take liberty of practice to himself in those things which he doth condemn in others and the contrary of which he doth either by his Doctrine or example at other times constrain them to as appeareth from the question here propounded If thou livest not as do the Jews why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews as if he had said Thou can neither answer to God nor man for it 7. It is no small sin for Superiours to bind where the Lord hath left free by urging upon their Inferiours the observing of a thing in its own nature indifferent as necessary except it be in these cases wherein the Lord by those circumstances which do accompany it doth point it out as necessary such are the cases of scandal Act. 15. 28 29. and contempt 1 Cor. 14. 40. for hereby mainly is Peter's sin aggreged that he did compel the Gentiles to the necessary observation of the Ceremonial Law though the use of it was at that time indifferent Why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews 8. In the primitive times of the Christian Church the People of God did wonderfully subject themselves to the Ministry of the Word in the hand of His Servants and much more than People now do for if the actions of the Apostles compelled men to do this or that as Peter's action did compel the Gentiles what then did their Doctrine and heavenly Exhortations Why compellest thou the Gentiles c. Vers. 15. We who are Jews by nature and not sinners of the Gentiles 16. Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but by the Faith of Jesus Christ even we have believed in Jesus Christ that we might be justified by the Faith of Christ and not by the works of the Law for by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified SOme Interpreters do conceive that Paul's speech to Peter doth yet continue in these two Verses Yea and some think that it is extended to the end of the Chapter but others conceive that Paul having closed the narration of what passed betwixt him and Peter ver 14. doth here return to speak to the Galatians and though those last do seem to have most of reason for them yet which of these opinions do stand it is all one to the main purpose for it is clear that the Apostle doth here state and fall upon one of the main questions which were betwixt him and his adversaries to wit That we are justified or accepted of and declared righteous in God's sight by Faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law And for the better understanding of the threed method of the Apostles dispute together with the state of the present question and the sense and force of those arguments which he maketh use of to confirm the Truth in controversie We shall premit three things in general First the Apostle's adversaries erred in two things mainly 1. they urged the rigid observation of the Ceremonial Law as necessary by vertue of a divine Precept standing yet in force as may be gathered from the Apostle's reasoning chap. 3. 19 25. and chap. 4. 3 4 5. 2. As Seducers wax worse and worse 2 Tim. 3. 13. so they went higher and urged the observation of these Ceremonies as that whereby joyntly at least with Christ sinners are justified before God as appeareth from chap. 2. 16 21. and 3. 11. Now the Apostle addresseth himself to the refutation of both those Errors and because the latter Error to wit That sinners are justified by their obedience to the Law is most dangerous therefore he doth refute it first and apart to ver 19. chap. 3. And next he refuteth that first Error joyntly with the other proving there was no necessity at all of observing the Ceremonial Law or any part of that Mosaical Pedagogie now under the New Testament and that it ought not now to be observed the date prefixed by God for the observation of it being already expired to ver 13. chap. 5. Secondly while the Apostle all-along this dispute denyeth we are justified or that righteousnesse and the inheritance do come by the Law he understandeth by the Law not the whole Doctrine delivered by Moses upon Mount Sinai for the Law being so taken was a Covenant of Grace as appeareth from the Preface and Promises of the Decalogue and from the Ceremonial Law which shadowed forth Christ and remission of sins through Him Heb. 10. 4 8 9. so that Believers under the Old Testament may be said to have been justified and to have had righteousnesse by the Law in this sense for it implyeth no further than that they were justified according to the tenour of the Covenant of Grace as it was wrapped-up in that ancient legal dispensation The Apostle therefore takes the Law more strictly and in the sense of his adversaries for the mere precepts and threatnings of the Law as it requires perfect obedience and curseth those who have it not abstracting from Christ and Grace which were held forth though but obscurely in it for in that sense his adversaries maintained justification by the Law and therefore the Apostle while he refuteth justification by the Law must be understood to speak of the Law in the same sense also which sometimes he clearly expresseth while he explaineth his meaning by denying we are justified by the works of the Law vers 16. and chap. 3. 