and peculiar people; but because they generally rejected the Savior, they as a nation were rejected of God. Thofe, however, who trufted in Chrift, had still a place in God's inheritance, and enjoyed a portion in his kingdom. They, with the believ ing Gentiles, were made heirs of God, not only to the privileges of his church on earth, but to an inheritance alfo in the heavens. In both these ref pects believers have obtained an inheritance.

They enjoy the privileges of God's children on earth, fuch as his word, worship and ordinances, the prefence of his Spirit, the protection of his Providence, access to him in prayer,and an interest in his promises. And they are made mete for, are fealed unto, and become heirs of a glorious inher itance in heaven. This is fo clearly made over, and fo firmly fecured to them by God's gracious promise, that they are faid to have already obtained it. They are by faith united to Jefus, and are made joint heirs with him, who, as their forerunner, has gone to heaven and taken poffeffion of the inherit ance for them. Their life is hidden with Chrift in God-the glory is laid up, and the inheritance is referved for them-they are risen with Christ, and made to fit together with him in heavenly places.

.

The Apostle inftructs them, that, as they had firft obtained an inheritance, and firft trufted in Chrift, fo they should firft be to the praife of God's glory.

Áll Christians are bound to glorify God, and fhew forth the praises of him, who has called them out of darkness into his marvellous light. They are to abound in all the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jefus Chrift to the praise and glory of God. But there are fome peculiar obligations on those, who firft trufted in Chrift. They, who enjoy fuperior religious advantages-who through grace have been made partakers of the bleffings of the gospel who have felt the power and tasted the

pleasures of religion-who have taken on them the Chriftian profeffion and character-who have advanced in age and made proficiency in knowledge, they should remember, that, of all men, they are bound to live to the praife of God's glorious grace. They should use their influence for the converfion of finners, for the confirmation of weak believers, for the advancement of religion, and for the promotion of Chrift's kingdom. If they walk according to the course of the world, they dishonor the name by which they are called, embolden the wicked, and cause the way of truth to be evil fpoken of. If they, who profefs to have believed in Chrift, and to have obtained an inheritance with him, fill live, as if their only inheritance and only hope were in this world, they expofe the gofpel to contempt.

Let us then, as many as call ourselves Chriflians, walk worthy of our name and character. Let us be blameless and harmlefs, the fons of God without rebuke. Let us have our converfation as becomes the gospel, that none may speak against us as evil doers, but by our good works, which they behold, may glorify God in the day of visitation,

Let us admire and adore that all wife and almighty Being, who works all things after the counfel of his will, and makes them all fubfervient to the praife of his glory.

God brings forth good out of evil, and overrules to the honor of his great name thofe things, which in themfelves have a contrary afpect. The apoftafy of man, though in its nature it tended to God's Hishonor, has been the occafion of difplaying his glory in the brighteft luftre. The grace and mercy. of God in the falvation of penitent believing fouls, appear more glorious, than they would have appeared, in any way at prefent known to us, if there had been no fuch worthlefs objects in his creation. The holiness and juflice of God are more ftrangely

represented in Chrift's fufferings for our fins, than in any other way with which we are acquainted.The angels, who dwell in God's prefence, know more of his manifold wisdom and unbounded love, by means of the redemption, than they had ever before learned from his other works. The evil of fin is in this dispensation more awfully manifefted, than in all the prohibitions and threatnings of the law. Though the fins of men tend to disturb the harmony of God's government, and mar the beauty of his creation, yet he can overrule them to a dif ferent purpose, and make them fubfervient to his glory, and to the eventual happiness of his obedient fubjects.

Shall we then fay, Sin is not an evil; or the evil of it is small? No: But we will fay, God's wifdom is great and his ways unfearchable. Shall we make light of fin, becaufe God can turn it to his own praise? No: But we will admire his goodness, wifdom and power, who does great things, which we know not and cannot comprehend. Shall we say, that fin is a neceffary part of God's plan, because fome happy events have followed from particular tranfgreffions? No: But we will remember, that the fame infinite wifdom, which could make good to follow from fuch unpromising and untoward means, can never be at a loss for means to accomplifh the purposes of unbounded benevolence.When we see the mischief and confufion, which wicked men make in the world, we will rejoice, that God reigns, and that he turns to good the things, which they intend for evil. We will not be anxious and diftruftful in any circumftances, for he who has done fo great things for the redemption of fallen men, will never forfake the fouls, who love and ferve him, but will caufe all things to work together for their good.

SERMON VII.

EPHESIANS i. 13, 14.

In whom ye alfo trufted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your falvation; in whom alfo after that ye believed, ye were fealed with that holy Spirit of promife, which is the earnest of our inher itance, until the redemption of the purchafed poffef fion, unto the praife of his glory.

IN the days of the Apostles, there were Jews fcattered through moft of the provinces of the Roman Empire. Numbers of them were in Ephe. fus, where they had a fynagogue. When Paul preached the gospel in this city, many of the Jews, as well as Greeks, received it, and both united in one church. One design of this epistle is, to guard them against any difunion, which might arise between them, on account of former differences of nation and religion. The Apoftle tells them, that one purpose for which God had made known the mystery of his will was, that, in the dispensal tion of the fulness of times, he might gather all things together in one body in Chrift. In the 11th verfe, fpeaking to the Jews, he fays, We have obtained an inheritance in Chrift, that we should be to the praife of God's glory, who first trusted in Chrift. In our text, fpeaking to the Gentile believers, he

lays, In him ye alfo trufted after ye heard the word of truth. The Jews firft trufted in Chrift, for to them the gospel was firft fent. But the Greeks in Ephefus difcovered a difpofition no lefs honeft and commendable; for, when they heard the word of falvation, they also believed; and, having believed, they were fealed with the holy Spirit of promife. There are three things obfervable in these words: I. The object of the faith of thefe Ephefians. The word of truth and the gospel of falvation.

II. The forwardness, and yet the reasonableness of their faith. They trusted in Chrift after they heard the word.

III. The happy confequence of their faith. Af ter they believed, they were fealed with the holy Spirit, &c.

1.The gospel, which the Ephefiäns believed, is called, the word of truth, and the gospel of falva

tion.

It is the word of truth. It contains all that truth which concerns our prefent duty and our future glory. It declares the whole counsel of God, relata ing to the recovery of our fallen 1ace. Chrift himfelf came to bear witnefs to the truth, that all men by him might believe; and the Apostles were sent forth to make a more full discovery of all things, which Jefus began to do and to teach.

The gofpel comes attended with demonftrations. of its own divinity: In this fenfe it is the word of truth. When Paul taught in Ephefus, "he perfuaded the things concerning the kingdom of God." And "by his hands God wrought special miracles" for the confirmation of the doctrine which he preached. The fpiritual nature, benevolent defign and holy tendency of the gofpel; the miracles which attended its first publication; its fupport and propagation in the world against all the at tempts made to deftroy it; the accomplishment; which in every age has been made, and ftill is mak

F