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
to gain applause from them for that is condemned Mat. 6. 5. but that he might excite them unto prayer for themselves and to endeavour after those things which he sought Making mention of you in my prayers that God may give you c. 2. Though we are not of necessity to stint our selves unto a set form of words in prayer Rom. 8. 26. yet we would have set purposes condescended upon and a certain scope to aim at in prayer so as we may be able to give an accompt of what we pray for whether in behalf of our selves or of others otherwise we can neither expect nor observe the return of our prayers for Paul setting down the sum of his prayer sheweth he took notice of those things which he prayed for even that God may give unto you the Spirit of wisdom saith he 3. Our prayers would be directed unto God only and neither to glorified Saints who are ignorant of us Isa. 63. 16. nor yet to the Angels who though they be near unto us 1 Cor. 11. 10. yet know not the secrets of hearts Jer. 17. 10. and so are unfit to receive our prayers besides that there is no warrant in Scripture for praying unto any such but to God alone hence the Apostle directeth his prayer unto God Even that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ may give unto you 4. We ought to draw near to God especially in the duties of prayer whether for our selves or others with confidence and reverence the one not marring the other and in order hereto we are so to conceive of God and expresse such conceptions of ours concerning Him as may most strengthen our faith in the expectation of what we seek and may strike our hearts with reverence towards God from whom we seek for those epithets which Paul giveth unto God do tend to strengthen his faith while he calleth Him the God of our Lord Jesus Christ and to breed deep reverence in his own heart towards God while he calleth Him the Father of glory or glorious Father 5. That we may have accesse unto God with boldnesse through Christ in prayer it is necessary to renew that act of faith wherby we apply and appropriate Christ unto our selves that so being made one with Christ Eph. 3. 17. we may be looked upon by the Father as clothed with His righteousness Phil. 3. 9. whereby both our persons and imperfect prayers shall be accepted of by God through Him Heb. 11. 4. for Paul whose practice here is a directory for prayer doth appropriate Christ to himself as his own Christ The God of our Lord Jesus Christ. 6. It is necessary also in order to the same end that in closing with Christ we do not part or divide Him but appropriate to our selves the fulnesse of all those perfections which are in Him this being an evidence of the sincerity of our closing with Him and no lesse than whole Christ being necessary to cover all those imperfections to bear us up under all those discouragements to help us under all those infirmities which we are incompassed with in our approaches to God for Paul doth appropriate Christ to himself under such titles as hold forth His compleat fulnesse to wit of Lord which implyeth His power and soveraignity over all things for the Believers good Philip. 2. 9. 10 11. Of Jesus which signifieth a Saviour and pointeth forth His great work and errand to the world to save sinners Mat. 1. 21. And of Christ which signifieth annointed and so pointeth at His threefold Office unto which He was annointed and furnished in order to that work Psal. 45. 7. The God of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7. As wisdom or the saving knowledge of divine mysteries is necessary unto a Christian So even those who are effectually called and have a good measure of this grace already ought not to sit down upon the measure received but would constantly aspire after more of it as being yet ignorant of many things and not sufficiently rooted in the knowledge of those things which they already know 1 Cor. 13. 9. for while Paul prayeth for a greater measure of wisdom unto those Ephesians towards whom God had already abounded in all wisdom ver 8. he doth indirectly excite them to endeavour to grow in this grace May give unto you the Spirit of wisdom 8. The wisdom and knowledge which Christians are to seek after is not at all that carnal wisdom which is enimity to God Iam. 3. 15. nor yet chiefly that naturall wisdom or knowledge of the hid mysteries of nature Eccles. 1. 17 18. nor yet that wisdom or knowledge of divine mysteries which is only a gift and floweth from a common influence of the Spirit 1 Cor. 8. 1 but that whereof the Spirit of God by His special operation and influence is author and worker and is more than a gift even the grace of wisdom which is not acquired by our own industry and pains only nor yet puffeth up neither is it weak and coldrife not warming the heart with love to the thing known as the gift of wisdom is but this grace of wisdom cometh from above Iam. 3. 17. by the use of other lawfull means Prov. 2. 1 c. and must be sought from above Iam. 1. 5. It humbleth the man who hath it Job 42. 3 5 6. it is operative upon the heart and worketh love unto the thing known Joh. 4. 10. for the Apostle prayeth that God would give them the Spirit of wisdom that is whereof the Spirit of God is author by His spiritual grace 9. Spiritual things the object of this heavenly wisdom and knowledge are not for the most part conclusions drawn from natures light but are revealed and made known by the Spirit of God to wit either in an extraordinary immediate way without the help of humane means unto the Prophets and Apostles Eph. 3. 5. or in an ordinary and mediate way by the help of Scripture and blessing of God upon the pains of publick Teachers and such other means as He hath appointed for attaining to the mind of God revealed in Scripture 2 Tim. 3. 15 c. for joyntly with the Spirit of wisdom he seeketh the Spirit of revelation implying that this wisdom cannot be had without revelation 10. The sum of all saving wisdom is to know Christ and what Scripture speaketh of Him as a compleat Mediator and so to know Him as that we acknowledge Him which speaketh somewhat more than our simple knowing of Him even a knowing of Him as our own and with special application to our selves and so as we give due honour respect and reverence unto Him for though we are said to know even strangers and those whom we contemn and despise yet we are not in strict phrase of speech said to acknowledge any but these of near relations or whom we prosecute with that respect and honour which is due unto them as the servant is said to acknowledge his master Now Paul giveth this
Apostle while he seeketh increase of spirituall strength unto those converted Ephesians he prayeth that God would grant or give it as a gift for the word signifieth so much and that from the inexhaustible fountain of His glorious grace That He would grant unto you according to the riches of His glory not according to your worth 6. As all the attributes of God and especially His mercy and power are not onely altogether glorious because the glory of God is manifested unto the creatures in their severall wonderfull effects Psal. 19. 1 c. but are also infinite and without measure as being indefatigable in working wholly insuperable by any impediment or opposition whatsoever and inexhaustible by supplying any want in the creature So in making our approaches unto God for seeking any good and especially saving good it is most necessary that we lift our eyes above any thing that is ours whether our good or our evil and fasten them by faith upon that inexhaustible fountain of mercy and power in God whereby he is not only willing as mercifull but also able as omnipotent to bestow what ever we shall ask according to his will for the Apostle in seeking spirituall strength for those Ephesians doth look to the inexhaustible riches of Gods mercy and power called here His glory that He would grant according to the riches of His grace 7. It is the Spirit of God the third person in the blessed Trinity who taking up His place of abode in the truly regenerate 1 Joh. 4. 13. doth make it His work to renew their strength by upholding and actuating their graces and making them advance from strength to strength in despite of all imaginable difficulties neither is there any other strength or might whether naturall or acquired which can sufficiently furnish us to rancounter all those difficulties which are incident in our Christian course but that whereof the Spirit of God residing in us is the author and giver for he prayeth they may be strengthened with might in the inner man from the spirit 8. Though Christians are not to neglect their outward and bodily concernments 1 Tim. 5. 8. 23. yet the spirituall estate of their eternall souls is to be cared for most and so much as if it go well with that and if the soul be strengthened with might for carrying on the concernments thereof their outward concernments may trouble them the lesse and especially the care of Ministers should be employed about the inward and spirituall estate of their flock for Paul prayeth they may be strengthened in the inner man his care did run most upon that Vers. 17. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith HEre is the second petition of the Apostle's prayer wherein he seeketh that which is the cause of strengthning and corroboration by the Spirit spoken of ver 16. even that Jesus Christ by vertue of a continued act of lively faith in Him might be perpetually present in His Vertue Grace and Spirit working not only in their tougnes and brains but also and mainly in their hearts Doct. 1. That we may partake of any saving benefit purchased by Christ and particularly that we may be strengthened with might by the Spirit in the inner man for doing any thing that is spiritually good it is most necessary that we partake first of Christ Himself being most strictly united to Him and even as the members are to the head from which they receive sense and motion Christ giveth nothing of His purchase unto any but to whom He giveth Himself first 1 Joh. 5. 11 12. and to whomsoever He giveth Himself upon those He bestoweth all things Christ in us being the hope of glory Col. 1. 27. the fountain of life Gal. 2. 20. and of all things needfull 1 Job 4. 4. for Paul having prayed that they may be strengthened with might in the inner man subjoyneth the way and manner how this strength was to be conveyed unto them even by Christ's dwelling in their hearts by faith 2. There is a strict conjunction and near familiarity between Christ and Believers even such in some sort as is between an indweller and the house wherein he dwelleth whereby Jesus Christ God and Man in one person is present with the Believer not in His substance only as He is God for so He is every where Jer. 23. 24. nor in His substance at all as He is Man for so the heavens do contain Him Act. 3. 21. but by His gracious operation and speciall influence upon them whereby He quickeneth them Rom. 8. 10. ruleth them Act. 9. 6. and liveth in them Gal. 2. 20. for he prayeth that Christ may dwell in their hearts which petition is granted in behalf of all Believers seing he prayed in faith 3 Though Christ doth thus familiarly communicate Himself unto all Believers so as to dwell in them by His gracious presence yet not unto all alike but unto some in a larger measure than unto others according as He worketh more and more effectually in some than in others for though Christ did already dwell in those converted Ephesians chap. 2. 22. yet Paul doth pray that Christ may dwell in them which therefore must be understood of a greater measure and degree of His indwelling presence than formerly they had 4. Where Jesus Christ doth once take up His abode and dwelling in the heart there He remaineth constantly and flitteth not in so far as though sometimes He withholdeth that gracious influence of His which is necessary only to the wel-being flourishing and vigorous thriving of grace in the heart Cant. 5. 6. yet He never withdraweth that influence which is necessary to the being of grace and without which grace would utterly die and perish Psal. 73. 23. for the word rendered to dwell signifieth to take up a fixed and immovable habitation and differeth from another word very like unto it which signifieth to sojourn in a place only for a season 1 Pet. 1. 17. That Christ may dwell in your hearts 5. Though even the bodies of Believers be temples of the holy Ghost and consequently of Jesus Christ for Christ dwelleth in them by His Spirit 1 Cor. 6. 19. yet the heart will and affections of man are the chief place of His habitation wherein He resideth as in His strong citadel from which He commandeth the other faculties and members And without His presence there He cannot have any habitation in any part of the man elsewhere the tongue cannot receive Him by speaking nor the understanding by knowing nor the hand by external working except He be received in the heart from which proceed the issues of life Pro. 4. 23. for he prayeth that Christ may dwell in their hearts 6. Though Jesus Christ doth make His first entry unto and dwelleth in Believers by His Spirit 1 Joh. 4. 13. whereby He uniteth them to Himself quickeneth and ruleth them yea and worketh the grace of faith in them Joh. 6. 44. yet faith being so wrought the
thing hoped for being put for hope as the Apostle explaineth himself 1 Thes. 5. 8. which hope is a grace whereby we patiently expect salvation both temporal Psal. 62. 1. and eternal Titus 1. 2. but chiefly the latter according to the promise apprehended by faith and it answereth the part of the bodily armour called the helmet or head-piece which being the highest piece of all the rest did defend the head and face and was so composed as to make the souldier of dreadfull appearance unto his enemies In like manner this grace of wel-grounded hope doth lift the heart upwards Psal. 16. 9. keepeth the head safe and above water so that the Christian sinketh not 2 Cor. 4. 16. Rom. 5. 3. 4. and bringeth him to so high a pitch of Christian courage as maketh him formidable to his adversary 1 Sam. 17. 45 46. The sixth piece of armour is the written Word of God which answereth that part of the bodily armour called the sword whereby the souldier useth both to defend himself and wound the enemy In like manner the Word of God laid up in the heart and made use of pertinently by the Christian souldier hath somewhat in it to ward off the blow of every tentation Matth. 4. 4 7 10. and maketh Satan retire as one ashamed and wounded Matth. 4. 10 11. and it is here called the sword of the Spirit because the Spirit of God hath revealed this Word 2 Pet. 1. 21 it worketh powerfully upon the spirits of men Heb. 4. 12. and its efficacy in working dependeth on the Spirit 2 Cor. 10. 4. Doct. 1. Though believers have heaven and salvation already in right and by promise Joh. 3. 36 yet the Lord for good and wise reasons seeth it necessary to delay the performance and not to give them present possession upon their right for if there were present possession given there would be no need of this grace of hope wherby the believer doth patiently expect salvation promised and take the helmet of salvation or of the hope of salvation 2 The sincere believer during the time of the not performance of promised salvation may cast his accompt to meet with many sore assaults and sad stroaks from manifold tentations upon all hands for what need of an helmet if there be not appearance of blows and take the helmet of salvation 3. A wel-grounded hope of salvation according to the promise is another necessary piece of the Christians armour without the which he is deprived of one strong motive and encouragement to the work of sanctification in generall 1 Joh. 3. 3. exposed and laid open to several deadly blows and dangerous tentations from Satan and more especially to immoderate grief for the death of near relations 1 Thes. 4. 13. to the evil of covetousness and of placeing our portion and happiness in this life as knowing nothing of a better Psal. 17. 14. with 15. to the evils of fainting discouragement and dispaire arising from delayed performance of what is promised Prov. 13. 12. from hard sufferings and persecutions for the Gospel 2 Cor. 4. 16. with 18. and from the fear of approaching death the king of terrours Prov. 14. 32. for the Apostle commandeth the Christian souldier to arm himself with this grace of hope and take the helmet of salvation 4. Though this saving grace of hope be stronger and weaker in several Christians according as it hath more or less of a mixture of contrary diffidence Rom. 4. 18. and though the meanest degree of hope doth serve for good purpose to defend the Christian in some measure against the forementioned tentations Rom. 5. 5 yet it is the Christian souldier 's duty in order to his better guarding against those deadly blows to aim at no less than a full assurance of hope even such as maketh him no less diffident to obtain salvation promised than if he had it in hand for it seemeth the Apostle expresseth the grace of hope by salvation the object of it to shew their hope should be as much fixed as if they had salvation it self already in possession and take the helmet of salvation 5. The Christian souldier is not alwayes and only to be upon the defending hand nor to think it enough to keep his sinfull evils from prevailing further and growing stronger but he must also endeavour to pursue them weaken them and not to think himself exonered untill he fully subdue them for the Spirit of God injoyneth the Christian souldier to make use not only of defensive armour to guard himself but of offensive also to pursue and kill the enemy of which sort is the sword in bodily wars and the sword of the Spirit 6. Acquaintance with the Lords written Word together with a dexterous usemaking of it is another necessary piece of the Christian his armour without the which he cannot choose but he exposed to several dangerous blows and deadly tentations seing he can neither know sin to be sin Rom. 7. 7. nor the right way of resisting sin or of discharging duty Psal. 119. 9. and bearing afflictions with Christian courage and patience Matth. 5. 39. but by the word besides that the timous calling to mind of a word in Scripture forbidding and threatening such an evil pressing the practice of such a duty and speaking incouragement and comfort to the soul exercised with such a cross is often blessed of God to break the strength of the tentation which inciteth to it Matth. 4. 10 11. to furnish the heart with resolution and strength for duty Psal. 119. 50. and with Christian courage under the cross Psal. 119. 92. for he commandeth the Christian souldier to arm himself with the knowledge of and acquaintance with the Word of God and the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God 7. As it is the only vertue and power of Gods Spirit which enliveneth the Word and maketh it effectual So it is only the Word of God and no humane inventions or magical charmes with which the Spirit of God doth joyn His power and efficacy to resist and drive away the devil for therefore he calleth the Word the sword of the Spirit and expoundeth it to be no other word but the Word of God Verse 18. Praying alwayes with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints HEre is a seventh piece of this armour or rather a duty the practizing whereof is injoyned by God as a mean for obtaining all those forementioned pieces of the spiritual armour from Him together with the right use-making of them against the enemy and the Lords successfull blessing thereupon This mean is the duty of prayer whereby we offer up our desires to God Psal 62. 8. for things agreeable to His will 1 Joh. 5. 14. in the name of Christ Joh. 16. 23. with confession of our sins Psal. 32. 5. 6. and thankfull acknowledgement of His mercies Philip. 4. 6. Which duty is injoyned not simply
