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of those tribulations which I suffer, for preaching the gospel tó you: yea, rather, ye ought to account them your glory and res joicing; in that ye have an Apostle, who is thought worthy to suf fer for the name of Christ.

III. 15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named. Of whom that whole united family of Saints, both in heaven and earth, and here below of Jews and Gentiles, is named to be the One Universal Church of Christ.

III. 19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

That

ye may be able with all his Saints, to conceive the absoluteness, and infinite perfectness, and exactness of the work of that Reconciliation, which he hath wrought for mankind, in all the dimensions of it; and may be affected with it accordingly.

III. 20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.

And, that ye may apprehend that unspeakable love of Christ towards us, the full knowledge whereof passeth all finite capaci ty; and that ye may be filled with all perfection of the graces of God.

IV. 3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Endeavouring to preserve that holy and Christian unity, which the Spirit of God hath wrought in you, by a peaceable disposition and carriage one to another.

IV. 8 When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. See Psalm lxviii. 18.

IV. 9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?

Now, in that David says, that Christ ascended, what doth it imply, but that he had before descended, both from heaven to the earth, which is the lowest part of the world, and from the surface of the earth, into the bowels thereof, the grave?

IV. 10 IIe that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)

He, that thus descended, &c. that he might fulfil all that was fore-said of him; and all that is or should be requisite for the full glorification of his Church.

IV. 11 And some, pastors and teachers, &c.

And some he gave to be pastors and teachers of his Church, to lead forth his people, and to feed them with wholesome doctrine and holy government.

IV. 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

All which he hath given and ordained, for the perfecting of the grace of his Saints; and for the full and exact discharge of the great work of the ministry, which could not be sufficiently ma

naged by any one rank of gifts or men; and, in general, for the full edification of the Church, which is the mystical body of Christ:

IV. 13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

Till all those, yet unbelievers, which belong to God's election, be brought to one and the same saving Faith, and to the true knowledge and acknowledgement of the Son of God, together with us; and so the whole Church, as if it were one body, grow up to be a perfect and divine grown man, even to that full stature of grace, and full knowledge, which it is ordained unto, in and by Christ; yea, until that Christ, who accounts the Church to be no other than his body, and holds himself not perfect without it, have in us attained to that full growth, as that no degree of perfection shall be wanting to this mystical body of his:

IV. 14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, &c.

That, henceforth, we be no more children, unstayed and unconstant in our good courses and purposes; tossed to and fro with every wind of false doctrine, in the tottering cock-boat of our weak irresolution; and cheated, through the sleight and cunning crafti ness of insinuating false teachers.

IV. 16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body, unto the edifying of itself in love.

That, as in the natural body, we see that it is knit together by joints and sinews, to make up one complete living frame, which receiveth virtue and power of motion from the head, which is dif fused into all the several parts according to the use and occasion of the divers members thereof; so as the whole body, by this means grows up together in strength and stature: so it is spiritually in the mystical body of Christ, the Church; it receiving virtue and grace from Christ, the Head, which is distributed to every faithful soul, as a limb and member of this body, grows up to the full state of perfection in Christ; and is in the whole bulk and frame thereof edified by the mutual love of each believer unto other. IV. 18 Being alienated from the life of God.

Being estranged from that course of life, which God hath prescribed unto us.

IV. 20 But ye have not so learned Christ;

But ye have not so learned Christianity, as to give yourselves over, under that pretence, to riot and disorder;

IV. 21 If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:

If, at least, ye have given ear to the doctrine of Christ, and have been taught in his school, so, as ye ought, according to the truth of this heavenly discipline: which is this,

IV. 22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;

That ye put off your old, sinful, depraved nature, which is corrupt according to those deceitful lusts and desires that are inbred in your bosoms, and now change your former affections and conversation;

IV. 23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind.

And be renewed, not only in the baser and lower faculties of the soul, which are your affections and appetite, but even in the more noble and higher powers thereof, which are your understanding and will.

IV. 26 Be ye angry, and sin not; let not the sun go down upon your wrath:

If, according to the weakness of human nature, ye be carried into the passion of anger, yet take heed of being transported, by the vehemence thereof, into sin; neither let that unquiet passion, how, soever it may seize upon you, lodge and sleep with you:

IV. 27 Neither give place to the devil.

Neither do, by this harbouring of an uncharitable passion, let in Satan into your souls.

