10. 31. duties of our lawful imployments Heb. 11. 33. and to our carriage under crosses Heb. 11. 24 25. for by the life which Paul lived in the flesh is meaned this natural life Heb. 5. 7. 1 Pet. 4. 2. and his living this spiritual life of Faith was extended even to the things of that life The life which I now live in the flesh is by the Faith of the Son of God Doct. 7. As Jesus Christ did give Himself a Ransom for the Elect See chap. 1. 4. so no worth in us no good which He expecteth from us or need which He stood in of us but only love in Him to us did move Him so to do He loved me and gave Himself for me 8. Though the full perswasion and assurance of Christ's special love unto and His dying for me in particular is not the very essence and being of saving Faith Eph. 1. 13. for saving Faith may be without it Isa. 50. 10. Yet it is a thing which may be had without extraordinary revelation the Spirit of God enabling the Believer to discern in himself those graces 1 Cor. 2. 12. which are set down as marks of His special love and favour in Scripture 1 Joh. 3. 14 18 19 21 24. and bearing witnesse with His Spirit that he is a childe of God Rom. 8. 16. and this assurance should be aimed at in the right method by all 2 Pet. 1. 10. for Paul speaking in the name of other Believers sheweth he had attained it Who loved me and gave Himself for me saith he 9. This full perswasion and assurance in its own nature is so far from making those who have it loose the reigns to wickednesse and security that upon the contrary it serveth as a strong incitement to make them mortifie sin and live that spiritual life of Faith which is here spoken of for it served for this use unto Paul I live by the Faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself forme Vers. 21. I do not frustrate the grace of God for if rightebusnesse come by the Law then Christ is dead in vain HAving removed the objection the Apostle proceedeth to establish Justification by Faith and not by the Works of the Law by a second argument to this purpose If we be justified by the Law or works done in obedience to the Law Then those two absurdities would follow 1. God's free grace and favour should be rejected despised frustrated and made uselesse for the word signifieth all these and the reason of the consequence lyeth in this That if Justification be by Works Then it cannot be by Grace Rom. 11. 6. 2. Christ's death had been in vain without any necessary cause or reason if the Justification of finners could have been attained by Works or by any other mean Doct. 1. They who have attained unto the perswasion and full assurance of God's favour and love in Christ ought above all others to maintain the glory of His Grace and Mercy in saving of sinners freely not admitting of any thing whether in practice or opinion whether in themselves or so far as is possible in others which may incroach upon it obscure it or weaken the thoughts of the excellency of it in the minds of men for Paul who was perswaded of Christ's love ver 20. doth look upon this as his duty flowing from that assurance I do not frustrate the Grace of God saith he 2. The joyning of Works with Faith in the matter of Justification is a total excluding of God's Free-grace and favour from having any hand in this Work for Grace admitteth of no partner so that if Grace do not all it doth nothing if any thing be added to it that addition maketh Grace to be no Grace Rom. 4. 4. for the Apostle reasoning against those who would have made Works to share with God's Free-grace and favour in Justification sheweth his joyning with them in that opinion would be a total rejecting and making uselesse of God's Grace I do not frustrate the Grace of God 3. That the Apostle doth exclude in this dispute from having any influence in Justification the Works not only of the Ceremonial but also of the Moral Law appeareth from this That he opposeth the Merit of Christ's death to all Merit of our own whether by obedience to the one Law or to the other neither can any reason be given for which our meriting by obedience to the Ceremonial Law maketh Christ to have died in vain which is not applicabl to the Moral Law For if righteousness come by the Law then Christ died in vain 4. That he excludeth also not only the Works of the Moral Law which are performed by the natural and unregenerate man but also those which the Godly do perform by vertue of Faith drawing influence from Christ appeareth from this that the Apostle useth this argument taken from the uselesnesse of Christ's death not against the unconverted Jews who had not received the Gospel and so would easily have granted that Christ was dead in vain but against those who had received the Gospel and so would never have pleaded that any Works done by a natural man but those only which flow from the Grace of Christ could justifie a sinner and yet Paul reasoneth against those If righteousness come