immediate worship to God who is a Spirit and will be worshiped in spirit and truth Joh. 4. 24. for he requireth that all prayer and supplication be in the Spirit 8. There is not any duty which Satan is a greater enemy to or our hearts more averse from than this of prayer in the spirit it being no small difficulty to bring our hearts up to it to keep them at it or make them walk like it afterwards for so much is supponed while he requireth the exercise of watchfulnesse chiefly over the heart in order to prayer Watching thereunto 9. Neither is there any duty which Satan is more earnest to make us quit and fall from after we have begun well and which our hearts are more apt to be discouraged and take up an halt in than in this duty of praying in the spirit and chiefly under delayed answers for so much is supponed while he requireth them to persist with all perseverance and this not only in some but all sorts of prayer 10. As Christians ought to pray for others as well as for themselves So the more lively watchfull and importunate we are in praying for our selves the more our heart will be enlarged with desire to take inspection of the necessities of others and to hold up their case to God for having enjoyned them to pray for themselves with all prayer and supplication watching thereunto with all perseverance he biddeth them next make supplication for others even for all Saints Vers. 19. And for me that utterance may be given unto me that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mysterie of the gospel HE doth here exhort them to pray for himself in particular showing first what he would have them to ask from God on his behalf even a gift and dexterity of uttering and expressing his conceptions in publick preaching together with courage and boldnesse to deliver all his message without stop or impediment and as it were with open mouth before all flesh as God should call him without all base fear 2 Tim. 1. 7 8. shame Rom. 1. 16. partiality 1 Tim. 5. 21. or diffidence of the truth of what he should deliver Psal. 116. 10. which gift he doth illustrate from the use which he was to make of it even that according to the trust committed to him by God chap. 3. 8 9. he might make known the Doctrine of the Gospel unto his hearers which Doctrine is here called a mysterie See upon chap. 1. ver -9. doct 1. Besides what is already observed upon the parallel place Col. 4. 3. Hence Learn 1. As the Lords people ought chiefly to mind those in their prayers who are most instrumentall in the work of God So it is the duty of Christians to be seeking the mutuall help of one anothers prayers and for this end to acquaint one another with their pressing wants and necessities Iam. 5. 16. and especially Ministers should crave the assistance of their prayers who are committed to his charge for Paul having exhorted them to pray for all Saints ver -18. doth here incite them to pray for himself in a speciall manner who was their Minister and an eminent instrument in the Lords work And for me saith he 2. The most able and gracious Ministers are usually most sensible of that weight and burden which is in the ministeriall charge and so much sensible that to be fitted for the imployments of it they see a necessity not only of their own pains and study their wrestling with God by prayer in secret but also of the assistance and prayers of others for Paul a gracious and able Minister doth see it necessary to seek the help of others And for me saith he 3. Not only is piety and knowledge required in a Minister but also a gift of utterance or a singular dexterity to expresse his conceptions unto others pertinently plainly and takingly without which his other abilities can avail but little to inform the judgements or work upon the affections of hearers for therefore doth Paul desire chiefly that utterance may be given unto him 4. Whatever gift a Minister hath of this kind whether naturally or otherwise yet when he cometh to the exercise of it in preaching he is not so much to rely upon his gift and skill of this kind as to depend on God for immediate influence and assistance to strengthen his memory uphold and order the organs of speech and to give him the present and actuall exercise of his gift lest he either miscarry in the use of it or otherwise sacrifice to his own drag and net when God is not depended on and so provoke the Lord to blast his pains and make them uselesse for though Paul had already a gift of utterance having now preached so long and so well yet he willeth them to seek not only the continuance but also the actuall exercise of it from God whenever he should be put to make use of it And for me that utterance may be given unto me 5. A plausible gift of utterance is not all which is required in a Minister he must have faithfull boldnesse to deliver his message without base fear or partiality joyned with his utterance otherwise he may tickle the ear but cannot rouse up dead and sleeping consciences for with utterance he desireth he may be assisted to open his mouth boldly 6. So much incensed are people usually at plain dealing in their Ministers so little can they endure to be used by them with holy freedom and boldnesse Isa. 30. 10. So much is there of unmortified fear of flesh even in the best of Ministers Matth 10. 26 28. together with a sinfull loathnesse to intrust the Lord with the event or personall hazards which may follow upon their faithfull boldnesse Exod. 4. 10 13. that there is need of speciall assistance and present influence from God to make a Minister open his mouth boldly concealing no necessary truth forebearing the reproof of no known vice and fearing no flesh without regard had unto any hazard or losse he may meet with for so doing for Paul will have them to seek from God on this behalf That he may open his mouth boldly 7. The serious perpending of the excellencie worth and mysteriousnesse of the subject the preaching and making known whereof is intrusted to Ministers would tend to convince them abundantly of their own insufficiency for such a task and of the need they stand in of assistance from God and the help of peoples prayers for obtaining His assistance for this moved Paul to distrust his own strength and to seek the help of their prayers even that he was to make known the mystestery of the Gospel 8. The great end for which Ministers should be earnest with God for furniture and through-bearing themselves and incite others to plead with Him on their behalf is not that by vertue thereof they may gain applause or get themselves exonered before men but that the Lords people may be edified
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
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
in dispensing grace and salvation now in a way diverse from what He did formerly any should suspect that therefore God had altered His purpose he sheweth here all this had come to passe according to His eternal purpose 4. As it is but small comfort unto a Minister that he is intrusted to carry unto others an excellent message and glad tydings of the plot and draught of mans salvation surely grounded upon Gods purpose and infallibly executed by Christ in all its steps except he make application and take a share of those glad tydings unto himself So the way for either Pastor or People to apply the Gospel and all those rich treasures of spiritual blessings contained in it unto themselves is by taking hold upon Christ and pleading a well-grounded interest in Him as theirs for if Christ be ours all things are ours Rom 8. 32. Hence is it that Paul having magnified his Ministery and Message doth make application of those precious things which he was intrusted with unto himself by pleading an interest in Christ as his while he calleth Him Jesus Christ our Lord. Vers. 12. In whom we have boldnesse and accesse with confidence by the faith of Him HE doth magnifie his Office eighthly from three excellent priviledges whereof Believers among them some in a greater some in a lesser measure some at one time some at another did partake by the means of his Ministery as being thereby brought to Christ in whom they enjoyed all these 1. Boldnesse or liberty to speak all their mind freely as the original word doth bear whereby as it is distinguished from the other two is meaned that holy freedom and boldnesse which is in reconciled souls to speak their whole heart to God both in the duty of prayer and thanksgiving and is opposed to misbelief terror of conscience or to whatsoever doth straiten the heart or stop the mouth in discharging these duties 2. Accesse to wit unto God See chap. 2. 18. which is larger than the former as comprehending freedom and liberty of spirit in reconciled souls to exercise all their saving graces in the exercise whereof communion with God doth consist 3. Confidence or a well-grounded perswasion that both our persons and performances are accepted of God All which priviledges he sheweth were enjoyed by them by vertue of their being in Christ of whom he spoke ver 11. and by the exercise of faith relying upon Him Doct. 1. Whatsoever worldly disadvantage may follow upon the preaching of the Gospel unto a People Matth. 10. 34 35. yet those excellent and spiritual priviledges which are conveyed thereby unto them who receive the Gospel may and ought sufficiently commend the Ministery of it unto all for Paul doth here commend his Office from these spiritual fruits which were enjoyed by it as their being in Christ in whom they had boldnesse and accesse with confidence 2. And more particularly liberty and freedom to speak our heart to God in all our concernments and accesse to God or fellowship with Him in the exercise of all our graces all obstructions arising either from the apprehension of Gods terror and our own guiltinesse or from our inability backwardnesse of spirit to good or from those impediments which the devil the world or our own hearts do create and cast in our way being removed Those I say together with confidence and a well-grounded perswasion that both our persons and duties are accepted of by God may and will abundantly serve to commend the Ministery of the Gospel unto those who have found it accompanied with such effects to their own hearts whatever other troubles they may be under for their receiving of it for the Apostle commendeth his Ministery from their enjoying of those priviledges in particular by the means thereof In whom we have boldnesse c. 3. The more a Christian doth find his heart enlarged and his tongue loosed to speak unto God in the duties of prayer and praise he will find the more of accesse unto and of fellowship with God in the exercise of all His saving graces and the more a man be restrained of liberty in those duties he will readily find himself the more restrained from the exercise of faith hope patience humility meeknesse or any other of His saving graces for the Apostle conjoyneth boldnesse or liberty in prayer and praises with accesse or freedom of spirit to approach unto God in the exercise of saving graces In whom we have boldness and access 4. A well-grounded perswasion of our acceptation with God both as to our persons and actions doth serve exceedingly to furnish the heart with boldnesse in prayer and with familiar accesse unto and fellowship with God in so far as a great many of those obstructions which 〈◊〉 boldnesse and accesse do arise from diffidence misbelieving doubts or ignorance whether God accepteth of us or not Rom. 10. 14. for the Apostle speaketh of confidence or of this well-grounded perswasion as having some influence upon the other two while he saith boldnesse and accesse with confidence 5. Those excellent priviledges of boldnesse accesse and confidence are not only purchased and conveyed unto sinners by Christ as was explained in the point of accesse chap. 2. ver 18. doct 2. but also they are enjoyed by none but such as are in Christ and united to Him by a lively and saving faith and all who are not so in Christ are estranged from spirituall liberty and boldnesse in prayer though they be never so much flowing in eloquence and discourse They are estranged also from accesse unto God being banished from His favour and presence Psal. 58. 3. and have no well-grounded confidence that God doth accept either of their persons or actions seing He is well-pleased only in Him Matth. 3. 17. for he saith In whom meaning Christ we have boldnesse and accesse with confidence They were first in Him 6. Faith in Jesus Christ whereby we receive Joh. 1. 12. and rest upon Him for salvation Isa. 50. 10. is one thing and confidence or perswasion of our acceptation with God is another the former being the cause root and fountain of the latter For Paul sheweth that confidence floweth from faith while he saith with confidence by the faith of Him or faith in Him See Gal. 2. 20. 7. As faith in Jesus Christ is that grace which uniteth us to Him So it not only goeth before our boldnesse accesse and confidence but also maketh way for and is the cause of those and therefore the more that faith is keeped in exercise there will be the more of liberty and boldnesse the more of accesse to God and nearnesse and the more of a well-grounded perswasion of our acceptation by God and confidence for he ascribeth their being in Christ their accesse boldnesse and confidence unto faith while he saith by the faith of Him Vers. 13. Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you which is your glory THe Apostle having now sufficiently magnified
glory and therefore desireth them not to faint Vers. 14. For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ 15. Of whom the whole familie in heaven and earth is named THe Apostle doth now follow forth the second part of the Chapter which was begun ver 1. and interrupted by a digression untill this verse for such reason as was given ver 2. And in this part of the Chapter while he giveth a sum of his fervent prayers to God for them that they might persevere and grow in the faith and experimentall knowledge of the Doctrine of Salvation delivered by them he doth not only give an evident testimony of his sincere affection and endeavour after their salvation but also laboureth hereby to beget the like ardency of affection in them and so doth indirectly at least though most pithily by the example of his prayers excite them to persevere and make progresse in the experimentall knowledge of and communion with Jesus Christ. In this prayer there is first a preface in those verses wherein he doth 1. repeat the occasion of his prayer which was mentioned ver 1 and doth relate as I there shew unto the close of chap. 2. even because they were already builded by faith upon Christ. 2. He denominateth his prayer from the outward gesture he used therein bowing of the knee thereby expressing the humble reverent frame of his heart in prayer And 3. he sheweth unto whom he did pray to wit God the Father described first from His relation to Jesus Christ as chap. 1. ver 17 This is the sum of verse 14. Secondly from his relation to His Church as being the Father by Adoption of the whole Church of the truly regenerate whether triumphant in heaven or militant upon earth whether Jew or Gentile which is here called a family and said to have its name from God as being His Familie Children Domesticks of His houshold and that both in name and thing the one whereof is not to be separated from the other seing God bestoweth not empty names and titles upon any Now God is thus described with relation to the purpose in hand for hereby the Apostle breaketh down the arrogance of the Jews who would have had the whole Church denominated from and contained within the Jewish Nation excluding the Gentiles whom therefore Paul doth upon all occasions make equal sharers of an interest in God through Christ with the Jews and thereby sheweth his warrand to pray for perseverance and growth in grace from God even to them From Vers. 14. Learn 1. It is the duty of Christs Ministers as to teach and admonish the People of God committed to their charge 2 Tim. 4. 2. So also to pray to God for them And that not only in publick with them as being the mouth of the People unto God Joel 2. 17. but also in private to the Lord for them seing their own pains cannot profit without the Lord's blessing 1 Cor. 3. 6. which Ministers ought fervently to seek from God by prayer else they have not ground to expect it Ezek. 36. 37. for Paul as he taught these Ephesians so he prayed for them and that not only in publick but also in private as he here sheweth For this cause I bow my knees 2. It is of no small advantage unto the Lords People to have such a Minister as is able to pray and accordingly doth pray pertinently spiritually and fervently with them and for them By whom as by their mouth they may have their severall cases made known unto God more distinctly than can be expressed by many of themselves Joel 2. 17. and they themselves are edified and instructed how to pray with the like affection and fervency 1 Cor. 14. 19. By whose affectionate prayers unto God for them a blessing is drawn down from heaven to make the Word preached effectual in them Iam. 5. -16. and they themselves incited and rouzed up to seek after those good things prayed for unto them hereby also they are comforted and encouraged as knowing their Minister is speaking to God for them when he is absent from them and cannot speak unto them Philip. 1. 4. and when they through some one distemper or other cannot deal with God for themselves at least in any measure satisfactory to themselves Iam. 5. 14 15. for as Paul's exhortation and doctrine was advantagious unto these Ephesians So also were his fervent prayers in order to their being kept from fainting and to their up-stirring to endeavour after those good things which he sought from God unto them and therefore doth he mention his praying for them in this place For this cause I bow my knees 3. From the Apostle's scope in making known unto them what and how he prayed for them See a further note chap. 1. ver 17. doct 1. I bow my knees 4. Our prayers unto God for others especially the prayers of a Minister for his Flock should take their rise not only from their wants afflictions and sinfull infirmities Iam. 5. 14 15. but also from the grace and good things of God already received by them that they may persevere and grow in them and be preserved from abusing them seing the graces of the best are but imperfect 1 Cor. 13. 9. subject to decay Rev. 3. 2 and may be abused 2 Cor. 12. 7. for the Apostle taketh occasion to pray for these Ephesians from the good already received by them even their being builded already upon Christ mentioned chap. 2. ver 22. unto which the words for this cause do relate 5. Though we be not tied by a divine precept or Scripture-example unto any one gesture in prayer seing the Saints have used several gestures according to the present frame of their heart thereby expressed 1 King 8. 22. 2 Sam. 12. 16. Luke 18. 13. 2 Sam. 7. 18. and though God be a Spirit who will be worshipped in spirit and in truth Joh. 4. 24. and careth not for the outward man alone Matth. 15. 7 8. yet seing God craveth service both from the soul and body as having created and redeemed both 1 Cor. 6. 20. and seing an outward reverend gesture of the body in prayer doth not only expresse and natively flow from a reverend frame of spirit within from which the body is acted in other things but also serveth to stir up the affections in prayer as being a man's remembrancer what his heart ought to do if he would not play the grosse hypocrite with God therefore it is a thing needfull and convenient if we be not otherwise restrained Nehem. 2. 4. to use some reverend gesture of the body while we are about the duty of prayer for Paul did kneel in prayer I bow my knees saith he 6. We ought especially in prayer to draw near to God with deep reverence unto and high esteem of the majesty of God being joyned with low and mean thoughts of our selves because of our basenesse and unworthinesse seing God honoureth them
