22. 18. all Nations shall be blessed Fourthly The Blessings promised to Abraham's seed in the Covenant made by God with him were not only temporal carnal and appertaining to this life but heavenly and spiritual The former indeed were often inculcated upon the Ancient Church Deut. 28. 2 3 c. not as if these had been all or the main Blessings of the Covenant but as they were shadows only of things more heavenly Heb. 11. 14 15 16. for the Apostle explaineth one part at least of the Blessings promised to be Justification by Faith The Scripture foreseeing that God would justifie the Heathen by Faith saith In thee shall Nations be blessed Fifthly The man who is justified by Faith is a blessed man and there is no blessednesse under the Sun comparable unto this for a man to have his sin pardoned Psal. 32. 1. and the Righteousnesse of Christ imputed unto him and so to be placed in a state of favour with God for the Apostle expoundeth the Blessing promised by being justified The Scripture foreseeing that God would justifie the Heathen by Faith Sixthly This Promise made to Abraham containeth in it the summe of the Gospel to wit the glad tydings of all spiritual blessings and particularly of a free-gifted Righteousnesse purchased by Christ to be bestowed upon all who by Faith should be ingraffed in Christ and that the Gentiles should have accesse in the dayes of the Gospel to these Blessings among the rest for the Promise holdeth out all this and Paul calleth the revealing of this Promise the preaching of the Gospel The Scripture preached before the Gospel unto Abraham Seventhly The Gospel therefore is no new Doctrine but the same in substance with that which was taught to Abraham and to the Church under the Old Testament for saith he The Scripture preached before the Gospel unto Abraham Eightly Though the Gospel or glad tydings of Salvation was not unknown to the Ancient Church yet it was but a very small glimmering light which they had of it in comparison with what we do now enjoy all that Scripture recordeth Adam and the Patriarchs to have had of it was in that obscure Promise Gen. 3. 15. and all that Abraham had of it was in this Promise here mentioned which though it was much clearer than the former because the day-light of the Gospel under the New Testament was then drawing nearer yet it was far short in clearnesse and plainnesse of these Gospel-promises which we do now enjoy as Joh 3. 16. Scripture preached before the Gospel unto Abraham saying In thee shall all Nations be blessed Ninthly The blessing of Justification by Faith and of other spiritual favours promised to the Nations in Abraham was such as Abraham was not the author of it but a sharer in it with the rest of those to whom it was promised so he inferreth from the Blessing promised to Abraham That we are blessed with faithfull Abraham Doct. 5. Eminent Priviledges bestowed by God upon particular persons do not exempt them from walking to Heaven in the common path-way with others if so they look for it at all for Abraham though highly priviledged to be the father of Believers ver 7. in whom all Nations were to be blessed Gen. 12. 3. yet behoved to enjoy the Blessing not because of his own merit but freely and by Faith as well as others as is imported in the Epithet of Faithful given to Abraham We are blessed with faithful Abraham not with circumcised vertuous Abraham 6. God in bestowing of Blessings promised upon condition of Faith doth not so much look upon the greatnesse of Faith as the truth and sincerity of it for though every one who are of Faith believe not so strongly as Abraham did yet they are blessed with faithfull Abraham Vers. 10. For as many as are of the works of the Law are under the curse for it is written Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the Law to do them HEre is a third Argument to prove that we are justified by Faith and not by Works because they who seek to be justified by the works of the Law are under the curse of God and so not justified which he proveth because according to Scripture Deut. 27. 26. the Law pronounceth the curse upon every man who fulfilleth not the whole Law in every tittle or jot of it now he taketh it for granted that none fulfill the whole Law and so doth leave unto them to gather that the Law doth fasten the curse upon all who seek Justification by it Doct. 1. That Paul doth mean the Works not only of the Ceremonial Law but also of the Moral all alongs this dispute while he excludeth Works from being the cause of Justification appeareth from the Scripture here cited which is verified mainly in the Moral Law as it appeareth from these sins in particular against which the Levites were to denounce the curse all of them being transgressions of the Moral Law Deut. 27. 15 16 c. to the end For it is written Cursed is every one 2. Fallen man is so far from attaining to a state of favour with God and happinesse here or hereafter by any Works which he can do that when he hath done the utmost even of what his natural strength or renewed faculties of grace can reach if he seek to be justified by it he remaineth under God's curse and wrath notwithstanding of all for the Apostle affirmeth universally of all that are of the works of the Law that is who seek to be justified by works done in obedience to the Law for therein was the great controversie that they are under the curse 3. The cursed estate of man by nature through sin and misery together with that impossibility he lyeth under to be recovered from that wofull estate and to regain a state of favour with God by any work of righteousnesse which he doth is a thing known not by the discoursing of natural reason which being blind in the things of God cannot judge aright neither of its own misery nor of the way of recovery from it 1 Cor. 2. 14. The knowledge of those is borrowed from Scripture-light whose sentence alone is to be stood to in this matter hence Paul appealeth to Scripture for probation of what he hath herein affirmed For it is written saith he Cursed is every one 4. Every sin even the least as being a wrong done against God Iam. 2. 11. who is infinit in all His Attributes Job 11. 7 8 9. and a transgression of His holy and righteous Law 1 Joh. 3. 4. Rom. 7. 12. deserveth no lesse than that the curse of God should light upon the sinner under which curse is comprehended all the miseries of this life Lam. 3. 39. death it self Rom. 6. 23 and the pains of Hell for ever Mat. 25. 41 46 for so the Scripture cited affirmeth Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that is
then was the yoke of judicial Gen. 49. 10. and ceremonial duties Act. 15. 10. to be taken off the vail of shadows and dark prophecies whereby Christ and free-grace were hid and covered to be laid aside 2 Cor. 3. 11 12. And though the duties of the Moral Law are yet to be pressed Col. 3. 18 c. and the curse of the Law to be denounced against all who are in their natural estate Col. 3. 6. yet covenanted grace and furniture for duty Joh. 1. 17. and Christ's becoming a curse for us to redeem us from the curse of the Law are more clearly held forth now in the dayes of the Gospel ver 13. than they were formerly for saith he It was added because of transgressions till the seed should come to whom the Promise was made 4. The Gospel is so to be commended and preferred unto the Law as nothing of that honour and respect which is due unto the Law be taken from it and the Doctrine of the Law and Gospel are to be so bounded as neither may encroach upon the other for left Paul in setting limits between the Law and the Gospel should seem to vilisie the Law he commendeth it from this That it was ordained by Angels in the hand or by the ministry and service of a Mediator 5. Though Moses was the Mediator here spoken of Deut. 5. 5. yet it followeth not that Angels and Saints are Mediators in Heaven for Moses was present with the people and ordained a Mediator by God for this one act which was to relate and report the Law from God to the people now it can carry no shew of reason from this to conclude that therefore the Saints who are absent in Heaven and so are ignorant of us Isa. 63. 16. or that either Saint or Angel should be constituted Mediators to report our prayers and the secrets of our hearts unto God especially seing no Scripture doth prove that any such office is put upon them by God It was ordained in the hand of a Mediator From Vers. 20. Learn 1. Conscience of guilt presenteth God as terrible and taketh away all confidence from the guilty sinner to approach in a friendly manner by himself to a provoked God for no entercourse can be between God and His people when they are not one but differ by reason of His peoples sin A Mediator is not of one saith he there was a disagreement through sin which called for a Mediator 2. The Covenant of Works entred with Adam in the state of innocency was immediate no Mediator interveening to make them one wherein it differeth from the Covenant of Grace Heb. 8. 6. for God and man before the fall were one and no disagreement betwixt them because of sin and so there was no use for a Mediator in the Covenant that was then made for A Mediator is not a Mediator of one saith Paul 3. No man can attain to Heaven or reap any advantage by a Covenant of Works except he were perfectly holy and as free of sin as Adam was before his fall for the Apostle proving that God made no Covenant of Works with them upon mount Sinal and that they could have reaped no benefit by such a Covenant thinketh it sufficient to evince that they were then a sinfull people which he evinceth from this that they stood in need of a Mids-man betwixt God and them Now a Mediator is not a Mediator of one saith he 4. The Lord in all His dispensations is alwayes one and like to Himself without any shadow of turning Iam. 1. -17. His work and way of dealing may and hath changed even His way of dispensing the Covenant of Grace to His Church Heb. 8. 8 9. but He remaineth unchangeable there being no change of that kind which He hath not fore-ordained by His unchangeable decree Eph. 1. -11. Thus he saith God is one that is with relation to the present scope If any plead a right to Heaven for the merit of their works God will abate nothing of what He Himself did once prescribe and require of man in the Covenant of Works Vers. 21. Is the Law then against the Promises of God God forbid for if there had been a Law given which could have given life verily Righteousness should have been by the Law 22. But the Scripture hath concluded all under sin that the Promise by Faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe FOlloweth the third Objection to wit If the Law be given to discover and condemn for transgressions as is affirmed ver 19. Then it is contrary to the Covenant-promise which doth cover and pardon sin quicken and justifie the sinner He answereth 1. by denying and rejecting the consequence as absurd and abominable 2. By retorting the Argument against the Adversaries themselves for if the Law or if our works done in obedience to the Law could procure eternal life as they affirmed Then our righteousnesse before God should consist in Works or the Law should justifie leaving them to gather that this would suppose the former Covenant by promise to be abolished and quite destroyed by the Law so that according to their Doctrine the Law was both contrary unto and destructive of the Promise ver 21. 3. He answereth directly shewing the Law called here the Scripture or that Scripture as it is in the Original while it convinceth accuseth and condemneth all mankind for sin and so concludeth and incloseth all men under sin and the curse due to sin as the Judge doth the malefactor in prison is not contrary but subordinate and subservient to the Promise in so far as that hereby the guilty sinner being made to lay aside all confidence in his own righteousnesse Rom. 7. 9. doth flee by Faith in Jesus Christ for a refuge to the Promise and so the thing promised to wit Righteousnesse and Salvation becometh the sinner's and is conveyed upto him to wit upon his believing From Vers. 21. Learn 1. It is the way of Hereticks to set Scripture against Scripture and to make one Scripture seem to contradict another except their erroneous sense and interpretation of Scripture be received as intended by the Spirit of God for these false Apostles did affirm if so the Law did not give life but did only discover and accuse for transgressions then God's mind in the Law should have been contrary to His mind revealed in the Promise Hence Paul propoundeth this question unto himself to answer Is the Law then against the Promises of God 2. However Hereticks may labour to fasten such absurdities upon Truth as if it were contrary to some other parts of God's mind revealed in Scripture yet their bold allegations will be found alwayes false and Truth to be ever most consonant and never contrary to it self for so the Apostle sheweth of the Truth in hand God forbid saith he 3. There are some sins chiefly those that do most directly reflect upon any divine perfection or attribute of God the
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
which follow after and flow from the working of God's Spirit in us even those Works are imperfect Isa. 64. 6. and so cannot make us compleatly righteous and we do owe them to God in the mean time Luke 17. 10. and so they cannot satisfie divine Justice for the failings of the bypast time They are the work of God's Spirit in us Philip. 2. 13. and so we can merit nothing at God's hand by them for He excludeth the Works of the Law in general now the good Works of the Regenerate are such as are commanded by the Law and done in obedience to the Law besides that those false Apostles did admit a mixture of Faith and Works in Justification so that if the Apostle had not excluded even Works which flow from Faith they might have quickly agreed upon the point Man is not justified by the Works of the Law Fourthly That through vertue whereof we are thus justified and absolved by God is the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ performed by Himself while He was here on Earth both in doing what we should have done Mat. 3. 15. and suffering what we ought to have suffered Gal. 3. 13. which righteousnesse is not inherent in us but imputed to us Rom. 5. 17 18 19. as the sum of Money paid by the Cautioner standeth good in Law for the principal Debtor So we are said to be justified by the Faith of Christ or Faith in Jesus Christ as laying hold upon His righteousnesse which is imputed to us as said is and by which only we are made righteous Fifthly Though Faith be not alone in the person justified but is ever accompanied with all other saving graces for it worketh by Love chap. 5. 7. Yet Faith is that only grace which hath influence in our Justification for all other Works even those that flow from Grace are excluded and only Faith admitted to have hand in this businesse A man is not justified by the Works of the Law but by the Faith of Jesus Christ and that we might be justified by the Faith of Christ and not by the Works of the Law Sixthly Faith hath influence upon our justification not as it is a Work or because of any worth which is in it self more than in other graces or as if the act of believing whether it alone or joyntly with other graces were imputed unto us for righteousnesse but only as it layeth hold on Jesus Christ and giveth us a right to His Righteousnesse through the merit whereof alone we are justified for it is by the Faith of Jesus Christ or Faith receiving Joh. 1. 12. and resting on Jesus Christ Isa. 26. 3 4. that we are justified besides that all Works of the Law or commanded by the Law are here excluded and by consequence Faith it self as it is a work is excluded also Seventhly This way of Justification by Free-grace accepting of us for the Righteousnesse of Jesus Christ and not because of our own worth is common to all who ever were are or shall be justified whether good or bad the most eminent and best of men must quit the conceipt of their own righteousnesse and rely upon Him who justifieth the ungodly by Faith for even those who were Jews by nature Paul and the other Apostles betook themselves to this way Even we saith he have believed in Jesus Christ and the Scripture cited by Paul speaketh universally of all For by the Works of the Law shall no flesh be justified Eightly Before man be justified through vertue of this imputed Righteousnesse he must first be convinced of his own utter inability to satisfie divine Justice and so to be justified by any thing which himself can do So natural is it to seek for a righteousnesse of our own and in our selves that we will never seek in earnest to the Righteousnesse of Christ until we be made to despair of our selves Rom. 10. 3. for the Apostle sheweth that this conviction went before their Justification Knowing that a man is not justified by the Works of the Law Next he must be convinced also of a worth in Christ's Merit to satisfie divine Justice and that this Merit of Christ's is offered to all who shall lay hold on it by Faith so as that it shall stand good in Law for them in order to their Absolution as if they had given an equivalent satisfaction to God's Justice themselves for none will venture his immortal soul upon that the worth whereof he doth not know Hence the Apostle sheweth that the knowledge of this also did preceed their Justification Knowing that a man is not justified but by the Faith of Jesus Christ. And lastly being thus convinced he must by Faith receive and rest upon Jesus Christ and that most perfect Righteousnesse of His by making his soul adhere and cleave to the Word of Promise wherein Christ is offered Act. 2. 39 41. whereupon followeth the real Justification and Absolution of the man who so doth for Paul marketh this as a third thing going before their Justification Even we have believed in Jesus Christ that we might be justified Doct. 4. The former practices of ancient Believers eminent for parts priviledges and graces who have quit their own righteousnesse and ventured their soul wholly upon this imputed Righteousnesse of Christ laying hold upon it by Faith ought to be looked on as a strong argument inforcing us to do the like for the Apostle's scope is to prevail with those Galatians by this argument We who are Jews by nature saith he have believed in Jesus Christ that we might bejustified 5. Though the approved practices of eminent godly persons may have their own weight in order to our encouragement to deny our selves and lay hold on Christ Yet it is the Word of the Lord which can only quiet a man's conscience in this matter and make his mind fully aquiesce to it for the Apostle unto their example subjoyneth a Scripture-confirmation of the Truth in hand By the Works of the Law shall no flesh be justified Vers. 17. But if while we seek to be justified by Christ we our selves also are found sinners is therefore Christ the minister of sin God forbid HE preoccupieth an Objection which might have been framed against the present Doctrine thus If the Doctrine of Justification by Christ doth suppose that even the Jews themselves who are sanctified from the womb are equally sinners with the Gentiles and that being unable to attain to Justification by the Works of the Law they must only rely on Christ by Faith as Paul had but presently affirmed ver 16. Then it would seem to follow that Christ were the minister of sin or that the Doctrine of the Gospel did make men sinners both by taking away that Righteousnesse of the Law which the Jews thought they had and were warranted as they conceived by the Scriptures of the Old Testament so to think as also by furnishing both Jew and Gentile with an occasion to cast-by all care of Holinesse and
those Galatians were Secondly if the reproof flow from love and compassion in the person who doth reprove and an honest desire after the sinner's good as it was here for he casteth not up their folly in passion but in compassion desiring nothing but their good and amendment Thirdly if the reproof carry along all lawfull and allowed moderation with it as here he calleth them not wicked but more gently foolish or imprudent and withall layeth the great weight of their sins upon their Seducers who had bewitched them And fourthly That the reprover not only himself do know that there is reason so to charge them but also hold forth these reasons to them that they may be convinced also for so doth Paul he demonstrateth their folly from that they obeyed not the Gospel which was so plainly preached among them O foolish Galatians c. Doct. 6. Ministers ought not to rest upon a coldrife way of preaching Truth Mat. 7 -29. but are to endeavour the delivery of it with that perspicuity and plainnesse Col. 4. 4. that power and livelinesse 1 Cor. 2. 4. as it may penetrate the conscience of the hearers and be so clear and evident to them as if it were pictured and painted out before their eyes and in order to this they would not only labour to understand throughly what they preach 1 Tim. 1. 7. but also to believe it themselves 2 Cor. 4. 13. and to have their own affections in some measure warmed with love to it 1 Tim. 1. 15 And above all would labour with God that the effectuall operation of His Spirit may come along with what they preach 1 Cor. 2. -4. that so the Truth delivered may be the more lively and convincingly represented to the hearers for Paul did so preach Jesus Christ was evidently set forth crucified among them before their eyes He did so represent Christ and Him crucified to their ears by the preaching of the Word as if they had seen Him with their eyes 7. Though Jesus Christ and His sufferings are to be painted out vively represented and pictured by the plain and powerful preaching of the Gospel Yet it doth not follow that they are to be artificially painted with colours upon stone or timber for religious use for God commandeth the former but condemneth the latter Exod. 20. 4. And the graven image is but a teacher of lies Hab. 2. 18. Doct. 8. The more clearly and powerfully that the Gospel hath been preached among a People their defection from it and not giving obedience to it is the more aggreged for Paul aggregeth their not obeying the Truth from this that before their eyes Jesus Christ had been evidently set forth crucified among them Vers. 2. This only would I learn of you Received ye the Spirit by the works of the Law or by the hearing of Faith THe Apostle having stirred them up to attention by a reproof doth now return to his former dispute proving that we are justified by Faith and not by Works See chap. 2. 16. And this he proveth first because the Spirit of Regeneration and other saving Graces of the Spirit of God called here the Spirit as being fruits of the Spirit chap. 5. 22. were wrought in those of them who were regenerate not by the works of the Law that is by the Doctrine of Justification by Works but by the hearing of Faith that is by hearing the Doctrine of Justification by Faith for here as usually elswhere See chap. 1. 23. Faith is taken for the Doctrine that is believed And for the truth of this assertion he appealeth to their own conscience and experience leaving them to gather that therefore they were justified and reconciled by the Doctrine of Faith seing God bestoweth His Spirit upon none but such as are reconciled unto Him Rom. 5. 1 2 c. Doct. 1. There is not ordinarily any Church so corrupt but God hath some who are truely gracious among them for Paul's Argument supposeth that the Spirit and saving graces of the Spirit were in some of those Galatians because of whom he speaketh generally unto all Received ye the Spirit saith he 2. Even those who are truely gracious may stagger strangely in reeling times and be in a great measure overtaken with the most dangerous Errors of the times though they cannot totally 1 Pet. 1. 23. nor finally Isa. 54. 7 8. fall away for Paul speaketh even to them who had received the Spirit as to those who were taken with the common Errors Received ye the Spirit 3. As Regeneration and saving Grace is the work of God's Spirit in the Elect So the ordinary mean whereby He conveyeth Grace to the heart is by hearing the Word preached for they had received the Spirit by the hearing of Faith 4. Though the hearing of the Law preached doth work conviction of sin terror of conscience and legal contrition Act. 2. 37. whereby the heart is in some sort prepared for receiving of the Gospel Yet the Law as distinct from the Gospel and as it presseth perfect obedience in order to our Justification before God in which sense it was mistaken by the false Apostles and is so spoken of in this dispute See upon chap. 2. 15. can never be a mean of begetting Grace in the heart for so it driveth the soul to despair and worketh wrath Rom. 4. 15. Thus the Apostle affirmeth they received not the Spirit by the works of the Law 5. It is the Gospel preached and heard which the Lord maketh use of as a mean for conveying Grace to the heart being first convinced of sin and misery by the preaching of the Law Act. 2. 37 38. for the Gospel offereth Christ freely from whom being laid hold upon by Faith we do all receive Grace for Grace Job 1. 16. Thus the Apostle affirmeth they had received the Spirit by the hearing of Faith 6. Though a gracious heart may be overtaken with Error as said is See Doct. 2. Yet there remaineth somewhat of conscience in vigour with them in so far as that being appealed unto about the truth of things weighty and which belong to the reality of God's work in their heart and the way of His working in them they dare not readily lie and contradict their own known experience for Paul at least supposeth so much while he doth appeal to their own conscience and experience how saving Grace was wrought in them This only would I learn of you Received ye c. 7. Our Justification before God and the renovation of our natures by the Spirit of God are so much conjoyned that the Doctrine which through God's blessing is the mean of working the former is also the only Doctrine appointed of God for holding forth the right way of attaining the latter for Paul argueth that the Doctrine of Justification without Works is divine because that Doctrine was the mean of conveying sanctifying Grace unto their hearts as appeareth from the scope of the Argument here used Received ye the Spirit by
Inheritance 1 Joh. 5. 10 11 12. for saith he God gave iâ— by Promise Vers. 19. Wherefore then serveth the Law It was added because of transgressions till the seed should come to whom the promise was made and it was ordained by Angels in the hand of a Mediator 20. Now a Mediator is not a Mediator of one but God is one HEre is a second Objection to wit If the Law or works done in obedience to the Law do not justifie Then it seemeth the Law hath been given by Moses upon mount Sinai in vain and to no purpose which Objection is expressed in a Question the meaning whereof is For what end was the Law at that time delivered containing such a number of precepts enjoyning so many moral judicial and ceremonial duties promising life unto the obedient Lev. 18. 5. and threatning God's wrath and curse to the disobedient Deut. 27. 26. wherefore was all this if the inheritance of life eternal come not by the works of the Law The Apostle answereth shewing first one main end for which the Law was added to the Promise and so much inculcated at that time to wit for the discovery Rom. 3. 20. and restraint of sin Numb 15. 39. and for the more through-conviction of the sinners lost and cursed estate in himself because of sin Rom. 3. 19. He sheweth secondly that this servile and childish discipline as having more of terror than love in it was to continue only during the infant-state of the Church until at Christ's coming in the flesh that spiritual seed of Abraham to whom the Promise was made should appear compleat in its principal parts and both Jew and Gentile be gathered into one Body But thirdly lest he should seem to debase the Law too much he commendeth it partly from the ministry of the Angels used therein Heb. 2. 2. Act. 7. 38. and partly from the mediation of Moses who did communicate the Word of the Law from God to the people Deut. 5. 5. Which latter as it serveth to commend the Law so also to inforce the Apostle's main scope to wit That the precepts and threatnings of the Law were only added because of transgressions and that God intended no such thing as thereby to hold forth to the people of Israel a Covenant of life upon condition of obedience to what the Law required seing there was a necessity to make use of Moses as a mids-man to speak between God and the people which did argue them to be conscious to themselves of their own guilt and therefore durst not approach unto God Exod. 20. -18 19. And therefore fourthly The Apostle proveth this consequence ver 20. from the office of a Mediator which is not used but only betwixt disagreeing parties whence he leaveth them to gather that it had been altogether in vain for God to have entred a Covenant for life upon condition of works with such a guilty sinfull people as could not fulfill the condition required in that Covenant and consequently could reap no advantage by it especially seing as he expresly affirmeth God is alwayes one consonant to Himself and doth not dispense with one jot of that perfect universal and constant obedience required as the condition of obtaining Salvation according to the tenour of the Covenant of Works Deut. 27. 26. From Vers. 19. Learn 1. So bent are men upon the abuse of things in themselves good whether divine Ordinances or any other gift bestowed by God upon them that they cannot difference betwixt the right use and the abuse of these things and are apt to conclude if they may not abuse them to gratifie some one lust or other that they can serve for no use to them and so are given by God in vain Thus the false Apostles concluded that if the Law was not given to justifie it was wholly uselesse Wherefore then serveth the Law say they 2. As the Moral Law Gen. 13. 8. together with the powerfull working of Gods Spirit in the Regenerate Gen. 39 9. and Gods restraining grace Gen. 20. 6. the discipline of the Church Gen. 9. 25. and the power of Magistracy which then was Gen. 9. 6. did serve to discover and restrain transgressions and to convince sinners of their lost estate because of sin before the Law given upon mount Sinai and do yet serve for the same uses and ends to the christian Church So the Lord was pleased in renewing the Covenant of Grace with His People upon mount Sinai to cast it in such a legal mould as that hereby He might bring down the pride of that stiff-necked people and the more effectually convince them of sin and of God's curse due to them for sin which legal dispensation of the Covenant did stand in this mainly that the duties and curses of the Law were held forth frequently fully and clearly Exod. 20. 2 c. Deut. 5. 6 c. 27. 15 c. and 28. 15 c. and the Promises chiefly of eternal life yea and of Christ and remission of sins but sparingly and for the most part very obscurely under the vail of earthly shadows and ceremonies 2 Cor. 3. 13. and under some dark prophecies Isa. 53. 7 8. compared with Act. 8. 34. And besides all this there was a yoke of other duties over and above the duties of the Moral Law laid upon them to wit the duties of the Law both judicial and ceremonial Exod. 24. Lev. 1. and obedience to them most strictly urged and that under hazard of the same so much reiterated curse Deut. 27. 26. for saith he The Law was added to wit on mount Sinai and added to the Covenant-promise made to Abraham because of transgressions Now he cannot mean the Moral Law as to the substance of it for that did perpetually sound in the Church ever since it was a Church even before Moses Gen. 18 19. and so it was not then added neither doth he mean by the Law that whole Doctrine which was delivered from God upon mount Sinai for that Doctrine did contain in it a Covenant of Grace the very promise of salvation and pardon of sin through the Messias to come Luke 24. 29. which was formerly made to Abraham only it was cloathed with a more legal dispensation and so the Law taken so generally cannot be said to have been added It remaineth therefore that by the Law which was then added to the Promise because of transgressions must be meaned that legal dispensation of the Covenant of Grace set down in the body of this second Doctrine whereby it did at the first view and without very accurate inspection appear to be a Covenant of Works although it was really a Covenant of Grace 3. This legal dispensation of the Covenant of Grace was not to continue alwayes in the Church but until the partition-wall being broken down at Christ's death Eph. 2. 14 15 16. the Gentiles should be called unto the fellowship of the Church and together with the Jews make up one compleat seed unto Abraham
lest thou also be tempted 13. So prone are we to entertain good thoughts of our selves that it is a matter of no small difficulty to make a man reflect upon himself and enter upon a serious consideration of his own frailty and weaknesse and of every other thing which may keep him low in his own eyes without insulting over or despising of others as appeareth from Paul's changing of the number for having said Ye who are spiritual restore c. in the plural number here he saith considering thy self lest thou also c. in the singular which he doth to give the greater force and sharper edge to his admonition as knowing he was pressing a duty which very hardly and not without difficulty would be obeyed Vers. 2. Bear ye one anothers burdens and so fulfill the Law of Christ. THe Apostle first enlargeth the former exhortation both as to the persons exhorted for now he exhorteth not only those who are spiritual but all of them And also as to the duty exhorted unto which is extended not only to an endeavour of reclaiming those who were overtaken in a fault but also to the tolerating and bearing patiently with the sins and infirmities of others untill they be amended and the sinner reclaimed which sins are designed by the name of a burden partly because some such sins are a burden and weight to the sinner himself either by reason of his grief and sorrow for them if he be a penitent Act. 2. 37. or by reason of that vexation and trouble which some sins as wrath malice and envie do bring to the natural spirits even of the impenitent sinner Job 5. 2. Prov. 14. 30. And partly because some such sins though not felt by the sinner himself are yet heavy burdens unto those who converse with him as his curiosity back-biting self-seeking and such like Prov. 16. 28. Secondly he inforceth the exhortation thus enlarged by a second argument to wit That hereby they did fulfill the Law or command of mutual love which he calleth the Law of Christ not as if love to our neighbour had not been enjoyned before Christ came in the flesh for it is a prime piece of the Law of Nature imprinted upon the heart of man at the Creation and was renewed again by God Himself upon mount Sinai 1 Joh. 2. 7. But because first Christ did renew this Command not only by freeing it from the false glosses and interpretations of Scribes and Pharisees Mat. 5. 23 c. but also by pressing it in its spiritual beauty and nature having laid aside and abolished the external cover of Mosaical Ceremonies Eph. 2. 15. under which it was vailed 1 Cor. 9. 9 10. In which respect mainly it is here called the Law of Christ in opposition to the false Apostles who pressed so much the Mosaical Law of Ceremonies And secondly because Christ did presse this Law so renewed in a singular manner upon His followers as a mark of true faith in Him Joh. 13. 35. And thirdly because Christ did fulfill this Law in His own person and thereby left an example of it unto us 1 Joh. 3. 16. Doct. 1. As there are none free of sinful infirmities which are burdensom sometimes to themselves and frequently unto others So we ought not to break the bond of common society which we are otherwayes tyed unto because of those but are to persist in it patiently bearing those infirmities which we cannot otherwayes help for saith he Bear ye one anothers burdens 2. This duty of bearing with the infirmities of others doth well consist with the use of such lawfull means as God hath prescribed whether to the Magistrate for restraining sin by punishing those who do evil Rom. 13. -4. or to Ministers and private Christians in order to the sinner's reclaiming by admonition reproof and such like for this duty of bearing one anothers burdens must agree with and cannot be contrary unto that other duty prescribed v. 1. which is to restore the sinner unto that state wherein he was so far must we be from giving him countenance or partaking with him in his sins 3. A compassionate frame of spirit made evident by our meek and patient deportment towards those who are overtaken in a fault without neglecting any duty we owe unto them doth afford the guilty sinner no small ease under his weighty exercise and tendeth much both to his preservation from fainting under heartlesse discouragement if his conscience be touched with the sense of his guilt and to carry on the work of his conviction and amendment if he be yet going on securely in his sin for the Apostle having exhorted to such a meek and patient deportment towards those who are overtaken in a fault he calleth it here a bearing of their burden or an affording of help to them under it Bear ye one anothers burdens 4. There is no such evidence of love to our neighbour as when it kytheth in our serious endeavours for bringing about his spiritual good and in taking the most effectual condescending and affectionate way in order to his reclaiming from sin together with our supporting of him and sympathizing with him under his spirituall weights for the Apostle calleth this a fulfilling of the Law of Christ or of mutual love as if that Law did call for this only And so fulfill the Law of Christ saith he 5. In what sense and measure the childe of God doth attain to evidence his love to his fallen brother by his serious endeavours to restore him unto the enjoyment of God's favour and to an holy and blamelesse conversation and by his bearing with him under his infirmities in order to his recovery in that same sense and measure he attaineth to fulfill the Law whence it followeth because he is not able to do the former perfectly and so as to come short in nothing for matter or manner Iam. 3. 2. but only sincerely and without dissimulation Rom. 12. 9. therefore neither can he keep the Law perfectly but only in sincerity and in his honest aim and endeavour Psal. 119. 6. for saith he Bear ye one anothers burdens and so fulfill the Law of Christ. Vers. 3. For if a man think himself to be something when he is nothing he deceiveth himself THe Apostle in further prosecution of the former exhortation doth fall upon the sin of self-conceit and arrogancy which causeth men contemn others and carry themselves with a kind of supercilious disdain towards such as are overtaken in a fault contrary to what he had exhorted them unto ver 1 2. And first he tacitly dehorteth them from this vice by shewing the man who is puffed up with a conceit of his own enduements above others and to the despising of others being compared with himself doth deceive himself and maketh his own mind to erre in passing judgment of himself as the word doth signifie and giveth a reason of this assertion because every man even the best is nothing as having no good
