The epistle of the blessed apostle Saint Paule which he, in the time of his trouble and imprisonment, sent in writting from Rome to the Ephesians. Faithfully expounded, both for the benefite of the learned and vnlearned, by Nicholas Hemming ... Familiarlie translated out of Latine into English, by Abraham Fleming. Heerein are handled the high mysteries of our saluation, as maie appeare by the table of commonplaces necessarilie annexed by the same A.F. Perused and authorised.

Verses. 1. 2.

1 Be ye therefore follovvers of God, as deere children,

2 And vvalke in loue, euen as Christ hath loued vs, & hath giuen himselfe for vs, to be an offering, and a sacrifice of a sweete smelling sauour to God.

Be ye therefore followers of God, as beloued children, and walke in loue, euen as Christ lo∣ued vs, and gaue himselfe for vs, an oblation and sacrifice of a good sweete sauour vnto God.

THe example of God set downe in the end of the fourth Chapter in speciall, I applie in generall: to wit, that in all our actions and doings: yea, in the whole course of our life, we should be (Follow∣ers of God as deere children.) This (Following) consisteth in true holinesse, wherby the spi∣rit is kept pure and perfect, and the soule and bodie with out complaint: that is to saie, it is framed to the rule of Gods will, declared in his Lawe. Hereto serueth the sai∣eng of the Apostle, Ipse Deus pacis, &c. The verie God of peace sanctifie you throughout, that your whole spi∣rit, and soule, and bodie, maie be kept blamelesse, vnto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ.

This is the (Following) which God requireth, when he saith, Sancti estote, &c. Be ye holie, because I the

Lord am holie, and haue separated you from other peo∣ple, that ye should be holie. After the same manner also Christ setteth before vs the example of his Father to bée followed, saieng, Estote vos perfecti, &c. Be yee perfect, euen as your Father which is in heauen is perfect. The Lord in this place requireth not an equall perfectnesse, but a like perfectnesse, according to the measure which is in vs, till we are come to true perfectnesse in déed, which is signified by this word (Following.)

This place is diligentlie to be marked. For it teach∣eth, that whosoeuer will be in the number of Gods chil∣dren, they must followe the example of their heauenlie Father, in all holinesse and purenesse. They that neg∣lect this, and doe it not, wrongfullie take vnto themselues the name of children, seeing they are rather bastards, than lawfullie begotten. Héerevnto he addeth the example of the Sonne, whereby hée exhorteth vs to loue one an o∣ther.

And that this present example might haue the more weight, he sheweth brieflie from the effect, how the loue of the Sonne of God is towards vs: to wit, (Bicause hee hath giuen himselfe to be an offering & a sacrifice vnto God for vs:) that is to saie, a slaine sacrifice, whereby satisfaction was made to God for our sinnes, (Hauing a sweet smelling sauour,) that is, with which onelie sacri∣fice God was delighted and well pleased. Now there is to be marked in this place a double figure. First, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. For the Apostle in this place (after the ex∣ample of Moses) putteth vpon God the person of a man, that he might frame himselfe to our capacitie & know∣ledge. For thus speaketh Moses, Oderatus est odorem suauitatis, The Lord smelt a sauour of sweetnesse. Se∣condlie, Metalepsis, a figure in great vse with the Hebri∣cians. For, by the swéete smelling sauour is vnderstoode, a sacrifice acceptable & pleasing vnto God. The Author of the Epistle to the Hebrewes, vsing a proper speach,

whereby he expounding the phrase of Moses, saith: Tali∣bus hostijs, &c. With such sacrifices 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, God is onelie delighted or well pleased.

This Argument of Christs loue towards vs, contei∣neth in it thrée things. The first is, that the death of Christ is the onelie price of our redemption. The second, that God performed all these things, vnderserued on our part, of his méere goodnesse and loue. The third, that the think∣ing vpon this excéeding great loue of Christ, ought right∣well to put vs in minde of louing one an other. Where∣fore, if we will be partakers of Christ, let vs endeuour our selues to loue one an other: speciallie, séeing he him∣selfe said thus, In hoc cognoscent homines, &c. By 〈◊〉〈◊〉 shall all men knowe that ye are my disciples, if ye haue loue one to an other, as I haue loued you.

Notes

• 1. Thess. 5. 23.
• Leu. 11. 44.
• Leuit. 19. 2
• Leuet. 20. 7. 8.
• 1. Pet. 1. 16.
• Mat. 5. 48
• Gen. 8. 21.
• Heb. 13. 16
• Iohn. 13. 35