by the Law then Christ is dead in vain 5. That he doth exclude also all Works of ours whatsoever from being the meritorious cause of our Justification not only in whole and their alone without the Merit of Christ but also in part and joyntly with His Merit appeareth from the former ground that he is reasoning against professed Christians who doubtlesse did give Christ's Merit and Death some share at least in Justification else the absurdity which is deduced from their Doctrine by Paul should have had no weight with them as being no absurdity in their mind Then Christ is dead in vain 6. If there had been any other way possible in Heaven or Earth by which the Salvation of lost sinners could have been brought about but by the Death of Christ then Christ would not have died our disease was desperate as to any other cure for while he saith If righteousness come by the Law then Christ is dead in vain he affirmeth two things 1. That to suppose Christ hath died in vain or without cause is a great absurdity no wayes to be admitted of 2. If the Justification and Salvation of sinners could have been attained by Works or any other mean then His Death had been in vain and so that it were an absurd thing to suppose he would have died in that case CHAP. III. IN the first part of this Chapter the Apostle having sharply rebuked these Galatians for their defection ver 1. useth five other Arguments to prove that we are justified by Faith and not by Works First They had received the saving Graces of God's Spirit by hearing the Doctrine of Justification by Faith and not by Works ver 2.
works of that kind So it is lawfull for Christians to have an eye to this reward as a motive whereby to work up their backward hearts unto a willing complyance with expensive duties of that sort providing first it be not looked at as a thing to be merited by their good works Rom. 6. 23. Nor secondly as the only or chief motive 2 Cor. 5. 14. for the Apostle by this similitude doth minde them of the promised reward as an argument exciting them unto beneficence Whatsoever a man soweth that shall be also reap Vers. 8. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting VVHat the Apostle spoke generally concerning that proportion which shall be betwixt a man's future reward and his present work he doth now following the same metaphor of sowing and reaping make it more clear by distinguishing several sorts of sowers seeds grounds and several sorts of harvests answerable to each of those The plain meaning whereof is 1. That carnal and unregenerate men who take no other care but to spend their wit strength time and particularly their means upon the service of their own fleshly lusts such as are reckoned forth chap. 5. 19 20. they shall at last reap no fruit thereby but corruption that is eternal perdition for corruption is here opposed unto eternal life and this they shall reap from the flesh that is their own inbred corruption which with the sinfull effects thereof is the true seed of death and perdition And secondly that renewed and spirituall men who imploy their whole life study and labour and particularly their worldly substance for advancing the works of the Spirit whether in themselves or others such as are reckoned forth chap. 5. 22. and particularly for upholding the Gospel and a painful Ministry they shall receive the reward of eternal life and this from the Spirit that is the grace of God in them which is the true seed of eternity not by way of merit as destruction and corruption follow upon the flesh but from God's mercy and free gift as the Apostle doth in plain and proper terms put the difference Rom. 6. 23. according to which this metaphorick allegory must be expounded and may not be set in opposition to it Doct. 1. The whole world are comprized in one of two ranks they are either sowing to the flesh living in their unregenerate state and in slavery to their lusts whose end shall be perdition or they are sowing to the Spirit truly regenerate and imploying themselves for the advancing of things spiritual whose end shall be eternal life There is no neutral or midstate for Paul distinguisheth all in these two He that soweth to his flesh and he that soweth to the Spirit 2. It may be frequently observed that they who have not an heart to part with any thing of their temporall goods for God and pious uses but plead present poverty necessity and fear of future want when God doth call them to any thing of that kind are notwithstanding most profuse and lavish in spending their means to make provision for the flesh and to uphold the beastly lusts thereof for he that soweth not to the Spirit soweth to his flesh 3. Though carnal men do think their own way the only wisest while they spend their wit and substance for attaining present profit pleasure and preferment and do judge the way of the Godly but meer folly while they imploy their strength and means for things