falvation: And will you take no pains for your own? Let every man give diligence for himfelf, that he may obtain grace and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jefus Chrift.

The Apostle, in the words which follow, expreffes a ftrong and lively fenfe of gratitude for the rich and ineftimable bleffings granted through Christ to an unworthy race. Bleffed be the God and Father of our Lord Jefus Chrift, who hath bleffed us with all fpiritual bleffings in heavenly places, or in heavenly things, in Chrift.

The common bleffings of providence, as food and raiment, health and liberty, are valuable for the prefent, and call for daily returns of praife.But thefe are only temporal and earthly goods. The bleffings revealed in the gofpel, and difpenfed to us through Chrift, are of a different nature and of higher importance. They are called fpiritual and heavenly things. They are accommodated to our fpiritual wants and defires-they come down from heaven, prepare us for heaven, and will be completed in our admiffion to heaven. The influences of the fpirit are heavenly gifts-the reno. vation of the heart by a divine operation is wifdom from above-the renewed Chriftian is born from above and become a fpiritual man--the ftate of immortality which Chrift has purchased for believ ers, is an inheritance referved for them in heaven -in the refurrection they will be clothed with a house from heaven, with fpiritual and heavenly bodies, and they will be made to fit together in heavenly places in Chrift Jefus.

The Apostle fays, "God has bleffed us with ALL fpiritual bleffings in heavenly things"-with all things neceflary to bring us to the enjoyment of himfelf in heaven. "The divine power," fays St. Peter, "hath given us all things which pertain to life and godlinefs, through the knowledge of him who hath called us to glory and virtue-and hath

given us exceeding great and precious promises, that by them we might be partakers of a divine nature."

The particular bleffings vouchfafed to, and de figned for believers, are enumerated in the following verfes; fuch as election and vocation to be the people of God-predeftination to the adoption of children-acceptance in Chrift Jefus and redemp tion through his blood-the revelation of the myftery of God's will-a title to the heavenly inherit ance-and the fanctification and fealing of the holy fpirit. To difplay the nature and importance of thefe bleffings we fhall have occafion hereafter in the profecution of our defign,'

I would now obferve, that the bleffings granted to the Ephefian believers, are alfo tendered to us. God in his fovereign goodness, has chofen us from among the nations of the world to be his peculiar people, and to enjoy his oracles and ordinances. He offers to us the honors and felicities of adop、 tion, and the remiffion of all our fins through the atonement of his Son. He has propofed for our acceptance an inheritance incorruptible in the heav➜ ens. He grants the motions of his bleffed fpirit to awaken our minds to thefe important concerns. And to true believers, he affords the fanctifying, fealing and comforting influence of his grace. He has made known to us the mystery of his will, which is ftill hidden from the greater part of our race. He has favored us with a complete revela tion, and placed us in a condition which allows our frequent attendance on the difpenfation of his word and ordinances.

We are in fome refpects privileged far beyond the Chriftians to whom this epiftle was written.→→→ They for a feafon enjoyed the preaching of an infpired Apoftle. In his abfence he wrote to them this letter, which doubtlefs contains the fubftance of the things which he taught,while he was among

them. But of this letter they could have the ben. efit only by hearing it read in one place and another. While he preached in Afia, he confined his ministry chiefly to this capital city. They who lived in the remoter parts could not, without much labor, enjoy the benefit of his preaching. But we have in our hands not only this epiftle, but the other writings of Paul and his fellow Apoftles, and we may daily converse with them. Places of di vine worship are near us, and, without the expense of diftant journeys, we may attend on the preaching of the word and other facred exercises of reli gion. We have therefore happier advantages to become acquainted with the doctrines and precepts of the gospel, than the primitive Chriftians could enjoy. If they were bound to give thanks for their privileges; how criminal must be ingratitude under ours!

It is faid, While Paul preached in Ephefus, all they who dwelt in Afia, heard the word of the Lord. What pains muft they have taken! for divers of them came from far. Confider Paul as preaching in the Jewish fynagogue at Ephesus, as long as he could have admittance; and, when he was driven from thence, removing to a public fchool, and there reasoning daily in defence of the gospel. See all the country around coming together, from time to time, to hear this infpired teacher, Observe what pains they took to become acquainted with a religion, which condemned their former fentiments and practices. Remark, how they yielded to the conviction of truth, renounced their idolatry, confeffed their evil deeds, condemned their pretended intercourse with invifible fpirits, and fubmitted to

the

pure and rational religion of the gofpel; and then say, whether we have not cause to be deeply humbled, that this fame gospel, which we enjoy under fuperior advantages, has fo little influence on our own hearts and the hearts of others? Is

[SERM. If there not occafion to lament, that the word of God; which then fo mightily grew and prevailed, is now treated with fo much indifference?

Ye who neglect to attend on the word now brought near to you, What will you fay in excufe for yourselves, when you fee how all who dwelt in Afia came to Ephefus to hear this fame word?Ye who can relish nothing, but what accords with your own fancies and humors, and who are at once difgufted with the preaching which contradicts your former fentiments and practices, How will you juftify this perverfe temper, when you fee what humility and candor appeared in thofe Afiatic hea thens ?They could hear Paul difputing daily a gainst their preconceived opinions; could liften with patience to his arguments, which all tended to confound them; and on conviction could give up their errors and confefs their evil deeds.-Ye who treat the worship and ordinances of God with contempt; what will you plead in your vindica tion, when you obferve, with how much gratitude and reverence the fame were received at Ephefus? -Ye who attend on God's word in vain-who feel no influence from it-who though you hear it, yet live in habitual oppofition to it, What will you urge in your defence, when you recollect, how mightily it grew in Ephefus, and how it transformed idolaters, forcerers, and the groffeft tranfgreffors into faints, believers and the worshippers of the true God?

Remember, that you must one day anfwer before God for all the fpiritual bleffings which he has fent you. It is not a matter of indifference, whether you receive or reject them. If you put them from you, you will fuffer the lofs of them, and be pun ifhed with awful feverity for your contempt.When God fhall bring every work into judgment; he will take into confideration all the privileges which you have enjoyed, as well as all the works'

which you have done, and according to both will he judge you. They who have never heard of the gofpel, will meet a more tolerable doom, than fuch as have known and defpifed it. Thefe will perish wonderfully. Their punishment will be fuch as they would not believe and could not imagine, though one fhould declare it to them. The men of Sodom, in their days were finners of diftinguished guilt, and their deftruction, in the conflagration of their city, is fet forth as an example of God's righteous feverity. But juftice has not done with them. In the day of judgment they will receive a ftill forer condemnation; and after all, it will be more tolerable for them, than for thofe who def pife the gospel.

To us the word of falvation is fent. Let us hear it with care and receive it with joy, accept the bleffings which it offers and walk worthy of him who has called us to his kingdom and glory.