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For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,

For this cause — To wit, that you may be a habitation of God, through the Spirit.

I Paul, the prisoner — I hold not St Paul so happy for his rapture into Paradise (saith Chrysostom upon this text) as for his imprisonment for Christ.

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If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:

Of the dispensation — Gr. economy. The Church is God’s house, 1 Timothy 3:15 . Paul was faithful therein as a steward, Matthew 24:45 .

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How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,

As I wrote before in few — sc. Ephesians 1:9 ; Ephesians 2:3 , … Fulness of matter in fewness of words. This is the Scripture’s precellency above all human writings.

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Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)

My knowledge in the mystery — The highest point of heavenly learning; and hereby he proveth his calling to the ministry. The priest’s lips should both preserve knowledge and present it to the people, to give them the knowledge of salvation by the remission of their sins, Malachi 2:7 ; Luke 1:77 . An ass might not be coupled with an ox in ploughing. No ignorant doltish ass may plough in God’s field, the Church; such as was that silly soul, who coming to be ordained, and being asked by the bishop, Esne dignus? answered, No, my lord, I shall dine anon with your men.

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Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;

Was not made known — sc. So clearly and particularly. Peter himself could hardly be persuaded to it,Acts 10:14; Acts 10:14 ; Acts 11:2-4 .

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That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:

Gentiles should be fellowheirs — Co-heirs, concorporate, and consorts; three sweet societies, the former founded upon the two latter.

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Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.

By the effectual working, … — Enabling me to accept and improve that gift of God’s grace; whereunto I should otherwise turn not the palm, but the backside of the hand.

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Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;

Less than the least — Great Paul is least of saints, last of apostles, greatest of sinners. The best balsams sink to the bottom, the goodliest buildings have lowest foundations; the heaviest ears of grain hang downward; so do the boughs of trees that are best laden. Opulentissima metalla, quorum in alto latent venae. Sen. Ignatius in his epistles saith, I salute you who am ultimus, the last and least of all others. So in another epistle, Tantillitas nostra, our meanness.

The unsearchable riches — Gr. ανεξιχνιαστον . Not to be traced out. Should not ministers be made welcome that come to men on such golden messages? In Christ are riches of justification, Titus 2:14 ; sanctification, Philippians 4:12-13 ; consolation, 2 Corinthians 12:9 ; glorification, 1 Peter 1:5 .

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