EPH

E, S I A N S

6 io

An. Ch. 63.Neronis 9.

____1

Chap. VI.22

23

24

TEXT.

Whom I have sent unto you-for the same purpose, thai yemight know our affairs, and thathe might comfort your hearts.

Peace be to the brethren, andlove, with faith, from God theFather, and the Lord TesusChrist.

Grace be with all them thatlove our Lord Jesus Christ insincerity. Amen.

PARAPHRASE.

how I do, and give you a particular account how allthings stand here. I have lent him, on purpose, to 2ayou, that you might know the state of our affairs,and that he might comfort your hearts. Peace be to 23the brethren, and love, with faith, from God theFather, and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with 24all.thofe that love.our Lord JefusChristwith sincerity V t

NOT E..

24 1 ’Fi • diQiteaia, “ insincerity,” so our translation ; the Greek word signifies, ‘‘in incorruption.”St. Paul closes all his epistles, with this benediction, “ grace be with you but this here is so pecu-liar a way of expressing himself, that it may give us some re as n to enquire what thoughts suggestedit. It has been remarked, more than once, that the main business of his epistle is that, which fillshis mind, and guides his pen, in his whole discourse.. In this to the Ephesians he sets forth the Gos-pel, as a dispensation so much, in every thing, superior to the law that it was to debase, corrupt,and destroy the Gospel, to join circumcision and the observance of the law, as necessary to it. Hav-ing writ this epistle to this end, he here in the close, having the same thought still upon his mind,pronounces favour on all those that love the Lord Jesus Christ in incorruption, i. e. without themixing,, or joining anything with him, in the work ot our salvation, that may render the Gospel use-less and ineffectual. For thus he fays, Gal. v. 2, “ If ye be circumcised, Christ shall proiit yoiiinothing.” This I submit to the consideration of the judicious reader..

T H- E