of the body 1 Thess. 5. 23. for saith he Because ye are sons He hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts 6. According as Beleivers do attain to a larger insight in this excellent benefit of Adoption and a greater measure of the fruits of it there will be a proportionable measure of the Spirit 's in-dwelling and manifesting of Himself in His gracious operations especially in His assisting and furnishing for the duty of Prayer for he proveth they had received a clear insight in this priviledge of Adoption and the more free use and fruition of it because the Spirit was more plentifully bestowed to dwell in their hearts And because ye are sons saith he God hath sent forth c. 7. Though the exercise of Faith Love Hope and other graces in the duty of Prayer and at other occasions doth flow from the renewed soul as the proper inward and vital cause of those actions so that properly we and not the Spirit of God are said to believe repent pray c. Rom. 10. 10. Yet because the Spirit doth not only create and preserve those gracious habits in the soul Ezek. 36. 26. but also exciteth the soul to act and assisteth it in acting according to them Philip. 2. 13. without which actuating exciting and assisting grace habitual grace in us could do nothing Joh. 15. 5. Therefore is it that the exercise of those graces is ascribed to the Spirit of God as the external efficient cause thereof for which reason our affectionate and believing Prayers are ascribed here unto Him God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son crying Abba 8. There is an holy vehemency and fervor required in Prayer opposit to carelesse formality and deadnesse for praying is here called crying which is an usual evidence of fervency and earnestnesse and the doubling of the word Father maketh for the same purpose Crying Abba Father or Father Father 9. This holy vehemency and fervor consisteth not so much in the lifting up of the externall voice as in the inward bensal and serious frame of the spirit it is a cry not of the mouth but of the heart Into your hearts crying 10. Besides this fervency and earnestnesse requisit in Prayer there would be also a confident familiar owning of God joyned with reverence to Him as a Father for the Spirit maketh them to call upon Him by the name of Abba Father Vers. 7. Wherefore thou art no more a servant but a son and if a son then an heir of God through Christ. HEre he concludeth from what is said first That under the New Testament we are no more servants as being redeemed from that legal yoke of bondage under which the ancient Church was And secondly That we are sons and by consequence heirs of God which is verified mainly in real Believers under the New Testament in so far as they are sons come to age and heirs past tutory actually partaking of their father's inheritance in a larger measure than Believers did under the Old Testament as was explained ver 5. All which priviledges are bestowed upon us through Christ and through vertue of His coming unto the flesh Doct. 1. It is a safe way of reasoning upon the observation of the saving effects of God's Spirit in our selves to conclude that we are in a state of grace even the adopted Children of God for the Spirit of God by the Apostle doth so reason in this place Because He hath sent forth His Spirit into your hearts wherefore thou art no more a servant but a son 2. The rare priviledges which are bestowed upon Believers chiefly under the New Testament as they do exceed in some degrees those which the generality of Believers enjoyed under the Old so they are many and all of them so linked together as in one golden chain that where one of them is the rest are also and it is our duty having attained to know our enjoying of any one of them thence to gather that we have all the rest for the Apostle reckoneth a number of such priviledges which as to the degree wherein they are bestowed are proper to the dayes of the Gospel and doth alwayes from the former infer the latter Wherefore thou art no more a servant but a son and if a son then an heir of God 3. Though the natural Son of God be only one even Jesus Christ the only begotten of the Father Joh. 1. 14. yet every man who hath the Spirit of God dwelling in his heart is His son by grace and adoption even they who by nature are children of wrath Eph. 2. 3. for from God's sending forth His Spirit into their hearts he concludeth Wherefore thou art a son 4. Our right to the heavenly inheritance as also the possession of it whether that which is begun here in the Kingdom of Grace or which shall be compleated hereafter in the Kingdom of Glory doth follow upon our sonship and adoption so that God of rebels doth first make up sons and then none can challenge Him of injustice for bestowing upon us the inheritance of children And if a son then an heir of God saith he 5. As none since the fall ever was or shall be lifted up to that high dignity of being sons and daughters to the Lord Almighty or could lay any just claim to Heaven and Glory as his inheritance but by vertue of Christ's obedience and death whereby all those high and precious priviledges being formerly forfeited and lost were again recovered So the actual exhibition of Christ in the flesh and the real payment of the price by Christ did bring with it God having so appointed a larger measure and higher degree of those priviledges to be bestowed upon Believers after that time than was ordinarily enjoyed by Believers formerly for he is speaking here mainly of that higher degree of freedom and of that more evident and clear fight of and right to the inheritance together with the fuller measure of its possession in the Graces of God's Spirit which is proper to the dayes of the Gospel and sheweth all this cometh through Christ to wit His actual incarnation obedience and death Vers. 8. Howbeit then when ye knew not God ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods 9. But now after that ye have known God or rather are known of God how turn ye again to the weak and beggerly elements whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage THe Apostle having now sufficiently confirmed by Scripture and Reason the Churche's freedom from that ancient legal dispensation and more especially from the Ceremonial Law doth now in the second part of the chapter labour upon their affections to work them up towards the imbracing of this Truth both by sharp reproofs and most affectionate insinuations And first that he may fasten a reproof upon them for their begun defection the more convincingly he sheweth when that legal dispensation was in force they to wit the Galatians who were of
and spoken of the whole Person for to be made of a woman which agreeth only to the humane nature is ascribed to the Person of the Son God sent forth His Son made of a woman 11. Jesus Christ being thus incarnate was in respect of His humane nature while in the state of humiliation truly subjected to the Law and accordingly conformed Himself unto it whatsoever Law it was whether general or moral which all men are obliged unto Luke 2. 5â— or more special positive and ceremoniall which the Jews and children of Abraham were bound to obey Mat. 3. 15. or yet more particular of a Redeemer and Saviour which He Himself only was obliged unto even to die for us Psal. 40. 6 7 8. for saith the Apostle He was made under the Law 12. Though Christ as He was a creature whose will cannot be the supream Law was thus bound to subject Himself to the Law yet it doth not follow hence that therefore He did not fulfill the Law for us but for Himself only because this obligation did flow from His taking-on the humane nature which He did freely and for our good for upon His being made of a woman He was also made under the Law otherwayes He was free from the Law From Vers. 5. besides what is marked upon chap. 3. ver 13. Learn 1. Not only Christ's death and sufferings which commonly go under the name of His passive obedience but also His active obedience to the Law in all those things and those things only wherein we were obliged is imputed unto us as our righteousness price whereby we are redeemed from the Law 's curse for He was made under the Law that He might redeem them that were under the Law So that the price of our Redemption and His subjection to the Law are of equal extent 2. As all men by nature are under the curse Eph. 2. 