Let no corrupt Communication proceed out of your Mouth; but that which is good for the Ufe of Edifying, that it may minifter Grace unto the Hearers.

T

HE Apostle having declared the Dignity and Advantages of that ftrict Union which is betwixt Chrift

and the Members of his

Church, infers the Obligation his Ephefian Converts lay under of walking worthy

of

of that Vocation, wherewith they were called; of walking, not as the other Gentiles walk, or as they themselves, while Gentiles, did walk: He exhorts them, that they would now put off concerning former Converfation the old Man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful Lufts; that they would be renew'd in the Spirit of their Mind; and that they would put on the new Man, which after God is created in Righteoufness and true Holiness. The Apostle then proceeds to warn them against fome particular Sins, which have no Connection with one another, and therefore may be cach treated of without any immediate Regard to the Context ; fuch as Lying, Stealing, immoderate Anger, Malice, and fome others. The Words of the Text ftand among the reft of thefe Precepts, and are intended to regulate the common Converfation of Men with one another.

Let no corrupt Communication proceed out of your Mouth. The Word corrupt is frequently thought in this Place to fignify filthy or obfcene; but it may perhaps be

more rightly supposed to intend, either rotten, and fo to be Part of the Allegory, that is, carried on by the Term edifying, which in its firft Senfe fignifies building; and corrupt Communication may therefore defign any Sort of Difcourfe which is contrary to Spiritual Edification, as rotten Materials are very improperly employed in litteral Buildings; or else it may mean unfavory, in oppofition to what the Apostle calls in another Place Speech feafoned with Salt; i. e. fuch Speech as is both wholesome and grateful, whereby Inftruction or Edification is convey'd, and convey'd in an agreeable Manner.

But that which is good for the Ufe of Edifying. Edification is a Spiritual Term, and generally fignifics Improvement in Christian Virtue; but here it is exprefs'd; as tho' it intended, principally indeed Improvement in a Spiritual Senfe; but at the fame time it may include any other Sort likewise of unprofitable and ufeful Improvement.

That it may minifter Grace unto the
Hearers. The Term Grace may be inter
preted in a larger Senfe than it ufually
VOL. I.
M

is,

ye may

know how

is, and be fuppofed to fignify Christian Chearfulness as well as Chriftian Purity; fo the fame Apoftle ufes it in another Place, let your Speech be with Grace, feafoned with Salt, that ye ought to answer every Man; where it is plain we are commanded to accommodate ourselves to all Men in our Speech, and how accommodate ourselves to them otherwise than by the engaging and agreeable Manner of our Speech?

THE Precept therefore will ftand thus; Let no corrupt, no rotten, no unedifying, no unfavory Communication proceed out of your Mouth; but let your Difcourfe be calculated for Improvement, and calculated in fuch a Manner, that it may minifter both Profit and Pleasure to those you converfe with.

FROM which Words thus explain'd, we may take Occafion to confider, how common Conversation ought to be regulated, fo as to take a profitable and improveable Turn: A Topick this, far from being below the Regard of the Pulpit, fince Converfation is what all Mankind run into, as the moft agreeable

Circum