things and preferreth Christ unto all Far above all principality and power c. 5. As there is a world to come when this is gone wherein shall dwell righteousnesse 2 Pet. 3. 13. So though Christ's Kingdom shall cease at the last day and be delivered up by Him to the Father as to the way wherein He doth now administer it by ruling in the midst of His enemies Psal. 110. -2. whom He subdueth and destroyeth Psal. 2. 9. and gathering-in His Elect by the means of Word and Sacraments Matth. 28. 19 20. Yet this Kingdom of His shall never cease but be continued in that world which is to come without end as to the glory majestie absolute soveraignity and dominion over all the creatures which Jesus Christ Mediator and God manifested in the flesh shall enjoy for ever and ever for these words Not only in this world but in the world to come do shew the duration of Christ's kingly glory and are to be referred not to the word named immediatly preceeding but to God's action of setting Christ at His right hand far above all principality not only in this world c. From Vers. 22 Learn 1. The Lord hath all things at His disposal to do with them what He pleaseth for saith Paul He hath put all things under His feet which He could not have done except they had been at His disposall 2. Jesus Christ God-man Mediator is not only exalted unto high glory and dignity above all the creatures but also hath received absolute dominion and soveraign authority over them all So that all the creatures even the greatest are subjected to Him and that in the lowest degree of subjection to wit some willingly as the effectually called and chosen Psal. 110. 3 others by constraint and without or contrary to any purpose or intention of their own being lyable unto and made use of by His over-ruling power for bringing about His own glory and His Churches good Rom. 8. 28. Thus devils reprobates crosses tentations and all creatures are subjected to Him for it seemeth those all things which are under Christ's feet must be taken universally of all creatures whatsoever as being most agreeable not only to the verse preceeding where the comparison is made betwixt Christ and all creatures but also to Philip. 2. 10 11. which place is a commentary unto this He hath put all things under His feet Vers. 22. And gave Him to be the head over all things to the Church 23. Which is his body the fulness of Him that filleth all in all THe Apostle having spoken of Christ's glory and soveraignity in general over all the creatures doth next hold forth His special dominion and soveraignity over the Church by shewing that Christ over or above all that is in a special manner is given by the Father to be the Churches head which is a metaphor taken from the natural body to which he compareth Christ and his Church And first he sheweth that Christ doth answer to the head which implyeth an eminency in Him above the Church His Body Cant. 5. 10. together with authority and power over His Church to rule and govern her both visibly by His own Officers dispensing the Word and Censures 1 Cor. 5. 4 and inwardly by the powerfull operation of his Spirit Joh. 16. 13. 14. It implyeth also onenesse of nature betwixt Him and His Church Heb. 2. 14. and fulnesse of perfection enabling Him to do all the duties of an head to such a great necessirous and infirm body as His Church is Col. 2. 3. And it implyeth a strict union betwixt Him and His Church as is betwixt the head and members in the natural body the tye of which union as to the Church visible which is His visible political and ministerial body 1 Cor. 10. 16 17. is the bond of the Covenant of Grace wherein they are externally Psal. 50. 5. together with a profession of faith in Christ Act. 8. 37. But as to the invisible Church of real Believers they are as to the inward man animated and enlivened with that same Spirit which was poured-forth on Christ Rom. 8. 9. they have also faith in Him and love to Him wrought by His Spirit in them Col. 1. 4. Eph. 6. 24. and hereby they are united most strictly to Him And lastly the metaphor implyeth communication of influence from Christ to the Church to wit an influence of common gifts from His Spirit to the visible Church Eph. 4. 7 c. and an influence of spirituall life motion and of saving grace to the invisible Church of Believers Col. 2. 19. even as the head is above and ruleth the body is of the same nature with the body hath all the inward and outward senses with memory and understanding seated in it for guiding the body is united to the body and conveyeth influence for motion and sense unto the body And secondly ver 23. he sheweth that the Church answereth to the rest of the body under the head and is called Christ's body to wit not His natural but mystical body which implyeth not only the Churches union with Christ but union and order also among the members themselves together with diversity of gifts and functions as there are several members in the natural body 1 Cor. 12. It implyeth also their receiving influence for life and motion from Christ Eph. 4. 16. and the duty of subjection and obedience due unto Him as head Eph. 5. 24. He sheweth also the high honour which is put upon the Church by being Christ's body even that hereby they become Christ's fulnesse not as if Believers did adde any personal perfection to Him who is infinit in perfections unto whom nothing can be added Only they are members of that mystical body unto which He of grace hath undertaken the relation of head so that the Church is the fulnesse not of personall but of mystical Christ as both head and members of that mystical body are comprehended under that name Christ. See 1 Cor. 12. 12. and therefore lest any should think that this expression did imply any want of perfection in Christ to be supplyed by the Church the Apostle sheweth that Christ as God-man Mediator filleth the all of His body the Church for the purpose in hand requireth this all to be so astricted upon whom He bestoweth a fulnesse partly of gifts and partly of graces a fulnesse answerable to the present state of childhood and imperfection wherein we live here on earth as the Romans are said to be full of goodnesse and knowledge Rom. 15. 14 So that Christ is so far from borrowing any perfection from His Church that all her perfections are but drops falling from that Ocean and fulnesse of grace which is in Him Joh. 1. 16. Doct. 1. As Jesus Christ is the Father's gift unto the Church A gift which is offered unto all within the Church Job 3. 16. though not received by all Joh. 1. 11. but by real Believers who by receiving Him obtain
a right unto Him Job 3. 36. with 1 Joh. 5. 11 12. and to all those excellent saving priviledges which were purchased by Him Job 1. 12. So whoever would receive this gift aright must receive Him as their head to quicken them to rule them and to be reverenced by them for He gave Him to be head to the Church 2. The power and superiority which Christ hath over His Church chiefly the invisible Church of reall Believers as head is of another kind than that which He hath over all other creatures besides as being more intimate amiable and in a manner more native and natural and accompanied with willing subjection in His Church Psal. 110. 3 even as the superiority which the King's head hath over his own body or his royal consort being compared with that which he hath over his subjects or rather his subdued enemies for He gave Him to be head over all to the Church Over all that is in a singular and eminent manner above the domination which He hath over all other creatures 3. None in any sense can be an head to the Church unto whom the Church in that same sense is not a body so that if the Church be not the Pope's body the Pope cannot be the Churches head for there is a reciprocation betwixt the head and body in this purpose as Christ is the Churches head so the Church is His body He gave Him to be head to the Church which is His body 4. None can draw comfort from those sweet relations of head husband king c. which Christ hath taken upon Him towards His Church but they who stand under a correspondent relation towards Him as being His body spouse and subjects and who make conscience of such duties as each of these relations do bind unto for as Christ is an head to the Church so the Church is His body Which is His body saith he 5. As Christ by taking upon Himself those relations towards His Church which are found amongst men doth stand obliged unto those duties which men are bound to by vertue of such relations Psal. 23. 1 c. So the Lord's People are allowed and commanded to search unto the duties and priviledges following upon such relations among men and from thence to learn what to expect from Christ by vertue of that relation and what honour and priviledges they do enjoy by standing under that relation to Christ for from this that Christ and the Church stand under the relation of head and body the Apostle inferreth that the Church hath this priviledge of being Christ's fulnesse even as the shoulders arms breast belly legs and thighes are the fulnesse of the natural body so that mystical Christ made up of head and members is not compleat and full without the Church or the least Believer in the Church Which is His body the fulnesse of Him saith he 6. In searching forth the grounds of these similitudes or relations taken from amongst men whereby Christ setteth forth to our capacity what He himself is to His People we would carefully guard lest by pressing them too far we ascribe any thing to Christ which is not according to the analogie of Faith or in any measure dishonourable to Him for Paul having stretched-forth that similitude of the head and body so far as to infer thence that the Church is the fulnesse of mystical Christ he carefully guardeth against a mistake whereby people might think that then some perfection were wanting in Christ to be supplyed by His Church while he saith that Christ filleth all in all 7. As even Believers in themselves are empty creatures till they be filled being destitute of all good which they may call their own Rom. 7. 18. and unable to help themselves if it were but with one right thought 2 Cor. 3. 5. So there is a supply to the full of all their emptinesse in Christ who is made of God unto them wisdom righteousnesse sanctification and redemption 1 Cor 1. 30. and communicateth largely and to the full of His own fulnesse unto such as are sensible of their own emptinesse Joh. 1. 16. Psal. 81. -10. for He filleth all in all 8. Before that Christ do thus supply our emptiness out of His own fulness He must first be in us and united to us by faith Eph. 3. 17. for He is in all whom He filleth He filleth all in all CHAP. II. IN the first part of this Chapter the Apostle doth commend the doctrine of salvation by free-grace first from the consideration of that misery under which not only the Ephesians and other Gentiles were before conversion as being spiritually dead ver 1 following the corrupt custom of the world and Satan's suggestions v. 2. but even the Jews also as being inslaved to their own corrupt lusts v. 3. Secondly from the consideration of that delivery from sin and misery which was common to them both And first he mentioneth the first fountain and internal impulsive cause of that delivery to wit God's free-grace ver 4. Secondly the several branches of it as their quickning in the way of grace ver 5. the resurrection of their bodies and their glorification in heaven ver 6. Thirdly the final cause of this delivery to wit the manifesting of God's rich grace ver 7. And fourthly he cleareth and proveth they were saved only by grace by removing all other things inconsistent with grace from having influence upon our salvation And that first generally ver 8. and then particularly their good works because first otherwise they should have had matter of gloriation in themselves as to this purpose the contrary whereof is intended by God ver 9. Secondly power to do good works was given them in regeneration So that though they be necessary yet they are not meritorious ver 10. In the second part of the Chapter he maketh a more particular application of the former purpose unto the Ephesians and in them to all the Gentiles And first he layeth forth that misery which was in a great part peculiar unto them as they were Gentiles and this both more generally ver 11. and more particularly in five several branches ver 12. Secondly he declareth their present happy estate of nearness to God and His Church through Christ briefly ver 13. and explaineth more fully that Christ was the peace-maker and in order to His making peace had abolished the ceremonial Law ver 14 15 and sheweth a twofold necessity of Christ's so doing both for uniting of Jew and Gentile in one Church ver -15. And for reconciling both of them to God ver 16. Thirdly he sheweth that this benefit of nearnesse was published and actually communicated unto them by the preaching of the Gospel ver 17 which he proveth from the accesse which both Jew and Gentile had to God ver 18. And lastly he concludeth from what is said that the Ephesians were now in a blessed state comparing the whole Church to a city a family ver 19. and
Church of Christ is a thing which ought to be prized by us highly and sought after earnestly and so much as there is nothing in our power which we ought not to bestow upon it and dispense with for the acquiring and maintaining of it for so much was it prized by Christ that He gave his own life to procure it and did beat down all His own Ordinances which stood in the way of it He even abolished in His flesh the Law of Commandments contained in Ordinances for to make of twain one new man 2. There are no divisions more hardly curable than those which are about the Religion and Worship of God in so far as they engage not only the credit but also the consciences of the divided parties hence one party so engaged doth pursue what they maintain as that wherein Gods honour and their own salvation are most nearly concerned and doth look upon the other party as an adversary in so far at least to both of those for the Apostle speaking of Christs uniting the Jew and Gentile in one Church and Religion maketh use of a word which sheweth this was a task of no small difficulty even such that no lesse than creating power was required to it while he saith for to make in Himself the word signifieth to creat in Himself of twain one new man 3. So strict and near is that conjunction and union which is especially among true believers in the Church that all of them how far soever dispersed through the world do yet make up but one man and one body as being all whatever be their other differences most strictly united as members unto one head Christ 1 Cor. 12. 27. and animated as to the inward man by the same Spirit of God residing and acting in them Rom. 8. 9. for the Apostle sheweth that all of them whether Jew or Gentile were made not only one people one nation one family but one new man For to make of twain one new man 4. As the essentiall unity of the invisible Church without which the Church could not be a Church doth of necessity depend upon and flow from that union which every particular member hath with Christ as Head seing the grace of love whereby they are knit one to another Col. 3. 14 doth flow from faith Gal. 5. -6. whereby they are united to Him Eph. 3. 17. So the more our union with Christ is improved unto the keeping of constant communion and fellowship with Him the more will be attained unto of harmonious walking among our selves suitable unto that essentiall union which is in the Church of Christ for the Apostle maketh the conjunction of Jews and Gentiles in one Church to depend upon Christ's uniting of them to himself For to make in Himself of twain one new man saith he 5. The peace which ought to be and which Christ calleth for in His Church is not a simple cessation from open strife which may take place even when there remaineth a root of bitternesse in peoples spirits Psal. 55. 21. but it is such an harmonious walking together in all things as floweth from the nearest conjunction of hearts and the total removal of all former bitternesse of spirits for the peace which Christ did make betwixt Jew and Gentile did follow upon His abolishing the enmity and making them one man so making peace saith he From Vers. 16. Learn 1. Union and peace with men even with good men is to little purpose except there be peace and friendship with God also for the Apostle sheweth that Christ in abolishing the ceremonial Law did design not only the conjunction of the Church among themselves but their reconciliation with God also and the former in subordination to the latter And that He might reconcile both unto God in one body 2. As all mankind have fallen from that state of friendship with God wherein they once were before the fall Eccles. 7. 29. So the repairing of this wofull breach and making up of friendship betwixt God and the Elect was Christ's great businesse in the world for effectuating whereof whatever He did or suffered was in some one way or other subservient for the Apostle sheweth He suffered in the flesh abolished the ceremonial Law united the two Nations that He might reconcile both unto God in one body The word rendred reconcile signifieth the making up of old friendship 3. Though the believing Jews under the Old Testament were reconciled unto God even while the ceremonial Law stood in force Psal. 32. 4. Yet the price by vertue whereof they were reconciled could not be actually payed to wit Christ's death and sufferings except the ceremonial Law had presently evanished See Ver. 15 Doct. 4. neither could Jew and Gentile be united together in one body and so reconciled to God while that Law was in force and binding See Vers. 14. Doct. 5. Therefore and in those respects it was necessary for Christ to abolish the ceremonial Law that He might reconcile both Jew and Gentile unto God for so saith Paul He abolished the Law of Commandments in Ordinances that He might reconcile both unto God in one body 4. There can be no reconciliation betwixt God and us except we be united by faith to Christ and to the body of all Believers in Him So that none can be one with God who are not of the mysticall body of His Church yea and in so far will the sense and sweet effects of reconciliation with God be interrupted and obstructed as persons reconciled do give way unto divisions rents and strifes among themselves for the Gentiles and Jews being in one body with Christ and His Church come to be reconciled unto God That He might reconcile both unto God in one body that is being united among themselves in one body under Christ the head as is affirmed vers 15. 5. As Jesus Christ did interpose as mediator and peace-maker to reconcile God and us So He behoved in order unto this end to bear the chastisment of our peace and to lay down His life by a shamefull painfull and cursed death that so the justice of God being fully satisfied for our wrong we might enjoy God's peace and favour with life for he sheweth the mean of their reconciliation was the crosse of Christ not the material tree or matter of the crosse but Christ's sufferings and death upon the crosse That He might reconcile both unto God in one body by the crosse 6. Christ in suffering Himself to be overcome by death did fully destroy sin death the ceremonial Law and every other thing which could impede the reconciliation of the Elect with God He having thereby brought-in the substance of all those legal shadows Col. 3. 17. satisfied the justice of God and purchased grace and strength which afterwards He was to convey unto all Believers for mortifying and subduing the body of sin and death in them Act. 5. 31. for saith Paul He hath slain the enmity thereby that is by the
