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
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
being by Christ's death joyned in one did enjoy the Promise of the Spirit or the spiritual Promise as being now denuded of these earthly and external Ceremonies wherewith it was vailed formerly and set forth in its native and spiritual beauty and lustre both which fruits of Christ's death he sheweth are conveyed unto and enjoyed by both Jews and Gentiles only by Faith So that the Apostle in these two Verses doth not only prove the main Conclusion That Faith laying hold on Christ is that which delivereth from the Law 's curse and which conveyeth Abraham's blessing together with the Covenant-promise unto us and so doth justifie us but also indirectly and as it were at the by hinteth at two other Truths tending also to clear the main controversie between him and his adversaries which therefore he is to assert more directly afterwards to wit first That now after Christ's death the Gentiles being called by the Gospel were to be joyned in one body with the Jews and both of them to make up one seed to Abraham and equally to partake of Abraham's blessing whereof free Justification through Faith spoken of ver 9. was a main part And secondly that the Covenant-promise that God would be a God to Abraham and to his seed Gen. 17. 7. was now after Christ's death to be held forth more clearly and spiritually the types and shadows of earthly Ceremonies and of that legal Dispensation under which it was formerly hid being laid aside From Vers. 13. Learn 1. The threatnings of the Law denouncing a curse against those who yeeld not personal obedience to it did not exclude or forbid a Surety to come in the sinners room and to undergo the curse due unto Him for though it be clear from ver 10. that the Law doth curse all yet this impeded not but Christ might come to redeem us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us 2. Every man by nature the Elect not excepted Eph. 2. -3. are under the sentence of the Law 's curse whereby in God's justice they are under the power of darknesse Col. 1. 13. slavery and bondage to sin and Satan Eph. 2. -2. so to remain until they be cast in utter darknesse Jude 13. except delivery and redemption do interveen for while it is said Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law it is supposed that by nature we are under it 3. There is no delivery of enslaved man from this wofull bondage but by giving satisfaction and by paying of a price for the wrong done to Divine Justice either by himself or by some surety in his stead God's fidelity Gen. 2. 17. His righteous nature Psal. 11. 6 7. and the inward desert of sin Rom. 1. 32. do call for it for Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law the word signifieth to deliver by giving a price 4. It is not in the power of fallen man to acquire a ransom for himself by any thing he can either do or suffer whereby Justice may be satisfied and he delivered from this state of slavery and bondage The redemption of the soul is precious and ceaseth for ever to wit among men Psal. 49. 8. for if man could redeem himself Christ had not been put to it to redeem us from the curse of the Law 5. Jesus Christ the second Person of the blessed Trinity hath undertaken this great work of redeeming captive-man from his slavery and bondage and accordingly hath accomplished it The work was indeed undertaken at the appointment of all the Persons Luke 1. 68. to whom also the price was paid Eph. 5. 2. only the execution of this work was by that wise design of sending the second Person in the flesh to become man that so he might not only have right as our near kinsman Ruth 3. 12 13. but also be fitted to redeem as having a price to lay down for our ransom Heb. 10. 5. Christ hath redeemed us 1. Our Redeemer Jesus Christ is true God who being man's Creator and having entred a Covenant of friendship with man at the beginning by vertue whereof He had interest in man not only as His creature but as one in state of friendship with Himself from which blessed state man did fall Eccles. 7. 29. and so brought himself and all his posterity 1 Cor. 15. 21 to this state of bondage wherein he now is for so much is imported while Christ is said to redeem Redemption being properly of those things which once were our own but for the time are lost Christ hath redeemed us saith he 7. This work of man's Redemption undertaken and accomplished by Christ was a Redemption properly so called our freedom and delivery being obtained not by power or strong hand meerly nor yet coming from the sole condescension and pity of the injured party without seeking reparation for former injuries but by the payment of a sufficient price and by giving a just satisfaction to a provoked God as appeareth not only from the word rendred redeem which as said is signifieth to buy with a price but also from this that the price is condescended upon to wit Christ's undergoing the curse of the Law due to us and this He did for us that is not only for our good but also in our room and stead for by His undergoing this curse we are freed from it so that although to buy or redeem be sometimes taken improperly and doth signifie to obtain a thing without any price Isa. 52. 3. yet what is presently said and other circumstances do evince that in this work of Redemption performed by Christ the word must be taken properly for a delivery obtained by a payment of a just price Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us 8. The price paid by Christ in order to our redemption was no lesse than His undergoing that curse of the Law which was due to us whence it followeth that Christ's sufferings by way of satisfaction were not only in His body but also in His soul He did not only wrestle with the fear of death Heb. 5. -7. but was also deprived of that joy and comfort or the sense and feeling of God's favour and help which He formerly enjoyed and had His own sad conflicts and agonies arising in His Soul hereupon Mat. 27. 46. which though in us they would necessarily produce sin yet in Christ they did not Heb. 4. -15. because of His most pure nature Heb. 7. 26. for He was made the curse of the Law for us Now the curse of the Law did reach to the terrors of the soul as well as to the pains of the body 9. Though Jesus Christ as considered in His own Person was altogether holy and innocent Isa. 53. -9. and alwayes even when He was made a curse most beloved of the Father Mat. 3. 17. yet being considered as our Surety Heb. 7. 22. and sustaining our person He was the object of sin-pursuing justice
and that Paul and such as Paul was being cryed down they alone might be doted upon with a blind kind of zeal and affection ver 17. but lest by condemning their false zeal he should have seemed to cry down all zeal therefore he discovereth what true and praise-worthy zeal is and this as it seemeth with an eye to his own practice whose zeal towards those Galatians first was so ordered that the thing whereunto his zeal for them did carry him was in it self good and for their good and edification Secondly it was constant so that distance of place which occasioned an alteration in them towards him had not made him to alter towards them ver 18. Doct. 1. See chap. 1. ver 7. doct 5. concerning his suppressing the name of the false Apostles whereby he sheweth more of indignation towards them nor he could have done by giving them any designation though never so base They zealously affect you 2. Hereticall Preachers and Seducers will be exceedingly fervent and zealous for their erroneous opinions and pretend much love and affection to the People of God while they are about to make them imbrace their Errors for saith he They to wit the false Apostles zealously affect you 3. Every thing which goeth under the name of zeal or which truly hath much of zeal and fervency in it whether for opinions or persons is not to be approven there being so much of sinfull zeal which an hypocrite may have and therefore is not to be valued or regarded So doth the Apostle speak of their zeal They zealously affect you but not well 4. There is a renting zeal which carrieth the person wherein it is with a violent fervor to rent the Church of Christ and to create prejudices in the minds of people against their faithfull Pastors while they extenuate their good 2 Cor. 10. 10. and above measure aggrege their sins and infirmities all such zeal is sinfull and unworthy to be taken notice of for the Apostle proveth that their zeal was not good from this that it carried them to rent those Galatians from Paul and the Body of the Christian Church They would exclude you 5. There is a self-seeking zeal when men pretending much love to God and to the good of souls are really hunting after the breath of applause to themselves and that they alone may have greatest weight in peoples affections all such zeal is also sinfull for he condemneth the zeal of the false Apostles because their great design in what they did was to make those Galatians zealously to affect them 6. As the great design of false Teachers and the upshot of all their most zealous and fervent endeavours is to gain credit among the people to their opinions and persons So the usual method whereby they walk for attaining this end is first to alienate the minds of people from their own Pastors that so they themselves may be looked upon as only worthy to have room in peoples affections for this was the method of the false Apostles They would exclude you to wit from us that you might affect them saith he 7. The Ministers of Christ would so condemn the counterfeit of saving graces which may be found in hypocrites as that they do not in the least measure reflect upon the real graces of God's Spirit which are found only in true Believers for Paul having condemned their false zeal falleth immediately upon the commendation of true zeal But it is good to be zealously affected alwayes in a good thing 8. It is not enough that the thing which we do be in it self good except our affections be somewhat warmed with love to the duty and stirred up with an holy indignation and revenge against any thing which would divert us from it for this is that zeal which is here commended It is good to be zealously affected saith he 9. It is required in godly and approven zeal first that it be orderly neither making nor upholding rents or schisms in the Church and betwixt the People of God and those who are over them in the Lord for the false ungodly zeal of the false Apostles is condemned from this that they would have excluded those Galatians from Paul Secondly that it be sincere as aiming not at base and selfish but approved ends such as God's glory 2 Cor. 11. 2. our own Rev. 3. 19. and our neighbours salvation Col. 4. 13. for their zeal is condemned from this that their great design in all they did was to make the Galatians affect them Thirdly that it be according to knowledge Rom. 10. 2. as chusing right and approven means for bringing about the proposed end and not putting forth it self indifferently upon every thing good or bad without choice for saith he It is good to be zealously affected in a good thing Fourthly that it be constant not intending or remitting according as more of prosperity or adversity doth attend the making conscience of our duty Joh. 6. 26. but alwayes one and the same notwithstanding of any extrinsecal change of that kind for saith he It is good to be zealously affected alwayes Doct. 10. A Minister would labour to have his conversation so christian that if need require he may give his own practice for an instance or example of any duty which he presseth upon others as Paul doth here for having required constancy in zeal he hinteth at his own practice who was zealous for their good alwayes and not only when he was present with them Vers. 19. My little children of whom I travel in birth again until Christ be formed in you 20. I desire to be present with you now and to change my voice for I stand in doubt of you HE doth yet further pursue the intended scope which is to perswade them of his affection to them by making it yet more appear that his zeal for them was of the right stamp and not like that of the false Apostles In that first he was at great trouble and pains for their good such as are the pains of a woman in travel Secondly his design in all his labour and pains was not so much to make them affect him which was all that his adversaries sought after as to get the image of Christ which being once wrought in them by the means of his Ministry was now marred by their defection again repared in them and its lively lienaments drawn upon them which expressions of his intire affection are much sweetned by the affectionate stile of little children given unto them So that his whole discourse doth breath out no lesse affection than that of a tender mother towards her dear childe under some languishing disease or consumption ver 19. And thirdly that he desired vehemently to be with them face to face which was no great evidence of any hatred to them especially considering the end of his desire to wit that being more fully acquainted with their case he might accommodate himself in his speaking to them whether in
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