who honour Him 1 Sam. 2. 30. and giveth grace unto the humble Iam. 4. -6. for Paul did evidence such a frame of heart by bowing his knees when he prayed 7. Deep reverence of heart towards the sacred majesty of God in prayer may well consist with faith and confident approaching unto God as a reconciled father Both of them ought to be joyned together in prayer yea and both when they are sincere and not counterfeit do mutually strengthen and intend one another so that the more we put our trust in Him the more will our hearts fear and adore Him Psal. 130. 4. for the Apostle exercised not only reverence in his prayer as is already shown but also confidence while he taketh up God as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and of the whole family of Believers through Him 8. See further concerning this title given to God with relation to Christ upon chap. 1. ver 3. in the exposition and doct 2. and ver 17. doct 3 5 6. unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. From Vers. 15. Learn 1. As there is but one Church universal comprehending all the Elect in all times and places whether in heaven or earth So all within the Church are of one kinred and linage descending of one common father for he designeth the Church to be one whole family in heaven and earth the word signifieth such a family as is the linage of one man 2. As this one Church is Gods family and houshold See chap. 2. ver 19. doct 8. So all the members of His Church and family are comprehended either in heaven or earth Scripture knoweth nothing of a purgatory or third place different from these for the Apostle sheweth this whole family is in heaven and earth and named of God 3. Those near relations under which God doth stand towards His Church are founded upon Jesus Christ and all the benefits flowing from such relations are conveyed unto the Church through Him without whom God is a consuming fire to sinners and in whom He is a reconciled father unto Believers for the Apostle looketh upon God first as He is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and next as He is the Father of all the Elect Of whom the whole family is named to wit His children Joh. 1. 12. and domesticks Eph. 2. 19. 4. The near relation which God hath to His Church and His Church to Him is sufficient ground and warrant for faith to rest upon Him and plead with Him for supply and furniture of all grace and of every thing needfull for shall not He provide for His own children who hath pronounced those among men to be worse than infidels who provide not for theirs 1 Tim. 5. 8. Hence the Apostle maketh this a ground of his confidence to be answered by God in what he sought in behalf of those Ephesians even Gods fatherly interest in them Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named Vers. 16. That he would grant you according to the riches of his glory to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man THe Apostle doth secondly particularize those petitions which he put up to God in his prayer and they are four The first whereof is in this verse to wit That God from the fountain of that in-exhaustible treasure of His divine attributes called His glory Exod. 33. 18. with 34. 6 7. and especially of His mercy and power which are set forth by the name and epithet of His glory or glorious Eph. 1. 6. Col. 1. 11. would furnish them with a daily increase of spirituall strength whereby they might resist the devil and all spirituall adversaries in their Christian course Chap. 6. 12. which strength was to be wrought by the holy Spirit in their inward man whereby as 2 Corinth 4. 16. is meaned the soul not simply in it self but as living the life of grace and those things which relate to that spiritual life as the outward man doth comprehend all those things belonging to a man's outward estate So in a word he prayeth that they may be strong and flourish in all things which relate to the spirituall estate of their eternal souls Doct. 1. From the Apostle his being able to give an after-account of what he prayed for see chap. 1. ver 17. doct 2. that he would grant unto you 2. Whatever strength or natural parts of body or mind men naturally have to compasse their effairs of this world Gen. 4. 20 21 22. yet they are wholly destitute of all spiritual strength and activity for compassing heaven and happinesse and for walking in the way of holinesse which leadeth to it for the Apostle findeth an inlack of this strength even in the converted Ephesians and therefore doth seek it from God unto them Much more must it be wholly wanting in those who are not yet converted That he would grant unto you to be strengthened in the inward man 3. Though there be a new principle of spirituall strength wrought in those who are renewed at their first conversion Jer. 31. 33. whereby the renewed heart being wrought upon by the Spirit of God doth really work that which is spiritually good Philip. 4. 13. Yet a constantly-renewed supply of grace and strength from the Spirit of God is necessary even to the renewed man whereby those seeds of grace already wrought in him may be upheld in their being Jer. 32. -40. preserved against the furious assaults of raging tentations Luk 22. 32. a 〈…〉 d and made to do that which is truely good Philip. 2. 13. and much more that hereby grace begun in conversion may be made to grow and advance towards perfection Philip. 1. 6. for the Apostle prayeth even for those converted Ephesians that they may be strengthened with might in the inward man 4. Such is the vanity lightnesse and inconstancie of our hearts in good Psal. 39. -5. our impotencie to resist tentations Matth. 26. 34. our pronenesse to turn from the wayes of God Gal. 5. 7. So strong so subtile so assiduous are our spirituall adversaries Eph. 6. 12. So many are those difficulties discouragements diversions and hinderances which we have to wrestle with and overcome in the way to heaven Act. 14. -22. that except we be underpropped and strengthened by Gods almighty power we cannot stand one moment and much lesse advance in our Christian course for therefore doth Paul pray that they might be strengthened with might in the inward man 5. Even the regenerate children of God in seeking increase of strength and of more grace from God must not if so they would obtain their suit plead from their merit or any good use they have made of their former grace seing upon a strict account it will be found that grace hath not been so improven by the best as it ought Isa. 64. 6 But they must seek what they so expect as a gift from God's free grace without any respect had to their own worth for the
but with six necessary qualifications the opening up whereof doth serve for so many doctrins As 1. we must pray alwayes which is not to be understood as if we were to do nothing else but pray but the phrase implyeth frequency in this duty and at all times when opportunity offers the original word will bear so much together with an endeavour to keep our hearts daily in a praying temper that when God offereth occasion we may not want a sutable frame and disposition 2. We must use all kinds of prayer two whereof are here expressed first prayer strictly taken whereby we seek these good things which we want from God Next supplication whereby we deprecate evils and judgements whether felt or feared 3. Our prayers and supplications must be in the spirit as not being a work of the lip tongue and memory only but of the heart and inward man Matth. 15. 8. being stirred up and assisted by the Spirit of God Rom. 8. 26 27. 4. The exercise of prayer must be joyned with watchfulness a watchfulness especially of the mind See upon Col. 4. verse 2. doct 3. 5. It must be with most importunate perseverance called here all perseverance implying that we are not to break off begun diligence in the practice of this duty Luke 18. 1. yea and are to reiterate our petitions for one and the same thing so oft as occasion offereth untill it be granted 2 Cor. 12. 8. a seeming repulse or deniall making us more vehement Luke 18. 5. Matth. 15. 22. c. Lastly it must be extended unto others besides our selves which others are first expressed more generally in this verse to wit all saints that is all these who having given up their name to Christ are standing Church-members and especially those who have more convincing evidences of saving grace than others See upon Philip. 4. verse 21. doct 2. Which is not to be understood as if we were to pray for none but such we ought to exclude none from our prayers who are in a capacity to be bettered by them 1 Joh. 5-16 no not our very enemies Matth 5. 44. only the saints are to have the chief room both in our hearts and also in our prayers as in all other duties flowing from Christian charity Gal. 5. ver 10. Hence Learn further 1. The Christian souldier doth never receive so much from God while he is upon earth as to stand in need of no more he needeth alwayes more grace to preserve and improve what is already bestowed 1 Pet. 1. 5. and to supply emergent necessities and wants whereof while he breatheth there will be alwayes some new discoveries made 2 Cor. 12. 7. with 9. for notwithstanding of this compleat armour given them by God he will have them yet to be alwayes praying and seeking more praying alwayes saith he 2. This whole and compleat armour of God can do no good to the Christian souldier either to defend himself or to offend his adversary without the Lords special assistance and concurrance whereby he actuateth those graces and without the which habitual grace could never be improved or made use of by us to any good purpose Philip. 2. 13. for therefore he directeth them having put on this armour to make their recourse to God by prayer for obtaining His special assistance to improve it aright praying alwayes 3. The exercise of prayer is most necessary to be made conscience of by the Christian souldier as that by which he obtaineth all his other armour from God Ezek. 36. 26. with 37. together with special assistance to improve it and apply it to work as said is hereby also he doth recover his armour when it is in a good part lost Psal. 51. 10. fourbish sharpen and make it clear when it is eaten and consumed with the rust of security deadness and hardness of heart Isai. 63. 17. and by diligent prayer Satans assaults and tentations are either keeped off and diverted so that the other armour getteth not much a doe Matth. 26. 41. Luke 21. 36. or otherwise vigorously resisted and the other armour the several graces of Gods Spirit made thereby tentation-proof Luke 22. 32. In a word prayer is the souls swift and trusty messenger to God for receiving new orders new strength and all things the Christian souldier needeth either before after or in time of fight and never returneth empty without an answer Joh. 16 23 for he injoyneth the exercise of prayer as most necessary to the Christian souldier praying alwayes 4. As the Christian souldier is never fully freed from all his straits necessities and wants So he ought to live in the daily sense of his own emptiness and in the faith of Gods fulness and willingness to supply all his wants for he should be praying alwayes and therefore alwayes sensible of his need to pray and confident of Gods readiness to answer Iam. 1. 6. As there are severall sorts of prayer some mental only Exod. 14. 15. others vocal also Psal. 5. 1. 2. some sudden or ejaculatory Nehem. 2. -4. others more solemn and of greater length Rom. 15. 30. And of those latter sort again some publick or Church-prayers 1 Tim. 2. 1. others private or Family-prayer Acts 10. 1 2 3. and others secret as Closset-prayers Matth. 6. 6. Some again are ordinary for ordinary causes and performed at ordinary times Psal. 55. 17. others are extraordinary upon some special and weighty occasions requiring more than ordinary affection and time of continuance Joel 1. 14 c. So all those several sorts of prayer are to be made conscience of and none to be neglected as God doth call to any of them for the Apostle supponing there are severall sorts of prayer injoyneth them to pray with all prayer 6. It pleaseth God to exercise his dearest children not only with the want of several things necessary and good but also with the presence of many things in themselves evil and hurtfull and those evils both of sin and punishment as for other reasons so for this one that of both the one and the other they may be making daily errands unto God in prayer for getting the former supplied and the latter either removed or prevented for as was shown in the exposition by prayer strickly taken and as distinguished from supplication we seek those good things which we want and by supplication we deprecate evils and judgements Now the Apostle enjoyneth them to use both those With all prayer and supplication saith he 7. However there be more intense affection and fervencie of spirit together with more assistance from the Spirit of God required in some sort of prayers to wit extraordinary Ioel 2. 12. to 18. than in others yet all our prayers even those which are ordinary sudden and ejaculatory ought to be joyned with some measure of spirituall fervencie and intense affection neither can any of them be discharged aright without the assistance of and influence from the Spirit of God as being a piece of most
of the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me HEre is a third Reason to the same purpose with the former shewing more fully that justified persons are most strictly tyed to mortify sin and lead an holy life if so they walk according to the prescript of the Doctrine of Justification which was taught by Paul for he and by consequence all real Believers were crucified with Christ to wit the old man of their indwelling corruption Rom. 6. 6. it did receive the stroke of death by His death He having by death redeemed them from the slavery of it Tit. 2. 14. which crucifixion with Christ doth not destroy the natural life of Believers for so Paul sheweth he did live only the old man of corruption doth not live in them so as to act them in what they do but Jesus Christ doth live in them He being united to them as the root to the branches or head to the members and furnishing them with spiritual life and motion whereby the very natural life which they live and those things which concern that life are ordered and gone about by vertue of strength drawn from Christ by Faith in Him and the consideration of Christ's love to them and His dying for them because he loved them is a great inducement unto justified persons so to live Now this being true in Paul and in some measure in all Believers and seing the principles of the Doctrine of Justification did bind all to this It is evident that to affirm this Doctrine did tend to foster sin is but a foulforged calumny Doct. 1. As Jesus Christ did die a most shameful painful and cursed death upon the crosse Gal. 3. 13. so in His dying He did stand not as a private but as a publick person in the room and place of all the Elect for He was their surety Heb. 7. 22. and died for them Job 11. 50. so that when they lay hold upon Him by Faith and thereby are made one with Him Eph. 3. 17 the crosse and passion of Christ as to all those benefits which were purchased by it whether in order to the removal of the guilt of sin Mat. 26. 28. or to the subduing of its strength and quickning of them in the way of holinesse 2 Cor. 5. 15. or to the purchasing of life eternal for them Joh. 3. 16. is as verily made theirs as if they had been crucified in their own persons for Paul saith of himself as an instance of all Believers I am crucified with Christ. 2. The former confideration of the Believer's right to Christ's purchase in order to the subduing of sin layeth a strong engagement on him and giveth a great encouragement unto him to oppose resist and set about the mortification of sin in himself for Paul maketh this an argument to prove that the Doctrine of Justification in its own nature is no friend to sin because according to the principles thereof the justified person is crucified with Christ. 3. God's infinit wisdom hath found out the way whereby the threatning of death Gen. 2. 17. is fulfilled in the Elect so that they die and yet their lives are spared they die and yet they live for they are reckoned in Law to have died when Christ their Surety died for them so that He was taken and they go free Joh. 18. 8. thus is that riddle solved which is here propounded by Paul I am crucified with Christ yet I live 4. Though notwithstanding of fulfilling the threatning of death upon the Elect they do live yet upon their believing in Jesus Christ the old man of corruption and power of sin is so far weakened in them that it doth not bear the chief sway in their heart to command execute and order all their actions as formerly it did Gen. 6. 5. for thus is that other riddle solved which is here propounded Nevertheless I live yet not I to wit the old I the body of death and corruption did not live in him but was mortified and the dominion thereof removed Rom. 6. 14. Dost 5. The Doctrine of Justification by Free-grace revealed in the Gospel layeth on strong obligations upon the justified person to set about the whole duties of Sanctification not only those which relate to the mortifying of sin but also to his quickning in the way of grace both those must go together and the justified man is obliged to both and furnished with help and encouragement from the Doctrine of Justification to set about both for Paul sheweth they were both conjoyned in himself the first while he saith Not I live the second while he saith Christ liveth in me whereby is meant his following the motions of Christ's Spirit as the guide of his life Rom. 8. 1. and this he speaketh of himself as a thing that he was obliged unto and furnished for by the Doctrine of Justification which he taught otherwise he should not have refuted the calumny of his adversaries 6. That Christians may live the spiritual life of grace they must 1. be united to Christ and have Christ dwelling in them by Faith Eph. 3. 17. for speaking of the spiritual life which he lived he supposeth Christ to be in him But Christ liveth in me 2. Besides this union with Christ there must be a communication of influence from the Spirit of Christ to excite them unto Cant. 5. 2. enable them for John 15. 5. make them persevere Philip. 1. 6. and effectually to order and direct them in Philip. 4. 13. the practice of every thing that is spiritually good for this is to have Christ living in them to wit as the head in the members or root in the branches which do furnish the members and branches with all things necessary for life and growth and Christ's quickning of Believers in the way of grace is frequently see forth by similitudes drawn from those Col. 2. 19. Joh. 15. 5. 3. The Believer if so he would live this spiritual life must not only have the habit of Faith in his heart but also must keep it in daily exercise so as first thereby to try what he is to do if so it be warranted by the Word of Truth and how it is to be circumstantiated Rom. 14. 23. Secondly thereby to draw furniture from the Spirit of Christ for exciting enabling and directing him in the way of duty 2 Cor. 3. 5. And thirdly to apply pardoning mercy for covering the defects of duty when he hath gone about it and for removing the guilt of all his other sins Mat. 6. 11. for this is to live by the Faith of the Son of God or in the Son of God which Paul speaketh of as a necessary ingredient in this spiritual life 4. This spiritual life and life of Faith must be extended not only to spiritual duties and of God's immediate Worship but also to all the actions of our natural and temporal life in so far as they fall under a Command even to our eating and drinking 1 Cor.
