And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church. (18) And when they were come to him, he said unto them, Ye know, from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all seasons, (19) Serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews: (20) And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have showed you, and have taught you publicly, and from house to house, (21) Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. (22) And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there: (23) Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me. (24) But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God. (25) And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more. (26) Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. (27) For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. (28) Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. (29) For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. (30) Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. (31) Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn everyone night and day with tears. (32) And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified. (33) I have coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel. (34) Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me. (35) I have showed you all things, how that so laboring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive. (36) And when he had thus spoken, he kneeled down, and prayed with them all. (37) And they all wept sore, and fell on Paul's neck, and kissed him, (38) Sorrowing most of all for the words which he spake, that they should see his face no more. And they accompanied him unto the ship.
It hath been thought by some, that Miletus was near fifty miles front Ephesus; though others make it no more than thirty. But, even thirty miles in those days, was a great distance for the Elders to attend the Apostles' visitation. Reader! you and I have cause to bless God the Holy Ghost, both for this meeting of the Apostle with the Bishops and Deacons, and for having caused this precious sermon of the Apostle's to be recorded. What refreshment hath the Church in all the intermediate ages to the present hour found from it? And what numbers yet unborn will arise to enjoy the blessing of it? Ephesians 1:1; Philippians 1:1
I cannot, propose to the Reader to offer any observations by way of comment, on Paul's discourse. It is in itself so truly Apostolical, and carries with it in every verse, such evident marks of being the immediate work of inspiration; that it can need nothing more, than for the same Almighty Lord, which guided Paul's mouth, to accompany the reading of it to the heart of his people who peruse it, or hear it read, to make, it a sweet savour of Christ in every place. Oh! that all the sent servants of Jesus were so taught, so helped to speak, and so enabled to appeal to the hearts and consciences of the people, among whom they minister, in proof of their honesty and faithfulness, as Paul here did. What a Church of Christ would it be were servants so to labour? What a visitation would it form, were the meeting and the parting become so tender and affectionate? Happy period of the Lord's household! When shall the Lord's people behold the return of days so truly blessed?
Though I venture not to attempt any remarks on Paul's sermon, (perfectly aware, that the beautiful simplicity which runs through the whole of it, from beginning to end, would suffer from the least alteration made in it;) yet, I would beg to point to the Reader some of the more prominent parts of it, as they strike me, which serve to set the whole in a more interesting point of view; and which, under God's teaching, may render it more profitable, both to the Reader's apprehension, and my own.
And here I request him first to notice, that it was not only the parting farewell discourse of an Apostle to the Church at Ephesus, rendered dear, to him, by a three years ministry, exercised among them; but it became infinitely more interesting, in that it appealed to their consciences, that he had preached none but Christ. This, Reader, appears to me, to be the grand and distinguishing feature, of this very blessed discourse. I am free to allow all that may be demanded, of affection, and tenderness, and love, which ought to distinguish a Church of Jesus, between a minister and the people. But, when this is heightened in the utmost extent the imagination can heighten it, the whole is nothing in my view, compared to what ought to mark the faithfulness of the servant of the Lord, in ministering in holy things. It is the Lord's work, and to the Lord, the servant is to be everlastingly looking. The tenderest sympathy and affection to the people can admit no departure from steadfastness here. Nay, without a constant eye to this first leading principle of duty, it is possible, that a mistaken tenderness to the people, might induce an inattention to the Lord. The Apostle hath in another place, stated this idea of service, when he saith: not with eye-service as men-pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing God. And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily as to the Lord, and not unto men: knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance; for ye serve the Lord Christ, Colossians 3:22-24, And hence, what a solemn appeal the Apostle makes in the midst of his discourse, on this ground; that lie was pure from the blood of all men, because he had kept back nothing that was profitable to them, but had declared the whole counsel of God. Reader! ponder over the view. Think what a blessed frame of mind Paul was in, when he thus spake. It is not indeed the privilege of all the faithful ministers of the Lord Jesus Christ, so to take a farewell of the Church and people. But, amidst the consciousness of a thousand infirmities, as the believer finds them daily in his heart; it is, it must be, truly blessed, when he can, and doth appeal, in the first and highest of all concerns, in the humble hope, that his preaching, hath been wholly Jesus.
