[SERM. XX. fus Chrift, that, being juftified by his grace, we might be made heirs according to the hope of eter nal life."

Believers have an influential knowledge of Chrift's love. The Apostle fays, "The love of Chrift conftraineth us, because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead; and that he died for all, that they, which live, fhould not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him that died and rofe again."

The faints have an affimilating knowledge of their Savior's love. Though they cannot comprehend the dimenfions of his love, yet they are, in a meafure, poffeffed of the fame kind of love. They are, as he was, meek, gentle, patient and ready to for. give. They have learnt of him, to love their enemies, to pray for those who defpitefully use them, to bless them that curse, to bear revilings without returning them, to condescend to men of low ef tate, to pity the diftreffed, and do good as there is occafion. This is Chrift's command to his difciples, "Love one another, as I have loved you."

The Apoftle's prayer for the Ephefians was, that "they might be ftrengthened to comprehend the love of Chrift."

This is an inexhauftible fubject. The riches of it are unfearchable. We may dwell upon it with fresh entertainment and increafing pleasure while we live Yea, eternity will not wear out the theme. This is the fong of the faints in heaven, Unto him who loved us, and washed us from our fins in his blood, be glory and dominion for ever and ever."

Let us labor for a greater experimental knowl edge of his love. if we are in a state of fin, let us feek from him that grace which is necessary to renew us in knowledge after his holy character. If we are in doubt concerning our intereft in his love, let us not reft, till he is formed in us. If we find

that he dwells in our hearts by faith, let us grow up in all things into him, and aspire to the meafure of his divine fulness. This leads us to ob serve,

f

V. The Apostle prays, that the Ephefians "might be filled with all the fulaefs of God." His meaning is, that they might have fuch a fupply of dis vine influence, as would cause them to abound in knowledge, faith, love, and all virtues and good works. He prays, in like manner, for the Coloffians, that they might be filled with the knowledge of God's will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, and might walk worthy of the Lord to all pleafing, being fruitful in every good work, increafing in the knowledge of God-and that their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and to all riches of the full affurance of understanding." And for the Philippians, "that God, who had begun a good work in them, would perform it to the day of Chrift; and that they might abound more and more in love and in knowledge, being filled with the fruits of righteousness."

From these petitions we fee, that, "by the fulness of God," the Apostle intends fuch a rich fupply of the grace of God, that they might be able to perfevere in the faith and practice of religion, to increase and abound more and more in the virtues and works of the gospel, and to obtain a more full affurance of their title to heavenly glory.

We learn then that Chriftians are not to content themselves with their prefent attainments, but to afpire after greater eminence in their holy character, and nearer approaches to heavenly perfection. In imitation of Paul's example, they must "forget the things which are behind, and reach forward to the things which are before, preffing toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Chrift Jefus." They muft never indulge an imagination, that they have acquired as much holinefs,

or done as much fervice as is needful; but, deeply humbled under a fenfe of their great imperfections and remaining corruptions, the poornefs of their fervices, and their defects in duty, they muft daily renew their application to God's mercy for the pardon of their fins, and to his grace for their afliftance in the religious life. Their defires must not ftop fhort of that which the Apoftle asked for his converts, that they may be ftrengthened by the fpirit in the inner man-may have Chrift dwelling in their hearts may be rooted and grounded in love -may know the love of Chrift which paffeth knowledge, and may be filled with all the fulness of God.

SERMON XXI.

EPHESIANS iii. 20, 21.

Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we afk or think, according to the pow er that worketh in us, unto him be glory in the church by Jefus Chrift, throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

IN the fix preceding verses the Apof

tle informs the Ephefians, what bleffings he requefted for them. He bowed his knees in prayer unto the Father of Jefus Chrift, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that he would grant them to be ftrengthened with might, by his Spirit in the inner man-that Chrift might dwell in their hearts by faith-that they might be rooted and grounded in love-that they might be able to comprehend, with all faints, the vaft dimenfions of Chrift's love to them-and that they might be filled with all needful fupplies of the grace of God. While he meditates on the breadth and length, the depth and heighth of the love of Chrift, and on those full fupplies of grace, which flow to faints from the divine fountain, he breaks forth into the devout doxology, which I have now read. In this, he first acknowledges the infinite power of God to do for us far beyond our petitions or

R.

thoughts: And then he prays, that all glory may be given to God in the church through all ages.

I. We will, firft, confider the, acknowledgment, which the Apostle makes, of God's all fufficiency. "He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think."

God's ability intends not merely his power, but all thofe perfections which render him a fuitable object of our faith in prayer. It imports an exact knowledge what our wants are, a ready difpofition to fupply them, wifdom to difcern the proper time and manner of granting fupplies, as well as power to effect whatever his wifdom fees beft to be done.

Divine power or ability is often, in fcripture, confidered as including wifdom and goodness; for indeed, without thefe, there could be no fuch thing as power, properly fo called. Mofes, in his interceffion for Ifrael, fays, "If thou fhalt kill all this people, the nations will fpeak, faying, Because the Lord was not able to bring them into the land which he fware to them, therefore hath he flain them in the wilderness. Now I befeech thee, let the power of my Lord be great according as thou haft fpoken, faying, The Lord is long fuffering and of great mercy. Pardon I befeech thee the iniquity of this peo ple according to the greatnefs of thy mercy." The Apoftle fays to the Corinthians, God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that ye always, having all fufficiency in all things, may abound in every good work." He fays to the elders of Ephefus, "I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them that are fanctified." His great confolation under a fenfe of weakness was, that the grace of Chrift was fufficient for him, and that the ftrength of Chrift was made perfect in human weakness. He therefore took pleafure in infirmities, that the power of Chrift might reft upon him.