the exercise of meeknesse and long-suffering those only being able to moderate anger and to restrain the inundations of their impetuous passions when stirred and provoked by real injuries who being conscious of their own infirmities do judge but meanly of themselves and therefore not too good to have by the Lords wise and gracious dispensation a suffering lot from the wicked and injurious carriage of others 2 Sam. 16. 10. for he presseth humility in the first place as the foundation of and enterance unto all the rest With all lowlinesse and meeknesse with long-suffering 4. There is an all-nesse or universality which ought to be in the grace of lowlinesse first with respect to the subject it ought to extend it self to the whole man as being seated in the heart Philip. 2. 3 and kything in the outward carriage Luk. 14. 8. Secondly with respect to all objects There must be humility towards God Acts 20. 19. and humility also towards men Philip. 2. 3. and towards all sorts of men not only superiours Levit. 19. 32 but inferiours also Job 31. 13. Thirdly with respect to the grace it self as being without any mixture of the contrary vice so far as is possible Psal. 131. 1 2. and daily growing up towards perfection 2 Corinth 7. 1. Fourthly with respect to all cases so as it be exercised in prosperity Ezek. 16. 49. as well as adversity for saith he with all lowlinesse which note of universality is oft made use of by the Apostle when he would expresse a great measure and degree of any gift or grace See 1 Cor. 1. 5. Philip. 1. -9. Doct. 5. Meeknesse and long-suffering as they differ but little in substance and are commendable graces in themselves so they are notable means and helps to fit men for the duty of mutuall forbearance in order to unity in so far as they do render him who is endued with them gentle affable and easie to be conversed with and do moderate anger which is ready to blow the bellows of contention and to stir up strife Prov. 15. 18. for he exhorteth unto meéknesse and long-suffering in order to forbearance and unity With meeknesse long-suffering forbearing one another endeavouring to keep unity 6. The best of men have their own infirmities mistakes and failings mutually justling and rubbing upon each other whereby they prove often unpleasant and burdensome one to another for this is supposed while they are commanded to forbear one another 7. It is the duty of Christians mutually to tolerate and forbear one another even when there are real grounds of displeasure for hereby a man overcometh himself and his own corrupt nature which thirsteth after revenge Prov. 16. 32. hereby he overcometh and shameth his party who did him wrong 1 Sam. 24. 17. and keepeth Gods way in overcoming of him Rom. 12. 17 21. and hereby a man also in some comfortable measure doth entertain peace with others which otherwise upon every occasion would blow up and evanish for he enjoyneth this mutuall forbearance as a remedy against the clashing of mutuall infirmities and for entertaining of unity and peace forbearing one another endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit 8. This duty of forbearance is to be exercised to the person of our brother rather than his faults we are so to bear with his person as to endeavour the bearing down of his sin by admonition 2 Thess. 3. 15. reproof Levit. 19. 17. or correction Prov. 13. 24. as we have otherwise accesse and yet we are so to meddle with his faults as in the mean time we may give due respect to his person not irritating or provoking his corruptions while we intend to cure them for saith he forbearing one another which relateth to persons rather than to faults 9. This duty of forbearance ought to be mutuall and cannot in reason be expected by any from others to themselves who are not ready themselves to repay it unto others seing there is no man who wanteth his own infirmities which call for forbearance Iam. 3. 2. and that every man is obliged to do as he would be done to by others Matth. 7. 12. for saith he forbearing one another 10. Love to our neighbour whereby our heart and inmost affections are inclined and disposed towards him for his good as they ought as it is the great root and fountain of all duties towards others without which they are but counterfeit shadows and not real and sincere 1 Cor. 13. 3. So it doth in a speciall manner dispose and fit us for this duty of mutuall forbearance love covereth a multitude of sins 1 Pet. 4. 8. and maketh us bear with many things in the person loved 1 Cor. 13. 4 7. which otherwise flesh and bloud would not digest 2 Cor. 12. 15. for he holdeth out love as the fountain of all the rest and especially of mutuall forbearance With all lowlinesse forbearing one another in love 11. Whence it followeth that this duty of mutuall forbearance ought to flow from a principle of love and therefore though we forbear from necessity because we dare not do otherwise or from policie untill we get opportunity to right our selves or from respect to our own ease only lest by resenting injuries and miscarriages we create trouble to ourselves or if we tolerate connive at and foster the sins of others under a pretence of forbearing them which is inconsistent with love to them Lev. 19. 17. In all those cases our forbearance is not acceptable service to God nor yet in any case but when it is performed in love and from a principle thereof for the forbearance he enjoyneth is forbearing one another in love Vers. 3. Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace HE doth now fall upon the main scope of this first part of the Chapter exhorting them by all possible endeavours to keep the union of all the members of the Church being united together by the holy Ghost even in heart and especially in things spiritual all which are implyed in this unity of the spirit and that in order to this unity they would be of a peaceable disposition and deportment to wit so as not to make unnecessary ruptures and breaches upon every difference whereby they should be firmly knit together as the members of one body by its several ligaments and sinnews Doct. 〈◊〉 As there are several sorts of union in the Church and more particularly besides that union which is amongst the members of the invisible Church the bond whereof is the saving graces of Gods Spirit all of them being united to Christ the head by faith Eph. 3. 17. and one to another by love Col. 3. 14. There is an union also of the visible Church and the members thereof amongst themselves and this is twofold the one necessary to the being of a Church and being of a Church-member so that a Church cannot be a Church nor a man a member of the visible Church without it the ty of
which union is Gods Covenant with the visible Church and the Churches professed imbracing and laying hold upon that Covenant when offered in the Gospel Psal. 50. 5. the other necessary to the welbeing of the Church which is entertained by unity in judgement 1 Cor. 1. 10. in heart and affection Act. 4. 32. by concurrance in purposes and actings Philip. 1. -27. So all those sorts of union and union in all those respects is to be sought after and entertained in the Church for the Apostle speaketh indefinitly Endeavouring to keep the union of the Spirit 2. The union which God requireth among His People is not an union in sin or error Isa. 8. 12. nor yet a civil union only in things worldly upon politick and civil interests Act. 12. 20. nor yet a meer outside agreement or living together only Psal. 55. 21. but an union in heart and spirit in things spiritual and such an union whereof the Spirit of God is author for therefore is it called the unity of the Spirit Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit 3. The study of keeping peace and unity in the Church is a most necessary duty as being one prime instance of walking worthy of our vocation spoken of ver 1. and yet such is the restlesnesse of some and the prevalency of pride passion love to self-interest and such like dividing lusts in others that it is a duty most difficile to be practised as being the result of all those graces mentioned ver 2. and not attainable even by those who are endued with those graces except they apply themselves wholly to it and use the utmost of their serious endeavours for that end as is clear from the connexion of this verse with the two preceeding and from the word in the original rendered endeavouring implying study diligence and solicitude 4. Neither fair pretences for peace and union in the Church not seconded but rather contradicted by practice nor yet some carelesse endeavours which are easily broken by appearing difficulties are that which God will accept of at our hands as the duty required for preserving unity in the Church where it is or for restoring unity where it is already lost there is no lesse called-for than the utmost of our serious endeavours for that end so as we not only carefully eschew what may on our part give cause of renting 1 Cor. 8. 13. but also that we be not easily provoked when a cause of renting is given by others 1 Cor. 13. 5. and that when a rent is made we spare no pains nor stand upon any thing which properly is our own for having it removed Gen. 13. 8 9. and that we do not-weary of those endeavours under small appearances of present successe 2 Cor. 12. 15. for he biddeth them seriously endeavour to keep the unity of the Spirit 5. So many are the temptations arising from the corruptions of those among whom we live to make us neglect this duty of keeping the union of the Spirit that except we be of such peaceable dispositions as to digest many things one in another which otherwise our corruptions would make much stir about we cannot choose but fall at ods rent assunder as so many disjoynted legs and arms and upon every occasion involve our selves and the Church of Christ in several sad and dangerous broils and ruptures for he calleth peace that is a peaceable disposition kything in all our deportment the bond or ligament whereby the members of the Church are knit together in the bond of peace saith he 6. Whatever differences may fall out among the members of the Church in the matter of opinion and judgment yet they are not presently to break the bond of peaceable walking one with another by counteractings and factious sidings but ought to study unanimous and joynt practice in those things wherein there is agreement and where this peaceable deportment flowing from a peaceable frame of spirit is it tendeth much to preserve what remaineth of this spiritual unity and to regain what is already lost for peace with man which is the peace here spoken of doth especially consist in our harmonious walking together flowing from a peaceable frame of spirit and is here enjoyned as a special mean for keeping the unity of the Spirit even in the bond of peace Vers. 4. There is but one body and one Spirit even as ye are called in one hope of your calling HE doth now inforce the former exhortation to unity and peace first from an argument taken from those many things which are one and the same in the Church and all the true members thereof and for this end doth reckon forth seven unities which may be looked upon as so many bonds and tyes of the essential unity especially of the invisible Church and as so many arguments also that therefore all professing Christ should not only labour to be one in all those as they would evidence themselves to be sincere Believers and members of that blessed society but also improve their unity in these for keeping unity and peace in lesser differences There are three of these unities which are so many bonds and arguments in this verse The first is that the whole Church is but one body to wit the invisible Church of real Believers is one mystical body knit by faith to Christ their head Eph. 3. 17. and by the bond of love among themselves Joh. 13. 35. And the visible Church is one politick body 1 Cor. 12. 27. conjoyned with Christ their head and among themselves by external covenanting Psal. 50. 5. and their serious professing of saving truths Act. 8. 12 13 with 23. and this body is but one the invisible Church without all doubt is so and the Catholick visible Church made up of all Christians and true Churches in the world is also one because they have the same King Laws Word Sacraments of admission and nutrition which they visibly subject themselves to and receive and have a grant of the same common priviledges from God in the Gospel and therefore they are all one visible Church 2. There is but one Spirit to wit the third Person in the blessed Trinity who residing in Christ the head Isa. 61. 1. and in all the members Rom. 8. -9. as the soul in the natural body doth by His gifts and graces animate move and govern the Church the body presently spoken of 3. As the Church is one in these two so their hope following upon effectuall calling is also one Where by hope is not so much meaned the grace of hope as the object of that grace or good things hoped for as Col. 1. 5 especially heaven and glory the common inheritance of the Saints Col. 1. 12. which they get not in hand but only do possesse it in hope Rom. 8. 24 25. And this hope is said to be one to wit for kind and substance though there will be different degrees in glory Dan. 12. 2 3. Doct. 1. That the whole Church
confirming of spiritual Truths to the understanding and for inforcing the practice of some spiritual duty upon the will and affections 1 Cor. 9. 24. for similitudes from things earthly as being more notour unto us do conduce much not only to illustrate things spiritual but also to bring them frequently to our remembrance afterwards especially when those earthly things from which the similitude is taken do occur in our daily imployments Hence the Apostle professeth he would speak after the manner of men that is he would make use of a similitude taken from the custom of men in their civil affairs for clearing of the Truth in hand 3. As it is lawfull for men whether particular persons or Nations to enter a Covenant or paction for keeping of mutual peace and friendship and to confirm their Covenant so made by subscription oath 1 Sam. 20. 16 17. and other lawfull and accustomed olemnities Gen. 31. 51 c. that hereby it may be the more esteemed-of as sacred and inviolable So it is a mark of extream inconstancy and carryeth with it the guilt of high perfidie for those who have once entred such a Covenant to disanul alter or adde to it at their pleasure or to stand to it no longer than it maketh for their own advantage for saith he Though it be but a mans Covenant yet if it be confirmed no man disanulleth or addeth thereto No man to wit even the men themselves who made the Paction else the similitude would not quadrate to the Truth for illustration whereof it is made use of to wit that even God Himself that made the Covenant with Abraham and his seed could have no such purpose in giving the Law as to alter and abrogate that Covenant as is clear from ver 17. From Vers. 16. Learn 1. The Covenant of Grace made with Abraham and his spiritual seed is a Covenant of promise wherein the thing promised is freely bestowed and not from the merit or worth of our obedience and works and herein the promises of this Covenant do differ from the promises of the Law or Covenant of Works for by the Promises which signifie a free promise is meaned the Covenant of Grace to Abraham and his seed were the Promises made the word signifieth a free promise 2. This Covenant of Grace is also a Covenant of Promises as containing many Promises for although it sometime have the name of a promise in the singular number as ver 17. from that comprehensive and chief Promise I will be a God unto thee and to thy seed after thee Gen. 17. -7. yet it containeth a numerous number of other promises which are as so many rivulets and streams flowing from that fountain-promise presently mentioned even the Promises of the life that now is and of that which is to come 1 Tim. 4. 8. for saith he To Abraham and his seed were the Promises made 3. This Covenant of Grace or Promise was entred by God with Abraham as accepting the tender of it not only for himself but for his seed whereby all his natural issue excepting those only who were expresly excepted by God to wit all the posterity of Ishmael and Esau who continued and waxed worse in the apostasie of their forefathers from Abrahams God Rom. 9. 7 13. were comprehended within the Covenant by vertue whereof though none did attain Salvation but those only who did come up to the conditions of the Covenant whereupon Salvation was tendred to wit Faith Habak 2. 4. and Repentance Isa. 55. 7. yet all of them did enjoy the priviledge of Ordinances Gen. 17. 10. and had Salvation offered unto them Joh. 4. 22. not absolutely but upon Gods terms revealed in His Word to wit if only they would believe and repent hence saith the Apostle To Abraham and his seed were the Promises made 4. As the Christian Church of the Gentiles is Abraham's spiritual seed as well as the Church of the Jews and was looked upon as his seed in that Covenant-promise made to Abraham and his seed Gen. 17. -5. compared with Rom 4. 16 17 So it is under one and the same consideration that both Jew and Gentile and all who reckon spiritual kindred to Abraham are his seed to wit as they follow the steps of his Faith and at least do professe that Doctrine of free Justification by Faith wherein Abraham walked Rom. 4. 12 See the distinction of the seeds or children ver 7. doct 8. for seing the Promises spoken of in the Text were made to his seed it seemeth they cannot be that Promise which aimed principally at Christ In thy seed shall all Nations be blessed Gen. 22. 18. but the Promises made to his seed the Church and chiefly that Promise I will be a God unto thee and to thy seed Gen. 17. -7. besides the mentioning of seed in the singular number were not an argument of any weight to prove that Christ personall was only meaned in the Promise seing seed is a word collective and may comprehend a number under it even in the singular number as the words Flock Army and such like so it seemeth most probable that by the seed here is meaned Christ mystical or Christ with His Body the Church made up both of Jew and Gentile who reckon spiritual kindred unto Abraham upon one and the same account and therefore are designed in the Promise by seed and not seeds He saith not And to seeds as of mâ—ny but as of one and to thy seed 5. So strict and near is that union which is betwixt Christ and the Church that not only is He the Churches Head Eph. 1. 22. but also as the Church is His Body and fulnesse Eph. 1. 23. So Christ is mystically and virtually the fulnesse of the Church in so far as it is He dwelling and working in them by the efficacy of His Spirit who separateth them from the world maketh them one mystical Body among themselves and one with Himself and worketh all their works in them even those which belong to Him not only as the Head but which also belong to them as Members of the Body 1 Cor. 12. 11 12. for hence is it that the whole believing seed of Abraham is here called Christ He being the bond of their union Joh. 17. 21. the fountain of their life and motion Joh. 4. 14. and the active immediate principle from which all their spiritual actions do flow Joh. 15. 5. And to thy seed which is Christ saith he From Vers. 17. Learn 1. That though God might have dealt with man by way of soveraignity as an absolute Monarch enjoyning to man his duty without giving him any ground to hope for a reward of his service yet He hath been graciously pleased to wave such right and to deal with him by way of covenant or paction and agreement upon just and equal terms prescribed by God Himself in which God promiseth true happinesse to man and man engageth himself by promise for performance of what God
the actual possessing of which or present right unto which are the priviledges of reall Believers or if we look to that which giveth them a right each one to their respective priviledges to wit the grace of faith and a mysticall and saving union with Christ upon the part of real Believers and a profession of the doctrine of faith either personally or parentally and an external and politicall union with Christ upon the part of visible Church-members I say which of those be looked unto we will find so much of likenesse and proportion betwixt what belongeth to the visible Church and what belongeth to the invisible that both may safely and without ambiguity be taken up as intended by the Spirit of God to be expressed in one and the same Scripture though the one more principally and the other secondarily and as it were by proportion As for example here seing the nighnesse and happinesse which visible Church-members enjoy is only comparative and with respect had to the greater misery of those who are wholly without the Church and that it is but a misery and distance being compared with that state of nighnesse and happinesse which the truely Regenerate are brought unto Therefore I conceive that what is mentioned of the delivery and blessed state here spoken of was verified mainly and fully in the Regenerate and invisible Church of Believers among them and but proportionally only and in part in the visible Church of professors and therefore I shall only collect such doctrines as arise from it being so considered Hence Learn 1. The more nigh the consideration of our miserable and happy state be set together in opposition the one to the other before the eye of the soul it commendeth and sweetneth our happy state through grace the more for the Apostle's scope being to set forth the happinesse of that state wherein free grace had placed them he compriseth all their misery in one word They were sometimes far off and all their happinesse in another they were now made nigh And so giveth a joynt view of them both at once 2. The People of God are not so to remember by past sin and misery as to make them question the fruits of Gods mercy already received or to despair of receiving more in time to come for having exhorted them ver 11. to remember their former misery in the first place he exhorteth them here to remember that happy estate wherein mercy had placed them in the next But now ye are made nigh 3. As it is the duty of Converts frequently to remember their former sin and misery See Vers. 11. Doct. 2. So also to call to minde and confidently avow that gracious change which free-grace hath wrought upon them in their conversion because as misbelief is ready to call it in question Isa. 50. 10 So the remembrance and avowing of it is most profitable in order to our own comfort against the sense of bypast or present sin and misery 1 Cor. 6. 11. in order to our incitement to the duty of walking suitably chap. 4. 1. and to our incouragement against the fear of all imaginary difficulties which may occur in our way to heaven and glory Philip. 1. 6. and in order to our thankfulnesse unto God for His so rich mercy manifested in our delivery 1 Pet. 2. 9. for the Apostle exhorteth them to remember this in the second place That ye who were sometimes far off are now made nigh 4. As converting grace falleth often upon those who are most gracelesse and at greatest distance from God from Christ and His Church So it bringeth those upon whom it falleth into a state of nearnesse to all those because of these many nigh relations under which they stand to God as of servants Rom. 6. 22. of friends Col. 1. 21. and sons Joh. 1. 12. and to Christ as of His Spouse Cant. 4. 8. members Eph. 5. 30. brethren c. Heb. 2. 11. And because of these sweet influences for the life and comfort of grace which they receive daily from Him as the members from the head Col. 2. 19. because of that near accesse which they have unto God in Christ both as to their state and performances whereof ver 19. And because of that union and communion which they have with the invisible Church of Believers the congregation of the first-born See Vers. 12. Doct. 5. for with relation mainly to this gracious change which was wrought upon reall Believers among them in their regeneration he saith But now yee who sometimes were far off are made nigh 5. As this excellent state of nearnesse to God and His Church wherein the truely regenerate do stand and all those excellent privileges which flow from it were purchased for the Elect by no lesse price than the bloud of Christ whose bloud was the bloud of God Acts 20. -28. and therefore of infinit value So none of those are actually bestowed upon and applied unto the Elect untill they be united to Christ and in Him by saving faith as the branches are in the root from which they draw sap and nourishment for saith he in Christ Jesus ye are made nigh by the bloud of Christ they were in Christ by faith before they attained that state of nearnesse which was purchased by His bloud Vers. 14. For He is our peace who hath made both one and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us 15. Having abolished in his flesh the enmity even the law of Commandments contained in Ordinances THe Apostle being next more largely to explain and prove what he hath briefly asserted that the Gentiles were made nigh to God and His Church by the bloud of Christ doth first confirm it by an argument taken from Christ's Priestly office according to which He is not only the Mediator for peace and peace-maker betwixt God and man and among men themselves but He is also our peace as being the propitiatory sacrifice and having purchased this peace with His own bloud Isa. 53. 5. and so the very cause and reason of this peace is in Himself and nothing extrinsicall to Himself Secondly he doth prove that Christ was their peace by the effect produced by Him and the matter of working this effect The effect it self is that where before the Jews and Gentiles were irrecoverably separated by reason of their different Religion and religious Rites He had now united them in one and the same Church which is said to have been then done because it was in part done for the rejecting of Israel is only in part Rom. 11. 25 but the full accomplishment of it shall be when all Israel and the fulnesse of the Gentiles shall be called Rom. 11. -25 26 The manner of working this effect is set down in three phrases all signifying one thing though different in regard of diverse considerations First He broke down the middle wall of partition whereby as he explaineth himself in the following verse is meaned the ceremonial Law and