spiritual and such as God's honour is mainly concerned in and are not attended with an income of worldly advantage but rather of losse and detriment yet the end shall prove that those who thought themselves only wise men and gainers have been but meer fools and greatest losers and that those others whom they looked upon as mad-men and bad managers of their worldly affairs have been the greatest gainers and wisest adventurers for he that soweth to his flesh shall reap corruption but he that soweth to the Spirit shall reap life everlasting 4. The state of the wicked after death is a state of corruption wherein though the substance of their soul and body shall not be annihilated but shall be upheld unto all eternity by the mighty power of God in the midst of unutterable torments Mark 9. 44. yet all their glory pleasure and gain wherein they placed their happinesse and for attaining whereof only they spent their time and strength Psal. 49. 11. shall then be consumed 2 Pet. 3. 10. and they themselves made to languish and pine away under the wrath of an highly provoked and then unreconciliable God 2 Thess. 1. 9. for saith he The wicked shall reap corruption meaning their state after death 5. The state of the Godly after death shall be a state of life the life of Grace being then swallowed up and perfected in the life of Glory which consisteth in perfect freedom from sin and misery Eph. 5. 27. in unconceivable joys Psal. 16. 11. and the full enjoying of God 1 Joh. 3. 2. which happy state of theirs shall be eternal they shall never weary nor yet be deprived of it for saith he the Godly shall reap life everlasting 6. Whatever sin a man committeth it is most properly his own work as flowing from the root of his own corrupt flesh but the good which he doth is not so properly his own as Gods in so far as it floweth from the Spirit of God and habits of Grace which were wrought in him by the self-same Spirit Philip. 2. 13. Col. 3. 10. for speaking of the flesh he setteth it forth by the appropriating Pronoun his He that soweth to his flesh but not so while he speaketh of the Spirit He that soweth to The Spirit not to his spirit Vers. 9. And let us not be weary in well doing for in due season we shall reap if we faint not THe Apostle from what he hath presently spoken of the reward of eternal life attending those who sow in the Spirit inferreth the former exhortation propounded ver 6. and enlargeth it by recommending unto them according to the sense given of the former similitude the study of good works and especially of beneficency in the general under the name of well-doing whereby he meaneth not only the outward work but also the doing of it in a right manner Mat. 6. 1. c. and that they would persevere to the end in that study notwithstanding of all contrary discouragements without base and cowardly ceding unto them and inforceth the exhortation by putting it above all question that they shall gather the fruit which God had promised though not presently yet in the due time that is the time which God doth judge most convenient but withall he addeth a condition of reaping in due time required on their part to wit if they continued constant in well-doing even the same unto which he had exhorted them in the former part
10. 16. but also to confirm the grant of them to us if we believe Rom. 4. 11 yea and to exhibit a greater measure of those saving graces unto us upon our right using of them 1 Cor. 11. 24. therefore is it that the thing signified is ascribed unto the sign and seal Now the Apostle doth mention Baptism only and not the Lords Supper either because there is the same reason for both and therefore it was sufficient to expresse the one or because Baptism is the first and leading Sacrament and sealeth up our regeneration and new birth in a peculiar manner Tit. 3. 5. and therefore it is most appositly mentioned here where he speaketh of God's work in bringing sinners out of nature unto the state of grace The second mean and instrument which God maketh use of is the Word to wit the Covenant of Grace revealed in the Gospel and preached by sent Ministers Rom. 10. 15. which the Lord doth blesse for conveying grace to gracelesse sinners and so for sanctifying and cleansing them not by any vertue in the sound syllabs or sentences of this Word but by the effectuall working of His own Spirit Acts 16. 14. whereby He doth accompany His Word when and where He pleaseth Joh. 3. 8. Doct. 1. The love which an husband carrieth unto his wife ought to make it self evident not only in these things which tend to her welbeing in things temporall but also and chiefly in his sincere endeavours to bring about her spiritual and eternall good by labouring to instruct her in the saving knowledge of God in Christ 1 Pet. 3. 7. lovingly to admonish her for her faults Job 2. 