those Galatians were Secondly if the reproof flow from love and compassion in the person who doth reprove and an honest desire after the sinner's good as it was here for he casteth not up their folly in passion but in compassion desiring nothing but their good and amendment Thirdly if the reproof carry along all lawfull and allowed moderation with it as here he calleth them not wicked but more gently foolish or imprudent and withall layeth the great weight of their sins upon their Seducers who had bewitched them And fourthly That the reprover not only himself do know that there is reason so to charge them but also hold forth these reasons to them that they may be convinced also for so doth Paul he demonstrateth their folly from that they obeyed not the Gospel which was so plainly preached among them O foolish Galatians c. Doct. 6. Ministers ought not to rest upon a coldrife way of preaching Truth Mat. 7 -29. but are to endeavour the delivery of it with that perspicuity and plainnesse Col. 4. 4. that power and livelinesse 1 Cor. 2. 4. as it may penetrate the conscience of the hearers and be so clear and evident to them as if it were pictured and painted out before their eyes and in order to this they would not only labour to understand throughly what they preach 1 Tim. 1. 7. but also to believe it themselves 2 Cor. 4. 13. and to have their own affections in some measure warmed with love to it 1 Tim. 1. 15 And above all would labour with God that the effectuall operation of His Spirit may come along with what they preach 1 Cor. 2. -4. that so the Truth delivered may be the more lively and convincingly represented to the hearers for Paul did so preach Jesus Christ was evidently set forth crucified among them before their eyes He did so represent Christ and Him crucified to their ears by the preaching of the Word as if they had seen Him with their eyes 7. Though Jesus Christ and His sufferings are to be painted out vively represented and pictured by the plain and powerful preaching of the Gospel Yet it doth not follow that they are to be artificially painted with colours upon stone or timber for religious use for God commandeth the former but condemneth the latter Exod. 20. 4. And the graven image is but a teacher of lies Hab. 2. 18. Doct. 8. The more clearly and powerfully that the Gospel hath been preached among a People their defection from it and not giving obedience to it is the more aggreged for Paul aggregeth their not obeying the Truth from this that before their eyes Jesus Christ had been evidently set forth crucified among them Vers. 2. This only would I learn of you Received ye the Spirit by the works of the Law or by the hearing of Faith THe Apostle having stirred them up to attention by a reproof doth now return to his former dispute proving that we are justified by Faith and not by Works See chap. 2. 16. And this he proveth first because the Spirit of Regeneration and other saving Graces of the Spirit of God called here the Spirit as being fruits of the Spirit chap. 5. 22. were wrought in those of them who were regenerate not by the works of the Law that is by the Doctrine of Justification by Works but by the hearing of Faith that is by hearing the Doctrine of Justification by Faith for here as usually elswhere See chap. 1. 23. Faith is taken for the Doctrine that is believed And for the truth of this assertion he appealeth to their own conscience and experience leaving them to gather that therefore they were justified and reconciled by the Doctrine of Faith seing God bestoweth His Spirit upon none but such as are reconciled unto Him Rom. 5. 1 2 c. Doct. 1. There is not ordinarily any Church so corrupt but God hath some who are truely gracious among them for Paul's Argument supposeth that the Spirit and saving graces of the Spirit were in some of those Galatians because of whom he speaketh generally unto all Received ye the Spirit saith he 2. Even those who are truely gracious may stagger strangely in reeling times and be in a great measure overtaken with the most dangerous Errors of the times though they cannot totally 1 Pet. 1. 23. nor finally Isa. 54. 7 8. fall away for Paul speaketh even to them who had received the Spirit as to those who were taken with the common Errors Received ye the Spirit 3. As Regeneration and saving Grace is the work of God's Spirit in the Elect So the ordinary mean whereby He conveyeth Grace to the heart is by hearing the Word preached for they had received the Spirit by the hearing of Faith 4. Though the hearing of the Law preached doth work conviction of sin terror of conscience and legal contrition Act. 2. 37. whereby the heart is in some sort prepared for receiving of the Gospel Yet the Law as distinct from the Gospel and as it presseth perfect obedience in order to our Justification before God in which sense it was mistaken by the false Apostles and is so spoken of in this dispute See upon chap. 2. 15. can never be a mean of begetting Grace in the heart for so it driveth the soul to despair and worketh wrath Rom. 4. 15. Thus the Apostle affirmeth they received not the Spirit by the works of the Law 5. It is the Gospel preached and heard which the Lord maketh use of as a mean for conveying Grace to the heart being first convinced of sin and misery by the preaching of the Law Act. 2. 37 38. for the Gospel offereth Christ freely from whom being laid hold upon by Faith we do all receive Grace for Grace Job 1. 16. Thus the Apostle affirmeth they had received the Spirit by the hearing of Faith 6. Though a gracious heart may be overtaken with Error as said is See Doct. 2. Yet there remaineth somewhat of conscience in vigour with them in so far as that being appealed unto about the truth of things weighty and which belong to the reality of God's work in their heart and the way of His working in them they dare not readily lie and contradict their own known experience for Paul at least supposeth so much while he doth appeal to their own conscience and experience how saving Grace was wrought in them This only would I learn of you Received ye c. 7. Our Justification before God and the renovation of our natures by the Spirit of God are so much conjoyned that the Doctrine which through God's blessing is the mean of working the former is also the only Doctrine appointed of God for holding forth the right way of attaining the latter for Paul argueth that the Doctrine of Justification without Works is divine because that Doctrine was the mean of conveying sanctifying Grace unto their hearts as appeareth from the scope of the Argument here used Received ye the Spirit by
the hearing of Faith HE again returneth to the Argument for Justification by Faith set down ver 2. and enlargeth it thus That the Lord had not only accompanied that Doctrine among them with the fruits of the Spirit of Regeneration and saving Graces wrought by it but also with other extraordinary gifts of the Spirit such as the working of miracles speaking with strange tongues curing of diseases which were so many confirmations that the Doctrine was of God Doct. 1. Though the saving Graces of God's Spirit are conveyed to the hearts of hearers by the preaching of the Gospel Yet God is the author and worker of them and the Gospel only a mean by which He worketh for having spoken of their receiving the Spirit when he first propounded this Argument ver 2. he doth here in the resuming of it explain how they received it to wit by God's bestowing of it He therefore that ministreth to you the Spirit 2. When the Doctrine of the Gospel as it is now dispensed under the New Testament did first break up the Lord to confirm the Truth thereof did accompany the preaching of it with the working of miracles which properly are works above natures strength and so could be wrought by none but God and this that hereby the truth of the Doctrine might be confirmed which being once sufficiently done there is no further use for miracles now for the Apostle sheweth that miracles were wrought among the Galatians by the hearing of Faith and that this was one Argument of the divinity of that Doctrine while he saith He that worketh miracles among you doth He it by the works of the Law or by the hearing of Faith 3. So strong and provalent is the spirit of Error where it is letten loose and so weak are the best in themselves to resist it that for love to Error they will quit Truth though formerly never so much confirmed and sealed unto them by the saving fruits of God's Spirit in their hearts accompanying it for though these Galatians had the Doctrine of Justification plainly preached ver 1. and sealed to them by the saving Graces of God's Spirit and by many miracles wrought among them yet they make defection from it He therefore that ministreth to you the Spirit and worketh miracles among you c. Vers. 6. Even as Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness 7. Know ye therefore that they which are of Faith the same are the children of Abraham HAving put a close to that Argument which he brought from their own experience proving that we are justified by Faith and not by Works he addeth another from a Scripture-example of Abraham to confirm the same Truth who though he did abound in many vertues and good works yet he was not justified by these but by Faith only which he proveth by the testimony of Moses Gen. 15. 6. where it is affirmed that Abraham believed in the Lord to wit not only by giving assent unto the Promise spoken of immediately before about the multiplication of his seed and giving unto them the Land of Canaan Gen. 15. 5 7. but by assenting unto and imbracing of the prime Promise of the Covenant made by God with him that in the Messias who was to come of him he himself and the Nations were to be blessed Gen. 12. 3. of which Promise this of the multiplication of his seed was but a dependent and the means to effectuate it which Faith of Abraham's or the thing believed and laid hold upon by Abraham's Faith to wit the obedience of the Mediator the blessed Seed was imputed unto him for righteousnesse or accepted of God as his obedience for his Justification ver 6. from which he inferreth or rather the matter being so evident he exciteth themselves to infer the conclusion which he intendeth to prove That only they who are of the Faith or seek after Justification by Faith are children of Abraham by following of his steps and succeeding to him in the inheritance of that blessing of free-gifted Righteousnesse and Justification thereby which he enjoyed for an equivalent phrase to this here is that which is ver 9. They are blessed with faithfull Abraham ver 7. Doct. 1. Though saving Faith hath for its general object the whole Word of God consisting of Histories Threatnings Commands and Promises both of temporal and eternal blessings for Faith giveth firm assent unto the whole Word because of that divine Authority which revealeth it Act. 24. -14. yet the principal object of justifying Faith is the Word of Promise holding forth Christ and His Righteousnesse as the meritorious cause of the Believers Salvation for this Promise which Abraham did believe and the Faith wherof was imputed to him for righteousnes had Jesus Christ in its bosom it being a Promise of giving unto Abraham a numerous seed Gen. 15. 4 5. and so a Promise of Jesus Christ to come of him in whom all the Nations Act. 3. 25. and Abraham himself ver 9. were to be blessed Even as Abraham believed God 2. That it may go well with a soul and be accepted in God's sight who can endure no unclean thing Hab. 1. 13 it is necessary that it be cloathed with some righteousnesse of one sort or other for Faith was accounted unto Abraham for righteousnesse 3. It being wholly impossible for fallen man to attain unto that personal perfect righteousnesse which the Law requireth Rom. 3. 10 c. the Wisdom of God hath found out another way of making him righteous to wit that whereby Faith is imputed reckoned or accounted unto him for righteousnesse for Abraham's Faith was accounted unto him to wit by God for righteousnesse 4. Faith is not in a proper sense imputed to the Believer for righteousnesse as if the work of Faith it self were imputed to us and accepted of God whether freely or because of the merit of Christ for our total and perfect righteousnesse but it 's imputed in a figurative sense with respect had to that which Faith apprehendeth and layeth hold upon to wit the obedience and sufferings of Jesus Christ these being laid hold on by Faith become our righteousnesse Rom. 5. 19. and 10. 4. for the Apostle all alongst this Chapter opposeth Faith and Works now his Arguments would be of no force if Faith did justifie as a work and for any worth in it self It was accounted to him for righteousness 5. In the matter of Justification Faith is opposed not only to those Works which go before Conversion but to those also which follow after it and are the real fruits of God's Spirit in the Believer all Works whether of the one sort or other are excluded for even to Abraham many years after his Conversion when he had abounded in good Works and many gracious Vertues Gen. 12 13 14 chapters his Faith was accounted for righteousnesse 6. As there is a second and reiterated Justification of one and the same person in this sense that upon our renewed
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
to stand to this liberty he subjoyneth by love serve one another 7. Though Christianity doth not abolish the civil distinction of masters and servants Eph. 6. 5 9. And though all Christians be in some respects the Lords free-men 1 Cor. 7. 22. yet they are all even the greatest not being excepted mutually servants one to another in so far as being fellow-members of one body 1 Cor. 12. 27. they ought not to live unto themselves only but to spend themselves in their respective imployments for the spiritual and civil advantage of the whole body and of every particular member thereof so far as their capacity and calling 2 Cor. 8. 12 13. do reach for the Apostle enjoyneth unto all without exception serve one another 8. It is not sufficient we do those things which are in themselves materially good or conducing to our neighbours profit and advantage except what is done of that kind do flow from the fountain of christian love towards him 1 Cor. 13. 2 for saith he serve one another by love 9. There is no duty so onerous in it self or so far below us in our esteem but the grace of love being lively in the heart will make us pleasantly stoop unto it if it were even to serve the meanest person in the world for he commandeth all even the greatest to serve one another by love importing where love is not this service will hardly be undergon and that love will make it easie Vers. 14. For all the Law is fulfilled in one word even in this Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self HE inforceth the last Rule by two Reasons first This serving one another by love is the most compendious way to keep the whole Law seing the whole Law is summed up in that one Word or Precept for the ten Precepts of the Law are called so many Words Exod. 34. 27. of loving our neighbour that is every one without exception to whom we have any opportunity offered of doing good Luke 10. 36 37. and that with as much sincerity as we do our selves Now love to our neighbour is called the fulfilling of the Law not as if love to God were not thereby commanded also Mat. 22. 37. but because love to our neighbour supposeth love to God and floweth from it as a stream from the fountain 1 Joh. 5. 1. and is an evidence of it 1 Joh. 4. 21. Doct. 1. Though Believers in Jesus Christ be delivered from the condemning sentence of the Law Rom. 8. 1. yet not from the directing power thereof The Law doth alwayes remain a rule of our new obedience though it cease from being a Judge either to justifie or condemn us for the Apostle inforceth the duty of love from the authority of the Law which doth enjoyn it for all the Law is fulfilled in one word c. saith he 2. Love to our neighbour is a most comprehensive duty as comprising not only inward affection but also outward action and extending it self to all the duties both positive and negative which are enjoyned by the whole second Table See Mat. 22. 39. love thy neighbour as thy self 3. There is not any of whatsoever rank or condition whether friend or foe Mat. 5. 44. to whom we do not owe the affection of love and the consciencious discharge of all those duties which are commanded in the second Table for we are commanded to love our neighbour that is as Christ explaineth Luke 10. 36 37. every man as opportunity doth offer 4. As the Precepts of the second Table do enjoyn every man to love and go about all other commanded duties towards his neighbour so also towards himself For although that inordinate and excessive love to self which is in every man by nature and whereby a man doth so love himself as that he postponeth Gods glory and his neighbours good to the fulfilling of his own fleshly lusts be no-where commanded but expresly guarded against Mat. 10. 39. Yet there is a lawfull orderly love to self which is enjoyned unto every man so as that by all lawfull means he labour to maintain what honour God hath put upon himself according to the fifth Command and to preserve his own life according to the sixth Command and so forth of the rest for the Command to love our neighbour as our self supposeth we ought to love our self to wit with subordination to God 5. The love and other duties flowing from love which every man is to carry unto and to discharge towards himself in subordination to God have the force of a rule and measure unto that love which we owe unto others so as that we are to love them first for God and His Command 1 Joh. 4. 21. Secondly in subordination to God Mat. 10. 37. Thirdly in sincerity there being both affection and action flowing from affection in our love to Him 1 Joh. 3. 18. for so we do and ought to love our selves Now the Law commandeth to love our neighbour as our selves Vers. 15. But if ye bite and devour one another take heed that ye be not consumed one of another HEre is a second argument to inforce the exercise of mutual love taken from some dangerous effects which doubtlesse had already followed in part among those Galatians occasioned by their debates and controversies and would yet follow more upon the want of love to wit first Their bitter strifes backbitings railings and reproaches set forth by the biting of wilde beasts And secondly other real injuries by fraud or violence which seem to be pointed at by devouring which is more than biting And lastly as a consequence of the two former a total vastation and consumption of the whole Church Doct. 1. As it is a matter of no small difficulty to entertain love among the members of a Church when they are divided in opinion and judgment about religious Truths So where love groweth cold Church-divisions have ordinarily sad and scandalous effects which argue little of a tender frame of heart in those who have them even such as are here mentioned biting and devouring one another 2. However a sectarian spirit doth ordinarily pretend to much sobriety and meeknesse especially when it first appeareth and hath but few to give it any countenance Rom. 16. 18. yet so soon as it hath gathered strength and gained many followers it hath been alwayes found most bitter and cruel for the effects of this renting schismatick spirit among those Galatians were no lesse than biting and devouring one another 3. In time of Church-divisions though that party which is for truth and piety be alwayes the most sober Jude v. 20. 21. yet considering that even they have much unmortified corruption apt to be provoked by the insolency of their schismatick adversaries there is no small hazard lest even they vent much of fleshly zeal and passion and while they are defending Truth become guilty of several miscarriages and so be rendred much the worse of their contests and divisions for the sin which