mankind to shew his falling in sin is rather to be pitied than made a wonder of and withall transferreth the guilt of the sin in a great measure from the person himself to the subtilty of Satan and violence of the tentation by which he was surprized and overtaken every one whereof doth doth serve as a motive unto that pity and meeknesse unto which he exhorteth Brethren if a man be overtaken in a fault saith he 4. Though those who are so maliciously obstinate in sin that lenity and meeknesse prevaileth nothing in order to their reclaiming are to be used with more severity and rigor 1 Cor. 4. 21. Yet others concerning whom we have not ground in charity so to judge but rather that they are surprized by the violence of some prevalent tentation ought to be more gently dealt with for they are only such whom the Apostle will have to be used with a spirit of meeknesse If a man be overtaken in a fault restore such an one c. 5. So subtil and assiduous is Satan in tempting 1 Pet. 5. 8. So ready is corruption in us to close with a tentation so soon as it is presented Eph. 2. 2. that if the childe of God be not all the more circumspect and diligent Mat. 26. 41. he cannot choose but be surprized as it were unawares by some one sin or other and be thereby made to dishonour God and to lay a stumbling-block before others for Paul supposeth it as a thing incident unto all men to be thus surprized while he saith If a man be overtaken in a fault 6. Though it be the duty of all men to endeavour the reclaiming of those who are lying under un-repented guiltinesse for the Command is given unto all Lev. 19. 17. yet the more holy men are and the further they have advanced in the wayes of piety they are the more obliged to go about this duty chiefly because they are in a better capacity to discharge it as being lesse tainted with sin than others and so having more freedom to reprove as also being more knowing how to go wisely about that difficile duty and more willing to perform it than others whose knowledge and love to God's glory and their neighbours good cometh short of theirs for the Apostle directeth this exhortation mainly to such as had received a greater measure of grace than others Ye which are spiritual restore such an one 7. The greater store of graces and gifts a man hath received he standeth the more obliged to lay out himself and all his receipts for the spiritual good and edification of others providing alwayes he move in his own sphere and transgress not the bounds of his calling Heb. 5. 4. for Paul layeth this task of restoring the backsliden Christian chiefly upon those who had received a greater measure of grace and spiritual enduements than others Ye which are spiritual restore such an one 8. As scandalous sins and erroneous opinions being fallen into by a childe of God do mar that orderly frame of the inward man which he did before enjoy wasting the conscience and eating out the edge of all his former tendernesse 1 Pet. 2. -11. So the person who hath fallen in such sins doth ordinarily prove backward to be reclaimed and very ticklish to be medled with by others for that end as a man who hath a bone dis-joynted can hardly endure to have it touched The word rendred restore such an one doth bear so much as signifying to set in joynt the dislocated members of the body So that sin putteth the soul as it were out of joynt 9. As it is the duty of all and especially of those who are spiritual to endeavour the reclaiming of any who are so fallen by admonition Mat. 18. 15. reproof Lev. 19. 17. prayer to God on their behalf Iam. 5. 14 15. all which and other means in order to the same end are to be gone about by private Christians by vertue of that ty which christian charity and their mutual relation one to another arising from their being members of one body do lay on and by publick Ministers and Church-guides by vertue of that authority wherewith Christ the King of the Church hath invested them Eph. 4. 11 12. So in the use of all these means every one is to carry himself with much skill and tendernesse if he would attain the proposed end for saith he Ye who are spiritual restore such an one or set him in joynt again It is a phrase borrowed from Chirurgians who being to deal with a dis-joynted bone will handle the same with skill and tendernesse 10. The grace of meeknesse whereby we moderate inordinate anger and speedily represse revengeful passions before they come to any great height Eph. 4 26. as it is the work of Gods Spirit in us so the exercise of it is most necessary towards those who are fallen and that all the means we use in order to their reclaiming be seasoned therewith as being in nothing transported with the fury of rage and passion but only acted with zeal to God love to the person fallen and with sanctified reason for thereby we evidence we are seeking the recovery of our brother and not insulting over him we are labouring to help him and not seeking to disgrace him for saith he Restore such an one in the spirit of meeknesse or in meeknesse whereof God's Spirit is the author 11. There is no man no not the most spiritual who can promise unto himself immunity from being set upon with strong tentations unto grosse and scandalous evils or that he shall stand when he is tempted if he be left of God under the tentation for he biddeth even the spiritual man consider himself lest he also be tempted whereby he holdeth forth not only a possibility that the spiritual man may be tempted but also of his yeelding to the tentation when it should be presented otherwise the argument had not been of such strength to inforce upon him the exercise of meeknesse towards those who are overtaken in a fault 12. As those who do most rigidly and uncharitably censure the faults of others are usually greatest strangers to their own hearts and very little sensible of their own infirmities So the serious consideration of our own weaknesse and how the root of our neighbours sin and of all other sin is in us Rom. 3. v. 10 to 20. how we stand by grace Psal. 94. 18. and how if God would suffer the tempter to break loose upon us we should so much exceed the sins of others as they exceed ours The serious consideration I say of all those though it should not bind us wholly up from reproving sin in others yet it should cause us exceedingly to mix and temper our severity towards their sin with the exercise of meeknesse pity and compassion towards their person for the Apostle to inforce the former exhortation of restoring their fallen brother in the spirit of meeknesse doth enjoyn consider thy self
incarnate and cloathed with our flesh untill then having hid His divine glory so that very little of it did appear under the infirmities of the humane nature from His incarnation untill then Philip. 2. 7 8. but then He did manifest His divine glory absolute power and authority in a way incomprehensible by us in and through the vail of His glorified flesh for the Apostle sheweth those things were done in this order while he saith When He raised Him from the dead and set Him at His own right hand 5. Although the divine and humane nature in Christ are not confounded but remain distinct both in their essence and operations each nature doing that which is proper unto it self Heb. 9. 14. 1 Pet. 3. 18. yet so near and strict is that personall union of the two natures in Christ that those things which are proper only unto the one nature are ascribed unto and spoken of the whole person for here though this high honour and trust put upon Christ was in some things verified only in the divine nature in so far as it speaketh His manifestation of His divine glory and exercising His divine authority as God incarnate in and through the humane nature And though in some things it was verified only in the humane nature in so far as it speaketh His obtaining of glory and power from the Father which before He had not yet the whole of it is ascribed unto the whole person of Christ God-man while he saith And made Him to sit at His own right hand 6. Though Christ as Mediator be exalted to such high honour and authority as no meer creature is capable of yet so far is His humane nature from being made hereby omnipotent omnipresent and consequently equal with God That even whole Christ considered as Mediator is inferior and lesse than the Father Joh. 14. -28. as having received all this honour and authority from the Father Matth. 28. 18. and administrating His Kingdom in the Father's Name Joh. 5. 22. which He is also to render up unto the Father 1 Cor. 15. 24. for not only do the Scriptures cited but also the phrase here used prove so much seing those whom the King setteth at his right hand do hold their dignity and trust from him and must be comptable unto him And set Him at His own right hand Vers. 21. Far above all principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named not only in this world but also in that which is to come 22. And hath put all things under His feet THe Apostle in the second place insisteth upon that second effect of God's mighty power and explaineth what he meaned by the Father's setting of Christ at His own right hand even that which we formerly shewed to wit that transcendent glory and dignity with full power and soveraignity which was put upon Him And first he speaketh of that general power and eminency which He hath over and above all the creatures by shewing that He is exalted in glory not only above but far above the glory of all creatures whatsoever whether principality power might or dominion under which is comprehended every thing that is excellent among the creatures whether in Heaven Earth or Hell for sometimes good Angels are expressed by those titles Eph. 3. 10. sometimes bad Angels Eph. 6. 12. and sometimes Civil powers Tit. 3. 1. And lest any might apprehend some dignity besides not comprehended under any of these four he addeth a general clause comprising every name that is all things excellent or famous and worthy to be so named as famous men are called men of Name So that he hereby sheweth no creature can enter in competition with Christ in glory dignity and worth and withall he extendeth this glory put upon Christ in its duration not only unto this world but that which is to come and shall never have an end ver 21. And that he may exalt Christ yet further he sheweth that He is not only above all creatures in glory but also in dominion and soveraignity the Father having placed all the creatures in a state of lowest subjection unto Him even under His feet to be disposed of as He seeth fit From Vers. 21. Learn 1. The glory and splendor of things created hath some aptnesse in it if it be not rightly looked on or rather we are apt to take occasion from it to hide and undervalue the glory and excellency of Jesus Christ for otherwise the Apostle would not labour so much to set Him high up above them and His glory above theirs Far above all principality and power 2. Though Scripture give some ground to affirm that there are different degrees and dignities among the Angels Dan. 10. 13. and 12. 1. yet what are their different orders offices and dignities Scripture doth nowhere determine neither is there any ground for us to determine from this place for as we shew the Apostle's scope is under those titles and the general clause subjoyned to lay aside not only Angels but all civil powers and all created dignity whatsoever from competing with Christ in the point of power excellency and worth Far above all principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named 3. Even the humane nature of Christ and His glorified body by vertue of that unspeakable union which is betwixt the two natures of Christ in one person is lifted up so high in glory that the glory of Kings and Emperors of Sun Moon and Stars of the souls of just men made perfect yea and of glorious Angels is nothing to it and lesse than the light of a candle being compared with the Sun in his brightnesse for he is speaking here of that glory which Christ hath by sitting at the right hand of God which as to some pieces of it doth belong to Christ as man and of it he affirmeth that it is far above all principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named 4. As we do then only think aright of that high glory put upon Christ when we look on it as matchlesse and not only above but far and infinitly far above all that glory which can be found in all or any of the creatures So the holding forth of Christ in his glory by the Lord's Servants is a point of great concernment for the good of God's People to make all created glory wax dim and bulklesse Dan. 3. 16 17 18. to draw their hearts up after and towards Him Joh. 4. 10. to hearten them against those discouragements they usually meet with in doing service to Him Act. 7. 55 56. and to make them more reverent in their approaches to Him Heb. 12. 25. for therefore doth Paul so much labour as he cannot well satisfie himself in setting forth that high glory wherein Christ is while he saith He is above and far above and then enumerateth four comprehensive particulars and addeth a general clause comprising all
the ceremoniall Law Doct. 5. So long as the ceremoniall Law did stand in force and vigour the Jews and Gentiles could not be united into one Church for seing by that Law the chief parts of Gods worship were astricted to the Temple at Jerusalem therefore though scattered proselytes of the neighbouring Nations did joyn themselves to the Church of the Jews and in some measure observed the way of Worship then enjoyned Act. 8. 27. yet there was a physicall impossibility for the generality of many Nations far remote from Jerusalem to have served God according to the prescript of Worship which then was besides there was such an habituate and as it were an naturall antipathy transmitted from one generation unto another among the Gentiles against the ceremoniall worship that there was little lesse than a morall impossibility of bringing up the body of the Gentiles unto a cordiall joyning with the Jews in it for the Apostle sheweth the ceremoniall Law behoved to be abrogated in order to an union betwixt these two while he saith Who hath made both one and broken down the middle-wall of partition between us 6. Whoever would make peace betwixt God and himself or betwixt himself and others he ought seriously to think upon those things which stand in the way of peace and set about the removall of them if it be in his power and chiefly those evils in himself of pride vain-glory self-seeking and a contentious disposition which are great obstructions in the way of peace Phil. 2. 3 4. else what ever be his pretences for peace he is no real follower of it for Christ intending to make peace betwixt Jew and Gentile did take away whatever might have impeded it He even broke down the middle wall of partition between them From ver 15 Learn 1. As Gods people in covenant with Him ought to be highly incensed against and averse from any voluntary intire fellowship with those who neglect and contemn the Ordinances of Worship prescribed by God in His Word So those who are without the Church yea and all unregenerate men do look upon the ordinances of Gods Worship as base ridiculous and contemptible and carry a kind of hatred and disdain to all such as make conscience of them for so the ancient Worship prescribed in the ceremoniall Law was the occasion of hatred and enmity betwixt the Gentile who contemned it and the Jew who made conscience of it And therefore is here called the enmity having abolished the enmity 2. As the morall Law contained in the Ten Commandments was no part of that mid-wall of partition between Jew and Gentile seing some of the draughts and lineaments of that Law are upon the hearts of all by nature Rom. 2. 15. So there was no necessity to abrogate this Law at Christs death in order to the uniting of Jew and Gentile neither was it at all abolished for the Law abolished was the Law not simply but the Law of Commandments and these not all but such Commandments as were contained in Ordinances to wit the ceremoniall Law as we shew in the Exposition Even the Law of Commandments contained in Ordinances saith he 3. As God only hath power and liberty to prescribe what manner of Worship He will be served by So He did once give a most observable evidence of this His power and liberty by changing that externall way of worship which was prescribed by Himself under the Old Testament unto another under the New although the internals of His Worship to wit the graces of faith love hope joy in God do remain the same in both Matth. 