for the word signifieth to obtain an inheritance by loâ— in allusion to the division of the land of Canaan among the Tribes which was by lot Josh. 14. 2. Secondly he sheweth the reason why they had obtained this inheritance not their own worth but because God had predestinated them to it in His unchangeable decree of Election and withall doth clear that God did call them freely and according to His purpose to the enjoying of this inheritance because He worketh all things according to his most wise and free purpose and therefore this also ver 11. And thirdly he expresseth the end which the Lord proposed to Himself in calling them to enjoy this inheritance even that thereby His glorious Attributes manifested in that work might be acknowledged and praised especially by them whom He had called whom he describeth from this that they were the first who trusted or hoped in Christ for as the Gospel was first preached among the Jews Mat. 10. 6. Act. 13. 46. so many among them did imbrace the Gospel and were converted by it at the first and before there were any considerable number of Converts among the Gentiles ver 12. From Vers. 11. Learn 1. It is the duty of Christian Ministers as to preach sound doctrine so to make prudent application thereof to the several sorts and conditions of hearers for the life of preaching is impertinent and lively application in so far as if the Worâ— be left unapplyed by the Preacher People will either not apply it at all or otherwise misapply it by taking to themselves that which belongeth not to them therefore the Apostle having spoken of the freedom of Gods grace towards all the Elect in general doth make particular instance of the freedom of it first in the Jews here and next in the Gentiles ver 13 14. In whom also we have obtained 2. As Believers are God's portion and part of the world even the lot of His inheritance so they do obtain from Him a lot and share in an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in Heaven for them 1 Pet. 1. 4. for the word rendred we have obtained an inheritance may either signifie that they were taken for a lot and inheritance passively or that they had gotten a lot and inheritance actively 3. Every Believer hath already obtained this glorious excellent and heavenly inheritance though not in personal compleat possession 2 Cor. 5. 6. yet by right Joh. 3. 16. in begun possession Joh. 17. 2 3. and by compleat possession in their head Christ Eph. 2. 6. for the Apostle speaketh in the by past time We have obtained an inheritance 4. This heavenly inheritance doth come to believers not by their own merit or worth but freely and without their deserving or choice as those things which come by lot All the causes bringing it about whether God's eternall electing love or Christ's merit and the application of it are free as to us and were set on work without any active influence as from us for as we shew the word signifieth to obtain by lot and therefore freely We have obtained an inheritance 5. Jesus Christ the Mediator is that person in whom Believers have this heavenly inheritance as they have all their other spiritual blessings leading to heaven in Him so also heaven it self He hath purchased it Heb. 9. 12. He maketh us lay hold upon it by faith when it is offered in the promise Joh. 12. 32. we must be in Him before we get a right to it and therefore He is the way to heaven Joh. 14. 6. He hath taken possession of heaven in our name as our Atturney Joh. 14. 2 3. for saith he In whom which relateth to Christ we have obtained an inheritance 6. Those who seem the worthiest people of any other do come to heaven no other way than the most unworthy that is freely and as it were by lot for he saith We also that is even we Jews who might seem to have somewhat whereon to rely in our selves have obtained an inheritance freely 7. As none come to heaven but such as are from eternity predestinated to it by God So all those things whether they be mercies Gen. 50. 20. or crosses Amos. 3. -6. which come as it were by chance to us or without our foresight are well foreseen and wisely ordered by God for he mentioneth Predestination and God's purpose to bestow this inheritance which came to them as it were by lot and without their foresight We have obtained an inheritance being predestinated according to the purpose 8. The providence of God is extended to all things whatsomever neither is there any thing which falleth not under His efficacious working He not only gave a being unto all things created at the beginning Gen. 1. 1. but doth continue them in their being Heb. 1. 3. and concurreth with all the second causes in their working Act. 17. 28. yet so as God is not the author of sin because though the real action to which sin adhereth be from God Joh 1. -21. yet the deformity of that action in so far as it is a transgression of the Law seing it is not a real being but a deficiency from being no real effect but a defect Therefore it is not from God but from the sinner only for saith he speaking of God Who worketh all things which cannot be restricted to the fore-mentioned blessings but must be extended to all things whatsoever seing it is clear the Apostle doth argue from the general to the particular He worketh all things so and therefore those things also 9. As God is an absolute worker soveraign Lord of all His actions and bound to give a reason unto none for what He doth His will being His only rule by which He worketh So His will is alwayes joyned with and founded upon the light of counsel and wisdom and therefore He can will nothing but what is equitable and just for the Apostle holdeth forth those two principles from which God's working doth flow infinit wisdom pointed at in the word counsel and absolute freedom and soveraignity over His actions pointed at in the word will Who worketh all things according to the counsel of his will 10. As God doth in time work all things so from all eternity by the most wise and holy counsel of his will He hath ordained whatever cometh to passe Yet so as violence is not thereby offered to the will of the creatures nor the liberty of second causes especially of the wills of men and Angels taken away but rather established Act. 2. 23. and 4. 27 28. for saith he Who worketh all things according to the counsel of his will that is as He hath most wisely and freely decreed 11. Though counsel and advice be ascribed to God in his decrees and works in so far as there is nothing willed or wrought by Him but what is well wisely and most righteously done yet we would advert lest we attribute to God upon
A BRIEF EXPOSITION OF THE EPISTLES of Paul TO THE GALATIANS AND EPHESIANS BY JAMES FERGUSSON Minister at Kilwinning Isa. 28. 10. For precept must be upon precept precept upon precept line upon line line upon line here a little and there a little Col. 3. 16. Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another c. LONDON Printed for the Company of STATIONERS Anno Dom. 1659. To the Right Honourable and noble Lords Alexander Earl of Eglintoun c. AND Hugh Lord Montgomery his Son And to the Right Honourable noble Lady The Lady Mary Lesley Lady Montgomery RIGHT HONOURABLE IT is decreed in Heaven That we must through much tribulation enter the Kingdom of God Act. 14. -22. God only wise hath so resolved that by means of sanctified trouble the Heirs of glory may be weaned from earth and learn to place their chief contentment and happinesse not upon their enjoyments below which are uncertain empty and perishing but upon things above an inheritance incorruptible undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in Heaven for them How hard were it to make even those who are born of God long to be dissolved and bid adieu to all their sublunary contentments except the Lord in mercy did place a prick in every one of those roses and make their most promising earthly comforts within a little to prove as streams of brooks that passe away Job 6. 15 And how should this conciliate love to a sad and suffering lot and make the Lord's People who are strangers and pilgrims delight in the way which leadeth to such an home as Heaven is It is indeed our unacquaintance with Scripture and with what the Word of Truth holdeth forth to be the mind of God while He scourgeth every son whom He receiveth which doth occasion so much proud rising of spirit or base dejectedness of mind when the Lord doth not carve us out such a satisfying lot in all things as we would How often do we mistake our way and little lesse than quarrel with God only because He hedgeth us in with thorns of affliction that we cannot find out our lovers and therefore that man is truly blessed whom the Lord doth not only chastise but also instruct out of His Law Ps. 94. 12. and thereby make him understand and hear the voice of the rod and of Him who hath appointed it Mica 6. 9. And herein indeed the Lord doth greatly manifest His marvellous loving kindnesse and in wrath remembreth mercy that He joyneth instruction with correction and doth furnish His afflicted People with abundant means by which they may take up the mind of God for good unto them under His saddest dispensations even that the fruit of affliction is to take away their sin Isa. 27. 9 that He doth punish them seven times more and yet seven times more untill their uncircumcised hearts be humbled and they accept of the punishment of their iniquity Levit. 26. 24 28 41. that though He visit their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with stripes Nevertheless His loving kindnesse will He not utterly take from him Psal. 89. 32 33. and that when they are judged they are chastened of the Lord that they should not be condemned with the world 1 Cor. 11. 32. All this and much more to this purpose hath the Lord made known by His Word and doth daily inculcate and make more and more known by His sent Ministers who according to their Commission do open up and apply the rich treasure of holy Scripture unto the Lords People of their charge And as if all this were not sufficient He hath besides stirred up the spirits of many of His Servants in every age to 〈…〉 mit their Labours upon Scripture unto writing for the more publick use of the Church of God not only in the present but also the succeeding generations As for my self I ingenuously professe that being conscious of mine own weaknesse I did much incline to rest satisfied with expressing my Commission by word only in preaching to and conferring with my Flock and those of my charge But being earnestly requested and in a manner commanded by some Reverend Brethren whom I honour and reverence in the Lord to draw up briefly in writ a plain Analysis a short and sound Exposition of and the chief Observations grounded upon such Scriptures as I had either largely preached upon or more briefly opened-up to the Lords People of my charge I shewed them some of my weak endeavours of that kind to be disposed upon at their pleasure which when they were pleased to publish and to call for more work of the same nature expressing their confidence that what I had already done was acceptable to all that love the Truth and would be edifying to the present and after-ages and being thereunto also encouraged by diverse faithfull and understanding persons I have in obedience to their desires given-out this other Piece to be disposed of by them as they should see good And seing they have advised the publishing of it To whom could I with more confidence and conscience of duty dedicate these my mean labours than to your Honours considering that God hath appointed me to watch for your souls as one who must g 〈…〉 n account and that your Honours have endeavoured for your parts to encourage me to go about all the parts of my Ministery with joy and not with grief My Lords when I called to remembrance how long each of you was detained these years by-past from enjoying the benefit of my publick Ministery by your necessitated abode elsewhere I thought the best way to give you an account and to make you reap some fruit of my labours in your absence was to present these my weak endeavours to your Honours and what you have heard from me upon these Scriptures in publick when you were permitted to be my hearers I hope this little piece shall conduce to bring it to your remembrance and the Lord Himself convey it into your hearts there to remain to make your Honours more and more wise to salvation that in the day of the Lord Jesus ye may be matter of joy and a crown of rejoycing to those who have laboured among you and spoken the Word of God unto you And for you Madam who hath had liberty to be my hearer more frequently and constantly than my noble Lords as I trust your Honour will observe there is a good harmony betwixt that which I taught in the Congregation and which I now publish to the world and that this little piece shall according to your usuall diligence in searching Scripture and in keeping fellowship with God in the practice of all commanded duties be improved by your Honour for your further edification and encouragment to walk worthy of the Lord unto all well-pleasing So when I consider how refreshfull it hath been often unto me to behold your sweet submission under the Lord's hand your truly
Truths or at least if they erre of humane frailty and not obstinately or avowedly for the Churches of Galatia had made a grievous revolt even from a fundamental Truth ver 6. and chap. 3. 1. and yet because they were rather through frailty seduced by others than active seducers of others therefore he useth much meeknesse and moderation towards them allowing them the name of Churches and exercising his Apostolick care towards them as a part of his charge and thereby keeping communion with them as with Churches which were sickly and under cure Unto the Churches of Galatia which Truth makes nothing against our separation from the Church of Rome as being after much pains taken in order to their reclaiming and not untill we were driven to it by persecution besides that the Romish Church had erred in the foundation obstinately and avowedly Vers. 3. Grace be to you and peace from God the Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ. HEre is the Salutation wherein he wisheth unto them God's gracious favour and good-will whereby He is well-pleased with the Elect in and for Christ Rom. 3. 24. and Peace that is first Peace of conscience and with God Rom. 5. 1. Secondly peace with the creatures as with the Angels Col. 1. 20. with the Godly Isa. 11. 9. with our selves all within us being conform to the rule of the renewed mind Rom. 8. â—1 and in some respect with our enemies Prov. 16. 7. and with the beasts of the field Hos. 2. 18. Thirdly Prosperity and good successe Psal. 122. 7. All which he seeketh from God the Father as the fountain of Grace and from Jesus Christ as the conduit or pipe to convey Grace from the Father unto us Job 1. 16. Doct. 1. God's gracious favour and good-will is to be sought by us in the first place whether for our selves Psal. 4. 6. or others that being a most discriminating mercy betwixt the Godly and the wicked Ephes. 1. 6. and a mercy which of any other bringeth maniest mercies alongst with it Psal. 84. 11. Yea all things are mercy to a man who hath obtained that mercy Rom. 8. 28. for the Apostle wisheth for Grace unto them first Grace and peace 2. Peace also is to be sought even Peace with God Peace with the creatures together with prosperity and good success but withall Peace is to be sought after Grace and not to be expected before it Peace without Grace is no Peace there can be no peace with God no sanctified peace with the creatures nor sanctified prosperity or successe to our undertakings except through Jesus Christ we lay hold on God's favour and grace Yea there is no peace to the wicked saith my God Isa. 57. 21. Thus the Apostle wisheth unto them also Peace but so as it flow from Grace Grace and Peace 3. Grace and Peace are such as we cannot acquire unto our selves by our own industry or pains they come from God are to be sought from Him and His blessing is more to be depended upon for attaining of any thing which cometh under the compasse of Grace and Peace than our own wisdom industry or diligence So Paul seeketh Grace and Peace from God the Father 4. Whatever favour we seek from God we are to seek it also from Jesus Christ as Mediator for He hath purchased it Eph. 1. 7. He is appointed Lord of His own purchase to bestow all Act. 5. 31. and there is no coming to or trysting with the Father but in Him Joh. 14. 6. Thus Paul seeketh Grace and peace from our Lord Jesus Christ. 5. They to whom Grace and Peace belong are such as acknowledge Christ for their Lord to command and rule them and do yeeld subjection to Him in their heart and life for while the Apostle wisheth Grace and Peace to them he doth lead them to thoughts of Christ's Soveraignity he himself taking Him up as Lord and holding Him forth so unto others From our Lord Jesus Christ. Vers. 4. Who gave Himself for our sins that He might deliver us from this present evil world according to the will of God and our Father THe Apostle having but mentioned Christ ver 3 that he may in the very entry draw the minds of these Galatians from off their errors and superstitions to imbrace Him as one in whom is fulnesse of sufficiency for the redemption and justification of lost sinners doth describe Him from one eminent action of His whereby as the great High-priest over the House of God Heb. 10. 21. He did offer up Himself Soul Isa. 55. 10. and Body Heb. 2. 14. by death upon the Crosse Joh. 19. 17 18. that He might expiate and take away Joh. 1. 29. the sins of the Elect Joh. 17. 9. and that hereby He might deliver them from this present evil world or from the sin misery and cruelty of wicked men in the world who get the name of world 1 Joh. 5. 19. and all this He did in obedience to His Father's will who had fore-ordained this to be the only way of bringing lost sinners to Heaven Heb. 10. 8 9. Doct. 1. The lively impression of Christ's worth and excellency doth ordinarily so fill the hearts of those who know Him and have tasted how gracious He is as there will be a readinesse upon any occasion of mentioning Him to breakforth in His commendation for such is the constraining power of love on Paul's heart that usually he doth not so much as make mention of Him but presently he must extoll and at large commend Him so doth he in this verse Who gave himself c. which his attainment should be our aim and his practice our copie 1 Cor. 11. 1. 2. The well-grounded knowledge of what Christ is to us and hath done for us together with the frequent remembrance of it is a soveraign Antidote against all those Errors and Superstitions which tend to draw us from Christ either in part or in whole and that both to prevent them and to purge us from them He is that Sun of righteousnesse Mal. 4. 2. the arising whereof doth easily dispel and scatter all those fogs and mists Act. 19. 18 19 20. for Paul in order to this end doth in the very entry hold forth what Christ had done for them Who gave himself c. saith he 3. So deep and deadly was the guilt of sin Gal. 13. 10. So exact was the justice of God and so unalterable was His faithfulnesse in executing the judgment which was denounced for sin Gen. 2. 17. that there was no delivery to the Elect from it without the payment of a ransom and satisfaction for the wrong done by sin to the provoked justice of God for Christ gave himself for our sins that is a propitiation for them 1 Joh. 2. 2. and to cleanse us from them 1 Joh. 1. 7. 4. Nothing lesse could be a satisfying ransom to the Father's justice than the offering-up of Jesus Christ the holy harmlesse and spotlesse Lamb of God both in Soul
are so soon removed from Him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another Gospel IN the second part of the Chapter that the Apostle may reclaim those Galatians from their Errors he falleth upon them with a sad though most gentle reproof wherein by way of admiration at their unconstancy he chargeth them with the sin of suffering themselves to be so easily and so soon seduced by their false Teachers from the Truth which they had once imbraced whereof he mentioneth three dangerous consequences first That hereby they had made defection from God who called them and consequently were ungratefull as walking unworthy of their heavenly calling Eph. 4. 1. Secondly That herein they had the doctrine of Free-grace through Jesus Christ without which they could not be saved Eph. 2. 8. And thirdly They had imbraced another Gospel and way of Salvation held forth by the false Apostles concerning which he declareth his judgment in the following Verse Doct. 1. It is the duty of Christ's Ministers not only to hold out the pure and sincere truth of the Gospel unto the People of their Charge Act. 20. 27. But also to defend it by convincing of gainsayers and by reproving those sadly who are carried away with contrary errors for so doth the Apostle here reprove those Galatians I marvel that ye are so soon removed 2. The Ministers of Jesus Christ are in all their reproofs chiefly against such who are carried away with the spirit of error and are not incorrigible in their error to use much moderation and meeknesse eschewing all sharpnesse of speech at least until pains be taken to inform their judgment and this left the evil which they intend to cure be otherwise made worse for although Paul intend afterwards chap. 3. ver 1. having once confirmed his Doctrine from Scripture to rebuke them most sharply yet he doth not here at the first entry in an upbraiding way shame them but using much moderation and meeknesse with admiration and grief maketh mention of their levity unto them and this because many of them at least were not yet incorrigible chap. 5. 10. I marvel c. saith he 3. They are also in all their reproofs to use much warinesse and circumspection not omitting any circumstance which may justly extenuate the sin reproved or furnish with any ground of hope concerning the amendment of him who is reproved for hereby the bitter potion of a medicinal reproof is much sweetned the guilty patient alluted to the more thorow-receiving of it Paul useth this circumspection while he saith not ye of your selves do remove to another Gospel but ye are removed passively thereby laying the chief part of the blame upon others and while he speaketh of them in the present time not that they were already removed but as being in the act of removing so that their case was not desperate I marvel that ye are removed In the Original it is a word of the present time 4. The most quick-sighted of Christ's Ministers may be much deceived and disappointed in their expectation of good things from some eminent Professors for in charity they are obliged to hope the best of all 1 Cor. 13. 7. in whom the contrary doth not appear Tit. 1. 16. and so may readily fall short of their hope as Paul sheweth he did while he saith I marvel that ye are removed importing that their defection had fallen forth beyond his expectation for at such things men use to marvel Mark 15. 44. Doct. 5. The Servants of Jesus Christ are not under the pretence of warinesse and circumspection in reproving to omit any circumstance which may deservedly aggrege the sin reproved whereby the guilt may be charged home with greater weight upon the sinners conscience 2 Sam. 12. 7. prudence and faithful freedom may well consist Mat. 10. 16. Thus Paul heapeth together several things whereby their apostasie was aggreged as that it was sudden a turning from God and to another Gospel I marvel that ye are so soon removed c. 6. How great need have they who stand to take heed lest they fall 1 Cor. 10. 12. seing such is mans inconstancy especially in the matter of Religion that they who are flourishing Professors of saving Truths now may upon a sudden and with very little ado be carried away to soul-destroying Errors before it be long for such were those Errors unto which the Galatians were removed chap. 5. 2. and that so soon either after their first conversion or after the time when they were first assaulted by the false Apostles which doth not militate against the doctrine of perseverance seing Paul speaketh to the whole visible Church among whom some had never saving grace and for the few truly gracious which were among them there is nothing here to prove that their falling away was either total or final 7. This aggregeth the sin of any person not a little when he doth suddenly without difficulty or resistance and with ease succumbe and yeeld unto the tentation for hereby is their defection aggreged even that they were so soon removed they did not long resist the â—â—ntation 8. Though active seducers of others from Truth be more inexcusable than simple creatures that are seduced by them Rom. 16. 18. Yet even those of the latter sort are not altogether free of guilt when the blind do lead the blind both fall together in the ditch for herein were these Galatians guilty that they did suffer themselves to be seduced or so soon removed from Him that called them 9. As the dangerous consequences which follow upon Error ought to be presented unto People that thereby they may be made the more to flie from it So there are some Errors in Doctrine which do no lesse separate the person erring from God and interest in free-grace than profanity of life doth of which Errors this is one the maintaining of Justification by works for Paul sheweth that by this Error they were removed from God who had called them and from the grace of Christ. 10. As the inward effectual calling of sinners from the state of nature unto grace is the work of God which He bringeth about by the preaching of His Word 1 Cor. 1. 21. Yea and the external calling of men from Idols to be Members of the visible Church which is attended with professed subjection upon his part who is called unto God's Laws and Ordinances is his work also though in an inferiour degree and respect So it is no small aggravation of sin or error in any person when it is evidently inconsistent with or reflecting upon that state unto which he is called for Paul describeth God here as elswhere chap. 5. 8. from His calling of them and chooseth to describe Him so while he is speaking of their defection that hereby he may aggrege it as reflecting so much upon their calling From Him that called you 11. The Gospel is a Doctrine which holdeth forth much of Christ's free-grace and good-will to
them in their leaving of it yea and that knowingly and with confidence they may be able to denounce the curse of God against those who would dare to hold out another way of Salvation contrary unto it for so doth Paul If an Angel preach besides what we have preached let him be accursed 4. The Ministers of Jesus Christ ought to be faithfull unto the souls of those over whom they are set by declaring the whole Counsel of God unto them Act. 20. 27. and keeping up no Truth necessary for Salvation from them for Paul was thus faithful to the Galatians else he could not denounce those accursed who would preach any thing to wit as necessary to Salvation even besides that which he had preached unto them as he doth here 5. So much of glory to God's Justice and Mercy is manifested in the Doctrine of the Gospel Eph. 1. 6 7 12. the keeping of this Doctrine pure and uncorrupt is so necessary for the salvation of sinners 1 Tim. 4. 16. the perverting of this Doctrine by adding any thing of mans inventions to it is so dishonourable to God whose wisdom is hereby taxed as defective so destructive to the Doctrine of the Gospel it self ver 7. and so perniciously poisonable to the souls of People Act. 15. 24. that they who are guilty of this sin and labour to seduce others to imbrace their pernicious Errors are liable to the terrible curse of eternal separation from Christ and ought to be pronounced such judicially by the Church Tit. 3. 10. Let him be accursed or Let him be Anathema which was one kind of that dreadfull sentence of Excommunication as it was used with the Jews and the word signifieth that which is put apart from the use of man and dedicated unto God with the accursing of them who should convert it to their own use and so by a translated sense it signifieth eternal separation from Christ. Rom. 9. 3. 1 Cor. 16. 21. Doct. 6. The more impartial the Ministers of Christ be in reproving of sin and denouncing of threatnings against all without exception who are guilty of the sin threatned the word of reproof and threatning will have the more weight from his mouth and when the Word is dispensed with evident respect to persons so that the faults of some are sharply rebuked when the sins of others equally guilty for by-respects are wholly connived at usually no person careth for it therefore Paul that the judgment denounced may have the more weight with others exempteth not himself if so he should be found guilty of the sin against which he threatneth Though saith he even I Paul or any other of the Apostles preach any other Doctrine c. 7. As people when they discern any excellencies or perfections whether in gifts or graces in Ministers are ready to take upon trust whatever they deliver so nothing of that kind should make faith to what they preach if it be not founded upon the Word of Truth the first of these is supposed the other more directly expressed while he saith If we or an Angel from Heaven preach any other Doctrine let him be accursed 8. The Authority of the Gospel and written Word is far above the Authority of the most trust-worthy Men yea and of the glorified Angels So that neither Man nor Angel Church or any other can adde any Authority to it as though without the testimony of those it had not sufficient Authority in it self 2 Pet. 1. 19. and from God the Author of it 2 Tim. 3. 16. to give faith unto it neither can they detract any thing from its Authority though they should all in one voice contradict it as it appeareth from this impossible case supposed by the Apostle Though we or an Angel from Heaven preach any other Gospel let him be accursed Vers. 9. As we said before so say I now again If any man preach any other Gospel unto you than that ye have received let him be accursed THat the Apostle may shew what he spoke proceeded neither from rage nor rashnesse he doth again denounce the former terrible curse more generally against all whomsoever guilty of the forementioned sin Doct. 1. Such is the incapacity of mens minds to understand the things of God Eph. 4. 18. the imbecillity and weaknesse of their memories to retain and carefully keep Heb. 2. 1. Yea such is the deadnesse slownesse and aversnesse of the will and affections from imbracing and giving entertainment to saving Truths at first when they are offered Zech. 7. 11. that weighty and necessary Truths are not only once but frequently to be inculcated by faithful Ministers especially fundamental Truths Philip. 3. 1. and of daily use and practice 2 Pet. 1. 12. which frequent inculcating of one and the same thing must flow not from lazinesse occasioning vain and idle repetitions condemned Mat. 6. 7. but from the zeal of God respect to and compassion of the peoples necessity for Paul doth inculcate and again repeat this necessary and fundamental Truth that the Doctrine of the Apostles and by consequence their Writings 1 Joh. 1. 1. have Divine Authority and are throughly sufficient to Salvation without any mixture of humane Traditions added to them As I said before so say I now again 2. Though zeal for God and Truth with servency in the delivery of Truth chiefly in the reproof of sin Isa. 58. 1. be required in a Minister yet he is carefully to guard lest under pretence of zeal he vent his inconsiderate and fleshly passions or lest he give any ground for people to conceive so of him for Paul guardeth against this by repeating advisedly what he had presently spoken As I said before so say I now again 3. It is not enough for the Salvation of peoples souls to have the Gospel preached in purity among them except it he also received by them as labouring to understand the purpose of it Act. 8. 30. giving assent unto the truth of it in their understanding Heb. 4. 2. and imbracing the good things offered by it in their heart and affections 1 Tim. 1. 15. for whereas ver 8. Paul said they are accursed who teach otherwise than he had preached here he saith they are accursed who preach otherwise than they had received whereby it appeareth as Paul had preached the Gospel of Christ so the Galatians received it to wit the whole bulk of Church-members come to age the two first wayes mentioned in the Doctrine and sincere Believers among them in the last way Vers. 10. For do I now perswade men or God or do I seek to please men for if I yet pleased men I should not be the servant of Christ. HEre is a second Argument proving the Divine Authority of the Gospel which Paul had preached to those Galatians taken partly from the scope of his Doctrine which was not to perswade men that is by a necessary Ellipsis and a construction somwhat unusual he did not by his Doctrine perswade men to be