5 10. Thirdly that the Apostle may strike at the root of this their most dangerous Error of Justification by Works he excludeth all Works in general not only those of the Ceremonial Law but the Works also of the Moral Law Yea and all Works of ours whatsoever from having influence upon Justification for as shall be observed in the Dispute it self the Arguments used by the Apostle to prove that we are not justified by Works are applicable to the Moral Law equally if not more than to the Ceremonial Law Yea and do exclude the Works of the Regenerate as well as of the Unregenerate Besides it is sure that none professing the Name of Christ as the Apostle's adversaries did would have urged the naked external performance of those Ceremonies as having influence upon Justification except as it was conjoyned with internal love to God and our neighbour commanded by the Moral Law and signified expressed and some one way or other advanced by those outward performances Neither is it conceivable how they maintaining a necessity of Faith in Christ could imagine that any Works whatsoever whether done in obedience to the Ceremonial Law or to the Moral being such Works only as are done by the power of Nature and strength of Free-will without the Grace of Christ should have justified a sinner and made him righteous before God So that if Paul in this Dispute had excluded from Justification only the external Works of the Ceremonial Law and not the Works of the Moral Law also or only all Works whatsoever flowing
and spoken of the whole Person for to be made of a woman which agreeth only to the humane nature is ascribed to the Person of the Son God sent forth His Son made of a woman 11. Jesus Christ being thus incarnate was in respect of His humane nature while in the state of humiliation truly subjected to the Law and accordingly conformed Himself unto it whatsoever Law it was whether general or moral which all men are obliged unto Luke 2. 5â— or more special positive and ceremoniall which the Jews and children of Abraham were bound to obey Mat. 3. 15. or yet more particular of a Redeemer and Saviour which He Himself only was obliged unto even to die for us Psal. 40. 6 7 8. for saith the Apostle He was made under the Law 12. Though Christ as He was a creature whose will cannot be the supream Law was thus bound to subject Himself to the Law yet it doth not follow hence that therefore He did not fulfill the Law for us but for Himself only because this obligation did flow from His taking-on the humane nature which He did freely and for our good for upon His being made of a woman He was also made under the Law otherwayes He was free from the Law From Vers. 5. besides what is marked upon chap. 3. ver 13. Learn 1. Not only Christ's death and sufferings which commonly go under the name of His passive obedience but also His active obedience to the Law in all those things and those things only wherein we were obliged is imputed unto us as our righteousness price whereby we are redeemed from the Law 's curse for He was made under the Law that He might redeem them that were under the Law So that the price of our Redemption and His subjection to the Law are of equal extent 2. As all men by nature are under the curse Eph. 2. 3. and irritating power of the Law Rom. 7. 5. and the Jewish Church were under that ancient rigid dispensation of the Law binding them chiefly to the observation of many costly and burdensom ceremonies See ver 3. so no lesse was required in order to a Redemption whether from the one or the other than the incarnation of the Son of God and His obedience both by doing and suffering to the whole Law of God only with this difference the Elect were redeemed under the Old Testament from the curse and irritating power of the Law by vertue of Christ's obedience while it was yet to be actually performed for though it be otherwise in natural causes yet a moral cause not present in being but only supposed as future may have its effect but the Redemption of the Jewish Church from that rigid dispensation of the Law was not effectuate before Christ was actually incarnate and did give real obedience to the Law God having so ordered that those legal shadows should not evanish until Christ the substance of them did come for it is with relation to this as a main part of his present scope that the Apostle saith God sent forth His Son to redeem them that were under the Law 3. The outward administration of the Covenant of Grace under the Old Testament had some inflâ—ence upon the ancient Church even as to the inward state of particular Believers in so far that though the Godly then did partake of the same spiritual blessings whereof we partake now yea and some particular persons were endued with greater gifts of the Spirit than many now are Yet greater plenty and abundance of Grace is bestowed upon the Church in the time of the Gospel if we respect the body of the Church and Faithfull in general than was bestowed before Christ came for the Apostle putting a difference betwixt those two times speaketh of receiving the adoption of sons as a thing proper to the dayes of the Gospel not as if the Spirit of Adoption had been altogether withholden from the ancient Church but because it was then tempered with the spirit of servitude the way to Heaven not as yet clearly manifested Heb. 9. 