22. 37 39. for He did abolish the Law of Commandments contained in Ordinances even all the ancient Worship consisting in rites and ceremonies sensible and fleshly observations which God did then prescribe not as simply delighted in them but as accomodating Himself to the childish condition of the Church in those times and hath now appointed a more spirituall way of Worship as more suitable to the grown age of the Church Joh. 4. 21. 23. See further the reasons why the ceremoniall-Law was abolished and concerning that state of indifferency wherein the practice of it was left for a time upon Gal. 2. ver 3. Doct. 2. and ver 4. Doct. 1. 4. It was Christs sufferings and death which put an end to the Law of ceremonies and made the binding power thereof to cease for seing His sufferings were the body and substance of all those shadows they neither did nor could evanish untill Christ had suffered but then they did it being impossible that a shadow and the body whereof it is a shadow can consist in one and the same place Having abolished in His flesh the Law of Commandments contained in Ordinances Vers. -15. For to make in himself of twain one new man so making peace 16. And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the crosse having slain the enmity thereby THe Apostle thirdly for further clearing of what he spoke ver 13. that the Gentiles were made nigh to God and His Church in the bloud of Christ holdeth forth two ends which Christ proposed to be brought about in His abolishing the ceremoniall Law First that He might by a manner of new creation make of those two Nations of Jew and Gentile being firmly united to Himself as to their head one people and Church here called one new man to shew the intimacy of that union as also the way how they were united not by bringing any one of them to the fashions and customes of the other for so they should have been made one old man but by bringing both off that way of worship whereon they were the Gentile both from the substance and external manner of their worship as having been wholly idolatrous Gal. 4. 8. The Jew only from the external manner of their worship consisting in fleshly and sensible rites and observations whereby He made them one new Church with new Ordinances of divine worship even such as the Church now enjoyeth under the Gospel and so he concludeth the vers by shewing that Christ did hereby accomplish what he had spoken of Him ver 13 and 14 Even that He had made peace betwixt the two Nations and consequently the Gentiles nigh to the Church by His own bloud this is ver -15. The second end why Christ did abolish the ceremonial Law was that He might reconcile both Jew and Gentile being so united among themselves in one body unto a provoked God which He did by the sacrifice of His own soul and body upon the crosse by the means whereof he did destroy that enmity which was betwixt God and man aswell the sin of the Elect both in its guilt Rom. 8. 1. and power Rom. 6. 6. which was the ground and cause of that enmity Isa. 59. 2. as the ceremoniall Law which was an evidence of it See upon ver 15 This is the sum of ver 16. From Vers. -15. Learn 1. Union in the
with allusion to which the word is used Gal. 6. 1. Secondly in regard of themselves who are in office and accordingly gifted the end of their gifts and office is that they may labour diligently in all the duties of their calling which is only a subordinate end and relative to the other two as a mean Thirdly in regard of Christ it is that all Believers being so perfected and joyned together as stones of a building by the work of the Ministery may become His mysticall body to whom He will perform all the duties of an head Doct. 1. That severall offices and various gifts are all given for promoting one and the same end and for promoting those ends in particular which are expressed in the Text is a strong argument to keep off emulations and rents because of those and to endeavour after unity and peace seing division and strife do marre the spirituall orderly frame of the Church divert from the main work of the Ministery and obstruct the edification of the body of Christ and so do crosse those main ends in all respects for which all gifts and offices are given for the Apostle inforceth unity from the diversity of gifts and offices upon this consideration that all are given for the promoting of those ends even for perfecting the Saints for the work of the Ministery c. 2. That publick gifts and gifted Ministers are sent to or continued in any place by God is for the sake of the Elect there and to bring about their salvation so that though the Word be preached and Ordinances dispensed even to reprobates to make them the more inexcusable and because they are joyned in one civill society and externall Church-fellowship with the Elect yet if God had none of His own to be wrought upon by the Ministery in a Congregation Place or Nation it is more than probable He should not send His Ordinances there at all for all the ends of Christs sending a Ministery do relate chiefly to the Elect even for perfecting the Saints for edifying the body of Christ. 3. Whatever outward civill order may be among a people destitute of the Gospel yet as to their spirituall concernments they are wholly out of frame rent and torn even a disorderly confused masse and heap as being at enmity with God Rom. 8. 7. and destitute of all sound solide and spirituall unity among themselves Rom. 3. 13 14 15. for seing the end of the Ministery is to perfect the Saints that is to bring them to an orderly spirituall frame it is supposed that before a Ministery be sent unto them they are not perfect but wholly out of frame 4. Even the Elect already converted are sometimes out of frame their spirituall faculties as it were disjoynted and unable to move or stir Psal. 51. 10. and one of them rent asunder from another through prejudices passion love to self interest and such like Act. 15. 39 for otherwise there should be but small need of a Ministery toward them the great end whereof is to place those things which are disorderly in a right frame to joyn together things which are rent asunder to recover strength and motion to these things which are rendered weak by being out of their right place as the word rendered perfecting doth signifie for perfecting the Saints 5. A publick Ministery and the exercise thereof is the ordinary mean appointed by the Lord Christ for perfecting the Saints and edifying the body of Christ whether by converting those of the Elect who are yet in their unregenerate state Rom. 10. 17. Or by confirming and establishing those who are already converted Col. 4. 12. and making them to grow Col. 1. 28. or restoring them when they are overtaken in a fault 1 Tim 5. 20. and therefore it is a most necessary ordinance without which those great ends in an ordinary way cannot be attained for He maketh the ministeriall offices formerly mentioned the means of perfecting the Saints and of edifying the body of Christ. 6. The highest office that is enjoyed by any within the Church is only a Ministery and service and not a lordly dominion over the flock of Christ for he calleth the forementioned offices even the highest of them the office of the Apostles it self not being excepted a Ministery or service for the work of the Ministery 7. Ministers are not called to idlnesse or to live like lazie drones wasting the Churches revenue without executing the office for which it is given They are called to work and improve their talents and gifts in that laborious work of perfecting the Saints and edifying the body of Christ for this he maketh the end of those gifts and offices in regard of those to whom they are given even the work of the Ministery 8. The gaining of souls to God and carrying on the work of grace in those who are gained to some perfection doth meet with so much opposition what from within and what from without what from men what from devils and what from a mans own heart 2 Cor. 10. -4 5. that the ministeriall office which is imployed for bringing those about is no easie task It is a work and such as though it be a worthy work 1 Tim. 3. 1. yet it is a weighty and laborious work a work that will take up the whole man and being rightly minded will give the painfull and consciencious Minister little time for any other work 1 Tim. 4. 15. for he casteth this second end relating to the Ministers themselves in the middle betwixt the other two because it relateth to them as a mean to the end and to shew it is not naked gifts or the credit of the office which will bring about those ends but the painfull exercise and discharge of them for the work of the Ministery 9. The work of the Ministery if rightly gone about is an uniting work of the Church of Christ It s great end and to which all it s other ends are subordinate being to unite souls as so many stones in a building or as so many members in the body first to Christ the foundation of this building and head of this body by bringing them up to believe in Him and next one to another by bringing them up to mutuall love and all the duties thereof and especially to mutuall for bearance and the study of unity and peace for he maketh this the great and last end of the work of the Ministery even the edifying of the body of Christ that is the Church See wherefore it is so called chap. 1. 23. The word edifying is borrowed from masons whose great work is having prepared the stones apart to joyn them most firmly both to the foundation and among themselves Vers. 13. Till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ. IN the next place he doth severall wayes illustrate and explain
God and all the Saints by sight or sense which shall be in glory 1 Pet. 1. 9. And therefore the exercise of faith and closing with Christ would mainly be pressed by Ministers and sought after by people as they would attain to unity entertain it being begun here or meet in that perfect unity hereafter for therefore is it called the unity of faith as having its rise from that grace till we all come in the unity of the faith 8. As faith in Christ cannot be without the knowledge of Christ and such a knowledge as is a reall acknowledging of Him implying application and high esteem of Him when he is known So faith cannot find a sure foundation in Christ to rest on while He be taken up as God equal with the Father and consequently endued with sufficient strength and worth for doing all those things for which the Believer imployeth Him for he describeth faith to be the knowledge or acknowledgement of the Son of God 9. The Church and body of Christ in respect of particular Believers the Members of that body hath its divine different periods of age as the infancy of the Church and particular Believers so called because of their childish ignorance and infirmities this age is spoken of ver 14. Next their youth and growing age when they are making progresse in the way of grace towards perfection this is mentioned ver 15. And lastly their perfect manly age when grace is fully perfected in glory spoken of in this verse Only they have no declining fading or old age but shall alwayes remain a perfect man unto all eternity 1 Thess. 4. 17. Till we all come in the unity of the faith unto a perfect man See the exposition 10. As Believers ought to aim at no lower degree of perfection than conformity with Christ their glorious head so they shall at last attain unto it they shall be holy harmlesse undefiled separate from sinners as He Heb. 7. 26. above the reach of all tentations as He Joh. 14. 30. their vile bodies made conform to His glorious body Philip. 3. 21. and both soul and body confirmed in that glorious state unto all eternity even as He Rom. 6. 9. that so there may be a due proportion between the head and body of mysticall Christ and when all Believers are from the fountain of fulnesse in Christ thus filled with a fulnesse of perfection in some measure answerable unto that which is in Himself then and not till then hath mysticall Christ attained His just stature proportion and fulnesse He doth in a manner reckon Himself imperfect empty and incompleat so long as one member of His mysticall body is wanting for Paul maketh the measure of the Churches perfection or manly and full stature to be the fulnesse of Christ to wit that perfection which flowing from Christs fulnesse shall compleat Christ mysticall and be conform to that fulnesse of perfection which is in Christ Unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ. Vers. 14. That we henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of Doctrine by the sleight of men and cunning craftinesse whereby they lie in wait to deceive HE doth illustrate the forementioned end of the Ministery next by shewing one chief fruit of that spirituall edification unto which the work of the Ministery is subservient even the removall of and preservation from that which is contrary to it and namely from errour and false Doctrines the hazard whereof together with the necessity of guarding against them is set forth by three similitudes the first two do expresse the temper of those who are surprized or in danger to be surprized by errour First they are as little children to wit for ignorance of what is right inconstancy in their choise and simplicity or easinesse to be deceived and to credit all Secondly they are as ships destitute of skilfull masters tossed and carried this way and that way with the tide and contrary winds among the waves and rocks even so are they with the tide and winds of contrary and diverse Doctrines and opinions sometimes fluctuating and uncertain what to choose sometimes taken with one opinion and presently changeing it with another The third similitude expresseth the way how such are seduced unto errour to wit by the pernicious subtility of seducers set forth first more obscurely by a comparison taken from the fraud or sleight of gamsters who have devices by cogging a die to make it cast up any number they please So do hereticks by wresting Scriptures force them to speak that seemingly which maketh for the defence of their errour 2 Pet. 3. 16. for the word rendered sleight of men signifieth the crafty deceiving of men Next more plainly while that sleight or deceiving is called cunning craftinesse to wit in hereticks and seducers the word signifieth a singular dexterity to do mischief of any kind acquired by long use and great medling in all affairs And lastly he sheweth the end to which this cunning craftinesse doth tend and that wherein it is exercised most even in a subtile and compendious way of deceiving the simple and drawing them from truth to errour for the words do read in cunning craftinesse tending to a compendious subtile art of deceiving or to deceive by a compendious art Hence Learn 1. One singular mean ordained by God for preserving us from the infection of dangerous errours and subtile seducers is the work of the Ministery and therefore the work of Ministers is not only to presse holinesse and to reprove vice but also to contend for the truth stop the mouth of gainsayers and guard the Lords people against infection from dangerous errours and people ought to cleave unto their faithfull Ministers as they would be preserved from being made a prey to seducing spirits for Paul doth hold this forth as one fruit of the work of the Ministery mentioned ver 12. even that we henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro with every wind of Doctrine 2. Spirituall edification and walking towards perfection in glory doth call-for not only holinesse of life but also orthodoxie in point of truth heresie and errour being as great impediments in that spirituall building and as palpable deviations from the way to heaven and glory as profanity and vice 2 Pet. 2-1 for having spoken of that great end of the Ministery the edification of the body of Christ ver 12. as the way to perfection in glory ver 13. he doth here speak of infection by errour and heresie as impediments of that edification and therefore to be removed That we henceforth be no â—ore children tossed to and fro 3. The most holy and able Ministers are not more ready to presse the sense of humane frailty with the necessity of keeping a strict watch against it upon others than they are to take with it and to watch over it in themselves for even Paul includeth himself while he saith that we
