that Paul directed Tychicue to make this love is coupled with faith, because faith is communication; but knowing how much the companion of love, they are in the closest they felt for him, he believed it would be o. relation to each other. Faith in Christ comfort to hear how he fared. To pagans receives him as he is offered, in all bis love the ideo. of co.ptivity was always dolorous and goorlneee: it sees his loving face, and is nnd dreadful: it was well for them to learn changed into the same image. From God bow Christians could glory in t1ibulations the Father and the Lord J'esus Christ (comp. (Rom. v. 3). Tychicns, the beloved brother, eh. i. 2). was evidently well fitted to apply to the Ver. 24.-Graoe be with all them that love Ephesians this comforting view of his state. our Lord J'eBllB Christ in incorruptibility. Vere. 23, 24.-CLOSING BENEDICTION. As grace was the first word, so it is the Ver. 23.-Peaoe be to the brethren. There last (comp. eh. i. 2), not as denoting o.nv- is a double invocation of blessing-to the thing essentially ,lifferent from the blessings brethren, and to all that love the Lord. invoked in the preceding verse, but for "The brethren" must mean the members of variety, and in order that the favourite word the Church addressed, with special reference mny be, both here and before, in the pince to the amalgamation in one body of Jews of prominence. The expression is peculiar- and Gentiles, or to the one fo.mily (eh. iii. love the Lord Jesus Christ ,v a.Ka8ap<1[a. 15) in which they were brethren. Peace is The word denotes, cspecinlly in Paul;s the echo or eh. i. 2, ond tlenotes 1.he apostle's usnge, what is unfading and permnnent. rlesire for the continuance among them of The lorn that mo.rks genuine Christians is the peooe with God to which they had been not n passing gleam, like tho morning clon,l admitted, as well as the prevalence of peace o.nd the early dew, but o.n abiding- emotion. in every sense of the word. And love with Nowhere can we haven more vivid i,Ier1 of faith. " Love" in the wideBt sense (eh. iii. this incorrnptible love tho.n in the closing- 17, I!J)-tho love of Christ to them, their love verses of Ilnm. viii., "I nm persuaded th;1t to Christ, and thoir love to one ,mother: and neither deo.th nor lifo," etc.
HOMILETICS. Vers. 1--4.-Duties of children and parents. It must havo been an interesting day in the Church of Ephesus when it was known that a pastoral letter would be rnad iu the public assembly from the beloved and venerable apostle whose labours hud been attended with such a blessing. Whether the meeting was held in eo.rly morning or late in the evening, every effort would be made by every Christian to be present, antl even as they were walking towards the place of meeting, a certain briskness of manner and eagerness of expression would show that something beyond tho common wa iu 0
expectation. Those who had to pass the great temple of Diana would cast no lingering look behind, nor think of the contrast between that magnificent shrine of idolatry and the very humble building where the true God was worshipped, by whom nil things were made. Even the children would not linger to peep at the gorgeous glory of the temple, for their parents would have told them that at their meeting fL letter was going to be read from the great apostle, now unable to come to them because wicked men had imprisoned him, but still remembering them all, o.s his letter woul<l show. Remembering the interest which, like his Master, the apostle had taken in tho young, it would be an interesting question whether the letter to be rentl would not contain some passage for them, and, if it did, what would be its tenor? Perhaps tho most attentive of them would be beginning to feel weary as five-sixths of the letter was read, but no word yet for them. But at last the message comes; and when it comes it appears that it is not only about them, but addressed to them ; the apostle looks them full in the face, and says, "Children." And when the children's morsel is brought out, it is perhaps not quite what they expected, It is not a sugared morsel, nor is it particularly affectionate in its terms. It is not a nice little story or a poetical allegory, carrying them to the realms of dreamlo.nd ; it is just a simple, practical requirement-" Children, obey your parents in the Lord." Possibly even the ohlcr hearers were rather surprised, and certainly there are many now who would havo expected a more spiritual counsel. 'l'hey would have expected him to say something to the children about Jesus, or about prayer, or about trying to tench the heathen nround them; but he speaks on none of these things. He probably coun,ed that, if the children were right with their parents, other things would follow; if they obeyed their TEIE EPISTLE TO THE EL'IlESlA.NS. [cH, VI, 1-24,