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have been perfectly occafional, and levelled at the fore- A.D. 62. going Principle. Thus the Admonitions to Husbands and Wives, Ephef. v. and Col. iii. may, by several Paflages of 1 Cor. vii. be understood with reference to fuch Pairs, whereof one was a Heathen, the other a Chriftian; or perhaps the one a Gentile and Uncircumcifed Convert, the other a Jewish Convert; the latter of which, by a Jewish Prejudice, might think themselves excufable from any further Obedience or Duty to the former. In like manner, the earnest Caution to Children and Parents to obferve a Duty in itself fo natural, and which indeed wanted no Gospel Revelation to fhow it to be a Moral Duty of the first Rank, feems clearly to be understood of fuch Cafes where one of the Parents might be of the former, and the other of the latter of those Denominations: And that Children fhould pay an equal Reverence to both, was the Scope of the Apostle's Exhortation. Then as to Mafters and Servants, St. Paul is fo perfect an Interpreter of Himself in other Places, particularly in 1 Cor. vii. 20, 21, 22. that one cannot but conclude, his Eye here to have been upon Chriftian Masters to Heathen Slaves, and Chriftian Slaves under Heathen Mafters. And thus the Obligation to these Relative Duties, fo incumbent on a Chriftian toward even Infidel Relations, fhows itself much stronger and more engaging upon Chriftians toward one another, by the plain Confequence, tho' not the exprefs Defign of the Apoftle's Admonitions. And this Obfervation, which I have not found duly cultivated by any Interpreters, I leave to the judicious and careful Reader of these Epiftolary Writings.

$5. The rest of thefe Epiftles is spent in Exhortations to fuch Chriftian Virtues as are the reverse of those unclean and vicious Practices these Gentile Chriftians had been formerly most subject to in their Idolatrous and Heathenifh Condition; as alfo to Prudence, Conftancy and Patience under the Dangers and Oppofitions they meet with from either Jewish or Gentile Infidels : all which fhall be methodically noted in the Contents of each Chapter. Concerning this particular Epistle fee the learned Dr. Mell in his Prolegom. § 72, 73, 74, &c.

CHAP.

CHA P. I.

The ARGUMENT.

Written He falutes the Ephefians with the Title of Faithful ChriA.D.62. ftians, for their freddy Adherence to the Chriftian Faith,

Gal. i. I.

without any Regard to the Neceffity of the Ceremonial Law. Bleffeth Gad for calling the Gentile World into the Chriftian Covenant, and bringing them and the Jews together into one Church under Chrift the Meffiah. Declares this to have been the original and gracious Defign of God in the Gospel Difpenfation: And the Gifts and Endowments of the Holy Spirit conferred on the Ephefian Church, are to them a Pledge and Confirmation of this Truth. His Satisfaction in their Adherence to it, and his Prayers for their Conftancy and Improvement in the Knowledge of this most wife and comprebenfive Religion of the Gospel.

PAUL an apoftle

of Jefus Chrift *Acts ix. by the will of God, to the faints which are at Ephefus, and to the faithful in Chrift Jefus :

1.

AUL called to be a Chri

PA

ftian Apostle by the express Will and Revelation of God, fendeth this Epiftle to the Church of Ephefus, and to all the Chriftians of the Leffer Afia, thofe faithful Chriftians that firmly rely upon the Christian Religion for Salvation, without the Obfervation of the Mofaical Ceremonies.

2 Grace be to you, 2. Wishing you all Divine Faand peace from God vours and Bleffings from God the our father, and from Father, and from our Lord Jefus the Lord Jefus Chrift. Chrift.

3 Bleffed be the God and Father of our Lord Jefus Chrift, who hath bleffed us with all fpiritual blef. fings in heavenly pla

ces in Chrift:

4 Accor

*

3. Expreffing my hearty Praises to God the Father of our Lord Jefus Chrift, for beftowing on you Gentiles, as well as the Jews, all the Privileges of the Spiritual Religion of the Gospel, a Religion fo full of eternal and heavenly Bleffings.

4. A Mercy

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4. According as he hath chofen us in him, before the foundation of the world,

that we should be ho

ly, and without blame

before him in love:

5 Having prede-
ftinated us unto the
adoption of children
by Jefus Chrift to
himfelf, according to
the good pleasure of
his will:

under Chrift Fefus,
Jewish Law.

6 To the praise of
the glory of his grace,
wherein he hath made
us accepted in the be-

loved.

7

In whom we have

redemption through
his blood, the for-
giveness of fins; ac-
cording to the riches

of his grace,

8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom † and prudence :

4. A Mercy defigned of God to- A.D. 62. ward the Gentile World, * even before the World was created, to make them alfo his true Church and People, by giving them the means of a pure, peaceable and holy Life, by Jefus Chrift the Meffiah.