whether it be so for Paul having ver 20. professed his charitable judgement of them that they had not so learned Christ he giveth a limitation here whereby they might try if it was so if so be ye have heard him 3. That learning of Christ and knowledge of Him which is the only remedy against the power of inherent corruption is begotten in us by the ordinary mean of hearing Him preached and set forth in the publick Ministery of the Gospel Rom 10. 14 15. for this is one piece of that condition which is required to the learning of Christ thus even if so ye have heard him 4. The hearing of Christ preached by sent Ministers is not alone sufficient in order to this effectuall learning of Him but Christ Himself must teach us inwardly and effectually by His Spirit else we cannot so learn Him for this is another piece and the main piece of that condition required antecedently to their learning of Christ thus if so ye have been taught by him 5. Then do we rightly and savingly learn truth when the knowledge of truth attained by our learning is such as Christs knowledge was to wit not theoretick and speculative only but practicall and operative for so was His knowledge of truth Psal. 40. 8. and they were to be taught by Him as the truth is in Jesus else they had not so learned Christ. Vers. 22. That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitfull lusts HE doth next shew what it is to be taught by Christ as the truth is in him and thereby confirmeth what he said ver 20. that the saving knowledge of Christ is inconsistent with a licentious life in so far as this effectuall learning of Christ and knowledge of Him requireth from and effectually worketh in the person so instructed three things The first whereof is in this verse to wit a daily study to put off and mortifie the old man whereby is not meaned the substance of a mans soul and body nor yet the naturall and essentiall faculties of the soul for those of necessity do alwayes remain untill the man cease to be but that naturall and inbred corruption which hath infected and polluted all those which inbred corruption he sheweth had manifested it self in their former godlesse conversation and doth grow daily worse and more corrupt yea and by little and little bringeth corruption and destruction upon the whole man both in soul and body where it is given way to in its deceitfull lusts for so much doth he intend while he saith it is corrupt according or by deceitfull lusts Now this inbred corruption is here called the old man and the mortifying of it is called a putting of it off by a metaphor taken from the laying aside and casting off of old garments See the reasons for both upon Col. 3. -9. doct 1. Hence Learn 1. So much may we reckon our selves to know of Christ and to be taught by Christ as we do practise according to what we know Those only are best scholers in Christs school who are most tender walkers for Paul sheweth that to learn Christ and to be taught by Him is in a word to practise all the duties of an holy life even that ye put off the old man c. saith he 2. Then do we set about the duties of sanctification in the right order when we begin at the work of mortification in the first place and thence proceed to the positive duties of a new life the plants of righteousnesse will not thrive in an unhumbled proud impenitent heart Joh. 5. 44. for Paul sheweth the first part of this lesson is to put off concerning the former conversation the old man 3. Then do we carry on the work of mortification right and to good purpose when we single not out some one sin passing by others but do strike at all sin and do not content our selves to lop the branches but strike at the very root of sin for Paul describeth this work to be a putting off the old man that is the bitter root of inbred corruption in its full latitude and extent That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man 4. Though we must begin to strike at the root of sin within yet we are not to rest there but must set against sin in all its branches and whoever setteth upon sin at the root and in the heart he cannot choose but set against the breaking forth of sin in his hand and outward conversation also yea the reality of his fighting against his inward corruptions will make it self manifest in an outward change in his conversation from what it formerly was for so much is imported while he sheweth they were to put off the old man as to the former conversation not as if sins of the outward man and conversation only were to be put off but because those are also to be mortified and the inward work of mortification doth kyth by our putting off of those 5. The work of putting off and mortifying this old man of inbred corruption is to be entered timously in so far as the longer that corruption is spared it groweth worse and posteth the person in whom it is more swiftly to ruine and destruction for Paul doth indirectly at least presse this duty of putting off the old man from this that it is corrupt or groweth worse and worse by its deceitfull lusts 6. This inbred root of naturall coruption doth vent it self in multitudes and swarmes of inordinate lusts and sinfull desires by venting whereof it doth alwayes acquire the more strength and secureth its interest more firmly both in soul and body for he sheweth that this old man hath lusts and is corrupted or made worse and more deeply rooted by those lusts which is corrupted by deceitfull lusts 7. Sinfull lusts are entising and deceitfull lusts in so far as they promise what they never perform 2 Pet. 2. 19. and do often cover themselves under the mask of some laudable vertue Col. 2. 18. and thus do by subtilty carry the sinner captive to their slavery Prov. 7. 21 22. for he calleth them deceitfull lusts or as it is in the Originall lusts of deceit Vers. 23. And be renewed in the spirit of your mind HEre is the second thing which the effectual learning of Christ doth require from and work in the person so taught even a serious endeavour to have his mind and understanding more and more renewed or made new by getting a new quality of divine and supernatural light implanted in it and he calleth the understanding or rational part of the soul the spirit of their mind that is the most spiritual part of the soul or by an Hebraism their spiritual mind so called because the mind or understanding is lesse subject to be wrought upon by the temper and disposition of the body than the will and affections Doct. 1. The principal part of the soul the very
in His death and sufferings and do labour to appropriate by faith the good and benefit of those unto our selves for Paul holding forth the love of Christ as an argument inciting to love one another doth so look upon it while he saith and hath given Himself for us 7. The guilt of sin is so great as being a breach of Gods most holy Law and consequently a wrong done against an infinit God Psal. 51. 4. So exact is divine justice in requiring equivalent satisfaction for the wrong done Exod. 34. -7. that as there is no reconciling of God with man without satisfaction So no satisfaction which man himself or any meer creature could give was sufficient to do the turn for otherwise there had been no necessity that Christ should have given Himself for us 8. What no meer creature could do Christ Himself having taken-on the nature of man hath done even given full satisfaction to provoked justice by giving Himself to suffer both in soul Isa. 53. 10. and body Isa. 50. 6. in the Elects stead so that He is taken and they go free Joh. 18. -8. for He gave Himself for us 9. The pain and torment both in soul and body which Christ did give Himself to endure and suffer was inexpressible and such as was fore-signified by what was done with the ancient offerings and sacrifices according to Gods command some whereof were killed flayed and burnt some rosted some fryed on coals and some seethed in pots All which are but shadows of what Christ our Lord endured for He gave Himself an offering and sacrifice 10. As those leviticall offerings and sacrifices under the Law were not sufficient to satisfie divine justice for the sins of the Elect So Jesus Christ being offered up to God in death is that only true and reall sacrifice wherein provoked justice doth rest satisfied and whereof all those other sacrifices were but types and shadows for if they had satisfied justice there had been no necessity of this other sacrifice which came in their stead and so was represented by them He gave himself an offering and sacrifice 11. Jesus Christ Himself in this offering was both the Priest who as He was God did offer up Himself Heb. 9. 14. and the Sacrifice which was offered to wit as He was man Heb. 10. 10. Yea and we may add He was the Altar also whereupon this sacrifice was offered up the vertue of His God-head being that which not only underpropped His humane nature in suffering Isa. 50. 7 8. but also did adde an infinite value to His sufferings as being the sufferings of Him who was God Acts 20. -28. even as the altar doth sanctifie the gift Matth 23. 19. for He gave himself an offering and sacrifice 12. The ransom given by Christ for sinners was payed unto God whom they had wronged and not unto Sathan whose slaves we are by nature although by vertue of that ransom we are freed from Sathans slavery and sins dominion Heb. 2. 14. for God the just Judge being satisfied Sathan the jaylour and unjust tyrant did lose his right to keep us longer in bonds He gave himself an offering and sacrifice not to Sathan but to God saith he 13. As sin doth mak us loathsom and unfavourie to God and stireth up His wrath against us So the sweet savour of this one sacrifice offered up by Christ being laid hold-upon by faith appeaseth His wrath and maketh us savourie and well-pleasing in His sight for so much is implyed while he saith He gave himself a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour a metaphor taken from men who when their senses are offended with some stinking favour cannot be at quiet until some sweet perfume be burnt which prevaileth above the other In like manner the noisom smell of our sin did so move the Lord to wrath that He would not be at rest untill the sweet smell of His Sons obedience did come to His nostrils Job 33. 24. 14. It is the only sacrifice of Christ which by its own vertue doth appease the wrath of God and make both the persons of the Elect and their spirituall performances acceptable to God for it is a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour And though this much be also spoken of other sacrifices Gen. 8. 21. Exod. 29. 41. yet it is to be understood of them not as they were considered in themselves Heb. 10. 1. but as they related to this sacrifice of Christ whereof they were types and upon which the godly even then did rely by faith Heb. 11. 4. Doct. 15. Whence it followeth and from the text also that not only an end is put to all those leviticall sacrifices seing Christ this true and reall sacrifice whereof they were types is offered up already in death but also that there is no sacrifice properly so called to be offered up in the Christian Church neither of any other thing besides Christ neither is that sacrifice of Christ Himself again to be repeated and consequently that there is no Priest properly so called but Christ alone for the Apostle sheweth this one sacrifice did abundantly pacifie provoked justice and therefore there is no need of any other besides that the vertue of it is perpetual Heb. 10. 14 18. and so it needeth not to be reiterated A sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour Vers. 3. But fornication and all uncleannesse or covetousness let it not be once named amongst you as becometh Saints THe Apostle cometh now to give some new precepts And first in this and the following verse he forbiddeth six vices all of them for the most part contrary to chastity prescribed in the seventh command Three of which vices are in the outward actions and forbidden in this verse 1. Fornication or the sin of filthinesse between parties both free from the yoke of marriage 1 Cor. 7. 2. a sin looked upon as a thing indifferent and no sin among the Gentiles 1 Cor. 6. 12. 2. Uncleannesse under which are usually comprehended all other sorts of filthie lusts between any parties whatsomever 3. Covetousnesse that is an immoderate desire Heb. 13. 5. to acquire Micab 2. 2. or to preserve worldly goods Prov. 11. 24 26. All which he doth so discharge as that they should not name them to wit with delight and without detestation otherwise it is lawfull to name them while we reprove them as the Apostle here doth and he urgeth this prohibition from the state wherein they were as being Saints separated from the world and dedicated to God and therefore it were most unseemly for them to defile themselves with such filthy lusts Doct. 1. True Christian-love unto our neighbour whereby we endeavour his preservation and good in his honour person chastity outward estate and good name Rom. 13. 9. doth hugely differ from fleshly love flowing from lust and from the love of the world whereby we seek to satisfie our own sinfull lusts with our neighbours hurt for the former was
