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DISCOURSE VII.

EPHESIANS IV. I.

I THEREFORE,

THE

PRISONER OF THE LORD,

BESEECH YOU, TO WALK WORTHY OF THE VOCATION WHEREWITH YE ARE CALLED.

of

THERE is fomething very affecting in this whole epiftle, and becoming the pen the great apoftle of the gentiles. But the words which I have selected for our present meditation are remarkably eloquent, and reach to the very heart. He had already, in the three firft chapters, declared unto them," the mystery of Chrift:" had fhewn them what they were by nature, and what they were by grace; and now he comes to the great and finishing effential: a conduct answerable to fuch principles: a conftant and unlimited obedience to the whole will of God.

This

This, therefore, is the central point, the great axis upon which the weight of this affectionate epiftle turns, "I therefore," fays he to hisEphefians; that is,agreeably to what went before, fince God hath graciously declared by the gospel of his fon, that he will accept you again to his favour, if you devote yourselves to his fervice and his will; "I therefore" fays he, "who am the prifoner of the lord," and as fuch entitled more especially to be attended to by you, for whofe fake I endure these bonds and afflictions, "do beseech you," do not only wish and defire, but intreat and beg, as if I were afking the greatest favour for myself, that "ye will walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called;" that as ye have taken upon you the profeffion of Christ, will act conformable thereto; and prefer the honour and commands of your master, to any of the vocations, the honours, or the pleasures of the world.

ye

Surely, every man's feelings must bear teftimony to the beauty of this address; fo graceful in the manner in which it is expressed; fo forcible in the matter which it contains. But, if so searching and stimulating a

form

form was thought neceffary by our apostle in his epiftle to hisEphefian converts, who, notwithstanding their remains of pagan manners, muft at least have the warmth of a newadopted faith, and that attention and eagernefs which always follow late conviction; what words can be found out by an uninspired preacher to a languid affembly of hereditary profeffors, of the chriftian faith, fufficiently piercing to awaken their confciences, and warn them from trifling with eternity. For our christianity is of a different fource and conftitution from that which was embraced by the converts from idolatry or the mosaic law. Theirs, being taken up against every view of intereft or pleafure, unpopular and unendowed, must neceffarily be fincere, really believed, and, allowing for fome prejudices, faithfully practised. But ours, on the contrary, having been, for the most part, no act of our own, but rather received by us along with the other customs of our country, and derived to us from our forefathers with their honours and eftates, we have been equally contented with the formal poffeffion of them both, and no more inclined to look into the

titles

titles of one than of the other. Indeed, it is lamentable to confider, that our chriftianity feems rather a national distinction, than any particular and appropriate character; nay, rather a negative than a positive one; and does not, for the most part, declare more of any man, than that he does not go to a mofque, or a fynagogue, to worship God. But as for any stipulated engagement, any contract between him and his God, wherein his honour and honesty are engaged that certain duties shall be performed on his part, or wherein his whole life indeed is actually promised to be devoted primarily to the service of God and his brethren; upon which account, and on which only, he will be accepted to future favour; he has no more notion or conception about the matter than of the religions of China or Japan.

That this is no exaggerd account, be pleased to caft your eyes for one moment upon the state of your town, or village, or neighbourhood where you live. Select now the best reputed characters of your circle; you may mark perhaps the accomplished nobleman, the hofpitable and friendly gentle

man,

man, the fair and civil tradefman, the diligent and expert mechanic, the industrious farmer, and the honeft labourer; but how rarely can you fuperadd to any of these, the forgotten character of a christian. Where is that deep inward piety, and that true love of fouls, which fhudders at the very approach to vice, either in others or ourselves; which walks only in the path of the word of God? The truth is, a fpirit of worldly po licy or pleasure, hath made fuch enormous ftrides over the proftrate virtue of this nation, that even the well-difpofed are kept under through fear of fingularity; and the highest character that is commonly aspired after, is to be accounted what is called "a good fort of man;" that is, a man fair in his dealings, complying in his manners, courteous, hofpitable and generous, and of fuch like popular and self-rewarding virtues. But to live under the conftant eye of God, to love him, fo as to facrifice our dearest interests and our nearest paffions to his will; to mortify our ambition, our luft, and our revenge; to love our neighbour truly as ourfelves; that is, to promote their spiritual

and

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