the ceremoniall Law Doct. 5. So long as the ceremoniall Law did stand in force and vigour the Jews and Gentiles could not be united into one Church for seing by that Law the chief parts of Gods worship were astricted to the Temple at Jerusalem therefore though scattered proselytes of the neighbouring Nations did joyn themselves to the Church of the Jews and in some measure observed the way of Worship then enjoyned Act. 8. 27. yet there was a physicall impossibility for the generality of many Nations far remote from Jerusalem to have served God according to the prescript of Worship which then was besides there was such an habituate and as it were an naturall antipathy transmitted from one generation unto another among the Gentiles against the ceremoniall worship that there was little lesse than a morall impossibility of bringing up the body of the Gentiles unto a cordiall joyning with the Jews in it for the Apostle sheweth the ceremoniall Law behoved to be abrogated in order to an union betwixt these two while he saith Who hath made both one and broken down the middle-wall of partition between us 6. Whoever would make peace betwixt God and himself or betwixt himself and others he ought seriously to think upon those things which stand in the way of peace and set about the removall of them if it be in his power and chiefly those evils in himself of pride vain-glory self-seeking and a contentious disposition which are great obstructions in the way of peace Phil. 2. 3 4. else what ever be his pretences for peace he is no real follower of it for Christ intending to make peace betwixt Jew and Gentile did take away whatever might have impeded it He even broke down the middle wall of partition between them From ver 15 Learn 1. As Gods people in covenant with Him ought to be highly incensed against and averse from any voluntary intire fellowship with those who neglect and contemn the Ordinances of Worship prescribed by God in His Word So those who are without the Church yea and all unregenerate men do look upon the ordinances of Gods Worship as base ridiculous and contemptible and carry a kind of hatred and disdain to all such as make conscience of them for so the ancient Worship prescribed in the ceremoniall Law was the occasion of hatred and enmity betwixt the Gentile who contemned it and the Jew who made conscience of it And therefore is here called the enmity having abolished the enmity 2. As the morall Law contained in the Ten Commandments was no part of that mid-wall of partition between Jew and Gentile seing some of the draughts and lineaments of that Law are upon the hearts of all by nature Rom. 2. 15. So there was no necessity to abrogate this Law at Christs death in order to the uniting of Jew and Gentile neither was it at all abolished for the Law abolished was the Law not simply but the Law of Commandments and these not all but such Commandments as were contained in Ordinances to wit the ceremoniall Law as we shew in the Exposition Even the Law of Commandments contained in Ordinances saith he 3. As God only hath power and liberty to prescribe what manner of Worship He will be served by So He did once give a most observable evidence of this His power and liberty by changing that externall way of worship which was prescribed by Himself under the Old Testament unto another under the New although the internals of His Worship to wit the graces of faith love hope joy in God do remain the same in both Matth. 22. 37 39. for He did abolish the Law of Commandments contained in Ordinances even all the ancient Worship consisting in rites and ceremonies sensible and fleshly observations which God did then prescribe not as simply delighted in them but as accomodating Himself to the childish condition of the Church in those times and hath now appointed a more spirituall way of Worship as more suitable to the grown age of the Church Joh. 4. 21. 23. See further the reasons why the ceremoniall-Law was abolished and concerning that state of indifferency wherein the practice of it was left for a time upon Gal. 2. ver 3. Doct. 2. and ver 4. Doct. 1. 4. It was Christs sufferings and death which put an end to the Law of ceremonies and made the binding power thereof to cease for seing His sufferings were the body and substance of all those shadows they neither did nor could evanish untill Christ had suffered but then they did it being impossible that a shadow and the body whereof it is a shadow can consist in one and the same place Having abolished in His flesh the Law of Commandments contained in Ordinances Vers. -15. For to make in himself of twain one new man so making peace 16. And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the crosse having slain the enmity thereby THe Apostle thirdly for further clearing of what he spoke ver 13. that the Gentiles were made nigh to God and His Church in the bloud of Christ holdeth forth two ends which Christ proposed to be brought about in His abolishing the ceremoniall Law First that He might by a manner of new creation make of those two Nations of Jew and Gentile being firmly united to Himself as to their head one people and Church here called one new man to shew the intimacy of that union as also the way how they were united not by bringing any one of them to the fashions and customes of the other for so they should have been made one old man but by bringing both off that way of worship whereon they were the Gentile both from the substance and external manner of their worship as having been wholly idolatrous Gal. 4. 8. The Jew only from the external manner of their worship consisting in fleshly and sensible rites and observations whereby He made them one new Church with new Ordinances of divine worship even such as the Church now enjoyeth under the Gospel and so he concludeth the vers by shewing that Christ did hereby accomplish what he had spoken of Him ver 13 and 14 Even that He had made peace betwixt the two Nations and consequently the Gentiles nigh to the Church by His own bloud this is ver -15. The second end why Christ did abolish the ceremonial Law was that He might reconcile both Jew and Gentile being so united among themselves in one body unto a provoked God which He did by the sacrifice of His own soul and body upon the crosse by the means whereof he did destroy that enmity which was betwixt God and man aswell the sin of the Elect both in its guilt Rom. 8. 1. and power Rom. 6. 6. which was the ground and cause of that enmity Isa. 59. 2. as the ceremoniall Law which was an evidence of it See upon ver 15 This is the sum of ver 16. From Vers. -15. Learn 1. Union in the
and all Ministers ought to be so and yet this mysterie behoved to be revealed unto them by the Spirit even to the holy Apostles and Prophets Vers. 6. That the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs and of the same body and partakers of his promise in Christ by the Gospel THe Apostle doth here give a brief sum of that mystery which was revealed unto him as to that part of it at least which was most controverted to wit that the Pagan Gentiles were now called to enjoy and real Believers among them actually did enjoy most excellent priviledges As first of being joynt-heirs of the heavenly inheritance with the Believers of the Jewish Nation Gal. 3. 29. and with Christ Himself Rom. 8. 17. Secondly of being incorporated with the Church of God in one mysticall body whereof Christ is the Head See upon Eph. 1. -22 23. And thirdly of partaking with the believing Jews of the Covenant-promise made by God to Abraham and his seed Gen. 17. 7. so that they were now within the bond of the Covenant of Grace He declareth also that all those priviledges were purchased for them and freely bestowed upon them by Christ and by vertue of their being in Him by faith in whom they had equal interest with the believing Jews themselves and that they were brought to this happy estate by the alone-preaching of the Gospel and by faith in it without the ceremoniall Law and Circumcision All which were mysteries to the ancient Church See upon ver 5. Doct. 4. Hence Learn 1. There is a necessary concatenation among those three to wit a right to heaven union with Christ's mysticall body and saving interest in the Covenant of Grace The enjoying of any one whereof implyeth the other two and if one of those be wanting the rest are wanting also for the Apostle speaketh of them as mutually depending one upon another That the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs c. 2. As every renewed childe of God is an heir of the heavenly inheritance So the multitude of heirs doth not lessen the inheritance nor make the priviledge of being an heir of heaven the lesse glorious yea it addeth unto the glory of it for he placeth a great part of their priviledge in this not simply that they were heirs but fellow-heirs 3. It is a great and glorious priviledge to be a part of that mysticall body whereof Christ is Head and that because of the strict union which such have with Christ See ver 17. and with all Believers in Christ Eph. 2. -15. and because of that influence of life and spirit which being in Christ without measure Joh. 3. -34. is communicated unto them every one in his own measure Eph. 4. 16. as also because of their interest in all the common priviledges of that body Rom. 8. 30. and in the gifts and graces of every member thereof 1 Cor. 3. 22. for Paul speaketh of this as an excellent priviledge bestowed on the Gentiles under the new Testament even that they should be of the same body 4. It is a priviledge no lesse great and glorious to have saving interest in the Covenant of Grace and the promises thereof for thereby we have accesse to both the former priviledges and all the saving blessings of that Covenant comprised in the many large precious and comprehensive promises thereof do become ours for the Apostle speaketh of this as of another excellent priviledge bestowed upon the Gentiles even that they should be partakers of His promise 5. As Jesus Christ hath purchased all those glorious priviledges and saving blessings to which the people of God can lay any claim or interest So there is no actuall enjoyment of any part of His purchase except by those who are savingly in Christ and united to Him by faith for this expression in Christ speaketh both that those things were purchased by Him and were enjoyed by their being in Him partakers of His promise in Christ. 6. The Gospel especially when it is preached by a sent Minister Rom. 10. 15. is a powerfull mean through Gods blessing for gaining ground upon most desperate sinners and for prevailing with them to close by faith with Christ as He is offered by vertue whereof their state is changed and they made holy happy and blessed for the Gentiles whose desperate case in time past was set forth Chap. 2. 12. are now made fellow-heirs of one body partakers of His promise in Christ or being united to Him and this all by the Gospel Vers. 7. 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 THe Apostle having in the preceeding verses declared how he had attained a large measure of knowledge and insight in the mysterie of the Gospel doth now in further enlargement of what he did but briefly assert ver 2. shew that he was called by God to undergo the Apostolick Office of dispensing that mysterie and doth joyntly extol and magnifie his Office from eight distinct considerations to ver 13. And in this verse having asserted his calling from God to be a Minister of the Gospel unto the Gentiles he doth magnifie this his Office as also make it appear that he was called to it first from the gifts both ordinary and extraordinary which he was furnished with in the discharging of it And secondly from the powerfull assistance of Gods Spirit enabling him to exercise those gifts notwithstanding of many difficulties and giving admirable successe to his Ministery both far and near Rom. 15. 19 20. All which to wit his calling gifts and divine assistance he doth ascribe to Gods grace and free favour Doct. 1. The very Apostolick Office it self was no lordly dominion or place of honour and ease but a laborious ministery and service wherein the person intrusted was to bestir himself to the utmost of his activity and diligence for the honour of Christ and good of His Church for the word rendred Minister which Paul here taketh unto himself doth signifie a painfull vehement labour as those who make hast in travell raising the dust by their celerity and speed Whereof I was made a Minister saith he 2. It is not sufficient warrant for any to meddle with the ministerial Office that he hath competent gifts fitting him for it except he have also ministerial power and authority conveyed unto him either immediately by God as it was in the calling of the Apostles Gal. 1. 1. or mediately according to that order which God hath established in His Church as is in the calling of ordinary Ministers Act. 14. 23. for Paul distinguisheth these two his being sufficiently furnished with the knowledge of the Gospel whereof he spoke from ver 3. and his authority and power to preach the Gospel unto others of which he speaketh here while he saith whereof I was made a Minister 3. Though ability and gifts be not that which maketh a man a called Minister as said is yet when men being
with allusion to which the word is used Gal. 6. 1. Secondly in regard of themselves who are in office and accordingly gifted the end of their gifts and office is that they may labour diligently in all the duties of their calling which is only a subordinate end and relative to the other two as a mean Thirdly in regard of Christ it is that all Believers being so perfected and joyned together as stones of a building by the work of the Ministery may become His mysticall body to whom He will perform all the duties of an head Doct. 1. That severall offices and various gifts are all given for promoting one and the same end and for promoting those ends in particular which are expressed in the Text is a strong argument to keep off emulations and rents because of those and to endeavour after unity and peace seing division and strife do marre the spirituall orderly frame of the Church divert from the main work of the Ministery and obstruct the edification of the body of Christ and so do crosse those main ends in all respects for which all gifts and offices are given for the Apostle inforceth unity from the diversity of gifts and offices upon this consideration that all are given for the promoting of those ends even for perfecting the Saints for the work of the Ministery c. 2. That publick gifts and gifted Ministers are sent to or continued in any place by God is for the sake of the Elect there and to bring about their salvation so that though the Word be preached and Ordinances dispensed even to reprobates to make them the more inexcusable and because they are joyned in one civill society and externall Church-fellowship with the Elect yet if God had none of His own to be wrought upon by the Ministery in a Congregation Place or Nation it is more than probable He should not send His Ordinances there at all for all the ends of Christs sending a Ministery do relate chiefly to the Elect even for perfecting the Saints for edifying the body of Christ. 3. Whatever outward civill order may be among a people destitute of the Gospel yet as to their spirituall concernments they are wholly out of frame rent and torn even a disorderly confused masse and heap as being at enmity with God Rom. 8. 7. and destitute of all sound solide and spirituall unity among themselves Rom. 3. 13 14 15. for seing the end of the Ministery is to perfect the Saints that is to bring them to an orderly spirituall frame it is supposed that before a Ministery be sent unto them they are not perfect but wholly out of frame 4. Even the Elect already converted are sometimes out of frame their spirituall faculties as it were disjoynted and unable to move or stir Psal. 51. 10. and one of them rent asunder from another through prejudices passion love to self interest and such like Act. 15. 39 for otherwise there should be but small need of a Ministery toward them the great end whereof is to place those things which are disorderly in a right frame to joyn together things which are rent asunder to recover strength and motion to these things which are rendered weak by being out of their right place as the word rendered perfecting doth signifie for perfecting the Saints 5. A publick Ministery and the exercise thereof is the ordinary mean appointed by the Lord Christ for perfecting the Saints and edifying the body of Christ whether by converting those of the Elect who are yet in their unregenerate state Rom. 10. 17. Or by confirming and establishing those who are already converted Col. 4. 12. and making them to grow Col. 1. 28. or restoring them when they are overtaken in a fault 1 Tim 5. 20. and therefore it is a most necessary ordinance without which those great ends in an ordinary way cannot be attained for He maketh the ministeriall offices formerly mentioned the means of perfecting the Saints and of edifying the body of Christ. 6. The highest office that is enjoyed by any within the Church is only a Ministery and service and not a lordly dominion over the flock of Christ for he calleth the forementioned offices even the highest of them the office of the Apostles it self not being excepted a Ministery or service for the work of the Ministery 7. Ministers are not called to idlnesse or to live like lazie drones wasting the Churches revenue without executing the office for which it is given They are called to work and improve their talents and gifts in that laborious work of perfecting the Saints and edifying the body of Christ for this he maketh the end of those gifts and offices in regard of those to whom they are given even the work of the Ministery 8. The gaining of souls to God and carrying on the work of grace in those who are gained to some perfection doth meet with so much opposition what from within and what from without what from men what from devils and what from a mans own heart 2 Cor. 10. -4 5. that the ministeriall office which is imployed for bringing those about is no easie task It is a work and such as though it be a worthy work 1 Tim. 3. 1. yet it is a weighty and laborious work a work that will take up the whole man and being rightly minded will give the painfull and consciencious Minister little time for any other work 1 Tim. 4. 15. for he casteth this second end relating to the Ministers themselves in the middle betwixt the other two because it relateth to them as a mean to the end and to shew it is not naked gifts or the credit of the office which will bring about those ends but the painfull exercise and discharge of them for the work of the Ministery 9. The work of the Ministery if rightly gone about is an uniting work of the Church of Christ It s great end and to which all it s other ends are subordinate being to unite souls as so many stones in a building or as so many members in the body first to Christ the foundation of this building and head of this body by bringing them up to believe in Him and next one to another by bringing them up to mutuall love and all the duties thereof and especially to mutuall for bearance and the study of unity and peace for he maketh this the great and last end of the work of the Ministery even the edifying of the body of Christ that is the Church See wherefore it is so called chap. 1. 23. The word edifying is borrowed from masons whose great work is having prepared the stones apart to joyn them most firmly both to the foundation and among themselves Vers. 13. Till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ. IN the next place he doth severall wayes illustrate and explain