3. and irritating power of the Law Rom. 7. 5. and the Jewish Church were under that ancient rigid dispensation of the Law binding them chiefly to the observation of many costly and burdensom ceremonies See ver 3. so no lesse was required in order to a Redemption whether from the one or the other than the incarnation of the Son of God and His obedience both by doing and suffering to the whole Law of God only with this difference the Elect were redeemed under the Old Testament from the curse and irritating power of the Law by vertue of Christ's obedience while it was yet to be actually performed for though it be otherwise in natural causes yet a moral cause not present in being but only supposed as future may have its effect but the Redemption of the Jewish Church from that rigid dispensation of the Law was not effectuate before Christ was actually incarnate and did give real obedience to the Law God having so ordered that those legal shadows should not evanish until Christ the substance of them did come for it is with relation to this as a main part of his present scope that the Apostle saith God sent forth His Son to redeem them that were under the Law 3. The outward administration of the Covenant of Grace under the Old Testament had some inflâ—ence upon the ancient Church even as to the inward state of particular Believers in so far that though the Godly then did partake of the same spiritual blessings whereof we partake now yea and some particular persons were endued with greater gifts of the Spirit than many now are Yet greater plenty and abundance of Grace is bestowed upon the Church in the time of the Gospel if we respect the body of the Church and Faithfull in general than was bestowed before Christ came for the Apostle putting a difference betwixt those two times speaketh of receiving the adoption of sons as a thing proper to the dayes of the Gospel not as if the Spirit of Adoption had been altogether withholden from the ancient Church but because it was then tempered with the spirit of servitude the way to Heaven not as yet clearly manifested Heb. 9. 8. and is now bestowed in a more ample clear and plentifull measure for it is not unusual in Scripture that this should be affirmed of one and as it were tacitly denyed of another which is more illustrious in one than in another though it be common to both Mat. 15. 24. according to which rule the following sixth verse must be expounded Vers. 6. And because ye are sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts crying Abba Father HE giveth an evidence of their having received the adoption of sons in a more clear and plentifull measure under the New Testament to wit God's sending forth the holy Spirit the third Person in the blessed Trinity and making Him manifest His presence by His special and supernatural gifts in the hearts of Believers whereby they were enabled like little children to own and incall upon God as their Father and this without any distinction of Jew or Gentile which seemeth to be hinted at by the two epithets given to God both signifying the same thing the one Abba a Syriack word which language was then commonly spoken among the Jews the other a Greek word rendred Father which was most commonly used among the Gentiles Now this of God's sending forth His Spirit under the New Testament is not to be so understood as if He had not been sent forth into the hearts of Believers under the Old Testament but that He is now poured-out in a greater measure Joel 2. 28. Doct. 1. There are three Persons in the blessed Trinity the Father the Son and the Spirit all spoken of here God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son 2. The Spirit here spoken of is not a naked quality or operation and work only but a person subsisting of Himself as appeareth from this that He is said to be sent forth which agreeth only to persons God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son 3. He is a divine Person and no meer creature for He dwelleth in the hearts of all Believers which can be said of no person but God God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts 4. The holy Spirit proceedeth both from the Father and the Son for He is sent by the Father and is the Spirit of His Son and is so called here because the Apostle is to evidence their sonship by the operation of this Spirit which sonship of theirs is grounded upon Christ Rom. 8. 17. Doct. 5. Whoever have this high dignity of Adoption conferred upon them must also have the Spirit of God given to reside not in their brain only to fill them with the gifts of knowledge as He may be in Hypocrites Mat. 7. 22. but in their hearts also by making a gracious change there Eph. 4. 23. to be diffused from thence as from the first principle of life Prov. 4. 23. through all the faculties of the soul and members
do enjoy communion with God and especially in the confident bold and reverent exercising of their faith both as to the change of their state in justification Rom. 5. 2. and as to their sanctification and all the duties thereof Philip. 4. 13. which accesse to God is chiefly attained in the duties of prayer and praise as having God for their direct and immediate object This is that accesse which in some measure floweth from peace and reconciliation with God and is an evidence of it for the Apostle proveth that the Gospel was effectually preached in order to their peace and reconciliation because they had accesse to God We both have accesse to the Father 2. There can be no accesse or familiar approaching unto God by sinners who are not in Jesus Christ and come not to God through Him seing God is a consuming fire unto such Heb. 12. 29. Their sins having divided betwixt Him and them Isa. 59. 2. and so closed up all accesse unto God untill Jesus Christ do apply unto them the merit of His death whereby He blotteth out their sin Rom. 3. 25. and bringeth them unto a state of favour with God and so maketh a patent door for accesse unto Him Rom. 5. 1 2. and keepeth it alwayes patent by His continued intercession Heb. 7. -25. which their renewed provocations would otherwise dayly and hourly close and obstruct 1 Joh. 2. 1. for saith he through Him that is Christ we both have an accesse to the father 3. Christ is the only Mediator betwixt God and man by whom alone we have accesse and liberty to approach unto God in the exercise of our graces whether in the duty of prayer or any other way and not by the mediation of Saints or Angels for saith he through him we have an access or manuduction to the father 4. This accesse and approaching unto God is not locall by passing from one place to another especially seing there is no place wherein accesse to God may not be had Joh. 4. 21. 23. but it is spirituall consisting in the motion of the heart towards God in the exercise of saving and spirituall graces for so much is implied while this accesse is ascribed unto the Spirit as the efficient thereof We have an accesse by the spirit 5. It is not sufficient in order to our accesse unto God that obstructions be removed and a door made patent by Christs merit and intercession through which we may enter but such is partly our impotency Joh. 15. -5. and partly our aversnesse from making use of the offered opportunity Luk. 14. 17 18 c. that except the Spirit of God do cause us enter by creating spirituall graces in us Ezek. 36. 26. by actuating and exciting those graces Cant. 4. 16. and especially by helping our infirmities in prayer and stirring up a vehement flame of holy and ardent affections which may serve as wings to elevate our spirits to God Rom. 8. 26. Except I say the Spirit of the Lord did thus we could not otherwise have any accesse unto God for he saith through him we have an accesse by one spirit 6. As it is one and the self same Spirit of God who breatheth upon the graces of Gods people Cant. 4. 16. and thereby giveth them accesse unto God So it concerneth us much as we would find accesse and liberty of approaching unto God to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace there being nothing that marreth accesse to God and fellowship with Him more than imbittered spirits and division of heart among the people of God 2 Corinth 13. 