engagements to enlarge His own Kingdom Psal. 2. 9. that before means and instruments be deficient for the propagation of the Gospel He will turn the hearts of desperate enemies and make most bitter persecutors to be eminent lively and painful Preachers so was it here He who persecuted us in times past now preacheth the Faith which once he destroyed 6. How patient ought the Church of Christ to be under saddest persecutions and how far from base despondency of spirit as if her case were wholly desperate and remedilesse seing Jesus Christ at an instant can carry captive her chiefest adversaries and make them to be her stoutest friends as appeareth from this He who persecuted us now preacheth 7. As godlesse persecutors propose unto themselves no lesse than the total overthrow and rooting-out of Truth though neither Men nor Devils shall be ever able to effectuate it Mat. 16. 18. so men may look if they repent not Luke 13. 3. to be justly charged with the guilt of all that evil which once they intended as if they had actually accomplished it although it was without their reach so to do for that Faith or Doctrine of Faith as Tit. 1. 13. which Paul at this time did preach is said once to have been destroyed by him because he aimed at no lesse and his sin before God was no lesse than if he had done it although the Lord in mercy did pardon it 1 Tim. 1. 13. Now preacheth the Faith which once he destroyed 8. We ought so to look upon notable changes which do fall out whether in particular persons or publick societies whether to the better or the worse as that we may see somewhat of God manifested in them either His Justice or Mercy Wisdom or Power some one Attribute of His or other and so as we may give a suitable return whether of fear or joy thankfulnesse or admiration or of any other sanctified frame of spirit and holy performance for which such a manifestation calleth for those Christians in Judea did so look upon this notable change in Paul as to see God's mercy and power manifested in it and accordingly with joy did give God thanks so much is imported in this They glorified God in me saith he 9. Whensoever God is pleased to make a man instrumental whether for our own particular good or the more publick benefit of Christ's Church as we would not be ingrateful unto the instruments themselves Judg. 9. 16 c. so neither are we to rest upon them ascribing the praise of what they do to them but as we would not provoke the Lord to smite them or at least to make them uselesse to us 1 Cor. 4. 6. we are to look unto God more than them ascribing the praise of what they do unto Him as that which is His proper right and due so do they ascribe to God the praise of any good which Paul did by his preaching They glorified God in me or concerning me 10. The more that God hath made it convincingly and from clear evidences manifest to the conscience of His People that a Work is owned and approven by Him and hath drawn an acknowledgement from them to that purpose unto His own praise it aggregeth the sin of those the more who would afterwards question or deny that Work to be His for the Apostle's scope in part is to aggrege the sin of his adversaries who denied him to be an Apostle immediately sent from Jesus Christ and that the Doctrine preached by him was the Truth of God from this that the Churches in Judea were convinced of the contrary and had acknowledged so much long since to the praise of God by giving glory unto Him on Paul's behalf so that those Galatians and the false Apostles were guilty of obscuring the glory of God shining forth in his Conversion and Office which was already acknowledged by others And they glorified God in me CHAP. II. IN the first part of this Chapter the Apostle addeth some further Evidences that both his Office and Doctrine were divine As first They were such as might abide the censure of the chief Apostles ver 1 2. Secondly In the main thing controverted which was about Circumcision the other Apostles did joyn with him in that they were not for but against the circumcizing of Titus ver 3. and for a weighty reason ver 4 5. Thirdly In that meeting which was at Jerusalem the other Apostles did find nothing for which to challenge either him or his Doctrine ver 6. but upon the contrary perceiving that Paul was called of God to be an Apostle ver 7. both from that divine assistance wherewith he was accompanied ver 8. and from those Apostolick gifts wherewith he was endued they acknowledged both him and Barnabas for Apostles ver 9. and all of them did part good friends the collecting of some supply to the poor Jews among the Gentiles being recommended by the rest to Paul ver 10. Fourthly He did rebuke Peter when in his practice he declined from the Doctrine taught by Paul concerning the abrogation of the Ceremonial Law and for any thing which appeareth to the contrary Peter in this debate did yeeld to Paul as having truth for him to ver 15. In the second part because this dispute about the Ceremonial Law did fly very high the false Apostles urging the observation of it as meritorious of justification therefore the Apostle turneth the force of the dispute against Justification by Works and proveth by several Arguments that we are justified by Faith only As first The believing Jews who had as much reason to boast in their works as any ver 15. did renounce all confidence in them for Justification ver 16. Next he preoccupieth an Objection and sheweth that this Doctrine of Justification by Faith without Works giveth no encouragement to sin ver 17. Because 1. it did presse the mortifying and destroying of sin ver 18. And 2. though it did free them from the Law in several respects yet not as it is the rule of an holy life ver 19. Yea 3. it doth tye the justified person more strictly to subdue sin and lead an holy life ver 20. Lastly he addeth a second Argument to prove that we are justified by Faith only because if we were justified by Works Free-grace and Christ's death should be uselesse ver 21. Vers. 1. THen fourteen years after I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas and took Titus with me also 2. And I went up by revelation and communicated unto them that Gospel which I preach among the Gentiles but privately to them which were of reputation lest by any means I should run or had run in vain THe Apostle first mentioneth another journey of his to Jerusalem together with the time when and the companions with whom he went and that extraordinary Instinct and Command from God which moved him to undertake that journey ver 1 2 And secondly sheweth that when he came to Jerusalem he did privately
it without repining to imbrace it and with silence to correct the error and amend the fault which is reproved for he that hateth reproof shall die Prov. 15. 10. So doth Peter who being sharply rebuked by Paul defendeth noâ— his fault contendeth not with his reprover but patiently taketh with his reproof as appeareth from his silence for he replieth nothing Vers. 12. For before that certain came from James he did eat with the Gentiles but when they were come he withdrew and separated himself fearing them which were of the Circumcision 13. And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation NExt the Apostle enlargeth what he had briefly propounded and first he sheweth Peter's sin for which he was reproved to wit that whereas before some Jews did come from Jerusalem where the Apostle James had his residence Peter did keep fellowship with the Christian Gentiles and had eaten freely with them wherein he did right according to the Doctrine of Christian Liberty by which all differences of meats and betwixt Jew and Gentile are removed under the New Testament as Peter himself was instructed by vision Act. 11. 9. but when those Jews did come he did separate from the Gentiles as if it had been unlawful to eat with them and this through fear of offending those forementioned Jews who were most tenacious of the Ceremonial Law ver 12. by which bad example of Peter's the other Jews which were at Antioch were moved to withdraw from the Gentiles as if it had been unlawfull to have intire fellowship with them Yea and Barnabas also did the like ver 13. From whence we Learn 1. Such influence have circumstances upon our actions that though an action considered simply and in it self be not sinfull Yet by reason of accompanying circumstances it may become exceeding sinfull for the exceeding sinfulnesse of Peter's action for which he was here reproved did not consist in his simple abstinence from certain kinds of meats to eschew the offence of the weak for Paul did something like to this himself Act. 16. 3. and 21. 26. but in the circumstances which did accompany that his abstenance which will appear by pointing at some of those circumstances whereby also the Text will be further cleared as first That he did withdraw from the Gentiles in eating as if they had been no Church-members with whom it was lawfull to have intire fellowship He withdrew and separated himself Secondly That he abstained not among the Jews at Jerusalem which had been more tolerable but at Antioch where a little before he had openly done the contrary in using his Christian Liberty for before he did eat with the Gentiles but when they were come he withdrew Thirdly That he did withdraw not as if it had been a thing indifferent to have done so or otherwise and therefore would do it for a time to gain the Jews but as if it had been a thing in it self sinful to have eaten with them contrary to what himself knew and was informed of by the heavenly vision and therefore it is called dissimulation in him while it is said The other Jews dissembled with him likewise Fourthly That his abstinence was not for gaining of the weak Jews whom he might afterwards have informed of the abrogation of these Levitical Ordinances but from fear of losing esteem with and incurring the hatred of those who were spying-out their liberty and would doubtlesse make bad use of that his abstinence for confirming themselves in and drawing over others to their Errors Fearing them which were of the Circumcision Fiftly That by his example he did hurt to the other Jews who were beginning to be informed concerning the abrogation of the Ceremonial Law and in evidence of it had been eating with the Gentiles but now by this practice of Peter's did again drink-in their former error And the other Jews dissembled likewise Sixtly This practice of his as is clear from the following 14. verse did tend to force the Christian Gentiles to take on the yoke of the Ceremonial Law which had been most sinfull in them they being never under it as they would not have been debarred from the fellowship of Peter and of the Church Why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as the Jews And seventhly He hereby gave a great dash to Paul's Doctrine and the Doctrine of the Gospel concerning Christian Liberty and the abrogation of the Ceremonial Law for his practice did speak as much as if it had been yet in force He withdrew and separated himself and the other Jews dissembled likewise Doct. 2. So weak and unconstant are the best of men that being left to themselves the least blast of tentation will make them break off the course of doing-well in the very midst and without respect had either to conscience or credit openly to desert it for Peter having begun well in the use of Christian Liberty by eating with the Gentiles giveth evidence of great levity in that for fear of man's offence he did presently slip from it Before that certain came from James he did eat with the Gentiles but when they were come he withdrew 3. To separate from and to break-off communion with a true Church and the received Members thereof is such an act as cannot be attempted without sin no not though hereby we could eschew the offence and stumbling of many for this was it that made Peter blame-worthy even his separating from the Church of the Gentiles as if it had been unlawful to keep communion with them notwithstanding the Jews would have been offended if he had done otherwise He withdrew and separated himself fearing them which were of the Circumcision 4. It is of great concernment to men of grace and parts who are in publick place and do enjoy the applause of many to be both men of courage and self-denyed spirits and even when they enjoy the applause of all to be dead and dying to it lest if they conceit more of it than they ought through their fleshly fear of losing applause and incurring hatred from men they venture upon the dishonour of God for even Peter fearing too much his losse of esteem among the Jews did sin against the Lord He withdrew and separated himself fearing them which were of the Circumcision or the Jews who are frequently so designed 5. As good men sometimes under the fit of a violent tentation will in practice condemn that which in their judgment they do approve so for any to sin thus against their light is an high aggravation of their guilt for this is the dissimulation wherewith Peter is charged and whereby his sin is here aggreged by his practice he pretended that fellowship with the Christian Gentiles was unlawfull in the contrary whereof he was instructed by the heavenly vision Act. 11. 9. And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him 6. Of so great force is the bad example of men eminent gracious and learned
good Works seing that thereby they were not to be justified but by Faith in Christ only See the like Objection propounded Rom. 3. 31. Which Objection the Apostle answereth first by repelling the Inference as absurd and blasphemous in this verse and next by confuting it in the following Doct. 1. The Ministers of Jesus Christ in holding forth Truth would carefully foresee and prudently take off what atheistical loose or erring spirits do usually object against it to make it odious so doth Paul here But if while we seek c. 2. It is too usual for people to conceit too much of their external Church-priviledges as if by having them they had saving Grace and stood not in so much need of Christ's imputed Righteousnesse as others for this is that which the adversaries did stumble at that the Jews by nature who enjoyed so many rich priviledges should be found sinners and as unable to be saved by their own works as others For if while we seek to be justified by Christ we our selves are found also sinners 3. Whatever be a mans priviledges otherwise he must if so he would be justified by Christ take his confidence off them and reckon himself equal to the most vile and worthlesse sinners in the point of unability to merit any thing from God by his own Works for this is supposed as that whereon their Objection is grounded and Paul doth passe it as granted and speaketh only against their Inference from it But if while wee seek to be justified by Christ we our selves are found also sinners 4. It is no new prejudice though a most unjust one whereby the Doctrine of Justification by Faith alone and not by Works hath been unjustly loaded that of its own nature it doth tend to foster people in sin The Papists do object so now and the false Apostles did so of old Is therefore Christ the minister of sin say they or the Doctrine preached by Christ the occasion of sin 5. To take occasion from Free-grace or the Doctrine of it to live in sin is so much as in us lyeth to make Christ the minister of sin and therefore a thing which all christian hearts should skâ—â—ner at and abominate for in the place of saying the Doctrine of the Gospel doth occasion sin it is said Is Christ the minister of sin And Paul doth abominate the very thought of it rejecting it as most blasphemous and absurd God forbid saith he it is a deniall joyned with a detestation of the thing denied So chap. 3. 21. and 1 Cor. 6. 15. Rom. 9. 14. Vers. 18. For if I build again the things which I destroyed I make my self a transgressor THe Apostle refuteth the former Inference next by some reasons taken from that indissoluble tye which is betwixt Justification and Sanctification which he holdeth forth in his own person that he may hereby propose himself an example unto others The first is that Paul in preaching the Doctrine of Justification had joyntly with it prest the ruine and destruction of sin as necessarily flowing from that Doctrine and therefore if he should again build up sin by giving way to the practice of it he should contradict himself in what he had preached not walking according to the Doctrine of the Gospel but contrary to it and so himself should be the transgressor and the Gospel free from giving him any occasion so to be Doct. 1. The Doctrine of Justification by Free-grace cannot be rightly preached except the Doctrine of Mortification and destroying of sin be joyntly preached with it for the same Faith which layeth hold on Christ for Righteousnesse doth rest upon Him also for grace and strength to subdue corruption and sin Act. 15. 9. and if He be not imployed for the latter He will not bestow the former thus sin and corruption were those things which Paul destroyed in so far as he did hold forth the most solid and ready way how to get them destroyed while he taught the Doctrine of Justification If I build again the things which I destroyed 2. From this it followeth that the untender lives of those who professe this Doctrine do not reflect upon the Doctrine as if in it self it did give occasion or encouragement unto them so to live but upon themselves who do not make the right use of that Doctrine but abuse it and walk quite contrary to what is prescribed by it for so doth Paul infer For if I build again the things which I destroyed I make my self a transgressor or the fault is not in the Doctrine but in my self Vers. 19. For I through the Law am dead to the Law that I might live unto God HEre is a second Reason by preoccupation of an Objection for they might say The Doctrine of Justification as taught by Paul did free Believers from the Law Rom. 7. 4. and therefore did give them encouragement to sin The Apostle answereth by granting they were freed from the Law but denyeth that inference deduced from it upon two reasons and his Answer doth furnish us with three Doctrines which will further clear the meaning of the words First Paul and all Believers are dead indeed to the Law that is so as they put no confidence in their obedience to it for their Justification Philip. 3. 9. so as they are freed from the condemning power of it Chap. 3. 13. and as by its rigorous exaction of perfect obedience under hazard of the curse which we were not able to perform it did make us desperate and carelesse and so did occasionally provoke and stir-up corruption in the heart Rom. 7. 5 6. I am dead to the Law Secondly It is the Law it self which maketh them thus dead to the Law the curse of the Law putting them so hard to it that they are made to despair of getting Heaven and Salvation by their obedience to it Rom. 3. 20 21. and are forced to fly unto Christ by being in whom they are freed from condemnation Rom. 8. 1. and get their corruption so far mortified as that it taketh not occasion to sin the more from the Law 's discharging of sin as it was wont Rom. 6. 14. For I through the Law am dead to the Law And thirdly Though Believers are delivered from the Law in the former respects Yet not as it is the rule of an holy life for the very end of their freedom is That being so delivered they might by vertue of the Spirit of Christ dwelling in them live righteously and holily to the glory of God for saith he I am dead to the Law that I might live unto God By all which it doth evidently appear That the Doctrine of Justification in it self doth give no encouragement to sin which answereth the Objection and refuteth the blasphemous Inference which is made ver 17. Vers. 20. I am crucified with Christ. Nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the Faith
the Gentiles were ignorant of the true God and worshipped for gods those things which by nature and really were no gods but in opinion only and consequently they were not born or brought up under the pedagogy of the Law as the Jews were who therefore might pretend some excuse for their unwillingnesse to depart from it which those Galatians could not ver 8. And secondly that he may make their defection yet more inexcusable and convince them of great ingratitude to God in it he mentioneth the happy condition which they were brought unto before they made this defection to wit they had attained to the knowledge of God in Christ and this not by any industry of their own Rom. 9. 16 or for any merit or worth in them Deut. 7. 7. but were herein prevented by mercy in God who had first known them having from all eternity elected Eph. 1. 4. and in time effectually called them to the knowledge of Himself Gal. 1. 15 16 Thirdly from those grounds he doth with a kind of admiration at their ingratitude and folly fall upon them with a sad reproof for their turning again and desiring to be in bondage and under subjection to the observation of those Mosaical Elements or Ceremonies See ver 3. which he calleth weak as having never had any power in themselves to produce any spiritual effect Heb. 9. 9. and now under the Gospel have not so much as any figurative or sacramental use which formerly they had as being shadows of Christ to come Col. 2. 17. he calleth them also beggerly and poor as not being able to afford any solid consolation unto those who observed them now the Apostle calleth their defection a turning again and desiring to be again in bondage not as if they had been ever under that yoke formerly for this were contrary to ver 8. but it was a going backward from that measure towards which they had already advanced and the word again relateth to their act of turning and desire of bondage for they had been under bondage formerly to wit unto Idolatry from which they were converted But it doth not relate to the weak and beggerly elements under which they never had been ver 9. From Vers. 8. Learn 1. However Nature's light doth serve to make us know there is a God and that He ought to be served Rom. 1. 19. yet all the knowledge of God thereby attained is nothing else but ignorance in so far as it leaveth us destitute of the knowledge of God in Christ without which there is no salvation Act. 4. 12. for in this respect these Galatians are said to have been ignorant of God while they lived in gentilism although even then they had some knowledge of God as other Gentiles had Rom. 1. 19. Howbeit them when ye knew not God 2. When people are destitute of that knowledge of God which the written Word affordeth or though they have it yet will not follow it but give themselves up to be guided by those notions of a Deity with which the light of Nature doth furnish them they cannot but miscarry far in their apprehensions of God and in the nature of that worship which is due unto Him for the Galatians following this guide did worship plurality of false gods when they ought to have satisfied themselves with that one only true God Mat. 4. 10. Ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods 3. Men are naturally inclined to feign some representation of the Godhead unto themselves by things which incur in the outward senses whether Sun Moon Stars Gold Silver Wood or Stone that hereby at first they may be only kept in remembrance of God Exod. 32. 1. from which they do easily advance further to give divine worship unto those images and representations and so do service unto those who by nature are no gods as these Galatians did 4. There is not any kind of religious worship or service under any name whatsoever to be given unto any creature but to God only as the giver of it would not commit idolatry for here the doing of service unto those who by nature are no gods is condemned and it is the same worship and service as is clear to any who understand the first language which the Papists affirm may be given to Saints and Angels 5. It is not unprofitable but very necessary sometimes for converted Christians to be put in remembrance of that sinfull and miserable case wherein they were before conversion and this as for other reasons so that hereby they may be made to prize highly esteem and be thankfull to that free-grace which shewed pity on them for so the Apostle mindeth them of the time when they knew not God 6. The moe of outward engagements unto a sin or error by education or former instruction are lying upon a people or person they are in some sense the more excusable and at least to be pitied Act. 17. 30. and the fewer engagements there be of that kind they are the more inexcusable and the lesse to be pitied for he aggregeth the sin of those Galatians in hankering after the Jewish Ceremonies from this that then or in the time of the Churches minority spoken of ver 3. they were not under that yoke and so not engaged by education and former instruction to adhere unto them as the Jews were Not knowing God they served them which by nature were no gods From Vers. 9. Learn 1. Such are the riches of mercy in God that He doth sometimes convert and save the most debauched and gracelesse sinners and therefore we are not to despair even of such for these Galatians who did once serve idols were afterwards made to know God as the word signifieth and were known of God 2. People would labour to inform themselves in the knowledge of God according to the written Word as they would remove an otherwise invincible bar standing in the way of their conversion for God can neither be served obeyed or trusted upon except He be known Hence the converted state of these Galatians is set forth by their knowing of God But now after ye have known God 3. Then is God known aright and savingly when He is known in Jesus Christ according as He is held forth in the Gospel without whom God is a consuming fire and in and through whom He is well pleased Mat. 3. 17. for then and not while then are the Galatians said to know God when they knew Him in Christ revealed in the Gospel But now after ye have known God 4. So tender ought we to be of God's honour in the work of man's conversion as that we maintain or affirm nothing which may though but seemingly ascribe the praise of that work either in whole or in part to man 's own free-will industry and pains or withdraw any part of it from the alone efficiency of Gods powerful and free grace who worketh in us both to will and to do Philip. 2. 13. Hence the Apostle
having spoken of their knowing God at their conversion which might seem to attribute somewhat to themselves he addeth by way of correction or rather are known of God ascribing thus the whole work of their conversion to God's preventing grace 5. Sinners in an unconverted state are such of whom God taketh no notice or knowledge to wit so as to be familiar with them or to communicate special and saving blessings upon them as also the contrary is implyed to be the priviledge of true Converts while he saith those Galatians now converted were known of God which implyeth that before conversion they were not known of Him in the sense here meaned Or rather are known of God 6. The more of mercy hath been received by a people or person and particularly the greater measure of knowledge they have attained unto their after declining is capable of the moe sad and weighty aggravations but chiefly the scandalous failings of the truly Regenerate are extreamly heinous for he mentioneth their knowing God and being known of God hereby to aggrege their apostasie and defection 7. Holy zeal will teach a man to speak with so much contempt as reason will afford him warrant for of any thing which is so pleaded for as to incroach upon the honour due to Christ or upon any of His Offices whatever respect hath been due or yet is to that thing otherwise for though the Levitical Ceremonies were once to be religiously observed as a part of divine Worship leading to Christ chap. 3. 24. and though they were even at this time when the Apostle wrote to be held and were held in some esteem the free use of them being permitted to the weak Jews untill they should have an honourable burial Rom. 14. 3 c. and this justly because they were once a divine Ordinance yet when the false Apostles did urge them upon the Gentiles whether as a part of necessary commanded Worship thereby incroaching upon Christ's royal and legislative Power and tying the conscience where He left it free or as a part of their righteousnesse before God incroaching thereby upon Christ's Priestly Office whose obedience and suffering is our only ransom and righteousnesse Eph. 5. 2. the Apostle is bold to give them the name of weak and beggerly rudiments 8. People may advance very far in the way of Christianity and yet make a foul retreat afterwards in the course of defection and apostasie which contributeth nothing to that foul error of the total and final apostasie of the Saints See chap. 1. ver 6. doct 6. for these Galatians after they were known of God turned again to the weak and beggerly elements 9. Though Apostates and authors of defection pretend to never so much of reason to justifie their apostasie and declining Rom. 3. 31. and 6. 1. Yet upon an exact survey all their reasons will appear to be meer pretences and their practice so absurd and irrational that men of composed spirits and not demented as they are cannot but wonder at it for the Apostle falleth upon their defection not without admiration at their absurdity and folly How turn ye again to the weak and beggerly elements saith he 10. As defection and apostasie is a voluntary sin and usually floweth from an itching desire after new-fangled Errors arising from a kind of loathing at old Truths 2 Tim. 4. 3. so the more a man is carried with the full bensal of affection and desire towards a sin he is the more guilty before God for their sin is aggreged from this that they desired again to be in bondage the word rendred desired signifieth to will a thing earnestly and with great desire Vers. 10. Ye observe dayes and moneths and times and years HE giveth an instance or example of those elements unto which they had turned to wit their observing such distinctions of times for sacred use as were observed by the Jewish Church according to God's direction by Moses and he giveth instance of a fourfold distinction of times first in Dayes such were their Sabbaths and new-moons Numb 28. 9 11. Secondly Moneths to wit the first Numb 28. 16. and the seventh Numb 29. 1 c. Thirdly Times or seasons whereby are meaned their anniversary feasts as the Passe-over Exod. 12. 3 c. Penticost Lev. 23. 16. and feast of Tabernacles Lev. 23. 24. Fourthly Years to wit every seventh year of release Lev. 25. 2. and the fiftieth year of Jubile Lev. 25. 8. Doct. 1. A Minister is not to insist upon the reproof of sin in general but would wisely condescend upon some particular instances of those sins whereof the party reproved is guilty for hereby reproofs are more convincing piercing and not so easily slighted or forgotten as otherwise thus the Apostle giveth an instance of the sin formerly reproved in their observing dayes and moneths and times and years 2. Though the placing of some difference among dayes and times be lawfull as the keeping one day of seven holy to the Lord above the rest according to the fourth Command and the setting a part of some times and seasons for certain civil uses as sowing reaping keeping Fairs and Markets Gen. 8. 22. as also the occasional sanctifying of some dayes when God calleth us to it for the work of humiliation or thanksgiving Mark 2. 20. Yet all superstitious observation of dayes See upon Col. 2. 16. Doct. 5. is unlawfull as being here condemned either expresly or by consequence Ye observe dayes and moneths c. Vers. 11. I am afraid of you lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain HE concludeth the former reproof and maketh it nervous and peircing by shewing their defection was such as if continued in would render all the great pains and labour which he as a Minister of Christ did undergo amongst them to be for no purpose and in vain as to any good which they should reap by them in a word it would condemn them and to make his reproof the more taking he doth sweeten it somewhat while he expresseth their hazard not as one unconcerned and caring nothing for it but as a tender father forecasting and fearing what may hurt his dearest childe Doct. 1. The Office of the Ministry being faithfully gone about will not be found a life of ease but hath so much of toil labour fainting and wearinesse going alongs with it as any other imployment whatsoever for Paul expresseth the conscientious discharging of his Ministry by a word signifying not simply to labour but to labour painfully with much travel toyl strife and earnestnesse even untill fainting and wearinesse Lest I have bestowed upon you labour saith he 2. A Minister ought not to satisfie himself in this that he hath done his duty without further care what fruit his labours have upon the people but he must also be no lesse anxious and solicitous about the successe of and the peoples profitting by his paiâ—â— than he was concerning his own through-bearing in the exercise of his Calling before
the People for Paul did fear lest he had bestowed his labour in vain upon them 3. The most lively Preachers and painfull Ministers will sometimes see so little fruit of their labours and so much iniquity among the People of their charge as may furnish them with just grounds to professe their fears that few or none are saved by their Ministry for even Paul doth fear lest he had laboured in vain among those Galatians 4. A faithfull Minister is not to sit down discouraged and quit his station upon his observation of little or no fruit of his labours amongst the People but must hold on in his duty notwithstanding as knowing his labour will not be lost as to himself and from the Lord Isa. 49. 4. for Paul ceaseth not to warn reprove and instruct these Galatians although he feared lest he 〈◊〉 laboured in vain among them 5. It is hardly conceivable how men can live and die maintaining both in opinion and practice the doctrine of justification either in whole or in part by their own works done in obedience to the Law and yet be saved for Paul conceiveth his la 〈…〉 should be in vain among those Galatians and consequently that they would be damned if they did continue in thâ—â— error chiefly whereby they joyned the works of the Ceremonial Law with Christ in the point of justification Vers. 12. Brethren I beseech you be as I am for I am a ye are ye have not injured me at all THe Apostle knowing that these Galatians were alienated in their affections from him and fearing lest from his present severity and sharpnesse towards them they should apprehend that he was alienated from them also Therefore he setteth himself to cure both the certain evil and feared mistake and this by requesting them as Brethren that they would keep intimate affection towards him as to another self or as if he had been themselves for so much doth the expression be as I bear and assureth them that he was so affected towards them even the same which he formerly was and that his present severity did not flow from hatred or a spirit of private revenge against them seing they had never done any personal injury to him to wit but in so far as they had wronged Christ and Truth and therefore leaveth it unto them to look upon him as a man who was pleading the cause of Christ and not venting any private grudge of his own Doct. 1. Though the Servant of Jesus Christ must use severity in the way of reproof and rebuke towards those who are gone astray yet because people are apt to conceive that his so doing doth flow from an imbittered spirit and so to slight both him and his rebukes 2 Chron. 18. 7. therefore he would in wisdom sometimes mix his severity with gentlenesse and his rebukes with exhortations and intreaties as looking not so much upon what their sin deserveth as what is most convenient for gaining them to repentance Hence the Apostle having sufficiently rebuked them cometh now to request and intreat Brethren I beseech you saith he 2. As Error above any other sin doth estrange the person erring from any who oppose them in their way though they were even their most faithfull Pastors So it is the duty of Ministers not to be careless whether they have the affection of such or not upon pretence that no cause of disrespect is given by them but they are to follow on upon their erring people and beg their favour and affection if it cannot be otherwayes gained and this mainly for the people's profit and that hereby they may be put in a capacity to do them good for Paul apprehending that these erring Galatians were estranged from him in their affections he beggeth their favour while he saith I beseech you be as I am 3. The mutual love and affection betwixt a People and a Pastor ought to be so intimate as if they both were but one person every one minding the good of another as of themselves constructing aright of the actions of another as they would have others construct of their own and rejoycing at the advantage and grieving for the hurt of one another as if it were their own and this because Satan doth by all means labour to drive in some wedge of jealousie to rent them asunder that so the Minister may be uselesse unto the People and they a heart-break unto him this intimacy of affection is here intreated-for by Paul from the Galatians Be as I am and was made conscience of by him towards them for I am as ye are saith he 4. It is no small part of that divine wisdom required in a Minister so to hate and testifie against the sins of People as not to relent in his respect to their persons so to persecute their ill as to remain tenderly affectionated towards their good for thus did Paul I am as ye are saith he 5. As People are apt to apprehend that the zeal of a Minister against their sin doth flow from a spirit of revenge and spight against their persons for some real or apprehended injury done unto him by them So it is most base and sinfull for a Minister to intend and sharpen his zeal even though against sin from any consideration of that kind and a thing the very groundlesse suspicions whereof he would labour to wipe off for so doth Paul here by shewing they had done him no wrong and therefore it could not be in reason supposed that in his sharp rebukes he was venting his spleen or a spirit of private revenge Ye have not injured me at all saith he Vers. 13. Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the Gospel unto you at the first 14. And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not nor rejected but received me as an Angel of God even as Christ Jesus 15. Where is then the blessednesse you spake of for I 〈◊〉 you record that if it had been possible ye would have plucked out your own eyes and have given them to me THe Apostle insisteth to clear that he was not changed in his affection towards them and withall by shewing how affectionate they were once to him for the Truth 's sake which he did preach he pointeth at their great inconstancy if so he may even by setting forth their deserved praises make them ashamed of their present estrangedness unto him and put on the same affection towards him and to Truth which once they had according to his proposed scope v. 12. In order to which he declareth they were so far from doing him any personal injury for which they might apprehend him to bear them at hatred that upon the contrary they had shown much love and reverence unto him which he cleareth 1. by bringing to their remembrance how that when he came to preach the Gospel first unto them while they were yet in paganism he did preach through much infirmity of the flesh whereby is meaned not