already converted even to make them grow up in grace untill they come to perfection and therefore none who live on earth can justly account themselves to be above this Ordinance for the Apostle sheweth that also is one end of the work of the Ministery that those who are already quickened by it may grow up into him 2. The work of edification intended to be brought about by the ordinance of the Ministery is not attained upon souls though they be preserved free from Error except they also know the Truth adhere to it and be growing up in grace and in making conscience of all the duties of an holy life for Paul having mentioned one fruit of that spirituall edification mentioned ver 12. to be freedom from error and infection from false teachers ver 14. he here addeth another that speaking or cleaving to truth in love we may grow up into him in all things 3. Our making conscience to grow in grace is a soveraign remedy against the hazard of being surprized with error and tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine in so far as then we are so much busied about our heart that we have not leisure to be taken up with vain and giddy notions of an unsetled head for Paul having dehorted them from being as children tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine subjoyneth as a preservative from that unsetled temper but speaking the truth in love we may grow up 4. It is not sufficient for these who live under the drop of Ordinances to attain to the being of grace so as they can prove by evident marks that they have grace but they must also labour to grow in grace for hereby we glorifie God and speak to the commendation of our Lords table whereat we feed Joh. 15. 8. hereby we attain to the enjoyment of many rich priviledges which otherwise we are deprived of 1 Joh. 4. 18. and hereby also we are more enabled to ride out against a storm in trying times as appeareth from the conhexion of these two verses teaching that babes in Christ and children are tossed to and fro with every wind when grown and growing Christians will ride it out for Paul teaching that the end of the Ministery is to make Believers grow doth show they ought to grow while he saith But speaking the truth in love we may grow 5. As we do then sincerely adhere to the truth of heavenly Doctrine when we make evident our so doing by walking in all the duties of love both to God and our neighbour for faith worketh by love Gal. 5. 6. So our love is then truely Christian and not a fleshly lust or morall vertue only when it is grounded upon truth and the result of our adhering to it by faith for therefore Paul conjoyneth these two making the latter as it were the result of the former while he saith but speaking or cleaving to the truth in love 6. That Christians may grow in grace it is most necessary they labour to have both their understanding enlightened with truth and their heart and affections inflamed with love without either of which our growth is not Christian and spirituall but either superstitious and blind even a growth in error if the understanding be not enlightened or growth in pride conceit self-love and arrogance if the head only being filled with light our affections be not inflamed with love to God and our neighbour for therefore he prescribeth that by speaking the truth in love we should grow up 7. This Christian growth must not only be in one thing but in all things in so far as grace must be growing not only in all the parts of the soul understanding will and affections but the whole man also and all the parts thereof must grow according to all the ordinary dimensions or in all Christian vertues and duties both of our generall and particular calling 2 Pet. 1. 5. even as it is in living bodies who grow equally and proportionally in all their parts of length breadth height and depth That we may grow up in all things saith he 8. Then do Christians grow as they ought when they are in a perpetuall motion towards Christ so as to be daily more and more like Him incorporate in Him and one with Him that full conformity with Christ and that most perfect union and communion with Him which shall be attained in glory being the mark and scope toward which they tend and without attaining whereof they do not sit down satisfied as if they had enough for saith he we may grow up into Him 9. Though there ought to be a spiritual emulation among Christians so as to strive who may grow most and outstripe others 1 Cor. 14. 12. Yet there should be no division envious strife or carnal emulation among them upon this account so as to envie the progresse of others or cast stumbling-blocks in their way to retard them but an harmonious on-going and rejoycing in the progresse one of another seing they are to grow as the parts of one body under one head Christ for so much doth Paul here teach We may grow up into Him which is the head even Christ. Vers. 16. From whom the whole body fitly joyned together and compacted by that which every joynt supplieth according to the effectuall working in the measure of every part maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of it self in love THe Apostle doth illustrate the forementioned end of the Ministery fourthly and joyntly inforceth the study of love and unity by shewing how all gifts and offices do tend to the edifying of the body and furtherance of that growth whereof he spake ver 15. while he describeth Christ the Head presently spoken of from His influence upon and relation to the Church His body wherein he alludeth to a natural living body and the way how it being orderly made up of its severall members joyned together by nerves and sinews doth receive life motion nourishment and growth from the head and heart by the benefit of those bonds and ligaments whereby the particular members do not only receive life and nourishment unto themselves but do also convey them unto others so that every member doth receive due encrease and thereby the whole body doth come to maturity and growth In allusion to which way of the naturall growth of the naturall body he sheweth first that by vertue of spirituall influence drawn from Christ who is as the head and heart of the mysticall body the whole body to wit that which is militant on earth or all sincere Believers the true and lively members of this body are joyned fitly or orderly every one in his own place and station and also firmly or compactly with Christ and among themselves Secondly that they are thus joyned by the means of spirituall joynts and s 〈…〉 ews whereby we are to understand every thing that joyneth Believers with Christ and among themselves and they are either joynts and bonds of inward
subject to her own husband so that what ever wives be otherwise for parts for birth for beauty for thrift for breeding if this be inlaking they want their chief ornament are dishonourable to God and a disgrace to their husbands for Paul doth hold it forth as their great lesson and the sum of all their duty Wives submit your selves unto your own husbands 4. There is no wife what ever be her birth parts or any other priviledge who is exempted from this ty of subjection to her own husband The law of nature God's ordinance and her own voluntary covenant do bind her to it for he speaketh indefinitely to all wives submit your selves 5. There is not any husband to whom this honour of submission from his own wife is not due no personall infirmity frowardnesse of nature no nor errour in the point of Religion doth deprive him of it 1 Cor. 7. 13. for he speaketh indefinitely also of husbands Wives submit your selves unto your own husbands 6. A wife can never discharge her duty in any measure of conscientious tendernesse towards her husband except she have an high esteem of the Lord Christ and be in the first place subject unto Him that so from love to Him she may subject her self to her husband not going without those bounds of submission which are consistent with her love to Christ for while he biddeth submit themselves unto their husbands as unto Christ he supposeth they had submitted to Christ already and speaketh to them as such Vers. 23. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the Church and he is the saviour of the body THe Apostle doth next enforce this duty of submissive obedience upon wives from the ordinance of God who hath made the husband to be an head to his wife which similitude of an head taken from a naturall or politick body implyeth first the husbands eminency by reason of his sex the woman being the weaker vessel 1 Pet. 3. 7 and made for the man to wit an helper to him Gen. 2. 18. and the man not for the wife 1 Cor. 11. 9. as the head is more eminent than the body 2. It implyeth the husbands power and authority of government over his wife as the head hath power over the body to rule and direct it in which respect the man is called the image of God in a sense peculiar to himself which agreeth not to the woman 1 Cor. 11. 7. And it implyeth thirdly that ordinarily men are at least should be endued with a greater measure of knowledge prudence and other parts which they are to employ for the behoof of their wives 1 Cor. 14 35. even as the head is the seat of wisdom knowledge nerves and senses sending down influence for sense and motion to all the members upon all which grounds women ought in reason to be subject to their husbands Which argument he doth illustrate and enforce from the similitude of Christs headship over the Church whereof see chap. 1. ver 22 so that wives ought to submit themselves because God will have some resemblance of Christs authority over the Church held forth in the husbands authority over the wife I say some resemblance only for the comparative particle as holdeth forth not an equality but a similitude and likenesse and in some things only betwixt Christs headship over the Church and the husbands over the wife even in those things which I presently shew are implyed in the husbands headship which are some shaddows only of that eminency power and fulnesse of grace and perfections which are in our head Christ. But besides those the Apostle doth here expresse one thing wherein this resemblance doth also hold to wit that Christ as head is the Saviour of the body thereby implying that as Christs dominion over the Church His body doth tend to and is exercised in procuring and bringing about the Churches good and salvation So the husbands authority and eminency are given him for the like end even to procure the good and safety of his wife in defending her from injuries 1 Sam. 30. 18. providing for her 1 Tim. 5. 8. directing her in things necessary c. 1 Cor. 14. 35. and therefore the wife upon this consideration also ought to subject her self seing the husbands power and authority over her are given for her good Besides those doctrines which the Text thus explained doth expresly hold forth we may gather these consequences from it 1. It is not sufficient that wives do subject themselves to their husbands from respect to their own peace ease credit or to any thing of that sort but their subjection ought to flow from the conscience of and respect to that state and dignity wherein God hath placed their husbands above them so that their personall infirmities do not prevail so much to make them despise them as the dignity of their state to beget respect reverence and obedience towards them for Paul enforceth such a subjection as floweth from this ground while he saith for the husband is the head of the wife 2. There is no society though never so strictly tied together with strongest bonds which can comfortably subsist and keep together for any space of time except there be different degrees of superiours and inferiours some to govern and others to obey in the Lord among them for the wise Lord did see it necessary so to ordain even in conjugall society of husband and wife who are so strictly tied that both are but one flesh See ver 31. and yet the husband is made the head of the wife 3. Christians ought to be of such an heavenly frame of spirit as to take occasion from things civil or naturall which do occur in their ordinary employments to ascend to heavenly contemplations of things spirituall which have some resemblance to these other things which are among their hands for the Apostle teacheth so much while he leadeth husband wife from the consideration of the union order and duties of married parties to contemplate that sweet union and order which is betwixt Christ and His Church both here and in the following verses Even as Christ is the head of the Church saith he 4. Husbands and consequently other Superiours have a speciall piece of the image of Christ put upon them in respect of their power and authority over their inferiours given them of God whereby both inferiours may be afraid to vilifie and contemn their authority lest they be therein found defacers of the image of God and they themselves also may be taught to resemble Christ whose image they bear in employing their state and dignity so as they walk answerably to it if they would have that submission and respect from inferiours which is due unto it for Paul maketh that eminency and authority which husbands have over their wives a shaddow and resemblance of Christs power over His Church even as Christ is the head of the Church 5. As the members
the most rigid critick or Momus himself shall not find any inlack or defect in either as the word rendered without blemish will bear Doct. 1. All those who are justified and sanctified here and none but they shall be glorified hereafter for Christ must see the travel of His soul Isa. 53. 11. which is not only to sanctifie those for whom He gave Himself ver 26. but also to glorifie them and to bring them to glory by the way of holinesse That He might present it to Himself a glorious Church 2. Christ hath purchased by His death not only sanctification to His Church but also heaven it self and therefore our glory in heaven is not merited by our holinesse but being purchased by Christ is freely gifted to us Rom. 6. 23. He gave Himself for it that He might present it to Himself a glorious Church saith he 3. Though Belivers even while they are here be brought near to God in Christ by faith Eph. 2. 13. and have fellowship with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ 1 Joh. 1. -3. yet all that fellowship and nearnesse is but a distance and kind of estrangement being compared with that most perfect presence and intimate fellowship which shall be enjoyed hereafter the former being but mediate through the glaste of Ordinances 1 Cor. 13. 12. frequently interrupted Psal. 30. 7. and no wayes full 1 Cor. 13. 12. but the latter shall be immediate 1 Cor. 13. 12. constant 1 Thess. 4. 17. and so full that they who enjoy the meanest degree shall find no inlack Psal. 17. 15. for he speaketh of Christs presenting His Church to Himself in glory at the great day as if there were nothing but uncouthnesse and distance betwixt Him and the Church untill then that he might present it to himself a glorious Church saith he 4. Though every believing soul is when the Father draweth it to Christ contracted and handfasted with Him Hos. 2. 19 20. yet for good and wise reasons it pleaseth the Lord Christ to delay the taking of us home to Himself and the accomplishment and consummation of the begun marriage untill all the Elect being effectually called shall be presented to Him at once and so this spirituall marriage shall be fully accomplished betwixt Jesus Christ and the Bride the Lambs wife Rev. 19. 7. even as in earthly marriages there is first a Contract or Espousals and then for just and honest reasons some space of time ought to interveen betwixt that and the full accomplishment of the marriage Deut. 20. 7. Matth. 1. 18. for Paul sheweth that then at the great day the whole Church of real Believers shall be presented to Christ as the Bride is to the Bridegroom for the solemn consummation of the marriage That he might present it to himself a glorious Church 5. As believing souls even after their being contracted with Christ by faith and after they are renewed and cleansed in part do not get all their filthy garments put off there being a body of sin and death which cleaveth unto the best So at the finall solemnization of the marriage in the great day the Church of Believers the Bride and Lambs wife shall be clad in garments of glory being fully freed from the smallest remnant of sin and misery and made wholly glorious both in soul Matth. 22. 30. and body Phil. 3. 21. for he saith that he might present it unto himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle c. 6. Those garments of glory and needle-work wherewith the Church the Lambs wife shall be arrayed in the marriage-day are dearly purchased and freely bestowed upon her by Christ her Bridegroom and head for Paul saith Christ gave himself for the Church that he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle c 7. This perfect glorious state wherein the Church shall be for ever with Christ her Lord her Head her Husband is such as none can positively declare what it is yea neither can the heart of man comprehend it and all the knowledge which can be here in our state of imperfection attained of it is not so much positive or a knowing what it is as negative or a knowing what it is not by removing all those things from it which imply the least degree of sin and misery for therefore doth Paul set it out here by four negatives Not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing and without blemish and by one affirmative only that it should be holy Vers. 28. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies he that loveth his wife loveth himself FOlloweth the second argument to inforce this duty of love upon husbands towards their wives taken from the near conjunction betwixt husband and wife which he doth propound in this verse by shewing that the wife is the husbands body in so far as by the law of marriage which shall be explained ver 30. they two become one flesh so that in loving her he doth love himself to wit not so much because his so doing tendeth to his own good and peace though that be also truth Prov. 5. 17 18 19. as that she is his own body a piece of himself yea and his whole self or a second self they two being one flesh and therefore he ought to love her yea and to love her with the same sincerity and ardency of affection kything in the same or like effects wherewith he loveth his own body yea both his soul and body which are himself for the words as their own bodies are both an argument to inforce upon them the duty and a rule to direct them in the right manner of practising the duty Doct. 1. As love in husbands toward their wives after the pattern of Christs love unto His Church is a most necessary duty So considering the many quench-coals of love which the mutual infirmities both of husbands and wives do frequently furnish together with that naturall pronenesse which is in corrupt man being advanced and preferred above others to abuse his authority to domineer with a kind of tyranny over such as are under him it will be found a task not so easie as at the first it would appear for husbands to keep this affection and love flowing from the right fountain and manifesting it self in all its necessary effects towards their wives for to what purpose else doth he reiterate this exhortation and inforce it by so strong and convincing arguments So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies 2. That place of honour and superiority which God hath given the man over the wife as appointing him to be her head doth tye him unto answerable duty so that the greater his honour is the greater is his burden and in particular it bindeth him to love her and from love to govern instruct cherish her and provide for her and to all other things by proportion which the head doth for the body for from what he said ver