8. and is now bestowed in a more ample clear and plentifull measure for it is not unusual in Scripture that this should be affirmed of one and as it were tacitly denyed of another which is more illustrious in one than in another though it be common to both Mat. 15. 24. according to which rule the following sixth verse must be expounded Vers. 6. And because ye are sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts crying Abba Father HE giveth an evidence of their having received the adoption of sons in a more clear and plentifull measure under the New Testament to wit God's sending forth the holy Spirit the third Person in the blessed Trinity and making Him manifest His presence by His special and supernatural gifts in the hearts of Believers whereby they were enabled like little children to own and incall upon God as their Father and this without any distinction of Jew or Gentile which seemeth to be hinted at by the two epithets given to God both signifying the same thing the one Abba a Syriack word which language was then commonly spoken among the Jews the other a Greek word rendred Father which was most commonly used among the Gentiles Now this of God's sending forth His Spirit under the New Testament is not to be so understood as if He had not been sent forth into the hearts of Believers under the Old Testament but that He is now poured-out in a greater measure Joel 2. 28. Doct. 1. There are three Persons in the blessed Trinity the Father the Son and the Spirit all spoken of here God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son 2. The Spirit here spoken of is not a naked quality or operation and work only but a person subsisting of Himself as appeareth from this that He is said to be sent forth which agreeth only to persons God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son 3. He is a divine Person and no meer creature for He dwelleth in the hearts of all Believers which can be said of no person but God God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts 4. The holy Spirit proceedeth both from the Father and the Son for He is sent by the Father and is the Spirit of His Son and is so called here because the Apostle is to evidence their sonship by the operation of this Spirit which sonship of theirs is grounded upon Christ Rom. 8. 17. Doct. 5. Whoever have this high dignity of Adoption conferred upon them must also have the Spirit of God given to reside not in their brain only to fill them with the gifts of knowledge as He may be in Hypocrites Mat. 7. 22. but in their hearts also by making a gracious change there Eph. 4. 23. to be diffused from thence as from the first principle of life Prov. 4. 23. through all the faculties of the soul and members
of Christs body are by nature lost and gone even dead in sin and children of wrath Eph. 2. 1. -3. So there was no way for their recovery but by Jesus Christ His becoming man and suffering death and uniting Himself being now risen from death unto them as their head that so He may bestow the influences of spirituall life with a right to heaven upon them here and at last take them to Himself in glory hereafter for he sheweth that Christ is become the Churches head that He might be a Saviour of his lost body 6. The dominion and power which husbands have over their wives is not tyrannicall rigid or soveraign but loving gentle warm and amiable and such as the wife may look upon as a mercy to her self as well as a dignity unto her husband for it is compared here unto that sweet and naturall power which the head exerciseth over the body and Christ over His Church who maketh His people willing in the day of His power and it ought to be employed wholly for the good and safety of his wife as Christ is the Saviour of the body Vers. 24. Therefore as the Church is subject unto Christ so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing THe Apostle secondly repeateth the exhortation as a conclusion from the former argument that wives should subject themselves unto their own husbands and addeth two things 1. The manner of this subjection to wit such as it may resemble the subjection of the Church unto Christ which is to be understood not in all things for wives are not to subject their souls and consciences to their husbands as Believers do to Christ trusting in Him for life and salvation but in some things only to wit so as they may subject themselves willingly chearfully lovingly chastly and dutifully unto their husbands for so doth the Church subject herself unto Christ. He addeth secondly the extent of this subjection and obedience even to all things which is not to be understood of all things absolutly and without exception Acts 5. 