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VI. 18.

98 St. Paul concludes with an exhortation and a prayer.

GALAT. Viding for them a twofold security. For this very thing, namely, both prayer and complete teaching, became to them as a double wall. For teaching, reminding them of what benefits they enjoyed, the rather kept them in the doctrine of the Church; and prayer, invoking grace, and exhorting to an enduring constancy, permitted not the Spirit to depart from them. And He abiding in them, all the error of such doctrines as they held was shaken off like dust, in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, be glory and power now, for ever, and world without end. Amen.

HOMILIES

OF

S. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM,

ARCHBISHOP OF CONSTANTINOPLE,

ON THE

EPISTLE OF S. PAUL THE APOSTLE

TO THE

EPHESIANS.

THE ARGUMENT.

EPHESUS is the metropolis of Asia. It was dedicated to Diana, whom they worshipped there in an especial manner as their great goddess. Indeed so great was the superstition of her worshippers, that when her temple was burnt, they would not so much as divulge the name of the man who burnt it.

The blessed John the Evangelist spent the chief part of his time there he was there when he was banished, and there he died. It was there too that Paul left Timothy, as he says in writing to him, As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus. 1 Tim.1,

Most of the philosophers also, those more particularly who flourished in Asia, were there; and even Pythagoras himself is said to have come from thence; perhaps because Samos, whence he really came, is an island of Ionia. It was the resort also of the disciples of Parmenides, and Zeno, and Democritus, and you may see a number of philosophers there even to the present day.

3.

These facts I mention, not merely as such, but with a view of shewing that Paul would needs take great pains and trouble in writing to these Ephesians. He is said indeed to have entrusted them, as being persons already well-instructed, with his pro- x«rnxnfoundest conceptions; and the Epistle itself is full of sublime vs. conceptions and doctrines.

He wrote the Epistle from Rome, and, as he himself informs us, in bonds. Pray for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I c. 6, 19. may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the Gospel, for which I am an ambassador in bonds. It abounds with sentiments

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EPHES. of overwhelming loftiness and grandeur. Thoughts which he Argum. scarcely so much as utters any where else, he here plainly declares; c. 3, 10. as when he says, To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the Church the manifold c. 2, 6. wisdom of God. And again; He hath raised us up together, and c. 3, 5. made us sit together in heavenly places. And again; 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, that the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs, and partakers of His inheritance in Christ.

HOMILY I.

Chap. i. v. 1, 2. Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus. Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Observe, he applies the word by or through to the Father. But what then? Shall we say that He is inferior? Surely

not.

To the saints, saith he, which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus.

6, 1. 5.

Observe whom he calls saints, men with wives, and children, and domestics. For that these are they whom he calls by this name is plain from the end of the Epistle, as, e. g. when he says, Wives, submit yourselves to your Eph. 5, own husbands. And again, Children, obey your parents: 22. and and, Servants, be obedient to your masters. Think how great is the indolence that now possesses us, how rare is any thing like virtue, how great the abundance of virtuous men must then have been, when even secular men could be called saints and faithful. Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace is his word; and he calls God, our Father; since this name is a sure token of that gift of grace. And how so? Hear what he saith elsewhere; Because ye are sons, God hath sent the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. And from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Because for us men Christ was born, and was born in the flesh for our sakes.

Ver. 3. Blessed be the God, he saith, and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Observe; The God of Him that was Incarnate. And though thou wilt not, The Father of God the Word.

Gal.4,6.

102

Spiritual privileges of the Gospel.

HOMIL. Ver. 3. Who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.

I.

He is here alluding to the blessing of the Jews; for that was blessing also, but it was not spiritual blessing. For Deut. 7, how did it run? The Lord bless thee, He will bless the Deut. fruit of thy womb; and He will bless thy going out and 28, 4. thy coming in. But here it is not thus, but how? With all

13.

32.

spiritual blessing. And what lackest thou yet? Thou art made immortal, thou art made free, thou art made a son, thou art made righteous, thou art made a brother, thou art made a fellow-heir, thou reignest together, thou art Rom. 8, glorified together; all things are freely given thee. How, saith he, shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Thy First-fruits is adored by Angels, by the Cherubim, by the Seraphim! What lackest thou yet? With all spiritual blessing. There is nothing carnal here. Accordingly John 16, He excluded all those former blessings, when He said, In the world ye shall have tribulation, to lead us on to these. For as they who possessed carnal things were unable to hear of spiritual things, so they who aim at spiritual things cannot attain to them unless they first stand aloof from carnal things.

33.

Exod. 3,

8.

1 John

24. 25.

What again is spiritual blessing in heavenly places? It is not upon earth, he means, as was the case with the Jews. Is. 1,19. Ye shall eat the good things of the land. Unto a land flowing with milk and honey. The Lord shall bless thy land. Deut. 7, Here we have nothing of this sort, but what have we? He 13. that loveth Me will keep My commandments, and I and My 14, 23. Father will come unto him, and make our abode with him. Matt. 7, Whosoever heareth these sayings of Mine, and doeth them, shall be likened unto a wise man which built his house upon a rock, and the winds blew, and the floods came, and beat vehemently upon that house, and it fell not, for it was founded upon a rock. And what is that rock, but those heavenly Matt. things which are above the reach of every change? Who33. soever, saith Christ, shall confess Me before men, him will I also confess before My Father which is in Heaven: and whoMatt. 5, soever shall deny Me, him will I also deny. Again, Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. And again, Matt. 5, Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of

10, 32.

8.

3.

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