understanding c. 2. No mother-wit naturall philosophie or carnall wisdom is a sufficient rule to walk by in a way acceptable to God or to convey us safely through those rocks and snares which are spread for our feet in evil times 1 Cor. 1. 20 21. and 2. 14. It is only the knowledge revealed in His Word which is able to reach this end as containing in it a most perfect rule both of faith and manners 2 Tim. 3. 16 17. for he would have them in order to this end understanding what the will of the Lord is 3. There is that in God's will revealed in Scripture and in no other writings else which is sufficient to make a man compleatly wise unto salvation and to drive away those dark clouds of ignorance and folly which are in the spirit of every man by nature there being no other science or knowledge which can give a through discovery either of our lost estate by nature or of the way of our delivery from it by a Redeemer nor yet of that obedience in its full extent wherein our thankfulnesse for a delivery consisteth for he opposeth those two Be not unwise but understanding what the will of the Lord is 4. As it ought to be a Christian man's study to know the will of God revealed in Scripture So this is a subject which never will be perfectly known there being alwayes some new thing to be learned of it and from it even by those who are greatest proficients in the knowledge of it Psal. 119. 96. and therefore we must be still schollers at this school for Paul setteth forth their studying to know this subject by a word of the present time implying it would be a continued lasting work while he saith understanding what the will of God is Vers. 18. And be not drunk with wine wherein is excesse but be filled with the Spirit IN this verse are other two of those precepts which do belong to all Christians in generall first that they be not drunk with wine where by wine is meaned all drink which maketh drunk set forth in one of its kinds which is most generally known And the Apostle's scope is not to forbid all use of wine seing it may be lawfully used as all other good creatures of God 1 Tim. 4. 4. for health 1 Tim. 5. 23. for satisfying thirst Rom. 12. 20. as also for a Christian and sober chearing up the naturall and vitall spirits upon some singular occasion Joh. 2. 8. Prov. 31. 6. but he condemneth all excessive and inordinate use of wine when more of it is taken than either natural necessity calleth-for or Christian sober recreation and chearfulnesse doth allow and so much as our bodies and spirits are thereby overcharged in some measure lesse or more and so rendered unfit for God's service Luk. 21. 34. even although the use of naturall reason be not taken away by it Isa. 5. 22. This disswasive from drunkennesse is inforced from the sad concomitant and consequence of this sin called here excesse The word signifieth lavish wasting and destruction which wasting destruction is extended elsewhere to the drunkards means Prov. 23. 21. his reputation and credit Hab. 2. 16. his natural strength of body Prov. 23. 29. his wit and judgement Hos. 4. 11. yea and to his soul for ever without repentance 1 Cor. 8. 10. So that this one word hath a comprehensive sum of all those dreadfull consequences which do accompany this one sin Secondly in opposition to their being drunk with wine he exhorteth them to be filled with the Spirit of God to wit by labouring to have the fruits of the Spirit in all goodnesse righteousnesse and truth with joy peace and the comfortable sense of His presence abounding in them in a rich and copious measure Doct. 1. Christians as in all other things so in their eating and drinking must be ruled by the Word and neither by their own appetite Prov. 23 1 2. nor the pleasure of others Hos. 7. 5. for he prescribeth a rule for their drinking Be not drunk with wine saith he 2. So pernicious and perverse is our naturall corruption that those things which God hath given to man for his help and good are perverted by it for bringing about his hurt both in soul and body and outward estate for wine which is given for health and glading the heart of man Psal. 104. 15. is abused to drunkennesse and consequently to God's dishonour and the man 's own prejudice so much is supponed while he saith Be not drunk with wine 3. There is no sin more inconsistent with wise circumspect and conscientious spending of time than the sin of immoderate drinking is Experience sheweth it consumeth time casteth open doors to all wickednesse burieth shame which keepeth many from vice and transformeth a man to a very beast so that he neither knoweth nor careth what he doth it is the mother of strifes and lust driveth to stealing lying swearing and what not for in opposition to the duty of walking circumspectly and redeeming the time he mentioneth this sin of drunkennesse and forbiddeth it And be not drunk with wine saith he 4. Such is the tyrannie of this sin that where it is once given way to it carrieth a man headlongs in the service of it so that he valueth no losse whether of credit means body or soul if he may get his beaâ—tly appetite satisfied for Paul supponeth many were given to this sin though therein was excesse or destruction and losse of all the forementioned good things following upon it while he saith wherein or in which being drunk or in which drunkenness there is excess or losse and destruction 5. Though a gracious person may through infirmity slip into this sin of drunkennesse Gen. 19. 32 33. yet a drunken course of life cannot consist with a mans having the spirit of grace in any plentifull measure seing He is a spirit of temperance chastity and moderation Gal. 5. 23. and not of excesse for the adversative particle but implyeth an opposition betwixt those two drunkennesse and enjoying the presence of the Spirit of God Be not drunk with wine but be filled with the Spirit 6. We ought not to rest upon and content our selves with a small measure of the graces of Gods Spirit but are to endeavour to be filled with them and to have the Spirit of God dwelling richly in us by actuating all our graces Cant. 4. 16. and adding one degree of grace unto another 2 Pet. 3. 18. for he commandeth them not only to have but to be filled with the Spirit 7. What even fleshly sinfull pleasure a man doth find or imagineth to find from any sinfull course the same and much more is to be had in a spirituall and divine manner in the way of grace and particularly a copious plentifull measure of the spirit of grace doth work the like effects spiritually which wine immoderately taken doth bodily It filleth the soul with joy and gladnesse Psal. 4.
10. 16. but also to confirm the grant of them to us if we believe Rom. 4. 11 yea and to exhibit a greater measure of those saving graces unto us upon our right using of them 1 Cor. 11. 24. therefore is it that the thing signified is ascribed unto the sign and seal Now the Apostle doth mention Baptism only and not the Lords Supper either because there is the same reason for both and therefore it was sufficient to expresse the one or because Baptism is the first and leading Sacrament and sealeth up our regeneration and new birth in a peculiar manner Tit. 3. 5. and therefore it is most appositly mentioned here where he speaketh of God's work in bringing sinners out of nature unto the state of grace The second mean and instrument which God maketh use of is the Word to wit the Covenant of Grace revealed in the Gospel and preached by sent Ministers Rom. 10. 15. which the Lord doth blesse for conveying grace to gracelesse sinners and so for sanctifying and cleansing them not by any vertue in the sound syllabs or sentences of this Word but by the effectuall working of His own Spirit Acts 16. 14. whereby He doth accompany His Word when and where He pleaseth Joh. 3. 8. Doct. 1. The love which an husband carrieth unto his wife ought to make it self evident not only in these things which tend to her welbeing in things temporall but also and chiefly in his sincere endeavours to bring about her spiritual and eternall good by labouring to instruct her in the saving knowledge of God in Christ 1 Pet. 3. 7. lovingly to admonish her for her faults Job 2. 10. and to pray with her and for her 1 Pet. 3. -7. for the example of Christs love to His Church which he is to imitate doth teach so much seing He from love gave Himself for the Church that He might sanctifie and cleanse her 2. As Gods Image was lost and forfeited by Adam's fall unto all his posterity so there was not any possible way for our recovering of it except a price and no lesse price than the bloud of Christ had been first payed to provoked justice for it for Christ behoved to give Himself and thereby purchase sanctification for us that so He might sanctifie and cleanse the Church 3. Our dying Lord had an actuall intention in due time to sanctifie and accordingly doth regenerate justifie and sanctifie yea and bring unto glory all those for whom he died and gave Himself a sacrifice and offering unto God for His intentions cannot be frustrated but He must see the travell of His soul Isa. 53. 11. Now that He intended to sanctifie all such is clear For He gave Himself for it that He might sanctifie and cleanse it 4. As all those for whom Christ our Lord did from love give Himself and whom by His death He intended to sanctifie were in themselves polluted and unclean lying in their bloud defiled both with the guilt of sin already committed and with the filthy vilenesse of sin yet indwelling Eph. 2. 1 -3. So such was the fervency of love in Christ to lost sinners and such was the vertue of His merit that no uncleannesse of this kind did make Him loath them or despare of getting them made clean For that He gave Himself for the Church to cleanse it supponeth that they were unclean and yet He loveth them and from love setteth about to cleanse them 5. The stain and blot of sin both in its filth and guilt hath so much sunk down in and polluted the whole man in soul and body that no liquor under heaven can wash it out or cleanse the soul from it but only the washing cleansing vertue of Christs most precious bloud For He gave Himself for the Church that He might cleanse it 6. This precious liquor of Christs bloud did not cleanse and sanctifie all those for whom He gave Himself so soon as it was shed upon the crosse no there neither was nor can be any cleansing of any by the bloud of Christ untill it be effectually applied unto the filthy soul for he mentioneth the Word and Sacraments as the means whereby Christ applieth the vertue of His death and ascribeth therefore this effect of cleansing unto them He gave Himself that He might cleanse it by the washing of water by the word 7. As this work and duty of applying the cleansing vertue of Christs death by a lively faith Act. 15. 9. is of all the other most difficult So the goodnesse of God hath provided many means by the help whereof we may be carried on towards it the chief whereof are the Word preached and the Sacraments administrated the former containing the charter or grant of Christ and of all His benefits from God unto every one who will receive Him Job 3. 16. The latter being the great seal of heaven annexed to this grant Rom. 4. 11. that thereby we may be more and more confirmed in the faith of it for His providing these means doth point at both the difficultie of applying Christ and his care to have us brought up to it That He might cleanse it by the washing of water and by the word 8. The Spirit of God prescribeth means unto Himself by which He bringeth about the work of grace in gracelesse sinners not to ty Himself absolutely and in all cases to such means but that we may be tyed to depend on Him in the use of them His ordinary way being to convey grace by these for though He may sanctifie some from the womb before they hear the Word or receive any Sacrament Jer. 1. 5. yet He holdeth these forth as the ordinary means by which He cleanseth even the washing of water by the word Vers. 27. That he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish HEre is the second end of Christs giving Himself for His Church as also of His sanctifying it which end is not attained untill the life to come for besides that he hath spoken of the Churches state of grace ver 26 the words here used are so comprehensive and large that they cannot be well understood to have their full accomplishment untill Believers be brought by Christ unto that full perfection in grace which shall be attained in glory Which state of perfection is here set forth by that most perfect union and conjunction which the Church shall have with Christ being presented to Him as the Bride to the Bridegroom for the through accomplishing of the marriage by vertue of which most perfect union the Church shall be glorious that is perfectly holy and happy as he after explaineth shewing all evil whether of sin or misery shall be removed even the least spot of sin or wrinkle through old age or misery not excepted and that all contrary good shall be bestowed both perfect holinesse and happinesse in such a measure that
