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verse 23 of this chapter, All the than many heathens, and while they churches shall know that I am he profess to know God, in works deny which searcheth the reins and hearts. him. The Ephesians had not an He therefore knows all men's - Antinomian faith without works ; works, good or bad, yea, however though, according to the tenour of secretly transacted; and the inmost the Gospel, they did not trust in imaginations of all hearts, and the their works, or expect to merit secret springs and motives of every thereby; but, according to Eph. ii. word or action. Every evil work 8, looked to be saved by grace is manifest before him, though through faith in Jesus, and by a committed ever so privately; and better righteousness than their with regard to such works as are own; yet their faith was manifest. good in themselves, he can easily ed as a living principle in the heart distinguish whether they proceed by the fruits of it. This is the dif. from a right principle, and whose ference between the faith of a religious pretensions are sincere or sound believer and that of an hyotherwise. This perfect knowledge pocrite. Being such as Christ apa both proves him to be truly God, proved, their works were those of and also qualifies him to be the godliness, righteousness, tempera just and equitable Judge of the ance, chastity, kindness, justice, world : for he will make manifest &c. The grace of God, which the counsels of the heart, and bring bringeth salvation, effectually every work" into judgment, with teaches believers to deny ungodlievery secret thing, whether good or ness and worldly lusts, and to live evil, and render to every one ac- soberly, righteously, and godly, in cording to his real state and cha. this present world. They have racter. Observe,

put off the old man with his deeds, 2. His commendation of the and have put on the new man, church at Ephesus; vize of the ge- which, after God, is created in nerality of its members. Christi. righteousness and true holiness; anity being then in a persecuted they have cast away the works of state, and not the avowed religion darkness, and put on the armour of any country, few would venture of light; they let the time past of to profess it who were not in some their lives suffice them to have measuresincere Christians; though wrought the will of the Gentiles, now, while it is the customary pro- when they walked in lasciviousness, fession of whole kingdoms, multi- lusts, excess of wine, revellings, tudes of all parties call themselves banquetings, and abominable ido.. Christians who are ignorant of its latries. Such is the character of principles, and are a disgrace to it true Christians in every age; from in their practices. Iknor thy works, whence it is, alas! too evident and thy labour, and thy patience that their number is small. .2. I 1. Thy works : What were these? know thy labour; and, in the latter

Such works as he approved, and verse, thou hast laboured and not which showed the truth of their fainted. They had been diligent faith. Not the works which are in good works, religion, righteouspractised, alas! by most modern mess, charity, &c. even to labour: Christians ; not the works of Satan according to St. Paul's exhortaand the flesh, of impiety and im- tion-Let us not be weary in wellmorality; not drunkenness, revel. doing; for in due season we shall ling, lasciviousness, sabbath-break- reap, if we faint not, How con. ing, swearing, lying, dishonesty, trary to the lukewarmness and incovetousness, and such-like. These difference of many modern profesare the works of many Christians sors! It seems chiefly to relate to 40 called, in which they are worse their labour and zeal to spread the of

