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SERMON XVI.

Ephesians v. 16.

REDEEMING THE TIME, BECAUSE THE DAYS ARE EVIL.

THIS is one of the many texts in Scripture, (particularly in St. Paul's Epistles) which, by being thus separated from its context, has been thought to inculcate a very different precept from that which the writer originally intended. It has been made to signify that we ought, by reforming our past conduct, to redeem the time misspent, and employ what remains to a better purpose. In this sense it has frequently been taken as a Theme for inculcating so important a Christian Doctrine, the practice of which is indeed the only way by which true repentance can be ascertained, or known by its fruits. Yet, notwithstanding this, I am apt to think that no text of holy Scripture ought to be wrested from its primary meaning, even for so good a purpose as I allow this to have been; because such a liberty, taken with a profane writer, would be unjustifiable; with an inspired one, therefore, it must be blameable.

Now, that St. Paul meant by the term he has here employed, to convey a precept very different from that which I have mentioned, the following observations, I think, will make very evident :-His Christian converts both at Ephesus and at Colosse, (for to the Colossians he addresses the same precept in the very same terms) lived in two idolatrous regions, and therefore were equally obliged, in the common intercourse of Society, to converse with the Pagan inhabitants; He therefore advises them to walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, withdrawing from the market or concourse of the world (for that is the literal version of the Greek word) as much of their own time as possible, because the days were evil; intimating by these latter words, that the corrupt conversation of their neighbours, the heathens, might injure the purity of their newly-acquired Christian morals; and that this is the true meaning of the passage in contemplation, will appear evident from comparing it with the parallel one, in the Epistle to the Colossians, the 4th chapter, and 5th verse, where he says, according to our common translation,-"Walk in Wisdom to"wards them that are without, that is, who are not "Members of the Christian Congregation, redeeming "the time:" Here using the very same Greek verb, for the same purpose he had before done, when writing to the Ephesians.

If any thing more be necessary to prove that this is no

novel or unauthorised translation of the word, I shall quote a passage in the Prophet Daniel, in which the same Greek verb, used by the Seventy Interpreters, is expressed by our English translators of it in this sense: It is in that part of the history where King Nebuchadnezzar (with an absurdity common to tyrants) blames This Chaldean Magicians, because they were not able to interpret a Dream, which himself had forgot. "I know," says he," of a certainty that you would gain time, because "the thing is gone from me."-And besides this, I do not believe there are any passages, either in the New Testament or the Septuagint, where this term (so seldom occurring in either) might not be so rendered with advantage.*

Taking, therefore, the text now explained to convey this meaning, I shall attempt to shew that the precept it contains, though delivered by St. Paul to a particular

* Mr. Locke, in his note upon the text, explains it thus: "That "the Ephesians should carefully avoid the Pollutions so familiar among the Gentiles they lived with, yet to take care by their "prudent carriage not to give them any offence." He saw therefore plainly that the common translation was wrong, because it did not connect with what went before or after it, but he seems not to have attended to the precise meaning of the original word ikayopaw, to take out of the forum. The verb occurs again in St. Paul's Epistle to the Galatians, and is translated by redeem, but in both these places it might have been rendered, “Christ "has taken us away, or withdrawn us from the Curse of the Law." chap iii. p. 14, and "to withdraw them that were under the Law," chap. iv. v. 5.

set of Christians, in a particular situation, prescribes a general caution to all others with respect to their conduct, as Members of Society; it warns them to scrutinize into the prevailing habits and fashions of the age in which they live, and to be more free or more reserved in giving up their own time to a general intercourse with the world, in proportion as they conceive such intercourse favourable or prejudicial to what ought ever to be deemed the one thing needful, the Salvation of their own Souls.

St. Paul, with the authority of an Apostle, declared to the Ephesians, that the days were evil, at the time when he wrote to them. An Expositor of his doctrines, may at least venture to ask his audience, whether they think the times they live in are good; and this question, put either at the present period, or at any interval prior to it, since St. Paul's time, would be sure of being answered in the negative; but a general declaration that the days are evil, is not that with which I would content myself, for in every age there appears to have been, as in the present, some particular evil, vice, habit, or fashion, which is predominant, and takes the lead of all others. From those, therefore, who are notorious for it, this Apostolic Precept admonishes us to withdraw ourselves as much as possible, and not bring our own time to so bad a market. The Ephesian and Colossian Christians, we find, living amongst Idolaters, could not wholly absent

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