11. for therefore doth the Apostle mention the one Spirit of God to shew that the Spirit doth unite those among themselves upon whom this rich blessing of accesse is bestowed We both have an accesse by one Spirit 7. As there are three distinct persons in the Godhead the Father Son and Spirit So the enjoying of the Father is the highest happinesse which can be attained and in which the soul doth rest content when it is attained the Son again is the way by which we come to the Father and the Spirit our guide which causeth us enter this way and go alongs in it all which is clearly hinted at here through Him that is Christ we have an accesse by one Spirit to the Father Vers. 19. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and forreigners but fellow-citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God HEre beginneth the fourth branch of the second part of this Chapter where by way of a conclusion drawn from what is said in the six former Verses the Apostle setteth forth that excellent and blessed state wherein the Ephesians now were which though in some respects and in some things at least by proportion it may be applied to the state of the visible Church to wit in so far as the members thereof had all those priviledges here spoken of in their offer upon the terms held forth in the Gospel and were under the drop of those means which the Lord doth ordinarily blesse and make effectuall for working a saving interest in and right unto all those yea and had a present actuall right to the external part of those priviledges even the visible Church being in some respects Gods City Houshold and Temple at least the suburbs utter-court and porch thereof and having her own answerable priviledges which are in some measure proportionall to those of the invisible Church yet seing as was shewed formerly upon the exposition of ver 13. those excellent things here spoken of are not fully and to their outmost perfection verified in any but in the invisible Church and the truly regenerate the members thereof Therefore I shal open up the mind of the Spirit of God as aiming mainly at those and give the meaning of those excellent things here mentioned as they appertain chiefly to such in the mean time leaving it unto the judicious Reader to gather from what is said how and in what respects they are applicable unto the visible Church And so that we may enter the exposition of the words The Apostle setteth forth their present happy condition first negatively by shewing what they were not neither strangers nor forreigners whereby with allusion to those who are not free-men of an Incorporation or City but either strangers that is such who have neither the freedom of the City nor a place of habitation in it but have their residence far from it or forreigners that is such who though they have their residence in the City yet are not free-men but sojourners for a season he sheweth that the second branch of their former misery spoken of ver 12. which includeth all the rest even their being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel deprived of all union and communion either with the invisible or visible Church was now removed Secondly he setteth forth their present blessed condition positively under three similitudes whereof two are in this verse In the first
and Body as a Sacrifice by death upon the Crosse. The wrong was infinit Gen. 39. 9. and so must the price be even no lesse than the Bloud of God Act. 20. 28. Who gave himself for our sons 5. Such was the desire which Jesus Christ had to the salvation of lost sinners Prov. 8. 31. such was His care to perform what He had undertaken to the Father and what was fore-told of Him in Scripture Psal. 40. 7 8. that willingly and of His own accord without any constraint except that of love Joh. 15. 13. He did offer up himself a Sacrifice to satisfie provoked justice for He gave himself for our sins saith Paul 6. They for whom Christ did give Himself upon the Crosse are also delivered by Him from this present evil world which Christ doth not by taking them presently out of this world by death or otherwise Joh. 17. 15. But first by renewing their natures and so separating them from the condition of unregenerate men who are called the world 1 Joh. 15. 19. And secondly by guarding them against those baits and snares of sinfull temptations which are mainly prevalent in the men of this world 1 Joh. 2. 16. Thirdly by defending them so far as He seeth conducing for His own glory Psal. 76. 10. and their good Psal. 84. 11. from the malicious cruelty of wicked men of this world Psal. 105. 14. And lastly by taking them at the close of their time 2 Cor. 5. 1. from Earth to Heaven that they may be for ever with Himself Joh. 14. 3. for He gave himself that He might deliver us from this present world Doct. 7. So much do wickednesse and wicked men abound in the world Gen. 6. 5. so many are the snares and temptations to sin and wickednesse which are in it 1 Joh. 2. 16. so many also are the crosses and calamities which godly men may resolve to meet with while they are in the world Psal. 34. 19. that though the world simply in it self and as it speaketh our duration and abode in this life all the dayes of our appointed time be not evil but distinguished from evil Joh. 17. 15. Yet for those causes and in those respects the present world is an evil world for so it is here called 8. That any of lost mankind in whom by nature sin doth reign should have their natures renewed the power of sin in them mortified and so themselves delivered from this present evil world it was necessary that Christ should offer up Himself for as life eternal so also God's Image and Holinesse was forfeited by Adam's fall unto all his posterity 1 Cor. 15. 21. and so behoved to be purchased by Christ's death before ever we could attain unto it Heb. 9. 14. for saith the Apostle He gave himself that we might be delivered from this present evil world 9. This evil world wherein so much wickednesse so much misery and so many wicked men abound is but present not lasting transient not continuing it is hastening to its end Rom. 8. 19. and at last shall be consumed with fire 2 Pet. 3. 10. and a new World new Heavens and a new Earth are to succeed unto it wherein shall dwell righteousness 2 Pet. 3. 13. for he calleth this a present world importing that there is another to come 10. That Jesus Christ did offer up Himself in satisfaction to provoked Justice for the sins of the Elect was a thing decreed and appointed by the Father which as it speaketh the Fathers unspeakable love unto lost sinners Joh. 3. 16. so it sheweth the ground whereupon the satisfaction given by Christ is accepted for those who by faith lay hold on Him Joh. 6. 39 40. it was so transacted betwixt the Father and the Son even that He should give himself for our sins according to the will of God to wit the Father for when God is opposed to Christ then God signifieth the Father Yet so as the other two Persons of the Godhead are not excluded as is noted upon Ver. 1. Doct. 6. 11. By reason of this satisfaction given by Jesus Christ to provoked justice for our sins God who was before a consuming fire to sinners Heb. 12. 29. a strict sin-pursuing Judge Exod. 34. 7. becometh now our Father for justice being satisfied and that satisfaction laid hold upon by faith Rom. 5. 1. the enimity ceaseth and we become children yea heirs and joynt-heirs with Christ having received the Spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father Rom. 8. 15 16 17. This is imported while it is said According to the will of God and our Father Vers. 5. To whom be glory for ever and ever Amen HEre is the close of the Salutation in which by holding forth his own practice for an example he comprehendeth the duty of the Redeemed they are to ascribe lasting glory and praise to God the Father for His good-will to this work of our Redemption by Jesus Christ. Doct. 1. As God in this great work of our Redemption by Jesus Christ hath made the glory of almost all His Attributes especially of His Justice as to Christ Rom. 8. 32. of His Mercy as to us Eph. 1. 7. and consequently of His infinit Wisdom 1 Tim. 1. 