29 but all things lawfull godly honest and which are not forbidden in the Word of God even though they crosse the humour of the wives and argue little discretion in the husband who commandeth them Numb 5. 14 15. c. for nothing is excepted here but what is contrary to that subjection which is due to Him who hath commanded this subjection of wives to their husbands as Paul commenteth upon an expression like to this 1 Cor. 15. 27. Doct. 1. As subjection in wives unto their husbands is a most necessary duty So considering the inbred pride arrogance and self-willednesse which is in all the sons and daughters of Adam by nature it is a work of no small difficulty to get wives peswaded to give that hearty chearfull loving and dutifull respect and obedience unto their husbands which both the Law of nature and the written Word of God do require from them for to what purpose else doth he reiterate this exhortation and inforce it by so strong and convincing arguments Therefore as the Church is subject unto Christ so let the wives be unto their own husbands 2. Though there be much unmortified corruption in the Church of true Believers and a law in their members rebelling against the law of their mind Rom. 7. 23. yet God doth look upon them as true and loyall subjects to Christ in so far as with the Spirit and better part according to which God doth reckon with them they serve the Law of God Rom. 7. 25. and do groan after and long for the time when they shall be fully freed from the body of death and throughly subjected unto the will of God Phil. 1. 23. for while he saith as the Church is subject unto Christ it is supponed that the Church is subject unto Him and looked upon by God as such 3. The servants of Christ in pressing duties ought mainly to guard against that extremity which people naturally are most prone to fall into especially seing all the guards which can be used will have sufficient work to keep the heart from breaking over upon that hand for though there be some things excepted from coming under that obedience which wives do owe to their husbands as was cleared in the exposition yet because wives are more inclined to multiplie exceptions in this purpose than to diminish them Therefore he extendeth this obedience expresly to all things leaving them only to gather from the circumstances of the Text and other places of Scripture those few things which are excepted that thereby he may with one word cut off all unscriptural exceptions limitations and restrictions which imperious aspiring spirits impatient of the yoke are ready to bound and straiten this submission and obedience by Let them be subject in every thing saith he Vers. 25. Husbands love your wives even as Christ also loved the Church and gave Himself for it THe Apostle doth now exhort husbands to their duty which he first proponeth summarily under the name of love to their wives whereby the heart and inmost affections of the husband ought to be so inclined and disposed towards his wife as that not only he do wish her good but also endeavour unto his utmost to bring it about which is not to be so understood as if the wife were not bound to love her husband also Tit. 2. 4. But he presseth love upon the husband in particular because he is most ready to fail in this duty of love and to abuse that superiority which God hath given him over his wife by proving rigorous and bitter against her Col. 3. -19. Now this love enjoyned to husbands is not that common Christian love which is extended unto all Christians of both sexes as unto brethren and sisters in Christ Joh. 13. 34. but a speciall and conjugall love which ought to be extended unto none but unto a mans own wife and it includeth cohabitation with his wife and contentation with her love only Prov. 5. 18 19. a patient bearing with her infirmities and frailties 1 Pet. 3. 7. with a fatherly care to defend her 1 Sam. 30. 5 c. to provide for her in all things according to his power which either her necessity or dignity of her rank doth require 1 Tim. 5. 8. lovingly to govern direct and instruct her 1 Cor. 14. 35. yea and to cherish her ver 29. Next he inforceth this duty by two arguments The first whereof is proponed in this verse to wit Christ's example who loved His Church and from love gave Himself for it See upon ver 2. Which example of Christ's love doth not only inforce the duty as an argument but also point forth the right manner of the duty as a pattern In so far as the husbands love ought to resemble Christs to wit in the chastity of His love who loveth none to His Church Joh. 17. 9. the sincerity of His love who loveth the Church not for His but