10. and to pray with her and for her 1 Pet. 3. -7. for the example of Christs love to His Church which he is to imitate doth teach so much seing He from love gave Himself for the Church that He might sanctifie and cleanse her 2. As Gods Image was lost and forfeited by Adam's fall unto all his posterity so there was not any possible way for our recovering of it except a price and no lesse price than the bloud of Christ had been first payed to provoked justice for it for Christ behoved to give Himself and thereby purchase sanctification for us that so He might sanctifie and cleanse the Church 3. Our dying Lord had an actuall intention in due time to sanctifie and accordingly doth regenerate justifie and sanctifie yea and bring unto glory all those for whom he died and gave Himself a sacrifice and offering unto God for His intentions cannot be frustrated but He must see the travell of His soul Isa. 53. 11. Now that He intended to sanctifie all such is clear For He gave Himself for it that He might sanctifie and cleanse it 4. As all those for whom Christ our Lord did from love give Himself and whom by His death He intended to sanctifie were in themselves polluted and unclean lying in their bloud defiled both with the guilt of sin already committed and with the filthy vilenesse of sin yet indwelling Eph. 2. 1 -3. So such was the fervency of love in Christ to lost sinners and such was the vertue of His merit that no uncleannesse of this kind did make Him loath them or despare of getting them made clean For that He gave Himself for the Church to cleanse it supponeth that they were unclean and yet He loveth them and from love setteth about to cleanse them 5. The stain and blot of sin both in its filth and guilt hath so much sunk down in and polluted the whole man in soul and body that no liquor under heaven can wash it out or cleanse the soul from it but only the washing cleansing vertue of Christs most precious bloud For He gave Himself for the Church that He might cleanse it 6. This precious liquor of Christs bloud did not cleanse and sanctifie all those for whom He gave Himself so soon as it was shed upon the crosse no there neither was nor can be any cleansing of any by the bloud of Christ untill it be effectually applied unto the filthy soul for he mentioneth the Word and Sacraments as the means whereby Christ applieth the vertue of His death and ascribeth therefore this effect of cleansing unto them He gave Himself that He might cleanse it by the washing of water by the word 7. As this work and duty of applying the cleansing vertue of Christs death by a lively faith Act. 15. 9. is of all the other most difficult So the goodnesse of God hath provided many means by the help whereof we may be carried on towards it the chief whereof are the Word preached and the Sacraments administrated the former containing the charter or grant of Christ and of all His benefits from God unto every one who will receive Him Job 3. 16. The latter being the great seal of heaven annexed to this grant Rom. 4. 11. that thereby we may be more and more confirmed in the faith of it for His providing these means doth point at both the difficultie of applying Christ and his care to have us brought up to it That He might cleanse it by the washing of water and by the word 8. The Spirit of God prescribeth means unto Himself by which He bringeth about the work of grace in gracelesse sinners not to ty Himself absolutely and in all cases to such means but that we may be tyed to depend on Him in the use of them His ordinary way being to convey grace by these for though He may sanctifie some from the womb before they hear the Word or receive any Sacrament Jer. 1. 5. yet He holdeth these forth as the ordinary means by which He cleanseth even the washing of water by the word Vers. 27. That he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish HEre is the second end of Christs giving Himself for His Church as also of His sanctifying it which end is not attained untill the life to come for besides that he hath spoken of the Churches state of grace ver 26 the words here used are so comprehensive and large that they cannot be well understood to have their full accomplishment untill Believers be brought by Christ unto that full perfection in grace which shall be attained in glory Which state of perfection is here set forth by that most perfect union and conjunction which the Church shall have with Christ being presented to Him as the Bride to the Bridegroom for the through accomplishing of the marriage by vertue of which most perfect union the Church shall be glorious that is perfectly holy and happy as he after explaineth shewing all evil whether of sin or misery shall be removed even the least spot of sin or wrinkle through old age or misery not excepted and that all contrary good shall be bestowed both perfect holinesse and happinesse in such a measure that
