the eharp eyo of the apostle fin de o.n o.uo.logy but I am speaking with referenoe to Christ between the rclo.tion ot the wife to the o.nd the Church. The matter referred to husband and that of the Church to Cliriat, is the typical rt:lation between the marriage expo.nded in the next vereo. of man and wife, and the union of Christ Ver. 30.-For we are members of his body o.nd the Church. It is co.lied a my8tery, [being], of his flesh, and of his bones (the and it is not so.id, o.s is said of another Inst seven words omitted in many manu- mystery, referred to before (eh. iii. 5), that scripts o.nd in the R.V.). The referenco is it ho.s been completely explained. Some to the original formo.tion of woman o.s no.r- light ho.e been thrown upon it, but that is mted in Gen. ii. Her very no.me indico.tecl o.11. It ie implied that there is somethin"' that she was "to.ken from man." She was of mystery in many of the relations bet wee~ ta.ken from him o.nd given to him. Bo the things natural o.nd things epirituo.l, but Church is to.ken from Christ o.nd given to that in the depth o.nd grandeur of the sub- him. To.ken from his body, sprang from ject, the mystery connected with the mar- his iaco.rno.tion and his crucifixion and riage relation is pre-eminent-it is "a great resurrection, the spiritual offapring of his mystery." The o.no.logy of the wind to the humanity, o.nd then given to him, to be his Holy Spirit; the springing up of plants to servant, nay, above a servant, his companion, the resurrection; the me!o.ucholy sounds of friend, o.nd confidant for evermore. If it nature to the prevalence of sin; and many had not been for the body of Christ (Heh. x. other analogies, present VBc,"11.e shadows ot 5) thti Church could have had no existence. 1rath, the clear, fall forms of which we can- No bride fit for the King of heaven could not see. When the do.y breaks o.nd "the have sprung from the earth. As Eve came shadows flee o.wo.y," snoh things will from the opened side of Adam, so figura- o.ppeo.r in a cleo.rer light. tively the Church springs from the pierced Ver. 33.-Neverthelese let en.oh of you side of Jesus. severa.lly so love his own wife even o.e him- Ver. 31.-For this cause shall a man leave self. The "nevertheless" referd to the un- his father and mother, and ehall cleave to his solved po.rt of the mystery: who.lever ma.y wife, a.nd they two shall oome to be one be mysterious, there is no mystery o.s to this, flesh. Quoted in substance from Gen. ii. 24. o.s to the duty of each husband to love his It seems to be introduced simply to show wife even as himself: that, o.s o.lready shown, the closeness of the relntion between mo.n is cleo.r from many considerations. And let o.nd wife; it is such o.e in o. sense to super- the wife see that she fear her husband. Not, sede tho.t between po.rent o.nd child. The of course, with the slavish fear of one apostle (as o.ppearsfrom theuext verse) ho.sin terrified o.nd trembling because of a stronger view, o.t the same time, the po.ro.llel truth- being, but with the holy respect due to one the closeness of the relo.tion between Christ to whom, by the will of God, she stnnds in and the Church; it too in a sense super- a subor<linate relation. 'l'he relution of sedes the relations of no.tare (comp. Luke Se.ro.h to Abraham may o.gtLiu be referml xiv. 26; Mo.U. xii. 50). to o.s indico.tiug the true ideal of the relo.ti, ,1 Ver. 811.-This mystery ia a great ono; of the wife to the husband.
HOMILETICS. Vers. 1-14.-711e walk suitable to the children of light: no fellowship with Bins of the flesh. The fearful prevalence of sensual vice at Ephesus naturally led the apostle to dwell on it empha.tically as one of the worst rags of the old man, a rng to be wholly and for ever cast away. Dut, indeed, there are few heathen communities where sensual vice does not flourish when men have it in their power to indulge in it. It i8 singular how universal sin is in connection with the irregular o.nd disorderly indulgenco of the bodily appetites. It would seem as if God made this a special mo.tter of probation, for when these appetites get the upper hand, they lead into terrible cxcesse~, and,lby bringing disease on both mind and body, avenge the sin to which thoy have impelled. First, they tempt men to sin, o.nd then, as if in heartless mockery, they scourge them for having sinned. We find here- I. SINS OF TIIE FLESH DENOUNCED, with a corresponding sin of the spirit-covetous- ness (vers. 3, 4). II. REASONS WHY BUCH SINS SHOULD '.DE RENOUNCED DY CHnISTI.\NS, 1. No such person has o.ny inheritance in the kingdom of God (ver. 5). 2. Tho wrath of God cometh -is present and visiblo - for such things on very evil mon (Sodom and Gomorrah, Canaanites, otc.) (ver. 6). 3. '!.'hey bolong to tho world of darkness, and 214 'l'HE EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS. [CH. V. 1-38.
Christians are children of light (ver. 8). 4-. Christians, as livin"' in the Spirit, should briner forth the fruit of the Spirit (ver. 9). 5. 'l'hey should asc~rtain and follow only what is plea~iug to Christ (ver. 10). III. HEASONS WHY SUCH SINS SHOULD DE REPROVED DY CmtISTIANS. 1. They are so evil that it is n sin even to speak of them (ver. 12). 2. 'l'he true character of such sins is seen by light let in ou them (ver. 13). 3. 'l'he light bas a tendency to trans- form (ver. 13), and by letting in the light that shows the. odiousness of the sin you 1~ay be the D:eans of ~hanging the sinner ; while you reprove you may also improve lum. 4. It 1s for thlS purpose the Church bas got the ligbt-whe1,1 the .light is brought to her, her Lord calls on her to awake and shine (ver. 15). Such precepts and ~nsiderations ha,e a wider bearing than Ephesus and its groves. Sins of the t':esh tlonrish even in Christian lands. Young men ! lay these things to heart; fear God and keep his commandments, and be not misled by any of the sophistry to which you listen; for they that arc Christ's have crucified the flesh, with the aff'ections and lusts.