17. to kyth and shine forth So it ' is the duty of the Redeemed and such a duty as useth willingly to flow from the very making mention of that so excellent a Work in a heart duely affected with the worth thereof even to acknowledge that glory of His which is manifested therein and to wish that His glory may be set forth more and more both by our selves and others and this not only by speaking to the commendation of His Glory and Greatnesse Psal. 145. 5 6. but by making our whole life and conversation to be nothing else but a testimony of our thankfulnesse to Him 2 Cor. 5. 15. for the Apostle having mentioned that great Work ascribeth glory to God as God's due and his own duty To whom be glory 2. This duty of ascribing glory to God for the great and excellent work of our Redemption is such that it can never be sufficiently discharged there is no lesse required than a succession of Ages to Ages yea and Eternities leisure to ascribe glory to God for so much is imported while he saith To whom be Glory for ever and ever 3. The Glory of the Redeemer and of God who sent His Son to do that Work shall be the long-lasting and never-ending song of the Redeemed-ones through millions of imaginable ages even to all eternity so much doth the word rendered for ever and ever bear for it signifieth to ages of ages or innumerable ages 4. Our praise and thanksgiving to God must not be formal or verbal only Mat. 15. 8. but ought to be fervent and serious as proceeding from the most intimate affection of the heart Luk. 1. 46 47. signified by the word Amen that is Let it be so an earnest wish Vers. 6. I marvel that ye
bitter and implacable persecutors as having some respect to conscience in other things and being acted in this from the principles of a deluded conscience Joh. 16. 2. which of all other ties doth most strictly bind and most effectually drive forward to fulfill its dictates especially in things of religious concernment Act. 13. 50. for Paul who profited in the Jews Religion above his equals and was exceedingly zealous did persecute the Church 9. The life and way of some who are engaged in a false Religion may be so blamelesse and according to the dictates of their deluded conscience so strict as that it may be a copie unto those who professe the true Religion and a reproof to many such for their palpable negligence so was Paul's way while he was a Pharisee even such as may serve for a copie unto Christians to walk by in several things as first to be active in spreading the true Religion in our places and stations and bearing down of contrary Errors as he was in persecuting the Christian Church because it was opposite to the Jewish Religion professed by him Secondly that what we do in Religion or for God we do it not negligently but with all our might Eccl. 9. 10. and to the uttermost of what our power can reach as he did persecute the Church not lazily but above measure or extreamly Thirdly that we labour to profit advance and grow in Religion both as to the knowledge of Truth contained in it Heb. 6. 1. and practise according to those Truths 2 Pet. 1. 5. as he profited in the Jewish Religion Fourthly that in the matter of growth there be an holy emulation and strife with others that we may outstrip them as he profited above many of his equalâ— Fiftly that we be zealous for our Religion as having love to it and to the honouring of God whether by our selves or others according to it Act. 15. 3. together with grief and anger when God is dishonoured and Religion wronged Joh. 2. 15 16 17. as Paul was zealous of the Traditions of his fathers for zeal hath in it a mixture of love and anger Doct. 10. As love to the honour of God may engage a man sometimes to speak to his own commendation So there would be that modesty and sobriety of spirit as it may appear he doth not speak from arrogancy or pride and that he seeketh not his own commendation in speaking for Paul commendeth his own diligence and abilities that thereby he may commend Free-grace which delivered him out of that state but with great modesty for he saith not he profited more than all but more than many and not more than his superiours but more than his equals to wit for time and age and those not in all the world but of his own nation 11. As our affections of joy love hatred anger and grief are by nature so corrupt Eph. 2. 3. that even the choicest of them if they be not brought in subjection to the Word by the Spirit of God will lay forth themselves rather upon forbidden and unlawfull objects than that which is warrantable and commanded by the Lord So our zeal and fervency of spirit in particular will bend it self more toward the maintenance of Error than of Truth for Error is the birth of our own invention Gal. 5. 20. and hath the rise from some unmortified lust within which it doth gratifie 2 Tim. 4. 3. so is not Truth Thus Paul sheweth that his zeal tended more to maintain that part of the Jewish Religion which was unwarrantable to wit the unwritten Traditions than all the rest of it And was much more zealous of the Traditions of my fathers saith he Vers. 15. But when it pleased God who separated me from my mothers womb and called me by his grace 16. To reveal his Son in me that I might preach Him among the Heathen immediately I conferred not with flesh and bloud 17. Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were Apostles before me but I went into Arabia and returned again unto Damoscus HEre is a second Evidence of the truth of what he formerly asserted ver 11. and 12. to wit that as God in His providence had been making way both in Paul's birth and education for that which He had purposed to imploy him in so when it pleased God at the time of his gracious and effectual calling ver 15. to make Christ and the doctrine of Redemption by Christ known unto him by extraordinary and immediate revelation Act. 9. 4. that as an Apostle immediately called by God ver 1. he might publish the knowledge of Christ among the Gentiles he was so much perswaded of his immediate Call from God that he did not debate the matter neither with himself nor others who might have disswaded him from giving obedience to it ver 16 but immediately went about the discharging of his Apostolick Office not without great hazard and pains to himself in Arabia and Damascus without so much as once visiting any of the Apostles ver 17. far lesse went he to be instructed in the knowledge of the Gospel by them or to receive Ordination unto the Ministerial Office from them as his adversaries did falsly alleage of him the falshood whereof he is here making evident From Vers. 15. Learn 1. Such is the power of God's good pleasure whereby He doth whatsoever He willeth in Heaven and Earth Ps. 135. 6. that the will of man though never so deeply engaged in the course of sin and wickednesse cannot resist it but most willingly doth yeeld unto it whenever the Lord thinketh fit to let forth that His good pleasure in its gracious and powerfull effects of drawing a sinner out of Nature to the state of Grace as it appeareth from the adversative particle But whereby the Apostle opposeth Gods pleasure to his own former weaknesse as prevailing over it But when it pleased God c. 2. The fountain-cause of man's salvation and of all things tending to it especially of his effectual calling and of that whereby he is made first to differ from another is God's good-pleasure and nothing present Eph. 2. 1. or foreseen to be Rom. 9. 11. in the person who is called for the Apostle ascribeth all of that kind in himself to the pleasure of God But when it pleased God to reveal His Son in me 3. The disposing of events or of things which shall fall out together with the time when they shall fall out are wholly ordered by God's will and pleasure for this pleasure of His circumscribeth even the time of Paul's calling But when it pleased God then and neither sooner nor later was Christ revealed to him 4. The Lord by His working in us and particular acts of providence towards us is often making way for some hid design and purpose of His about us which for the time we are ignorant of but when it appeareth by the event a wonderfull contexture of providences making way for it and