he doth partly reprove and partly guard against was mutual and of both parties If ye bite and devour one another saith he 4. When schism in a Church is not only maintained on the one hand with fleshly passion strife reproaches and other real injuries but when it is also oppugned upon the other hand not so much with the sword of the Spirit the Word of Truth as with the same fleshly and sinfull means Then especially is schism the fore-runner and procuring cause of desolation and ruine to both parties and to the whole Church and this not only because of that hemous guilt which is in it but also that stumbling-blocks are thereby multiplied which cannot but prevail mightily to make men doubt of all Truth and in end prove nulli-fidians for the Apostle holdeth this forth as the consequence of their biting and devouring one another Take heed saith he lest ye be destroyed one of another 5. As it is a matter of great difficulty to make men of credit and parts being once engaged in their contentious debates to project the consequences of their so doing further than the hoped-for victory against their contrary party Act. 15. 37 c. So it were no small wisdom before folk meddle with strife so as to engage their fleshly passions in it however they may be otherwise provoked seriously to project and consider what wofull sad and dangerous effects may follow thereupon to the Church of God for saith he Take heed lest ye be destroyed one of another Vers. 16. This I say then Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh HE returneth to the first Rule given ver 13. to wâ—â— That they would not use their liberty for an occasion 〈◊〉 the flesh by a transition usuall unto him when he is further to insist upon any thing formerly spoken See chap. 4. ver 1. and furnisheth them with an help for reducing that Rule unto practice to wit Walking in the Spirit or following the motions and directions of the renewed part or new-man of Grace in the heart for which the word Spirit when it is opposed to flesh is usually taken See Joh. 3. 6. the fruit of their walking thus he sheweth should be their mortifying and keeping at under the flesh or their corrupt and unrenewed part in so far as though the lusts or first inordinate motions of inbred corruption for so is lust taken in the tenth Commandment woâ—â— not be totally suppressed yet they should not be fulfilled or brought unto the compleat act with deliberation and consent which doth more fully speak that which is ver 13. concerning their not using liberty for an occasion to the flesh Doct. 1. There is not any possibility of getting the power of inbred corruption subdued or the lusts of finfull flesh curbed to any saving purpose by a natural man or by any man without a work of saving Grace wrought in his heart by the Spirit of God for he prescribeth unto them walking in the Spirit as the only remedy against fulfilling the lusts of the flesh which supposeth that the Spirit or the work of saving Grace and Regeneration wrought by the Spirit must be first in them 2. The prevailing of corruption over Christians even to the accomplishing of the outward acts thereof after deliberation which sometimes hath come to passe as in David and others doth not prove that they never had a work of Grace or that they have totally fallen from it but only that they walk not in the Spirit the motions and directions of the renewed part are not obeyed but quenched the power whereof wherewith the renewed faculties are endued is not exercised and hereby God is provoked to withdraw His actuating Grace so that our lusts once in part mortified cannot but gather strength and range abroad in the soul without any effectual resistance for Paul saith not if ye have the Spirit but if ye walk in the Spirit ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh 3. The sin of lust and covetousnesse as it speaketh the first motions of corruption whether in our understanding will or sensual appetite towards unlawfull and forbidden objects namely such motions as are sudden and run before our deliberate consent they cannot be wholly abandoned by the childe of God in this life no not though he use the utmost of diligence and watchfulnesse for upon their walking in the Spirit he doth not promise that those lusts shall not be in them only they shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh 4. It is a Minister's duty to insist so far upon any point of necessary Truth untill he make it so far as he is able sufficiently plain according to the capacity of the hearers as also if the Truth in hand contain a practical duty the practice whereof is attended with many difficulties he is to insist upon it until he furnish the hearers with some pertinent helps and motives unto that duty for so doth Paul insist upon that Truth delivered ver 13. This I say then and by insisting doth explain it ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh and furnisheth them with an help how it shall be practised Walk in the Spirit saith he Vers. 17. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that ye cannot do the things that ye would HE proveth that their following the motions of the renewed part should keep the unrenewed part at under by two arguments first Because the renewed and unrenewed part or Spirit and Flesh do lust against uncessantly oppose and labour to suppresse one another by reason of that great contrariety which is betwixt those two principles as being of a different original Job 3. 6. and supported and assisted with contrary powers ver 19. and 22. whence he sheweth it doth follow that we cannot compleatly effectuate neither the good nor the evil which we would the flesh alwayes opposing that which we would according to the direction of the Spirit the Spirit again opposing what we would according to the direction of the flesh which latter is the conclusion he doth here prove as it is expressed ver 16. Doct. 1. As a Minister ought to point at some helps unto the People for their better discharging of any difficult duty So he ought to make it appear that those are helps indeed and how they contribute for the more easie practising of the duty pressed otherwise they receive no encouragement thereby neither to set about the duty nor to make use of those helps in order to the duty for the Apostle having prescribed an help for keeping the flesh at under doth here demonstrate clearly that the thing prescribed doth really help as appeareth from the scope 2. As the regenerate man hath a renewed principle of Grace in all the faculties and powers of the soul wrought in him by the Spirit of God So he hath in all those some
the matter of instances and examples because he cannot neither were it convenient to enumerate all such would be condescended upon as are best known and most commonly practised among those to whom he preacheth for the Apostle giveth such instances of the works of the flesh as for the most part the present defection schism and distemper flowing from thence which was among those Galatians did carry them unto Idolatry heresie variance strife c. and as it seemeth all the rest have been but too commonly practised amongst them as adultery fornication c. 3. Sin hath seated it self not only in the sensual appetite but in the more noble faculties of the soul also namely our understanding and will so that the whole man is corrupted by nature and altogether flesh for the works of the flesh here enumerated are of three sorts according to those three parts of corrupt flesh or nature to wit our reason will and sensual appetite So as some of them are seated in and have their rise from each of those the four first Adultery fornication uncleannesse and wantonnesse and the two last belong to the sensual appetite Idolatry and heresie to blind and corrupt reason Witchcraft hatred variance emulations wrath strife seditions envyings murders belong partly to the depraved will and partly to the sensual appetite 4. Not only are grosly scandalous evils works of the flesh excluding those who are guilty from the Kingdom of Heaven such as Adultery witchcraft c. but also such sins as being seated in the heart do not break forth to the view of the world of which sort are hatred emulations envyings for even they that do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God 5. There is no sin so grosse as being against all piety conscience and the very light of nature it self which people have not need to guard against and Ministers to deter them from by the terrible denunciations of God's heavy judgement against those who shall be found guilty of such like And that because the seed of all sin is in every man Rom. 3. 10 c. And there is no sin into which a man given over of God will not fall when he is tempted to it Exod. 10. 27. for the Apostle thinketh it necessary to scar them even from Adultery witchcraft and murder by shewing that they who do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God 6. That a Minister may bear down and suppresse sin amongst the people committed to his charge to any purpose it is necessary he inveigh by just and necessary reproof not only against the grosse and external acts of sin and wickednesse but also against the first motions and conception of those sins in the heart and every thing which may prove an occasion of breaking forth in those grosser evils for the Apostle setteth forth the evil not only of Adultery fornication and uncleannesse but also of wantonnesse not only of witchcraft but also of hatred and variance which often prove tentations unto witchcraft and not only of murders but also of wrath envyings emulations strife all which make way for murders 7. Ministers are God's watchmen Ezek. 3. 17. and therefore are bound to give faithfull and timous warning unto every man of his spiritual hazard lest otherwise the bloud of people be required at his hands This made Paul often to forewaâ—â— both presently and in time past that they who do thosâ— things shall not inherit the kingdom of God 8. Though former warnings have not the expected successe yet the Minister of Christ must not faint nor despair as if there were no hope but ought to renew his zeal and reiterate those very same warnings and threatnings as not knowing when the Lord may give the long wished-for blessing 2 Tim. 2. 25. Thus did Paul Of the which I tell you before as I have also told you in time past 9. As life eternal and the state of glory to be enjoyed after this is a Kingdom because there shall be an order betwixt King and subject there the one commanding the other obeying without any hazard of rebellion and faction Mat. 6. -10. There shall be perfect freedom from all oppression and slavery there Eph. 4. -30. Yea every subject shall enjoy a kingdom and wear a crown there Iam. 1. 12. So this Kingdom is given not for our merit or works but by right of sonship and by vertue of our adoption even as the inheritance is conveyed unto the heir for saith the Apostle speaking of Heaven They shall not inherit the Kingdom of God 10. Though there be a mixture of sheep and goats wheat and tares godly and ungodly in the visible Church Mat. 13. 29 30. yet in Heaven there shall be no such mixture no unclean thing shall enter there for they who do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God saith Paul Vers. 22. But the fruit of the Spirit is Love joy peace long-suffering gentlenesse goodnesse faith 23. Meeknesse temperance against such there is no Law THe Apostle in like manner for the better understanding and the more easie practising of the remedy prescribed against fleshly lusts ver 16. He giveth a catalogue of some of those gracious vertues and the exercise of them which flow from the Spirit or the root of Grace in the heart And having called the former instances ver 19. only works of the flesh he designeth these by the name of fruits of the Spirit because they are acceptable to God Rom. 12. -1. and profitable to the man himself 1 Tim. 6. 6. as savoury and wholesom fruit which the works of the flesh are not Rom. 6. 21 Next he enumerateth nine of those fruits not as if they were not moe for there are many moe vertues than those as knowledg hope patience 2 Pet. 1. 5 c. but because those are vertues standing almost in direct opposition to the former vices and such as for the exercise thereof he wished chiefly among those Galatians Which are first Love or an holy affection whereby we love God for Himself Mat. 22. 37. and our neighbour in and for God 1 Job 4. 21. Secondly Joy that holy affection of the soul delighting it self and taking pleasure in those things and in that measure which God alloweth Thirdly Peace or that concord and agreement which a reconciled soul hath with God Rom. 5. 1. and which he endeavoureth to have with all men in God Heb. 12. 14. Fourthly Long-suffering whereby we moderate anger do patiently bear and forgive even many injuries Col. 3. -12 13. Fifthly Gentlenesse or kindnesse whereby we labour to be affable and pleasant unto our neighbour and easie to be intreated even when he hath wronged us Rom. 12. 14. Eph. 4. 31. Sixtly Goodnesse a vertue whereby we are inclined to communicate what good is in us for the advantage of our neighbour both in his spiritual 1 Pet. 4. 10. and bodily Gal. 6. 10. estate Seventhly Faith whereby we conceive in this place is
understood not so much justifying faith and faith towards God which is the root and fountain of all those fruits ver -6. as faith and fidelity towards men whereby from a renewed heart and for God's glory we speak nothing but truth Eph. 4. 25. and make conscience to perform whatsoever is undertaken by us Psal. 15. -4. Eightly Meeknesse a vertue whereby we moderate anger so as that we are not provoked but for just causes and not more or longer provoked than the Word of God alloweth whereby also we do speedily restrain and suppresse anger when it hath transgressed the just bounds Eph. 4. 26. Ninthly Temperance or continency whereby our fleshly appetite is kept within bounds in seeking after honour meat drink pleasure or riches Lastly The Apostle having made this enumeration that he may excite the Galatians to the practice of those vertues he commendeth them from this That the Law was not made against them or the practisers of them either to condemn or accuse them In which words by a figure or flowr of speech more is to be understood than is spoken as Psal. 51. -17. even that the Moral Law concerning the standing whereof as to its directing power there was no controversie betwixt Paul and his adversaries doth expresly command and commend them which could not be said of those ceremonial abstinences or performances so much urged by the false Apostles Doct. 1. There is no way for gracious vertues or the fruits of the Spirit to grow and thrive in our heart unlesse the works of the flesh be set against and in some measure mortified these thistles and weeds must be plucked up else they draw the sap and strength of the heart from the good grain The Apostle's method pointeth at so much while he engageth them to mortifie the works of the flesh in the first place and next commendeth unto them the fruits of the Spirit But the fruit of the Spirit is Love joy peace c. 2. It is not sufficient that we set about the work of mortification and curbing of sin and vice but must also endeavour to have the heart replenished with the contrary gracious vertues otherwise sin being as it were over-powered may lurk for a season but will afterwards revive and take strength Mat. 12. 44 45. for the Apostle having engaged them to mortifie the works of the flesh doth now excite them to the exercise of gracious vertues But the fruit of the Spirit is Love joy peace c. 3. There is no vertue truly saving and acceptable to God but that which floweth from the grace of regeneration The vertues of the Heathen how excellent soever they seemed to be were but shadows of saving vertues as not coming from a clean fountain a gracious root in the heart Joâ— 14. 4. nor yet levelling at the right end God's glory in the chief place Col. 3. 17. but some other thing inferior to that Act. 24. 26. Besides they were not done in faith and so could not be acceptable to God Heb. 11. 6. for the Apostle calleth all those which are vertues indeed the fruits and effects of the Spirit But the fruit of the Spirit is Love joy peace saith he 4. If we compare the graces of God's Spirit with the works of the flesh there will appear such a beauty in the one such deformity in the other such solid satisfaction and contentment in the one and such disquietnesse and vexation of spirit in the other that laying aside the difference which is betwixt them by reason of their original and event those other considerations may serve abundantly to make us fall in love with the graces of God's Spirit and abominate the works of the flesh for the works of the flesh are Adultery witchcraft hatred strife envyings murders but the fruit of the Spirit is Love joy peace long-suffering c. 5. We are to judge of persons and practices by thinking well of them or otherwise not according to the common esteem in which they are among men 1 Cor. 4. 3. but according to the esteem that God hath of them and according to what the Word of God which is the absolute rule of right and wrong Truth and Error doth pronounce concerning them for Paul judgeth it sufficient to commend the practice of those vertues from this that the Law of God did commend them and approved of those who made conscience of them Against such there is no Law saith he Vers. 24. And they that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts THe Apostle in this Verse addeth a new Argument to inforce the practice of that first Rule given ver 13. and cleared ver 19 20 21. to wit that they should not give occasion to or fulfill the lusts of the flesh because those who are Christs as they all professed themselves to be have by vertue of Christ's death crucified and put to death their fleshly corruption with all its sinfull motions whether they be sinfull affections and passions such as those whereby the mans mind doth suffer is troubled and afflicted as malice envie anger and the like or whether they be sinful lusts such as these which are stirred up by fleshly carnal baits and pleasures as motions to intemperance uncleannesse and such like Now those who are Christ's are said to have crucified all those because every one who professeth the Name of Christ hath engaged himself by his profession and covenant sealed in Baptism so to do Rom. 6. 3 4. and the truly Regenerate besides this engagement by profession have actually begun this work so that though this body of corrupt flesh be in them yet by His Spirit Rom. 8. 13. and by imitating His Crosse Rom. 6. 6. they are upon the work of mortifying it suppressing the endeavours and smothering the effects of it Rom. 6. 12. Doct. 1. All they who are led by and walk in the Spirit or who are truly regenerate and who are actually engaged in the work of mortifying their corrupt nature are Christ's in a peculiar manner to wit by right of donation from the Father Joh. 6. 37. by right of emption or redemption 1 Cor. 6. 20. and by right of resignation all such having actually resigned themselves unto Christ as a mansion for Him to dwell and walk in 1 Cor. 6. 19. and in every thing to be guided by Him Act. 9. 6. for the Apostle useth those expressions indifferently as being of equal extent Walk in the Spirit ver 16. and if ye be led by the Spirit ver 18. and in this verse they who are Christs have crucified the flesh 2. The work of mortification striketh at all sin and spareth none aswell pleasant sins whereby fleshly lusts are satisfied as other more vexatious evils whereby the mind doth in a kind suffer and is afflicted for speaking of this work he saith They that are Christs have crucified the flesh that is the root of corruption and then they have crucified all its branches not only affections
