61.

Julian Pe

14 Wherefore he saith, Awake, thou that sleepest, and Rome. riod, 4774. arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. Vulgar Æra,

Ø 12. EPH. V. 15—21.
The Apostle exhorts the Ephesians, as Children of Light,

to walk circumspectly according to the Rules and Doc-
trines of the Gospel, not after the Manner of the Gentiles,
who have no Wisdom; but as those who have been in-
structed in the true Wisdom, improving to the uttermost
their present Time, that they may regain in some Degree
that which was lost ; because from the Trials and Perse-
cutions that surround them, both their Life and Liberty
are in Danger-In allusion to the Bacchanalian Myste-
ries, he commands them not to be unwise, or become as
Madmen, but have such right Knowledge of their Duty,
as may enable them to perform it ; that they may not on
these Heathen Festivals be drunk with Wine, which leads
to dissoluteness, but if they would rejoice, let them be
filled with the Spirit of God; and instead of profane
and sinful Songs, let them join in spiritual Psalms and
Hymns, not only with their Lips but their Heart, giving
thanks to God under every Circumstance, through the
prevailing Name of Jesus Christ-In indifferent Matters,
let every Man so submit, and yield his Opinion, that the
general Peace may not be disturbed ; considering always
that God has commanded them to love one another.

15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools,
but as wise,

16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit ;

19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord :

20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of
God.

13. EPH. V. 22, to the end.
The Apostle, from speaking of the relative Submission of

Individuals to each other, proceeds to the further Illustra-
tion of their Duty, in the more intimate Connexions of
Life-He exhorts Wives to submit themselves, according
to the Ordinance of God, to their own Husbands, for
the Husband is the Head or Governor of the Wife, as
Christ is the Head or Governor of his Body the Church ;

THE DUTIES of HUSBANDS AND WIVES-CHAP. XIV.

471

Julian Period, 4774. Vulgarfra, 61.

and as Christ exercises Authority over the Church, for Rome.
its Safety and Protection, in like manner is the Husband
to provide for, and protect his Wife; and as the Church
is subject to Christ, so is the Wife required to yield Obe-
dience to her Husband-He exhorts Husbands to love
their Wives, as Christ loved his Spouse, the Church ;
and to shew the devotedness of that Love, he enumerates
all that Christ has done and suffered for the Church,
that he might form it for himself, purified and perfect;
and then calls upon all Husbands so to love their Wives,
and to shen the same zealous Affection and Anxiety for
their spiritual Welfare, as Christ did for his Body the
Church— Then, in reference to our first Parents, he de-
clares, that the Wife, by Marriage

being made one Flesh
with the Husband, was a natural Reason why she should
be loved and cherished by him, as the Lord nourishes his
Body the Church, of which Mankind are Members; and
as Adam's Marriage was a Figure of the eternal Union
of Christ with Believers, on whose Account he left his
Father ; so in the same way shall a Man leave his Fa-
ther and Mother, and be inseparably united to his Wife-
The spiritual Union of Christ with

his Church is a great Mystery; but let every one, as Marriage is of Divine Institution, love his Wife as a part of himself, and let the Wife see that she considers her Husband as her Superior and Head.

22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.

23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church : and he is the Saviour of the body.

24 Therefore, as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.

25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word ;

27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing ; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies : he that loveth his wife loveth himself.

29 For no man ever yet hated his own fesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church :

30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.

31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and

Julian Per mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two Rome. riod, 4774. VulgarÆra,

shall be one flesh. 61.

32 This is a great mystery": but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

39 Nevertheless, let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.

Children are commanded to obey their Parents, who have a

right to their Gratitude and Love, in Obedience to that
Commandment which God gave to Moses, and to which,
as a further Encouragement, he has annexed the Promise
of temporal Blessings-Fathers are to take care that by
an excess of Severity they do not provoke their Children
to disobedience and feelings of Anger, but correct them,
and educate them from their earliest Infancy in the Sub-
jection, Precepts, and Doctrines of the Gospel--Ser-

vants, of every Rank, are commanded to be obedient to
their Masters, in all secular Things; and to be cautious
of giving offence, from a principle of Duty to Christ
-Servants are not to be satisfied with

doing their Duty
only, when they are subjected to the Eye of their Mas-
ter, as if their Desire was to gain the Favour of Man ;
but to do it from the Motive of Obedience to the Will of
God, cheerfully fulfilling the Duties of their Station as
the Servants of Christ, and not as the Servants of
Men only, knowing that from the Lord they will receive
their Reward-He intreats Masters to act towards their
Servants in the same conscientious and faithful manner,
upon the same Religious Principles, avoiding Punish-
ment, knowing that they are accountable to their Master
in Heaven, who in judging his Creatures will shew no

