can cast them into what mould he pleases, and blow them, like glasses, into this or that shape, at the pleasure of his breath. But why wind of doctrine? Because there is no solidity in it, but being wind in the preacher, it breeds but wind in the hearer, because of its va riety and novelty, and because of its prevalency over unstaid men. How suddenly sometimes is a family, a town, yea, a whole country, leavened with a particular error! Observe, 4. The character of those impostors and seducers that do thus unsettle and unhinge men, they use sleight; a metaphor taken from gamesters, who with art and sleight of hand can cog the dice, and win the game. Seducers cheat with false doctrines, as gamesters do with false dice. Cunning craftiness; the word signifies the subtilty and deep policy of the old serpent; implying that seducers are old and cunning gamesters, skilful to deceive: they lie in wait to deceive; the word signifies an ambushment, or stratagem of war, implying that all seducers' sleight and craftiness is to this very end and purpose, that the ambush of their impostures. From the they may entrap and catch men within whole learn, That seducers and false teachers are craftsinasters of sleight and subtilty, and stratagems of deceit; they have artifices, ways and methods, to take men unawares, and to make merchandise of the people: they wrest and rack the scriptures to make them speak what they please, not what the Holy Ghost intended. If all this art fails, their last advice is, to recommend their doctrines upon some private pretended revelation and uncommon impulse of the Holy Spirit: by all which methods they lie in wait to deceive.

15 But, speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ : 16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together, and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edify. ing of itself in love.