or vexing passions but also desirable lusts 3. There is not any argument more moving or effectually exciting unto the work of mortification with a sincere Christian than that which is taken from his engagement to it by profession and the first beginnings thereof wrought in him already by the Spirit of God for this is the Apostles scope that they would not walk in or fulfill the lusts of the flesh because all of them were engaged by profession to crucifie the flesh and some had actually begun to do so already They that are Christs have crucified the flesh saith he Vers. 25. If we live in the Spirit let us also walk in the Spirit HE inforceth also the remedy prescribed against fleshly lusts ver 16. and cleared ver 22 23. even that they would walk after the Spirit because they who live in the Spirit or are made partakers of that new life of grace in Regeneration Joh. 3. 5 6. according as they all professed themselves to be must of necessity walk in the Spirit by following in their life and conversation the motions and directions of the new-man of grace in the heart The force of which consequence lyeth in this that as the principle of life is within whether flesh or spirit so must the actions fruits and effects flowing from that principle be Doct. 1. The Minister of Jesus Christ is not to bind heavy burdens upon the Lords People without so much as touching them with one of his little fingers himself Mat. 23. 4. but ought to lay the edg of every necessary exhortation unto his own heart with the first and thereby to evidence that as he doth not look on himself as free from the yoke of duty no more than others So he sincerely intendeth by his own practice to hold forth a real copie of that which he presseth upon others 1 Tim. 4. 12. for Paul directeth this exhortation to himself as well as to them If we live in the Spirit let us also walk in the Spirit saith he 2. The Lord's method in bestowing grace upon gracelesse sinners is first to infuse the principles of a new life or gracious habits and powers in the soul and next to actuate these powers making them actually to do those works which are spiritually good Spiritual motion and action presupposeth a principle of a spiritual life as a thing previous unto and different from it for saith he If we live in the Spirit let us also walk in the Spirit 3. To walk in the Spirit or to follow the conduct of God's Spirit and of His gracious work in us is a far other thing than to cast by the rule of the Word and to follow only whatever motions or impressions are set home with any forcible impulse upon our spirits as if those were the motions of the Spirit of God which may haply be motions of our own corrupt flesh or suggestions from Satan 2 Thess. 2. 11. This walking in the Spirit here exhorted unto is walking orderly and by rule even by the rule of God's Word Isa. 8. 20. for so much doth the word in the Original import which signifieth to walk orderly by rule by line by measure as Souldiers do march into the battel Let us walk in the Spirit saith he 4. Though a man cannot passe sentence upon his state before God whether it be good or bad by some moe or fewer particular acts of his life 1 King 8. 46. yet he may and ought to passe sentence upon it according to his way and the ordinary strain of his life and conversation A godlesse conversation argueth a carnal heart destitute of all spiritual life and a pious conversation doth argue a renewed heart and a principle of spiritual life within for so much will the Apostle's reasoning bear If we live in the Spirit let us also walk in the Spirit Vers. 26. Let us not be desirous of vain glory provoking one another envying one another THe Apostle having hitherto prosecuted and inforced the use-making of that first rule given ver 13. for directing them in the right use of Christian liberty returneth now to prosecute the other rule By love serve one another And in this Verse dehorteth them from some vices which do wholly impede this service of love especially from ambition or an itching desire after vain glory estimation and applause which vice is usually attended with other two first provoking of others chiefly inferiors by reproaching and doing of real injuries to them as being nothing in the vain-glorious mans esteem he esteemeth so much of himself Secondly envying of others chiefly superiors and equals in so far as any thing in them doth seem to eclipse that glory and esteem of which the vain-glorious man is so much desirous Doct. 1. Though a man may lawfully carry a due regard unto and have a care of his own good name and estimation among others in its own place Rom. 12. -17. especially that hereby he may be kept in a better capacity to do good unto those with whom he doth converse Mat. 5. 16. Yet desire of applause and approbation from men is sinfull and to be eschewed when we seek after and are satisfied with applause or esteem for those things which are not in us 2 King 10. 16 or which are not worthy of so much esteem as we do seek for Amos 6. 13. or are not praise-worthy at all as not being commended of God Philip. 3. 19. or when we seek after applause from men even for things praise-worthy not in subordination to but equally with or more than the honour of God Mat. 6. 2. or to be approven of Him Joh. 12. 43. for this is the desire of vain glory from which the Apostle dehorteth Let us not be desirous of vain glory saith he 2. How this desire of vain glory impedeth love and peace and how all glory of this kind is but vain or empty glory See Philip. 2. Vers. 3. Doct. 2 3. Doct. 3. This lust and desire of vain glory is so subtil as taking its rise sometimes from those things in us which are good 2 Cor. 12. 7. and so desirable as tending to make others prostrate themselves before the idol of those apprehended or real excellencies in us which we our selves do so much adore that the best of men and those who are endued with excellent graces gifts and priviledges have need to guard and watch lest even they be overtaken with it for therefore as one reason doth Paul include himself in this exhortation Let us not be desirous of vain glory 4. Though it be lawful and praise-worthy to provoke and excite one another to love and good works Heb. 10. 24. chiefly by our good example and forwardnesse in every commanded duty 2 Cor. 9. 2. yet when by doing of real injuries unto others we provoke and excite corruption in them to take some sinfull course for their own ease or redresse 1 Sam. 25. 33 34. we are herein guilty and that not only of
yet the ceremonial Law the keeping whereof they urged so much upon others but did usually and without challenge neglect it among themselves and where they knew none were to publish it abroad Mat. 23. 4. Secondly he mentioneth the third principle from which they were acted in their so vehement urging of Circumcision upon others even their ambition and desire of vain-glory that they might have whereof to glory and boast in the multitude of Proselytes among the Gentiles who received Circumcision in their flesh at their instigation and thereby did evidence that they were converted or rather perverted unto Judaism Doct. 1. As we would not lightly and without evident cause charge any with hypocrisie dissimulation and pretending of zeal for God and respect to conscience when there is no such thing in reality and truth So this is ground sufficient for any to susspect and for those who are otherwise called unto it to affirm That they who give little o 〈…〉 o evidence of zeal to God or respect to conscience in the ordinary strain of their conversation are not acted from zeal and conscience in those particulars wherein they would seem most zealous and conscientious and more especially when Ministers do make bold without challenge to neglect those things the practice whereof they presse most vehemently upon others it cryeth aloud that they are men destitute of conscience and that they speak and preach not because they believe but for other base ends for Paul having charged his adversaries with hypocrisie in their so much urging of Circumcision ver 12 he giveth a reason for his so doing to wit their godlesse conversation and carelesse neglect of those things which they so much pressed upon others For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the Law 2. The Word of God in the mouthes of His Servants is quick and powerfull and sharper than any two-edged sword so as it entreth in upon a man's very soul and spirit and maketh that difference appear which is betwixt his false though fair pretences and his real though foul intentions the latter whereof lay lurking under the former but this searching Word taketh off the visard and maketh them appear in their foulest colours for the Word of God in Paul's mouth discovereth the secret foul intent even of the very hearts of his adversaries having laid aside their fair pretexts They desire to have you circumcised that they may glory in your flesh saith he 3. Where the spirit of schism and Church-renting hath once possessed a soul it causeth the man in whom it is to refuse no pains trouble or toil for gaining of many followers and to look upon those whom he so gaineth as so many trophees of his victory and speaking proofs of his unparalleled abilities and parts wherewith he is so much taken up himself that he cannot dissemble his earnest desire to have all others taken up with admirationat them also for those schismatick Church-renters chap. 4. ver 17. did desire yea ver 12. constrained men to be circumcised that they might glory in their flesh Vers. 14. But God forbid that I should glory save in the crosse of our Lord Jesus Christ by whom the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world THirdly in the Conclusion the Apostle doth oppose his own truly christian and apostolick conversation and carriage to those sins of hypocrisie carnal policy and vain-glory which he hath shown to be in the false Apostles And first in opposition to their vain-glory mentioned ver -13. he declareth that the matter of his gloriation and boasting was only in the crosse of Christ that is the all sufficient expiatory and satisfactory sacrifice of Christ upon the Crosse with the whole work of our Redemption which is also hereby synecdochically understood and rejecteth all other sorts of boasting as a thing abominable for so much doth his usual expression God forbid import Rom. 3. 4 6 31. and 6. 2. Secondly he sheweth in opposition to their hypocrisie and desire to make a fair shew in the flesh that by Christ or by His Crosse for the article in the Greek language may relate to either the world was crucified to him that is all that is in the world and in so far as it is opposed to the Kingdom of Christ as honour riches pomp pleasure the favour fear wrath praise or dispraise of men all were undervalued and despised by him to wit in comparison of Christ and the excellency and worth of His sufferings Philip. 3. 8. and hereby also he was crucified unto the world that is undervalued and despised by the men of this world for to be crucified in both sentences signifieth the same thing even to be contemptible and undervalued as those were who died by that ignominions and cursed death upon the Crosse Deut. 21. 23. Doct. 1. It is praise-worthy in a Minister and advanceth much the conviction of those whose sins he reproveth when his own carriage is so exemplary as the holding forth of it may point out their duty and wherein they come short of their duty for the Apostle having mentioned the sins of his adversaries ver 12 13. doth here hold forth his own practice wherein as in a glasse they and others might see their duty in opposition to those sins But God forbid saith he that I should glory c. 2. Though the goodnesse or badnesse of men who maintain and labour to propagate opinions are not sufficient arguments to prove either the truth or falshood of what they maintain seing even the Godly may erre and men otherwise carnal may discern what is Truth or Error right or wrong in some particulars better than they 2 Sam. 24. 2 3. yet when Truth is already demonstrated to be Truth and Error to be Error by sound and solid arguments from Scripture and Reason then is it lawfull and opportune to compare the pious conversation of those who are for Truth with the impiety pride and vain-glory of those who are for Error that hereby some taking weight may be added unto those former arguments especially in the minds of those who are prejudged against the Truth for the Apostle in the body of the Epistle having confirmed his own Doctrine and refuted the Error of his adversaries by solid and nervous reasons doth now in the conclusion compare his own life with theirs and opposeth his christian ingenuity and freedom from vain-glory to their hypocrisie basenesse and vanity and this to make his former arguments weigh more with those prejudicate Galatians as appeareth by comparing the two former verses with this and those which follow But God forbid that I should glory c. 3. Though it be lawfull in some cases for men to glory in the good things of God bestowed upon them See ver 4. doct 5. yet it is altogether unlawfull yea no lesse than abominable to glory in any thing so as that we place our confidence in it for making us accepted to and righteous before God but
blessings according as He hath chosen us in Him 6. God did not choose or elect us because we were holy or because He did foresee we would be holy but that we might be holy so that neither fore-seen holinesse good-works nor fore-seen faith were the causes of Election but effects and fruits flowing from it for saith he God hath chosen us that we should be holy 7. God hath elected none to enjoy everlasting glory after this but such as He hath chosen to be holy here And therefore a man may safely and certainly conclude he hath been elected from all eternity if he be sanctified and renewed by the Spirit of holinesse in time and whatever assurance of Election is pretended unto by any who lead an unholy life it is but a strong delusion a vain presumption and no well-grounded perswasion for He hath chosen us as to Heaven and glory so also that we should be holy 8. This real and saving holinesse from which a man may conclude his own Election is joyned with an honest endeavour after such a conversation as is blamelesse and obnoxious unto no just reproof from men It is not only inward and in the heart but outward also and in the hand and tongue for saith he He hath chosen us that we should be holy and without blame to wit from men as the word is taken Luke 1. 6. 1 Tim. 3 2. Doct. 9. Where this real and saving holinesse the fruit of electing love is there will not only be a blamelesse conversation before men but also sincerity of heart before God which doth not imply perfection in holinesse for none should then be holy before Him in this life 1 King 8. 46 but ingenuity and singlenesse of spirit opposit to a double heart and hypocrisie even such ingenuity as a man dare appeal to God to judge of his honest endeavour after that in reality and in deed which he pretendeth unto in the wayes of God for those words before Him expresse such sincerity of heart See 2 King 20. 3. Psal. 18. 23. we should be holy before Him 10. Sound holinesse and sincerity of heart are most manifested in the duties of love to our neighbour flowing from our love to God for external duties of Religion may be diligently followed even by hypocrites Isa. 1. 11. And the inward substantial duties thereof are not so easily discerned neither by others nor yet by our selves as when they are accompanied with the painfull and conscientious practice of those duties which love to our neighbour doth enjoyn for therefore doth the Apostle give an instance of this holinesse in love rather than in any other duty And without blame before Him in love Vers. 5. Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself according to the good pleasure of His will IN this Verse the Apostle doth first expresse Gods eternal decree of Election formerly mentioned by another word to wit Predestination which setteth forth the same decree and purpose together with its eternity and extent not only to the end proposed by God but to the whole progresse of convenient means by which the end intended was infallibly to be brought about Secondly he further describeth this decree of Election and Predestination from another end which God designed to be brought about by it even the Adoption of children by Jesus Christ to be bestowed upon the Elect whereby is meaned not only that begun Adoption which Believers possesse here Joh. 1. 12. and whereby they have a right to the heavenly inheritance Rom. 8. 17. but also and mainly that compleat and perfect Adoption whereof the Elect shall partake hereafter even the actual possession of their glorious inheritance See the word so taken Rom. 8. 23. He describeth it also from the causes moving God to elect any or one more than another which are set down first more briefly to himself it is better rendred in himself whereby are excluded all causes moving God to this act without Himself Secondly more largely and expresly to wit God's absolute and soveraign will swayed with favour and goodwill towards those whom He did choose Doct. 1. God hath not only decreed to set forth the glory of His mercy by bestowing Heaven and Glory upon some of mankind Luke 12. 32. but in that same wise and eternal counsel of His He hath forecasten and accordingly decreed by what means and helps the person so elected may come to Heaven and shall undoubtedly obtain it And therefore none can warrantably expect that this decree of Predestination will bring them to Salvation if they live in the prophane neglect and contempt of those means which do lead unto it for the force and usual acception of the word predestinated is extended to the means aswell as to the end Having predestinated us 2. No not the Elect themselves are children to God by nature they are not born sons but made to be sons by grace and adoption who before were heirs of hell and children of wrath Eph. 2. -3. for a childe by adoption is opposed to a childe by nature men are not said to adopt their own children but strangers Exodus 2. 10. Now God hath predestinated the Elect unto the adoption of children 3. God is graciously pleased in time not only to call and justifie those whom he did choose for Himself before all time Rom. 8. 30. but also to make them partakers of the grace of adoption whereby a further dignity is put upon them than formerly was even that being already drawn out of nature to grace in their effectual calling and reconciled to God in their justification they are now advanced to the dignity of sons and children to the most High and have a right to all the priviledges of sons as the Spirit of Adoption whereby they cry Abba Father Rom. 8. 15. fatherly pity from God under their infirmities Psal. 103. 13. protection from the rage of enemies Prov. 14. 26. provision and furniture for their straits and necessities Mat. 6. 30 32. necessary chastisment from God as their Father Heb. 12. 6. and a right to the inheritance of life eternal Heb. 1. 14. not only as they are friends with God and clothed with a perfect righteousnesse which they have by justification but as God's own sons and heirs which inheritance being once possessed their adoption which is now but begun shall be full and compleat Rom. 8. 23. for saith the Apostle He hath predestinated us unto the adoption of children 4. Besides those other differences which are betwixt God's adopting of the Elect to be His own Children and one man's adopting of another to be his son and heir this is one Men do adopt children because they have none of their own but God doth not adopt the Elect from any such indigence or want as having a natural Son of His own even Jesus Christ the only begotten of the Father for the Apostle having spoken of the Adoption of the Elect doth presently make mention of