but looked upon as a delusion with howmuch-soever confidence it be vented for Paul regardeth not their perswasion upon this ground It is not of Him that calleth you saith he 4. This may evidence perswasion or confidence not to be of God or real but a meer delusion when that thing the truth or lawfulness whereof we seem to be perswaded of is contrary unto that which we are called unto of God by vertue either of our general or particular calling for the description here given of God from His calling of them importeth their opinion was contrary to that christian liberty to which they were called of God and therfore perswasion about it was not to be regarded This perswasion cometh not of Him that calleth you saith he Vers. 9. A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump HE obviateth a second objection for if they should have said There was no reason why Paul should make so much noise seing they had not imbraced the whole Jewish Religion but did only observe some Ceremonies thereof and neverthelesse remained constant in the Christian Faith yea and possibly that even this much was not common to them all but the deed of some few only He answereth by a similitude taken from Leaven That a little false doctrine to which leaven is compared Mat. 16. 12. may easily in progresse of time corrupt a mans judgment in every other point of Doctrine and that a small number of scandalous or seduced persons to whom leaven is compared 1 Cor. 5. 6. may very speedily infect the whole Church Doct. 1. When they who are overtaken with sin and error cannot any longer hold off conviction or defend their practice by strength of reason it is ordinary for them to mince and extenuate the sin of which they are convinced and to make but small matters of greatest offences for the similitude here used supposeth there was an apâ—nesse in them thus to extenuate their error A little leaven saith he 2. It is the duty of Christ's Ministers not only by force of reason to endeavour a sinners conviction that his way is sinfull or erroneous but also to forecast those shifts whereby the sinner being convinced of his sin or error may readily go about to extenuate it and having found them out to shew the vanity and lightnesse of them for the Apostle doth forecast that readily they would extenuate their sin from this that it was but a little one and maketh their extenuation to be without ground shewing that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump 3. The Church of Christ and every particular member thereof ought carefully to resist and watch against the very first beginnings and occasions of sin but especially of error The Church by labouring authoritatively to convince the gain-sayers Tit. 1. 9 and by timeous and prudent application of Church-censures in case of incorrigible obstinacy Tit. 3. 10. and every particular Christian by labouring to be established and fixed in the Truth Col. 2. 7. lest he be carried about with every wind of doctrine Eph. 4. 14. and by avoiding all unnecessary commerce and fellowship with those who are carried away with a spirit of error 2 Joh. 10. for the least of errors and the smallest number of seduced persons are here compared to leaven a little quantity whereof doth secretly insinuate it self and insensibly convey its sournesse unto the whole masse or lump Vers. 10. I have confidence in you through the Lord that you will be none otherwise minded but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment whosoever he be HE doth indirectly presse the former exhortation secondly by shewing his confidence grounded upon charity 1 Cor. 13. that through the Lords gracious working with them they should be reclaimed from their Error and made yet again to imbrace the same Truth which he did preach But withall lest from this his charity to them they should conclude the Error wherein they were was not very dangerous therfore he sheweth his just indignation against it by denouncing deserved wrath and judgment to be inflicted partly in this life partly in eternal death against their prime seducers without any exception save that of repentance which is to be understood in all threatnings Jer. 18. 7 8. Doct. 1. A loving Minister and zealous for the good of souls when he hath to do with those who are overtaken in a fault will of necessity be tossed with the tydes of contrary affections and as it were divided betwixt the exercise of hopes and fears love in Paul did stir up both those affections by making him fear the worst of those Galatians in the preceding verses and yet hope the best of them here I have confidence in you through the Lord saith he 2. The Minister of Jesus Christ is not to despair of their recovery who do oppose themselves but ought in charity to hope the best of all men so long as they are curable I have confidence in you through the Lord that ye will be none otherwise minded saith he which was not a confidence of Faith grounded upon a word of promise and therefore infallible but a confidence of charity and love to their good which made him hope that God would bring about their deliverance wherein though the event should have disappointed him yet he had not transgressed seing that in our judgment of persons where things are doubtsom we are commanded to hope the best so far as may be 1 Cor. 13. 7. Doct. 3. It is convenient also that a Minister sometimes make known unto the people that charitable confidence which he hath of their recovery The knowledge whereof may not only furnish the people themselves with some heart and courage to set upon their duty arising from their Ministers hopes and confidence but also commend their duty and make it lovely to them as being pressed upon them by one who hath evidenced his love and charity toward them by that his confidence Besides it is looked upon as a thing disgracefull to disappoint those who from love to and desire after our good do hope the best of us Thus Paul maketh them know his confident hope of their recovery I have confidence that you will be 〈◊〉 otherwise minded saith he 4. As the sinners first conversion from sin to holinesse is God's work Eph. 2. 5. So the recovery of a sinner from his backsliding and defection is no lesse a work of infinit Power Psal. 51. 10. and the only work of God for the Apostle speaking of his confidence of their recovery doth rely not upon their strength but on the Lord for bringing about the thing hoped for I have confidence in you through the Lord saith he 5. A Minister would so make known to people his charitable confidence of their recovery from sin and error as he may not thereby give them ground to conceive that he is not much displeased with their sin and so render them secure under it as making a sleeping pillow of those his hopes for the Apostle
hath placed power and authority in the Church-guides Joh. 20. 23. being conveened together 1 Cor. 5. 4. to cut off from the body of the Church by the sword of Excommunication incorrigible and obstinate offenders for the destruction of the flesh that their spirit may 〈◊〉 〈…〉 ed in the day of the Lord Jesus and that the Church be not infected by the contagion of their sin 1 Cor. 5. 5 6. for by this cutting off is meaned Excommunication as the similitude of leaven ver 9. doth teach being compared with 1 Cor. 5. 6. in which chapter Excommunication is spoken of and the Apostle alludeth to that phrase of cutting off from Gods People frequently used in the Old Testament as Gen. 17. 14. which did expresse the censure of Excommunication then in use among the Jews and the Apostle's wishing that they were even cut off who troubled them supposeth that there was power to cut off such in the Church if the exercise of that power had been seasonable I would they were even cut off 2. The spirit of Error may so far prevail among a People that the exercise of discipline can hardly attain its end amongst them to wit the shaming of the person censured 1 Cor. 5. 5 and the preservation of the Church from being leavened 1 Cor. 5. 6. In which case the Servants of Christ would proceed with a slow pace and in all lenity and wisdom to the inflicting of Church-censures lest the person censured and the multitude seduced by him be thereby hardened and the Ordinance it self exposed to contempt and therefore would rather doctrinally declare what censures such persons deserve than actually inflict the censure it self for though Paul by himself alone had power to cut off and excommunicate 1 Tim. 1. 20 yet the infection had so spread it self in this Church and the general distemper was so great that he satisfieth himself with a wish declaring thereby what their sin deserved and proceedeth no further I would they were even cut off saith he Vers. 13. For Brethren ye have been called unto liberty only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh but by love serve one another THe second part of the chapter beginneth in this verse wherein the Apostle having given a reason of his former wish ver 12. even because those seducers did hinder the course of their vocation burdening them with the observances of such things as are contrary to Evangelical liberty to the enjoyment whereof they were called by God he exhorteth them to take heed of running to the other extream of abusing their Christian liberâ—y as if they were thereby freed from all obligation to serve God or man in any thing and giveth two Rules to direct them in the right use of their liberty first They would not use their liberty for an occasion to the flesh where by flesh is not meaned the substance of our fleshly bodies but the power of sin and corruption which is in every man Eph. 2. 3. and is seated not only in our carnall fleshly appetite but in all the powers of the soul even the understanding Rom. 8. 7. and will or rational appetite Col. 2. -18. not being excepted So the sense of the Rule prescribed is That they would not take encouragement from this doctrine of Christian liberty to give licence unto the power of sin and corruption within them to break all bonds and to fulfill its own lusts Secondly That they would by love serve one another or that notwithstanding of this purchased liberty every one without exception of persons would from the fountain of love imploy himself in all the duties of love for bringing about the good of his neighbour and by consequence would straiten or enlarge himself in the use of his liberty as might be most conducing to his neighbours spiritual edification Rom. 14 13 15. 1 Cor. 8. 9. Doct. 1. There is not any one thing which ought to be more desired and endeavoured by an honest Minister than that the People of God committed to his charge do in some measure walk answerably to their christian calling and nothing ought to stir up his zeal and indignation more than when they either actually walk or are tempted to walk in a course contrary unto it for thereby they not only mar the fruits of the Gospel to themselves see ver 4. but also cause it to be evil spoken of by others 1 Tim. 5. 14. Hence is the Apostle's zeal so hot against the false Apostles as that he wisheth them to be cut off even because they tempted those Galatians to undergo a yoke of servitude contrary to that state of liberty unto which they were called For Brethren ye have been called unto liberty saith he 2. Such is the power and subtilty of inbred corruption as that it perverteth the nature even of those things which are best and taketh occasion from them to do wickedly for there is hazard lest occasion be taken by corrupt nature even from the doctrine of christian liberty to break all bonds and to become licencious as is supposed while he saith Only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh 3. The Minister of Jesus Christ ought with great circumspection to guard and cautionate the Truth delivered by him and especially such Truths as not being sufficiently guarded may readily be mistaken and made use of for the encouragement of corrupt nature in any vice or error for such was this doctrine of christian liberty and therfore the Apostle doth seasonably guard it Only saith he use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh 4. That our christian liberty purchased by Christ may be used aright it is required that we do not abuse it as an occasion of fleshly liberty whether first by making those things indifferent and free which God hath not made free as the Gentiles did fornication 1 Cor. 6. ver 12 c Or secondly by the immoderate and excessive use of things in their own nature indifferent as of meat drink apparel which is frequently condemned See Rom. 13. 13. for the Apostle prescribeth this as one rule for the right use-making of christian liberty Only use not liberty for an occasion of the flesh 5. It is not sufficient for the right use-making of christian liberty that we do not from thence take occasion to sin our selves but we must also labour carefully to guard lest by the offensive and undiscreet use of liberty we give offence and minister occasion of sin and stumbling unto others for he prescribeth this as a second rule that in the use of their liberty they would by love serve one another having an eye especially upon their neighbours spiritual edification Rom. 14. 13 15 Doct. 6. This freedom and liberty purchased by Christ doth not loose the ty of any necessary duty which we are under whether to God or man The yoke of duty is no wayes repugnant unto but very consistent with christian liberty for the Apostle having at large exhorted them
Kingdom of God FOr the better understanding and observing of the rule delivered ver 13. use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh he maketh a Catalogue of some works of the flesh which were best known to those Galatians And first he declareth the nature condition of those works that though the inward root of concupiscence from whence they flow be hid and therefore it is not easie to convince a man that he is led by it yet those effects and works of the flesh are evident and patent so that a man may passe judgment upon the prevalency of flesh and concupiscence in his heart when those its effects do break out in his life Secondly he maketh a particular enumeration of seventeen of those works expresly shewing that there are several other works of the flesh besides these only he thinketh it sufficient to have instanced these and these rather than others because probably they have been too commonly practised among the Galatians which works of the flesh here enumerated are First Adultery or the sin of filthynesse betwixt parties whereof one at least is married Secondly Fornication or the sin of filthinesse betwixt parties both free from the yoke of marriage Thirdly Uncleannesse under which are usually comprehended all other sorts of filthy lusts and particularly that against nature Rom. 1. 24. Fourthly Lasciviousnesse or wantonnesse whereby is meaned all petulant and wanton behaviour tending to excite the lust of filthinesse whether in our selves or others These are ver 19. Fifthly Idolatry a sin whereby religious worship due to God only Mat. 4. 10. is given unto those which by nature are no gods chap. 4. 9. or whereby the true God is worshiped in or before Images Exod. 32. 4 5. The former idolatry is forbidden in the first Command the latter in the second Sixthly Witchcraft or a devilish art whereby certain men or women having under some violent fit of a tentation entred a covenant either expresse or implicite with the Devil are enabled by the Devil's assistance upon their using certain rites and ceremonies prescribed by him to work things strange and wonderfull so far as God permitteth Seventhly Hatred or as the word signifieth enimity and hatred in the heart towards our neighbour joyned with a rooted desire to do him hurt whether for apprehended or real injuries Eightly Variance or contention and strife by disgraceful and opprobrious words arising from the fore-mentioned enimity and alienation of hearts Ninthly Emulations not that good emulation whereby we strive to excell others in that which is good not for love of applause or other by-respects but meerly from the love which we carry unto that which is good this is commanded 1 Cor. 14. 12. but carnal emulations whereby we are grieved at the good which is in others not so much from hatred to their good as because it overshadoweth us and therefore is joyned with a desire to outstrip them in that good which we are grieved for wherein it differeth from envy Tenthly Wrath whereby according to the force of the word in the original is meaned that sudden passionate commotion and perturbation of the affections through apprehension of an injury offered transforming a man to a very beast and thrusting him forward to act some mischief Luke 4. 28 29. Eleventhly Strife which as it differeth from the eight work of the flesh formerly mentioned doth signifie a certain kind of litigious striving probably about civil rights and interests which when it is for trifling matters or in defence of unrighteousnesse 1 Cor. 6. 8. or separated from a spirit of Christian meeknesse and condescendence 1 Cor. 6. 7. is a work of the flesh here condemned Twelfthly Seaitions or renting of those into divers factions who ought to be joyned in one common society for so much the word in the Original doth hint at which renting work when it falleth out in the State is called by the name of sedition and in the Church by the name of schism especially when there is a rent not only in opinion but also in affection and design or endeavour each party labouring to countermine the other Thirteenthly Heresies which are somewhat more than simple schism and faction 1 Cor. 11. 18 19. even grosse and dangerous errors voluntarily held Tit. 3. 11. and factiously maintained by some person or persons within the visible Church Act. 20. 30. in opposition to some chief or substantial Truths grounded upon and drawn from the holy Scripture as the places cited and the notation of the word in the Original will in a good part bear These are ver 20. Fourteenthly Envyings which are those base passions whereby we grieve at the good and prosperity of others without any endeavour to attain unto that good our selves Fifteenthly Murders or slaughters which frequently follow upon the for 〈…〉 whereby is not meaned the execution of publick justice upon malefactors for that is commanded Lev. 24. 21. but the satisfaction of private revenge by shedding of bloud and the taking away of our neighbour's life unjustly though under pretence of publick justice 1 King 21. 13. Sixteenthly Drunkennesse when men do drink wine or strong drink excessively and beyond that measure which fitteth them both in soul and body for the service of God and duties of their calling Seventeenthly Revellings The word doth usually signifie excesse of belly-chear in riotous feasts joyned with all sorts of lascivious behaviour The Apostle having made this enumeration that he might terrifie them from the practice of those evils giveth them timous warning now by Letter as he had done formerly by Preaching when he was with them that impenitent persisters in these and such like sins should never inherite the Kingdom of Heaven and by consequence should be eternally damned Mat. 25. 41. I say impenitent persisters for this and all such threatnings are to be understood with the exception of repentance Jer. 18. 7 8. Doct. 1. It is not sufficient that a Minister having divided his hearers in two ranks to wit spiritual and carnal or renewed and unrenewed denounce eternal wrath to the latter and promise God's favour and life eternal to the former but it is also necessary that he give evident and discriminating marks of both and of the one from the other whereby every one may be in some measure enabled without mistake to judge of his own inward estate and so to know whether the judgment denounced or mercy promised be his allotted portion for the Apostle giveth such discriminating marks of flesh and Spirit from their respective effects The works of the flesh are manifest saith he and ver 22. the fruit of the Spirit is love 2. As it is not sufficient for a Minister to condemn and reprove sin in the general without condescending upon some particular instances and examples because general doctrine is not so well understood and especially in the reproof of sin it is looked upon almost by every hearer as if he himself were not concerned in it So in
the matter of instances and examples because he cannot neither were it convenient to enumerate all such would be condescended upon as are best known and most commonly practised among those to whom he preacheth for the Apostle giveth such instances of the works of the flesh as for the most part the present defection schism and distemper flowing from thence which was among those Galatians did carry them unto Idolatry heresie variance strife c. and as it seemeth all the rest have been but too commonly practised amongst them as adultery fornication c. 3. Sin hath seated it self not only in the sensual appetite but in the more noble faculties of the soul also namely our understanding and will so that the whole man is corrupted by nature and altogether flesh for the works of the flesh here enumerated are of three sorts according to those three parts of corrupt flesh or nature to wit our reason will and sensual appetite So as some of them are seated in and have their rise from each of those the four first Adultery fornication uncleannesse and wantonnesse and the two last belong to the sensual appetite Idolatry and heresie to blind and corrupt reason Witchcraft hatred variance emulations wrath strife seditions envyings murders belong partly to the depraved will and partly to the sensual appetite 4. Not only are grosly scandalous evils works of the flesh excluding those who are guilty from the Kingdom of Heaven such as Adultery witchcraft c. but also such sins as being seated in the heart do not break forth to the view of the world of which sort are hatred emulations envyings for even they that do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God 5. There is no sin so grosse as being against all piety conscience and the very light of nature it self which people have not need to guard against and Ministers to deter them from by the terrible denunciations of God's heavy judgement against those who shall be found guilty of such like And that because the seed of all sin is in every man Rom. 3. 10 c. And there is no sin into which a man given over of God will not fall when he is tempted to it Exod. 10. 27. for the Apostle thinketh it necessary to scar them even from Adultery witchcraft and murder by shewing that they who do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God 6. That a Minister may bear down and suppresse sin amongst the people committed to his charge to any purpose it is necessary he inveigh by just and necessary reproof not only against the grosse and external acts of sin and wickednesse but also against the first motions and conception of those sins in the heart and every thing which may prove an occasion of breaking forth in those grosser evils for the Apostle setteth forth the evil not only of Adultery fornication and uncleannesse but also of wantonnesse not only of witchcraft but also of hatred and variance which often prove tentations unto witchcraft and not only of murders but also of wrath envyings emulations strife all which make way for murders 7. Ministers are God's watchmen Ezek. 3. 17. and therefore are bound to give faithfull and timous warning unto every man of his spiritual hazard lest otherwise the bloud of people be required at his hands This made Paul often to forewaâ—â— both presently and in time past that they who do thosâ— things shall not inherit the kingdom of God 8. Though former warnings have not the expected successe yet the Minister of Christ must not faint nor despair as if there were no hope but ought to renew his zeal and reiterate those very same warnings and threatnings as not knowing when the Lord may give the long wished-for blessing 2 Tim. 2. 25. Thus did Paul Of the which I tell you before as I have also told you in time past 9. As life eternal and the state of glory to be enjoyed after this is a Kingdom because there shall be an order betwixt King and subject there the one commanding the other obeying without any hazard of rebellion and faction Mat. 6. -10. There shall be perfect freedom from all oppression and slavery there Eph. 4. -30. Yea every subject shall enjoy a kingdom and wear a crown there Iam. 1. 12. So this Kingdom is given not for our merit or works but by right of sonship and by vertue of our adoption even as the inheritance is conveyed unto the heir for saith the Apostle speaking of Heaven They shall not inherit the Kingdom of God 10. Though there be a mixture of sheep and goats wheat and tares godly and ungodly in the visible Church Mat. 13. 29 30. yet in Heaven there shall be no such mixture no unclean thing shall enter there for they who do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God saith Paul Vers. 22. But the fruit of the Spirit is Love joy peace long-suffering gentlenesse goodnesse faith 23. Meeknesse temperance against such there is no Law THe Apostle in like manner for the better understanding and the more easie practising of the remedy prescribed against fleshly lusts ver 16. He giveth a catalogue of some of those gracious vertues and the exercise of them which flow from the Spirit or the root of Grace in the heart And having called the former instances ver 19. only works of the flesh he designeth these by the name of fruits of the Spirit because they are acceptable to God Rom. 12. -1. and profitable to the man himself 1 Tim. 6. 6. as savoury and wholesom fruit which the works of the flesh are not Rom. 6. 21 Next he enumerateth nine of those fruits not as if they were not moe for there are many moe vertues than those as knowledg hope patience 2 Pet. 1. 5 c. but because those are vertues standing almost in direct opposition to the former vices and such as for the exercise thereof he wished chiefly among those Galatians Which are first Love or an holy affection whereby we love God for Himself Mat. 22. 37. and our neighbour in and for God 1 Job 4. 21. Secondly Joy that holy affection of the soul delighting it self and taking pleasure in those things and in that measure which God alloweth Thirdly Peace or that concord and agreement which a reconciled soul hath with God Rom. 5. 1. and which he endeavoureth to have with all men in God Heb. 12. 14. Fourthly Long-suffering whereby we moderate anger do patiently bear and forgive even many injuries Col. 3. -12 13. Fifthly Gentlenesse or kindnesse whereby we labour to be affable and pleasant unto our neighbour and easie to be intreated even when he hath wronged us Rom. 12. 14. Eph. 4. 31. Sixtly Goodnesse a vertue whereby we are inclined to communicate what good is in us for the advantage of our neighbour both in his spiritual 1 Pet. 4. 10. and bodily Gal. 6. 10. estate Seventhly Faith whereby we conceive in this place is
understood not so much justifying faith and faith towards God which is the root and fountain of all those fruits ver -6. as faith and fidelity towards men whereby from a renewed heart and for God's glory we speak nothing but truth Eph. 4. 25. and make conscience to perform whatsoever is undertaken by us Psal. 15. -4. Eightly Meeknesse a vertue whereby we moderate anger so as that we are not provoked but for just causes and not more or longer provoked than the Word of God alloweth whereby also we do speedily restrain and suppresse anger when it hath transgressed the just bounds Eph. 4. 26. Ninthly Temperance or continency whereby our fleshly appetite is kept within bounds in seeking after honour meat drink pleasure or riches Lastly The Apostle having made this enumeration that he may excite the Galatians to the practice of those vertues he commendeth them from this That the Law was not made against them or the practisers of them either to condemn or accuse them In which words by a figure or flowr of speech more is to be understood than is spoken as Psal. 51. -17. even that the Moral Law concerning the standing whereof as to its directing power there was no controversie betwixt Paul and his adversaries doth expresly command and commend them which could not be said of those ceremonial abstinences or performances so much urged by the false Apostles Doct. 1. There is no way for gracious vertues or the fruits of the Spirit to grow and thrive in our heart unlesse the works of the flesh be set against and in some measure mortified these thistles and weeds must be plucked up else they draw the sap and strength of the heart from the good grain The Apostle's method pointeth at so much while he engageth them to mortifie the works of the flesh in the first place and next commendeth unto them the fruits of the Spirit But the fruit of the Spirit is Love joy peace c. 2. It is not sufficient that we set about the work of mortification and curbing of sin and vice but must also endeavour to have the heart replenished with the contrary gracious vertues otherwise sin being as it were over-powered may lurk for a season but will afterwards revive and take strength Mat. 12. 44 45. for the Apostle having engaged them to mortifie the works of the flesh doth now excite them to the exercise of gracious vertues But the fruit of the Spirit is Love joy peace c. 3. There is no vertue truly saving and acceptable to God but that which floweth from the grace of regeneration The vertues of the Heathen how excellent soever they seemed to be were but shadows of saving vertues as not coming from a clean fountain a gracious root in the heart Joâ— 14. 4. nor yet levelling at the right end God's glory in the chief place Col. 3. 17. but some other thing inferior to that Act. 24. 26. Besides they were not done in faith and so could not be acceptable to God Heb. 11. 6. for the Apostle calleth all those which are vertues indeed the fruits and effects of the Spirit But the fruit of the Spirit is Love joy peace saith he 4. If we compare the graces of God's Spirit with the works of the flesh there will appear such a beauty in the one such deformity in the other such solid satisfaction and contentment in the one and such disquietnesse and vexation of spirit in the other that laying aside the difference which is betwixt them by reason of their original and event those other considerations may serve abundantly to make us fall in love with the graces of God's Spirit and abominate the works of the flesh for the works of the flesh are Adultery witchcraft hatred strife envyings murders but the fruit of the Spirit is Love joy peace long-suffering c. 5. We are to judge of persons and practices by thinking well of them or otherwise not according to the common esteem in which they are among men 1 Cor. 4. 3. but according to the esteem that God hath of them and according to what the Word of God which is the absolute rule of right and wrong Truth and Error doth pronounce concerning them for Paul judgeth it sufficient to commend the practice of those vertues from this that the Law of God did commend them and approved of those who made conscience of them Against such there is no Law saith he Vers. 24. And they that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts THe Apostle in this Verse addeth a new Argument to inforce the practice of that first Rule given ver 13. and cleared ver 19 20 21. to wit that they should not give occasion to or fulfill the lusts of the flesh because those who are Christs as they all professed themselves to be have by vertue of Christ's death crucified and put to death their fleshly corruption with all its sinfull motions whether they be sinfull affections and passions such as those whereby the mans mind doth suffer is troubled and afflicted as malice envie anger and the like or whether they be sinful lusts such as these which are stirred up by fleshly carnal baits and pleasures as motions to intemperance uncleannesse and such like Now those who are Christ's are said to have crucified all those because every one who professeth the Name of Christ hath engaged himself by his profession and covenant sealed in Baptism so to do Rom. 6. 3 4. and the truly Regenerate besides this engagement by profession have actually begun this work so that though this body of corrupt flesh be in them yet by His Spirit Rom. 8. 13. and by imitating His Crosse Rom. 6. 6. they are upon the work of mortifying it suppressing the endeavours and smothering the effects of it Rom. 6. 12. Doct. 1. All they who are led by and walk in the Spirit or who are truly regenerate and who are actually engaged in the work of mortifying their corrupt nature are Christ's in a peculiar manner to wit by right of donation from the Father Joh. 6. 37. by right of emption or redemption 1 Cor. 6. 20. and by right of resignation all such having actually resigned themselves unto Christ as a mansion for Him to dwell and walk in 1 Cor. 6. 19. and in every thing to be guided by Him Act. 9. 6. for the Apostle useth those expressions indifferently as being of equal extent Walk in the Spirit ver 16. and if ye be led by the Spirit ver 18. and in this verse they who are Christs have crucified the flesh 2. The work of mortification striketh at all sin and spareth none aswell pleasant sins whereby fleshly lusts are satisfied as other more vexatious evils whereby the mind doth in a kind suffer and is afflicted for speaking of this work he saith They that are Christs have crucified the flesh that is the root of corruption and then they have crucified all its branches not only affections
