fathom free unmerited favour? Favour shown to the vile, the worthless, the rebel? Yet

so it is. Here in this epistle we shall read of the "riches of His grace," yea, the "exceeding

riches of His grace," love unfathomable, mercy from everlasting to everlasting, and then

peace. Peace for those who were "children of wrath"! Peace made by the blood of the

cross of Christ! Peace, the unifying bond of the present dispensation. Grace was the

salutation of the Greek; peace the "Shalom" of the Hebrews, and here we find them

brought together, the purchase of a Saviour's blood, standing at the threshold of the

epistle to the outcast of the nations, to follow, like "goodness and mercy," all the days of

our life, and to be the ground of acceptance and blessed enjoyment when time shall be no

Space prevents us from going further into the teaching of these verses of introduction.

Oh for largeness of heart to receive the things freely given by God! In our next article we

hope to take up the character of our blessings as taught in Eph. 1: 3.

In the first article of this series we endeavoured to bring before the reader the seven

epistles which include the four called "The Prison Epistles," and to exhibit in some

measure their general scope and relationship. Before we proceed to consider the teaching

of Ephesians in detail, we must first of all see the general disposition of its subject matter.

It will be found that the doctrinal teaching of the first half is echoed by the practical

teaching of the second in such a way that it leaves no doubt as to how we are to seek to

"walk worthy of the calling wherewith we have been called."

This expression "walk worthy," which comes as the opening word of the practical

exhortation, is most fitting, for the word axiõs, translated "worthy," has reference to the

beam of a balance, and emphasizes the fact already mentioned, that every doctrine has its

corresponding practice. It is sadly possible for a very loud profession of faith to be

overturned by wrong practice and walk. Note II Tim. 3: 5, "having a form of godliness,

but denying the power thereof," and cf. verse 10, "but thou hast fully known my doctrine

manner of life."

I Tim. 5: 8 shows how actions speak louder than words, "If any provide not for his

own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than

an infidel." This denial of the faith is to be traced back to I Tim. 4: 10, where we read

that "God is the Saviour of all men, specially of those who believe." The word specially

in both passages is the same. In I Tim. 4: 12, 13 Timothy is exhorted to be an example

in his deeds before being told to give attention to doctrine. So it is with I Tim. 4: 16;

6: 1; and Titus 1: 16.