the labours of Christ's Ministers are attended with little successe and but very few are converted by their pains and this even somtimes when outward means are such as may be most promising of fruitfulnesse the Lord hereby inculcating this necessary Lesson That the great work of converting souls dependeth not upon most promising means 1 Cor. 3. 6. for the Prophet having an eye mainly as we shewed in the Exposition to the first beginnings of the Christian Church when Christ Himself was a Preacher Rom. 15. 8. calleth her by the name of barren that beareth not that travelleth not 3. The Lord will sometimes for good and necessary reasons expressed chap. 1. ver 13. doct 6. give His Church and People so far over to the rage of persecuters and own them as little under trouble to the view of the world as if He had no interest in them as their Lord and Husband for in this respect the Apostle calleth the Christian Church desolate that is without an husband in appearance For the desolate c. 4. A false declining yea an apostate Church may be to outward appearance much more owned of God as to the multitude of followers external beauty outward prosperity and freedom from the crosse than the true Church So that none of those things are infallible marks of a true Church for the Jewish Synagogue because of those things seemed to have an husband when the Christian Church was desolate Than she that hath an husband 5. The wise Lord hath thought it fit to make His Church and real Believers in the Church lyable as to their outward condition mainly to great variety and many changes it being almost impossible that we who are of such changeable tempers our selves should bear any one condition right for any long time together and not miscarry one way or other under it Psal. 55. -19. for the Church for that time barren and desolate was to have many children The desolate hath or as the words may also reade shall have many children 6. It is the duty of God's People to compose their affections especially those of joy and sorrow suitably to God's various way of dealing with them for the Church before barren and therefore sad is to change her sorrow into joy upon God's changing His way of dealing with her Rejoyce thou barren for the desolate hath many moe children 7. The enlargement of Christ's Kingdom and gaining of many sinners to God together with the weakning of Satan's interest in the world ought to be entertained with much joy for saith he Rejoyce break forth and cry for the desolate hath many moe children than she that hath an husband 8. So many are the discouragements of the Godly and so many causes of grief which are as heavy weights and strong bars to bear down and keep in their joy That this duty of rejoycing is not easily come at even when God in His gracious providence giveth reason for it Hence the command is inculcated in several words Rejoyce cry and break forth which last supposeth that many restraints from this duty are lying-on which must be broken-through before the heart can attain to it Vers. 28. Now we Brethren as Isaac was are the children of promise THe Apostle in the last place applieth this typical history and the scriptural confirmation of the mystery prefigured by it And first by asserting what himself really was and what in charity he yet conceived many of them at least to be he sheweth the only way of attaining the heavenly inheritance as children to be by vertue of the Covenant-promise in resemblance of Isaac who was so begotten ver -23. and tacitly implyeth that it is not attained by vertue of our own natural endeavours or fleshly priviledges whereof the Jewish Synagogue and her followers did boast chap. 6. ver 12 and wherein they were represented by the childe of the bond-woman Ishmael ver 23 Doct. 1. A Minister ought to prosecute general Doctrine so far untill it be brought home to the particular state and case of his hearers by pertinent and close application as that wherein the life and power of preaching doth mainly consist 1 Tim. 5. 20. for Paul resteth not untill he make application of the Doctrine in hand Now we Brethren as Isaac was c. 2. The humours of people are sometimes so ticklish that a Minister hath need to proceed to the work of applying general Truths unto them with that warinesse and circumspection as to point out their duty and what he would have them to be rather by shewing his charitable thoughts of them that they are so already than by any direct up-stirring of them to it for so doth Paul here point at their duty of quiting confidence in the flesh and of betaking themselves to Faith in the Promise by shewing he did in charity judge of them as those who had done so already Now we Brethren are children of the promise 3. That any of Adam's lost seed who are by nature children of wrath do become the children of God and heirs of eternal life is only by vertue of the gracious promises of the Covenant of Grace in so far as first they are begotten into a new and spiritual life not from any principle of natural strength and vigor Rom. 9. 