the most rigid critick or Momus himself shall not find any inlack or defect in either as the word rendered without blemish will bear Doct. 1. All those who are justified and sanctified here and none but they shall be glorified hereafter for Christ must see the travel of His soul Isa. 53. 11. which is not only to sanctifie those for whom He gave Himself ver 26. but also to glorifie them and to bring them to glory by the way of holinesse That He might present it to Himself a glorious Church 2. Christ hath purchased by His death not only sanctification to His Church but also heaven it self and therefore our glory in heaven is not merited by our holinesse but being purchased by Christ is freely gifted to us Rom. 6. 23. He gave Himself for it that He might present it to Himself a glorious Church saith he 3. Though Belivers even while they are here be brought near to God in Christ by faith Eph. 2. 13. and have fellowship with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ 1 Joh. 1. -3. yet all that fellowship and nearnesse is but a distance and kind of estrangement being compared with that most perfect presence and intimate fellowship which shall be enjoyed hereafter the former being but mediate through the glaste of Ordinances 1 Cor. 13. 12. frequently interrupted Psal. 30. 7. and no wayes full 1 Cor. 13. 12. but the latter shall be immediate 1 Cor. 13. 12. constant 1 Thess. 4. 17. and so full that they who enjoy the meanest degree shall find no inlack Psal. 17. 15. for he speaketh of Christs presenting His Church to Himself in glory at the great day as if there were nothing but uncouthnesse and distance betwixt Him and the Church untill then that he might present it to himself a glorious Church saith he 4. Though every believing soul is when the Father draweth it to Christ contracted and handfasted with Him Hos. 2. 19 20. yet for good and wise reasons it pleaseth the Lord Christ to delay the taking of us home to Himself and the accomplishment and consummation of the begun marriage untill all the Elect being effectually called shall be presented to Him at once and so this spirituall marriage shall be fully accomplished betwixt Jesus Christ and the Bride the Lambs wife Rev. 19. 7. even as in earthly marriages there is first a Contract or Espousals and then for just and honest reasons some space of time ought to interveen betwixt that and the full accomplishment of the marriage Deut. 20. 7. Matth. 1. 18. for Paul sheweth that then at the great day the whole Church of real Believers shall be presented to Christ as the Bride is to the Bridegroom for the solemn consummation of the marriage That he might present it to himself a glorious Church 5. As believing souls even after their being contracted with Christ by faith and after they are renewed and cleansed in part do not get all their filthy garments put off there being a body of sin and death which cleaveth unto the best So at the finall solemnization of the marriage in the great day the Church of Believers the Bride and Lambs wife shall be clad in garments of glory being fully freed from the smallest remnant of sin and misery and made wholly glorious both in soul Matth. 22. 30. and body Phil. 3. 21. for he saith that he might present it unto himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle c. 6. Those garments of glory and needle-work wherewith the Church the Lambs wife shall be arrayed in the marriage-day are dearly purchased and freely bestowed upon her by Christ her Bridegroom and head for Paul saith Christ gave himself for the Church that he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle c 7. This perfect glorious state wherein the Church shall be for ever with Christ her Lord her Head her Husband is such as none can positively declare what it is yea neither can the heart of man comprehend it and all the knowledge which can be here in our state of imperfection attained of it is not so much positive or a knowing what it is as negative or a knowing what it is not by removing all those things from it which imply the least degree of sin and misery for therefore doth Paul set it out here by four negatives Not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing and without blemish and by one affirmative only that it should be holy Vers. 28. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies he that loveth his wife loveth himself FOlloweth the second argument to inforce this duty of love upon husbands towards their wives taken from the near conjunction betwixt husband and wife which he doth propound in this verse by shewing that the wife is the husbands body in so far as by the law of marriage which shall be explained ver 30. they two become one flesh so that in loving her he doth love himself to wit not so much because his so doing tendeth to his own good and peace though that be also truth Prov. 5. 17 18 19. as that she is his own body a piece of himself yea and his whole self or a second self they two being one flesh and therefore he ought to love her yea and to love her with the same sincerity and ardency of affection kything in the same or like effects wherewith he loveth his own body yea both his soul and body which are himself for the words as their own bodies are both an argument to inforce upon them the duty and a rule to direct them in the right manner of practising the duty Doct. 1. As love in husbands toward their wives after the pattern of Christs love unto His Church is a most necessary duty So considering the many quench-coals of love which the mutual infirmities both of husbands and wives do frequently furnish together with that naturall pronenesse which is in corrupt man being advanced and preferred above others to abuse his authority to domineer with a kind of tyranny over such as are under him it will be found a task not so easie as at the first it would appear for husbands to keep this affection and love flowing from the right fountain and manifesting it self in all its necessary effects towards their wives for to what purpose else doth he reiterate this exhortation and inforce it by so strong and convincing arguments So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies 2. That place of honour and superiority which God hath given the man over the wife as appointing him to be her head doth tye him unto answerable duty so that the greater his honour is the greater is his burden and in particular it bindeth him to love her and from love to govern instruct cherish her and provide for her and to all other things by proportion which the head doth for the body for from what he said ver
23. that the husband is the head of the wife he inferreth here So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies 3. Though there be a sinfull love to a mans self whereby a man preferreth himself and the fulfilling of his inordinate desires to Gods glory and the good of his neighbour Philip. 2. 21. which by all means is to be eschewed and mortified Luke 9. 23. yet there is an orderly lawfull and allowed love to self whereby a man doth seek his own preservation both in soul and body by just and lawfull means with due subordination to Gods glory and without any opposition to or setting himself against his neighbours good for Paul supponeth this love ought to be in every man towards himself and doth urge it as the reason and rule of the love which the husband oweth to his wife while he saith men ought to love their wives as their own bodies he that loveth his wife loveth himself 4. The love which husbands do carry to their wives ought not to have its rise from any such extrinsecal considerations as love to their own peace and ease fear of shame and disgrace if through want of love secret discontents break out to publick strife or from any satisfaction which they find to their carnal affections but from respect to Gods holy Ordinance whereby their wives are made a piece of themselves hence their love shall be most native operative yea and insuperable by any provocations or infirmities when they shall look upon their wives as themselves and consequently upon their infirmities shame hurt as their own for Paul will have their love to flow from this fountain while he saith men ought to love their wives as their own bodies c. 5. That husbands may carry themselves aright towards their wives which holdeth of all superiours with relation to their inferiours they would seriously consider not so much what is in the power of their hand and what they are able to do or may be for their profit and advantage or tend to get themselves obeyed feared and respected to the utmost as what they ought and is incumbent for them to do and what the Law of God and the state they are in do require from them as their duty for the Apostle repeateth the former exhortation held forth ver 25. with the addition of one word to wit ought whereby he mindeth husbands that the thing pressed was their duty and therefore they were to mind it So ought men to love their wives saith he Vers. 29. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh but nourisheth and cherisheth it even as the Lord the Church HE proveth the consequence of the former argument to wit that husbands are to love their wives because they are their own bodies by three reasons The first is taken from the universal custom of all men to wit who are in their right wit not demented and wofully deluded by the devil which is set down first negatively no man did ever hate his own flesh or from hatred did any dammage to it and next positively every such man doth to his utmost provide for and allow upon his own flesh all things necessary both for nourishing or feeding it and for cherishing and keeping it warm with such a sort of care and tendernesse as hens have toward their young ones while by casting their wings over them they do with their own natural heat keep the young ones warm for the word rendered cherishing is a mephor taken from the practice of those tender and loving creatures By all which he not only proveth that husbands should love their wives as being their own body but also hinteth at some of those effects wherein their love should be made manifest whereof particular mention shall be made among the Observations Secondly he proveth the same consequence and also further cleareth with what care and tendernesse the husband should carry himself unto his wife as to his own body from Christs example who nourisheth and cherisheth the Church His body by providing for her and allowing on her all things necessary for soul and body Doct. 1. It is no lesse monstruous and unnatural for a man to hate and from hatred to carry himself austerely saucily and undutifully to his wife than if in a fit of phrensie he should hate and from hatred refuse to do all duty to himself But in stead thereof to be cruel against himself for the Apostle mentioneth this no man not demented did never hate his own flesh to shew that therefore husbands ought as much to abhor and abstain from hating their wives for no man ever yet hated his own flesh 2. It is not sufficient that husbands do not carry any hatred to their wives but they must also love them and evidence their love to them not in empty words and flattering insinuations but in providing all things necessary for them both in food and raiment for he holdeth forth indirectly the husbands duty to his wife in that allowed care which every man hath or ought to have of his own flesh No man ever yet bated his own flesh but nourisheth and cherisheth it 3. It is the duty of an husband to provide things necessary unto his wife not grudgingly or too sparingly as to a stranger or to his childe or servant but liberally according to her rank and station as being his equal and confidently without craving an exact accompt from her of every thing which she receiveth as having a common right and interest with him in all things that are his and cheerfully by testifying such contentment in her even while he bestoweth things necessary on her as he would do in bestowing the same or the like on himself for so much is implyed in a mans nourishing and cherishing of his own flesh which is held forth as the rule of the husbands tender care and liberal benevolence toward his wife but nourisheth and cherisheth it 4. The husband under pretence of cherishing his wife ought not to pamper her or lavishly to wast his estate in upholding her prodigality in apparel unnecessary expensive ornaments and such like vanities but the rule according to which he is to walk in those things and more than which the wife ought not to expect from her husband nor yet complaine if he come up to it is what his own rank requireth his necessity doth permit and that tender care which is taken by him in nourishing and cherishing himself for this is here held forth as his rule But nourisheth and cherisheth it to wit his own flesh 5. Though there be an excessive pampering of the flesh which is sinfull and forbidden when provision is made for it to fulfill the lusts thereof Rom. 13. 14. yet there is a lawfull and necessary care of the flesh or of a mans own body whereby things necessary for food and raiment are bestowed upon it in so far that health and strength be not inlacking for discharging the duties of our calling for
Paul doth not condemn but approve this custom among men that no man ever hated his own flesh but nourisheth and cherisheth it 6. As Christs example in His dealing towards the Church is a most excellent copie to be eyed and imitated by husbands in their carriage toward their wives and that not only in their love but in all those other duties flowing from love which they owe unto them So it doth concern both husbands and wives to eye this pattern much and to draw their motives and encouragements unto their mutuall duties from it as that which will much conduce to keep their hearts in a spirituall frame even in those performances and to prevent that carnal worldly disposition which the misguided care of performing such duties as the married-state of life calleth for doth usually contract for as he propounded Christs example for a motive to and pattern of the duty of love ver 25. so of those duties also of nourishing and cherishing which flow from it in this verse even as the Lord the Church 7. A husbands care ought to extend it self not only to nourish and cherish his wife in things temporal and which concern her body only but also in things spiritual and which concern her soul and therefore he would be circumspect lest under pretence of eschewing all suspicion of displeasure with her and of giving necessary tokens and evidences of his love and kindnesse to her in order to his outward cherishing her he do neither willingly neglect the care of her salvation or by fondnesse or lightnesse incapacitate himself to do her any good in that respect for Christ doth nourish and cherish His Church by taking care of and providing mainly for the souls and eternall state of His People and husbands are commanded here to make Him their pattern Even as the Lord the Church saith he Vers. 30. For we are members of his body of his flesh and of his bones HE giveth here a reason why Christ doth so cherish His Church where in stead of naming the Church expresly which the sequell of his discourse did require he mentioneth himself and other true Believers among the Ephesians under the pronoun we the Church here spoken of for whom Christ did give Himself being only made up of such And the reason is taken from that neer and strict union or that spirituall marriage which is betwixt Christ and Believers whereof that ancient marriage betwixt Adam and Eva was a kind of type and shadow as appeareth from the words here used which are taken from Gen. 2. 