IV. 30 And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

Do not cause the Spirit of God to withdraw his graces from you, as in a detestation of your lewd courses; neither do, by your sins, give just distaste to that Good Spirit, whereto ye have been so infinitely beholden for your confirmation, and sealing up to the full possession of your future glory.

V. 8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord.

Ye were once, not only darksome with ignorance and unbelief, but even darkness itself; but now, ye are clearly enlightened by the Spirit of God.

V. 14 Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.

Awake, thou sinner, that sleepest securely in the state of sin; and rise up from that spiritual death wherein thou liest, by confessing and forsaking thy sin; and then Christ, which is the true light, shall shine forth unto thee, by giving thee remission and salvation.

V. 16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Strive to recover and fetch up that time, which your negligence hath lost; and make careful use of all opportunities of doing good; because the world is full of corruption, and ye shall meet with many occasions of distraction and discouragement.

V. 18, 19 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.

Do not give yourselves to intemperance, in the use of meats and

drinks, which is the cause of much luxury and outrage; but, if ye desire to cheer up your hearts, be ye filled with that Holy Spirit of God, which only can give perfect joy to the soul; Which joy shall express itself, at your holy meetings, in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, instead of those wanton and offensive songs, which the mirth of sensual men is usually wont to break forth into.

V. 23 And he is the saviour of the body.

Even as Christ is so the Head of his Church, which is his body, as that he is the Saviour of it, governing it for the benefit and salvation thereof; so should the husband, who is the head of his wife, rule over her (not tyrannically and harshly, but) lovingly, and so as may be to the behoof, preservation, and comfort of her.

V. 26, 27 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 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.

That he might sanctify and cleanse it by his Holy Spirit; working in us by his word, and by his Sacrament of Baptism, as the means thereof; That, at the last, he may present this his spouse the Church, perfectly beautiful, before the Tribunal of his Father, cleared from the spots of her sins and wrinkles of her infirmities.

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

For, as Eve was part of the very body of Adam, flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bone; so are we spiritually the very parts and members of the mystical body of this Second Adam: out of his precious side was the Church taken.

V. 31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined &c. See Genesis ii. 24.

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

This union and conjugal conjunction is then a great mystery; not in respect of itself, but, in respect of that which is thereby represented, even the blessed union which is betwixt the husbandChrist and the Church his spouse.

VI. 2 Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise.

Which is the first commandment, yea, the only one, that hath a peculiar promise of blessing annexed unto the charge given.

VI. 7 With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to

теп.

In the services that ye do, having an eye, not so much to your masters as to the Lord, who calls for this your obedience unto them.

VI. 11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

Brethren, ye are soldiers in God's warfare: as soldiers, therefore,

are wont to put on a complete harness from head to foot; so do ve furnih your souls with all holy graces, which may defend and preserve you from all the crafty assaults of the devil.

VI. 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.

For our fight doth not lie against flesh and blood, weak and impotent like ourselves; but against the strong and mighty powers and principalities of hell; against those evil spirits, which sway this wicked world, that is all darksome with ignorance and infidelity; against those spiritual tempters, who, being themselves wicked, labour to infect all others, and have so much more advantage, as they are more eminent in the place of their abode and onset, being the region of the air, wherein they do ordinarily work.

VI. 14, 15, 16, 17 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God :

Put yourselves therefore into a fit and sure posture; having your loins girt about with the belt of sincere and rectified affections; and having your hearts defended with the breastplate of innocence, and holy and upright intentions; And your feet shod with a ready alacrity to profess and maintain that Gospel of Christ, which can only bring true peace to the soul; But, in vain should ye pretend to be girt with all this complete harness, if ye did not hold out also before you the shield of a true and lively Faith, whereby ye may be able both to beat back and to extinguish all the strong, sudden, violent, fiery temptations of that Wicked One. And let your head be defenced with the assured hope of salvation, as with a helmet; and let your hand be armed with the word of God, which is as the sword of the Spirit, whereby Satan may not only be resisted, but vanquished also and utterly foiled:

VI. 18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto.

And, that all this preparation and holy munition may prevail and take happy effect, ye must ever be praying unto God, with all fervency of soul, in all frequence and instance of prayer and supplication; watching therein.

THE EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO THE
PHILIPPIANS.

I. 5 For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until

now.

That, by our ministry, ye have been brought to the communion

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