shall be builded together for an habitation of the Spirit.

Vain then is it to expect, that we shall enjoy the special presence of the Spirit, if, instead of being builded together, we are broken asunder and scattered abroad-if, instead of growing into an holy temple, we neglect the assembling of ourselves together-if, instead of attending on the word of God, we put it far from us-if, instead of walking in peace and love, and cooperating for the common edification, we oppose and contend with one another, and thus destroy the unity and symmetry of God's family; for thus we resist and vex the Holy Spirit.

God has promised his Spirit to them who seek it. The manner in which we are to seek it, he has prescribed. Our seeking will be successful, when it is guided by his prescription. He is a God of peace and order-of grace and love. We are only then a fit habitation of God through the Spirit, when we preserve peace and order, condescension and charity among ourselves.

Let us, therefore, as parts of God's spiritual house, be united together by love, as well as joined to the foundation by faith. Let us consecrate ourselves, and all that we have, to God, considering that we are called to be an holy priesthood to him. Let us constantly and devoutly attend the stated worship of his temple; avoid whatever would disturb the harmony, or mar the beauty of the spiritual building; endeavor to grow ourselves, and to promote the growth of others, in knowledge and righteousness; be builded together for a divine habitation; and rejoice in all those means, which God has appointed for the perfecting of the saints, and for the edifying of the body of Christ.

SERMON XVI.

The Mystery of the Gospel Revealed to the Apostles for the general benefit of Mankind.

EPHESIANS iii. 1-7.

For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gens tiles; if ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God, which is given to you ward, how that by revelation he made known to me the mystery, (as I wrote ufore in few words, where by, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy Apostles and Prophets by the Spirit of God, that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel; whereof I am made a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me, by the effectual working of his power.

THE calling of the Gentiles into the church of God, which is a subject of the preceding chapter, is still continued in this. Concerning this wonderful event, Paul says "he had written before in few words," or had written a little before, i. e. in the preceding part of this epistle, by attending to which they might perceive, how well he understood the mystery, which by revelation God had opened to him.

The mystery here intended is the calling of the Gentiles to a participation with the Jews in the privil

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eges of God's church. This mystery was in ages past unknown to the sons of men, but was now revealed by the Spirit to the Apostles and Prophets, that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs of the same body, and par takers of the promise by the gospel. The promise referred to, is that great promise made to Abraham, I will be a God to thee and to thy seed." The Gentiles were now called to be partakers of this promise with the Jews." This blessing of Abraham is come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ."" They who are Christ's are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.""As many as are of the faith are blessed with faithful Abraham."

The incorporation of Jews and Gentiles into one church was not, in former ages, wholly unknown; for the promise to Abraham was, " that in his seed all the nations of the earth should be blessed." The introduction of the gospel and its glorious success among the Gentiles were often foretold by the prophets. But so imperfectly was this matter understood by the generality of the Jews, that the Apostle says, "In former ages it was not made known to the sons of men, as it is now revealed."

The Jews, who received the gospel, retained for some time the same prejudice against the Gentiles, as they had entertained before. They imagined, that the way into the church of God was still through the legal ceremonies; and that no Heathens could be admitted to the privileges of the gospel, unless they first became Jews by circumcision. But the Apostle says, "Christ has abolished the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances." The Gentiles are made heirs of the same body with the Jews, not by the works of the law of Moses, but by the faith of the gospel of Christ.

The abolition of the ancient distinction between Jews and Gentiles, and their incorporation into one church, have fallen under our consideration in some VOL. III.

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preceding discourses on this epistle. We shall there. fore notice, in the passage now read, such matters only, as have not occurred before.

I. The first thing observable is, that Paul calls him. self" a prisoner of Christ for the Gentiles."

The liberality of his sentiments toward them, and the boldness with which he asserted their title to equal privileges with Jews, were the principal reasons, why the latter persecuted him with such violence, and caus ed him to be sent a prisoner to Rome. It was while he was there in bonds, that he wrote this epistle. He might, therefore, with propriety call himself a " prisoner of Christ for the Gentiles. A remarkable instance of the prejudice of the Jews against him on this account is related in the 22d chapter of the Acts. In making his defence before them, he declares the manner and circumstances of his conversion, and the particular instructions given him from heaven to depart from Jerusalem, and preach the gospel among the Gentiles" and when they heard this word, they lifted up their voices and said, Away with such a fellow from the earth for it is not fit that he should live; and they cast off their clothes, and threw dust into the air," in token of their abhorrence of such a doctrine.

It may seem strange, that men should possess such malignity of heart, as to envy their fellow mortals the means and offers of salvation. But perhaps this tem per, which the Jews so remarkably discovered, may sometimes be found among Christians.

You will all say, "We never envied a man on religious accounts. We wish all men virtuous in this world and happy in the next." But be pleased to examine yourselves. Have you never envied a good man the reputation which resulted from his virtue? Have you never tried to detract from his superior honor, or to cast dirt on his fair character? Have you never felt uneasy when you heard him commended, or enjoyed a

secret pleasure when ill things have been spoken of

him.

The spring of this bitter enmity in the Jews was their spiritual pride and worldly affection. They imagined, that they were God's favorites, and that for them were designed the honors of this world, and the glories of the world to come. The Gentiles they viewed as reprobates, and they esteemed it a virtue to hate those whom God had rejected. They considered Paul, in his labors for the conversion of Heathens, as opposing their darling system of universal dominion under the Messiah's reign: Hence they condemned him as an enemy to their religion and government.

Wherever the same spirit of pride and selfishness reigns, it still produces similar effects. How common is it, that particular sects of Christiaus confine salvation to themselves, and not only reprobate all others, but even condemn the charity of the man who dares to hope favorably of them? How common is it, that men excuse, in their own party, the same things which they severely censure in another; and consider those actions as vices in a rival sect, which they magnify as virtues in themselves and their proselytes?

How

common is it, that Christians, so called; yea, even Preachers, under the solemn pretence of promoting the religion of Christ, and saving the souls of sinners, sow discord among brethren, cause divisions in Churches, and disturb that peace which is an essential virtue of the gospel, and without which religion cannot exist? How common is it, that we envy those in superior worldly circumstances-that we wish to depress them

that we eagerly receive and diligently propagate ill reports concerning them? Whence proceeds this un-friendly, unsocial conduct, but from pride and a love of the world? Is not this the same temper which appeared in the Jews, when they made Paul a prisoner for teaching, that the Gentiles were entitied to equal privileges with them?