history ver 22 23. Thirdly he expoundeth the mystery of the two Covenants prefigured by the history ver 24. 25 26. Fourthly he confirmeth the truth of this mystery from Scripture ver 27. Fifthly he maketh application of the whole purpose first for information of the way to attain the heavenly inheritance ver 28. Secondly for consolation against present persecutions to the end Vers. 1. NOw I say that the â—eir as long as he is a childe differeth nothing from a servanâ— though he be lord of all 2. But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father THe Apostle being yet further to clear the Churches freedom from that legal external policy of the ancient Church whereof he spake so much chap. 3. ver 19 c. doth use another similitude taken from a pupil and his tutors and curators And first having made a transition usual to him when he is more fully to explicate any former purpose See chap. 5. 16. 1 Cor. 15. 50. he setteth down the similitude in these verses to this purpose That a childe though he be heir and owner of all his fathers inheritance in hope and as to right yet so long as he is a minor and under age he differeth nothing from a servant in point of subjection and as to free government and enjoyment of his rights and goods ver 1. and this because he himself is ruled and his estate managed by tutors and curators the continuance of which subjection the Apostle sheweth is ordinarily limited unto the time prescribed by the father longer than which the heir is not to remain in that state of subjection to his tutors ver 2. There are indeed other limits of childrens minority prefixed by the Law besides the Will of the father but he mentioneth this because it only doth quadrate to the present purpose for which the similitude is made use of From this usual custom among men approved of here by the Spirit of God being considered in it self and without respect had to that spiritual purpose unto which it is applied afterwards Learn 1. So licentious is youth where there is no restraint and so foolish as being destitute of experience and more ruled by the inundation of impetuous passions than force of reason That it is much conducing both for a man's self and for the publick good of the society among whom he liveth he be first subjected unto others and made to obey as a servant whereby in progresse of time he may attain some wisdom and experience before he have absolute power to dispose of his own estate and obtain dominion over others otherwise it could not be so generally agreed unto by all parents and in all nations that the heir as long as he is a childe should differ nothing from a servant which the Apostle speaketh of as an approven custom and excepted against by none 2. It is the duty of parents as to provide a competent portion for their children whereupon they may live when they themselves are dead and gone so to do what in them lyeth to secure their portion for them lest it be delapidated by their childrens folly or any other way rendred uselesse unto them for unto this end are tutors and curators provided by the father unto the childe But he is under tutors and governors 3. Though parents are not to give unto their children just cause of irritation Col. 3. 21. yet they ought not to please them to their hurt but in some things must crosse their humour to wit especially when their so doing tendeth evidently to their childrens good for though the heir even when he is a childe would affect liberty and absolute dominion over his own estate yet the wise parent must keep him under subjection to tutors and governors 4. It is no small mercy unto children when God doth prolong the life of parents untill they themselves attain to so much age and experience as may enable them to manage their own affairs seing otherwise their person and estate must come under the tuition government and reverence of others who possibly may prove their unfriends for they must even be under tutors and governors 5. Parents would labour to carry themselves with so much equity wisdom and streightnesse in providing a worldly portion for their children to live upon as they do not disoblige those with whom they have commerce that so they may with some measure of confidence commit the tuition of their children and means to the care and oversight of others even those whom they shall be necessitated to appoint for tutors and governors 6. It is the wisdom of parents to place no such trust of their children and means upon any though otherwise never so much trust-worthy but that they be limited in and at a set time be obliged to give an account of their trust Power and trust is a thing so dangerous that if it be at the intrusted partie 's option there are but few who willingly do part with it Therefore as for one reason it is marked here as a part of the father's providence to prescribe a time longer than which his childe is not to be under tutors and governors Until the time appointed by the father saith he Vers. 3. Even so we when we were children were in bondage under the elements of the world HEre he applyeth the similitude shewing the Church when she was in her infant-state under the Old Testament was kept in bondage and subjection under that rigid and strict administration or outward policy which then was and served for an A B C or a rough Rudiment whereby the ancient Church was instructed for the most part by resemblances taken from earthly and wordly things The first Doctrine which ariseth from his use-making of an earthly similitude to clear a spiritual Truth is already marked chap. 3. ver 15. doct 2. Learn 2. The Church of God under the Old Testament was in a state of nonage and as an infant or childe first for quantity as being contained in narrow bounds once of one family Gen. 4. 3 4. and at most but of one nation Psal. 147. 19 20. Secondly in understanding for although some persons were then endued with more excellent gifts of wisdom and knowledge than any now such as Abraham David c. And though many even under the New Testament are but in understanding children and babes Heb. 5. 12. yet considering the more clear revelation of the Gospel which now is 2 Cor. 3. 18. we not only have an opportunity of attaining to much more knowledge now than they had then Matt. 13. 7. but also the generality of Christians are much more knowing of Gospel-mysteries than the body of the Jewish Church was Mat. 11. 11. Yea and those of them who excelled most in knowledge did see but afar off Deut. 18. 18. and through a cloud of many dark Ceremonies Heb. 9. 9. which now are removed for speaking of the Jewish Church before Christ came of which himself
is among you he could not say positively that all of them had faith but faith was among them 6. Saving faith is an excellent fruit of the Gospel preached among a People without which the Word cannot profit Heb. 4. 2. and by which we are united to Christ and have right to all the spiritual blessings purchased by Christ who is the chief object of faith whom it doth apprehend as He is offered in the Promise for Paul doth mention their faith in Jesus Christ as an excellent praise-worthy fruit of the Gospel for which he blesseth God After I heard of your faith in Jesus Christ saith he 7. The grace of love to our neighbour with the duties thereof flowing from love to God in the first place 1 Joh. 4. 12. is an excellent praise-worthy fruit of the Gospel preached among a People especially when the Saints have most of this love as resembling God most And when their love is laid forth upon Saints as they are Saints and for the reality or appearance of God in them and not for other by-respects only or mainly and in a word when it is extended unto all Saints for Paul doth mention their love to the Saints and to all Saints as another excellent praise-worthy fruit of the Gospel for which he blesseth God After I heard of your love unto all the Saints 8. As the graces of faith in Christ and love to the Saints are alwayes conjoyned they being in a manner the two legs of a Christian without any one whereof he cannot walk and the other is but dead and withered I am 2. 17. so faith in its exercise hath the precedency of love faith being the fountain from which the streams of love do flow in so far as faith laying hold upon God's love in Christ inflameth the heart with love to God which love to God consisteth in keeping of His Commandments 1 Joh. 5. 