Paul doth not condemn but approve this custom among men that no man ever hated his own flesh but nourisheth and cherisheth it 6. As Christs example in His dealing towards the Church is a most excellent copie to be eyed and imitated by husbands in their carriage toward their wives and that not only in their love but in all those other duties flowing from love which they owe unto them So it doth concern both husbands and wives to eye this pattern much and to draw their motives and encouragements unto their mutuall duties from it as that which will much conduce to keep their hearts in a spirituall frame even in those performances and to prevent that carnal worldly disposition which the misguided care of performing such duties as the married-state of life calleth for doth usually contract for as he propounded Christs example for a motive to and pattern of the duty of love ver 25. so of those duties also of nourishing and cherishing which flow from it in this verse even as the Lord the Church 7. A husbands care ought to extend it self not only to nourish and cherish his wife in things temporal and which concern her body only but also in things spiritual and which concern her soul and therefore he would be circumspect lest under pretence of eschewing all suspicion of displeasure with her and of giving necessary tokens and evidences of his love and kindnesse to her in order to his outward cherishing her he do neither willingly neglect the care of her salvation or by fondnesse or lightnesse incapacitate himself to do her any good in that respect for Christ doth nourish and cherish His Church by taking care of and providing mainly for the souls and eternall state of His People and husbands are commanded here to make Him their pattern Even as the Lord the Church saith he Vers. 30. For we are members of his body of his flesh and of his bones HE giveth here a reason why Christ doth so cherish His Church where in stead of naming the Church expresly which the sequell of his discourse did require he mentioneth himself and other true Believers among the Ephesians under the pronoun we the Church here spoken of for whom Christ did give Himself being only made up of such And the reason is taken from that neer and strict union or that spirituall marriage which is betwixt Christ and Believers whereof that ancient marriage betwixt Adam and Eva was a kind of type and shadow as appeareth from the words here used which are taken from Gen. 2. 23. and were uttered at first by Adam concerning himself and his wife but are here by allusion to that marriage of theirs made use of to set forth the spirituall marriage betwixt Christ and His Church the tie and bond whereof is so near and strict that as the Apostle sheweth all Believers are members of His body yea not only of one nature with him which is common to them with all mankind but also as they are new creatures they have their originall and nourishment from Him even from His flesh and bones in so far as they owe the beginning progresse and accomplishment of their spirituall life to Christ His taking on of flash and His suffering in the flesh and by the vertue of those His sufferings they are quickned and fed and so are of His flesh and of his bones Doct. 1. Then do we speak and hear to our comfort and edification these truths which expresse the tender and warm care of Christ unto His Church when we make application of them to our selves and by a lively faith do enter our selves among these for whom He doth so care for the Apostle having in the preceeding verse spoken of Christs nourishing and cherishing of His Church applyeth that to himself and other true Believers among the Ephesians while he saith for we are members of his body 2. Then may we upon good grounds apply these generall truths unto our selves when as members of Christs mysticall body we draw our spirituall life and nourishment from that vertue and influence which Christ hath purchased by His sufferings in the flesh for upon this ground Paul doth substitute himself and other true Believers in stead of the Church and claimeth interest in Christs tender and warm care whereby He doth nourish and cherish His Church while he saith we are members of His body of His flesh and of His bones 3. There is no relation which Christ hath taken on toward His Church but it bindeth him to and accordingly he will perform all those answerable duties which men under these relations are bound to perform toward those to whom they have them for he giveth a reason why He did nourish and cherish His Church as a man doth his body and a husband ought to cherish his wife because he had taken on the relation of an head and husband to His Church while he saith we are members of His body of His flesh and of His bones 4. As true Believers have a twofold being one naturall and another spirituall so they have a twofold originall answerable to each of these In their naturall being they owe their originall under God unto their parents as being bone of their bones and flesh of their flesh as Eva the first woman did owe it to her husband But as they are renewed and born over again they owe their spirituall being not to the will of the flesh or the will of man Joh. 1. 13. but to the vertue of Christs obedience and sufferings in His flesh 1 Joh. 4. 9. for he saith not they are bone of His bones and flesh of His flesh as Adam saith of his wife Gen. 2. 23. to point that she did owe her naturall being unto him as being come and made of him but that they were of His bone and flesh to wit in their spirituall being as they were renewed and members of His body for we are members of his body of His bone and of His flesh Vers. 31. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother and shall be joyned unto his wife and they two shall be one flesh THis verse in the literal plain and historical sense of the words holdeth forth the law of marriage binding all married parties in all times which was pronounced by Adam Gen. 2. 24. and approved by God Himself Matth. 19. 5. And the words taken in this sense contain the third reason to prove the former consequence ver 28. that seing wives are the bodies of their husbands therefore they should be loved The argument is taken from that law of marriage expresly declaring that for this cause to wit because the wife is bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh as the cause is expressed Gen. 2. 23 24. which is the same in effect with the cause given ver 28. even because she is the body of the husband to which this verse literally taken doth relate or to the thirtieth verse immediatly preceeding in
the Promises made He saith not And to seeds as of many but as of one And to thy seed which is Christ. 17. And this I say that the Covenant that was confirmed before of God in Christ the Law which was four hundred and thirty years after cannot disanul that it should make the Promise of none effect 18. For if the inheritance be of the Law it is no more of Promise but God gave it to Abraham by Promise THe Apostle having confirmed the truth of his Doctrine by several Arguments doth in the second part of the Chapter answer some Objections and joyntly herewith refuteth the other Error maintained by his adversaries about the necessity of observing the Ceremonial Law shewing that however the Law or the legal way of dispensing the Covenant of Grace prescribed unto Moses upon mount Sinai was for good use so long as by God's appointment it was to stand in force yet Christ being now come in the flesh the date prefixed for its continuance was now expired and so the Christian Church of Jews and Gentiles wholly freed from the observation of it The first Objection as may be gathered by his Answer was to this purpose That granting what the Apostle had said concerning Justification by Faith in the Promise and not by Works did hold true before the Law was given by Moses yet afterwards that way of Justification seemeth to have been altered and Justification by Works established according to the tenour of the Law given by God on mount Sinai seing that latter Acts and constitutions do not only stand in force but also abrogate the former in so far at least as they are inconsistent with the latter The Apostle answereth by a comparison which he sheweth is taken from humane affairs and first setteth down the similitude to this purpose That a Covenant or Paction made among men for preserving mutual peace and friendship being once confirmed by Oath and other usual solemnities cannot without imputation of levity or injustice be disannulled and quite broken neither can any condition destructive to the former be added to it ver 15. And secondly That he may apply this similitude with greater evidence and force he first sheweth the nature of that Covenant made by God with Abraham did consist in Promises wherein the blessing promised is given freely and not for the merit and worth of our obedience and works as the word rendred Promise doth signifie and next he sheweth that all Abraham's seed not only those who lived before the giving of the Law but those also who lived after and not only the Jews but also the Gentiles were comprehended in the Covenant and to partake of the promised Blessing according to the tenour of it which he proveth from the formal words of the Covenant-tender which express all those who were to partake of the covenanted Blessing by the name of Abraham and of his Seed in the singular number to shew that it is under one and the same consideration that they all are his seed and do partake of his promised Blessing otherwise if it had been Gods purpose to convey the heavenly Inheritance unto some upon their Faith in the Promise and unto others for the merit of their Works Then the Promise should have been made unto his Seeds in the plural number as pointing at the different grounds of this their spiritual relation unto Abraham and not unto his Seed in the singular which seed of Abraham is here called Christ to wit Christ mystical which comprehendeth Christ the Head and all Believers whether before the Law or after whether Jew or Gentile as the Members of that Body whereof Christ is the Head all of which are designed by the name of Christ as 1 Cor. 12. -12. Col. 1. 24. and so here to shew that not Moses not the Law not Works but Christ the Promise and faith in Christ and the Promise is the bond and ty of this Union pleaded-for in Abrahams seed ver 16. Thirdly He applyeth the similitude taken from the unchangeablnesse of humane Covenants and inferreth that much lesse can that Covenant which was made with Abraham and his seed be abrogated or any condition destructive be added to it by the Law which was given four hundred and thirty years after which consequence is inforced by four Considerations 1. It was a Covenant made with Abraham not by a man like himself but by God 2. It was not only made but long before ratified and confirmed both by the Oath of God Heb. 6. 14. and other more than ordinary solemnities Gen. 15. 9 10 c. And 3. a Covenant not only made and confirmed but a Covenant confirmed in Christ or as the Original will bear looking toward Christ as Him alone upon whom the fulfilling of that Covenant did depend Gen. 22. 18. So that if this Covenant had been abrogated whether by the Law or any other thing there had been no necessity of sending Christ. And 4. because this Covenant upon Gods part was a free absolute Promise the performance whereof did not depend upon the works of the other party and so their unworthinesse could be no pretence for the abrogation of it this inference from the comparison is ver 17. And fourthly Because some in following forth the present Objection might have urged that though the giving of the Law did not fully abrogate the way of Justification by Faith in the Promise Yet this much behoved to be granted that the Law and Works were to be conjoyned at least with the Promise and Faith in the point of Justification Therefore the Apostle answereth ver 18. that even this much cannot be granted and that because Works and Faith Law and Promise are inconsistent as to the point of conveying a right to the covenanted Inheritance so that if the works of the Law have any influence upon our Justification and right to Heaven the free-gifted Promise made of God to Abraham and Faith in that Promise can have none and thus the confirmed Covenant should yet be abrogated the absurdity whereof he hath already shewen to wit ver 17. From Vers. 15. Learn 1. Though the Servants of Jesus Christ will be necessitated sometimes to use some more than ordinary sharpness of speech in their reproofs toward the People of God committed to their charge yet they are carefully to guard lest their affections be imbittered against them and would alwayes keep love and affection toward them yea and testifie their love to them even when they do most sharply reprove them for the Apostle though he upbraided these Galatians with folly ver 1. Yet here he testifieth that neverthelesse he loved them while he calleth them Brethren Brethren I speak after the manner of men 2. It is not only lawful but also exceedingly conducing for the edification of hearers that Ministers make use of similitudes and examples taken from things natural 1 Cor. 15. 38 c. artificial Iam. 3. 7. or from common custom among men for clearing or
Rom. 10. 14 15. for the Apostle having already spoken of God's bestowing all saving grace upon them doth here condescend upon the mean made use of by him in that work Having made known unto us the mysterie of his will 4. There is nothing which moveth God to reveal his Gospel unto one people and not to another or more obscurely to one and more clearly unto another but only his own good will and pleasure so to do neither doth the Lord any thing contrary to justice hereby seing he is not obliged to send the Gospel unto any Rom. 11. 35. and all have more knowledge of God by nature than they make good use of Rom. 1. 21. for this alone is here given as the reason of his making known the mysterie of his will even according to his good pleasure 5. So carefull is God to maintain the interest of his free-grace in our salvation as being the only supream and fountain-cause thereof that he thinketh it not sufficient once to assert in the general that salvation and all the means and steps tending towards it do flow from his free-grace but that this be again and again inculcated and all the particular steps which lead to salvation being condescended upon that his free-grace favour and good will be held out as the fountain of each step in particular for the Apostle doth so and that by an heavenly and divine artifice sliding down from one step to another from Election to Redemption and from Redemption to effectual calling and from effectual calling unto God's bestowing the outward mean of salvation the Gospel not only ascribing all to God's free-grace but making grace the mid-link of the chain whereby he joyneth the several parts of his discourse together so ver 8. Wherein he abounded and here According to the good pleasure of his will and which he purposed in himself as having no cause without himself to set him on work 6. As the decrees of God are firm fixed and unchangeable So he doth nothing in the matter of man's salvation even to the least circumstance but what he hath decreed to do which as will appear from ver 11. doth hold in all other things which God doth for by God's purpose is meaned his eternal decree with respect had to its stability and unchangeablenesse there being neither want of fore-sight nor of power in God to occasion the alteration of his purpose which are the causes why men are frequently necessitated to alter theirs and this purpose and decree is spoken of here as the rule according to which God of his good pleasure did make known the mysterie of his will unto those Ephesians in order to their salvation Which he had purposed in himself saith he Vers. 10. That in the dispensation of the fulnesse of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ both which are in heaven and which are on earth even in him HEre is the intended effect which God did aim at in His gracious purpose of making fully known the mystery of the Gospel both to Jew and Gentile to wit That at the full time and season which God had dispensed measured out and pitched upon as most fitting for the businesse in hand to wit the time of Christ's incarnation and sufferings Gal. 4. 4. He might gather together in Christ all His own Elect whether already glorified or yet upon earth who before were separated from God and one from another and might make them one with God being united with Christ their head by faith Eph. 3. 17 and one among themselves being united by love Col. 3. 14. Now the Apostle affirmeth this gathering of all the Elect was to be in the fulnesse of times for though many of them were already actually gathered and glorified to wit the things in Heaven before that time yet the exhibition of that by vertue whereof they were gathered was at and not before that time to wit the time of Christ's incarnation obedience and sufferings Heb. 9. 15. Doct. 1. All mankind by nature and being considered in themselves are under a fearfull dissipation and scattering Sin hath rent and separated them from God from man and from the blessed Angels for gathering presupposeth a foregoing scattering and the word rendred gather together in one being taken from a word which signifieth the head of a natural body or a short sum of a sparse discourse and so signifying here to gather together under one head to wit Christ and unto one sum and body amongst themselves it supposeth that they are separated from God from Christ one from another and from the Angels also for they were to be gathered into one body with those That he might gather together in one c. 2. The Lord hath not left all mankind in this wofull separation and scattered condition but as He hath firmly purposed and decreed from all eternity so in time He setteth about to gather together some of scattered mankind and to unite them to Himself one to another and to the blessed Angels for the word rendred to gather implyeth a gathering unto all these as is said And he hath purposed in himself that he might gather together in one 3. The gathering together of the scattered Elect and making of them one with God and among themselves doth not depend upon the choice of their own free-will which could do no other but refuse to be gathered Mat. 23. 37. and so Christ should not have seen of the travel of His soul and been satisfied contrary to what is promised Isa. 53. 11. But upon the fixed and unchangeable purpose of God which engageth His Omnipotency to make them willing to be gathered Psal. 110. 3. and therefore they shall be infallibly gathered for the Apostle as appears from the context maketh this gathering depend on Gods purpose He hath purposed in himself that he might gather together in one 4. It is only God who by His omnipotent power doth gather together the scattered Elect and maketh them one with Himself and with one another in Himself We do so much love to wander Jer. 14. 10. that we would live and die estranged from God if the Lord by strong-hand did not reclaim us from our wandrings for saith Paul He hath purposed in himself that he might gather together in one 5. The preaching of the Gospel and making known that blessed mysterie is the mean which God maketh use of in this work of gathering the scattered Elect because though our actuall gathering be an act of Gods omnipotent power yet He dealeth with us as with rational creatures by giving us an offer of His friendship commanding us to accept of it as it is offered and in the mean time sending forth his power with the command whereby He maketh us to accept Act. 16. 14. for as is clear from the connexion God's end intended in making known the mysterie of his will is That he might gather together in one 6. As God is the great Master of his
