laying, that bonds and afflictions | abide me. } 1.-Thoſe that were endued with the Spirit of Prophecy, in very City, foretold his ſufferings; as Chap, 21. 4. 11. 2dly, He 1d luffer more or leſs in every City or place he came to ; So great v45the malice of the Jews againſt him, l 24 But * none of theſe things & move me, neicher
count I my 4 life dear unto my felf, fo that T might nnith .:my courſe & with joy, and the / mimiſtery *, which 1 ) have received of the Lord Jeſus, to teſtiftte the Goſpel
not the grace of God.
$ They cannot deter me from my duty. +4 I am fo far from karing bonds, that I would not fear death it felf, He is ſaid to count his Life precious, or dear, that ſpares it; as 2 Kmgs 1, N14, z; Hisgcneral courte of Chriſtianity, or the ſpecial courſe o his Miniſtry ; incither of which there is a 'Race ro be run, and *I112eto be got, 2 Tim. 4.7. It implies the great and conſtant abour that all Chriſtians muſt take in their general calling, and tpecully Miniſters in their particular calling, #» Cor. g. 24.
V hich ariſeth from the Teſtimony of a good Conſcience, which Oy is true joy ; the other s madnets, Ecclef. 2.2. { His Apoſtle- hip fo called, Chap. 1. 25. and Chap. 6. 4. m So the Goſpel 1s Cilled, becauſe befiowed upon any Nation or People by God's _ only, Andalfo it declares the Grace of God in Chriſt Us to repenting and believing ſinners.
25 And now behold, » 1 know that ye all, among
Whom T have gone preaching o the kingdom of God,
— .
S& - The A
Je - » Strictly and properly fo called; or that part of the leffer A- hoſe Metropolis was Epheſus. j A lingular Form for a good - :o uſe, if he muſt of neceflity leave his Charge or Flock when
#
26 Wherctore I take þ you to record this day, ti. Lam pure 4 trom the blood of all men.
p TI reſtifie and affirm unto you; and I dare appeal wnto vor. felves concerning it.' 4 From che guilt of deſtroyins their low! None of them have vcrithed through my defiult, hu ing Echtut. ly chewed unto them the way of Life, and earn:1\ pert aded them to walk init. Thus according as che Lord told} Ez:4iet cl
z .
k 3.3717 Pa2SHICD , Y
3. 19. The Prophet thot hath warned the wicked man, hath 4:11 4210.4 his own ſoul. |
2-3 For I have not ſhunned to declare unto you » all the * counſel of God. ;
7 God's Decree, to fave ll tht believe in Chrift ; or the whole: Dot&rine of Chriſtianity, as it diretts ro an holy Litc : whattocver . God requires of any one in order to « blefled Frernity. 'I his is that which the Phariſees rejected, Luke 7. 30. And to do all wicked and ungodly men, who retule to take. Golly connſel, or ty obuy his command. :
25 | * Take hced therefore unto
hath made you « overſeers, to w feed the church + of God *, blood. |
s Be mindful of your own ſalvation: For he that nec!e&s his own, will not be carefial of the ſalvation oft another. z# 1. By his chooting an] nominating of them, which was then by a ſpeci]
Inſtin&, or immediate Warrant: from the Spirir, Chap, 1. 24. Chap. 13. 2. Or, >. Becaufe they were conſtituted by the Apoſtles, who were filed with the Spirit, enabling of them to the choice of ſuch perſons, Chap. 14. 23. Bur alſo, 3. Wholocyer is fer: apart ro this Office, according tothe Will of God, is mide an Overicer by the Holy Ghoſt; Gold owning his Inſticrutions, and CONCUITINEG with them. « The ſame, who, wer. 17. are called Elders, rhey were certainly ſuch as had the government and care of the Church committed unto chem. -w As a ſhepherd does (for the Apoſtle continues here the Metaphor :) Jer. 23. 4. John 21.16, 17, x Our Saviour 15 fo called ; for the word was God, John 1,1, »y Chriſt by his bloody Death hath redeemed his Church, and obtained pow- cr to gather it, to rule over it, to prorett and preſerve it, 1ja. 53. ro. Phil. 2.8,9. 39. » The blood of Chriſt, called truly the blood of God, there being in Chriſt Two Natures in one Per- ſon, and a communion of the properties of each Nature. If Chriſt had not been Man, he could have had no blood to het - had he not been God, the blood which he ſhed cou'd nor have
been a ſufficient price of Redemprion. Oli the depth of the
Riches of the Witdom and Knowledge of God, who tound out ſuch a Ranſom : and the breadrh, and length, and deprh, and height of the Love of Chriſt, who paid this Ranſom for us! Row
11. 33. Eph. 3.18, 19.
29 For 1 know this, that after my a departing fhall grievous þ wolves enter in among you, not ſparing the tlock.
a Eiticr out of this Country,- or out of thisT.ifte, þ So itt Feachers and Perſecutors are called, the one !eftroying the body, rhe other the ſoul. In this the Meraphor is pertifted 1n, the Duy- ciples of Chriſt being as Slicep or Limbs ; their Enerics are fy our Saviour him-lt called Wolves, March, 7. 15,
20 Alto c oi your own felves thall inen arife, fpeat- ing 4 perverſe things, to e draw away ditciples } afcer chem |
» 6 Whilſt Panl yet lived, and was only devaited trom that place. Several Seducers may be reckone(l up, as N.colas the Deacon trom whom 'ris thought the $cct of the Vicolaitans came, Rev. 2, 6.) Hymenens, Alexand:*, Phygelur, and Hermogenez, 1 | im. 1. 20, 2 1 umn, 1.15, d Perverting Scripture, eftablithing their falſe Dottrines by Scripture, which rhey wrefſt ro rheir purpole. e As members are forcibly plucket from their body ; v-hich tpeak the cruelty and violence ot rhete Hereticks, and rhe rendernels of the Chorcl: towards her Members, being loth ro part from them. f Thus falle Teachers gain indeed Ditciples to themiclves, but not unto the Lord.
31 Therefore g watch, and remember that by the ſpace 4 of three years, I ceafed not to wain every one nizhe and day 2: with teafs.
3 Take your ſelves heed,and warn others to take heed, 5 From St Paul's tirſt coming to Epheſus it was three years current, wn now almoſt compleat, Chap. 1g. $. 10. and 2c. 3. # a great, and no feigned wy ; as Chriſt wept over 7eru/atem, Luke 19. 41. fo St. Paul over the unbelieving ews; it went to his heart 29 think that they could nor be ſaved ; See how St. Part loved Sceuls, and piticd Souls. .
32 And now brethren, I } commend you to Ged,and tothe / word of hi: grace, which is able to » build you up, and to give you » an ? which are o fan&ified.
& Tt being ſo hard a matterto eſcape ſo many ſrares 3nd dangers
the Apoſtle prays to G