16. but by the force of those Promises enlivened by the Spirit of God 2 Cor. 10. 4. And secondly their right to Heaven ariseth not from any works which they do Tit. 3. 5 but from Faith in the Promise Joh. 3. 16. for in this sense we are called children of the promise Vers. 29. But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit even so it is now HE applyeth the present purpose in the second place for consolation to the true members of the Christian Church against those persecutions which they sustained from the false Apostles and such others as adhered to the Jewish Synagogue and to the doctrine of Justification by Works first by shewing that the like persecution did befall Isaac and was prefigured by those bitter mockings which Isaac who was begotten by the power of Gods Spirit according to the tenour of the Promise did suffer from Ishmael who was begotten by the ordinary strength of nature and boasted in his carnal outward priviledges See Gen. 21. 9. As it was then so it is now saith he Doct. 1. It hath been and yet is the ordinary lot of God's Children to suffer hard things from the men of this world the Lord having seen it most fitting that by the crosse they come to their Crown and through many tribulations enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Act. 14. 22. for Paul speaketh of persecutions as a thing common to the Church in all ages But as then even so it is now saith he 2. The sorest persecutions and troubles which the Godly endure do frequently come from those who are otherwise tyed unto them by most strict and nearest relations of kinred
be totally exstinct but was to be preached believed and obeyed in some 〈…〉 es at least of the world throughout all ages to the worlds end for the Apostle sheweth it was Gods design to have the exceeding riches of His grace shown forth in all succeeding ages and generations that in the ages to come he might shew 5. Gods bypast dealing whether in mercy or judgement 1 Corinth 10 6. are speaking lessons unto those who are in the ages following as holding forth both matter of praise unto God manifested in those Psal. 136. 10 c. as also matter of instruction in our duty to us 1 Cor. 10. 6. So that the after-ages in this respect are better ages than the former in so far as the latter have the advantage of those examples in the former ages which they themselves did want for the Apostle sheweth the benefit of God's gr 〈…〉 ious dealing with Believers in the present age should accresce unto the following ages That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace 6. As all those benefits which come to Believers do flow from the kindnesse of God or His native willingnesse to imploy what goodnesse is in Him for the good of His creatures So though the effects of His generall kindnesse and benevolence which are common to all the creatures Psal. 145. 9. do flow from God as Creator in the channel of common providence Psal. 104. 28. yet the effects of His speciall kindnesse and such as relate to life and godlinesse do all of them flow from God as reconciled through Christ and are convoyed through the conduit of Christs merit and intercession for the Apostle summing up all these saving benefits together with the way how they are convoyed he saith In his kindnesse towards us through Christ Jesus 7. The lively and serious consideration of those excellent benefits flowing from Gods mercy grace goodwill and bounty together with the consideration of the vileness and wretchednesse of those upon whom those excellent benefits are bestowed and of the way which infinit Wisdom set on work by eternal love hath found out for convoying those so excellent mercies to such base and unworthy objects even the incarnation obedience sufferings and high exaltation of Jesus Christ I say it is the consideration of all those joyntly which tendeth to set forth most convincingly how exceedingly gracious God is for the Apostle sheweth this convincing evidence doth lye in those three first in his kindnesse secondly towards us thirdly through Jesus Christ. Vers. 8. For by grace are ye saved through faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God THe Apostle Fourthly While he giveth a reason of what is said ver 7. as appeareth by the causall particle for doth sum up all which hath been spoken from ver 4. in this one comprehensive proposition that their compleat salvation from the first step unto the last did flow from Gods grace and favour for by grace here must be meaned Gods free favour and grace in him not the effects of this grace good works or grace inherent in us for those are expresly excluded ver 9. and withall that they were so saved by grace as faith was not excluded This grace of faith being the hand or instrument whereby we lay hold upon and apply to our selves Jesus Christ and His righteousnesse offered freely in the Gospel in order to our salvation Rom. 3. 