Gospel, and the savour of the Notwithstanding all that men and knowledge of Christ, tó all around Satan were permitted to do, they them. The primitive Christians still clave to Christ, and to the laboured to accomplish this; and works of faith and labours of love, it is the duty of others to do the and were not moved away from the same, and we shall be constrained hope of the Gospel : Thou hast to it if the love of God and man borne, and laboured, and hast not reigns within. They saw their fel- fainted. The unsound are easily low-sinners around ready to perish led to evil, by almost any temptain heathen ignorance, idolatry, and tion, and especially by the draad the practice of the vilest abomina- of suítering: bụt ihe sincere are tions, and laboured to bring thein enabled to stand steadfast thro!:gh to the knowledge of the truth and the supplies of Divine grace, of the salvation of Christ, that they whatever they may be called 10 might be plucked as brands out of suffer, and to choose any suffering the everlasting fire. And we now rather than to commit sin, or to not only know that the greater part be ashamed of Christ; and even of the world are ahiding in pagan not to account their lives dear, &c. or anti-christian darkness, but we 4. Thou canst not bear them see vast multitudes that call them- which are evil; viz. the carnal and selves Christians living without ungodly, and such as pretend rehope and without God in the ligion, but are a disgrace to it, world; and we ought to labour, They did not approve them, nor not only Ministers, as public teach- countenance or encourage them in ers, but others, by private exhort- their evil ways, much less allow ations and persuasions, to awaken and love their ways, or maintain them to a sense of their danger, unnecessary intimacy or familiarity and to bring them under the means with them. All who would ap. of conversion; knowing that he prove themselves sincere will be of that converteth a sinner from the the same disposition: Come out error of his ways shall save a soul from among them, and be separate, from death, &c. When men are &c.; Have no fellowship with the anxious to do this, it appears that unfruitful works of darkness, &c.; themselves are alive to God in their Depart from 2€, ye evil doers, &c.; souls.-3. I know thy patience. I have hated the assembly of evil This is a grand and essential Chris- doers, and will not sit with the wicktian virtue; and the power of faith ed.-5. Thou hast tried them which and religion discovers itself thereby say they are apostles, and are not, in an eminent degree, viz. when and hast found them liars. They there is contentedness in a state of did not encourage every one that poverty and distress, and quiet sub- set up himself to be a public teachInission and humiliation before er, but tried those who came with God in trouble and affiiction, know- unfounded pretensions by the rules ing it to be the will of God in Christ of Scripture, and found thein fuilse Jesus concerning us. Fretfulness arostles, deceitful workers. Such and murmuring under pain and dis. there were in the primitive times, tress, rather than justifying God as well as in our own days. False in self-abasement and returning to apostles are those that teach errors him, is an awful mark of a grace. contrary to the word of God; and less and rebellious heart. With those also whose aim it is to make respect to the Ephesian Christians, divisions and separations in and it chiefly signifies their patience from the church; which is doing and steadfastness under persecu- Satan's work, as well as teac! 8 tions which they underwent for heresies. Marke them, says the Christ and righteousness' sake. Apostle, who make divisions among you, and avoid then. For this the may be performed through self-ad church of Ephesus is commended. miration, with a view to merit, to 6.-A further commendation is giv- be seen of men, or through fear of en them in verse 6: This thou hast, disgrace'; but not being done for that thou hatest the doctrine of the the sake of Christ, they are hateNicolaitans, which I also hate. ful to him, and, according to our These were a sect which arose in Thirteenth Article, have the nathe primitive times, vėry vile and ture of sin. Oft such persons reabominable, who, under the pre- gard only some parts of religion, tence of Christian liberty, and to and perhaps soon desert even these; exalt grace, allowed themselves in whereas, if we have the faith which the service of their lusts, and par- worketh by love, we shall make ticularly in uncleanness and ido- conscience of the whole of practiTatry, and took occasion to sin be- cal religion, and there will be paa cause grace abounds. They were tient continuance in well-doing. the predecessors of modern ranters and antinomians. Thus there is

REFLECTIONS. no new thing under the sun; Consider, Christ knows every scarcely any heresies are maintain: one's works, what they are, and ed in the present day, but they from whence they proceed. If will receive according to what he unto God a more excellent sacrifice has done: the godly, a reward of than Cain. (Heb. xi. 4.) Hence free grace, though they have been the excellency of Abel's offering scorned by men: the impenitent consisted not in the value of it, will receive their due wages. See but in the faith with which it was that your works are such as Christ offered. And what was this faith, will approve, and that they are but the same as all the patriarchs done for his name's sake. What had, faith in the promised seed; will ye not be ready to do if ye and faith that had an eye to that really love him? The love of Christ promised seed, as doing away the constraineth us, &c. The evil effects of sin which the fall had inworks that abound, and the little duced ? Abel, by the sacrifice of true zeal which is beheld, discover a lamb, typified his own fallen state, too plainly how little faith in, and and that redemption from it could love to Christ, exist in our days; only be obtained by the sufferings and what inimenge numbers are and death of Him who was to come. likely to be found his enemies. Whereas Cain brought only of the How little to commend, except in fruit of the ground, as one not cons a few rare individuals, in modern sidering himself to be a sinner, and Christian churches! Get more who sought not for acceptance in knowledge of and love to the any merit but his own. blessed Redeemer, and ye will do And hence, Abel by faith offered more for him, and it wit be your a more excellent sacrifice than Cainta delight. Religion consists not in For the one, by the offering of a sar barren speculations, fomenting di crifice, manifested that he consi. visions, zeal for party-interests, or dered himself a sinner; and by maintaining heresies, but in works, faith no less testified that he sought labour, patience, from lively faith for acceptance in the way of atonein Christ, and for his name's sake. ment which God had provided. If ye love me, keep my command- The other, by his gift, -intimated ments.

were first hatched by Satan and only done from motives of applause, 'man's depravity, in the first ages &c. he sees them to be unsound

of Christianity; and are not newly and worthless, and will discover invented, but only revived in mo- every secret spring of action. How dern times. As Christ hated their alarming to the vain, hypocritical, doctrines, so they are hated by all and self-admiring professor! They sincere Christians, who are alike who do their works for, Christ's haters of ungodliness and lies. For name, and would do the same this Ephesus is commended. though they might never be known