" Adam is expressly called in Scriplure the ligure of him that was to come; and the circumstances which attended the formation of Eve, were equally a figure of the creation of the Church, of whom Eve was the common mother. As God took from Adam while insensible in a deep sleep, part of himself for the formation of Eve, that she might receive a spiritual life ; so did God revivify the human body of our Saviour from the deep sleep of death, for the purpose of conferring spiritual life on mankind. And as Adam gave his flesh for the woman, so did Cbrist his flesh for the Church. And as the wife is made one flesli with the husband, so must the Church be spiritually united to Christ, and be made one with Him through the Spirit, for which pur. pose he has incorporated the human with the divine nature, that both may be united by the same holy Spirit. Woman was created and brought to life from the side of Adam, and the Churcht was created or regenerated by the piercing or the body of Cbrist.

DUTIES OF CHILDREN, MASTERS, AND SERVANTS.

473

Julian Pe- respect of Persons, whalever difference exists between Rome. riod, 4774.

them here. Vulgar Æra, 61.

1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord : for this is right.

2 Honour thy father and mother, (which is the first commandment with promise)

3 That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth

4 And ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath : but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

5 Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ;

6 Not with eye-service, as men-pleasers ; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart:

7 With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men ;

8 Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.

9 And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, for-
bearing threatening : knowing that your Master also is in
heaven ; neither is there respect of persons with him.

15. EPH. vi. 10-20.
The Apostle having instructed the Ephesians in their Du-

ties and in the Knowledge of their high calling, con-
cludes his Epistle by beseeching them not to rely on their
own Strength for the Performance of them, but to have
and to trust in that spiritual Strength which God alone
can give-- They are to clothe themselves with the whole
Armour of God, with the Graces of the Gospel, that
being covered therewith, they may be able to stand
against the crafty Attacks and Machinations of the
Devil; for their Warfare is not only against the Cor-
ruption of our own Nature, or human beings, but with
mighty Spirits, once inhabiting celestial Principalities,
who are the Rulers of the Darkness which pervades
the World, and the highest Orders of spiritual Wick-
edness, who fell from their heavenly Places--Since
they have such Enemies to fight against, they are
to take unto them the whole Armour of God, that they
may be able to stand in the Day of Danger ; and
having exerted themselves to the uttermost, at the end
of their Warfare he prays they may be found stand-
ing in their Ranks victorious—To prepare therefore for
this Combat by haring their Loins girt with the Gospel

Julian Pe. of Truth, which will enable them to discover their spiri- Rome. riod, 4774. tual Enemies — the Breast-plate, or the Principle of. Vulgar Æra,

Righteousness, which will defend them from their Attacks, 61.

and their Feet shod, that they may be prepared to with-
stand every Difficulty that may obstruct their publishing
the Gospel of Reconciliation between God and Man-
Above all, they are to take the Shield of Faith, the firm
Belief of the Doctrines and Promises of the Gospel; by
which they will be fully protected from, and will be able
to blunt or to arrest all the fiery Darts, or deadly
Temptations of their Adversaries, and to take also the
Helmet of Salvation, the Hope of a complete Deliverance,
and hold in their Hand the spiritual Sword, the Word of
God, revealed by his Holy Spirit.

10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in
the power of his might.

ii Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

12. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and, having done all, to stand.

14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breast-plate of righteousness;

15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

19 And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel.

20 For which I am an ambassador in bonds; that
therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

Ø 16. EPH. vi. 21, to the end.
That the Ephesians may be acquainted with his Situation

and Circumstances at Rome, and in all probability being
unwilling to trust the Account of them to writing, St.
Paul sends Tychicus for this very purpose with his Epistle,
that they may know from him what relates to them both,