committing sin our selves but of being the occasion of sin unto others and therefore would eschew it for this is it the Apostle forbiddeth even provoking one another 5. In setting against any sin we would look not only upon that sin alone but also upon those other possibly lesse pleasant and baser sins which of necessity do accompany it that so our indignation may be heightned the more against it as carrying with it a train of such attendants for here the Apostle dehorting them from the desire of vain glory that he may make them the more to detest it holdeth forth the necessary dependance which two other vexations and base evils have upon it Provoking one another envying one another saith he CHAP. VI. IN the first part of this Chapter he presseth the exercise of mutual love in two exhortations And first he exhorteth them to endeavour the reclaiming of those who were fallen ver 1. and to bear patiently with the sinfull infirmities one of another because first hereby they should obey the Command enjoyning mutual love ver 2. Secondly self-conceit which marreth the exercise of this duty is but a self-deceiving ver 3. And therefore he prescribeth a remedy against that evil to wit self-searching And inforceth it because first they should attain to such gloriation as God alloweth of ver 4. And secondly every man must give an accompt of his own actions to God ver 5. In the second place he exhorteth unto beneficence in the general and especially towards their Ministers ver 6. And having held forth God for a party unto those who neglect this duty he doth presse it from the similitude of sowing and reaping ver 7. which he enlargeth and applyeth to an harvest of death and corruption to be reaped by those who do evil and of life eternal by those who do well ver 8. whence he inforceth perseverance in the study of beneficence promising the expected fruit of their so doing in due time ver 9. and so concludeth the exhortation pressing upon them the use-making of the present opportunity ver 10. In the second part he concludeth the Epistle first insinuating how much he loved them ver 11. Secondly insinuating that the false Apostles were not acted from love to them but from hypocrisie worldly policy ver 12. and from vain glory ver 13. Thirdly he opposeth his own truly Christian carriage to those sins of the false Apostles shewing he gloried only in the crosse of Christ and that the world and applause from men were undervalued by him ver 14. Of both which he giveth two reasons first nothing worldly is accompted of by Christ but the new creature only ver 15. Secondly glorying in Christ and in the study of piety and of the new creature is the only rule in walking according to which there is peace ver 16. Fourthly The Apostle having discharged any to trouble him further whether by their errors or calumnies seing the standing prints of his sufferings did abundantly refute both ver 17 saluteth them with his ordinary farewell-wish ver 18. Vers. 1. BRethren if a man be overtaken in a fault ye which are spiritual restore such an one in the spirit of meeknesse considering thy self lest thou also be tempted THe Apostle having chap. 5. ver 26. dehorted from some vices which do wholly impede that service by love which is enjoyned chap. 5. 13. he doth in the first part of this Chapter exhort them to several duties in which the exercise of mutual love doth consist And first he speaketh to those who are spiritual that is such as had received a large measure of spiritual graces whereby they were preserved from the subtil snares of sin and Satan which had intrapped others and who are called strong Rom. 15. 1. and perfect to wit comparatively Philip. 3. 15. Those he exhorteth to endeavour the reclaiming and restoring both to the sense of God's pardoning grace and to amendment of life of all such who were overtaken and as it were inconsideratly and suddenly surprized with any sin for the active Verb of the word overtaken in the Original signifieth to do a thing preposterously and in hast 1 Cor. 11. 21. And in order hereto that in the use of all means undertaken for this end whether of admonition reproof or necessary correction they would exercise the grace of spiritual meeknesse suppressing all fleshly passions and revengefull affections Which exhortation he inforceth by two arguments the first whereof is laid down by way of admonition in this Verse that every man even the best while he dealeth with the faults of others would enter in a deep consideration of his own frailty and how easily under a tentation he may be surprized with the same the like or a greater sin Doct. 1. Though it be very ordinary for men to bear too much with sin both in themselves and others 1 Sam. 3. -13. Yet there is another sinfull extremity to be avoided to wit when under pretence of hatred to or just indignation against the sins of others we give them over as incorrigible and cannot admonish reprove or in any thing carry our selves towards them in the spirit of meeknesse for saith the Apostle If aman or as the word may also read by way of obviating an objection Though a man be overtaken in a fault restore such an one c. which supposeth that some were apt to think themselves freed from the duty here commanded towards a person so overtaken and the Apostle sheweth that neverthelesse they were bound to restore him and deal meekly with him even though he were overtaken in a fault 2. This sin of too much rigor and severity towards the sinful failings and escapes of others though it pretend to zeal Isa. 65. 5. yet hath its rise from pride and ambition while the rigid critick and lofty censurer of another mans faults doth not so much seek after his brother's amendment as to beget in the minds of others a good opinion of himself as if he were singular for holiness and hatred of sin above others for the connexion of the two Chapters doth shew that this sin here guarded against hath some kind of dependance upon vain-glory Let us not be desirous of vain-glory chap. 5. 26. And if a man be overtaken in a fault restore him in the spirit of meeknesse 3. The Minister of Jesus Christ would labour so to digest his exhortations unto duties that his very expressions and convey of them being fitted to the purpose in hand may be as so many forcible motives to bear-in that duty unto which he exhorteth for the Apostle being here to inforce the exercise of love and meeknesse upon those Galatians in the recovery of those who had fallen calleth them Brethren thereby expressing his love to them and minding them of that love they ought to carry one to another as being Brethren and designeth the person to be restored by the common name of a man thereby pointing at the common frailty of
in himself and of himself 2 Cor. 3. 5. for which he ought to be puffed up and to despise others because of their infirmities Doct. 1. Then are duties pressed unto some good purpose by the Lord's Ministers upon His People when a discovery is made of those lurking evils which do withhold from the practice of those duties and pains are taken to set them upon the task of subduing such evils if they would come speed in the consciencious practice of the commanded duty for Paul having exhorted to restore those who are fallen and to bear one anothers burden he doth now disswade them from the sin of self-conceit and arrogancy as that which doth impede the practice of that duty If a man think himself to be something saith he 2. As it is ordinary for men to conceit too highly of themselves whether by apprehending those excellencies to be in themselves which really are not Prov. 26. 16. or by overvaluing those excellencies parts and other enjoyments which they really have above their just worth and esteem Ezek. 28. 3. or by looking on them not as receipts from the Lord but only as they are their own or the fruit of their own industry or purchase Ezek. 28. 4 5. So where this sin of self-conceit is fostered it maketh the guilty person an insolent contemner of all others a proud insulter over their infirmities as taking occasion from those to conceive so much the more highly of himself for this is the sin of a man's thinking himself to be something which Paul supposeth to be a common evil and speaketh against it as that which maketh a man carry himself insolently towards others especially those who are overtaken in a fault as appeareth from the connexion If a man think himself to be something 3. Error in judgment hath sometimes its rise from some unmortified and raging lust in the heart and affections the prevalency whereof doth byass the understanding and in progresse of time doth unperceivably incline it to assent unto those opinions as Truths which may most gratifie those unmortified lusts for saith he He who thinketh himself something deceiveth himself or maketh his mind to erre for so the word signifieth importing hereby that those violent lusts of self-conceit pride and arrogancy did make them apprehend some real worth to be where there was none whereby they might have somewhat to feed upon 4. For a man to be deceived by himself is of more dangerous consequence than to be deceived by any other especially when a man deceiveth himself by having better thoughts of himself than there is ground or reason for for hereby are men not only vainly puffed up by their fleshly mind Col. 2. -18. but also made to cry Peace peace when sudden destruction cometh Mat. 7. 22 23. for the Apostle insinuateth there is no small hazard in self-deceiving while he maketh this alone a sufficient argument to disswade from self-conceit and arrogancy even that he who thinketh himself to be something deceiveth himself 5. As every man considered in himself is nothing being destitute of all good Rom. 7. 18 yea though he be considered in all his enduements both of Nature and Grace yet he hath nothing for which he ought to conceit of himself and despise others for what hath he which is not received 1 Cor. 4. 7. yea and what he must be comptable for how he doth imploy it Luke 12. 48. So the serious consideration of this truth would be a singular engine to batter down those high mountains of self-conceit which are ready to exalt themselves in a man's heart by reason of his apprehended or real excellencies gifts or graces for Paul maketh use of this consideration to convince them how vain any high thoughts of that kind were If any man seem to himself to be something when he is nothing saith he which last sentence is spoken of all men generally and serveth for an argument to prove that the self-admirer is a self-deceiver seing every man is nothing Vers. 4. But let every man prove his own work and then shall be have rejoycing in himself alone and not in another SEcondly The Apostle striketh at one root and cause of self-conceit and arrogancy to wit our comparing our selves with others who are worse than our selves for we may and ought compare with those who are better than our selves that so we may be humbled 2 Cor. 10. 12. but this comparing with those whom we esteem worse than our selves occasioneth self-conceit Luke 18. 11. Now Paul taketh them off this way exhorting them to prove and try their own work and carriage by the rule of Gods Word without comparing it with the carriage of others for so they behoved to try the work of others also and that they would so prove their own work as to approve it and find matter of approbation in it if it were to be found for the Greek word rendred prove signifieth also to approve as Rom. 14. 22. 1 Cor. 16. 3. Which exhortation is inforced by two reasons first Hereby they should find matter of such gloriation and boasting as God alloweth of even in themselves alone that is in the testimony of a good conscience 2 Cor. 1. 12. and should not need to borrow matter of boasting from the sins of others which the Lord doth no wayes approve of 1 Cor. 5. 2 Doct. 1. As a man who would set against a sin to purpose and with successe must search out and set against every other sin which doth ordinarily prove an occasion of that sin which he intendeth to subdue and mortifie So the Minister of Christ in the reproof of sin ought to point forth unto the Lord's People those things which are the fewel and occasion of such and such sins and press upon them an abstinence even from those for the Apostle having disswaded ver 3. from self-conceit doth here point at the occasion of that sin even their comparing themselves with others whom they judged worse than themselves and disswadeth them from that also while he saith But let every man prove his own work 2. As it is the duty of every man without exception to reflect upon his own actions and to take an exact trial of them by the touchstone of Gods Word Psal. 119. 9. not only if for the substance of the action they be commanded or warranted in His Word Isa. 29. -13. but also if they be done in the right manner Luke 8. 18. that is if they come from the root of a renewed heart Mat. 7. 18. have their rise from right motives Phil. 1. 15. and be directed to the right end God's glory in the first place 1 Cor. 10. 3. or not So he ought not to rest satisfied with a simple probation and trial of his actions except he find them to be such after trial as he may upon just grounds approve them and approve himself to God in them 2 Tim. 2. 15. for saith he Let every one prove and so as he may
safely approve his own work as the word signifieth and such a probation must be here meaned otherwise the Apostle's consequence should not follow upon a mans proving his work even that he shall have rejoycing in himself 3. Though Civil Magistrates and Church-guides are to prove even judicially the work of others who are committed to their charge Rom. 13. -3 -4. Tit. 3. 10. and though private Christians are also bound to prove all things by a judgement of christian discretion that so they may hold what is good 1 Thess. 5. 21. and be provoked unto love and good works Heb. 10. 23. but not that they have whereat to carp Psal. 56. 5 6. or whereby to be lifted up with an high and vain conceit of themselves above others 1 Cor. 5. 2. yet the great thing whereabout our most accurate and daily search and trial should be imployed is our own actions and by proportion our own spiritual state 2 Cor. 13. 5. and frame of heart Psal. 26. 2. Yea those and only those are to be the object of our trial when the end proposed in our trial is to find out matter of boasting in the testimony of a good conscience and from which we may conclude that we are approved of God for this is the end of the trial here enjoyned and therefore saith he Let every man prove his own work 4. This work of self-trying and proving of our own work being seriously and frequently gone about would tend exceedingly not only to curb those lofty thoughts which we have of our selves but also to divert from those uncharitable censorious and base thoughts which we have of others because of their infirmities and failings for the Apostle opposeth this duty as an antidote to that sin of self-conceit before reproved and by consequence doth presse it as an help to that duty of tendernesse and compassion towards those who are overtaken in a fault enjoyned ver 1 2. But saith he let every man try his own work 5. It is in some cases and respects lawful for men to glory and boast in themselves or in the good things of God bestowed upon them that is not only to rejoyce because of them but also to expresse their joy 2 Cor. 1. 12. and to expect approbation and applause from men because of them 2 Cor. 12. 11. providing they glory in them as evidences of God's love to them and so as they may thereby assure their hearts before Him of their interest in His favour and good-will 1 Joh. 3. 19. and as enduements fitting them to serve God by promoting His glory in their own salvation and their neighbours good and in every other duty which they are bound to in their station 1 Cor. 15. 10 and as they are fitting occasions to incite themselves or others to give that glory to God which is due Mat. 5. 16. providing also that they glory in them to wit in so far as this gloriation importeth a seeking approbation to themselves but sparingly 2 Cor. 11. -16. and for the most part as of necessity and to maintain their uprightnesse before men when it is unjustly called in question 2 Cor. 12. 11. Joh 27. 4 c. and that they be not puffed up with conceit of themselves as if those good things did proceed from themselves alone and not from God 1 Cor. 15. 10. and that the approbation which they expect be not endeavoured as their furthest design Mat. 6. 2. but as a mean of rendring them the more capable for promoting God's glory in their place and station 1 Tim. 3. 7. and most especially providing that they glory not in those things as if thereby they could merit the favour of God and eternal life which boasting is condemned Rom. 4. 2. In these respects and with these limitations it is lawfull for men to glory in themselves for the Apostle speaketh of this way of glorying as an allowed consequence of a man's proving of his own work Then saith he he shall have rejoycing or boasting in himself alone 6. That a man may warrantably and upon good grounds thus rejoyce in the good things of God bestowed upon him especially so as thereby to assure his heart before God it is not sufficient that he compare himself with others and find himself to be better than those but he must try himself by the rule of God's Word and after trial find himself approved by it else his boasting is nought and vain even a deceiving of himself for the Apostle speaking of this warrantable gloriation and boasting affirmeth it to be the consequence of a man's proving his own work and that it must be in himself and not in another Vers. 5. For every man shall bear his own burden HEre is a second argument inforcing upon every man the duty of trying his own work rather than to be narrowly prying into the infirmities of others because every man must bear his own burden or give an account of his own actions to God Rom. 14. 12. for the Lord will passe sentence upon men whether by absolving or condemning them not as they have been better or worse than others but as they shall be found in themselves absolutely considered and without any respect had unto others See 1 Cor. 3. -8. which doth not militate against the tenour of the Gospel affirming that Believers shall be reckoned with by God as they are clothed not with their own righteousnesse but with the unspotted righteousnesse of Christ their Cautioner Philip. 3. 9. for it is evident from the scope that the Apostle excludeth only the infirmities of other sinfull men like unto our selves from being the rule according to which God will passe sentence and not the righteousnesse of Christ apprehended by faith Doct. 1. That a man may prove an happy interpreter of Scripture and find out the mind of God's Spirit therein it is necessary he do well understand the scope of the Spirit in that place the sense whereof he intendeth to find out the observing whereof will serve as a threed to conduct him in falling upon the genuine and literal meaning of the particular words sentences and wil preserve him from making the Scripture in hand thwart or contradict any other part of sacred Truth which without observing of the scope he may readily fall in for this verse seemeth at the first view to contradict that direction given ver 2. but the sense of both being collected from the scope that seeming contrariety will evanish for by bearing one anothers burdens ver 2. must be meaned a bearing by way of sympathy christian for bearance and diligent use of means for reclaiming the person fallen for that is it which the Apostle is pressing there as appeareth from ver 1. and in this sense every one ought to bear one anothers burdens But by bearing our burden in this verse is meaned a bearing by giving an account to God for our own actions otherwise it should not be a cogent argument to inforce the
that receiveth and as he is able to spare who giveth for this was the case of the Church in Paul's time being under persecuting Tyrants And therefore he commandeth Let him that is taught communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things 7. The Churches maintenance is only due unto such Ministers as have abilities to preach the Gospel and are faithfull and diligent Labourers in the Word according to those abilities wherewith they are endued And therefore though private men are not hereby warranted to withdraw the ordinary and allowed maintenance from their Ministers upon pretence that they are either not able or not painfull Mat. 23. 2 3. yet it concerneth those whom Christ hath intrusted to be Overseers of His House to be carefull that such who are either really unfit or unwilling to preach be removed from their Charge and not suffered to eat up the Churches maintenance feeding themselves and starving the souls of people committed to their charge Therefore the Apostle while he pleadeth for maintenance to a Minister doth describe him from the actual exercise of his Calling Let him communicate to him that teacheth Vers. 7. Be not deceived God is not mocked for whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap THe Apostle supposing that those who were averse from the duty of beneficence to their Ministers did colour their own avarice and naughtinesse with a number of seemingly plausible excuses taken from their pretended indigence multiplicity of other burdens and such like he speaketh to such witty cheaters as these in this verse desiring them to advert that though they might stop the mouthes of their honest-hearted Ministers as not knowing how or not being willing to contradict them in what they affirmed and might mock them for their simplicity afterwards yet they had another party to deal with in this matter even God Himself who would not be deceived or mocked with their lying pretexts and excuses and forbiddeth them to deceive or flatter themselves by thinking otherwise and so proceedeth to presse the duty of beneficence towards Ministers by an argument expressed in a similitude taken from sowers of seed who may expect an increase in the time of reaping according to what they have sown whether it be much seed or little good seed or bad So accordingly as mens actions are whether good or bad which are compared to seed Prov. 11. 18. and 22. 8. and more particularly as they imploy their temporal goods the imploying whereof is also compared unto sowing 2 Cor. 9. 6. whether for good and pious uses or for pampering their fleshly lusts as he brancheth forth this sowing in the following 8. verse so they might expect an answerable reward or punishment from the Lord to wit either here or hereafter for thus is the same similitude expounded 2 Cor. 9. 6 7 8. Doct. 1. As the sin of backwardnesse in people to bestow any thing for upholding the Gospel in the publick Ministry thereof is very common and hath begun early in the Christian Church So the Minister of Christ may not upon pretence of modesty as being unwilling to kyth much in that wherein his particular advantage is any way concerned suffer this sin to go unreproved more than others seing it tendeth so much to the Gospel's prejudice and that it is excesse of modesty which impedeth the practice of a necessary duty for Paul observing this sin to have been too common even in his time doth sharply admonish and rebuke those who were guilty of it while he saith Be not deceived God is not mocked 2. Neglecters of duty and chiefly of expensive duties such as is that of giving competent maintenance to the Ministry are very quick and witty to find out pretexts and excuses to colour their sin and so to siele the eyes of those whom they have to do with and this all that they may enjoy the profit of sin and yet eschew the shame and imputation of it before men for Paul doth here meet with such witty excuses and with those who made use of them Be not deceived God is not mocked 3. Though God be alwayes the sinners party whatever sin he doth commit Psal. 51. 4. yet seing Ministers are Christ's Ambassadors 2 Cor. 5. 20. and that the contemning or discouraging of them by withholding competent maintenance from them doth so directly tend to the utter overthrow of Religion and decay of all publick Worship therefore He is in a singular manner party and will kyth Himself to be so unto all who are guilty of so doing for the Apostle representeth the Lord as the party whom they had to deal with while he saith Be not deceived God is not mocked 4. Though subtil wits may so excuse their sin as thereby to cast such a blind before the eyes of men as they will hold them innocent or at least cannot know how to fasten guilt upon them yet the allseeing eye of God cannot be so fieled He knoweth the thoughts afar off Psa. 139. -2. and discerneth the very intents of hearts Heb. 4. -12. and therefore cannot be set off with plausible pretexts for it is in this respect he saith God is not mocked as they mocked men by making them give credit unto their lying excuses 5. Then doth a man most dangerously deceive himself when he resteth satisfied with this that he hath conveyed his fraudulent and covetous practises so handsomly that men shall find nothing for which to blame him as if because short-sighted man cannot find him out that therefore he shall escape the accurate search of the allseeing God for the Apostle affirmeth they would be deceived if they did entertain any such thoughts of God Be not deceived God is not mocked 6. Though men do usually give all that for lost which they bestow for maintaining the Gospel and for pious uses yet it is not so but shall be returned unto them in God's appointed time with increase if not in things of the same kind yet in things equivalent to and better than those for so much doth his comparing beneficence of this kind to the seed sown import Whatsoever a man soweth that shall be also reap 7. The reward which God hath freely promised unto the good works of His People and more particularly unto their chearfull liberal and christian beneficence is not to be despaired of nor yet the justly deserved judgment denounced against the wicked for their evil works and chiefly for their nigardly withholding a part of what God hath given unto them from charitable and pious uses is to be doubted of though both of them be long deferred for both the promised reward and threatned judgment are compared to the reaping of the harvest which doth most certainly though not immediately follow upon the sowing of the seed Whatsoever a man soweth that shall be also reap 8. As the faith of a reward to be freely given according to the promise unto our works of charity and beneficence is a strong encouragement to fruitfulnesse in
yet the ceremonial Law the keeping whereof they urged so much upon others but did usually and without challenge neglect it among themselves and where they knew none were to publish it abroad Mat. 23. 4. Secondly he mentioneth the third principle from which they were acted in their so vehement urging of Circumcision upon others even their ambition and desire of vain-glory that they might have whereof to glory and boast in the multitude of Proselytes among the Gentiles who received Circumcision in their flesh at their instigation and thereby did evidence that they were converted or rather perverted unto Judaism Doct. 1. As we would not lightly and without evident cause charge any with hypocrisie dissimulation and pretending of zeal for God and respect to conscience when there is no such thing in reality and truth So this is ground sufficient for any to susspect and for those who are otherwise called unto it to affirm That they who give little o 〈…〉 o evidence of zeal to God or respect to conscience in the ordinary strain of their conversation are not acted from zeal and conscience in those particulars wherein they would seem most zealous and conscientious and more especially when Ministers do make bold without challenge to neglect those things the practice whereof they presse most vehemently upon others it cryeth aloud that they are men destitute of conscience and that they speak and preach not because they believe but for other base ends for Paul having charged his adversaries with hypocrisie in their so much urging of Circumcision ver 12 he giveth a reason for his so doing to wit their godlesse conversation and carelesse neglect of those things which they so much pressed upon others For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the Law 2. The Word of God in the mouthes of His Servants is quick and powerfull and sharper than any two-edged sword so as it entreth in upon a man's very soul and spirit and maketh that difference appear which is betwixt his false though fair pretences and his real though foul intentions the latter whereof lay lurking under the former but this searching Word taketh off the visard and maketh them appear in their foulest colours for the Word of God in Paul's mouth discovereth the secret foul intent even of the very hearts of his adversaries having laid aside their fair pretexts They desire to have you circumcised that they may glory in your flesh saith he 3. Where the spirit of schism and Church-renting hath once possessed a soul it causeth the man in whom it is to refuse no pains trouble or toil for gaining of many followers and to look upon those whom he so gaineth as so many trophees of his victory and speaking proofs of his unparalleled abilities and parts wherewith he is so much taken up himself that he cannot dissemble his earnest desire to have all others taken up with admirationat them also for those schismatick Church-renters chap. 4. ver 17. did desire yea ver 12. constrained men to be circumcised that they might glory in their flesh Vers. 14. But God forbid that I should glory save in the crosse of our Lord Jesus Christ by whom the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world THirdly in the Conclusion the Apostle doth oppose his own truly christian and apostolick conversation and carriage to those sins of hypocrisie carnal policy and vain-glory which he hath shown to be in the false Apostles And first in opposition to their vain-glory mentioned ver -13. he declareth that the matter of his gloriation and boasting was only in the crosse of Christ that is the all sufficient expiatory and satisfactory sacrifice of Christ upon the Crosse with the whole work of our Redemption which is also hereby synecdochically understood and rejecteth all other sorts of boasting as a thing abominable for so much doth his usual expression God forbid import Rom. 3. 4 6 31. and 6. 2. Secondly he sheweth in opposition to their hypocrisie and desire to make a fair shew in the flesh that by Christ or by His Crosse for the article in the Greek language may relate to either the world was crucified to him that is all that is in the world and in so far as it is opposed to the Kingdom of Christ as honour riches pomp pleasure the favour fear wrath praise or dispraise of men all were undervalued and despised by him to wit in comparison of Christ and the excellency and worth of His sufferings Philip. 3. 8. and hereby also he was crucified unto the world that is undervalued and despised by the men of this world for to be crucified in both sentences signifieth the same thing even to be contemptible and undervalued as those were who died by that ignominions and cursed death upon the Crosse Deut. 21. 23. Doct. 1. It is praise-worthy in a Minister and advanceth much the conviction of those whose sins he reproveth when his own carriage is so exemplary as the holding forth of it may point out their duty and wherein they come short of their duty for the Apostle having mentioned the sins of his adversaries ver 12 13. doth here hold forth his own practice wherein as in a glasse they and others might see their duty in opposition to those sins But God forbid saith he that I should glory c. 2. Though the goodnesse or badnesse of men who maintain and labour to propagate opinions are not sufficient arguments to prove either the truth or falshood of what they maintain seing even the Godly may erre and men otherwise carnal may discern what is Truth or Error right or wrong in some particulars better than they 2 Sam. 24. 2 3. yet when Truth is already demonstrated to be Truth and Error to be Error by sound and solid arguments from Scripture and Reason then is it lawfull and opportune to compare the pious conversation of those who are for Truth with the impiety pride and vain-glory of those who are for Error that hereby some taking weight may be added unto those former arguments especially in the minds of those who are prejudged against the Truth for the Apostle in the body of the Epistle having confirmed his own Doctrine and refuted the Error of his adversaries by solid and nervous reasons doth now in the conclusion compare his own life with theirs and opposeth his christian ingenuity and freedom from vain-glory to their hypocrisie basenesse and vanity and this to make his former arguments weigh more with those prejudicate Galatians as appeareth by comparing the two former verses with this and those which follow But God forbid that I should glory c. 3. Though it be lawfull in some cases for men to glory in the good things of God bestowed upon them See ver 4. doct 5. yet it is altogether unlawfull yea no lesse than abominable to glory in any thing so as that we place our confidence in it for making us accepted to and righteous before God but