3. and the chief of God's Commands next unto love to Himself is that we love our brother 1 Joh. 4. 21. for the Apostle here as elsewhere Col. 1. 4. 1 Thess. 1. 4. conjoyneth these two graces and giveth faith the precedency After I heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and love to all the Saints From Vers. 16. Learn 1. As the duties both of thanksgiving and prayer ought to be made conscience of by Christians so the practice of these two duties do well together for each of them doth contribute for the help of another in so far as thanksgiving to God for favours received doth notably tend to suppresse that fretting quarrelling impatient humour which often venteth it self against God in our prayers Psal. 77. 7. compared with 10 11. and the exercise of prayer doth elevate the heart somewhat towards God and so in some measure warm the affections with love to God Psal. 25. 1. and thus disposeth much for the duty of thanksgiving for the Apostle maketh conscience of both those duties and that joyntly I cease not to give thanks in my prayers 2. It is not sufficient for Christians once to begin well and break off fair in the practice of those duties but they must continue in them there being always abiding reasons both for thanksgiving and prayer and when there is a lazy falling off from the practice of them for a time it is usually found a task of greater difficulty to begin of new than it was at first for the Apostle saith I cease not to give thanks in my prayers he ceased not to wit so far as his other necessary imployments and duties of his calling did permit for what we do frequently and alwayes when occasion offereth we are said to do it without ceasing 3. The Ministers of Jesus Christ especially ought not to be puffed up with any successe which the Lord is pleased to give unto their labours or sacrifice to their own drag or net Gal. 6. 13. but would ascribe the praise thereof to God who alone maketh His People to profit Isa. 48. 17. for Paul hearing of their faith and love ceased not to give thanks for them to God 4. As it is the duty of one Christian to pray for another and especially of a Minister for his Flock So our prayers for others will avail little except we be daily making conscience of praying to God for our selves for saith Paul I make mention of you in my prayers he had his own ordinary prayers for himself wherein he did remember them 5. As to the occasion of his praying for them see upon Col. 1. 9. doct 1. Vers. 17. That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of glory may give unto you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him 18. The eyes of your understanding being enlightened THe Apostle in the second place giveth a short sum of his prayer unto God for them And first he describeth God the Father unto whom he prayeth to be the God of our Lord Jesus Christ to wit as Christ is man Psal. 22. 10. as He is our Mediator Psal. 40. 8. and with relation to that Covenant of Redemption betwixt God and Christ as mediator Heb. 2. 13. And the Father of glory so called because He is in His own nature infinitly glorious Psal. 145. 5. the fountain of the whole Godhead and all the divine Attributes in the Son Psal. 2. 7. and holy Ghost Joh. 14. 26. for glory is sometimes taken for the Godhead and divine Attributes Joh. 2. 11. and because He is the first cause of all that glory which is in any of the creatures Psal. 8. 5. And lastly He is the object of all glory to whom all glory is due from the creatures Psal. 19. 1. Secondly he sheweth what he sought in prayer even wisdom or a further encrease of that wisdom and saving knowledge of divine mysteries whereof the Spirit of God is the author mentioned ver 8. together with a clearer insight in Scripture where those mysteries are revealed by the same Spirit Which wisdom he sheweth doth mainly consist in the saving believing and operative knowledge of Him that is of Jesus Christ ver 17. And having more clearly expressed what he meaneth by this Spirit of wisdom even the removing of the natural blindnesse of their understandings and enduing them with a clear discerning in the things of God ver 17 he doth illustrate it further from those ends for the attainment whereof he would have this wisdom bestowed as shall be cleared afterwards Hence Learn 1. The more painfull and laborious that others whether Ministers parents friends or neighbours are for bringing about our salvation and spiritual good we ought to be so much the more excited to painfulnesse and diligence about the same thing our selves else their pains will not only do us no good but also much hurt the Lord usually judicially plaguing the man whom every one would have doing well only himself will not for the Apostle sheweth that he prayed and what he prayed for from God unto them not
Christ and vertue coming from Him In whom all the building groweth and in the Lord which words it seemeth are added to shew that not only the first beginnings but also the continued progresse and increase of grace do flow from the Lord Christ. 5. As growth of grace in every particular Believer So the increase of the Church in generall by the addition of new converts doth flow not from created might or power Zech. 4. 6. but from the vertue of Jesus Christ who having the nations given Him for an inheritance Psal. 2. 8. will in despight of all opposition inlarge the bounds of His dominion untill He attain the full possession of all to whom He hath a right for this growth is to be understood also with respect to the whole body by the addition of new members In which respect also the Apostle here saith It groweth in the Lord. 6. As all Believers joyntly and each Believer a part 1 Cor. 6. 19. are a temple for the Lord wherein He doth manifest His speciall presence and wherein He will be worshipped by offering up spirituall sacrifices of prayer praises and all the duties of new obedience 1 Pet. 2. 9. So that they may be a temple indeed for this holy God they must be much in the study of holinesse as in that which becometh His house Psal. 93. 5. for the Apostle sheweth that this whole building groweth up to be a temple for God and an holy temple All the building groweth unto an holy temple 7. The more that Believers do endeavour to grow in grace without resting upon any measure they may expect the more of Gods speciall presence to be manifested in them as in His own temple for it is the growing of this building mainly which maketh it fit to be a temple for God All the building groweth unto an holy temple Vers. 22. In whom you also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit THe Apostle doth now in the next and last place apply what he hath said of this spirituall edifice and of the Churches happy estate under that similitude unto those believing Ephesians in particular by shewing that even they were built up together with all other sincere Believers upon Jesus Christ the foundation and for this end that they might be a place of habitation where God might dwell as manifesting His speciall presence in them by the saving operations of His holy Spirit Doct. 1. That our faith may be saving and our comfort solid it is necessary not only that we know and believe those excellent priviledges which belong to the Church of God in generall But we must also observing the due order make application of them unto our selves in particular for Paul teacheth so much while having set forth the happy estate of all Believers in generall he maketh application thereof unto those Ephesians in particular In whom also you are builded together saith he 2. That this particular application may be made in due order it is necessary that in the first place we make application of Christ unto our selves laying hold upon Him by faith that so being in Him we may have right unto all those saving priviledges which are purchased by Him for the Apostle sheweth this was the order wherein those priviledges were applied unto the believing Ephesians they were first united to Christ and so had accesse unto all the rest which follow In whom also you are builded together for an habitation of God 3. That we may rightly apply Christ unto our selves it is necessary that we lay hold upon Him in order to all those ends for which He is offered in the Gospel even to those which imply an obligation upon us of duty both unto other Believers and unto God for those Ephesians were so united to Christ by faith that as a consequence thereof they were also united one to another and to all Believers by love and made an habitation for God In whom you are builded together for an habitation of God 4. Jesus Christ doth differ from the foundations of other buildings in this that every particular Believer is not only laid upon Him and supported by Him as it is in materiall buildings but they are also indented in Him and hid as it were in the clifts of that rock by saving faith so that the foundation covereth the whole building and serveth for a refuge from the storm and a shaddow from the heat Isa. 25. 