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[SERM. XIX. are pride, contention, disunion and separation among professed believers! How contrary are such tempers to their character as children of that Father, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named! This is a thought which our Apostle often suggests, and which meets us in almost every paragraph of this excellent epistle.

3. If we are God's family, how careful should we be to attend on the orders of his house?.

Angels and saints worship God, day and night, in his temple above. It is their joy to come into his presence, bow themselves before him, receive and execute his commands, and celebrate his perfections and works. Let us here imitate their zeal, devotion and piety, that we may be better prepared to join with them hereaf ter. they who contemptuously forsake the worship, and carelessly neglect the ordinances of God's house, absurdly profess to be the children of the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named.

4. Let those who are not of this family be solicitous to obtain a place in it.

Unless you become members of it here on earth, you cannot expect admission into it in heaven. The door of God's house is now open. He sends forth his servants to compel you to come in, that his house may be filled. But know this door will not stand open al. ways. When, by the order of the master of the house, the door shall be shut, you will in vain stand without and knock at the door, saying, "Lord, Lord, open to us;" for he will answer, "I know you not whence

you are.

While you live in the indulgence of your sins, you are far from God; you have no portion in the blessings designed for his family. You must be renewed in the spirit of your mind, before you can become fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God, and be incorporated with his family in heaven, Hc

now invites you to come in, and take a place among his children. Those who come he will graciously receive, and freely love. But if you spurn this kind invitation, and choose still to remain in the society of the ungodly, you will forever be excluded from the fellowship of saints and angels, and finally be turned over into the place prepared, in God's justice, for the punishment of rebellious spirits.

5. Let such as profess to be of God's family, walk as becomes so honorable a relation.

Let them emulate the temper of the blessed above, and aspire to that perfection, which makes them blessed. Let them seek a nearer conformity to, and closer union with the branch of their family, which is already in heaven. And let them daily bow their knees to him, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, "That he would grant them to be strength. ened with might by his Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in their hearts by faith, and that, being rooted and grounded in love, they may be able to comprehend with all saints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height, and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, and may be fil. led with all the fulness of God."

SERMON XX.

Christ dwelling in the Saints; and the boundless dimensions of his Love to them.

EPHESIANS iii. 14–19.

For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to com prehend with all saints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height, and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge, and that ye may be filled with all the fulness of God.

THE Apostle, now in bonds, for the gospel, was concerned for his new converts in Ephesus, lest, disheartened by the persecutions which had befallen him, and which threatened them, they should turn away from the faith: He cautions them, that they faint not at his tribulations; and, for their encouragement, he tells them, that he remembered them in his prayers, and bowed his knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ in their behalf. The things which he principally requested for them, are related in the words which have just been read; That they might be strengthened in the inner man-that Christ might dwell in their hearts-that they might be rooted and grounded in love-that they might comprehend the love of

Christ which passeth knowledge-and that they might be filled with all the fulness of God.

These things will be the subject of our present me, ditations. And while we contemplate the blessings which Paul sought for the Ephesians, let us seek the same for ourselves.

1. He prays, that "God would grant them, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man."

It was not bodily strength, civil power or worldly distinction, which the Apostle requested for these Christians; it was something far more desirable: It was the strength, which belongs to the inner manwhich comes from God's Spirit-which is granted ac cording to the riches of his glory.

It was the grace of fortitude and patience, that they might persevere in religion, whatever dangers and difficulties should meet them. Thus our Apostle prays for the Colossians, "that they may be strengthened with all might, according to God's glorious pow er, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness." Christians, weak in themselves, need the power of Christ to rest upon them. In the course of the relîgious life, they are exposed to dangerous temptations, exercised with great afflictions, and called to difficult services. In such cases they have peculiar need of strength in the inner man.

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We are to obtain this strength by "bowing the knee to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." If it comes from his Spirit and from the riches of his glory, we must trust in him and look to him for it. That we may hope and ask with greater confidence, we should contemplate his wisdom, goodness, power and faithfulness, our past experience of his care and love, and especially his wonderful grace displayed in the gospel dispensation.

That we may obtain a supply of strength, we must watch over our hearts, shun known temptations, avoid

foreseen dangers, and mortify those lusts which war against the soul. And that we may know how to suit our prayers to our wants, we must be conversant with ourselves, and gain an intimate acquaintance with our spiritual state. The better we know ourselves, the better we can judge what to pray for, the more we shall abound in matter of prayer, and the more easily we shall pour out our hearts before God. Our barren. ness and deadness in prayer are greatly owing to our ignorance of, and inattention to ourselves.

II. The next thing which Paul requests for the E. phesians is, that "Christ may dwell in their hearts by faith." The same sentiment he expresses in his ex hortation to the Colossians. "As ye have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him, built up in him, and established in the faith as ye have been taught."

The phrase of "Christ's being in us," is often used to express our conformity to him. He is then in us, when his word takes possession of our hearts and gov erns our lives; and when, having the same mind as was in him, we walk as he walked.

-The phrase of "Christ's dwelling in us," imports constancy and perseverance. They only, in whom his word abides, are his real disciples.

As we become united to Christ by faith, so by faith he dwells in our hearts. "The just live by faith." That we may steadily maintain our obedience to his laws and our imitation of his character, we must walk by faith in his grace and power. The Apostle says, "I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; and the life, which I live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."-" His word works effectually in them who believe."-" The word preached will not profit unless it be mixed with faith in them who hear it."

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