own House and Family which is the Church to whom He dispenseth and distributeth all her mercies comforts and crosses with no lesse yea with infinitly greater care wisdom and foresight than any man doth care provide for and govern his own family So among other things He dispenseth and ordereth times and seasons for his Church as not only having fixed in his eternal counsel the general periods of the Churches time how long the Church should be in her state of infancy how long under the bondage of the Law and how long she shall continue in her more grown and perfect age under the Gospel but also the time and season for bestowing of particular mercies and inflicting corrections and chastisements for the word rendred dispensation signifieth the way of administrating the affairs of the family by the master thereof and the times come under those things which are administrated by God That in the dispensation of the fulnesse of times 7. As every time chosen of God for bestowing of any mercy is the full and fittest time for his bestowing of it So the time of Christ's incarnation is in a speciall manner the full time and fulnesse of time and that not only because it was that full time which God had appointed in his decree and for reasons known to his own unsearchable wisdom condescended upon as the most fitting time for that great work but also because all the fore-going prophecies promises and types of the Messias were fulfilled in those times Luke 24. 27. and the will of God concerning man's salvation was then and not till then fully revealed Heb. 1. 2. for the Apostle calleth those times the fulnesse of times That in the dispensation of the fulness of times 8. Though the benefits purchased by Christ and particularly that of effectuall calling and gathering together unto God those whom sin did separate from Him be intended for and accordingly doth light only upon few Mat. 7. 14. Yet the Gospel and Promise by which Christ and the benefits purchased by Him are revealed is drawn up in the most comprehensive expressions And this of purpose that none may hereby be excluded from laying hold upon that gracious offer but such as do exclude themselves Joh. 5. 40. for saith he That he might gather together in one all things both which are in heaven and which are on earth by which broad expressions are meaned only the Elect for there is an universality and world even of those 2 Cor. 5. 19. and not all the creatures not Devils or Reprobates Joh. 17. 9. yea to speak properly not yet the elect Angels who being never separated from God by sin cannot be gathered to him by Christ though they may improperly and in some respects be said to be so to wit because of those advantages which they have by Christ as that they are now most perfectly and inseparably united with God without hazard of being separated from Him Mat. 18. 10. and have attained the knowledge of that wonderfull plot of Man's Salvation through Jesus Christ which was a mysterie even to them Eph. 3. 10. and a greater measure of joy than formerly they had upon Christ's converting and saving of lost sinners Luke 15. 7 10. Doct. 9 All who belong to God's purpose of Election and who are or shall be gathered together in Christ are either in heaven or earth Paul knew no purgatory or third place for the souls of the Elect to go unto after death to endure the temporal punishment due to their sin for he divideth those all things which were to be gathered into things in heaven and things on earth 10. There is an union betwixt the Saints departed now in heaven and those who are yet alive upon the earth so as they make up one mystical body under one head Christ to whom the Saints departed are united though not by faith 1 Cor. 13. 10. yet by sense as we are united to Him by faith and as they are united to Christ so also one to another and to us by love for charity never faileth 1 Cor. 13. 8. from which union there floweth a communion betwixt them and us whereby they do pray for the Church in general Rev. 6. 10. though not for the particular conditions and persons of men upon earth whereof they are ignorant Isa. 63. 16. and the Godly upon earth do in heart and affection converse with them in heaven Philip. 3. 20. desiring continually to be dissolved and to be with Christ Philip. 1. 23. though they are not to pray unto them or give them religious worship Rev. 19. 10. for saith he That in the dispensation of the fulnesse of times he might gather together in one things in heaven and things on earth 11. Jesus Christ is that person in and by whom we are gathered together unto God by faith in Him and to the Angels and also among our selves by the grace of love He having united the two dissentient parties God and man in His own Person Mat. 1. -23. and having satisfied justice for that wrong which caused the rent Isa. 53. 5. and working in us by His Spirit those graces of faith and love whereby we are made one with God and among our selves Act. 5. 31. and having by His death taken away that wall of partition and enimity which was betwixt Jew and Gentile Eph. 2. 14 15 16. it being also necessary that we be in Him by faith before we be united to God through Him for the Apostle is so much delighted with this Truth himself and would so gladly have it well known believed by others that he doth inculcate it twice in this one vers That he might gather together all things in Christ and again even in Him Vers. 11. In whom also we have obtained an inheritance being predestinated according to the purpose of Him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will 12. That we should be to the praise of his glory who first trusted in Christ. THe Apostle having hitherto spoken of all the Elect in general doth now make application of the former doctrine first to the Jews and next to the Gentiles and hereby he doth yet further and thirdly inforce the fore-mentioned scope while he sheweth in effect that the prerogative of the Jews above the Gentiles made not grace the lesse free to them and that nothing which the Gentiles could pretend to beyond the Jews made it lesse free to them either And first he applyeth it unto the Jews whereof Paul was one and therefore he speaketh of them in the first person We. And first he sheweth that they to wit Believers among them as is explained ver -12. had in Christ and by vertue of His merit and intercession obtained an inheritance to wit of Heaven and Glory Col. 1. 12. and by consequence all the fore-mentioned blessings which lead to it and this not from their own merit or free choice but freely and as it were by lot wherein least of man is seen
to a stately edifice founded upon Christ ver 20 21. And shewing they were a part of this building ver 22. Vers. 1. ANd you hath He quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins THe Apostle being yet further to establish those Ephesians in the doctrine of salvation by free grace in Christ and for this end to set forth the happinesse of that estate in which free grace had placed them sheweth the misery of their former estate before conversion even that they were dead not naturally but spiritually there being nothing of that spiritual life in them which consisteth in the union of the soul with God Joh. 5. 40. and in a vertue and power of the soul flowing from this union to do those things which are spiritually good and acceptable unto God Joh. 15. 5. even as the natural life consisteth in the union of the soul with the body whereby the man is inabled to move speak and do such other actions as are competent to that life so that their spiritual deadnesse doth speak a separation from God Psal 53. 3. and total inability to do any thing which is spiritually good Rom. 8 7. The efficient and formall cause of which death he sheweth to have been their sins and trespasses whereby under two words used indifferently in Scripture to expresse one and the same thing and both of them in the plural number is set forth the multitude of sins under which they lay in this their dead condition as their original sin their actual sins sins of omission commission and especially their manifold idolatries which are chiefly pointed at as those sins wherein not only the Ephesians but the world in general did wallow before Christ came in the flesh Act. 17. 29 30. Hence Learn 1. It is not sufficient that the Servants of Jesus Christ do only preach priviledges and hold-forth unto Believers that happy estate unto which they are lifted-up through Christ It is necessary also that joyntly herewith they be calling them to minde their wofull miserable and lost estate by nature that the one being set foregainst the other both may more clearly appear in their own colours and that those dangerous rocks of growing vain because of what they now are 2 Cor. 12. 7. and of turning discouraged and diffident because of what they once were Psal. 25. 7. may be eschewed for the Apostle in the preceeding chapter having spoken much of those high priviledges unto which the Ephesians were advanced by Christ he doth here minde them of that miserable state wherein God found them And you who were dead in sins and trespasses 2. There is nothing contributeth more to commend the doctrine of free grace to peoples consciences and so to commend it as to make them closely adhere unto it both in profession and practice than the serious perpending of mans wofull and altogether hopelesse estate by nature This alone would do much to scatter all that mist whereby humane reason doth obscure the beauty of this truth by extolling man's free will as a co-worker with grace Rom. 3. 19 20. and would necessitate the lost sinner to imbrace it and to venture his otherwise hopelesse salvation upon it 1 Tim. 1. 15. for this is the Apostle's scope through this whole Chapter even from the consideration of the wofull estate of those Ephesians before conversion to illustrate this doctrine of salvation by free grace and to confirm them in it And you who were dead in sins and trespasses 3. Believers in Jesus Christ are not to look upon their lost and miserable estate by nature separately and apart from but joyntly with God's free grace and mercy which hath delivered them from that misery for otherwise the thoughts of sin and misery may if God should give way swallow them up Mat. 27. 4 5. Hence is it the Apostle hath so contrived his discourse here that all-alongs while he speaketh of their misery in the first three verses the mind of the Reader is kept in suspense without coming to the perfect close of a sentence untill God's mercy in their delivery from this misery be mentioned ver 5. for the Original hath not these words he hath quickened in this verse but the Translators have taken them from ver 5. to make up the sense without suspending the Reader so long untill he should find them in their own proper place And you who were dead c. 4. Every man by nature and before conversion is dead not to sin for that is proper to the Regenerate only See Rom. 6. 2. where the grammatical construction is the same in the Original with that which is here only the sense is much different but in sin whereby he is wholly deprived of all ability and power to convert himself Rom. 9. 16. or to do any thing which is spiritually good Rom. 8. 7. for while he saith the Ephesians were dead in sins before God did quicken them he speaketh of a thing common to them with others and therefore he reckoneth himself and the other believing Jews with them ver 3. And you who were dead in sins 5. As the fountain-cause of this spiritual death was Adam's sin in whom all have sinned Rom. 5. 12. through the merit of whose sin imputed to us we are deprived of original righteousness Rom. 7. 18. and a perverse inclination unto all evil hath come in its place Gen. 6. 5. So every mans own particular actual sins do lay him lower under this state of death and make his delivery from it more difficult Jer. 13. 23. for saith he Ye were dead in sins and trespasses under which are comprehended as we shew both their original and actual sins Vers. 2. Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world according to the prince of the power of the air the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience HE proveth they were thus dead in sins and trespasses from their walking in and making a daily trade of sin without striving against it or any through remorse for it which wofull walk of theirs he doth illustrate from two guides which they followed and by which they were carried-on and incouraged in their sinfull course The first was the universal corrupt course and custom of the world that is of wicked men in the world Psal. 17. 14. in all ages which had become a Law for them to walk by The second guide was Satan who is here called a prince not only because there being a number of those unclean spirits they are joyned as one politick body among themselves under one who is as prince and head of the rest Mat. 12. 24. and 25. 41. but also and mainly because of that power which all the Devils and chiefly their head and prince have over wicked men in the world Joh. 14. 30. 2 Cor. 4 4. even over the children of disobedience which princely power of his is described from the place where by God's permission he doth exercise it to wit the
also the words rendred the spirit which worketh may relate either to his nature as being spiritual or to his way of working while he tempteth to wit by way of inspiration and a kind of breathing the words may be so constructed as to bear either though the first be mainly intended The spirit that now worketh or his spirit now working 10. Though there have been and yet are some fair flourishes of prais-worthy vertues and actions seemingly good in men unrenewed Rom. 2. 14. yet every unrenewed man and chiefly those who are come to age and understanding are very slaves to sin and so addicted to the actual service though not of all and every sin in particular for that were impossible yet of some one idol or other whether of their pleasure profit or credit that they cannot but go on in the service of it without all possibility of being reclaimed by any created strength for so much is implyed while unregenerate men are called children of disobedience that is men addicted and given over to disobedience so that they cannot be perswaded to relinquish it 11. Satan's way of working in and with obstinate godlesse sinners is most efficacious and powerfull he cannot indeed work any change upon the will by creating new principles or habits in it which before were not as God doth Jer. 31. 33. but he can not only tempt to sin by propounding aluring baits and objects to the outward senses or inward fansie which he may do to any man whether good or bad 2 Sam. 11. 2. but also when God judicially giveth over a sinner unto Satan withdrawing even His restraining grace from him Then doth Satan multiply his temptations without any intermission useth the utmost of created endeavours whereby and through God's up-giving the sinner formerly mentioned and because of the seed and root of all sin which is in the sinner by nature there is no sort of wickednesse unto the acting whereof Satan will not get him willingly driven and carried for saith he The spirit which now that is even in the mean time constantly and without intermitting the shortest moment or now worketh in the children of disobedience the word doth signifie to work with pith and efficacy 12. Though even the godly are not free from being tempted by Satan yea nor yet from yeelding sometimes to his temptations 1 Chron. 21. 1 2. yet he doth not work efficaciously in them and so as is described in the former Doctrine for he astricteth this way of Satans working to unregenerate men The spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience Vers. 3. Among whom also we had all our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind and were by nature the children of wrath even as others THe Apostle doth now apply this Doctrine to the Jews of whom he himself was one and therefore he designeth them by the pronoun We and affirmeth them to have been before conversion equally miserable with the Gentiles In doing whereof and that he may more fully explain this Doctrine of man's misery he sheweth first That even they had their conversation among those children of disobedience as being no lesse obstinately rebellious against God than the disobedient Gentiles following the lusts or the first motions and sudden flashes of their inbred corruption here called flesh which flowing from Adams first sin hath infected his whole posterity Christ alone excepted 2 Cor. 5-21 and seated it self in all the powers and faculties of their souls and bodies even the understanding and will not being excepted Rom. 8. 7. Col. 2. -18. for so is the word flesh usually taken in the New Testament Joh. 3. 6. Gal. 5. 13 16. Now all corruption and sin even that which is in the mind is called flesh because it is conveyed by fleshly generation Joh. 3. 6. the fleshly members of the body are the instruments whereby all is executed Rom. 6. 19. and every sin draweth the man from God to things earthly and fleshly Secondly he subdivideth this inbred corruption of their natures into two heads first the flesh particularly so called whereby as it is distinguished from flesh before mentioned and opposed to the mind spoken of afterwards must be meaned that corruption which is seated in the inferiour part of the soul to wit the sensual appetite and next the mind whereby is meaned the most noble faculties of the soul to wit the will and understanding in so far as they are also corrupted Concerning both which he affirmeth that even the Jews in their unconverted state were fulfilling their wills and desires by which desires of the flesh as they are distinguished from the lusts of the flesh formerly mentioned are meaned their deliberate and fixed resolution to follow those lusts and suggestions of corrupt flesh which accordingly he sheweth they did fulfill and accomplish to the utmost And thirdly he pointeth at the root and fountain-cause of this their miserable slavery and subjection to sin in the lusts and desires therof even their natural sin and misery whereby they were from nature that is from their very cradle birth and conception children of wrath as being by reason of their original sin lyable to the stroke of God's eternal wrath and as much lyable to it as the Gentiles were Doct. 1. There is not any piece of a Minister's task wherein he hath more need of a spirit of wisdom and impartiality than when he is about the reproof of sin and the discovery of peoples vilenesse by reason of their wickednesse lest if herein he respect persons those whom he reflects upon most be irritate as conceiving themselves to be unequally dealt with and lest others to whom he doth apply that convincing doctrine neither so directly nor with such an edge and vehemencie be puft up in their own conceit above others for the Apostle holdeth-forth the rest of what he hath to speak upon this subject of mans misery by nature in the person of the Jews lest either the Gentiles had been irritated or the Jews puffed up Among whom we all also bad our conversation 2. Whatever differences may be among unregenerate men as to things civil externals in Religion or the particular sins unto which they are inslaved yet all of them are alike vile in God's sight children of disobedience in whom Satan ruleth and worketh in so far as they are all walking in the lusts of the flesh following inbred corruption as their guide and obeying it in some one or other of its lusts for though there was neither civil commerce nor religious fellowship betwixt the Jews and Gentiles Joh. 4. 9. though the Jews had many external religious priviledges which the Gentiles did want Rom. 9. 4 5. and though some both of Jews and Gentiles were not enslaved to such vile and fleshly lusts as others were Phil. 3. -6. yet Paul pronounces of himself and all of them that they were children of disobedience because one way
what he presently spake of that great end intended to be brought about by the Ministery and ministeriall gifts And first he illustrateth it in this verse from the term of its duration by shewing how long not all those forementioned offices ver 11. but that work of the Ministery in edifying the body of Christ spoken of ver 12. shall continue and last The term whereof in a word is the day of Judgement And it is set forth by three expressions the latter whereof is a further explication of the former and all of them do hold forth that high degree of perfection which the Church shall not obtain before that day And first he sheweth that work is to continue untill all the Elect some whereof are not yet born much lesse called and some of those who are called do differ in many things among themselves do come or meet for so the word may read in that compleat unity not only of opinion but also and especially of heart and affection to be manifested in that most perfect and blessed communion and fellowship which the Saints shall enjoy both with Christ and amongst themselves in glory called the unity of faith as having its first rise from faith however faith as to the distance from Christ implied in it shall then cease 1 Cor. 13. 12. which grace of faith he describeth to be the knowledge of the Son of God or as the word signifieth the acknowledgement of Him which speaketh somewhat more than our simple knowing of Him even a knowing Him as our own and with a speciall application to our selves and so as we give due honour respect and reverence to Him See upon chap. 1. ver 17. doct 10. Secondly He sheweth what unity of faith he meaneth even that which the Church and all her members shall attain to being come to the state and degree of perfection in the life to come which state is here called a perfect man or a man come to full and perfect age because that state shall be to the Church and all her lively members as their ripe and compleat age in comparison of their infancy childehood and growing age here in the world Thirdly he sheweth when the Church shall come to her ripe and manly age to wit when she attaineth that measure of perfection called her stature with allusion to the ripe age of a man when he is come to his full stature That measure I say of perfection which Christ shall fill them with in glory or whereby Christ mysticall shall be fully compleat there being none of His Members then wanting and all of them come to their perfect growth or a measure of perfection answering though not in equality yet in likenesse and conformity to that fulnesse of perfection which is in their head Christ to whom all the members of this mystical body shall be in some measure conform in glory 1 Cor. 15. 49. This stature of the fulnesse of Christ may be taken any or all of those wayes for they all agree in one and the same measure of perfection Doct. 1. The edification of the body of Christ is a work that shall be continually in motion and on foot untill all that are given to Christ of the Father no not one being wanting even all the Members of this mystical body be effectually called and united with Christ the head and among themselves and every one of them attain to their full and perfect measure of spirituall growth so that Christ shall never want a Church of Believers while the world endureth for the tearm to which that edifying work mentioned ver 12. shall continue is untill we all come to the unity of the faith 2. The Ministery of the Gospel is a standing ordinance untill Christs second coming neither are there any other Church-offices to be given by Christ to the Church for edifying His body but those which are already given in the grant of the Gospel and therefore those are to continue either more visibly or hidly in some one place or other in despight of men and devils unto the end of the world Matth. 28. 20. for this work of the Ministery in edifying the body spoken of ver 12. is to continue untill we all come to the unity of the faith 3. There is none no not the most eminent Saints on earth who are above the ordinance of the Ministrie so as to stand in no need of it or to be without reach of being bettered by it even Ministers themselves must be wrought upon and edified by this Ordinance otherwise they do not what they ought in saving both themselves and others 1 Tim. 4. 16. for even Paul reckoneth himself among those whom the Ministery was to have its due effects upon while he saith not ye all but we all come to the unity of the faith 4. As the Elect by nature are far removed from God from Christ and one from another So their great work when once converted should be and in a great part will be to tend and advance by degrees towards a compleat union and communion with God and with one another in God as the great scope they aim at and the point or center which they propose unto themselves to meet in for the former of those is supponed and the latter expressed while he saith till we all come or meet in the unity c 5. This perfect union and communion of all Believers with God and with one another in God is not attained at the first yea not in this life nor before the resurrection untill then there will be alwayes some alienation and distance not only from God 2 Cor. 5. 6. but also among themselves and that both in their judgements and affections 1 Cor. 13. 9. for he saith till we come in the unity which implieth there will be some time before we come at it even till the Church be a perfect man in glory 6. Diversity of gifts bestowed upon Ministers and the exercise of them in the work of the Ministery is the ordinary mean appointed of God for working up the body of Christ to this unity and therefore ought not to be occasion unto the people of strife and emulation schism or faction 1 Corinth 3. 4. much lesse should they be improven by Ministers for begettting or entertaining divisions or rents either among themselves or in the Church of God Phil. 1. 15 16. for he sheweth the work of the Ministery ver 12. diversity of offices ver 11. and diverse measures of gifts and graces ver 7. are all given to promot this unity and therefore ought not to raise division Till we all meet in the unity 7. The grace of faith and the exercise thereof is the way wherein the Saints do walk towards this blessed and perfect union in so far as faith uniteth us to Christ and through Christ to God and one to another chap. 2. 15. which union by faith is a step towards and endeth in that perfect union and communion with
