Sermons on Ephesians, Summary
¶The Argument of Saint Paules Epistle too the Ephesians.
IT is well ynough knowen, that Ephesus was a Citie of the lesser Asia, renowmed for many causes. And S. Luke reporteth in the Actes, how our Lord got himselfe a people there by the seruice of S. Paule, how the Church be…an there, and what furtherance it had. As for …ee, I will touch nothing heere, but onelyonly that …hich belongeth properly too the argument of the Epistle. Saint Paule had taught the Ephesians …he pure doctrine of the Gospell. And when he was prisoner at Rome, perceyuing that they had …eede too bee confirmed, he wrate this Epistle too …hem. In the three first Chapters he standeth …heefly vppon the prayzyng and magnyfying of Gods grace. For in the beginning of the first Chap…r, after his greetings, he speaketh of Gods free election, too the end they should knowe that they were now called too the kingdome of heauen, bycause they had bin predestinated vntoo lyfe before they were borne. And heerin shineth foorth Gods wonderfull mercy, that the sauing of our soules commeth of Gods free adoption, as of the trew …nd naturall welspring thereof. And forasmuch as mens wittes are too weake to conceyue so hygh a secret: he prayeth God to inlighten the Ephes… ans with the full knowledge of Christ.
In the second Chapter, the better too set foorth the grea…nesse of Gods grace, he putteth them in rememberance how wretched they were till they were called too Iesus Christ, by comparing their present state, and their former state toogither. For wee can neuer perceyue sufficiently how greatly wee bee beholden too our Lord Iesus, nor consider as becommeth vsus how greate his benefyts are towa…ds vsus, except it bee layd afore vsus on the contrarie part, how wretched our state is without him. Also he amplifyeth the matter new agein, saying, that they had bi… Gentiles and straungers too the promises of eternall lyfe, which God had made alonly too the Iewes.
In the th…rd Chapter he sheweth, that his Apostleship had bin apoynted peculiarly for the Gentyles, too the intent that they who had bin straungers a long tyme, myght now bee graffed intoo the people of God. And for bycause it was an vnaccustomed thing, and such a one as trubbled many mens mynds with the newnesse therof: He calleth it a secret, hidden from all tymes, saying neuerthelesse, that the vttering of the same secret was committed vntoo him. Towards the end he prayeth God agein too giuegive the Ephesians the perfect and lyuely knowledge of Iesus Christ, so as they may not couet too knowe any other thing. By which woords he not only goeth about too make the Ephesians acknowledge the greate number of benefyts and gracious gifts that God had bestowed uppon them, and too shewe themselues thankfull for … same, by yeelding themselues wholy vntounto him: … also intendeth rather too put them out of all … of their owne calling. For by all lykelyhood … …aint Paule was afrayd, least the false Apostles …ould step in to trubble their fayth, by making th̄ …eleeue that they had bin but halfe instructed. For …heras they had bin Gentyles, and had newly re…eyued the trew Christen doctrine: they had not …ear… the Ceremonies nor Circumcision spoken of. But they that intended too bring the Lawe … vre among the Christians, sayd, that all such as were not consecrated too God by Circumsion, …ere vnholie. For it was their common song, that …one ought too bee reckened among the people of God, which were not circumcysed: and that al the Ceremonies commaunnded by Moyses, ought to …ee kept. And for that cause they spake euill of S. Paule, for making Iesus Christ common too the Gentyles, as well as too the Iewes, and affirmed …at his Apostleship was an vnhallowing of the …eauenly doctrine, bycause he did after that sort offer and set forth the couenant of grace to vncleane people without any difference at all. Therfore too …he end that the Ephesians bein assayled with such …launders, should not chaunge their mynds: he in…ended too giuegive them a remedie. And so, wheras …n the one syde he telleth them so aduyzedly, that …heir being called to the Gospell, was for that they …ad bin chozen before the making of the world: he warneth them on the other syde, not too thinke that the Gospell came too them by haphazard at the apoyntment of men, or that it lyghted in their lappes at aladuenture. For he telleth them, that wheras Christ was preached too them: that preaching was nothing else than the vttering or publishing of Gods euerlasting determination. When as he setteth the vnhapie plight of their former life before their eyes, he therwithal putteth them in mynd, that their getting out of so deepe a gulf, was through the singular and woonderfull merciemercy of God. And wheras he speaketh of the Apostleship which was committed too him towards the Gentyles: he dooth it too strengthen them in the fayth which they had once receyued, bycause their call…ng intoo the communion of Christes Church, was wrought by the will of God. Neuerthelesse, looke how many sentences heere be, so many warnings are there to chere vp the Ephesians to acknowledge Gods bene…yts.
In the fourth Chapter he descrybeth the meane wherby our Lord gouerneth and maynteyneth his Church: namely by the Gospell which is preached by men. Wheruppon it foloweth, that that is the verie full poynt of perfection, and that the Churche cannot otherwyse bee kept vp vnappayred. And therfore the Apostles meaning is, to commend vntoo the Ephesians the ministerie, wherby God reigneth among vsus. Afterward he commeth too speake of the fruts of preaching, that is to wit, of innocencie, holinesse, and of all dewties of a Christen man. And he not onelyonly teacheth what …he lyues of Christians ought too bee in generall: but also interlaceth particular instructions, which concerne eueryevery mans peculiar calling or vocation.