glory of his grace and therefore matter of praise for grace behoved to be manifested in His choosing of us when it is revealed otherwise He should not have taken a convenient mean for bringing about the intended end 4. That great and supream end which God intended most to be brought about by this eternal decree of Election and to which the other two ends formerly mentioned to wit the sanctification and glorification of the Elect are but subordinate means for bringing of it about was that hereby Men and Angels might see matter of praise and thanksgiving unto His rich mercy and free-grace and be excited to set forth the praises thereof accordingly not as if He stood in need to have His glory acknowledged or praised by creatures nor as if their praising of Him could adde any perfection to Him who was compleatly glorified in Himself from all eternity Joh. 17. 5. but He holdeth forth matter of His own praise that the Elect may be perfected in praising of Him for saith the Apostle God hath predestinated us to the praise of the glory of his grace 5. There ought to be a sweet concord and harmony betwixt a Ministers doctrine and practice his hand and tongue would joyntly preach and presse the same Truth for so his doctrine shall have greater weight with hearers when he doth commend and seal the truth of it by his own example and practice Thus Paul while he is pointing out the duty of the Elect to be the praising of God's glorious grace he himself is practising this duty for as is clear from ver 3. he is speaking all-alongs of this purpose by way of praise and thanksgiving to God 6. Though the Elect from all eternity are loved by God with His love of benevolence whereby he willed good unto them and decreed to bestow good upon them ver 4. Yet there is a love of complacency or delight in God whereby He not only willeth good unto the persons so beloved but accepteth of them acquiesceth in them as in His own children and friends reconciled to Him and delighteth Himself in His own graces bestowed upon them in which respect the Elect as being children of wrath by nature are not from eternity beloved of God nor accepted of by Him yea not before they be effectually called and reconciled to God through faith in Jesus Christ Heb. 11. 6 for Paul speaketh of Gods making us accepted and lovely or of His accepting us as of an action done in time Wherein He hath made us accepted in the Beleved 7. Whomsoever God hath elected before time those He accepteth of and is well pleased with in time both in their persons and actions if they be good having first made them lovely and fit to be accepted of by Him which He doth by working in them a conformity both as to their state and actions with the rule according to which He doth accept not the rule prescribed by the Law which requireth no lesse than a perfect and personall righteousnesse in order to our acceptation by God Gal. 3. 10. but the rule prescribed by the Gospel which admitteth the imputed righteousnesse of a cautioner in place of a perfect personal righteousnesse whereby our persons are accepted and made lovely to God Rom. 5. 19. and of sincerity in our actions in place of perfection whereby they are also accepted Psal. 119. 6. for saith Paul speaking of the Elect He hath made us accepted 8. That same grace free-favour and good-will which moved God to elect us before time moveth Him also to make us accepted lovely and well-pleasing to Himself and to accept of us in time whence it followeth that as the eternal decree of Election was most free and in nothing dependent on our works So that work of God whereby He draweth souls out of nature cloatheth them with Christ's righteousnesse and bestoweth grace upon them is wholly free also as to us and cometh only from His most free grace without respect had to any worth of ours for saith he Wherein or in which grace whereof he spoke formerly as the fountain-cause of Election He hath made us accepted 9. Christ is beloved and accepted by the Father being considered even as Mediator in so far as that He was sent and intrusted by the Father to discharge that office Joh. 5. 30. and carryed Himself in the discharge of it according to what was enjoyned by the Father Heb. 10. 7. and did finish all in order to the redemption of the Elect which He had undertaken to the Father Joh. 19. 30. for the Apostle speaking of Christ as Mediator calleth Him Beloved He hath made us accepted in the Beloved 10. Christ as Mediator is so much beloved of the Father That all the Elect being once effectually called are made lovely and acceptable to God through Him Neither doth God accept of the persons or actions of any but through Him who is Jehovah our righteousnesse Jer. 23. 6. and being laid hold upon by faith we who are in our selves unrighteous are made righteous 2 Cor. 5. 21. and the sinfull failings of our best actions hid and covered in Him So that both our persons and actions are accepted For he hath made us accepted in the Beloved 11. God's free-grace and Christ's merit are no wayes inconsistent but do well agree together as the procuring causes of our acceptation and reconciliation with God for though Christ hath purchased a state of favour and friendship unto us by the payment of an equivalent price yet all cometh from grace unto us in so far as it was grace in God that made him give his Son to die for us Joh. 3. 16. So it was grace in Christ that made him undertake to die in our place Joh. 10. 18. And it is no lesse of free-grace that the price payed by Him is accepted of in our name Joh. 33. 24. for the Apostle doth mention grace and Christ's merit as the joynt causes of our being accepted Wherein or in which grace he hath made us accepted in the Beloved Vers. 7. In whom we have redemption through his bloud the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace THe Apostle having already spoken of those spiritual blessings mentioned ver 3. as they were prepared and appointed for Believers in God's eternal decree of Election doth now speak of them as they were purchased by Christ in that great and marvellous work of redemption by shewing first That Jesus Christ hath given a ransom even his own bloud in satisfaction to divine justice for our wrongs whence floweth our redemption from sin Satan and God's wrath which is begun here Rom. 6. 22. and shall be compleated hereafter at the last day Rom. 8. 23. Secondly he explaineth this great benefit of redemption by the forgivenesse of our sins in justification which is an effect of redemption as redemption is taken for the laying down of the price by Christ and a principal part of redemption as it speaketh our actual delivery
and freedom through vertue of that price Thirdly he sheweth the impulsive cause which moved God to bestow such a benefit even the riches of that same grace and free-favour in God formerly spoken of By all which he carrieth on his main scope which is to confirm those Ephesians that salvation and all the steps leading to it do flow from God's free-grace in Christ. Doct. 1. All men the Elect themselves not being excepted are by nature under slavery and bondage to sin Joh. 8. 34. Satan Eph. 2. 2. and to God's wrath Joh. 3. 36. for redemption presupposeth bondage In whom we have redemption 2. There was no delivery to be had from this bondage by prayer and intreaty nor by exchange of prisoners as in wars nor yet by strong hand and meer force but by paying of a price not to Satan who detaineth the Elect in slavery as a rigid Tyrant or mercilesse Jaylor from whom they are delivered by force Heb. 2. -14. but to God Eph. 2. 2. whose justice was wronged by the sins of the Elect and therefore behoved to be satisfied for redemption according to the force of the original word is a delivery by ransom and price 3. Jesus Christ is that Person by whom we have redemption from the fore-mentioned slavery this work by the counsel of the whole Trinity being put over upon Him as one who not only had right both of property to redeem the Elect being His creatures Heb. 1. 10. and of kinred Lev. 25. 48. as being our brother and of the same nature with us Heb. 2 14 but was also fitted to be our Redeemer a price to wit His humane nature being put in his hands to lay down Heb. 10. -5. and was able to redeem as being also God whereby His sufferings as man became a ransom of infinit value Act. 20. -28. for by saying In whom or in Christ we have redemption he saith that we have it by Him 4. We have this redemption not only by Christ but also in him which holdeth also in forgivenesse of sins He being the common store-house wherein the Elect have all their spiritual blessings treasured up even before they take their spiritual being from Him or get those blessings actually applied unto them as Adam's posterity have their original guiltinesse whence all actual transgressions flow treasured up in Him before they take their natural being from Him Rom. 5. 12. As also because this redemption and the fruits of it are not actually applied to the Elect until they be in Christ and by faith united to Him Joh. 3. 36. for saith he In whom meaning Christ we have redemption and forgivenesse of sins 5. The wrong done to infinit justice by our sin was so great that nothing performed by Christ could be a sufficient ransom in order to our redemption except he had crowned all his other actions and sufferings by laying down his life and undergoing a bloudy and violent death for We have redemption through his bloud to wit not as excluding his former obedience Rom. 5. 18 19. nor yet his other sufferings especially his soul-sufferings Isa. 53. 10. but as being the head-stone and compleating of all Joh. 19. 30. Doct. 6. Sin is a debt as being a wrong done against God obliging the sinner to repair God in his honour or otherwayes to underly the wrath of a provoked God for ever Rom. 6. 23 for the word forgivenesse in the Original and as it is used in Scripture is taken from those who are loosed out of a prison for debt The forgivenesse of sins 7. There is no delivery from this debt of sin and obligation to wrath because of sin but by pardon and forgivenesse It is an infinit debt and so cannot be satisfied by finit creatures for thus doth Paul expresse the way how the debt is removed even by forgivenesse of sins 8. Though the guilt of sin be removed by forgivenesse and therefore freely as to us yet that sin might be thus freely forgiven with the good leave of provoked justice forgivenesse of sin was purchased at a dear rate by Christ for as we have redemption through his bloud so also forgivenesse of sins 9. Jesus Christ hath this rich treasure of forgivenesse of sins which he hath bought by his bloud laid up in himself so that whensoever a sinner sensible of this weighty debt doth lay hold upon Christ by faith and is thereby ingraffed in Him his sins are freely pardoned and his debt remitted for In him saith he we have forgivenesse of sins 10. As that grace favour and good-will which God manifested in the salvation of sinners is a rich copious and abundant grace so nothing argueth the riches of this grace more than that from it do flow such excellent effects as the giving of Christ the Son of God to redeem slaves and rebels together with forgivenesse of sins they being infinit wrongs and there being many of them in every pardoned sinner Psal. 19. 12. And those not only ordinary infirmities but sometimes also heinous transgressions Psal. 51. 14. and yet free-grace pardoneth all and this not only in one but in all Believers in all ages and doth yet remain as full and overflowing in God to pardon self-condemned sinners as ever all which doth argue no lesse than a copious rich and abundant grace for the Apostle speaking of grace with relation to those two redemption and forgiveness which flow from it he calleth it a rich grace According to the riches of his grace saith he Vers. 8. Wherein the hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence THe Apostle doth thirdly speak of those spirituall blessings which were prepared in Election and purchased in that excellent work of Redemption as they are conveyed and applyed unto the Elect in their effectual calling whereby he carryeth-on his fore-mentioned scope in shewing That as God did give evident proofs of his free-grace and favour in all the former steps tending to salvation so he had manifested the abundant riches of his grace in the effectual calling of those Ephesians in so far as his eternal love which was before alwayes hid in a decree did no longer contain it self but overflowed in its effects towards them or in them as the word may be rendred which effects wrought by Gods grace in them he sheweth to be all wisdom and prudence under which are comprehended all the saving graces of God's Spirit in Believers if we take as we safely may take wisdom for the saving knowledge of divine mysteries and of such religious truths as are only to be believed and fall not under practice And prudence for that grace and vertue whereby we know our respective duties both to God and man and our actions and practices are ruled and ordered according to the prescript of God's Word for so the words are taken Col. 1. -9. Doct. 1. Whosoever are elected from eternity and for whomsoever Christ did give a ransom to provoked justice in the fulnesse of time all such in
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
region of the air he doth exercise it also in the earth and hell 1 Pet. 5. 8. and therefore these must not be here excluded but rather included as being below the region of the air It is described also from the subjects of his kingdom to wit those who are not only so obstinate in evil that they cannot be perswaded by any means to relinquish it as the word in the Original rendred disobedience implyeth but also are judicially given over to disobedience and fully under the power of it which is expressed while they are called children of disobedience according to the custom of the holy language whereby those who are fully given over and under the power of any vice are said to be the children of that vice Hos. 2. 4. concerning which obstinat sinners the Apostle affirmeth that the spirit of Satan did uncessantly and without intermission work most powerfully in them by driving them unto all manner of evil without any stay or hinderance See Joh. 8. 41 44. Doct. 1. The depth of man's naturall misery is so great that even the renewed Children of God cannot reach it at one view nor be sufficiently convinced of it until the Word of the Lord do frequently inculcate and lay it forth in its wofull parcels yea and bear-in upon them the truth of it by most convincing reasons taken from their own sense and experience for the Apostle speaking to the converted Ephesians seeth a necessity not only to declare in the general that they had been dead in sins and trespasses but also to prove it was so and to point-forth that wofull death at large in this verse Wherein in time past ye walked c. 2. Though even the Regenerate have a body of sin and death dwelling in them Rom. 7. 24. and do sometimes actually fall in sin yea even very grosse sins 2 Sam. 11. 4. and 12. 9. yet they do not walk in sin that is sin is not to the Child of God as the way to the travellor so as to make it his daily trade and imployment Psal. 1. 1. or to sin without any reluctancy flowing from a spirituall principle against that which he knoweth to be sin Gal. 5. 17. And so as to walk after sin by making sin and suggestions to sin his guide whom he doth willingly follow Rom. 8. -1. although sin may conquer and carry him as an unwilling captive Rom. 7. -14. c. for Paul maketh their walking in sin an argument to prove that they were dead in sin and therefore it cannot fall upon the Regenerate Wherein in time past ye walked 3. Such is the power of converting grace that it causes men change their former way and course though they have been never so much rooted in it and habituated to it for while he saith Wherein in time past ye walked he implyeth there was a change wrought and that they did not so walk in the time present 4. While Scripture affirmeth that Christ hath taken away the sins of the world Job 1. -29. and is a propitiation for the sins of the whole world 1 Joh. 2. 2. it is no cogent argument to prove that Christ hath died for all and every one in the world seing the word world doth not alwayes when mentioned in Scripture comprize all who are in the world but must be astricted to the universality of some certain kind of people in the world as the nature of the purpose in hand will bear for here the world whose course the unconverted Ephesians did follow must be the world of unrenewed men only and cannot be extended so as to comprehend the godly and renewed who were also in the world Ye walked according to the course of this world 5. The Lord is so far from being moved with the merit or worth of those whom He doth convert to bestow converting grace upon them rather than on others whom He leaveth in their unconverted state that He maketh this grace of His to fall upon such as are in no respect better than those whom He passeth by for those Ephesians before conversion walked according to the course of this world that is they were behind with none in sin and wickednesse 6. As the generall corrupt custom and example of those with whom we live or who have lived in the former ages of the world before us is a strong incitement and sufficient excuse in the minds of many to follow the multitude in doing evil without further enquiry So it argueth a man to be yet in an unrenewed estate when he maketh the example of others the highest rule according to which he walketh and laboureth to conform himself unto it more than to the will of God for the Apostle sheweth the general custom and course of the world was the rule by which they walked and an encouragement to them in their walk and maketh this an argument to prove they were then dead in sins and trespasses Wherein saith he in time past ye walked according to the course of this world 7. All men in their unrenewed state are very slaves to Satan whose wofull motions and suggestions they follow and whom they resemble and imitate in their sin and wickednesse for so much is implyed while he saith They walked according to the prince of the power of the air that is the Devil 8. Though the Devils and fallen Angels have alwayes an hell horror and torment in their conscience where-ever they are 2 Pet. 2. 4. yet they are not alwayes in hell that place of torment which is prepared for Devils and Reprobates Mat. 25. 41. they are also present in the earth and air and there through divine permission have no small power even so great as they are able to move the elements bring down fire upon earth Job 1. 16. raise storms Job 1. 19. to smite mens bodies with several diseases Job 2. 7. yea and to take away the lives of men Job 1. 19. and beasts Mark 5. 13. which power of theirs in its exercise is alwayes over-ruled and limited by God Job 1. 12. and 2. 6. in so far as His most holy and over-ruling providence doth thereby bring about His own design and purpose which is either to execute deserved judgment upon the wicked Mark 5. 13 17. or to exercise and try the godly Job 1. 12 c. for Satan is called Prince of the power of the air that is who hath power in the air 9. As the Devils are of a spiritual nature and substance and cannot be seen by bodily eyes but when they appear cloathed with bodies which belong not naturally unto them but for a time are assumed by them 1 Sam. 28. 14. So the way by which Satan doth impart his temptations unto us is not alwayes sensible but often unperceivable by the outward senses he doth most certainly tempt to sin and yet the tempted sinner perceiveth him not for as this spiritual and unperceivable way of tempting doth follow upon his spirituall and immateriall substance So
wonderfull and matchlesse love for saith he For His great love wherewith He loved us 9. The Lord hath love to the Elect even when they are children of wrath and liable in the course of justice to the stroke of His vindictive anger for although God could not with safety of His own justice bestow Heaven upon them when they were actually such yet nothing hindereth why He might not love them being such that is have a will and fixed resolution even when they were liable unto wrath to bestow Heaven upon them having first from that same love given His own Son to deliver them from that state of wrath that so what eternal love had resolved to give them might be actually bestowed upon them without doing injury to divine justice for ver 3. he sheweth they were children of wrath and here that God loved them and both these before He quickned them Wherewith He loved us saith he even in the by-past time 10. The doctrine of our natural misery and spirituall death through sin is a lesson most necessary to be learned which we have no great pleasure to learn and which we are prone to forget as to a deep and lively impression of it even when it is learned for the Apostle's repeating this doctrine almost in the same words by which he had expressed it ver 1. doth hint at all these Even when we were dead in sins saith he 11. There is no application of the doctrine of God's mercy in order to our delivery from sin and misery except the doctrine of sin and misery be first applied and taken with for Paul being to apply God's mercy in quickning sinners unto himself and his country-men the believing Jews he doth first apply the doctrine of natural sin and misery unto them while he doth now speak of himself and the Jews also whereas ver 1. he spoke of the Gentiles only as appeareth by the change of the person Even when we were dead in sins hath quickned us 12. Whatever a man be before his conversion as to the point of civility and right use of his natural parts yet he is looked upon by God when He cometh to quicken him as one dead in sins who can neither help himself nor merit help at God's hand for therfore doth the Apostle assert that they were dead in sins immediatly before yea and in the act of God's quickning of them while he saith Even when we were dead in sins He hath quickned us 13. The state of grace which sinners dead by nature are brought unto at their conversion and wherein they continue untill death is a state of life the sentence of eternall death which they were liable unto ver -3. being taken off Rom. 8. 1. there being also new principles and powers infused in them at their effectuall calling whereby they are enabled to do those actions of a spiritual life Ezek. 36. 26 27. which powers are also continually actuated and excited to their work by renewed influence from the Spirit of God Philip. 2. 13. and accompanied oftimes in their actings with assurance of God's love Rom. 8. 16. peace of conscience Rom. 5. 1 2. and joy unspeakable and full of glory 1 Pet. 1. 8. whereby also they have not only a right unto Joh. 3. 16. but also the first fruits and begun possession of eternall life Joh. 17. 3. for the Apostle expresseth God's bringing them to and continuing them in the state of grace by His quickning of them hath quickned us saith he 14. Though love and mercy in God do set Him on work to quicken dead sinners yet this work cannot be brought about or accomplished without the intervention of Christ's merit and intercession who behoved to satisfie divine justice and thereby acquire unto us those things which love and mercy had prepared for us Isa. 53. 5. seing they were all lost in Adam Rom. 5. 15 16. and who being now exalted doth also apply them to us Act. 5. 31. for notwithstanding of what was said ver 4. of God's mercy and love as the inward impulsive causes moving God to quicken them yet the Apostle here sheweth that their actual quickning had a necessary dependance upon Christ's merit and mediation while he saith He hath quickned us together with Christ. 15. That Jesus Christ behoved of necessity to strike-in with His merit and mediation hereby to acquire and apply saving grace and salvation unto us doth in nothing hinder but that notwithstanding our compleat salvation from the first step unto the last doth wholly flow from God's free grace seing it was of grace that the Father did send the Son to die for us Joh. 3. 16. It was of grace that the Son did undertake Joh. 15. 12 13. And it is no lesse grace that what He did or suffered should be accepted in our name Rom. 3. 24 25. So that all is of grace and free good-will as to us for the Apostle having pointed at the necessity of Christ's mediation in order to their quickning doth presently adde as in a parenthesis by grace are ye saved 16. There is an infallible connexion betwixt converting grace and salvation so that all those who are now converted and quickned shall be undoubtedly saved for what the Apostle calleth quickned in the former part of the verse he calleth saved in the close so that he taketh the one for the other He hath quickned us By grace are ye saved Vers. 6. And hath raised us up together and made us fit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus HEre are the other two branches of their delivery to wit first The raising of their bodies at the last day for their spiritual resurrection from the death of sin to newnesse of life was mentioned ver 5. Secondly Their glorification in Heaven both which are yet to come 2 Tim. 2. 18. Mat. 25. 34. And yet he speaketh of them as already past when the Father raised and glorified Christ because seing Christ in His resurrection and entering of heaven did sustain a publick person representing all the Elect as their Head and Atturney-generall Job 10. 15. Therefore He was judicially looked upon by God in those actions as if all the Elect had risen when He rose and taken possession of Heaven when He did enter it Hence it is that in the close of the verse it is added in Christ to shew we are not yet raised and glorified in our own persons but in Christ our Head And the Spirit of God doth choose to set forth their future resurrection and glorification by shewing these are already accomplished in Christ their Head rather than by saying God shall raise them up and glorifie them that he may with one and the same labour point out the dependencie which their resurrection and glorification have upon Christs as the effect upon the cause the thing promised upon the pledge thereof as also the undoubted certainty that those shall come to passe a certainty greater than that of a simple prediction and
the rule of good works in His Word Psal. 119. 9. and by examples also which make the rule more easie to be followed Heb. 12. 1. He reneweth their wills and furnisheth them with inward power and ability to do these works Ezek. 36. 27. and exciteth and actuateth that power by His renewed influence thereby making it to work Philip. 2. 13. In all which respects good works may be said to be prepared by God as the word rendred fore-ordained may also read which God hath fore-ordained or prepared that we should walk in them Vers. 11. Wherefore remember that ye being in time passed Gentiles in the flesh who are called uncircumcision by that which is called the circumcision in the flesh made by hands HEre beginneth the second part of the Chapter where the Apostle for the further establishment of those Ephesians in the Doctrine of salvation through free grace in Christ doth more largely insist upon the former purpose contained in the first part of the Chapter with a more particular application of it to the Ephesians and in them to all the Gentiles And first by exhorting them to remember their former misery while they were in Gentilisme he giveth in this and the following verse a most lively description of their then miserable state as first that they were in the flesh that is the flesh of their foreskine not being cut off by circumcision they were not only destituted of that ordinance but also of all other soul-saving ordinances of Gods Worship unto the enjoying whereof circumcision gave a right and entrance Exod. 12. 44. Secondly This their miserable estate was matter also of their reproach the Jews making their want of Circumcision a continuall upcast unto them which he hinteth at by shewing that the carnall Jews who were only circumcised in the flesh by the hands of men but not in their hearts by the Spirit of God did not cease to reproach the converted Christian Gentiles with uncircumcision even at that present time when circumcision and the rest of those Leviticall ordinances were now abrogated Doct. 1. Even Believers having attained to the sense of Gods mercy in Christ are very prone to forget that wo and misery which they were under before their delivery from it for the watchword here given to those Ephesians supposeth so much Wherefore remember saith he 2. Those who are converted ought frequently to remember and call to mind their sin and misery under which they were before God shew them mercy though not to take pleasure in the remembrance of it Ezek. 23. 19. 21. nor to despair of or question Gods mercy in order to their delivery from it Isa. 1. 18. yet that hereby they may be provoked to pity towards others who are yet in that state Tit. 3. 2 3. to greater fruitfulnesse in good works for the time to come Rom. 6. 19. and to magnifie the riches of Gods mercy in their delivery from that wofull state 1 Tim. 1. 13. 14. and that they may be kept humble under their present enjoyments Ezek. 20. 43. for therefore doth the Apostle exhort those Ephesians to remember their former sin and misery Wherefore remember saith he that in times past ye were 3. Christians in order to the more effectual bringing about of the forementioned ends ought not only remember that sin and misery which was common unto them with others but also and chiefly would search out and call to mind wherein their sin and misery did exceed the sin and misery of others for Paul biddeth them here remember that misery which in a great part was peculiar unto themselves as Gentiles and which they had more than the Jews Wherefore remember that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh 4. The consideration of Gods rich grace through Jesus Christ whereby alone He carrieth on the salvation of lost sinners in all its steps may be a great encouragement and a strong argument to inforce this duty of searching out and calling to mind our matchlesse sin and misery and that because this rich grace hath not only a remedy for all our sin and misery in it Rom. 5. 20. but also it is most perceived and felt in its sweet and lively effects when the soul is most affected with the sense of its own vilenesse Luk. 15. 21 22. for the Apostle having spoken of Gods rich grace whereby we are saved through faith in Christ he inferreth as a conclusion thence Wherefore remember that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh 5. Though it is now under the New Testament no more but much lesse miserable to be born a Gentile than to be born a Jew Rom. 11. 20. Yet to have been born a Gentile and not of Abrahams race was once to wit before Christ came in the flesh a sad and miserable lot for when he is calling to mind their former misery he biddeth them remember that they were in time past Gentiles 6. Those who are born without the bounds of the Church and live not under the drop of divine Ordinances are in a poor and wofull case as being not only under wrath and destitute of any actuall interest in the blessing which piece of misery is common to them with all the unregenerate whether within or without the visible Church See ver -2. but destitute also of all those means whereby the blessing useth to be conveyed Rom. 10. 14 15. so that their salvation is not in an ordinary way possible for while he is calling to mind their former misery he biddeth them remember they were Gentiles in the flesh that is destitute of Circumcision the leading ordinance and consequently destitute of all Ordinances having no part nor communion with Gods Church neither outwardly nor spiritually as he explaineth himself ver 12. 7. As the contemning even of outward Ordinances is no small sin before God 1 Sam. 2. 17. with 24. So it is matter of just shame and reproach before men which did hold especially in the contempt of Circumcision under the Old Testament it being then a seal of the Covenant Gen. 17. 10. the outward badge of the Lords people Gen. 17. 14. and a leading Ordinance giving right and entrance to the enjoyment of all other Ordinances Exod. 12. 44. and it doth no lesse hold in Baptism under the New Testament seing the Sacraments of the New Testament are of as much worth as the Sacraments of the Old and Baptism serveth for the same ends now which are presently mentioned to have been the uses for which Circumcision did serve then for although Paul doth only mention expresly that uncircumcision was unjustly cast up to the Christian Gentiles by the carnall and hypocriticall Jews in the present time wherein he wrote yet hereby he would have them to remember how this was matter of just reproach and upcast unto them even from the godly Jews in former times when Circumcision stood in force and that this disgrace and reproach was a part of their former misery See 1
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
the full consent of their will and benfall of their affections to think upon and delight in the fulfilling of their lascivious perulant and filthy lusts And thirdly which was the result of all the rest they acted all sort of uncleannesse with a sort of greedinesse and as it were striving who should do most mischief for a prize and reward Doct. 1. Though originall sin hath seazed upon the whole soul understanding will and affections yet the Lord hath keeped so much of the knowledge of Himself and of right and wrong in the understanding of naturall men as they may know in many things when they sin and do evil and so much of conscience as to accuse or excuse according to the nature of the fact Rom. 2. 15. whereupon followeth either grief or joy in their affections for while he saith they were past all feeling and lost all remorse he implieth they once had it before they came to that height 2. Wicked men may arrive to such an height of sin as to have no sense of sin no greif nor check nor challenge from conscience for it for this is to passe feeling which Paul affirmeth of those Gentiles who having past feeling 3. As one degree of sin maketh way for another so in particular hardnesse of heart and obstinacie in sin do eat out the edge of conscience making it wholly senslesse and stupid so that it giveth neither check nor challenge for sin for upon their hardnesse of heart did follow that which is here affirmed Who being past feeling 4. A watching conscience doing its duty is the strongest restraint from sin and where that is not all other restraints will serve for little purpose for upon their having past feeling he saith they gave themselves over to lasciviousnesse 5. When men do give themselves without check and restraint to think upon their sin with delight they cannot choose but fall out in the outward act of that sin though it were never so grosse for upon their giving themselves over to lasciviousnesse they gave themselves also to work all uncleannesse 6. For a man to be given over to lasciviousnesse and to fulfill his beastly lusts without all check or challenge it argueth a great height of impiety and such as speaketh a man ignorant of God judicially hardned in heart and altogether past feeling for he maketh this the result of all the fore-mentioned branches of their wickednesse even that they gave themselves over unto lasciviousnesse to work all wickednesse 7. As upon senslesse stupidity of conscience through frequent resisting of light there followeth an unsatiablenesse in sinning especially in the sin of uncleannesse that the more a man doth sin he is the more eager upon sin and can never have enough of it So when a man cometh to this he is then arrived at the greatest height of sin unto which ever the Heathens destitute of the knowledge of God did attain for this is the highest step of all that through hardnesse of heart being past feeling they did not only simply act uncleannesse but gave themselves to work all uncleannesse with greedinesse Vers. 20. But ye have not so learned Christ HE presseth the former exhortation set down ver 17. from this That the saving knowledge of Christ wherein they were instructed was inconsistent with such a licentious life as those other Gentiles lived in Doct. 1. The anatomizing of that vile monster sin and setting it forth in its blackest colours is not alone sufficient to scare the Lords people from it but such is the interest which sin hath in the best and such is their pronenesse to it that besides there must be other strong arguments made use of to keep them from falling in it for the Apostle having set forth the vilenesse of sin at length seeth it necessary here to super add another argument to inforce the former dehortation But ye have not so learned Christ saith he 2. As the giving of loose reigns to sin is inconsistent with the state of grace and the saving knowledge of Christ So there is no argument more prevalent with a gracious heart to keep them up from profanity and loosnesse than the through inculcating of this truth for among many other arguments Paul maketh choice of this But ye have not so learned Christ. 3. As true Believers must be schollars daily learning somwhat So the sum of all they have to learn and know is Christ He being the end of the Law Rom. 10. 4. and the great subject of the Gospel Col. 1. 27. in whom all the promises are Yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1. 20. for saith he ye have not so learned Christ. 4. There is no remedy or cure of our naturall corruption and of all those other filthy wounds and sores that follow upon it but in Christ Jesus being truely known imbraced and made use of as He is set forth in the Doctrine of the Gospel No moral precepts though inforced by most strong and moving considerations can reach the root of this wofull disease for he opposeth their learning Christ as the alone antidote against that vanity of mind with all its branches and degrees formerly spoken of But ye have not so learned Christ. 5. Accordingly as we are instructed and learned by Christ so we ought to walk and put that knowledge which we have of Him and from Him in practice for his scope is to prove they should not walk so because they had not learned Christ so Vers. 21. If so be that ye have heard him and have been taught by him as the truth is in Jesus HE doth here limit the former reason by showing the knowledge which they had of Christ was inconsistent with such a licentious life only upon this supposall if so by learning Christ preached they had been inwardly taught and instructed by Christ Himself in the truth and as the truth was in him who did not only know the truth but also practised what He knew so that His life was a true copie of that holinesse which is taught in the Gospel Matth. 11. 29. Doct. 1. It is not every sort of learning Christ or of knowledge that may be had of Christ which excludeth profanity and is in consistent with a licentious life Many do in a sort learn Him and know Him who abuse that knowledge they have of Him for making them sin the more securely Rom. 6. 1. even those who turn the grace of God to wantonnesse Jude ver 4. for he sheweth what he spake of that inconsistency which is between learning Christ and the practice of profanity doth not alwayes hold while he addeth this limitation if so be ye have heard him 2. Whatever grounds a Minister hath for charity to judge of all or any of the Lords people committed to his charge as truely gracious yet he ought to expresse that his judgement of them with so much warinesse and caution as ground may be given unto them to enquire in their own condition and search