did give clear testimony against that Error and for the contrary Truth It is evident saith Paul for the Just shall live 4. The Doctrine of Justification by Faith and not by Works is no new-fangled opinion the Scriptures even of the Old Testament give testimony to it as the only way of Justification before God which then was for Paul proveth that none are justified by the Law from an Old Testament-Scripture cited out of Hab. 2. -4. The Just shall live by Faith 5. The Scripture cited teacheth first That the way of justifying a sinner or of making him righteous under the Old Testament and under the New is the same and therefore we may safely draw arguments from the one to the other for so doth the Apostle here It is evident for The Just shall live by faith Secondly Faith in God and His Promises especially these wherein Jesus Christ and His Righteousnesse are offered is that which maketh a sinner just and righteous in God's sight for the words may be rendred thus The Just by Faith shall live so that they shew what that is which makes a man just and righteous Thirdly The man who is thus just by Faith is recovered from that state of death wherein every man by nature lyeth Eph. 2. 1. and doth live which life of his doth also flow from faith for both righteousnesse and life are here ascribed to faith The Just shall live by Faith Fourthly This life by Faith which the Believer doth enjoy is such as furnisheth him with comfortable through-bearing in the midst of hardest dispensations without apostasie and fainting in so far as he doth not walk by present sense but taketh up God as reconciled to him in Christ 2 Cor. 4. 18. and looketh upon his present crosse as an evidence of God's fatherly love Heb. 12. 6. and knoweth it will have a blessed event to him in God's way and time Rom. 8. 28. and that his life is hid with God in Christ Col. 3. 3. far above the reach of any trouble for this is the Prophet's scope from whom this place is cited even to shew that the Just shall so live by Faith as to ride out the storm arising from the present trouble which was to overwhelm others See Hab. 2. 4. The Just shall live by Faith Fifthly This life of the Believer which he enjoyeth by Faith though it be begun here in the knowledge of God and Jesus Christ Joh. 17. 3. and in freedom from the deserved sentence of death Rom. 8. 1. whereupon followeth a right to eternal life Joh. 3. 3. and in the lively practice of all commanded duties to which the Believer is enabled by drawing life and vertue out of Christ through Faith Philip. 4. 13. Yet this life is not circumscribed with the present time it 's to be perfected afterward in Glory so that the life flowing from Faith is a lasting never-ending ever-continuing and eternal life for the Promise is extended unto all imaginable future duration without any restriction The Just shall live by Faith From Vers. 12. Learn 1. Though the Law and Faith or the Gospel which is the Doctrine of Faith be not contrary each to other both of them being the Truths of God but are mutually subservient one to another in many things the Law making sin known Rom. 3. -20. the Gospel holding forth the remedy of sin Joh. 1. 29. the Law pointing forth our need of Christ Rom. 10. 4. and the Gospel giving us an offer of Christ for life and righteousnesse 1 Cor. 1. 30. The Law again holding forth those duties wherein the man made righteous by Faith ought to walk and to testifie his thankfulnesse Eph. 5. 1 2. and the Gospel or Faith in Jesus Christ offered in the Gospel furnishing him with spirituall strength to walk in these duties which the Law prescribeth 2 Cor. 3. -6. Yet the Law and Faith are mutually inconsistent in the point of Justification so that if Justification be sought by the works of the Law it cannot be had by Faith and if it be had by Faith it cannot be attained by the works of the Law there can be no mixture of Law and Gospel Faith and Works in this matter for in this sense the Apostle affirmeth The Law is not of Faith 2. The Law doth offer life to none upon easier terms than perfect obedience and the constant and universal practice of whatsoever the Law prescribeth for the voice of the Law is The man that doth them to wit those things that the Law enjoyneth shall live in them or attain eternal life by his so doing 3. The way of Justification by Faith doth wholly exclude our doing and works and those of every sort from having influence as causes or conditions either in part or in whole upon our Justification before God for the Apostle proveth the inconsistency of the Law and Faith in the point of Justification from this that the Law suspendeth our right to life upon the condition of doing and works and therefore the way of Justification by Faith must wholly exclude Works else the Apostle should not cogently have proved the thing intended to wit That the Law is inconsistent with Faith from this That he who doth them shall live in them Vers. 13. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us for it is written Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree 14. That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through Faith HE addeth a fifth Argument to prove the affirmative part of the main Conclusion to wit That we are justified by Faith and withall sheweth how Faith doth justifie not for any merit or worth in it self but as it receiveth Jesus Christ whereby all the blessings purchased by Him are applied to Believers for the Apostle obviating an objection which he foresaw might arise from ver 10. to wit If the Law do curse all men how then are any freed from the curse sheweth that Jesus Christ hath delivered us from God's wrath or the sentence of the Law 's curse by taking upon Himself the curse due to us while He was obedient to death even the death of the crosse Philip. 2. 8. Which kind of death was pronounced to be accursed as he proveth from Deut. 21. -23. This is contained ver 13. And hence he shewes a double fruit did flow the first to the Gentiles the blessing of Church-priviledges divine Ordinances and of Reconciliation Adoption Grace here and Glory hereafter promised to the Nations in Abraham Gen. 22. 18. being now purchased by Christ and residing in Him as the Head and Fountain did come through Him to the unrighteous Gentiles who before the time of Christ's death were strangers to Christ and to Abraham's blessing purchased by Christ Eph. 2. 12. The second fruit of Christ's death did accresse to the Jews among whom he reckoneth himself joyntly with the Gentiles who
work here called sealing did serve to evidence the truth and reality of somewhat which might otherwise have been questioned and particularly with relation to the Apostle's present scope it did serve to evidence the reality of their right to the glorious inheritance the truths of the Gospel and the sincerity of their closing with and believing of the Gospel now the work of God's Spirit which maketh all this evident and therefore hath the name of sealing is mainly His renewing and sanctifying work and especially His carrying-on of that work whereby He imprinteth the image of Himself which is holinesse Eph. 4. 24. upon Believers as an impression of the draughts and lineaments of the Seal are by sealing put upon the thing sealed so 2 Tim. 2. -19. the grace of sanctification and departing from evil is called a Seal though those other works of God's Spirit in Believers whereby He giveth them sense of His presence comfort and joy unspeakable flowing from it and full assurance may be looked upon as lesse principal parts of this Seal Fourthly ver 14. by the metaphor of an earnest which is used among Merchants for ratifying of their bargains he sheweth a use for which the bestowing of the holy Spirit upon them and His sealing of them by His sanctifying grace did serve even to be an earnest of the heavenly inheritance the full possession whereof being delayed until the last day God gave unto them His holy Spirit with His saving graces as an earnest or some small beginnings and a part of that glory which shall then be revealed that hereby He might assure them of their obtaining the whole in due season Fifthly he sheweth the date and time how long they were to content themselves with the earnest even untill the redemption of the purchased possession that is untill the day of judgment at which time those who are purchased by the bloud of Christ and are His possession and peculiar people shall obtain compleat redemption and full delivery from sin and misery In which sense redemption is taken Rom. 8. 23. And sixthly he sheweth the end which God purposed unto Himself in all this even the same which he mentioned formerly ver 12 to wit the praise of His Glory From the benefit which those Gentiles received besides what is marked upon the parallel place ver 11 Learn 1. Though it was the prerogative of the Jews above the Gentiles that Christ was first preached unto them and accordingly some of them did first trust in Him See ver -12. yet God hath made both Jew and Gentile equally to partake of all other things aswell of those which concern salvation it self as of the means and way of attaining to it for the same Christ the same free-gifted inheritance through Christ and the same Gospel which was bestowed upon the Jews are also bestowed upon the believing Gentiles In whom ye also have obtained an inheritance saith he 2. It is a thing highly observable and much to be taken notice of that the Gentiles who were profane dogs Mat. 15. 26. not a people Deut. 32. 21. without God chap. 2. ver -12. should be set down at the childrens table and have full accesse to free-grace and salvation and all spiritual blessings tending to salvation equally with the Jews who were God's only People separated to Him above all People Exod. 19. 5. to whom did pertain the Adoption Glory Covenants c. Rom. 9. 