And therefore is He called the Spirit of Faith 2 Cor. 4. 13 yet upon the actual exercising of the grace of Faith the Spirit of God doth more fully manifest Himself to be dwelling in Believers by His carrying-on the work of sanctification in them for their greater comfort and further strengthning of their faith for saith he After ye believed ye were sealed with that holy Spirit 3. Whoever have rightly closed with the Gospel and Christ in the Gospel by believing will have the grace of sanctification and holinesse of life following upon their so doing as also sometimes some measure of joy peace and sensible comfort for as I cleared by the seal is meaned those graces And after ye believed ye were sealed saith he 4. Even real Believers have need of confirmation and sealing as being oftimes exercised and tossed with several doubts and scruples both concerning the truth of the Gospel and promise in general Mark 9. 24. and the reality of their own closing with and interest in the Promise Psal. 88. 14. for therefore is it that after those Ephesians had believed they were sealed hereby to evidence the truth of the Gospel and the sincerity of their believing the Gospel After ye believed ye were sealed 5. The Lord hath provided and accordingly doth bestow sufficient means upon Believers whereby all their fore-mentioned doubts may be solved and they abundantly satisfied for besides the writing of the Promise upon their hearts and the outward seals of the Covenant of Grace or Sacraments which are visibly dispensed by Christ's Ministers there is an inward seal to wit the saving Graces of God's Spirit together with growth and increase in those imprinted by the Spirit of God upon the hearts of Believers in order to their confirmation although they sometimes cannot perfectly discern nor exactly take up the draughts and lineaments of it After ye believed ye were sealed 6. The saving graces of God's Spirit wrought in a Believer and exercised by him in all sorts of holy duties and especially growth in grace is a most convincing evidence not only that the Word of the Gospel by which holinesse is wrought is the undoubted Truth of God for this is the witnesse by water spoken of 1 Joh. 5. 8. there being no other thing but the Truth of God able to produce such strange and supernatural effects as those but also it serveth to evidence the reality of the man's interest in the promise and of his right to the heavenly inheritance in whom those saving graces and the fruits of holinesse are seing holinesse of life is the inseparable effect of saving faith and interest in the promise Act. 15. 9. for by the Seal is meaned mainly the graces of sanctification and as was shewn they get that name because as Seals do confirm publick Writs and make them appear to be authentick so the saving and sanctifying graces of the Spirit do confirm to those in whom they are the Truth of the Gospel and the sincerity of their faith in Christ In whom after ye believed ye were sealed 7. Our doubts and scruples whether concerning the truth of the Promise in general or our own particular interest in the Promise ought not in reason make us suspend our believing in Christ and the Promise untill we first be sealed and sanctified and so receive sufficient confirmation but on the contrary we are first to set our Seal to God's Truth by believing and venturing our salvation upon it and then we may expect next to have God setting His Seal upon our heart in order to our confirmation for that is the order here set down In whom after ye believed ye were sealed 8. The sanctifying of our natures and adorning of our hearts with saving graces together with any confirmation in the truth of the Promise or of particular interest in the Promise which Believers receive from these is the work of God's Spirit only for it is ascribed to Him here and with relation thereto He is called the holy Spirit not only because He is essentially holy and very holinesse it self but also the author of sanctification and of all saving graces in Believers Gal. 5. 22. and the Spirit of promise not only because He was promised to be abundantly poured-out upon Believers under the New Testament Act. 2. 16. but also His office is to seal and confirm by His gracious operations the Promises of the Gospel to Believers Rom. 8. 16. Ye were sealed saith he with the holy Spirit From that use for which the holy Spirit with his saving graces was bestowed upon them Learn 1. As the Spirit of God is a person subsisting and not a created gift or grace so this holy Spirit doth not only bestow His gifts and graces upon Believers but also cometh Himself unto them and dwelleth in them In so far as though He be not personally united with them as the divine nature is with the humane in Christ yet He is not only with them in his essence and being as He is present every-where Jer. 23. 24. nor yet in respect of His working by a general providence only as He is present even with wicked men for in Him they live move and have their being Act. 17. 28. but He resideth in them as in his own Temple by his special and saving operations whereby He not only bestoweth upon them the habits of all saving graces at their first conversion Ezek. 36. 25 26. but doth also by his immediate strong and special influence daily preserve those graces in life Joh. 10. 28 29. actuate them Philip. 2. 13. and ordinarily maketh them to grow Hos. 14. 5. for whereas the word Spirit in the former verse is in the neuter genderâ— he repeats it here by a masculine relative which would be better rendred who than which to shew that the Spirit is a person subsisting Which Spirit he saith is given us for an earnest of our inheritance 2. Heaven and glory is the only portion and inheritance of Believers all their enjoyments earthly though never so great being but mean fading in themselves and lyable to spoyling and vastation from others so that this inheritance which is incorruptible fadeth not away and is reserved in the heavens 1 Pet. 1. 4. is only worthy to be looked upon as their inheritance for the Apostle calleth it our inheritance by way of excellency Which is the earnest of our inheritance 3. As the right unto this inheritance is made-over unto Believers upon their resigning themselves to God by faith in way of covenant and paction Isa. 55. 3. So the Lord hath thought it convenient not to give them the possession of it presently upon their right but to delay it for a season that in the mean time they may exercise their hope in longing after it Philip. 1. 23. And God may get glory from the heirs of heaven here upon earth and among earthly men by being the means of salvation unto some Mat. 5. 16. and of conviction and just
the rule of good works in His Word Psal. 119. 9. and by examples also which make the rule more easie to be followed Heb. 12. 1. He reneweth their wills and furnisheth them with inward power and ability to do these works Ezek. 36. 27. and exciteth and actuateth that power by His renewed influence thereby making it to work Philip. 2. 13. In all which respects good works may be said to be prepared by God as the word rendred fore-ordained may also read which God hath fore-ordained or prepared that we should walk in them Vers. 11. Wherefore remember that ye being in time passed Gentiles in the flesh who are called uncircumcision by that which is called the circumcision in the flesh made by hands HEre beginneth the second part of the Chapter where the Apostle for the further establishment of those Ephesians in the Doctrine of salvation through free grace in Christ doth more largely insist upon the former purpose contained in the first part of the Chapter with a more particular application of it to the Ephesians and in them to all the Gentiles And first by exhorting them to remember their former misery while they were in Gentilisme he giveth in this and the following verse a most lively description of their then miserable state as first that they were in the flesh that is the flesh of their foreskine not being cut off by circumcision they were not only destituted of that ordinance but also of all other soul-saving ordinances of Gods Worship unto the enjoying whereof circumcision gave a right and entrance Exod. 12. 44. Secondly This their miserable estate was matter also of their reproach the Jews making their want of Circumcision a continuall upcast unto them which he hinteth at by shewing that the carnall Jews who were only circumcised in the flesh by the hands of men but not in their hearts by the Spirit of God did not cease to reproach the converted Christian Gentiles with uncircumcision even at that present time when circumcision and the rest of those Leviticall ordinances were now abrogated Doct. 1. Even Believers having attained to the sense of Gods mercy in Christ are very prone to forget that wo and misery which they were under before their delivery from it for the watchword here given to those Ephesians supposeth so much Wherefore remember saith he 2. Those who are converted ought frequently to remember and call to mind their sin and misery under which they were before God shew them mercy though not to take pleasure in the remembrance of it Ezek. 23. 19. 21. nor to despair of or question Gods mercy in order to their delivery from it Isa. 1. 18. yet that hereby they may be provoked to pity towards others who are yet in that state Tit. 3. 2 3. to greater fruitfulnesse in good works for the time to come Rom. 6. 19. and to magnifie the riches of Gods mercy in their delivery from that wofull state 1 Tim. 1. 13. 14. and that they may be kept humble under their present enjoyments Ezek. 20. 43. for therefore doth the Apostle exhort those Ephesians to remember their former sin and misery Wherefore remember saith he that in times past ye were 3. Christians in order to the more effectual bringing about of the forementioned ends ought not only remember that sin and misery which was common unto them with others but also and chiefly would search out and call to mind wherein their sin and misery did exceed the sin and misery of others for Paul biddeth them here remember that misery which in a great part was peculiar unto themselves as Gentiles and which they had more than the Jews Wherefore remember that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh 4. The consideration of Gods rich grace through Jesus Christ whereby alone He carrieth on the salvation of lost sinners in all its steps may be a great encouragement and a strong argument to inforce this duty of searching out and calling to mind our matchlesse sin and misery and that because this rich grace hath not only a remedy for all our sin and misery in it Rom. 5. 20. but also it is most perceived and felt in its sweet and lively effects when the soul is most affected with the sense of its own vilenesse Luk. 15. 21 22. for the Apostle having spoken of Gods rich grace whereby we are saved through faith in Christ he inferreth as a conclusion thence Wherefore remember that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh 5. Though it is now under the New Testament no more but much lesse miserable to be born a Gentile than to be born a Jew Rom. 11. 20. Yet to have been born a Gentile and not of Abrahams race was once to wit before Christ came in the flesh a sad and miserable lot for when he is calling to mind their former misery he biddeth them remember that they were in time past Gentiles 6. Those who are born without the bounds of the Church and live not under the drop of divine Ordinances are in a poor and wofull case as being not only under wrath and destitute of any actuall interest in the blessing which piece of misery is common to them with all the unregenerate whether within or without the visible Church See ver -2. but destitute also of all those means whereby the blessing useth to be conveyed Rom. 10. 14 15. so that their salvation is not in an ordinary way possible for while he is calling to mind their former misery he biddeth them remember they were Gentiles in the flesh that is destitute of Circumcision the leading ordinance and consequently destitute of all Ordinances having no part nor communion with Gods Church neither outwardly nor spiritually as he explaineth himself ver 12. 7. As the contemning even of outward Ordinances is no small sin before God 1 Sam. 2. 17. with 24. So it is matter of just shame and reproach before men which did hold especially in the contempt of Circumcision under the Old Testament it being then a seal of the Covenant Gen. 17. 10. the outward badge of the Lords people Gen. 17. 14. and a leading Ordinance giving right and entrance to the enjoyment of all other Ordinances Exod. 12. 44. and it doth no lesse hold in Baptism under the New Testament seing the Sacraments of the New Testament are of as much worth as the Sacraments of the Old and Baptism serveth for the same ends now which are presently mentioned to have been the uses for which Circumcision did serve then for although Paul doth only mention expresly that uncircumcision was unjustly cast up to the Christian Gentiles by the carnall and hypocriticall Jews in the present time wherein he wrote yet hereby he would have them to remember how this was matter of just reproach and upcast unto them even from the godly Jews in former times when Circumcision stood in force and that this disgrace and reproach was a part of their former misery See 1
Church of Christ is a thing which ought to be prized by us highly and sought after earnestly and so much as there is nothing in our power which we ought not to bestow upon it and dispense with for the acquiring and maintaining of it for so much was it prized by Christ that He gave his own life to procure it and did beat down all His own Ordinances which stood in the way of it He even abolished in His flesh the Law of Commandments contained in Ordinances for to make of twain one new man 2. There are no divisions more hardly curable than those which are about the Religion and Worship of God in so far as they engage not only the credit but also the consciences of the divided parties hence one party so engaged doth pursue what they maintain as that wherein Gods honour and their own salvation are most nearly concerned and doth look upon the other party as an adversary in so far at least to both of those for the Apostle speaking of Christs uniting the Jew and Gentile in one Church and Religion maketh use of a word which sheweth this was a task of no small difficulty even such that no lesse than creating power was required to it while he saith for to make in Himself the word signifieth to creat in Himself of twain one new man 3. So strict and near is that conjunction and union which is especially among true believers in the Church that all of them how far soever dispersed through the world do yet make up but one man and one body as being all whatever be their other differences most strictly united as members unto one head Christ 1 Cor. 12. 27. and animated as to the inward man by the same Spirit of God residing and acting in them Rom. 8. 9. for the Apostle sheweth that all of them whether Jew or Gentile were made not only one people one nation one family but one new man For to make of twain one new man 4. As the essentiall unity of the invisible Church without which the Church could not be a Church doth of necessity depend upon and flow from that union which every particular member hath with Christ as Head seing the grace of love whereby they are knit one to another Col. 3. 14 doth flow from faith Gal. 5. -6. whereby they are united to Him Eph. 3. 17. So the more our union with Christ is improved unto the keeping of constant communion and fellowship with Him the more will be attained unto of harmonious walking among our selves suitable unto that essentiall union which is in the Church of Christ for the Apostle maketh the conjunction of Jews and Gentiles in one Church to depend upon Christ's uniting of them to himself For to make in Himself of twain one new man saith he 5. The peace which ought to be and which Christ calleth for in His Church is not a simple cessation from open strife which may take place even when there remaineth a root of bitternesse in peoples spirits Psal. 55. 21. but it is such an harmonious walking together in all things as floweth from the nearest conjunction of hearts and the total removal of all former bitternesse of spirits for the peace which Christ did make betwixt Jew and Gentile did follow upon His abolishing the enmity and making them one man so making peace saith he From Vers. 16. Learn 1. Union and peace with men even with good men is to little purpose except there be peace and friendship with God also for the Apostle sheweth that Christ in abolishing the ceremonial Law did design not only the conjunction of the Church among themselves but their reconciliation with God also and the former in subordination to the latter And that He might reconcile both unto God in one body 2. As all mankind have fallen from that state of friendship with God wherein they once were before the fall Eccles. 7. 29. So the repairing of this wofull breach and making up of friendship betwixt God and the Elect was Christ's great businesse in the world for effectuating whereof whatever He did or suffered was in some one way or other subservient for the Apostle sheweth He suffered in the flesh abolished the ceremonial Law united the two Nations that He might reconcile both unto God in one body The word rendred reconcile signifieth the making up of old friendship 3. Though the believing Jews under the Old Testament were reconciled unto God even while the ceremonial Law stood in force Psal. 32. 4. Yet the price by vertue whereof they were reconciled could not be actually payed to wit Christ's death and sufferings except the ceremonial Law had presently evanished See Ver. 15 Doct. 4. neither could Jew and Gentile be united together in one body and so reconciled to God while that Law was in force and binding See Vers. 14. Doct. 5. Therefore and in those respects it was necessary for Christ to abolish the ceremonial Law that He might reconcile both Jew and Gentile unto God for so saith Paul He abolished the Law of Commandments in Ordinances that He might reconcile both unto God in one body 4. There can be no reconciliation betwixt God and us except we be united by faith to Christ and to the body of all Believers in Him So that none can be one with God who are not of the mysticall body of His Church yea and in so far will the sense and sweet effects of reconciliation with God be interrupted and obstructed as persons reconciled do give way unto divisions rents and strifes among themselves for the Gentiles and Jews being in one body with Christ and His Church come to be reconciled unto God That He might reconcile both unto God in one body that is being united among themselves in one body under Christ the head as is affirmed vers 15. 5. As Jesus Christ did interpose as mediator and peace-maker to reconcile God and us So He behoved in order unto this end to bear the chastisment of our peace and to lay down His life by a shamefull painfull and cursed death that so the justice of God being fully satisfied for our wrong we might enjoy God's peace and favour with life for he sheweth the mean of their reconciliation was the crosse of Christ not the material tree or matter of the crosse but Christ's sufferings and death upon the crosse That He might reconcile both unto God in one body by the crosse 6. Christ in suffering Himself to be overcome by death did fully destroy sin death the ceremonial Law and every other thing which could impede the reconciliation of the Elect with God He having thereby brought-in the substance of all those legal shadows Col. 3. 17. satisfied the justice of God and purchased grace and strength which afterwards He was to convey unto all Believers for mortifying and subduing the body of sin and death in them Act. 5. 31. for saith Paul He hath slain the enmity thereby that is by the