5. For as it was by the free Bounty and Favour of God that the fewish Nation fhould be, for a long time, his peculiar Church and People, fo is it the fame Divine Will now to bring all the Gentile World along with them into this gracious Privilege without any farther Obligation to the

6. Which merciful Acceptance of us all, through his beloved Son, is that which magnifies and exalts the Goodnefs and Bounty of this Gospel Covenant.

7. By the exceeding great Bleffing of whofe Death and Sufferings for us, both Gentile and Jewish Believers are put into a State of Pardon, and Capacity of eternal Happiness.

8 & 9. A Difpenfation full of
Divine Wisdom, and that lets us all
+ into the Discovery of the great
and wife Purpose of God toward
Mankind;

9 Having made
known unto us the
mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure, which
he hath purposed in himself
10 That

Ver. 3. & 4. was, Bleffed us, chosen us. He in his ufual Way makes himself as one of the Gentile Converts, the more to confirm and encourage them to rely upon the Gospel without the Ceremonial Law.

In all Wisdom and Prudence: These Words may either be referred to God, or to Chriftians as endowed with them under the Gofpel. I have expreffed both Senfes,

A.D.62.

10 That in the dif

penfation of the ful-
nefs oftimes, he might
gather together in one
all things in Chrift,
both which are in
heaven, and which are
on earth, even in him:

*

II In whom also
we, have obtained an

inheritance, being pre-
deftinated according
to the purpose of
him, who worketh all
things after the coun-
fel of his own will:
12 That we should
be to the praise of
his glory who firft
trufted in Chrift.

In

13 In whom he alfo trufted after that ye heard the word of truth, the gofpel of your Salvation : whom alfo after that ye believed, ye were fealed with that holy Spirit of Promise,

10. Viz. This fpecial and particular Purpose of his gathering People out of all Nations, without Diftinction, into one Church under Christ, in this laft and great Difpenfation of the Gospel, and fo committing the whole Church of Heaven* and Earth to his Conduct and Government.

11 & 12. To whofe Religion it was indeed the Privilege granted to us of the Jewish Nation, to have the firft Call; that as we had been his Ancient Church, we fhould be the first Converts that should praise and magnify God under the Religion of his Son Jefus Chrift, the Meffiah promised to us. It being the good pleasure of the Almighty thus to have it.

13. But the Bleffing of being made the Church of Chrift being not intended to be confined to our Nation, is now come to you Gentiles alfo; who, by your embracing the Gospel Religion, are put into the fame Capacity of Salvation with Us, and have it confirmed to you by your Endowment with thofe very Gifts and Graces of the Holy Spirit, that were promised to the Church of the Messiah,

14. For

The

*Both which are in Heaven, and which are on Earth. Heaven and Earth are fometimes a Jewish Phrase to express the whole World. But they seem in these Epiftles to the Ephefians and Coloffians, with relation to Chrift's Government, to include the Angels and Heavenly Spirits along with Mankind. Phrafes of vifible and invifible in Colof. i. 16. being hardly capable of any other Sense; as likewife that of Thrones, Principalities and Powers, See alfo and compare cap. iii. 15. Col. i, 20. Phil. ii. 9.

14 Which is the earnest of our inheri⚫ tance, until the redemption of the purchafed poffeffion, unto the praise of his glory.

a Privilege; to the rious Dispensation.

15 Wherefore I alfo after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jefus, and love unto all the faints,

16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers,

gard to their being for it, and am ever offer up to Him.

17 That the God of our Lord Jefus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the Spirit of wifdom and revelation, in the knowledge of

him:

18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened that ye may know what is the hope of his calling,

14. For those Endowments con- A. D. 6z. ferred on your Church, are a perfect Earneft and Pledge, that God has now redeemed and purchafed you Gentiles for his peculiar People ; || See Rom. and do affure you of the present viii. 23. and future Bleffings of fo noble Honour and Praise of this his glo

15 & 16. Wherefore, being thus affured of the gracious Intent of God toward you as well as the Jewish Nation, I no fooner heard of your Steddinefs to this Chriftian Principle, ever fince my firft preaching to you, and that universal Charity you bear towards all Chriftian Brethren, without any partial reCircumcifed or not; but Í bleffed God remembring you in all the Prayers I

17. Befeeching him, the Glorious God and Father of our Lord Jefus Chrift, to continue and encrease upon you the Gifts of His Spirit, for your still more compleat Knowledge of Chrift's Religion, and your final Adherence to the true Doctrines of it.

18. To enlarge your Understandings, and give you a juft and profound Senfe of the Certainty and glorious Advantages of your Chriand what the riches Stian Profeffion,

of the glory of his inheritance in the faints.

19. And

*Ver. 14. Until the Redemption of the purchased Poffeffion, THIS PROMOTINGEN TUS Wspironoswg. So as to make us [Gentiles] a redeemed Poffeffion.

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