4. for he saith not upon whom but in whom you also are builded 5. As all Believers how far so ever removed by large distance are yet most strictly tied and joyned together So by taking band with Christ the foundation they are fastened one to another even as the stones of a building for he saith In whom you are builded together union among themselves did follow upon their being in Him 6. The more deeply engaged that any have been before conversion in Sathan's service and the slavery of their lusts their after conversion and being builded upon Christ for an habitation to God is the rarer priviledge the more to be admired and highly esteemed of for he saith not simply in whom you are builded but in whom you also which highteneth the purpose as a thing wonderfull and hardly credible the apostle having an eye doubtlesse to their former slavery unto Satan and their own lusts spoken of ver 2 3. 7. So inseparable is that union and connexion among the Persons of the blessed Trinity that the presence and indwelling of one is sufficient to prove the indwelling of all for they are an habitation to God the Father and Son because the Spirit did dwell in them and sanctifie them An habitation of God through the Spirit 8. Though all the external actions of the God-head do belong to all the Persons of the blessed Trinity Yet some of those actions are usually ascribed unto one more than the rest according as they carry some proportion and likenesse to the personall properties of each person for the sanctification of Believers in regard of which effect God is said to dwell in Believers seing He thereby doth manifest His speciall presence in them is here ascribed unto the Spirit while those Ephesians are said to be an habitation unto God through the Spirit CHAP. III. IN the first part of this Chapter which beginneth ver 2. the Apostle setteth forth the dignity of his Apostolick Office towards the Gentiles with his calling to it and qualifications for it And first he propoundeth the matter briefly that this office was committed to him vers 2. Next he doth more largely illustrate it First by shewing his qualification and furniture for this Office to wit his knowledge and insight in the mysterie of the Gospel which He was to preach for proof whereof he appealeth to what he had written in the two former Chapters ver 3 4. and having called the Gospel a Mysterie he sheweth the reason why he did so to wit because it was not so known
7. It maketh a man forget his former miseries Job 11. 16. it enlargeth his heart louseth his tongue and maketh him eloquent in setting forth the Lords praises Luk. 1. 67. 68. for he recommendeth unto them to be filled with the spirit as a remedy against their filling themselves with wine and calleth the one a filling or ebriety and drunkennesse to wit in a spiritual sense as well as the other in a bodily sense because of the likenesse of effects betwixt them Vers. 19. Speaking to your selves in Psalms and Hymnes and spirituall songs singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord. THis last precept is illustrated and the duty enjoyned thereby recommended from two things wherein this fill of the spirit and of spirituall joy flowing from it should and will vent it self which he proponeth also in way of precept His scope wherein mainly is to teach them and us in them how we ought to carry our selves in our times of mirth and gladnesse The first of those two things is in this verse to wit melodious and artificiall singing of praises unto God where he expresseth first the act of singing in three words speaking singing and making melody By all which is meaned an intelligible artificiall and melodious tuning of the voice together with an answerable orderly motion of the understanding and affections within going along with the matter which is sung Secondly An inferiour and subordinate end to be aimed at in singing even our mutuall edification while he saith Speaking to your selves or one to another for it is the same word which is chap. 4. 32. and Col. 3. 16. Thirdly He expresseth the matter to be sung in three words the very titles which are given to David's Psalms and other scriptural Songs and though there be some difference among Interpreters about the kind of Songs which are expressed by every one of those in particular yet the most received and probable opinion is that by Psalms are meaned all holy Songs in generall of whatsoever argument whether they contain prayers praises complaints deprecations prophesie history or a purpose mixt of all those and by Hymnes are meaned speciall songs of praise to God and by songs a certain kind of Hymnes expressing the praises of God for some of His noble acts great and wonderfull beyond others And those Songs he calleth spirituall which epithet is to be extended to the Psalms and Hymnes also as being framed by the Spirit of God containing spirituall and heavenly purpose and requiring the assistance of God's Spirit and a spiritual frame of heart for singing them aright and this in opposition to the obscene filthy and fleshly songs of carnall men and drunkards And fourthly he sheweth the chief thing to be made use of and employed as an instrument in singing to wit not so much the lips tongue and outward voice though those be also necessary in singing Act. 16. 25. as the heart which then is made use of in singing when our heart goeth along with the voice so as we understand 1 Cor. 14. 15. and be intent upon the purpose Psal. 57. 7. and our affections be stirred and suitably affected with it Psal. 98. 4. And lastly he sheweth the great end to which all our songs ought to be directed even to the Lord the glorifying and praising of Him being not only the remote scope of singing as it is of all other ordinances and ought to be of all our actions 1 Cor. 10. 31. but its proper and immediate scope so that the heart in singing ought to be actually taken up with the thoughts of praise of God arising from the consideration of the purpose which we sing Besides what I have already observed upon a parallel place Col. 3. -16. Learn hence 1. The duty of singing Psalms and spirituall Songs is not astricted and limited to only one in the Congregation or to some certain orders of men the rest being silent but is enjoyned to all the Lords people even all the members of the Church for Paul maketh the command to sing of equal extent with that other of being filled with the spirit ver 18. Speaking to your selves in Psalms and Hymnes c. saith he 2. That we may go about this worship of singing praises to God acceptably it is necessary that we be filled with the Spirit and have a rich and copious measure of His presence and assistance though not to compose new songs for he pointeth at scripturall Songs as the most fitting purpose to be sung under the titles of Psalms Hymnes and spirituall songs yet that we may be enabled to choose the fittest songs for the present occasion and sing them with such a spirituall elevated frame of heart as such a divine and heavenly piece of worship requireth for he saith be filled with the spirit speaking to your selves in Psalms and Hymnes and spiritual songs 3. As even the children of God when they have gotten a full draught of joy peace and other sweet fruits of the Spirit of God are not above the hazard of venting their joy by falling out in fits of carnall lightnesse So there is nothing which the childe of God ought more to advert unto than how to carry aright when his cup is full according to his hearts wish and in order hereto would expresse his joy in the praises of God lest by doing otherwise and giving way to lightnesse of carriage or expressions in that case he provoke the Spirit of God to withdraw from him Eph. 4. 