God and all the Saints by sight or sense which shall be in glory 1 Pet. 1. 9. And therefore the exercise of faith and closing with Christ would mainly be pressed by Ministers and sought after by people as they would attain to unity entertain it being begun here or meet in that perfect unity hereafter for therefore is it called the unity of faith as having its rise from that grace till we all come in the unity of the faith 8. As faith in Christ cannot be without the knowledge of Christ and such a knowledge as is a reall acknowledging of Him implying application and high esteem of Him when he is known So faith cannot find a sure foundation in Christ to rest on while He be taken up as God equal with the Father and consequently endued with sufficient strength and worth for doing all those things for which the Believer imployeth Him for he describeth faith to be the knowledge or acknowledgement of the Son of God 9. The Church and body of Christ in respect of particular Believers the Members of that body hath its divine different periods of age as the infancy of the Church and particular Believers so called because of their childish ignorance and infirmities this age is spoken of ver 14. Next their youth and growing age when they are making progresse in the way of grace towards perfection this is mentioned ver 15. And lastly their perfect manly age when grace is fully perfected in glory spoken of in this verse Only they have no declining fading or old age but shall alwayes remain a perfect man unto all eternity 1 Thess. 4. 17. Till we all come in the unity of the faith unto a perfect man See the exposition 10. As Believers ought to aim at no lower degree of perfection than conformity with Christ their glorious head so they shall at last attain unto it they shall be holy harmlesse undefiled separate from sinners as He Heb. 7. 26. above the reach of all tentations as He Joh. 14. 30. their vile bodies made conform to His glorious body Philip. 3. 21. and both soul and body confirmed in that glorious state unto all eternity even as He Rom. 6. 9. that so there may be a due proportion between the head and body of mysticall Christ and when all Believers are from the fountain of fulnesse in Christ thus filled with a fulnesse of perfection in some measure answerable unto that which is in Himself then and not till then hath mysticall Christ attained His just stature proportion and fulnesse He doth in a manner reckon Himself imperfect empty and incompleat so long as one member of His mysticall body is wanting for Paul maketh the measure of the Churches perfection or manly and full stature to be the fulnesse of Christ to wit that perfection which flowing from Christs fulnesse shall compleat Christ mysticall and be conform to that fulnesse of perfection which is in Christ Unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ. Vers. 14. That we henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of Doctrine by the sleight of men and cunning craftinesse whereby they lie in wait to deceive HE doth illustrate the forementioned end of the Ministery next by shewing one chief fruit of that spirituall edification unto which the work of the Ministery is subservient even the removall of and preservation from that which is contrary to it and namely from errour and false Doctrines the hazard whereof together with the necessity of guarding against them is set forth by three similitudes the first two do expresse the temper of those who are surprized or in danger to be surprized by errour First they are as little children to wit for ignorance of what is right inconstancy in their choise and simplicity or easinesse to be deceived and to credit all Secondly they are as ships destitute of skilfull masters tossed and carried this way and that way with the tide and contrary winds among the waves and rocks even so are they with the tide and winds of contrary and diverse Doctrines and opinions sometimes fluctuating and uncertain what to choose sometimes taken with one opinion and presently changeing it with another The third similitude expresseth the way how such are seduced unto errour to wit by the pernicious subtility of seducers set forth first more obscurely by a comparison taken from the fraud or sleight of gamsters who have devices by cogging a die to make it cast up any number they please So do hereticks by wresting Scriptures force them to speak that seemingly which maketh for the defence of their errour 2 Pet. 3. 16. for the word rendered sleight of men signifieth the crafty deceiving of men Next more plainly while that sleight or deceiving is called cunning craftinesse to wit in hereticks and seducers the word signifieth a singular dexterity to do mischief of any kind acquired by long use and great medling in all affairs And lastly he sheweth the end to which this cunning craftinesse doth tend and that wherein it is exercised most even in a subtile and compendious way of deceiving the simple and drawing them from truth to errour for the words do read in cunning craftinesse tending to a compendious subtile art of deceiving or to deceive by a compendious art Hence Learn 1. One singular mean ordained by God for preserving us from the infection of dangerous errours and subtile seducers is the work of the Ministery and therefore the work of Ministers is not only to presse holinesse and to reprove vice but also to contend for the truth stop the mouth of gainsayers and guard the Lords people against infection from dangerous errours and people ought to cleave unto their faithfull Ministers as they would be preserved from being made a prey to seducing spirits for Paul doth hold this forth as one fruit of the work of the Ministery mentioned ver 12. even that we henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro with every wind of Doctrine 2. Spirituall edification and walking towards perfection in glory doth call-for not only holinesse of life but also orthodoxie in point of truth heresie and errour being as great impediments in that spirituall building and as palpable deviations from the way to heaven and glory as profanity and vice 2 Pet. 2-1 for having spoken of that great end of the Ministery the edification of the body of Christ ver 12. as the way to perfection in glory ver 13. he doth here speak of infection by errour and heresie as impediments of that edification and therefore to be removed That we henceforth be no â—ore children tossed to and fro 3. The most holy and able Ministers are not more ready to presse the sense of humane frailty with the necessity of keeping a strict watch against it upon others than they are to take with it and to watch over it in themselves for even Paul includeth himself while he saith that we
henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro which implyeth an acknowledgement that at least he was once such a childe and that it was necessary for him as well as others to quit that childish temper 4. As the renewed children of God are once babes in Christ and weak in all the parts of the new man even in knowledge prudence patience and other graces so they must not be alwayes such but are to be growing upwards towards perfection for the first of those is implyed and the other expressed while he saith That we henceforth be no more children 5. Pronenesse to error and easinesse to be carried away with every doctrine which pretendeth to Truth is a mark of one who is not grown in grace and but a babe in Christ if he be renewed at all for he calleth those children who are tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine 6. That errors and heresies are not lesse damnable and dangerous than other sins appeareth from this that the souls hazard from these is expressed by the hazard of masterlesse ships tossed by contrary winds among rocks or beds of sand while he saith tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine 7. The spirit of error is alwayes turbulent and when suffered to walk abroad doth raise most strange commotions both in the publick state of the Church while hereby the lovers of Truth are called publickly to contend for it Jude ver 3. and in the hearts of private Christians chiefly those who are weak and unsetled and hereby made to fluctuate among the rocks of several opinions and sometimes at last to split upon some one error or other Gal. 1. 6. for so much is implyed while he compareth heretical doctrines to the boisterous winds which drive the ship of the Church to and fro with every wind of doctrine 8. There â—s no erroneous doctrine so hazardous and damnable but Satan will find out some active spirits to spread it and to seduce others unto the imbracing of it for those are the men here spoken of by whose sleight and cunning craftines the winds of false doctrine are made to blow and carry children to and fro tossed by the sleight of men 9. As those whom Satan engageth to carry on a course of error and heresie in a Church are usually men of parts and gifts exceeding far in abilities the generality of the Lords People whom they intend to seduce and as far as men of age and understanding go beyond simple children and babes So these whom Satan thus engageth do usually prove men void of conscience and stand not much upon fraud or falshood providing they may gain their point for the Apostle calleth them men in opposition to those whom formerly he called children and sheweth them to be such men as did make use of sleight and cogging craftinesse and a subtile compendious art of deceiving for carrying on their point by the sleight of men and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive 10. Though heretical spirits and seducers of others are men void of conscience Yet they make it their great work to hide their knavery and to appear that which they are not by their large pretences to conscience and piety 2 Cor. 11. 15. hereby to deceive the simple and to carry on their wofull design the more securely under that cover Rom. 16. 18. for he compareth them to cunning gamsters who carry the matter so dexterously that their fraud and knavery do not appear by the sleight of men He alludeth to subtile coggers of dice as said is 11. Hereticall spirits and ringleaders of errour are usually more than ordinarily assisted in their wofull work and so as they fall upon dexterous means which they pursue uncessantly and are attended with marvellous successe oftentimes in so doing the Lord permitting Satan so to act them and to act by them for heightening the triall and making a more speedy and through discovery of the unstability of peoples spirits by those means for the expressions here used do imply their more than ordinary assistance in all those by the sleight of men their cunning craftinesse or singular dexterity to do any mischief and their lying in wait to deceive or their deceiving by a compendious subtil art 12. However subtil seducers make a fair shew of Reason Scripture Piety and Humility for procuring credit to their errors Col. 2. 23. yet the strong and only prop whereupon error leaneth and wherein its great strength doth lie is nothing else but vanity falshood subtil craftinesse and deceit for Paul sheweth that these are the arms of Hereticks whereby they defend their errors even winds of doctrines sleight of men cunning craftinesse and lying in wait to deceive 13. That great measure of parts and gifts with which hereticall seducers are frequently indued their unwearyed diligence in making use of these their deceits falshood and sleights for gaining their purpose and the more than ordinary successe which they are attended with in trying times ought not to discourage the weakest of the Lords people or make them dispair of standing out against their assaults but rather incite them to watchfulnesse to seek after knowledge a spirit of discerning solidity in judgement and stability in truth that so in the strength of the Lord they may resist their activity and wiles for the latter part of the verse hath an indirect argument in it for pressing the duty contained in the former even that henceforth we be no more children tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine and that because they had to do with the sleight of men the cunning craftinesse of those who lie in wait to deceive Vers. 15. But speaking the truth in love may grow up into Him in all things which is the head even Christ HE doth illustrate the fore-mentioned end of the Ministery thirdly from another fruit of that spirituall edification unto which the work of the Ministery is also subservient even to growth in grace or that real Believers by speaking the truth or rather as the word signifieth by cleaving to the truth of heavenly doctrine and by making conscience of the duties of love and good works as the fruit of their sincerity in adhering to truth may grow up and make progresse in all christian vertues untill they attain to their full stature and height of growth even such a measure of conformity with Christ as they be in a manner transformed in Him and become most perfectly one with Him whom he calleth here as often elsewhere See upon chap. 1. 22. the head to show a reason why Believers should grow up in Him and to through conformity with Him even that so the Members of this mystical body may be in some measure proportionable to their head Doct. 1. The ordinance of the Ministery is appointed of God not only to awake those who are yet in nature and drive them to Christ Eph. 5. 14. but also for the good of those who are
union and communion to wit the Spirit on Christs part and faith and love on ours or of externall union to wit the Word Sacraments and those functions and offices which Christ hath appointed in His house yea and also all naturall and civil relations when they are sanctified and they are all called joynts of subministration or supply for the words read better so than as they are rendered by that which every joynt supplyeth to shew that those do serve not only to conjoyn us with Christ and among our selves but also for channels and instruments of communication by which spiritual nourishment and matter of growth is conveyed both unto our selves and others He sheweth thirdly that the whole members and every one of them being thus conjoyned do not only themselves by vertue of that furniture and spirituall nourishment communicate from Christ by the means of those joynts or bonds make encrease and grow but also make the whole body thus conjoyned to grow and this according to the effectual working of the holy Ghost whereby those joynts or means of conveying spiritual nourishment are blessed and made effectuall to the effect mentioned which effectuall working and blessing of encrease and nourishment following upon it is not communicated unto the members or parts without measure as it was to Christ the Head Joh. 3. 34. or unto all alike but in the measure of every part or member that is such a measure as Christ judgeth sufficient and most convenient to every member according to the place and function which they hold in the body and the use which he is to make of them for the good of the body And lastly he sheweth the end of the growth and encrease of the whole body in all its members to be not so much the good and advantage of the particular members as the advancement and edification of the body it self and of the particular members only in so far as their edification and growth is carried alongs in and contributeth for the edification of the body and that this floweth from the force and power of the grace of love in all the members which doth not look to it self only 1 Cor. 13. 5 but maketh every part contribute all what it is and can do for the benefit of others and common good of the whole Hence Learn 1. As Christ and Believers make up one mysticall body whereof He is head and they members See upon chap. 1. 22 23. So all things requisit unto Believers to make them a body do flow from Christ their union order bonds of union spirituall nourishment and instruments of communication whereby it is conveyed their growth and measure of their growth and all is from Him as the Apostle doth here fully teach from whom the whole body c. 2. As there is a most orderly and firm union of all the members of this body with their head and among themselves so this union is necessary in order to their receiving spirituall nourishment and making encrease thereby even as it is in the natural body a member cut off or separated from the rest cannot be nourished for he saith the whole body fitly joyned and compacted doth make encrease The first word fitly joyned doth expresse the orderly frame and proportion of all the members in this union The second compacted expresseth the firmnesse of this union 3. As there are joynts and bonds both of the internall and externall union of this body to wit such as are held forth in the exposition even the Spirit of God with His speciall graces and common gifts so that God doth make use of all those both as bonds of union and instruments of communication whereby He conveyeth spirituall nourishment unto the respective members is a strong argument to scare us from dividing or renting upon these or because of the diversity of those in the severall members for he saith the whole body is compacted by every joynt and he calleth them joynts of supply whereby furniture is conveyed his general scope wherein is to inforce the study of unity notwithstanding of diversity of graces gifts and offices compacted by that which every joynt supplyeth or every joynt of supply 4. There is no true member of this body either dead or idle or living and working only to it self but what life or nourishment it hath received from the head that it doth endeavour to communicate unto others for he saith there is an effectuall working from the Lord in every member according to which it maketh increase not only of it self but of the body 5. As there is no member of this body which receiveth the essentiall operation and gifts or graces of the holy Spirit without measure and as all receive some measure lesse or more So it is the duty of all and every one to contribute for the good of others and especially for the advantage of the whole body not by extending themselves beyond their measure but according to it that being all which God requireth for he saith the whole body or all the several members of the body do make increase of the body according to the effectuall working in the measure of every part 6. As it is not our improving of our measure of gifts and graces received which of it self and without the effectuall operation and blessing of Gods Spirit will bring about the spirituall good and advantage either of our selves or others so we ought not on this pretence to ly-by doing nothing but are to make use of our measure received and depend upon the effectuall operation of Gods Spirit for a blessing to our so doing for he saith increase is made of the body according to both those the Spirits effectuall operation and the activity of every part or member according to its measure even according to the effectuall working in the measure of every part 7. As all the lively members of this body do make increase and grow in gifts and graces so that is only true growth and a growth whereof Christ the head is fountain and author which addeth somewhat to the whole body and bringeth advantage to the Church in common but not that growth which seemeth to bring some benefit to a few with the disadvantage of the rest for the whole body or every member of the body maketh increase not only of it self but also of the body saith he 8. As there is no such degree of growth attained here neither by the Church in generall nor its lively members in particular but there are degrees yet wanting of their full and just stature So the measure of growth and increase already received should be improved by us for attaining a further degree of growth and advantage not only to our selves but also to others chiefly to the edification of the whole body for he saith every member maketh increase of the body to the edifying of it self so that the increase received is to be improven for attaining more even further edification 9. The more a man