25. And Secondly Because the establishing of them in this truth is his main scope through the whole first part of the Epistle therefore he doth here not only explain in what sense salvation doth flow from grace but also doth expresly confirm it by arguments First by removing all things in generall which could be called theirs whether prerogative priviledge naturall or acquired worth from being the meritorious procuring cause of their salvation or of any part of it the truth whereof is more than evident from what is said of their spirituall death in sins and trespasses ver 1 2 3. and therefore he needeth not bring any new argument to prove it Secondly by asserting from that same ground that their salvation was Gods gift and therefore it behoved to be free and of grace else it could not be a gift Doct. 1. Though the ascribing of salvation unto works is not wholly inconsistent with and destructive of Gods grace from having any influence upon salvation seing Adam's salvation even according to the tenor of the Covenant of works had been also of grace in some respect it being of grace that God did enter any Covenant with man at all and of grace also that He did accept even of mans perfect obedience so as upon his performance of it to make him sure of eternall life yet the ascribing of salvation or any part of it unto the merit or worth of works doth obscure and is inconsistent with that exceeding riches of grace which God intendeth to set forth by that way of salvation which is propounded in the Covenant of Grace for the Apostle being here to prove that Gods way of saving those Ephesians was a fit mean to set forth the exceeding riches of His grace giveth this for a reason even that their salvation did flow only from grace and from nothing in themselves nor any work of theirs So that if it did not flow only from grace and from nothing in themselves it could not demonstrate those exceeding riches of His grace for saith he ye are saved by grace and that not of your selves not of works 2. Whatever differences may be among severall persons in other things yet all come of Adam by ordinary generation are equall as in their common misery by nature so in the way of their delivery from that misery by free grace through a Redeemer there being no other name under Heaven given among men whereby we can be saved but the name of Jesus Act. 4. 12. for therefore doth the Apostle so frequently change the person in this first part of the Chapter while he sometimes speaketh of the Ephesians and Gentiles alone in the second person as ver 1. sometimes of himself and of the Jews with them in the first person as ver 5 6. not as if some part of the purpose did belong only to the one alone and some part of it unto both joyntly for in one and the same purpose he changeth the person as while he giveth a reason in this verse of what he spoke ver 7. but rather to shew that the purpose here insisted on which is mans misery by nature and their delivery from that misery by free grace and Christ doth belong equally to Jew and Gentile and therefore he standeth not much to which of them he doth speak for by grace are ye saved saith he 3. As Believers are in some sense already saved not only because they have salvation begun in their new birth which is a passing from death unto life 1 Joh. 3. 14. but also they
here spoken of as their chief adversary and the name here given unto him doth in the Original signifie a calumniator and slanderer That ye may stand against the wiles of the devil 6. As Satan is most witty and subtile so he imployeth all his skill and subtilty for carrying on this battell against the Saints while he most cunningly contriveth and with no lesse subtilty conveyeth such ensnaring tentations as he knoweth all things being considered will be most taking with the person tempted for here he speaketh of Satans wiles the word signifieth methodick witty stratagems 7. However Satan doth sometimes transform himself into an angel of light 2 Cor. 11. 14. and covereth his foul designs with most plausible pretences to zeal for God Luke 9. 54 55. to pity and natural affection Mat. 16. 22. or generally to something which is in it self commendable yet his great design in all his tentations even when he speaketh fairest is to drive the party tempted from his station either by making him turn the back as a coward Neh. 6. 10 11. or driving him beyond the bounds of his calling Matth. 26. 51. or presently to render up his arms and become captive to some one prevalent lust or other Gen. 39. 12. for while he saith that ye may able to stand against his wiles he implyeth that Satans aim is to drive us from our station 8. The great work of a Christian in relation to those wiles of Satan is not to imitate him by bending our wits to ensnare others to a sinfull course as he doth Matth. 16. 22 23. nor yet so much to know his wiles to lay open the subtilty and deceit that is in them for the use of others Matth. 7. 