The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 103

truth fa.des from the darkened vision, the ee.r of conscience grows deaf to the voices of heaven ; (3) an unconsciousness of its own mournful condition-the spiritually dead give no more evidence of realizing their condition than we can see in the mute, immo~ bile countenance of a corpse; (4) the commencement of corruption-the dead soul rots and spreads a miasma of sin. 2. Bpiritnal death is ra,used, by sin. There are positive " trespasses," in which men go beyond the bounds of the lawful and commit what is forbidden; and negative "sins,'' in which people miss the mark, fail of their duty, and omit whnt they ought to do. Both have fatal consequences-the one killing with the poison of bad thoughts, imaginations, and affections ; and the other with an atrophy of spiritual organs that waste away for want of exercise. 3. Innumerable inftue:nces provoke to sin : (1) from without, in the general customs of the times, " the course of this world," and indirect temptations, " the prince of the power of the air;" (2) from within, in bodily appetites," lusts of the flesh," and in mental propensities, "desires of the mind." The resulting condition of death becomes a second nature, normal and chronic; yet it is not the less odious in the sight of God, but rather the more so, treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath. II. TnE PROCESS RESULTS IN LIFE. The life is described in threo stages. 1. .A past quickening. "He quickened us." This is accomplished in the Christian. It is what Christ calls being" barn from above" (John iii. 3), and St. Paul, a" new creation" (2 Cor. v. 17). (1) It is not an external change, such as the removal of penalties, the gift of blessings, and the entrance to a place called heaven, but an internal change . in the soul of the redeemed. (2) It is not the soothing of a troubled conscience nor the endowment of mere comfort and happiness, but life-energy, power, activity -life that begins with painful cries and the awakening of saJ repentance rather than with peace and comfort. The other blessings may be added, but this is first and most essential. It is useless to load the grave with treasures. The dead soul must come out of the tomb before it can be loosed from its cerements and enjoy its inheritance. 2. .A present exaltation. " Raised us up; " "Made us sit with him in heavenly places.'' Lazarus comes forth from the tomb. The Christian does not linger long among the scenes of his miserable past. lie is not for ever sitting on the stool of the penitents. In his new life he walks in God's sunlight, he breathes the free air of heaven, he is called to a high vocation and endued with glorious privileges. 3. .A future blessedness. The Divine life is but in the germ on earth. Its fairest flowers will bloom on a happier shore and its sweetest fruits ripen in a. sunnier climate. There a.re "ex:ceeding riches " of grace to be revealed in " the ages to come." 'l'he lifo for which they are preparing is eternal. No disease will blight it, no age bring it decrepi- tude, no death lay it low. As it develops eternally, so will the riches of Divine .ove fill it in an ever-increasing abunde.nce.-W. F. A. Vere. 1-7.-From death to life. 2. The secret. What is the secret of the wonderful reversal of the.order of nature that is seen in the spiritual transformation from dea.th to life? The power is put forth by the grace of God, and the method of its influence is through union with Christ. L TBB l'OWEB THAT TBAN61!'0Bll8 FROM DEATH TO Lll!'E 19 THE GBAOl!J OIi' Go». 1. The power is Divine. (1) Men cannot quicken themselves. The dead ca.n never rise Crom thoir graves. Silent, stiff, and cold, dead souls will never shako ofI their lethargy and begin a new spiritual life. (2) Men cannot quicken one another. Defore lifo is extinct, by chafing tho chill limhY, by giving cordials and other remedies, tho fast- ebbing vitality may be restored to the dying man. But when the Inst breath is breathed, and the heart bas ceased to beat, and the patient is really dead, science and love are both baffled. We can galvanize the corpse into a. shocking mockery of life, but that is worse than useless. Now, nothing short of death has come upon those who are nuder the power of sin. 'l'hey are too far gone for human restoratives such as oducl\tion, social influence, reward and punishment, exhortation and rebuke. (3) God alone can and docs effect the great transformation, because he Is the Source of all life, and because this return from death to life is a pure miracle. 2. The power is put forth by the grace o/ God. Ho might leave the dead to bury their dead, and concern himself only wi lh fresh new lives. But ho bas infinite pity even for the dead. Nothing but grace coulu inspire bUCh pity. For we bo.ve no claim upon Goel after we have become" by nature chilurcu  100 THE EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS. [OH. II, 1-22,