do find himself inclined and constrained to improve in his station and according to his measure all his receipts whether of saving graces or common gifts to the spirituall advantage of others and chiefly for the common good of the whole body he may the more certainly conclude that he hath the grace of sincere love and charity rooted in his heart and is acted by it for he maketh love the impulsive cause why the severall members do improve all their receipts for promoving the edification of the whole Church while he saith it maketh increase to the edifying of it self in love Vers. 17. This I say therefore and testifie in the Lord that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk in the vanity of their mind THe Apostle being in the second part of the Chapter to dehort them from all impiety and profanity in the general contrary to that walking worthy of their vocation pressed ver 1. giveth an example of that wickednesse from which he dehorteth them in the conversation of those other Gentiles who were yet unconverted and living in paganism And first while he doth most seriously and under a grave obtestation by the Lord Jesus Christ as they would answer to Him and evidence their esteem of Him dehort them from walking as those other Gentiles he giveth a short sum of that godlesse conversation of theirs calling it a walking in the vanity of the mind that is a following and practising of whatsoever their unrenewed understanding and mind did teach and prescribe to which he ascribeth vanity and calleth the mind of unrenewed men vain because it is empty of the knowledge of God in Christ 1 Cor. 2. 14. and what knowledge it hath of God or of right and wrong is nothing but evanishing notions Rom. 1. 21. and wholly unprofitable as to the attaining of life and salvation Rom. 1. -20. for a vain thing according to the common and scripture-use of the word is an empty thing Isa. 41. 29. an evanishing thing Prov. 31. 30 and a thing unprofitable to attain the end intended Psal. 33. 17. Doct. 1. To live in a course of profanity and to be a member of Christs mystical body drawing life nourishment and growth from Christ the head are wholly inconsistent if the one be the other cannot be seing profanity of life is not only directly opposit to that new life of grace which all the members of that body do live but also doth wholly obstruct the passages betwixt the head and the members whereby spiritual influence for life and growth should be conveyed 1 Joh. 1. 6. for the Apostle from what he spake of influence for life and growth conveyed from Christ the head to all the members doth infer here that therefore and as they would evidence themselves lively members of that body so they would abandon profanity while he saith This I say therefore that ye walk not as other Gentiles 2. Ministers ought to be serious in pressing the duties of sanctification upon the Lords people not only simply exhorting but sometimes most gravely obtesting them by that which is dearest to them whereby the Lords people may know that their obedience to what is pressed is no trifling matter but such as their eternal welbeing is most highly concerned in for therefore doth Paul not only say and exhort them but also testifie and obtest them in the Lord that they walk not henceforth as other Gentiles 3. Our long continuance in sin already is so far from being an argument in reason to make us hold on in that course for the time coming that upon the contrary this very same consideration should be a strong argument to shame us from it for so much is implyed in his saying that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles as if he had said Ye have done so hithertils therefore do no more so See 1 Pet. 4. 3. Doct. 4. Our turning to God in earnest to expect life and salvation from Him through Jesus Christ doth call for and will be attended with an other sort of conversation than what we formerly had before conversion or that naturall men dead in sins and trespasses for the present have for Paul exhorteth these converted Ephesians not to walk as they themselves somtimes did nor as the unconverted Gentiles at present did I testifie saith he that ye hence-forth walk not as other Gentiles walk 5. Sense of mercy received from God is a strong incitement unto dutie toward God for he doth not obscurely hint at Gods mercy in separating them from the common lot of other Gentiles that so they may be the more incited to eschew what might dishonour Him that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles 6. The vilenesse of sin is such that it cannot be sufficiently expressed and so expressed as to make us abhor it by doctrine or word-speaking therefore it is sometimes profitable to take a look of it in its vilenesse power and tyrannie as it manifesteth it self in the lives of unrenewed men who are captive slaves unto it providing we so look to it as to make us abhor it and carry at a greater distance from it for therefore doth Paul hold forth a map of that wickednesse which he deborteth them from in the example of those unconverted Gentiles that by seeing of it they might the more abhor it That ye hence-forth walk not as other Gentiles walk 7. The conversation of all men unrenewed is vain and fruitlesse as spending their money for that which is not bread and their labour for that which satisfieth not Isa. 55. 2. for he speaketh of all the unconverted Gentiles that they walk in vanity 8. Whatever vanity or wickednesse is in the outward conversation of a naturall man it doth wholly flow from the vanity of the mind and understanding within and as the mind is so will the conversation be and therefore even the mind it self the chief seat of reason is corrupted and vain and so vain that from thence doth flow corruption and vanity to the whole man for he ascribeth the vanity of their walking to the vanity of their mind As other Gentiles walk in the vanity of their mind saith he Vers. 18. Having the understanding darkened being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindnesse of their heart NExt that the Apostle may the more effectually deter them from walking as these other Gentiles did he doth more largely and distinctly set forth that vain and godlesse conversation of theirs by shewing severall branches and degrees thereof both inward in their understanding and affections and outward in their life and conversation And first he sheweth that their understanding and knowing part or that part of it whereby men do reason inferring one thing from another for so the word signifieth was wholly blind and darkened to wit as to those things which relate to God and heaven 1 Cor. 1. 21. whatever was their understanding and quicknesse of judgement in
fierce pursuers when ever we give them ground so we are not to expect any truce or quarter from them but must stand to it and fight it out placing all our safety in a couragious resistance avowed defyance and none at all in base running or cowardly ceding or politick compliance for the Apostle will have all their thoughts taken up how to withstand which implyeth a furious charge and fierce pursuit upon the part of enemies and an avowed defyance with couragious resistance upon ours that we may be able to withstand 6. What ever be the terrour and strength of our spiritual adversaries and the weakness and inability of men destitute of the saving graces of Gods Spirit to resist the meanest of Sathans onsets 2 Tim. 2. 26. yet of such excellent vertue is this whole armour of God or those Christian graces wrought in us by the Spirit of God that when the soul is once endued with them and attaineth to the dexterous use and exercise of them the weakest of saints will be enabled to receive without losing ground the most furious of Sathans assaults for it is promised unto them all even the meanest of them if they will put on the whole armour of God they shall be able to withstand 7. As there are some evill dayes by reason of tentations and trouble awaiting Christians and some of those unavoidable by any namely the day of death Heb. 9. 27. So we ought to be fore-arming and preparing for such dayes before they come and with Christian courage resist those violent tentations arising from them when they come as knowing we are chiefly then called and singled out to give proof of the reality of Gods grace in us Eph. 5. 16. for he forewarneth of an ill day approaching and will have them to arme themselves before it come Take to you the whole armour and to withstand in the evil day 8. There can no such evil day befall a Christian but through help of this spirituall armour and the kindly exercise of saving graces he may ride out the storm and arrive with safety at the wished harbour when it is over and gone chiefly if trial and trouble find him ready armed and at his duty for if they will take to them before-hand this armour of God he promiseth they shall be able to withstand in the evil day 9. It is a singular encouragement to the Christian souldier that the time of his hottest conflict with afflictions tentations and the devil their leader lasteth not long it is but a day an hour Rev. 3. 10. a short season 1 Pet. 1. 6. yea but a moment compared with eternity 2 Cor. 4. 17. for in order to their encouragement he calleth the time of their feighting but a day To withstand in the evil day 10. The Christian souldier in this spirituall warfare will meet with many assaults before he obtain a compleat victory there must be variety of conflicts exercises and tentations so that usually his coming out of one is but an enterance into another the malice of the adversary is unsatiable his hopes are never quite gone but what he misseth at one time and one assault he hopeth to acquire at another Job 2. 4 5. for he saith they must first do all or overcome all which implyeth there are many things to be overcome before they stand as conquerours 11. It is not enough that the Christian souldier doth once engage in this spirituall warfare and carry himself couragiously in withstanding some few of Satans assaults and afterwards fall back and lay down his armes but he must of necessity endure to the end and untill he receive the very last of Satans assaults and overcome them all if so he expect to stand as conquerour after the feight for saith he and having done or overcome not only some few assaults but all To stand 12. It is only this armour of God those saving graces of His Spirit and no common gifts or fair flourishes of temporaries and hypocrits which will enable a Christian to feight all the battels that must be stricken before the compleat victory for only if they take this armour he sheweth they shall do or overcome all 13. How many soever the Christian's conflicts be yet if he take unto him and use this armour aright he shall come through all and stand victorious after all Christ our generall in whose victory we have interest hath overcome all Joh. 16. 33. He is engaged in this battell and feighteth with us Philip. 4. 13. yea and prayeth for us Luke 22. 32. Besides none can pluck the Believer out of His hand because the Father and He is stronger than they Joh. 10. 29. and consequently the field cannot be lost the feighting souldier must one day be a triumphing conquerour for upon their taking to them this armour it is promised that having done all they shall stand to wit as conquerours Vers. 14. Stand therefore having your loyns girt about with truth and having on the breastplate of righteousnesse THe Apostle in the second branch of this second part of the Chapter having again exhorted them to stand to it as valourous souldiers by carrying themselves watchfully and orderly in all the duties of their generall and particular station giveth an inventour of the severall pieces of this armour both offensive and defensive exhorting the Christian souldier to put on and make use of each of them and reckoneth forth all the pieces of compleat bodily armour wherewith souldiers used of old to arm their bodies from head to foot and assigneth some one or other of the graces of Gods Spirit answerable to every one of those for arming the spirit Concerning which know 1. in generall that there is no piece of armour here fitted for the back parts because there is no escaping by flight in this spirituall warfare Iam. 4. 7. Heb. 10. 38. Secondly that we must not so precisly distinguish the severall pieces as to think that one may not serve for the use of another for faith which answereth to the shield here See ver 16 is called the breast-plate 1 Thess. 5. 8. And yet thirdly as shall be made clear in the particulars there is some resemblance between every grace and that piece of the bodily armour to which it is here compared In this verse are two pieces of this armour the first is truth not the truth of doctrine which is included under the sword of the Spirit the Word of God but the grace of truth or sincerity whereby a man endeavoureth to be that really both unto God and man for which he giveth himself out 1 Joh. 3. 18. and giveth himself out for that to both for which the word of truth doth call upon him Psal. 119. 1. which grace of sincerity goeth frequently under the name of truth Psal. 51. 6. Joh. 4. 24. Now he biddeth them have their loyns girt about with this grace and so sheweth it doth answer that piece of the bodily armour which was called the girdle
23. that the husband is the head of the wife he inferreth here So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies 3. Though there be a sinfull love to a mans self whereby a man preferreth himself and the fulfilling of his inordinate desires to Gods glory and the good of his neighbour Philip. 2. 21. which by all means is to be eschewed and mortified Luke 9. 23. yet there is an orderly lawfull and allowed love to self whereby a man doth seek his own preservation both in soul and body by just and lawfull means with due subordination to Gods glory and without any opposition to or setting himself against his neighbours good for Paul supponeth this love ought to be in every man towards himself and doth urge it as the reason and rule of the love which the husband oweth to his wife while he saith men ought to love their wives as their own bodies he that loveth his wife loveth himself 4. The love which husbands do carry to their wives ought not to have its rise from any such extrinsecal considerations as love to their own peace and ease fear of shame and disgrace if through want of love secret discontents break out to publick strife or from any satisfaction which they find to their carnal affections but from respect to Gods holy Ordinance whereby their wives are made a piece of themselves hence their love shall be most native operative yea and insuperable by any provocations or infirmities when they shall look upon their wives as themselves and consequently upon their infirmities shame hurt as their own for Paul will have their love to flow from this fountain while he saith men ought to love their wives as their own bodies c. 5. That husbands may carry themselves aright towards their wives which holdeth of all superiours with relation to their inferiours they would seriously consider not so much what is in the power of their hand and what they are able to do or may be for their profit and advantage or tend to get themselves obeyed feared and respected to the utmost as what they ought and is incumbent for them to do and what the Law of God and the state they are in do require from them as their duty for the Apostle repeateth the former exhortation held forth ver 25. with the addition of one word to wit ought whereby he mindeth husbands that the thing pressed was their duty and therefore they were to mind it So ought men to love their wives saith he Vers. 29. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh but nourisheth and cherisheth it even as the Lord the Church HE proveth the consequence of the former argument to wit that husbands are to love their wives because they are their own bodies by three reasons The first is taken from the universal custom of all men to wit who are in their right wit not demented and wofully deluded by the devil which is set down first negatively no man did ever hate his own flesh or from hatred did any dammage to it and next positively every such man doth to his utmost provide for and allow upon his own flesh all things necessary both for nourishing or feeding it and for cherishing and keeping it warm with such a sort of care and tendernesse as hens have toward their young ones while by casting their wings over them they do with their own natural heat keep the young ones warm for the word rendered cherishing is a mephor taken from the practice of those tender and loving creatures By all which he not only proveth that husbands should love their wives as being their own body but also hinteth at some of those effects wherein their love should be made manifest whereof particular mention shall be made among the Observations Secondly he proveth the same consequence and also further cleareth with what care and tendernesse the husband should carry himself unto his wife as to his own body from Christs example who nourisheth and cherisheth the Church His body by providing for her and allowing on her all things necessary for soul and body Doct. 1. It is no lesse monstruous and unnatural for a man to hate and from hatred to carry himself austerely saucily and undutifully to his wife than if in a fit of phrensie he should hate and from hatred refuse to do all duty to himself But in stead thereof to be cruel against himself for the Apostle mentioneth this no man not demented did never hate his own flesh to shew that therefore husbands ought as much to abhor and abstain from hating their wives for no man ever yet hated his own flesh 2. It is not sufficient that husbands do not carry any hatred to their wives but they must also love them and evidence their love to them not in empty words and flattering insinuations but in providing all things necessary for them both in food and raiment for he holdeth forth indirectly the husbands duty to his wife in that allowed care which every man hath or ought to have of his own flesh No man ever yet bated his own flesh but nourisheth and cherisheth it 3. It is the duty of an husband to provide things necessary unto his wife not grudgingly or too sparingly as to a stranger or to his childe or servant but liberally according to her rank and station as being his equal and confidently without craving an exact accompt from her of every thing which she receiveth as having a common right and interest with him in all things that are his and cheerfully by testifying such contentment in her even while he bestoweth things necessary on her as he would do in bestowing the same or the like on himself for so much is implyed in a mans nourishing and cherishing of his own flesh which is held forth as the rule of the husbands tender care and liberal benevolence toward his wife but nourisheth and cherisheth it 4. The husband under pretence of cherishing his wife ought not to pamper her or lavishly to wast his estate in upholding her prodigality in apparel unnecessary expensive ornaments and such like vanities but the rule according to which he is to walk in those things and more than which the wife ought not to expect from her husband nor yet complaine if he come up to it is what his own rank requireth his necessity doth permit and that tender care which is taken by him in nourishing and cherishing himself for this is here held forth as his rule But nourisheth and cherisheth it to wit his own flesh 5. Though there be an excessive pampering of the flesh which is sinfull and forbidden when provision is made for it to fulfill the lusts thereof Rom. 13. 14. yet there is a lawfull and necessary care of the flesh or of a mans own body whereby things necessary for food and raiment are bestowed upon it in so far that health and strength be not inlacking for discharging the duties of our calling for