22. as to guard against them and to keep our station notwithstanding of them even when we are assaulted by them for saith Paul that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil 9. It is by the alone vertue of this armour of God that is the saving graces of God's Spirit and the carefull exercise of those graces that Christians are enabled to stand out against Satans wit and wiles A piece of natural courage and fixt resolutions together with the deep engagement of credit and interest may do much to make a man stand out against his avowed force and violence put forth by cruell persecuters but there is no sence in flesh and bloud against his wiles for he biddeth put on the whole armour of God that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil Vers. 12. For we wrestle not against flesh and bloud but against principalities against powers against the rulers of the darknesse of this world against spiritual wickednesse in high places THe Apostle having thus propounded the duty doth next enforce it from the nature of this warfare as being a wrestling which is a close combate betwixt two hand to hand each exerting their whole force strength against one another And from the terror and greatness of those adversaries whom we are to fight against described 1. negatively or comparatively that they were not flesh and bloud that is any bodily or humane power to wit only or principally for the Believer doth fight against those also Joh. 16. 33. only they are but Satans auxiliary forces whom he stirreth up and imployeth Next positively the devils and damned angels described first from their magnifick titles principalities powers rulers of the darkness of this world whereby is set forth their great naturall power and strength together with their prince-like authority and government which by Gods permission they exerce in the world and upon wicked men in it by reason of their profanity and ignorance here called darknesse as chap. 5. ver 8. Secondly from their nature as being for their essence spiritual immaterial and without a body and for quality most wicked and here called wickednesse it self in the abstract thereby to aggreage their wickednesse as being wholly destitute of all moral goodnesse Thirdly from the place of their abode the high air whereof Satan is prince chap. 2. 2. Or rather by this particle in high places as many Interpreters conceive he setteth forth somewhat more of the nature of this warfare to wit the main matter about which the quarrel is even high and heavenly things which tend to the honour of God and the eternal good of our souls for the word in the original is in the heavenly without the substantive places and it may be as well supplied heavenly things as it is Heb. 8. 5. and 9. 23. and so it readeth well in or because of heavenly things for this particle rendered in is sometimes causall and rendered because See Matth. 26. 31. Hence Learn 1. The Lord doth deal ingenuously with all whom He calleth to fight this spiritual conflict by letting them know the power strength and subtilty of the enemy and the height of those difficulties which ly in their way to heaven before they engage So that none may have occasion to say they were deceived and made to meet with harder work than they were told of at the first for he setteth forth the nature of this warfare and terror of the adversary to the utmost of what could be said by any We wrestle against principalities and powers c. 2. So apt are men to dream of the way to heaven as easie and to trouble themselves but little for attaining to it Matth. 7. 21. that nothing lesse is required to make us shake off security and minde the work of walking to heaven in earnest than to set before us all those dreadfull dangers insuperable difficulties and terrible opposition which of necessity we are to meet with in our way to it for that they may be excited to shake off lazinesse and be serious in this work he seeth it necessary to set before them what dreadfull enemies they had to fight against as appeareth from the causal particle for which coupleth this verse with the former Put on the whole armour of God for we wrestle against principalities and powers 3. The malice of Satan our spiritual adversarie is bent not only against the Saints in general but also against every one in particular each of whom he setteth upon with so much fury force and eagernesse as if he had none to deal with but one alone for the Christians conflict with Satan is here called a wrestling which is a close combat betwixt two hand to hand and the original word signifieth such a strife as maketh the body shake again We wrestle saith he 4. Every Saint and real Believer is this one whom Satan so assaulteth he forbeareth none but setteth upon all the strongest are not a terrour to him nor yet the meanest are so far undervalued by him as not to think them worthy of his wrath and therefore all must fight and wrestle for the Apostle of purpose changeth the pronoun ye in the former verse into we in this to shew that neither he