4. for Paul cannot speak of this without an also which is a note of exaggeration and heightneth the purpose as a thing very observable In whom ye also have obtained an inheritance From the mean whereby they attained this excellent benefit Learn 1. The hearing of the Gospel which supposeth the publick preaching of it Rom. 10. 14. is the ordinary mean whereby faith is wrought and consequently a right is conveyed unto the heavenly inheritance in so far as the Gospel so preached doth not only propound and make known to the understanding the object of saving faith which was before hid but the Lord also at or after the hearing of this Gospel preached doth work the grace of faith in the hearts of the Elect Act. 16. 14. for saith he Ye obtained an inheritance after that ye heard the Word of Truth the Gospel 2. The Gospel is the Word of Truth not only because it containeth nothing but truth for so the whole Scripture is the Word of Truth Psal. 19. 9 but also the Truths of the Gospel are most excellent Truths as being most remote from ordinary knowledge Mat. 16. 17. most profitable to lost sinners Tit. 2. 11. and do manifest the praise of God's glorious Attributes Luke 2. 14. more than any other Truths besides the Gospel doth clearly hold forth the truth and substance of all these dark and legal shadows Joh. 1. 17. for by the Word of Truth he meaneth the Gospel as he presently cleareth After ye heard the Word of Truth the Gospel of your salvation 3. As the doctrine of Salvation is the doctrine of the Gospel or glad-tydings to lost sinners for the word rendred Gospel signifieth a glad or good message So the doctrine of the Gospel is a doctrine of Salvation as not only revealing Salvation and a possible way for attaining to it which the Law doth not Gal. 3. 21. but also being the power of God to Salvation Rom. 1. 16 and the mean which God doth blesse for making us imbrace by faith the offer of Salvation Rom. 10. 14 15. and for working all other saving graces in the Elect Col. 1. 6. for the Apostle calleth this doctrine the Gospel or glad tydings of Salvation 4. It is not sufficient to know that the Gospel is a doctrine of Salvation in general or unto others only but every one would labour by the due application of the promises of the Gospel unto themselves to find it a doctrine of Salvation to them in particular for Paul hinteth at so much while he saith not simply the Gospel of Salvation but of your Salvation From the Spirit 's work of sealing following upon believing Learn 1. As the Gospel preached and heard doth not profit unto Salvation except it be believed so the Truths of the Gospel and Jesus Christ that good thing offered in those Truths is that in the whole Word of God which saving faith doth chiefly close with and rely upon and is fully satisfied with It findeth death in threatnings a burden of work in precepts but in Christ and the Gospel it findeth the way to Heaven made patent even a way how the sinner may be saved and divine justice not wronged for the Apostle having spoken before of their hearing the Gospel doth adde In whom to wit Christ the words may also read In which to wit the Gospel ye believed 2. Though none can actually believe before the Spirit of God come to dwell in them bringing alongs His royal train of habituall graces and the habit of faith amongst the rest unto the heart with Him
speaketh here of a further discovery and manifestation of it by the light of reproof which was usefull and necessary All things that are reproved are made manifest 3. The Lord doth sometimes blesse not only publick preaching but also the word of reproof in the mouth of private Christians and the example of their holy life for making godlesse sinners take occasion thence to reflect upon themselves and therein as in a glasse to see the filthy vilenesse of their beloved sins and to judge themselves for them for he saith All things that are reproved are made manifest by the light to wit the light of verball or reall reproof held forth even by private Christians for he doth not speak here to Ministers only 4. The probable good which God may bring about to the party reproved by the means of our reproof should have more of weight to incite us towards the making conscience of this duty than the feared inconvenience to our selves arising from the parties displeasure should have to scare us from it for Paul will have us to set upon this dutie because of our neighbour's good which probably will be brought about by it reprove them saith he For all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light 5. As there is no duty of the successe whereof we use to be more diffident than that of reproving the sins of others So there is not any duty the successe whereof we have better ground to be perswaded of even than of this that discovery of sin to the sinners conscience either to his conversion or further obduration shall follow upon a timeous and well-guided reproof for he proveth that this effect shall follow upon reproof as natively as