Having looked at Paul's sermon in this first; best, and most important point, we, may look at it in another; I mean, the unbounded affection expressed in it, to the Church. Reader! depend upon it, there is a relationship, between the members of Christ's mystical body, that infinitely surpasseth all the mere natural ties of common life. They are kindred souls. Their union with each other, begins in Christ the Head; and is kept alive in Him, and by Him. And, it is an union, which is indissoluble and everlasting. Death, which puts an end to all the affinities of this world, makes no alteration here. Nay, as it is with the glorious Head of the body, to which the Church is but betrothed in the time-state of her existence, and the complete union begins but at death, when brought home to the marriage supper of the lamb in heaven: so, by the several members, their perfect union, freed from all the interruptions arising from a sinful, sorrowful body, can only be truly said to be pure and unbroken, when that which is perfect is come, and that which is but in part is done away. And, under this view, what very sweet and precious apprehensions of the mind, Must the faithful servant of the Lord Jesus feel towards the several members of Christ's body, among whom he ministers, and over whom, as Paul here, beheld it, the Lord makes his ministering servants Overseers,
Whoever reads the several parts of this blessed discourse of the Apostle with an attention to this particular will discover, how much the heart of Paul was in all he said in his earnestness for their Spiritual and eternal welfare; and that his very soul, was going forth, in the most unbounded affection towards them. He calls upon them to observe, that the whole drift of his preaching was to hold up Christ. He expressed his jealousy, lest any other subject at any time, from any quarter whatever, should be brought forward, to mingle with this one, this only one of salvation. He foresaw by the Spirit of prophecy the Lotto had given him, (John 16:13; 1 Corinthians 12:10) that there would be grievous wolves entering in among them; yea, some among themselves would arise, from the corruptions of nature and the temptations of Satan, which would speak perverse things. Paul therefore charges them to watch, and remember, how for the space of three whole years, he had been preaching Christ, and Christ only; and that even with all the tears of entreaty, in holding him up in his beauty, glory, suitableness, and all-sufficiency!
Reader! I beseech you, look over this sermon of Paul's; yea, look over the whole preachings and writings of Paul, with an eye to those things, and then judge, under the Lord's teachings, for yourself, whether Christ and him crucified, Christ and him glorified, is not the whole of all, 1 Corinthians 2:2; Galatians 6:14; Colossians 3:11. All the sweet and precious conclusions of the Apostle's Epistles, are spoken of by him, and recommended by him, as the effects, and not the party cause, of the real conversion of the heart towards God. Paul makes Christ to be, in all his Sermons, and in all his Epistles, what Jehovah, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, made Him, from all eternity; the One, and only one, great and complete Ordinance of heaven, for salvation to everyone that believeth. Indeed, as another great Apostle said, and the faithful gone to glory all along have proved, by experience; salvation is in no other: neither is there any other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved, Acts 4:12. And, if these things are so, as the word of God, in every part 'beareth witness, how sad, how wretchedly sad, must it be, to preach any other, which can only tend to mislead, and carry sinners From Christ, instead of leading them to Christ. Had Paul studied oratory, who more eloquent? Had he meant to, gratify men's ears, instead of awakening under God the Spirit their souls; who better able? But, conscious that be was always addressing men, who by nature were all guilty, and polluted before God; he came not with excellency of speech, or of wisdom; but simply preached Christ, And, who shall count the honor which God the Holy Ghost put upon his labors, in the vast success of his ministry to souls?
I must not enlarge. But Paul's sermon leads to an almost endless subject, in marking the beauties of it. What an affecting account the Apostle gives of himself; his watchings, his humbleness, bonds, imprisonments! The earnestness of his labors, with tears, amidst temptations, persecutions, and conflicts: and how the Hoar Ghost witnessed to his trials in every city, which awaited him! And with what holy triumph he viewed the whole, now going bound as he was, to Jerusalem; declaring that none of these things moved him, not counting his life dear to himself, so that he might finish his course with joy, and the ministry which he had received from the Lord Jesus! Faithful servant of thy God! thou Mist indeed long since finished thy course with joy, and hast entered into the joy of thy Lord! Oh! that the Lord would raise up many a Paul, in the present dark day of the Church, to testify the Gospel of the grace of God! 2 Timothy 4:6-8
Reader! let us not overlook the sweet prayer at parting, when the Apostle tore himself away, as it were, from the embraces of the people. The Lord, who gave the Apostle grace to preach, gave both him and them, the grace also to pray. Such a sermon, could come only from the Lord. And, though the prayer is not recorded, yet there can be no doubt, but it was a very blessed one, for it could only some from the Lord too. And what a place of weeping was it Made! But the tears were holy tears, like the spiced wine of the pomegranate. Jesus, who wept himself at the grave of Lazarus, hath sweetly sanctified all the sorrows of his people. And how have all those tears on this occasion since terminated in joy? How Hath Paul, and the gracious party which were then with him, long sung together their hymns of everlasting glory, and praise, around the throne of God, and the Lamb; where all tears ore wiped away from all eyes, and sorrow and sighing are done away forever, Revelation 7:9 to the end.