Christs Ministers to presse upon the Lords people the mortification of sin or conscience-making of the duties of holinesse in the generall but seing people are apt to think that an sleight performance or faint endeavours are sufficient obedience to these generall exhortations therefore Ministers must condescend upon some particular vices chiefly such as are most commonly practised in the place where they are and some particular vertues which are most ordinarily sleighted pressing upon the Lords people to evidence their renovation by abstinence from the former and practising of the latter for Paul having indirectly at least exhorted them to put off the old man ver 22. and put on the new ver 24. doth now fall upon some particular vices and vertues dehorting from the one and exhorting to the other Wherefore putting away lying 2. There is no sin more unseemly in a Christian and more inconsistent with grace than the sin of lying there being no sin that maketh a man more like the devil Joh. 8. 44. more abominable to God Prov. 6. 16 17. nor more shamefull in the eyes of men so that even they who are most guilty of it cannot endure to be charged with it no sin more hurtful to the sinner as making him to be trusted by none and no sin which tendeth more to the utter overthrow of all humane societie fidelity and trust among men being that which maketh any society comfortable for the Apostle dehorteth from lying upon the ground of their putting on the new man as is implied in the illative particle Wherefore Wherefore putting away lying 3. As all kind of lying is intrinsically sin and to be avoided whether the pernicious officious or sporting lie See upon Col. 3. 8 9 doct 10. So there is no person of whatsoever rank whether rich or poor to whom God giveth any dispensation to lie or speak contrary to truth for he saith indefinitly putting away lying and speak every man truth without exception 4. Though we are not bound to speak all the truth and at all times and to every person but in some cases may and ought conceal somewhat of it Luk. 9. 21. 1 Sam. 16. 2. yet when we speak we are to speak nothing but truth and that without mentall reservation of any part of the purpose without which the rest which is spoken would not be truth but a lie for though it be sufficient for a man to think what is truth and not expresse it when he is speaking or meditating with himself yet he is to speak truth if so he speak at all when he speaketh with his neighbour speak every man truth with his neighbour saith he 5. This is a generall rule to be observed for the right understanding of divine precepts that where a sin is forbidden the contrary duty is also commanded and where a duty is commanded the contrary sin is also forbidden for the Apostle expounding here the ninth command doth not only exhort to lay aside lying but also to speak every man the truth with his neighbour 6. Though it be sinfull to lie and speak untruth unto any even to an infidel Ezek. 17. 16. yet it is more sinfull and most odious for Believers and Professors of the same faith because of their nearer bonds and relations to lie unto and deceive one another for so much the Apostles reason here used which is astricted only to such doth teach for we are members one of another saith he 7. It is not sufficient that a man abstain from lying and endeavour to speak truth with his neighbour from a motive of self-advantage and interest as knowing his doing otherwise would tend both to his losse and shame but he ought to be acted herein from a principle of love towards those with whom he speaketh chiefly if he conceive them to be Believers as to members of that same body for whose advantage and preservation especially he is bound to lay out himself in his place and station so far must he be from seeking to undermine them or deceive them for Paul will have them to put away lying and to speak the truth for this reason that they were all members one of another Vers. 26. Be ye angry and sin not let not the sun go down upon your wrath HE exhorteth them next to restrain and moderate their anger forbidden in the sixth command And 1. he as it were giveth them way to be angry sometimes and in some cases 2. He disswadeth them from sinfull anger or any unjust desire of revenge which is when anger is kindled rashly Prov. 14. 17. for no cause Matth. 5. 22. or a very light one 1 Cor. 13. 5 or when it exceedeth the just bounds Gen. 49. 7. And 3. if their anger at any time should exceed bounds and turn to wrath or bitternesse of spirit he exhorteth them to suppresse it speedily even before the Sun go down not cherishing that ill or for bearing themselves in it for the space of one night Doct. 1. Seing anger is a naturall affection planted in our first parents at the first creation yea and also was found in Christ Himself who was without sin Mark 3. 5. therefore it is not in it self a sin nor alwayes sinfull but as it is in its own nature indifferent and becometh good or evil according to the grounds causes objects and ends of it So it is sometimes and in some cases a necessary duty for a Christian to be angry to wit when anger floweth from zeal to Gods glory Joh. 2. 15. with 17. and love to our brother Prov. 13. 24. and when it is conceived upon just and weighty causes such chiefly as Gods dishonour whether by our own sins 2 Cor. 7. 11. or the sins of others Exod. 32. 19. when it is incensed not so much against the person of our brother as against his sin and therefore against that sin in our selves as much as in others Matth. 7. 5. when it doth not hinder other duties of love which we owe to the person whom we are angry with Exod. 32. 19. with 32. neither doth mar our accesse to God in prayer 1 Tim. 2. 8. and when we go not without the compasse of our calling by giving way to private revenge in the accomplishment of our anger Luke 9. 54. 55. In those cases anger is praise-worthy and commendable for the Apostle giveth way to anger yea after a sort commandeth it to wit in those cases be ye angry saith he 2. As there is an easie and ready passage from what is moderation in our naturall affections of joy fear grief desire and therefore lawfull and in some cases necessary to what is excesse and therefore sinfull Psal. 2. -11 So this doth chiefly hold in the affection of anger it being most difficile to keep a measure and not to exceed by transgressing some one or other of the fore-mentioned limitations of just anger when it is once given way to for therefore doth he add this necessary caution Be angry but sin
not 3. As it is possible even in the childe of God for lawfull anger to degenerate in sinfull wrath whereby the mind is imbittered and accordingly rageth against the person of him who hath done the wrong So an implacable spirit which cannot be worn out by length of time is not so incident to any such for the Apostle supponeth they may have wrath only they might not entertain it long while he saith Let not the sun go down upon your wrath 4. The childe of God in his resisting sin is not to sit down discouraged nor give the back when sin prevaileth but having received a new recruit of strength from Christ by the exercise of faith in prayer 2 Cor. 12. 8. he is with renewed courage to set upon sin a-fresh that so he may recover what was formerly lost for Paul enjoyneth in case their anger should at any time exceed to set against it without delay Let not the sun go down upon your wrath Vers. 27. Neither give place to the devil HE giveth a reason of the former exhortation set down by way of precept to wit that by giving way to excessive anger and by persevering in it for any space of time they should cast open doors to Sathan the capital enemie of mans salvation to enter their hearts and to incite them by his uncessant suggestions to act some mischief Doct. 1. As Sathan is dethroned and shut to the doors of the hearts of all such as are true believers So though he shall never reign again over them at his pleasure Rom. 6. 14. Yet he is daily watching and searching out if it were but the narrowest passage and least opportuniy whereby he may again re-enter his old possession and exercise his former tyrannie for both those are implyed while he saith neither give place to the devil 2. Where any known sin especially excessive anger is not only given way to but also continued in there doth Sathan get an open door to setle himself in the heart and exercise his power by inciting the person guilty to commit more of wickednesse and mischief for he sheweth that by their persevering in wrath they would give place to the devil 3. As Sathan doth not slip an offered opportunity of recovering his former interest in the heart So where he gaineth any ground though for never so short a space he stirreth his time and through Gods permission maketh fearfull havock and a doolfull decay of the work of grace for while he holdeth this forth as an argument against their persevering in excessive anger that thereby they should cast open doors for the devil to enter it is implyed that he would take place when it were given and bestir his time in exciting them to act mischief otherwise the argument should not be of such force neither give place to the devil Vers. 28. Let him that stole steal no more but rather let him labour working with his hands the thing which is good that he may have to give to him that needeth HE doth thirdly exhort those who when they were un-converted Pagans did contrary to the eighth command steal their neighbours goods or who were yet after their professing faith in Jesus Christ guilty of that sin in some degrees and respects that they would steal no more where by the sin of stealing is meaned all those fraudulent and deceitfull wayes whereby a man doth wrong his neighbour secretly and without his knowledge in his goods or outward estate whether by taking Joh 20. 19. or withholding from him what is his Iam. 5. 4. or by partaking with such as do so Psal. 50. 18. He exhorteth them also to the contrary duty as a remedy of this evil even that they would rather labour diligently and to wearinesse as the word signifieth in any good and honest calling if it were but in some mechanick or handy-trade The use of which remedy is inforced from a following advantage to wit that hereby and through Gods blessing upon their diligence they should acquire not only a competencie in things worldly unto themselves and so be keept from a necessity of stealing but also might be able to bestow somwhat for supplying the necessities of others Doct. 1. As Jesus Christ doth not reject the vilest no not theeves nor worse for any thing they have been providing they amend their life in time coming So there are many who after they have taken on a name of profession do secretly live in the practice of base and shamfull sins which hardly can be called the spots of children for while he saith Let him that stole or doth steal as the word beareth steal no more it is supponed that some of those Ephesians were guilty of this sin before an offer of mercy was made to them in the Gospel yea and that some were yet living in it 2. It hath seemed good unto the wise Creator of all things for eschewing of confusion strife contention and other infinit evils for tryall of the charity of some and patience of others to establish property and dominion of goods and possessions and not to leave all things common among men so that every one should have an equall right unto all for if there were no propriety of goods there could not be such a sin as stealing neither were it necessary to forbid it as the Spirit of God doth here Let him that stole steal no more 3. As want of a particular calling or idlenesse in it occasioneth poverty and want by reason whereof men are cast upon tentations to steal and use such other sinfull shifts to keep them from straits So it is the Lords will that every one betake himself to labour diligently in some lawfull calling and employment as a remedy not only against this evil of stealing but severall others also which flow from idlenesse and too much ease 2 Thess. 3. 12. Psal. 73. 5. for the Apostle having forbidden them to steal subjoyneth this as a remedy rather let him labour working with his hands 4. Though it be not absolutely necessary nor yet convenient or possible that every man should betake himself to some mechanick calling or handy-trade and therein to labour with his hands seing every one is not able to go about any such calling and there are other lawfull callings which require no lesse labour with the mind than those do of labour with the hands 1 Tim. 5. 17. yet there is no calling so base providing it be honest to which a man should not betake himself whatever he be for birth and nobility of descent and spend his strength therein even to wearinesse rather than to steal or use any sinfull shift to save himself from straits for saith he let him steal no more but rather let him labour working with his hands 4. Even those things that were imposed upon fallen mankind for a curse and punishment of sin have their nature changed unto Believers and are turned unto a blessing and an effectuall remedy against sin for Gen. 3.
19. it is imposed upon Adam as a part of the curse in the sweat of his face to eat his bread and here it is enjoyned and commended by the Apostle unto Believers as an effectuall remedy against the evil of stealing but rather let him labour working with his hands 5. No necessity or want whatsoever can warrand a man to imploy himself in any calling which is not lawful and honest or tendeth only to gratifie mens lusts of pride vanity prodigality and uncleanness this calling ought to be such as he may therein serve God with a good conscience Col. 3. 23. and promove the good either of the Church familie or common wealth Gal. 5. 13 for to prevent stealing he doth astrict them in their choise only to good and lawfull callings while he saith Let him labour working with his hands the thing which is good 6. The Lords ordinary way is to blesse a mans conscientious diligence in his lawfull calling with such a measure of successe as he may have whereby to sustain himself and to be helpfull unto others except the Lord see it otherwise fitting for the mans triall and the exercise of his faith patience and other graces 2 Cor. 8. 2. for the end of labouring in a lawfull calling here proponed is for the most part attained else it had been no encouragment even that he may have to give to him that needeth 7. As it is the duty of all whom God hath blessed with any measure of worldly substance to bestow some part of it for the help of others So we ought in the exercise of our callings as we would expect the Lords blessing upon it to intend not only the enriching of our selves and ours but also that we may have whereby to do good unto others for he sheweth they were to aime at this end while they wrought with their hands that they might have to give to him that needeth 8. As not only the rich but even the poor labourer who hardly getteth his livelyhood with the work of his hands is bound to give his mite for the help of the indigent So we ought to give alms of that which is our own lawfully purchased and not of the gain of oppression or hire of an harlot Deut. 23. 18. for saith he Let him work that which is good that he may have to give to him that needeth 9. As the Lord seeth it fitting to keep alwayes some among His People poor and indigent even objects of charity for the exercise of their faith and patience and for the trial of the charity and compassion of others Deut. 15. 11. So those only are to be relieved by our charity who are needy indigent and cannot relieve themselves but not such as being able to work in a lawfull calling do rather choose a life of ease and idlenesse and to live upon the charity of others for he saith that he may have to give to him that needeth Vers. 29. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth but that which is good to the use of edifying that it may minister grace unto the hearers HEre is a fourth exhortation wherein he giveth direction for the right ordering of the tongue and first he forbiddeth them to utter corrupt or unsavory and putrified communication or speech whereby is meaned all discourse not tending to the glory of God and edification of our neighbour as appeareth from the latter part of the verse where edifying conference is opposed to this corrupt communication but mainly all obscene scurril ranting and arrogant discourse is here intended even such as argueth a rotten and unrenewed heart Matth. 12. 35. and proveth not only noisom and unsavory to honest ears but also contagious and infecting to ordinary hearers 1 Cor. 15. 33. even as a stinking breath unto which he seemeth here to allude argueth rotten lungs doth prove unsavoury yea and if the party be taken with any contagious disease dangerous also unto those who stand by lest they be infected by it Next he enjoyneth the contrary duty that their discourse and communication should be good and usefull for the edification of hearers even such as may minister grace unto them that is which may be a mean blessed of God for begetting or carrying on the work of grace in them and for that end may be so proponed as it should prove most taking gracious and acceptable unto them See upon Col. 3. -16. and 4. 6. Doct. 1. It is the duty of renewed Christians as to watch over the heart and hand so in a special way to guard against the sins of the tongue seing they must make an accompt to God even for words Matth. 12. 36. and their sinfully vain frothy and rotten discourse doth argue such a heart from the abundance whereof the mouth doth speak Matth. 12. 34. yea and maketh the heart more perverse and wicked while the corruption which is in it doth strengthen it self by getting vent 2 Tim. 3. 13. and proveth also contagious to the hearers 1 Cor. 15. 33. for the Apostle having disswaded them from the sins of the heart and hand doth now disswade them from the sins of the tongue Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth 2. As our corrupt hearts which in the best are but renewed in part are very ready to hatch impure vain and unprofitable corruptions and to presse the venting of those by the tongue in vain and corrupt communication So it is the renewed mans duty and ought to be his care to keep a watch at the door of his lips Psal. 141. 3. that though he cannot get his heart keeped from framing such conceptions yet at least he may preserve his tongue from venting of them seing our corrupt conceptions do not only prove more dishonourable to God when they are vented in expressions but also in that case they prove offensive and hurtfull unto others 1 Cor. 15. 33. for the Apostle supposing that such impure stuffe would somtimes breed in the heart and seek a passage he commandeth Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth 3. As there is no sin which wanteth a remedy So the most proper remedy of every sin is not only to set against the sin it self but also to set about the practice of the contrary vertue for Paul prescribeth this remedy as against the sins fore-mentioned so against this Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth but that which is good saith he 4. It is not sufficient to retrain our tongue from speaking evil keeping alwayes silence but seing our tongue is our glory Psal. 57. 8. and given unto us not only for the use of rafting carrying down to the throat our meat and drink but also to expresse the conceptions of our heart to the glory of God and edification of our neighbour therefore we must also exercise our tongue in speaking what is good for so doth the Apostle command Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth but
that which is good 5. It is the duty not only of Ministers but of private Christians also keeping themselves within the bounds of their calling Heb. 5. 4. to endeavour the edification of those with whom they converse while they labour either to beget or carry on the work of grace in them and this not only by their good example but by their edifying discourse and communication for he speaketh to all indifferently while he saith Let no communication come out of your mouth but that which is good to the use of edifying 5. We are not left to run at random in our ordinary discourses as if we might speak what we please providing we speak not evil but are tied only to speak edifying purpose and this at all times and with all persons Col. 4. 6. whether we be speaking of things religious or which appertain to our particular calling or recreations for as it is lawfull and necessary for Christians sometimes to speak of those things so there is such a way to speak of them as the hearers may be bettered by our speech But that which is good to the use of edifying 6. As godly discourse and conference ought to be heard and entertained by those who are present So although the Word preached be the ordinary mean of converting sinners Rom. 10. 14 15. yet the Lord is sometimes pleased to blesse the familiar and secret discourses of private Christians being spoken with grace and seasoned with the salt of divine wisdom by making them a mean of conveying grace unto others even to some whom no publick preaching of the Word could ever move or work upon 1 Pet. 3. 1. for the end of speaking good to the use of edifying here proponed is attainable else it had been no strong motive to the duty That it may minister grace unto the hearers Vers. 30. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption HE doth here inforce the former disswasive by a strong reason set down in form of precept the force whereof is first propounded that by their obscene unprofitable and unedifying discourse they would grieve the holy Spirit of God who is called holy because He is holy in Himself Isa. 6. 3. and the cause of all holinesse in us Rom. 15. 16. And we are are said to grieve Him not as if He who is God could be grieved properly for the passions of grief anger sorrow c. as implying some defect or imperfection are not in God Numb 23. 19. But improperly and in so far as we do that which in it self is apt to grieve Him if He were capable of grief Rom. 14. -15. and which provoketh the Spirit of God to do that which grieved persons do even to withdraw from the soul to shew His dislike and to return grief for grief This reason is next inforced from one work of the holy Spirit in the hearts of Believers which is here called sealing by a metaphor taken from that use of seals and signets among men whereby publick writs are confirmed and made authentick or the wares of merchands are marked and set apart for their own use In like manner the Spirit of God by renewing and sanctifying Believers imprinteth the draughts and lineaments of His own image upon them whereby they are not only set apart and sealed as His own peculiar goods but themselves also may be assured that they are His and shall be safely keeped under that seal untill the day of judgement called here the day of redemption See upon chapter 1. ver 13. and therefore by grieving the Spirit they did hazard the removall of this seal at least darken it much and consequently mar their own comfort exceedingly Doct. 1. The holy Ghost the third person of the blessed Trinity is graciously pleased to become in a singular manner familiar with the truely regenerate taking up a place of abode in their spirits and furnishing them with sweet and necessary counsel and advice from time to time 1 Joh. 2. 27. for as we shew His being grieved doth speak His withdrawing from them and a ceasing from being so friendly and familiar with them as a stranger will do from an inne wherein he hath received some affront which implieth that He was once present and familiar with them And grieve not the holy Spirit of God 2. How friendly and familiar soever the holy Spirit of God be with the believing soul yet so holy and pure is His Nature that he can behold no iniquity Hab. 1. 13. but when those that are dearest to Him give any way to known sin He must shew Himself displeasd with it and with them for it for so much is supponed while the Apostle disswading them from sin sheweth this holy Spirit of God will be grieved by it And grieve not the holy Spirit of God 3. However many by their obscene and putrid discourse intend no further than to make themselves or others joviall and glad Hos. 7. 3. yet hereby and by such other sins of the like stamp as being against the motions light and direction of the Spirit this holy Spirit of God is much displeased and so much as persons grived use to be and therefore will withdraw His gracious and conforting presence with all those other tokens of His respect and favour from the person by whom He hath been grieved Isa. 57. -17. leaving him to be guided for a time by his own spirit and the spirit of Satan Psal. 81. 12. and giving him over to a kind of desperate grief and hellish horrour Psal. 32. 3 4. or senslesse stupidity Isa. 63. 17. as a just reward for grieving the holy Spirit of God for Paul sheweth that by their putrid communication they would grieve the Spirit of God and make Him do what grieved persons use to do while he saith And grieve not the holy Spirit of God 4. As those spirituall plagues inflicted upon our spirits for grieving of the Spirit of God and following upon His withdrawing from us are most terrible so the childe of God not only may but ought to skare at and abstain from sin even that he may be preserved from those spirituall plagues and judgements though neither love to duty nor fear of an other correction do constrain him for the Apostle laboureth to deter them from the sin of loose speaking by this consideration as being of greatest force even lest thereby they should grieve the Spirit And grieve not the holy Spirit of God saith he 5. Though the redemption of Gods children be perfected in regard of the price payed by Christ Joh. 19. 30. yet in regard of the application of it unto us it is but begun in this world and perfected in the next for he speaketh of our compleat redemption as yet to come Whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption 6. Those whom God will compleatly redeem from all sin and misery both in soul and body and from whose eyes He will wipe away
all tears at the last day are only such upon whom the Spirit of God doth imprint the draughts of His own image in righteousnesse and holinesse as the impression of the draughts and lineaments of a seal or by sealing put upon the thing sealed for he saith by whom meaning the holy Spirit we are sealed unto the day of redemption 7. Upon whomsoever the Spirit of God doth imprint this seal and stamp of true holinesse and of joy peace and comfort flowing therefrom all such shall be securely keeped and preserved as Gods own peculiar treasure by the power of God unto salvation to be fully manifested and compleatly bestowed at the last day for they are sealed unto the day of redemption a metaphor as we shew from merchands who leaving their wares behind them do put their mark and seal upon them untill such a day wherein they will come and own them 8. By vertue of this sealing and stamp of sanctification peace and joy imprinted by the Spirit of God upon the hearts of Believers even they themselves may attain to know assuredly that they are in the state of grace and shall be preserved in it untill the great day for as this sealing of them by imprinting the draughts of Gods image upon them is a discriminating mark betwixt them and others so it serveth not so much to make it known to God that they are His who knoweth who are His from all eternity and antecedentally to their effectual calling 2 Tim. 2. -19 or to make it known unto others who cannot infallibly discern the grace of God in any but themselves 1 King 8. -39. as unto themselves otherwise the Apostle would not have used a forcible argument not to grieve the Spirit from His sealing of them if it were a thing which could not be certainly known but guessed at by them Grieve not the Spirit by whom ye are sealed unto the day of redemption 9. So far is the work of grace in Believers or their assurance of being in a state of grace flowing herefrom and wrought in them by the Spirit of God from breeding security and loosnesse of life that by the contrary there can be no such prevailing argument to make them abhor sin entertain and follow the motions of the Spirit of God and consequently to lead an holy life Not only ingenuity and gratitude for the favour received will bind them to it but also holy fear and circumspection lest otherwise they mar and darken the seal so as they cannot discern the draughts of it and consequently lose though not the seal it self 1 Joh. 3. 9. yet the comfort and assurance which they had by it Psal. 30. -7. for the Apostle useth this as an argument to keep them from grieving the Spirit by sin even because they were thereby sealed unto the day of redemption Vers. 31. Let all bitternesse and wrath and anger and clamour and evil-speaking be put away from you with all malice HEre is a fifth precept containing an amplification and illustration of the second given ver 25. concerning the restraining of anger and he doth illustrate it by forbidding the several branches degrees and effects of that evil as first all bitternesse whereby must be understood here the lowest degree of sinfull anger even all secret smothered displeasure and alienation of affection which hath more of discontent and grudge than of revenge in it Psal. 37. 1. Secondly wrath or fiercenesse which is an impetuous rage and passionate commotion of the heart and affections upon the sense of an apprehended or reall injurie preventing and obstructing the use of reason which being soon up is as soon allayed 1 Sam. 25. 21 22. with 32. Thirdly anger which as it is distinguished from the rest is an eager desire of revenge and a fixed resolution after deliberation to have that desire satisfied Act. 23. 12. Fourthly clamour whereby is meaned boisterous words loud menaces and other inordinate speaches which are the black smoke whereby the fire of anger and wrath kindled within doth first manifest it self Act. 15. 39. Fifthly evil speaking or blasphemie as the word signifieth a further fruit of wrath and anger to wit disgracefull and contumelious speeches by which the party incensed doth endeavour to stain the reputation of him who either really or to his apprehension only hath done him wrong 1 Sam. 20. 30. And sixthly malice which is rooted anger and continuing wrath making the person in whom it is daily intent upon all occasions of revenge and wholly implacable untill he get his vindictive humour satisfied Rom 〈◊〉 31 Doct. 1. Bitternesse wrath anger clamour evil-speaking and malice do grieve the holy Spirit of God and darken much the work of grace in the heart whereby he sealeth Believers there being no sins more opposit to the fruits of the Spirit mentioned Gal. 5. 22. than those are so that where such sins are given way to grace must be upon the decaying hand for the Apostle unto that command grieve not the Spirit immediately subjoyneth this let all bitternesse and wrath and anger be put away implying that otherwise they would grieve the Spirit 2. So subtile is sin and so impotent and unskilfull are we to resist it where it once getteth entry that one degree of sin doth still make way for a further and so goeth on from evil to worse and therefore the wisest course is to oppose it betimes lest by forbearance it gather strength for the Apostle doth here set down severall degrees of sinfull anger the former whereof doth still make way for the latter and the latter is alwayes worse and a step nearer to the height than the former Let all bitternesse wrath and anger c. 3. It is not enough for Christians to refrain from the venting of their passions in their inordinate expressions and actions but they must also and in order to their refraining from those set about the rectifying of their inward affections and most secret distempers of their spirit otherwise if the flame of anger and wrath doth burn within it will most readily send up a black smoke of clamour and evil speaking to the offence of others for Paul forbiddeth not only clamour and evil-speaking but also all bitternesse wrath and anger 4. Sins of the tongue and outward man are to be put away and mortified as well as sins of the heart they being in some respect more dangerous Matth. 18. 7. because more scandalous and alwayes implying a defiled heart from which they flow Matth. 15. 19. and which they render worse than formerly it was Let all clamour and evil-speaking be put away saith he 5. It is not sufficient to suppresse keep at under and weaken our corruptions we ought to aim at and rest satisfied with nothing lesse than the totall subduing through removall and plucking of them up by the very roots for he saith Let all bitternesse c. he put away the word signifieth Let it be lifted up and so destroyed Vers. 32. And be
there is an easie passage from what is allowed to that which is forbidden And jesting saith he 4. It is not sufficient for Ministers to forbid and reprove sins under such and such general heads but seing people either through ignorance cannot or wickednesse will not see or lazinesse care not to see the evil of severall particular sins contained under those generall heads therefore they are bound in their reproofs and prohibitions to fall upon the particular branches and instances of that evill which they speak against for the Apostle chap. 4. ver 29. having spoken against corrupt communication in the general doth here enumerate three distinct branches of that evill filthy speaking foolish talking and jesting 5. Called Saints and Christians should be so tender in walking as that they scare not only at those evils which are palpably grosse and cryed-out against by all but also at every other thing which is unbeseeming their profession or inconvenient and disadvantagious to the Gospel or their own peace for the Apostle disswadeth from those sins upon this ground that they are not convenient 6. A choice remedy against filthy speaking foolish talking jesting and other sins in our ordinary communication is to have our hearts alwayes keeped so sensible of Gods goodnesse and so desirous to expresse what sense we have thereof unto others that whenever occasion offereth we may gladly lay hold on that subject rather than on any other and thereby provoke others to do the like for so we should not be necessitated as oft-times in a kind we are to fall upon sinfull vain and idle communication through penury and want of better purpose hence the Apostle as a remedy against the fore-mentioned evils prescribeth giving of thanks 7. There is not any case incident to a Christian but if he search throughly there will be found some ground for thanksgiving and rejoycing though not in himself yet in Gods dealing with him whether for mercies bestowed or judgments not inflicted Philip. 2. 27. for while Paul commandeth them to exercise themselves and cheer up one another with giving of thanks in stead of foolish talking and jesting he supponeth there will be alwayes reason of thanksgiving But rather giving of thanks 8. Though Saints may and are bound sometimes and in some cases to confesse their faults one to another Iam. 5. 16. and consequently may regrate their spiritual losses and decay yea and may also speak of what concerneth their worldly affairs Gen. 31. 38. Yet it is not only most seemly but also a thriving way for the inward man not to dwell alwayes upon heartlesse regrates for what they want but to adde at least a mixture of chearfull acknowledgement of what they already have giving hearty thanks to God for it for as the Apostle doth not astrict them only to giving of thanks in their conference and discourse So he doth recommend it as the choicest subject to be most frequently insisted on But rather giving of thanks Vers. 5. For this ye know that no whoremonger nor unclean person nor covetous man who is an idolater hath any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and of God HE doth further inforce the dehortation by a new argument wherein is more of terrour than in the former and that it may be more terrible and pungent he appealeth to their own conscience and knowledge for the truth of what he is to affirm to wit that all impenitent persisters for of such only this and the like threatnings are to be understood Jer. 18. 7. 8. in any of those three vices mentioned ver 3. which holdeth also by proportion in the other three mentioned ver 4. as being so neer of kin to the former were deprived of all present right unto and should never come to the possession of that blessed state of eternal glory in heaven which glorious state is here called a Kingdom and inheritance See reasons hereof upon Gal. 5. 21. doct 9. and the Kingdom of Christ because it is His as He is Mediator by donation from the Father Psal. 2. 8. in so far as the Father hath intrusted Him with the administration of the Kingdom of grace here Matth. 28. ver 18. by which means an entrance is made for the Elect into the Kingdom of glory Joh. 14. 2 3. It is called also the Kingdom of God or the whole persons of the blessed Trinity distinct from Christ as Mediator because it is Gods by originall right and as absolute King of this Kingdom who is accountable to none 1 Cor. 15. 28. This argument is further strengthened by joyning another upon the by with it while he deterreth them from one of the fore-mentioned evils to wit covetousnesse by calling the covetous man an Idolater because he setteth his prime affections of love and confidence upon riches 1 Tim. 6. 16. Prov. 18. 11. holdeth them for an universall good sufficient for all things Luk. 12. 19. as God only is 2 Cor. 9. 8. and because he beareth such respect unto them that he dare not freely make use of them Eccles. 6. 2. and serveth them with his heart as some god-head Matth. 6. -24. Hence Learn 1. So strong is the interest of sin even in the best and so violent are those tentations especially which drive men towards the fulfilling of their fleshly lusts That although a man be convinced of the great evil which is in them and the losse of heaven which doth follow upon his living in them yet there is no small hazard when such tentations are presented of yeelding to them for he taketh it for granted they knew the hazard of living in those sins and yet doth see it necessary to set them on their guard against them for this ye know that no whoremonger c. 2. The Lords servants are not to flatter people in any beloved sin upon pretence of rendering them thereby more tractable and obedient in other things but must discover the evil of all sin excepting none though it were never so generally practised yea and pleaded-for by those to whom they preach for this sin of uncleannesse chiefly of fornication was commonly practised and pleaded-for as no sin among the Gentiles yet Paul at his first preaching the Gospel to those Ephesians had spoken against it and convinced them of the ill which is in it Hence he saith so confidently for this ye know that no whoremonger hath any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ. 3. As this doth highly aggreage a sin that it is committed against our knowledge So the moe and weightier aggravations that any sin is liable unto when it is committed we ought to be the more deterred from the committing of it for he mindeth them of their knowing the danger that would follow upon those sins hereby implying their guilt would be the more weighty if they should commit them that so they might be deterred from them For this ye know that no whoremonger c. 4. Prohibitions and threatnings denounced in Scripture against any
