grace be to you, and peace from God our father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all the spiritual blessings in Christ's kingdom.

having predetermin'd to adopt us by Jesus Christ to be his children, according to the good pleasure of his own will,

for he has discover'd to us the secret of his will, that out of his meer good pleasure, he had purposed in himself,

that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the father of glory, may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation, whereby ye may know him:

then it was that God, who is rich in mercy, thro' his great love, wherewith he loved us,

it is the gift of God) but not by works, so that no man can boast:

for he hath made us a-new, and form'd us by Christ Jesus to do good works, for which God had before prepared us, that we might live in them.

that at that time ye were without all knowledge of the Messiah, being aliens from the common-wealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope, and living in the world without any true knowledge of God.

that he might reconcile both in one body unto God by the cross, wherefore he destroyed the enmity that was between them:

Therefore now, you are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the saints, and domesticks of God's family,

if so be you have heard of the charge, which God has graciously dispens'd to me for you Gentiles;

of this I was made a minister, according to the gracious gift God bestowed on me, by the effectual operation of his influence:

and display to all the world that mysterious dispensation, which from all past ages has been conceal'd in the secret purpose of God, who created all things:

that the manifold wisdom of God, in ordering his heavenly kingdom, might by his church be now made known, to princes and magistrates,

by whom we have freedom of access to God, with confidence, by faith in him.

one God and father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in all.

till being united in a perfect belief, and acknowledgment of the son of God, we grow up to that full state of maturity required by Christ:

to quit the vicious habits of your former conversation, corrupted by deceitful passions:

after the image of God, in justice, sanctity, and truth.

grieve not the holy spirit of God, by whom you are sealed against the day of deliverance:

be mutually kind, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

Be ye therefore imitators of God, as his dear children; live together in love,

for Christ loved us, and for us gave himself an offering and a sacrifice acceptable to God.

for this you know, that no licentious or dissolute person, no lewd libertine, that is, an idolater, hath any part in the kingdom of Christ, and of God.

let no man mislead you by vain reasonings: for it is for these vices, that the wrath of God lights upon the incredulous.

and this the burthen of the song, "thanks be to God, even the father, for his son Jesus Christ our Lord."

not doing your work meerly out of regard to their presence or their pleasure, but as the servants of Christ, in hearty obedience to the will of God:

and not to men: considering that whatever good any man doth, he shall be rewarded for it by the Lord, whether he be a slave or free.

Pour out your souls unto God upon all occasions, watching in prayer with all perseverance and supplication for all christians:

may our brethren have peace, social affection, and faith from God the father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.