reads and understands it, will have a good acquaintance with that religion which Paul taught in all his epiftles and difcourfes.

I intend, if providence shall give me opportunity, to illuftrate and improve this whole epiftle; in doing which I fhall lay before you a fyftem of christian doctrines and precepts in the order and connexion in which the Apostle has arranged them. At prefent I fhall confine myself to the words which have been read.

Paul here calls himself an Apoftle of Jefus Chrift. The word Apoftle fignifies a meffenger fent on fome particular bufinefs. Jefus Chrift is called an Apoftle, because he was fent of God to inftruct and redeem mankind. Paul and others are called A poftles, because they were fent of Chrift to teach the doctrines which they had received from him. To the eleven difciples, after his refurrection, he says, "As the Father hath fent me, fo fend I you. All power is given me in heaven and in earth. Go teach, or profelyte, all nations, teaching them to obferve all things whatsoever I have commanded you." Their commiffion did not confine them within any prefcribed limits, as did the commiffion of those whom the Apoft les ordained over particu lar churches; but it authorized them to go forth and fpread the gofpel in all parts of the world; and to confirm this extenfive commiffion as well as to give their miniftry fuccefs. Chrift, according to this promife, wrought with them, and established their word with figns following:

Paul fays, He was an Apostle by the will of God. In his epiftle to the Galatians he ftyles. himself, an Apofile, not of man neither by man, but by Jefus Chrift, and God the Father. He received not his call or commiffion from man, nor was he, as Matthias was, chofen to his Apoftleship by men; but he was called by Jefus Chrift, who in perfon appeared to him for this end, that he might fend him among the

Gentiles; and by God the Father, who revealed his Son in him, and chofe him that he fhould know his will, and be a witness of the truth unto all

men.

But though he was called of God by revelation, yet it was not a fecret revelation known only to himself, like the revelations on which enthusiasts and impoftors ground their pretenfions; but it was a revelation made in the moft open and public manner, attended with a voice from heaven, and a light which outfhone the fun at noonday, and exhibited in the midft of a number of people, to whom he could appeal as witneffes of the extraordinary scene.

Notwithstanding this heavenly vision, Paul entered not on the execution of his apoftolic office, nor once prefumed to preach the golpel, till Ana-. nias came to him, and, laying his hands on him, declared, that God had chofen him to bear Christ's name among the Gentiles. The truth of this declaration Ananias confirmed by a fudden and miraculous restoration of Paul to his fight. Nor was he received by the Apoftles at Jerufalem, until he was recommended to them by the teftimony of Barnabas, who had been intimately acquainted with these previous tranfactions. Nor did he, after all, go forth to execute his commiffion among the Gentiles, until the elders of the church at Antioch had folemnly feparated him to this work by fafting and prayer, and the impofition of their hands.

The great bufinefs of Paul and the other Apoftles was to diffuse the knowledge of the gofpel, and plant churches in various parts of the world. And when a competent number of believers were collected in a particular place, fome mete person was ufually ordained to refide among them as a ftated teacher. Accordingly we find Timothy ordained over this church of Ephefus, by the laying on of the hands of the prefbytery, of which Paul himself

was one. And the authority which Timothy had thus received, the fame he was ordered to commit to faithful men, who should be able to teach others; and he was cautioned to lay hands fuddenly on no

man.

Paul was an Apoftle according to the will of God, as he was called to, and furnished for the work of an Apostle by revelation from God, and as he was introduced into the Apoftolic office in an open and folemn manner, according to the inftitution of God.

Paul directs this epiftle to the faints and faithful. By the fame, or fimilar appellations, he in moft of his epiftles addreffes the churches of Chriftians.

We cannot fuppofe, that he intends by these terms to declare all the members of this, or any other particular church to be godly perfons; for. this in fact was not the ftate of any church. In all the churches founded by the Apostles there were many, who after fome time difcovered the corruption and wickednefs of their hearts. The phrases rather denote, that they had been called out of the world, and feparated from others, that they might be a peculiar people unto God. The words, faints, faithful, brethren, difciples, chriftians, are often ufed in a general fenfe, to exprefs men's vifible, profeffed character, rather than any certain judgment concerning the habitual temper of their hearts. The fabbath, the temple, its utenfils, and the ground on which it ftood, are called holy, because they were separated from a common to a facred ufe. The nation of the Jews, corrupt as they were, are called a holy nation, because they were feparated from other nations for the fervice of the true God. So the Chriftian church is called a holy nation, a peculiar people, to fhew forth the praifes of him, who had called them out of darkness into his marvellous light. In many places the word faints ftands oppofed, not to unfound Chriflians, but to heathens.

However, though the Apoftle does not, by these terms, declare, that the Ephefian profeffors were all pure in their hearts, yet he taught them, and he teaches us, that all ought to be fo. We are called to be holy; we are brought to the enjoyment of gofpel hopes and privileges, that we might ferve God in newness of spirit-that we might not be conformed to this world, but, being transformed by the renewing of our mind, might prove what is the acceptable will of God.

The religion, which we profefs contains the higheft motives to purity of heart and life. If content with a verbal profeffion of, and external compli ance with this religion, we regard iniquity in our hearts we are guilty of the vileft prevarication; and our religion, inftead of faving us, will but plunge us the deeper into infamy and mifery.That which is the vifible, ought to be the real character of Chriftians; faints and faithful in Chrift Fefus.

The Apostle, in the next place, expresses his fervent defire, that these Ephefians might receive grace and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jefus Chrift. Under thefe general terms are compre hended all the glorious bleffings which are revealed and offered in the gospel.

Grace fignifies, free, undeferved favor. Such are all the bleffings which we receive through Chrift. If we deserved, or could claim them from the juf tice of God, on the foot of our own works, there would have been no need of the interpofition of a Savior. He came only to fave them who are loft.

The pardon of fin is grace; for it is the remif fion of a deferved punishment.-"The wages of fin is death."

Eternal life is grace, for it is a happiness of which we are utterly unworthy. "They who re

ceive abundance of grace reign in life by Jesus Chrift."

The influences of the divine fpirit are grace; for they are firft granted without any good difpofitions on our part to invite them; they are continued even after repeated oppofitions they prepare us for that world of glory, for which we never fhould qualify ourselves.

Thefe bleffings come to us through Chrift. They are the fruits of his atonement and mediation.But ftill they are the fruits of God's grace, as much as if he had beftowed them abfolutely, and with, out this wonderful purchase; for the gift of the Savior is the confequence of the grace of God, "Who fo loved the world, that he sent his only begotten Son, that we might live through him."

The Apostle wishes to the Ephefians peace, as. well as grace. By this we are to understand that peace of mind, which arifes from a perfuafion of our intereft in the favor of God. Our peace with God is immediately connected with our faith in Christ. "Being juftified by faith, we have peace with God." Our peace of mind is connected with our knowledge of the fincerity of our faith. "If our heart con

demn us not, we have confidence toward God." The fincerity of our faith is proved by the fruits of it in our lives. The way to enjoy peace, is to increase in all holy difpofitions, and to abound in every good work.

If the Apostle wifhed grace and peace to Chrif tians, furely they fhould feel fome folicitude to enjoy them. You think your minifter fhould be concerned for the happiness of his people; but ought not every one rather to be concerned for his own? You cenfure the coldnefs which you obferve in the teachers of religion; you wish they were more zealous and animated: And will you at the fame time neglect the means of religion, which you enjoy ? You would have others take more pains for your