grosse externall sin are to be extended unto all the causes means occasions and appearances of that sin and provocations to it for this threatning against whoredom and uncleannesse is to be applied unto filthy speaking foolish talking and jesting as being either causes occasions appearances of or provocations unto those otherwise the threatning would not be of force to presse the former dehortation in its full latitude No whoremonger nor unclean person hath any inheritance 5. The doolfull sad event and dreadfull consequence of sin would be seriously represented by Christ's servants unto the Lords people and by people to their own conscience there being nothing of greater force to cool the vehement heat of sinfull lusts than the frequent and serious consideration of their dreadful issue for Paul to scare them from fornication and uncleannesse presenteth unto them the event of all such work even losse of heaven and happinesse No whoremonger-hath any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ. 6. The reign of sin in the heart cannot consist with true grace and a right to heaven and therefore the truely regenerate in whom the seed of God abideth are never so far left of God as that sin should reign in them and they give willing obedience to it with the full swey and consent of the heart There must be alwayes a party acting for God in some degree lesse or more within them at least not consenting to act against Him even when they are at the worst and possibly overcome with some grosse tentation in which respect they cannot be the whoremonger unclean or covetous person here spoken of to wit one in whom such sins reign for saith he none such have any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ. He speaketh of somewhat which they presently want and others have which must be a right to the Kingdom of glory or a present portion in the Kingdom of grace 7. To whatsoever a man doth give that outward or inward worship and service which is only due to God that thing though it were never so base is that man's god who is thereby rendered guilty of Idolatry and of giving divine worship unto a false God though he think not so for the covetous man is called an Idolater and consequently riches are his god because he setteth his prime affections of love and confidence upon them in that measure which is only due to God Nor covetous man who is an Idolater 8. There is no accesse for lost sinners unto the Kingdom of God in glory but by Jesus Christ the Mediator who is the way the truth and the life and without whom none cometh unto the Father Joh. 14. 6. for it is the Kingdom of Christ and of God Christ is first named because we make entrance by Him in this Kingdom Vers. 6. Let no man deceive you with vain words for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience THe Apostle in this verse doth first give them a watchword to guard against the suggestions of any who would labour to perswade them that either the practices reproved were no sins at all or at least not so dangerous as he affirmed and calleth all such suggestions vain or deceiving words as having no solidity of truth in them but only some plausible pretext Secondly he confirmeth and further strengtheneth the former argument while he sheweth that not only these sins do exclude from heaven but also because of those Gods wrath that is temporall and eternall judgements the effects of Gods wrath or of His holy sin-pursuing justice doth come and is alwayes and at all times coming upon the children of disobedience that is those who having willingly hardened themselves in wickednesse are judicially plagued with hardnesse of heart See upon chap. 2. ver 3. Doct. 1. The servants of Jesus Christ ought to be through and serious in the reproof of sin not doing the work of the Lord negligently or by halfs they must not only start and discover those sins which the Lord's people are in hazard to be surprized with and to lay open the dangerous dreadfull and doolfull consequences of living in them but also pursue them through all the lurking holes and subterfuges of specious pretences and fecklesse excuses under which they use to lurk untill no place of refuge be left for them in peoples hearts for so doth Paul having forbidden those evils and shown the dangerous consequence of living in them he striketh off at one word the fig-tree leaves of all such vain excuses whereby sinners use to plead for them Let no man deceive you with vain words saith he 2. So corrupt and fleshly are we by nature that we are not only prone and bent to commit sin but also ingenious and witty to excuse and extenuate our sin and thereby to seduce our own hearts into a belief that either sin is no sin or that we shall be free of judgment though we live in sin for those who labour to deceive others this way by making them think light of sin do first deceive themselves Let no man deceive you with vain words saith he 3. It is the usuall course and strain of those who have given themselves over unto the slavery of sin to use the utmost of their wit and endeavours to draw on others to do the like and for this end to deceive them by making them believe that sins are but petty slips small escapes humane infirmities that God's patience suffereth all things that His grace pardoneth every thing that no man can be perfect and the rarest Saints have fallen in as great faults and such like vain words which the Apostle doth here guard against Let no man deceive you with vain words 4. All such opinions and reasonings as tend to cast a covering over sin to extenuate and hide the vilenesse of it and the terrour of judgment belonging to it are but vain even spiders webs sandy foundations fig-tree leaves untempered morter and will in end but mock all those who listen to them for so doth the Apostle affirm of them Let no man deceive you with vain words 5. Though we are to fear and avoid sin principally because it is sin and displeasing to God supponing there were no hell nor punishment due to sin Gen. 39. -9. yet we may and ought in the second place fear and abstain from it because it draweth down Gods wrath and judgement for he holdeth forth the terrour of Gods wrath as an argument to scare them from those sins for because of these things cometh the wrath 6. The terrible threatnings denounced in Scripture against such and such sinners some whereof declare the sinners exclusion from heaven and others his unspeakable torment in hell are verified not in all who have once or often fallen in any such sins but in those only who have hardened themselves in them rejecting all admonitions to the contrary and do remain obstinate and impenitent untill death for he expoundeth whom he meaneth by the
was as not to question far lesse deny but confidently avow what he now by grace is and that because not only the joynt consideration of both maketh them shine forth more clearly in their own colours but also our fixing our eye upon the former without avowing the latter doth breed discouragement unthankfulnesse and in progresse of time heartlesse dispare of an outgate from the wofull state wherein we apprehend our selves yet to be for the Apostle representeth to their view both those joyntly Ye were sometimes darknesse but now ye are light 3. Believers can never attain to read the happinesse of their present state through grace so long as they fix their eye only upon what they are in themselves nor yet untill they consider what they are in Christ and by vertue of that fulnesse of perfections in Him which not only floweth forth to them in the streams according to their measure Joh. 1. 16. but also is imputed to them in the fountain 1 Cor. 5. 21. and therefore may be looked upon by them as their own for although he calleth them darknesse absolutely and in themselves yet they are light not in themselves but in the Lord Christ. 4. Our former darknesse of ignorance and profanity wherein we have for a long time lived is so far from being an argument to make us continue in our former wofull course that on the contrary we ought from the consideration thereof be incited to take up our selves and live more tenderly for the time to come seing the time past of our life may suffice usto have walked in a godlesse course 1 Pet. 4. 3. for Paul maketh this an argument why they should not any longer partake with obstinate sinners in their godlesse course for saith he ye were sometimes darknesse 5. Neither long continuance in sin already even to wearinesse nor yet any conviction of the shame and dammage which do attend it are sufficient to make a man abandon and quit it throughly except there be a gracious change wrought in him chiefly as to his inward state from that which he sometimes was for he mentioneth this gracious change of their inward state as that wherein the strength of the present argument doth ly whereby he would disswade them from being partakers with them for ye were sometimes darknesse but now are ye light in the Lord. 6. As all spirituall priviledges in generall are bestowed upon us that we may improve them both for our comfort and also for enabling and inciting to duty So the more we enjoy of light whether external light in preaching of the Word or the internal light of knowledge in the mind we ought to improve it the more by walking according to that light else our condemnation shall be greater Joh. 3. 18. for from their priviledge of being light in the Lord he inferreth walk as children of light Vers. 9. For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodnesse and righteousnesse and truth THe Apostle in way of parenthesis doth give a reason of the former consequence or why their being now light in the Lord did bind them to walk as children of light and consequently not to partake with obstinate sinners in their sin and withall sheweth wherein that walking doth consist The reason is taken from the new creature and habits of grace in the heart called here the Spirit as Rom. 7. 25. Gal. 5. 22. and are the same with the light of grace by the Spirit of God spoken of ver 8. Now he sheweth the fruit of this light or of those gracious habits consisteth in the exercise of all Christian vertues which are here summed up in three 1. Goodnesse whereby we are inclined to communicate what good is in us for the advantage of our neighbour both in his spirituall 1 Pet. 4. 10. and bodily Gal. 6. 10. estate 2. Righteousnesse whereby we deal righteously in all our transactions with others And 3. Truth whereby we carry our selves sincerely being free from error hypocrisie or dissimulation whether towards God or men So the force of the argument cometh to this Such a walking as he did enjoyn was the native fruit and result of their being made light in the Lord by the Spirit of God and therefore they were obliged to it Doct. 1. It is the duty of Christs Ministers not only to presse upon the Lords people the practice of holinesse in generall but also to condescend upon and accordingly to presse the exercise of those particular vertues both to God and men wherein holinesse doth consist otherwise people will readily place most of holinesse in those things wherein it consisteth least Matth. 23. 23. for Paul having exhorted them to walk as children of the light doth here shew wherein that walking doth consist even in all goodnesse and righteousnesse and truth 2. None can walk as a childe of light or practise those duties wherein such a walk consisteth in a way acceptable to God but he who is a childe of light truely regenerate and acteth from a principle of grace in the heart Whatever floweth from an unrenewed heart how specious soever is but a shadow and imperfect imitation of the childe of light in this christian walk as an ape would imitate a man or a violent motion doth resemble that which is natural and floweth from an inward principle for he sheweth the exercise of goodnesse righteousnesse and truth wherein our walking as a childe of light consisteth is the fruit of the Spirit or of the root of grace in the heart wrought by the Spirit of God For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness c. 3. As it concerneth Christians to walk suitably unto their state and priviledges So they would seriously consider in order to their walking thus that holinesse of life is the native fruit and result of their being in a gracious state or of the work of grace in the heart and therefore that they are not only obliged to lead an holy life in way of duty and gratitude but a necessity also doth ly upon them to it if so they be renewed and as they would not evidence themselves to be yet in their unrenewed state for having exhorted them to walk as children of light or suitably to the state of grace he inforceth the exhortation by shewing that such a walking is the native fruit and necessary result of being in such a state For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodnesse c. 4. A facility and easinesse to communicate what is in us for our neighbours good and advantage doth well consist with the exercise of righteousnesse whereby we give every man his due and do require of him what is our due from him for he conjoyneth the exercise of those two while he saith the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodnesse and righteousnesse 5. As the grace of sincerity and freedom from dissimulation and hypocrisie is a necessary ingredient in the exercise of all other vertues So our walking answerably unto
of free-men and masters And that this argument may have the more force with them he appealeth to their own conscience and knowledge for the truth of it if it was not so as he had affirmed Doct. 1. Then and then only may a man reckon himself to do good or a good work acceptable to God when the thing he doth is warranted by Gods will revealed in His Word when he doth it in singlenesse of heart from an inward principle of love and good-will within in the heart and in obedience to Gods command or as service unto Him for the obedience required from servants was to be so qualified ver 5 6 7. and he doth here call it a doing good Whatsoever good thing a man doth 2. Even the basest drudgery of servants being so qualified is a doing of good and cometh within the compasse of good works which the Lord will take notice of as such for it is with an eye to the imployment of servants mainly that he here speaketh Whatsoever good thing a man doth the same shall be receive 3. As it is lawfull to eye the promised reward for our encouragement in the way of duty So it is the mind of God that every one should in the due and right order make particular application unto themselves of such promises as are in Scripture held forth unto all in general for he holdeth forth the promise of a reward which is made unto all who do good in general to be made use of by Christian servants for their encouragement in particular Whatsoever good a man doth the same shall be receive of the Lord. 4. Promises have no influence to excite unto duty except the truth of them be known and believed so that ignorance and misbelief of divine truths are a great cause of abounding profanity and neglect of duty in all ranks for he layeth the weight of their encouragement to duty from this promise upon the knowledge and faith which they had of it knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doth the same shall be receive of the Lord. 5. The Lord in dispensing rewards looketh not to the externall beauty splendour or greatnesse of the work but to the honesty and sincerity of it how mean or inconsiderable soever it be otherwise for the promise of a reward is to the outwardly mean and base works of poor servants if so they be honest and sincere aswell as to the more splendid honourable and expensive works of their rich masters The same shall he receive of the Lord whether he be bond or free Vers. 9. And ye masters do the same things unto them forbearing threatning knowing that your master also is in heaven neither is their respect of persons with him HE doth here in the first place set down the duties of masters towards their servants 1. positively while he enjoyneth them to do the same things which is to be understood not of the duties themselves which are much different from the duties of servants See them briefly summed up upon Col. 4. ver 1. doct 1 2. but of those properties and conditions which are common to the duties of both so that the master is bound to discharge his duty towards his servant in singlenesse of heart as service to Christ in obedience to the will and command of God from his heart with love and good-will even as the servant is bound to minde those qualifications in his duty towards his master Next negatively while he forbiddeth threatning or rather commandeth to relax and moderate threatning as the word doth signifie and so the thing forbidden is excesse in threatning and boasts when they are alway menacing oftentimes for light occasions and sometimes for none And by proportion all fierce and inhumane way of dealing with servants by masters whether in words or deeds is here forbidden also In the second place he inforceth this duty by minding them of that which they did know at least ought to have known even that they also aswell as their servants had a master above them to call them to an accompt to wit God who to make the argument more pungent is described 1. from His magnificent and stately Palace where His glory shineth to wit the Heaven not as if He were only there and nowhere else Jer. 23. 24. but to set forth His absolute dominion 2 Chron. 20. 6. His omniscience Psal. 11. 4. His holinesse Isa. 57. 15. and His omnipotency Psal. 115. 3. so that their sin could not be hid from Him His holy Nature did hate it He had both right and power to punish it 2. From His impartiality and justice in judging so that He respecteth not persons nor faces outward shew and appearance as the word signifieth and therefore by persons is not meaned the substance or personal subsistence of men but their outward state and condition even that which is conspicuous in man and doth commonly make him more or lesse esteemed among men as country state of life riches poverty wisdom learning c. and consequently to respect persons is to wrest judgement from a sinfull respect to the outward state condition of parties and such other things which are wholly extrinsick to the cause in hand which vice the Lord is free of as being the righteous Judge of the world who cannot be byassed by fear love pitty or any other inordinate affection as man is and consequently the outward dignity power or wealth of masters would not make Him spare them if they made not conscience of their duty Hence Learn 1. Though masters are freed from subjection and giving obedience unto their servants yet not from doing duty unto them Neither is there any power among men so absolute no not that of Kings and supream Rulers Rom. 13. 3. -4. -6. but it implyeth an obligation through vertue of Gods Ordinance upon those who are invested with it to make conscience of several duties towards their inferiours and subjects for he saith And ye masters do the same things unto them 2. It concerneth masters in their place as much as servants in theirs not only to go about their duty but also to advert to the manner wherein they do it even that it be done in sincerity cordially chearfully taking God for their party more than men for he saith Ye masters do the same things unto them 3. It is not only lawfull but in some cases necessary for masters sometimes to threaten boast cast down their countenance upon negligent lazy disobedient and chiefly upon profane servants providing they do it moderatly and keep off excesse for the Apostle doth not simply forbid all manner of threatning but only prescribeth a moderation thereof Forbearing or moderating threatning 4. The Servants of Christ in the reproof of sin ought mainly to guard against such evils as those to whom they speak through custom perverse inclination or a deluded mind are most ready to fall into and so ought people set mainly against such sins in themselves and thereby defend the wall
duty For understanding of which promise know that though it was to be understood even in the most plain and obvious sense of the words as it was held forth to the ancient Church to whom God used to promise and bestow things carnall and earthly as an earnest and shadow of things heavenly 1 Cor. 10. 11. Yet even then there was a tacite condition implied to wit in so far as the thing promised should serve for Gods glory 2 Chron. 35. 24. and the good of those to whom the promise was made 1 King 14. 13. But now under the New Testament though this promise even in the letter be doubtlesse fulfilled unto many Yet it is chiefly to be understood in a sprituall sense in so far as the godly obedient childe whether he live long or short doth alwayes live well because he liveth in Gods favour Psal. 63. 3. and cometh to a full and ripe age as having reached the prize and mark for attaining whereof life is given even the salvation of the soul Isa. 65. 20. Hence Learn 1. Though our first and chief motive unto duty ought to be the equity and righteousnesse which is in the thing it self as being commanded by God Yet we may eye the promised reward whether temporall or eternall as a secondary motive and encouragement providing it be not looked at as a thing to be merited by our obedience Luk. 17. 10. for as ver 1. he inforced this duty of obedience from the equity of it in the first place So here from the advantage which should redound unto children by it in the second place That it may be well with thee 2. So merciful is God to man that He hath injoyned only those things as equitably righteous and conducing to His own glory which tend also and no lesse to our own profit and advantage so that we need not to separate our own well-being from His glory but are alwayes to seek the former as a mean of and in subordination to the latter for the Apostle sheweth that this duty of obedience in children as it tendeth to glorifie God in the first place it being a doing of what is right according to His command So it tendeth to the advantage of children in the next That it may be well with thee 3. To live well and long upon the earth is in it self not to be despised or under-valued in so far as though the godly man the longer he liveth he is the longer keeped out of heaven yet he findeth the moe proofs and experiences of Gods goodnesse here on earth 1 Joh. 3. 13. and hath the larger opportunity of a fair seed-time of glorifying God here and consequently shall of free grace reap a more plentifull harvest of comfort at death and of glory hereafter 2 Cor. 9. 6. for he promiseth this as a blessing to the obedient childe that it may be well with thee and thou mayest live long upon the earth which as we shew is accomplished sometimes in the very letter 4. Then do we rightly apply unto our selves under the New Testament those things which were spoken to the Jews under the Old when passing-by what was in such things typical or astricted to the infant-state of the Church which then was we look upon what was substantial moral or of common equity as belonging unto us yet for so much doth the Apostle teach while citing the promise annexed to the fifth command he saith only that thou mayest live long upon the earth and omitteth the last clause of that promise to wit which the Lord thy God giveth thee Exod. 20. 12. whereby that promise was in a peculiar manner astricted to the Jews and to the land of Canaan which He did give them to inherit 5. The best way to thrive even in things worldly and to attain prosperity health wealth and length of dayes so far at least as shall serve for Gods glory and our own good is to live a godly life by taking heed thereto according to Gods Word and especially by giving due reverence and obedience to our natural parents and consequently to all our lawfull superiours because of the Command of God for unto the Command ver 2. Honour thy father and mother this promise is subjoyned that it may be well with thee and thou mayest live long upon the earth Verse 4. And ye fathers provoke not your children to wrath but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. HE doth here in a word set forth the duty of parents And because they are apt to abuse their parentall authority and chiefly the fathers therefore he enjoyneth to them and by consequence to the mothers to beware of provoking their children to wrath or of imbittering their spirits which is done either by denying them that which is their due in food râ—iment or meanes of education Lam. 4. 3. or by commanding things in themselves unjust 1 Sam. 20. 31. or by unjust and rigorous commands about things in their own nature indifferent 1 Sam. 14. 29. or inveighing with bitter words against them chiefly when there is no cause 1 Sam. 20. 30. and lastly by beating them either unjustly when there is no fault 1 Sam. 20. 33. or immoderatly unseasonably or basely when there is a fault Next he doth guard them against the other extremity of too much indulgence to their children while he exhorts them first to bring them up or as it is in the original to nourish them which comprehendeth not only their giving unto them present maintenance from the womb Gen. 21. 7. but also their providing for them against the future 2 Cor. 12. 14. and training them up in any lawfull imployment whereby they may be able under God to sustain themselves and theirs Gen. 4. 2. And secondly to joyn nurture and admonition with their education by the former whereof is meaned the timous seasonable and compassionate correction of children which parents are bound to dispense Prov. 13. 24. and by the latter is meaned the information of their judgement how they ought to carry themselves towards God in things religious Gen. 18. 19. and how towards man in righteousnesse civility and good manners which is also a great piece of the duty of parents towards children Prov. 31. 1 8 9. And lastly he addeth that their education must be in the admonition of the Lord Christ that is such as becometh Christians and by which young ones are instructed chiefly in the knowledge of Gods Word of Jesus Christ and of the way of salvation held forth by Him Hence Learn 1. Such is the prevalencie and interest of sin in the soul of man now fallen that in some it wholy extinguisheth or much weakeneth the most intense of our natural affections and maketh them run in a channel quite contrary unto what they ought for the Apostle supponeth that even naturall affection in some parents to their own children will be so far weakened as by their unnatural carriage to provoke and imbitter them
while he saith Fathers provoke not your children to wrath 2. To provoke or stir up others unto sin maketh us guilty before the Lord even of those sins which others commit being provoked thereunto by us Hos. 6. 9. for Paul forbiddeth and condemneth this as a sin in parents towards their children Fathers provoke not your children to wrath 3. So small command have all men naturally over their passions especially when provoked by reall injuries from others that the strongest of natural bonds cannot keep them in order and at under except they be restrained by grace but they must transgress the bounds even children cannot bear injuries from their very parents without being incited thereby to sinfull anger yea such is the corruption of some children that they can bear lesse at the hands of their parents than of any other else for so much is implied while he saith Fathers provoke not your children to wrath 4. A necessary duty is not to be neglected upon pretence that others may take occasion to sin against the Lord from it and particularly parents are not to withhold seasonable and necessary correction from their children even although their children should be enraged and provoked to wrath by it for notwithstanding he forbiddeth fathers to provoke their children to wrath yet he will not have them upon that pretence neglecting to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. 5. As people are most ready to run from the one extream of any sin unto the other from prodigality to sinfull parcimony from rigiditie to too much lenity So the servants of Christ while they are disswading people from the one extremity had need most carefully to guard lest under pretence of eschewing that people do rush upon the other for the Apostle while he forbiddeth too much rigidity in parents he seeth it necessary to guard them against the other extremity of too much indulgence and lenity while he saith bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. 6. It is the duty of parents not only to provide for the bodies and outward estate of their children but also and mainly to care for their souls endeavouring by all meanes possible to bring them up for sons and daughters to the Lord Almighty for as they are to bring them up or nourish them so also to beat down sin in them by nurture or correction and to make them know Jesus Christ the Lord But bring them up saith he in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. 7. As parents are to correct their children betimes so they ought not herein to satisfiâ— their own rage and passion but to go about it with a composed minde as a piece of service injoyned by God aiming mainly at the amendment of the faulty childe and in order hereto joyning instruction and admonition with correction yea and seeking the blessing of Christ to accompany it for the Apostle will have nurture and admonition joyned together and both of them in the Lord In the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Verse 5. Servants be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh with fear and trembling in singleness of your heart as unto Christ HE commeth now in the last place to the duties of masters and servants and first beginneth with servants See the reasons why he insisteth so long on their duty upon Col. 3. 22. Now servants were of two sorts some did serve for hire or as apprentises Mal. 3. 5 Others were bond-slaves to their masters being either taken in war 2 Chron. 28. 10. or bought with money Lev. 25. 44. The Apostle speaketh to both those sorts and first giveth a sum of their duty to wit obedience to their masters according to the flesh by which designation of masters he limiteth their dominion and mastership to the bodies of their servants to things temporall and of the flesh only leaving the soul and conscience to God only who is the alone Lord of conscience Matth. 23. 8. And the obedience here enjoyned to be given by servants unto those as it is largely taken doth consist in a chearfull executing of all their lawfull commands Matth. 8. 9. even though the thing commanded be laborious painfull Luke 17. 7 8 9. and rigid 1 Pet. 2. 18. in a meek and patient bearing of their rebukes Tit. 2. 9. yea and corrections also 1 Pet. 2. 18 20 21. and in with-holding their hands from picking and their tongues from abusing their masters by alledging commissions from them which they have not for their own advantage 2 King 5. 20 c. and in abstaining carefully from all contriving and procuring of their masters prejudice for benefiting themselves or others Luke 16. 1 2 c. Secondly he giveth some properties of this obedience as first it must be with fear and trembling which property consisteth in a sollicitous and earnest care and indefatigable diligence in following their masters affairs to his greatest advantage Gen. 31. 38 39. joyned with reverence flowing from love to their masters person 1 Tim. 6. 1. and with fear of his displeasure Mal. 1. 6 and is contrary to pride and lazinesse See working with fear and trembling taken in this sense Phil. 2. -12. Secondly their obedience must be with singlenesse of heart which is opposed to a double heart hypocrisie and deceit and it implyeth that faithfulnesse which ought to be in servants towards their masters as minding and intending from their very heart the thriving and successe of their affairs in all things and at all times Tit. 2. 10. And thirdly it must be as unto Christ whereby he expresseth the manner motive and rule of their obedience See upon chap. 5. ver 22. Doct. 1. Christian liberty and spirituall freedom from sin Satan and Gods wrath is not inconsistent with civil bondage and subjection Christ and the Gospel teacheth no man to cast off that yoke but how they are to carry themselves as becometh Christians under it for he speaketh to servants as servants enjoyning them civil subjection though they were now converted and partakers of that spirituall liberty purchased by Christ Gal. 3. 28. Servants be obedient to your masters 2. The condition of none is so base or despicable but free grace in God will stoup so low as to take notice of them in it yea and bestow upon them all those precious blessings purchased by Christ that so grace may appear to be grace when it hath compassion on those who are in all respects most unworthy and vile for even some of those servants who for the most part were bond-slaves and as little esteemed of by their masters as their very beasts were converted by the Gospel and are therefore here spoken unto as converts Servants be obedient to your masters 3. Such is the sufficiency of Scripture that there is no rank state nor degree of persons even from the King to the bond-slave to whom it doth not serve as a full and perfect rule to direct them how to