23. and were uttered at first by Adam concerning himself and his wife but are here by allusion to that marriage of theirs made use of to set forth the spirituall marriage betwixt Christ and His Church the tie and bond whereof is so near and strict that as the Apostle sheweth all Believers are members of His body yea not only of one nature with him which is common to them with all mankind but also as they are new creatures they have their originall and nourishment from Him even from His flesh and bones in so far as they owe the beginning progresse and accomplishment of their spirituall life to Christ His taking on of flash and His suffering in the flesh and by the vertue of those His sufferings they are quickned and fed and so are of His flesh and of his bones Doct. 1. Then do we speak and hear to our comfort and edification these truths which expresse the tender and warm care of Christ unto His Church when we make application of them to our selves and by a lively faith do enter our selves among these for whom He doth so care for the Apostle having in the preceeding verse spoken of Christs nourishing and cherishing of His Church applyeth that to himself and other true Believers among the Ephesians while he saith for we are members of his body 2. Then may we upon good grounds apply these generall truths unto our selves when as members of Christs mysticall body we draw our spirituall life and nourishment from that vertue and influence which Christ hath purchased by His sufferings in the flesh for upon this ground Paul doth substitute himself and other true Believers in stead of the Church and claimeth interest in Christs tender and warm care whereby He doth nourish and cherish His Church while he saith we are members of His body of His flesh and of His bones 3. There is no relation which Christ hath taken on toward His Church but it bindeth him to and accordingly he will perform all those answerable duties which men under these relations are bound to perform toward those to whom they have them for he giveth a reason why He did nourish and cherish His Church as a man doth his body and a husband ought to cherish his wife because he had taken on the relation of an head and husband to His Church while he saith we are members of His body of His flesh and of His bones 4. As true Believers have a twofold being one naturall and another spirituall so they have a twofold originall answerable to each of these In their naturall being they owe their originall under God unto their parents as being bone of their bones and flesh of their flesh as Eva the first woman did owe it to her husband But as they are renewed and born over again they owe their spirituall being not to the will of the flesh or the will of man Joh. 1. 13. but to the vertue of Christs obedience and sufferings in His flesh 1 Joh. 4. 9. for he saith not they are bone of His bones and flesh of His flesh as Adam saith of his wife Gen. 2. 23. to point that she did owe her naturall being unto him as being come and made of him but that they were of His bone and flesh to wit in their spirituall being as they were renewed and members of His body for we are members of his body of His bone and of His flesh Vers. 31. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother and shall be joyned unto his wife and they two shall be one flesh THis verse in the literal plain and historical sense of the words holdeth forth the law of marriage binding all married parties in all times which was pronounced by Adam Gen. 2. 24. and approved by God Himself Matth. 19. 5. And the words taken in this sense contain the third reason to prove the former consequence ver 28. that seing wives are the bodies of their husbands therefore they should be loved The argument is taken from that law of marriage expresly declaring that for this cause to wit because the wife is bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh as the cause is expressed Gen. 2. 23 24. which is the same in effect with the cause given ver 28. even because she is the body of the husband to which this verse literally taken doth relate or to the thirtieth verse immediatly preceeding in
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
walk acceptably in their stations for here is in it a direction even for servants Servants be obedient unto your masters 4. The great and main lesson which servants as servants ought to learn and so to learn as to practise is to be obedient to their masters and in a word faithfully and diligently and according to their masters own lawfull directions to go about their affairs So that whatever they be otherwise for wisdom breeding or profession of piety yet if they be inlacking in this either neglecting their businesse or preferring their own wisdom in carrying of it on to the direction of their masters they are a reproach to the Gospel in so far as they make not conscience of that which the Gospel requireth from them most for this is it he doth mainly presse upon them Servants be obedient unto your masters 5. This duty of obedience belongeth unto all servants towards their masters So that neither birth breeding nor their near relation of kindred unto their masters do exempt them from it providing they be servants for he speaketh indefinitly unto all servants Servants be obedient unto your masters 6. This duty of obedience from servants is payable to all masters without exception whether they be good or bad rich or poor great or small no diversity of that kind doth detract from the masters authority nor ought to lessen the servants obedience for he speaketh indefinitly also of masters Servants be obedient unto your masters 7. As the power of masters yea and all earthly power whatsomever doth only reach the body and the outward temporall concernments of inferiors and cannot reach their conscience soul or spiritual concernments except to constrain the outward man unto the obedience of what God hath already prescribed in those So neither ought superiors to make their will an absolute rule to be followed by their inferiors in all things nor yet inferiors to give up themselves wholly to follow all their directions with a blind and implicit obedience for they are but masters according to the flesh that is have power over the bodies of servants only 8. It is not sufficient to do what is commanded by God in any thing except we do it in that manner wherein it is commanded and particularly servants must not only yeeld obedience to their masters and do them service but they must do it in such manner as it ought to be done and in speciall their obedience and service must be qualified as the Apostle hath expressed even with fear and trembling singlenesse of heart c. See the exposition of this and the two following verses 9. A proud heart evidencing it self in a saucie malapert awlesse and carlesse carriage is most unbeseeming the condition of servants and highly displeasing to God in them as being opposit to that property of fear and trembling which ought to accompany their obedience Be obedient with fear and trembling 10. Though servants are to stand in awe of their masters displeasure and even from fear of that to go about their service Mal. 1. 6 yet they must not be acted from fear alone nor think themselves exonered when so much is done as his displeasure will be eschewed but being acted from other motives also they must make conscience of severall other things in the matter and manner of their service which the awe and fear of their master would never constrain them unto for although the master know not the heart and consequently the servants need not to trouble themselves about their heart from the fear or dread of him yet they are to obey in singlenesse of heart 11. A servant can never discharge his duty with that sincerity and tendernesse which he oweth unto his master except he have an high esteem of Christ and in the first plac become an obedient servant unto Him that so from love to Christ he may yeeld himself obedient to his master in Christ and so far as obedience to him doth not crosse that obedience which he oweth to Christ for he biddeth them be obedient unto their masters as unto Christ and so implyeth they must be first obedient unto Christ. Vers. 6. Not with eye-service as men-pleasers but as the servants of Christ doing the will of God from the heart HEre are moe properties of the obedience required from servants or rather an explanation of that property already expressed to wit singleness of heart which he explaineth 1. negatively while he opposeth it to eye-service which is here condemned in servants who then are guilty of this sin when they seem respective to their masters person and carefull of what concerneth him himself being present or when they know their deportment will otherwayes come to his knowledge but at other times are unfaithfull and carelesse which sin of eye-service is aggreaged from this that those who are guilty of it are men-pleasers not as if it were simply unlawfull for servants to endeavour to please their masters for that is commanded Tit. 2. 9. but when they only seek to please them and that they may seem to please them care not to deceive them by appearing to be that in their presence which really they are not and consequently do not labour to approve themselves to the all-seeing eye of God This is the sin of men-pleasing here condemned in servants as being near of kin to eye-service Next positively by shewing that then did they serve in singlenesse of heart when 1. they behaved themselves as the servants of Christ knowing that they behoved to be countable to Him who knoweth the double dealing even of the very heart Jer. 17. 10. and that He will accept of their lawfull obedience unto their masters as service done to Him And secondly when taking God for their party and looking upon the lawfull commands of their masters as the will of God unto them they do set about to execute them cordially and sincerely even from the heart without dissimulation and hypocrisie Doct. 1. A single heart is alwayes constant in good and the same in secret which it is before the view of others for eye-service whereby servants are one thing before their masters and another thing behind their backs is here opposed to singlnesse of heart not with eye-service 2. A man may so walk as to content the eye of those who behold and to please men to the full who can see no further than the outside 1 Sam. 16. -7. and yet his way be highly displeasing unto God for though eye-service be a sin displeasing unto God Yet servants may please men with it as is here implyed not with eye-service as men-pleasers 3. When a mans chief design is to gain applause and to be well esteemed of by men he hath no further regard of his duty either to God or men than what doth make way for the promoting of that design for men-pleasing is the fountain of eye-service in servants or of their neglecting duty but in so far only as they may be seen and
must be actuated and applied to work Philip. 2. 13. directed in their work 2 Thess. 3. 5. recruited daily with a new supply of strength Isa. 40. 29. and keeped from fainting under renewed assaults Luke 22. 31 32. otherwise they can do nothing Joh. 15. -5. for he forbiddeth them not only make use of grace inherent as we shall hear ver 11. but also and antecedently be strong in the Lord or in that strength which they had without themselves in the Lord Christ. 7. As whatsoever is in the Lord Christ must and will be forth-coming for the encouragement strengthening and bearing through of Believers in this spirituall conflict So their greatest strength and ground of courage in all their conflicts doth ly in and ought to arise from not what they are in themselves or can do for themselves but what the Lord Christ is engaged to be and do on their behalf for he exhorteth them be strong in the Lord thereby implying that the Lord Christ would be forthcoming for them and that they were to draw their resolution and courage from thence 8. Christian souldiers in order to their own encouragement and strengthening for this spirituall conflict ought to lay hold upon and by faith make use as of whole Christ and of all those rich and glorious perfections which are in Him So especially of His almighty power and strength by vertue whereof He doth all His pleasure Isa. 46. -10. neither is there any thing too hard for Him Gen. 18. 14. The power of enemies and greatnesse of difficulties together with our own weaknesse call for this besides that many of our discouragements arise not so much or only from misbelief of His good-will to help as from our atheisticall doubtings about His power and strength which sometimes are expressed Psal. 78. -20. and sometimes work subtilly under ground as if not His power but only His good-will were doubted of which is clear from this that His good-will is not usually questioned but when difficulties are great and to sense and reason insuperable Hence it is that having commanded them to act their faith upon whole Christ and all that is in Him he biddeth them pitch upon His almighty power in particular Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might Vers. 11. Put on the whole armour of God that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil THe Apostle will have them to be strong and fortifie themselves next by acquiring and making use of spirituall strength inherent in themselves while he enjoyneth them to put on the whole armour of God that is the whole furniture and matter of Christian vertues and all the means which God hath appointed for guarding the soul against Satans temptations as he cleareth afterwards in the particular pieces of this armour Now those graces of Gods Spirit are called armour because they defend the soul from and strike out against Satan and sinfull lusts as the armour of souldiers in wars do defend the body and hurt the enemy and the armour of God both to shew it must be spirituall and not carnall 2 Cor. 10. 5. as being fitted for the heart soul and conscience and not the bodily members and that God is the author maker and inventer of this armour and accordingly doth bestow it Iam. 1. 17. In the latter part of the verse he sheweth the end why they should be strong in the Lord and put on this armour even that they might be able to stand that is to hold on their Christian course as a souldier standing orderly and keeping his ground not running forth beyond the bounds of their calling to cast themselves upon tentations and hazards nor basely fleeing from or ceding to them when God calleth for valiant resistance which duty of standing is illustrated from the party whom they were to encounter and to fight against even Satan whose subtile wiles and stratagems whereby he laboureth to intrap souls cannot be otherwayes resisted but by putting on of this spirituall armour Hence Learn 1. Christians are so to rely upon and make use of the covenanted power and strength of Christ as not to ly-by lazie and idle themselves They must also have and accordingly make use of strength inherent in them and bestowed on them by their Lord and General Jesus Christ. Confidence in Christ and the conscientious use of all those helps and means appointed by Him cannot be separated for the Apostle having commanded them vers 10. to place their confidence in the power of Christ will have them here to acquire and make use of spirituall strength inherent in themselves while he saith Put on the whole armour of God 2. It is only the armour of God the graces of His Spirit and such other means as are appointed by Him which Christians are to make use of in this spirituall conflict whatever armour we use besides whether will-worship invented by our selves Col. 2. 18. or carnall motives to oppose the power of sin or poor subterfuges to cover the guilt of it Jer. 2. 22. will hurt but cannot help in the day of battel for he biddeth them put on the armour of God that is the graces of the Spirit of God and all such means as are appointed by Him 3. That a Christian may be truely valiant and come off with honour and safety in this spirituall conflict he must be wholly armed and no power of the soul or sense of the body left naked without a guard And in order to this that not any saving grace be wanting 2 Pet. 1. 5 6 7. or the use of any mean appointed by God neglected Mark 9. 29. there being work for all and use of all at one time or other under one case or other in relation to one tentation or other for he biddeth put on the whole armour of God and that not any one piece thereof be wanting or any part of the man be left naked 4. It is not enough to have the root and habits of saving grace in the heart but we must also exercise these graces and be alwayes acting some one or other of them 1 Cor. 15. 58. and all of them as occasion offereth and as suitable objects are presented by God Gal. 6. 10. otherwise we are not in a fitting posture for this spiritual combate When grace is idle sin and Satan are most diligent for when he biddeth them put on this armour he meaneth not only a putting on by acquiring the seeds and habits of saving graces at conversion for some of them were already converted but also a putting on by using and exercising the grace which some of them at least already had Put on the whole armour of God 5. The great adversary of the Saints is the devil who feighteth against them most by lies and calumnies speaking evil of God and His wayes to them Gen. 3. 5. misrepresenting their own state to themselves Isa. 49. 14. and calumniating one of them to another for the devil is