30. for therefore doth he command them being filled with the Spirit to vent their joy by speaking to one another in Psalms and Hymnes and spiritual songs 4. As the Lord hath provided Songs and Psalms to be sung by us of diverse arguments containing purpose suitable for every condition we can readily fall under So we ought to make such use of that variety as to make choice of those Psalms for our present singing which are most fit for the present occasion for as is said the titles here given do relate to the severall purposes which are set forth in spiritual songs all of which are to be sung as God by His present dealing with His Church or our selves shall require Speaking in Psalms and Hymnes and spirituall songs 5. In singing of Psalms to God there must be an inward harmony and musicall melody in the soul and heart as well as in the tongue yea the chief melody which soundeth most sweetly unto God is that of the soul and heart and therefore the outward delighting of the ears is to be taken no further notice of than it serveth to make the purpose we sing work the more effectually upon the heart for he saith singing and making melody in the heart what this melody of the heart is was shown in the exposition Vers. 20. Giving thanks alwayes for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. HEre is the second thing wherein our being filled with the Spirit should
duty For understanding of which promise know that though it was to be understood even in the most plain and obvious sense of the words as it was held forth to the ancient Church to whom God used to promise and bestow things carnall and earthly as an earnest and shadow of things heavenly 1 Cor. 10. 11. Yet even then there was a tacite condition implied to wit in so far as the thing promised should serve for Gods glory 2 Chron. 35. 24. and the good of those to whom the promise was made 1 King 14. 13. But now under the New Testament though this promise even in the letter be doubtlesse fulfilled unto many Yet it is chiefly to be understood in a sprituall sense in so far as the godly obedient childe whether he live long or short doth alwayes live well because he liveth in Gods favour Psal. 63. 3. and cometh to a full and ripe age as having reached the prize and mark for attaining whereof life is given even the salvation of the soul Isa. 65. 20. Hence Learn 1. Though our first and chief motive unto duty ought to be the equity and righteousnesse which is in the thing it self as being commanded by God Yet we may eye the promised reward whether temporall or eternall as a secondary motive and encouragement providing it be not looked at as a thing to be merited by our obedience Luk. 17. 10. for as ver 1. he inforced this duty of obedience from the equity of it in the first place So here from the advantage which should redound unto children by it in the second place That it may be well with thee 2. So merciful is God to man that He hath injoyned only those things as equitably righteous and conducing to His own glory which tend also and no lesse to our own profit and advantage so that we need not to separate our own well-being from His glory but are alwayes to seek the former as a mean of and in subordination to the latter for the Apostle sheweth that this duty of obedience in children as it tendeth to glorifie God in the first place it being a doing of what is right according to His command So it tendeth to the advantage of children in the next That it may be well with thee 3. To live well and long upon the earth is in it self not to be despised or under-valued in so far as though the godly man the longer he liveth he is the longer keeped out of heaven yet he findeth the moe proofs and experiences of Gods goodnesse here on earth 1 Joh. 3. 13. and hath the larger opportunity of a fair seed-time of glorifying God here and consequently shall of free grace reap a more plentifull harvest of comfort at death and of glory hereafter 2 Cor. 9. 6. for he promiseth this as a blessing to the obedient childe that it may be well with thee and thou mayest live long upon the earth which as we shew is accomplished sometimes in the very letter 4. Then do we rightly apply unto our selves under the New Testament those things which were spoken to the Jews under the Old when passing-by what was in such things typical or astricted to the infant-state of the Church which then was we look upon what was substantial moral or of common equity as belonging unto us yet for so much doth the Apostle teach while citing the promise annexed to the fifth command he saith only that thou mayest live long upon the earth and omitteth the last clause of that promise to wit which the Lord thy God giveth thee Exod. 20. 12. whereby that promise was in a peculiar manner astricted to the Jews and to the land of Canaan which He did give them to inherit 5. The best way to thrive even in things worldly and to attain prosperity health wealth and length of dayes so far at least as shall serve for Gods glory and our own good is to live a godly life by taking heed thereto according to Gods Word and especially by giving due reverence and obedience to our natural parents and consequently to all our lawfull superiours because of the Command of God for unto the Command ver 2. Honour thy father and mother this promise is subjoyned that it may be well with thee and thou mayest live long upon the earth Verse 4. And ye fathers provoke not your children to wrath but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. HE doth here in a word set forth the duty of parents And because they are apt to abuse their parentall authority and chiefly the fathers therefore he enjoyneth to them and by consequence to the mothers to beware of provoking their children to wrath or of imbittering their spirits which is done either by denying them that which is their due in food râ—iment or meanes of education Lam. 4. 3. or by commanding things in themselves unjust 1 Sam. 20. 31. or by unjust and rigorous commands about things in their own nature indifferent 1 Sam. 14. 29. or inveighing with bitter words against them chiefly when there is no cause 1 Sam. 20. 30. and lastly by beating them either unjustly when there is no fault 1 Sam. 20. 33. or immoderatly unseasonably or basely when there is a fault Next he doth guard them against the other extremity of too much indulgence to their children while he exhorts them first to bring them up or as it is in the original to nourish them which comprehendeth not only their giving unto them present maintenance from the womb Gen. 21. 7. but also their providing for them against the future 2 Cor. 12. 14. and training them up in any lawfull imployment whereby they may be able under God to sustain themselves and theirs Gen. 4. 2. And secondly to joyn nurture and admonition with their education by the former whereof is meaned the timous seasonable and compassionate correction of children which parents are bound to dispense Prov. 13. 24. and by the latter is meaned the information of their judgement how they ought to carry themselves towards God in things religious Gen. 18. 19. and how towards man in righteousnesse civility and good manners which is also a great piece of the duty of parents towards children Prov. 31. 1 8 9. And lastly he addeth that their education must be in the admonition of the Lord Christ that is such as becometh Christians and by which young ones are instructed chiefly in the knowledge of Gods Word of Jesus Christ and of the way of salvation held forth by Him Hence Learn 1. Such is the prevalencie and interest of sin in the soul of man now fallen that in some it wholy extinguisheth or much weakeneth the most intense of our natural affections and maketh them run in a channel quite contrary unto what they ought for the Apostle supponeth that even naturall affection in some parents to their own children will be so far weakened as by their unnatural carriage to provoke and imbitter them