the discovery of things dark and hid doth follow upon light for that is light saith he which discovereth all things Vers. 14. Wherefore he saith Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and Christ shall give thee light HEre is a second argument to enforce the duty of reproving those unfruitfull works of darknesse which also confirmeth the former to wit that by reproving them they should be made manifest The argument is taken from Gods own example who in His Word doth reprove the world of sin and thereby conveyeth the light of Jesus Christ unto them as the Apostle proveth by shewing what is Gods great work and design through His whole Word whereof this verse is a short sum though it seemeth more particularly to relate unto Isa. 60. ver 1. 2. from which this place is thought to be cited with some variation in the words but none in the purpose Which design is threefold The first branch whereof is here implyed even to convince all unrenewed men especially how wofull and dangerous their present case is and that it is a spirituall sleep and death 1. A sleep because the carnall man hath all his spirituall senses bound up Isa. 43. 8. having no spirituall fellowship with those who live a new life Ephes. 4. 18. doth dream and fancy that he seeth heareth and converseth with them Rev. 3. 17. which he will after find to be but a meer fancy when his conscience doth rouze him up Rom. 7. 9. neither hath he power over himself but is exposed as a prey to Satan or any who mindeth his spirituall hurt 2 Tim. 2. 26. for such is the case of those naturally who are in a naturall sleep And secondly a death because the naturall man hath not only his senses bound up as in a sleep but there is no spirituall power or faculty remaining in him to do any thing which is truly good Rom. 8. 7. as a dead man hath no principle of life or vitall action The second branch of this great design is here expressed which is to point out unto all such what is their duty in that case even to awake and rise from the dead that is in a word to turn to God to break off their sins by repentance and to set about all the duties of holinesse flowing from the principle of a new life Which duty is here and elsewhere enjoyned by God unto dead sinners not that it is in their power Jer. 13. 23. but because it is their duty so to do yea and such a duty as must be gone about otherwise they cannot be saved Luk. 13. 3. and because by such exhortations and commands as by an outward mean the Spirit of God doth effectually work that in them which He requireth from them Rom. 10. 17. The third branch of this great design is to encourage them unto this duty from the promise of a greater measure of the light of knowledge holinesse and comfort here all which are comprehended under the name of light See upon ver 8. and of glory hereafter called also light Col. 1. 12. to be given unto them by Christ upon their so doing Doct. 1. The pains which God doth take upon godlesse sinners yet in nature to awake them from the sleep of sin and to draw them unto Christ is a strong argument binding us to commiserate the case of such and from pity towards them to endeavour in our stations to bring them out of that wofull state wherein they are Our obligation to help them is greater than His besides that we are bound to work with God and to further His design for he inforceth upon them the duty of reproving those godlesse Atheists in order to their conviction and amendment from Gods example who doth the like Wherefore he saith Awake thou that sleepest 2. That God hath appointed reproof of sin to be the ordinary mean of awakning dead sinners and of bringing them to Christ and that He maketh use of this mean Himself all alongs His Word in order to this end should encourage us as we have accesse in our stations to make use of that mean towards those with whom we converse as knowing God may and when He pleaseth will blesse the mean appointed by Himself whatever unliklyhood there be otherwise of successe for he exciteth them to practise this duty from this that God maketh use of reproof as the ordinary mean of bringing souls to Christ Wherefore he saith Awake thou that sleepest 3. Scripture doth not consist so much in the formall words as in the sense and meaning of those words and therefore though we cannot keep in memory the very formall words of Scripture yet if we remember the sum of the purpose contained in those words we may make use of it as of the Word of God whether for confirmation of truth refutation of errour exhortation to duty or reproof of sin and vice 2 Tim. 3. 16. for the Apostle being to presse this duty of reproving upon them from Scripture doth not cite the very formall words of Scripture but giveth the generall drift of all Scripture in few words or the sense and meaning of one particular Scripture to wit of Isa. 60. 1 2. from which this verse seemeth to be cited Wherefore he saith Awake