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"AND HOW I KEPT BACK NOTHING THAT WAS PROFITABLE UNTO YOU." ACTS 20:20. These words are a part of the farewell discourse of Paul, to the elders of the church at Ephesus. In his journey to Jerusalem, he sent for them to Miletus. When they met him there, he appealed to them as to the manner in which he had executed the ministry among them; that he had been with them at all times, serving the Lord with all humility, and with many temptations; that in his preaching he had kept back nothing which was profitable to them, but had declared to them all the counsel of God. Thus by comparing one part of the context with another, we learn that all the counsel of God is profitable and may be preached profitably to the hearers. The counsel of God is the revealed will or truth of God. Therefore our text taken with the context, aflfords this doctrine: That all divine ti'uth may he profitably preached to mankind in general.
Doubtless the church at Ephesus was made up chiefly of common men, men of common abilities, and of no more than common literary improvement; and if Paul preached all the counsel of God profitably to them, without doubt the same may be done with like profit to mankind in general, provided they be in like manner disposed to make a profitable use of it. I shall consider this doctrine with regard to several particular divine truths, especially those, which some imagine cannot be profitably preached to people in general.
Doubtless the church at Ephesus was made up chiefly of common men, men of common abilities, and of no more than common literary improvement; and if Paul preached all the counsel of God profitably to them, without doubt the same may be done with like profit to mankind in general, provided they be in like manner disposed to make a profitable use of it. I shall consider this doctrine with regard to several particular divine truths, especially those, which some imagine cannot be profitably preached to people in general.