3. The motive of all their works, of men, and though men might labour, and patience. Ver. 3. For hate and despise them, may herein my name's sake thou hast laboured, comfort themselves, that Christ and hast not fainted. It was for knows their sincerity, though,bethe sake of Christ; from a supreme fore him they have nothing to boast regard to hinı ; from faith in him of, but will esteem themselves unand love to his name. These are profitable servants. Lord, thon the principles of all such works as knowest all things, thou knowest that are truly good; these rendered I love thee. What are your works, theirs acceptable and well-pleas- labour, and patience ? He sees ing. It was the love of Christ those of many to be without diswhich induced them to work, la- guise the works of the flesh; bour, and endure. Wherever this drunkenness, lewdness, swearing, is, it will produce the like effects. dishonesty, neglecting public wor-, Such as are void of this inward and ship, prayer, the Bible, &c. and powerful principle of action are even labouring to destroy instead without concern to honour the of converting souls; murmuring Lord Jesus, and soon fall from and want of humiliation under distheir steadfastness; they cannot tress and affliction. 'He will ere endure hatred and opposition; long make it openly appear that he when temptations come, they fall hath known all men's works, and into their old sins, because they bring them into judgment. Ah! have no principle of grace, and the what astonishing discoveries-what word has not root: they turn back secret things will then be brought as a dog to his vomit, &c. So also to light, as well as open works of many works, good in themselves, darkness be produced! Every one

that he had no consciousness of CLERICUS DERBIENSIS. sin, and was looking for favour Jan. 22, 1814,

only in his offering. The younger brother plainly showed his lopes of

divine mercy were to be sought for THE ORIGIN OF UNITARIANISM. by faith, and that without shedding

It is said of Cain, that he brought of blood there was no remission, ofthe fruit of the ground, an offer. The elder brother rested his claing ing unto the Lord. And Abel, he on his own righteousness, in open also brought of the firstlings of his rejection of the method which God flock, and the fai thereof. And the had appointed. 'Abel had an eye. Lord had respect unto Abel, and to to God by faith in a Redeemer; his offering: but unto Cain, and to Cain regarded God only in the his offering, he had not respect. light of a Creator; and con(Gen.iv. 3, 4, 5.)

sequently to those two distinct, We might for ever have been at characters we may, and indeed a loss in discovering the reason of we must, , trace up, as to the this vast difference which the Lord founder and origin of each peró put between Abel and Cain, in the suasion, the whole that in succes. acceptance of the one offering and sive generations have adopted their the rejection of the other, had not respective principles. And as it the Holy Ghost by his servant the is said in Scripture, that Jubal was Apostle graciously explained it the father of all such as handle the himself to the church. By faith, harp and organ (Gen. iv. 21); so faith the Apostle, Abel offered Cain is the father of all such as deny the Godhead of Christ and joyous praise. Drawing nearer, redemption by his blood.

he heard it as that of an individual, A CLERGYMAN OF THE CHURCH only he wanted to learn the cause, OF ENGLAND.

and looking in at the window, viewed the poor inhabitant in the

most wretched state of outward - Anecdote.

want and poverty that he had ever

beheld. She had, on a little stool PIETY BETTER THAN LEARNING, before her, a piece of black bread Strikingly displayed in an Account and a cup of cold water, and with

of a poor, though pious Woman, "her eyes and hands lifted up to contrasted with the different Con- heaven, as in a rapture of praise, duct of a great and learned Man. added these words. What! all

The following anecdote is ex. this, and Jesus Christ too? What! tracted from a letter of the late all this, and Jesus Christ too?!' It venerable Lady Huntingdon to Mr. wants not to be added, that with Tim. Priestley, London.

the living lesson which this blessed "I was well acquainted with man here learnt, he with holy graMrs. Mitchell, the daughter of titude returned, well understand. Bishop Burnet, one of very supe- ing who only inherited in our Lord's rior parts, and an excellent woman sense the whole earth, by possess ' to the best of my memory: from ing him."-Christian Magazine. . her I had the following pleasant But, aba! how different was the fact conveyed to my still admiring conduct and spirit of the following mind. Her father, the Bishop, person -Cassander was one of from his zealous care of his dio- the greatest geniuses of his time; eese, made it a rule yearly to visit yet all his merit could not procure the various parishes of which it was him'a bare subsistence, being, by composed; and with the most dis- degrees, driven into an hatred of tinguished regard, such Ministers all mankind, from the little pity he as were eminent for-their piety, had found amongst them. He even and most attentive in their care of ventured at last, ungratefully, to the souls of the people. . impute his calamities to Providence. • “One of those had frequently ex. In his last agonies, when the priest pressed the great importance of entreated him to rely on the justice well understanding our Lord's of Heaven, and ask mercy from Him meaning of the beatitudes, and of that made him; “ If God,” replied this in particular: "Blessed are he, “ has shown me no justice here, the meek, for they shall inherit the what reason have I to expect any earth. Many anxious inquiries from him hereafter?” But beins yet left this gracious Minister un- answered, that a suspension of jussatisfied in his own mind of the tice was no argument that should just and true explanation of it; and induce us to doubt its reality, many prayers were added, to pre “Let me entreat you," continued vent any partial view of it, or hasty his confessor, “by all that is dear, opinion from the learned favoured to be reconciled to God, your by him.

Maker, your Father, and Friend." " In this unresolved state hemo" No," replied the exasperated .. took a morning walk some consi. wretch, "you know the manner in derable distance from his parish; which he left me to live;" and, and observing an habitation more pointing to the straw on which he wretched than he had before seen, was stretched, “ you see the man. walked towards it, and; to his sur. ner in which he leaves me to die." prise, heard a voice of great and

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