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on in their minds; and, as king of righteousness, that his bleffed fceptre might be fwayed in their affections and confciences; and as he was their atoning Saviour, that peace and pardon might be fenfibly enjoyed in their fouls; and that the altogether lovely Saviour might be enthroned, exalted, and admired, in the throne of their hearts-That Christ, faid he, may dwell in your hearts by faith, that ye may be rooted and grounded in love. ver. 17.

The apostle well knew that Chrift, as king of righteousness and king of peace, did not reign in the world; as it is written-I came not to fend peace upon earth, but a fword and a fire; and what will I if it be already kindled? The whole world is not under the blessed fway of the fceptre of grace; Chrift reigns on mount Zion; but all men are not come to mount Zion, and the heavenly Jerufalem. The elect, and them only, conftitute the gofpel mount Zion; as it is written-The Lord hath chofen Zion, he bath defired it for his habitation. And from hence it is that he difplays his admirable beauty and omnipotent power; as fays. the Pfalmilt-Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God bath fbined. But there are fome who plainly affirm, and ftill adhere to this, that they will not have this man to reign over them. And, if the Lord hold his peace at them when they make thefe vows, it is a dreadful fign that they are not elected; and confequently all their vows are established that they have bound their fouls with, and all their vows

fhall

fhall ftand. None can make their vows void but a father and a husband; and Chrift is that father and that husband, who can make them void, fo as for the Lord to forgive them. Numb. xxx. 4-8.

But to proceed: The kingdom of Chrift is not of this world, therefore it is not to be taken or defended by carnal weapons. It is true that Christ is the King of kings, and Lord of lords; and by him kings reign, and princes decree juftice. But this is under his uncontroulable power as the univerfal monarch of nations.

But his fpiritual kingdom is not of this world; the throne of grace is in heaven; his laws are from heaven, and written in the minds of all his fubjects; his fceptre is swayed over every justified foul that believes in his name for juftification, and takes him for his everlasting righteousness and ftrength; his kingdom is fet up in the fouls of believers, as it is written-The kingdom of God is within you. This kingdom is altogether fpiritual; for the kingdom is not in word, but in power; it is righteousness, peace, and joy, in the Holy Ghost. Thus, my friends, the Saviour's laws are written within us, and he must have the pre-eminence in our affections, and fway his peaceable fceptre in our confciences, which I truft is our foul's delight. But, if we speak of this, it appears a bane to the world; they cannot endure his binding laws; therefore they fay-Break his bonds afunder, and

caft

caft away his cords from us. But why? What are his cords and bands, that are so offenfive to those who are fo violent? Why one of the bonds is the binding cord of everlasting love, which the carnal mind, fortified with infernal enmity, cannot brook; as it is written-The carnal mind is enmity against God; it is not fubject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. The other bond is the bond of gofpel peace; as it is written-Keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. But the finner had rather have peace with his fins, and continue to maintain war with God than caft down his rebellious arms, and fend an ambaffage, defiring conditions of peace. The other cord or girdle is truth, intended to gird up the loins of the mind, in order to make the finner watch and be fober.

However, the ungodly fay-Let us break these bonds afunder, and caft away his cords from us. Well, if this must be the cafe, he that dwells in heaven fhall laugh at fuch-Then shall be fpeak to them in his wrath, and vex them in his fore displeasure. Yet have I fet my King upon my holy bill.

And now we will proceed to confider the words of my text; That ye-may be able to comprehend with all faints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Chrift, which paffeth knowledge. In these words there feems to be fomething like contradiction. In the first clause he wishes us to comprehend, and in the laft clause he fays it paffeth knowledge. But does

the

the apostle contradict himself here? By no means. He would with that the Ephefians fhould comprehend with all faints, &c. He means, he would wish that the Ephefians, who were children in the faith, should arrive to as high a pitch of knowledge, experience, and enjoyment of God's eternal love, as any other faints whatever. That ye may comprehend with all faints; that you may fee eye to eye with the best of them. And yet he infinuates to them that, when they have arrived to the highest pitch of knowledge, they would then know but in part; for the whole of Chrift's love paffeth knowledge. His plain meaning feems to be this; I would wish you to know, to your foul's establishment, as much of Chrift's love as can be known: but I must tell you that the greateft part is to be known only in the bright regions of eternal day; as it is written-For we know in part, and prophefy in part; but when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part fhall be done away. 1 Cor. xiii. 6. The apoftle's meaning then amounts to this; he would wish that the Ephefians fhould know, or comprehend, as much as other faints ever did; and yet would intimate that their knowledge and enjoyment was nothing, when compared to that knowledge and enjoyment which the faints will have in the world to come.

Having thus briefly opened my text, I must beg leave to invert the order of it a little. The words ́are, That ye may be able to comprehend with all

faints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height, and to know the love of Chrift, which paffeth knowledge. If I have obtained your leave to invert the order, I will now deliver my thoughts on the fubject in the following manner.

First, I will treat of the love of God.

2dly. Of the length of this divine love.
3dly. Offer my opinion on the breadth of it.
4thly. On the depth of this love.

5thly. On the height.

And, laftly, Conclude the whole with a word of application.

Where shall I begin in delivering my opinion on this fubject? I muft begin with God-for God is love. John iv. 8. This is clearly revealed in the fcriptures of truth, that the nature of God is love. But is this divine affection fixed on all the human race, fo as to fave them in Chrift with an everlasting falvation? That cannot be proved; for God fays that multitudes are in hell already; as you read in the 3ft and 32d chapters of Ezekiel God loveth the ftranger in giving him food and raiment. Deut. x. 18. But the elect are not ftrangers-I know my sheep, fays Chrift, and I lay down my life for them, and they shall never perish. It was felf-moving love in God to chufe his own elect, and is the firft caufe of all our happiness. His own will was his counfellor; as it is writtenHe worketh all things after the counsel of his own will. That his wifdom drew up the plan of our falva

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