nor any other was exempted from wrestling We wrestle saith he 5. No place no inward case or outward condition wherein a Christian doth fall can give him ease from or a safe peace with this restlesse adversary his greatest safety is to be wrestling daily and without intermission for he saith not we did wrestle or shall wrestle but in the present time we wrestle which implyeth a continued action 6. Devils and damned evil spirits are a more terrible and dangerous party to wrestle with than any bodily or humane power yea though all the skill courage valour strength which over was amongst men were united and placed in one This dreadfull adversary for strength for craft for unwearied diligence for unpeaceablnesse of spirit against his party for his malice not so much against our body and outward estate as against our choisest part even the immortal soul for his courage to assault his nimblenesse to pursue his immortal nature that he never dieth goeth far beyond the most terrible of men yea and all men for he extenuateth the power and terror of flesh and bloud being compared with Satans making the latter far more terrible than the former while he saith we wrestle not with flesh and bloud but with principalities and powers 7. As men in tempting us to sin directly or indirectly are subservient to Satan and in that respect acted by him Matth. 16. 23. So our surest way to guard against all such tentations is to look at Satan as our chief party who maketh use of man one way or other to promove his soul-ruining designes and upon our ceding to the tentation as a giving place to the devil Eph. 4. 27. for while he saith we wrestle not with flesh and bloud but with principalities and powers he would have them to look at Satan as their chief adversary even when they are tempted by men 8. It is Satans constant work not only to sin against the Lord himself but to incite and tempt others to do the like and envie and hinder that happinesse unto others which he hath irrecoverably fallen-from himself and therefore such as are most active to entice others to sin and wickednesse do resemble Satan most and are to be looked upon not as men but incarnate devils It is their fathers work they do and his lusts they fulfill Joh. 8. 44. for he maketh it Satans work to wrestle with the Saints and make them sin against the Lord We wrestle with principalities and powers 9. As there is not only one but many devils feighting under one head and chief Matth. 25. -41. So all of them are engaged in this spirituall warfare against the Saints and therefore none of Christs souldiers should dream of ease there being a sufficient number of enemies to engage all yea sometimes many devils do set upon one man at once Mark 5. 9. for all the stiles here given to Satan are in the plurall number to shew that they are a numerous enemy Principalities powers rulers wickednesses 10. The people of God ought not to extenuate or undervalue the force and power of their adverse party in this spirituall conflict but look upon them in their outmost strength most numerous multitude greatest activity and in whatsoever may make them terrible and this not to weaken their own hands but to awake them from their security and to chase them to their strength for in order to this end Paul holdeth out their enemy Satan in his most dreadfull colours Principalities powers rulers of the darknesse of this world spiritual wickednesses 11. Though Angels by their fall have losed much even all their morall goodnesse Joh. 8. 44. yet their essence and naturall being doth remain yea and such properties as do naturally flow from such an excellent being as strength and ability to do at Gods permission whatsoever is not above the course of nature See upon chap. 2. ver 2. doct 8. for which cause they are here called powers yea and what through Gods permission their own usurpation and the voluntary subjection of wicked men unto them they exercise a prince-like authority over the children of disobedience for therefore are they called principalities and rulers 12. Whatever prince-like authority Satan hath in the world and whatever be his might and power to back his authority and make it dreadfull he imployeth it all for carrying on this war against the Saints his kingly power over wicked men is made use of for stirring them up sometimes to entice Gen. 39. 7. sometimes to constrain the truely godly to sin against the Lord Dan. 3. 2 c His power and might whereby through Gods permission he doth raise up storms commove the elements destroy cattel smite the bodies of men with diverse diseases is all imployed for this to make men and especially good men break out in some one or other sinfull carriage Job 1. 11. with 14. and 2. 5. with 7. for while the Apostle designeth our adversary by stiles of principalities and powers he sheweth whatever authority or power Satan hath is imployed by him for carrying on the war 13. This prince-like authority and rule which Satan exerceth is not absolute and illimitted but hath its own bounds appointed for it by God As first his principality and rule is only in this world but not in that which is to come no not over the wicked in whom he now ruleth but there he and they both shall remain for ever close prisoners in hell Matth. 25. 41. for Christ is still to rule as Mediatour and Lord Deputy under the Father untill He put down all rule authority and power and consequently Satan's among the rest 1 Cor. 15. 24. Hence it is they are called rulers of this world that is now and not hereafter Next his principality is limited only to those who are in their unrenewed state of darknesse sin and ignorance of God He may indeed exerce a tyrannical power over the Regenerate but no princely authority unto which they give unwilling obedience there being still in such a party for God 1 Joh. 3. 9. which in one degree or other opposeth it self at least doth not consent to Satan's usurpation Rom. 7. 19. Gal. 5. 17. for he confineth their rule to darknesse that is those who are in a state of sin and ignorance rulers of the darknesse 14. Though Satan cannot so far prevail over the renewed man as to rule in him yet he ceaseth not to assault him if it were but to vex him Rom. 7. 24. yea and he may so far prevail with his assaults by drawing him on to some particular grosse acts of sin 2 Sam. 11. 4. and thereby to dishonour God 2 Sam. 12. 14. and to mar his own peace Psal. 32. 3 4. as that the best of men have need to stand upon their guard against him for though the Apostle doth limit his principality and rule to unrenewed men yet he maketh even that an argument why he himself and all the converted Ephesians were to
elsewhere for such firmnesse of resolution Acts 21. 13. which resolute frame of heart is wrought and begotten by the Doctrine of the Gospel in so far as it is the mean of making peace and friendship between God and sinners and therefore is this piece of armour called the preparation of the Gospel of peace Now he biddeth them have their feet shod with this preparation and thereby sheweth it doth answer that part of the bodily armour which is called the leg or foot-harnesse which did serve to defend the legs and feet of souldiers against cold thornes stones and other roughnesse of the way In like manner this prepared resolute frame of heart to charge through all difficulties doth not only guard the soul against the pollution of filthy tentations which it doth meet with in the way Psal. 119. 105 but also engageth the Christian souldier to go through all the crosses hardships and difficulties of the way with courage and chearfulnesse Doct. 1. The Christian souldier is so to stand in the fight as that he be also daily advancing and marching forwards in his way towards heaven His duty is both to stand and to advance at once in severall respects he is to withstand and stand against his spirituall adversary and yet to advance and make progresse towards Christ perfection in grace and his journeys end yea and the more firmly he stand against the one he advanceth with greater speed towards the other for the Apostle having exhorted them to stand ver 14 he insinuateth here that they must be also advancing while he biddeth them put on the foot or leg-harnesse of resolution which piece of armour was usefull for souldiers chiefly when they were upon their march And your feet shod 2. The way wherein the Christian souldier is to march and advance towards heaven is not plain and smooth or free from trouble and hazard but beset with tentations and afflictions as with so many sharp stones piercing briers and thorns which make a way impassible to bare-footed travellers for there was no need of the foot-harnesse to which he here alludeth but in such a way And your feet shod 3. The Christian souldier therefore must arm himself with a firm and well grounded resolution and purpose of heart to charge through all difficulties how dear soever it may cost him this being another necessary piece of the Christians armour without the which we are exposed and laid open to severall deadly blows and dangerous tentations from our spirituall adversary even all such as unexpected difficulties and crosses do easily and usually drive an unprepared heart to yeeld unto to wit impatience Gen. 30. 1. repining against the Lord Jonah 4. 9. a spirit of revenge against instruments 2 Sam. 16. 9. fainting in duty Heb. 12. 12. closing with sinfull means for attaining an outgate 1 Sam. 28. 7. despare of an outgate 1 Sam. 27. 1 questioning an interest in God because of the crosse Juag 6. 13. and such like for the Apostle commandeth the Christian souldier to arm himself with such a prepared and resolute frame of heart And your feet shod with the preparation 4. It is not every resolution and purpose which will guard the heart against these fore-mentioned blows and tentations but such as floweth from the glad-tidings and intimation of peace and friendship made up between God and us all our other resolutions will be at length outwearied and broken by continuall crosses and hardships Isa. 40. 30. but the Christian who is armed with this endureth to the end as knowing God is his friend Psal. 23. 4. there is not wrath in his cup Isa. 53. 5. his wearisome journey will at last have an happy close Heb. 4. 9. for the Apostle commandeth them to put on such a prepared frame of heart as floweth from the intimation of their peace with God while he calleth it the preparation of the Gospel of peace 5. The Gospel is only that Doctrine which bringeth peace between God and rebels the Law indeed discovereth the feed Rom. 3. -20. but the Gospel doth not only shew that peace and friendship may be had Luke 2. 14. but also the tearms upon which it is obtained Rom. 5. 1. yea and by means of the preaching thereof the Lord doth work us up to imbrace these tearms Rom. 10. 14 15 17. for he ascribeth the making up of our peace with God to the Gospel while he calleth it the Gospel of peace 6. Where the Gospel is blessed of God for making up of friendship and peace it will be attended in all to whom it is so blessed with a firm and stedfast resolution to follow God in the way of duty notwithstanding of all difficulties and hardships for he maketh their putting on this prepared frame of heart to be the native result of peace made with God by means of the Gospel while he saith Having your feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace Vers. 16. Above all taking the shield of faith wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked THe fourth piece of armour the putting-on and use-making whereof is recommended to them above all the rest is the grace of faith by which we believe the truth of Gods Word in general Act. 24. 14. and in a special manner do receive Joh. 1. 12. and rest upon Christ Isa. 26. 3. for grace here Philip. 4. 13. and glory hereafter 1 Tim. 1. -16. as He is offered in the Gospel Gal. 2. 16. And it answereth that part of the bodily armour called the shield which was a broad and large piece made of some strong mettal and being made use of by a skilfull hand did defend the whole body supply the weaknesse of any other part of the armour and guard against all sort of stroaks from the enemy In like manner faith is a grace of so large extent that it reacheth help to the soul in all its severall cases Habak 2. -4. it strengtheneth and supplyeth the inlacks of all other graces Act. 15. -9. yea and guardeth against tentations of all sorts Mark 9. 23. but more particularly as the Apostle doth here expresse it quencheth these oâ— Satan that wicked one his tentations which are called fiery darts that is violent and piercing tentations whereby the soul is inflamed with a vehement heat whether of boyling lusts or raging dispair and faith doth not only repell some of those tentations before they seize upon the soul but also quench and extinguish that heat pain and horrour which boyleth in the soul being wounded by these All which the grace of faith effectuateth not by its own strength or force but through the vertue of Christ whom it doth apprehend whose power and merit imployed by faith doth allay and quench all that heat whether of inflaming lusts or of boyling impatience horrour and dispair which those tentations do kindle in the heart wherein they light â—nd are entertained Hence Learn 1. Though the Lords Ministers ought to make