the exercise of meeknesse and long-suffering those only being able to moderate anger and to restrain the inundations of their impetuous passions when stirred and provoked by real injuries who being conscious of their own infirmities do judge but meanly of themselves and therefore not too good to have by the Lords wise and gracious dispensation a suffering lot from the wicked and injurious carriage of others 2 Sam. 16. 10. for he presseth humility in the first place as the foundation of and enterance unto all the rest With all lowlinesse and meeknesse with long-suffering 4. There is an all-nesse or universality which ought to be in the grace of lowlinesse first with respect to the subject it ought to extend it self to the whole man as being seated in the heart Philip. 2. 3 and kything in the outward carriage Luk. 14. 8. Secondly with respect to all objects There must be humility towards God Acts 20. 19. and humility also towards men Philip. 2. 3. and towards all sorts of men not only superiours Levit. 19. 32 but inferiours also Job 31. 13. Thirdly with respect to the grace it self as being without any mixture of the contrary vice so far as is possible Psal. 131. 1 2. and daily growing up towards perfection 2 Corinth 7. 1. Fourthly with respect to all cases so as it be exercised in prosperity Ezek. 16. 49. as well as adversity for saith he with all lowlinesse which note of universality is oft made use of by the Apostle when he would expresse a great measure and degree of any gift or grace See 1 Cor. 1. 5. Philip. 1. -9. Doct. 5. Meeknesse and long-suffering as they differ but little in substance and are commendable graces in themselves so they are notable means and helps to fit men for the duty of mutuall forbearance in order to unity in so far as they do render him who is endued with them gentle affable and easie to be conversed with and do moderate anger which is ready to blow the bellows of contention and to stir up strife Prov. 15. 18. for he exhorteth unto meéknesse and long-suffering in order to forbearance and unity With meeknesse long-suffering forbearing one another endeavouring to keep unity 6. The best of men have their own infirmities mistakes and failings mutually justling and rubbing upon each other whereby they prove often unpleasant and burdensome one to another for this is supposed while they are commanded to forbear one another 7. It is the duty of Christians mutually to tolerate and forbear one another even when there are real grounds of displeasure for hereby a man overcometh himself and his own corrupt nature which thirsteth after revenge Prov. 16. 32. hereby he overcometh and shameth his party who did him wrong 1 Sam. 24. 17. and keepeth Gods way in overcoming of him Rom. 12. 17 21. and hereby a man also in some comfortable measure doth entertain peace with others which otherwise upon every occasion would blow up and evanish for he enjoyneth this mutuall forbearance as a remedy against the clashing of mutuall infirmities and for entertaining of unity and peace forbearing one another endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit 8. This duty of forbearance is to be exercised to the person of our brother rather than his faults we are so to bear with his person as to endeavour the bearing down of his sin by admonition 2 Thess. 3. 15. reproof Levit. 19. 17. or correction Prov. 13. 24. as we have otherwise accesse and yet we are so to meddle with his faults as in the mean time we may give due respect to his person not irritating or provoking his corruptions while we intend to cure them for saith he forbearing one another which relateth to persons rather than to faults 9. This duty of forbearance ought to be mutuall and cannot in reason be expected by any from others to themselves who are not ready themselves to repay it unto others seing there is no man who wanteth his own infirmities which call for forbearance Iam. 3. 2. and that every man is obliged to do as he would be done to by others Matth. 7. 12. for saith he forbearing one another 10. Love to our neighbour whereby our heart and inmost affections are inclined and disposed towards him for his good as they ought as it is the great root and fountain of all duties towards others without which they are but counterfeit shadows and not real and sincere 1 Cor. 13. 3. So it doth in a speciall manner dispose and fit us for this duty of mutuall forbearance love covereth a multitude of sins 1 Pet. 4. 8. and maketh us bear with many things in the person loved 1 Cor. 13. 4 7. which otherwise flesh and bloud would not digest 2 Cor. 12. 15. for he holdeth out love as the fountain of all the rest and especially of mutuall forbearance With all lowlinesse forbearing one another in love 11. Whence it followeth that this duty of mutuall forbearance ought to flow from a principle of love and therefore though we forbear from necessity because we dare not do otherwise or from policie untill we get opportunity to right our selves or from respect to our own ease only lest by resenting injuries and miscarriages we create trouble to ourselves or if we tolerate connive at and foster the sins of others under a pretence of forbearing them which is inconsistent with love to them Lev. 19. 17. In all those cases our forbearance is not acceptable service to God nor yet in any case but when it is performed in love and from a principle thereof for the forbearance he enjoyneth is forbearing one another in love Vers. 3. Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace HE doth now fall upon the main scope of this first part of the Chapter exhorting them by all possible endeavours to keep the union of all the members of the Church being united together by the holy Ghost even in heart and especially in things spiritual all which are implyed in this unity of the spirit and that in order to this unity they would be of a peaceable disposition and deportment to wit so as not to make unnecessary ruptures and breaches upon every difference whereby they should be firmly knit together as the members of one body by its several ligaments and sinnews Doct. 〈◊〉 As there are several sorts of union in the Church and more particularly besides that union which is amongst the members of the invisible Church the bond whereof is the saving graces of Gods Spirit all of them being united to Christ the head by faith Eph. 3. 17. and one to another by love Col. 3. 14. There is an union also of the visible Church and the members thereof amongst themselves and this is twofold the one necessary to the being of a Church and being of a Church-member so that a Church cannot be a Church nor a man a member of the visible Church without it the ty of
which union is Gods Covenant with the visible Church and the Churches professed imbracing and laying hold upon that Covenant when offered in the Gospel Psal. 50. 5. the other necessary to the welbeing of the Church which is entertained by unity in judgement 1 Cor. 1. 10. in heart and affection Act. 4. 32. by concurrance in purposes and actings Philip. 1. -27. So all those sorts of union and union in all those respects is to be sought after and entertained in the Church for the Apostle speaketh indefinitly Endeavouring to keep the union of the Spirit 2. The union which God requireth among His People is not an union in sin or error Isa. 8. 12. nor yet a civil union only in things worldly upon politick and civil interests Act. 12. 20. nor yet a meer outside agreement or living together only Psal. 55. 21. but an union in heart and spirit in things spiritual and such an union whereof the Spirit of God is author for therefore is it called the unity of the Spirit Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit 3. The study of keeping peace and unity in the Church is a most necessary duty as being one prime instance of walking worthy of our vocation spoken of ver 1. and yet such is the restlesnesse of some and the prevalency of pride passion love to self-interest and such like dividing lusts in others that it is a duty most difficile to be practised as being the result of all those graces mentioned ver 2. and not attainable even by those who are endued with those graces except they apply themselves wholly to it and use the utmost of their serious endeavours for that end as is clear from the connexion of this verse with the two preceeding and from the word in the original rendered endeavouring implying study diligence and solicitude 4. Neither fair pretences for peace and union in the Church not seconded but rather contradicted by practice nor yet some carelesse endeavours which are easily broken by appearing difficulties are that which God will accept of at our hands as the duty required for preserving unity in the Church where it is or for restoring unity where it is already lost there is no lesse called-for than the utmost of our serious endeavours for that end so as we not only carefully eschew what may on our part give cause of renting 1 Cor. 8. 13. but also that we be not easily provoked when a cause of renting is given by others 1 Cor. 13. 5. and that when a rent is made we spare no pains nor stand upon any thing which properly is our own for having it removed Gen. 13. 8 9. and that we do not-weary of those endeavours under small appearances of present successe 2 Cor. 12. 15. for he biddeth them seriously endeavour to keep the unity of the Spirit 5. So many are the temptations arising from the corruptions of those among whom we live to make us neglect this duty of keeping the union of the Spirit that except we be of such peaceable dispositions as to digest many things one in another which otherwise our corruptions would make much stir about we cannot choose but fall at ods rent assunder as so many disjoynted legs and arms and upon every occasion involve our selves and the Church of Christ in several sad and dangerous broils and ruptures for he calleth peace that is a peaceable disposition kything in all our deportment the bond or ligament whereby the members of the Church are knit together in the bond of peace saith he 6. Whatever differences may fall out among the members of the Church in the matter of opinion and judgment yet they are not presently to break the bond of peaceable walking one with another by counteractings and factious sidings but ought to study unanimous and joynt practice in those things wherein there is agreement and where this peaceable deportment flowing from a peaceable frame of spirit is it tendeth much to preserve what remaineth of this spiritual unity and to regain what is already lost for peace with man which is the peace here spoken of doth especially consist in our harmonious walking together flowing from a peaceable frame of spirit and is here enjoyned as a special mean for keeping the unity of the Spirit even in the bond of peace Vers. 4. There is but one body and one Spirit even as ye are called in one hope of your calling HE doth now inforce the former exhortation to unity and peace first from an argument taken from those many things which are one and the same in the Church and all the true members thereof and for this end doth reckon forth seven unities which may be looked upon as so many bonds and tyes of the essential unity especially of the invisible Church and as so many arguments also that therefore all professing Christ should not only labour to be one in all those as they would evidence themselves to be sincere Believers and members of that blessed society but also improve their unity in these for keeping unity and peace in lesser differences There are three of these unities which are so many bonds and arguments in this verse The first is that the whole Church is but one body to wit the invisible Church of real Believers is one mystical body knit by faith to Christ their head Eph. 3. 17. and by the bond of love among themselves Joh. 13. 35. And the visible Church is one politick body 1 Cor. 12. 27. conjoyned with Christ their head and among themselves by external covenanting Psal. 50. 5. and their serious professing of saving truths Act. 8. 12 13 with 23. and this body is but one the invisible Church without all doubt is so and the Catholick visible Church made up of all Christians and true Churches in the world is also one because they have the same King Laws Word Sacraments of admission and nutrition which they visibly subject themselves to and receive and have a grant of the same common priviledges from God in the Gospel and therefore they are all one visible Church 2. There is but one Spirit to wit the third Person in the blessed Trinity who residing in Christ the head Isa. 61. 1. and in all the members Rom. 8. -9. as the soul in the natural body doth by His gifts and graces animate move and govern the Church the body presently spoken of 3. As the Church is one in these two so their hope following upon effectuall calling is also one Where by hope is not so much meaned the grace of hope as the object of that grace or good things hoped for as Col. 1. 5 especially heaven and glory the common inheritance of the Saints Col. 1. 12. which they get not in hand but only do possesse it in hope Rom. 8. 24 25. And this hope is said to be one to wit for kind and substance though there will be different degrees in glory Dan. 12. 2 3. Doct. 1. That the whole Church
seat of reason the mind and understanding in all men is by nature infected and polluted by this old man of inbred corruption for otherwise there were no need that we should be renewed in the spirit of our mind 2. It is not sufficient in order to our effectual learning of Christ and being taught by Him that we cease to do evill and labour to mortifie our inbred corruption with the several branches thereof but we must also learn to do well and endeavour to have the whole man adorned with the several graces of Gods Spirit making conscience of all the positive duties of an holy life for the Apostle sheweth their being taught of Christ consisted not only in the putting off the old man but in being renewed in the spirit of their mind and ver 24. in putting on that new man 3. See three doctrines implyed in the notation of the word renewed which signifieth to restore a thing deformed and antiquated to its ancient form and beauty upon Col. 3. vet 10. doct 4 5 6. Doct. 4. Right information of the mind and judgement and the knowledge of truth and duty flowing therefrom are most necessary to be sought after by Christians if so they would lead an holy life An erring mind will of necessity at least in so far make a crooked heart and an irregular hand for Paul sheweth that in particular it is necessary to be renewed in the spirit of the mind Vers. 24. And that ye put on the new man which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse REsteth the third thing which the effectual learning of Christ doth require from and work in those who are so taught even that it be their daily task to put on the new man that is to be more and more endued and adorned with new and spirituall qualities whereby their mind may not only be renewed as was mentioned ver 23. but also their will affections and actions Which renewing work he sheweth is carried-on by Gods creating power after the pattern of His own Image which consisteth in perfect conformity to Gods Law as well in the second Table set forth here by righteousnesse as in the first set forth by true holinesse or holinesse of truth to wit that which is wrought by truth Joh. 17. 17. and is not counterfeit but sincere true and reall which epithet doth also agree to righteousnesse Now those gracious and spiritual qualities are called the new man and said to be put on as new garments See the reasons for both upon Col. 3. ver 9 10. doct 3. Hence Learn 〈◊〉 Where there is saving knowledge wrought in the mind sanctified practice in all the duties of an holy life will follow for unto the renewing of the mind ver 23. is here subjoyned the putting on the new man in righteousnesse and holinesse 2. So dead and indisposed are we by nature to holinesse and grace that no lesse than creating power is required to work it in us It is neither implanted by nature Psal. 51. 5. nor attainable by any industry or pains of ours Rom. 9. 16. but is a work of Gods omnipotency though He make use of means for that end 2 Tim. 4. 2. for he saith this new man is created 3. Only those who are renewed in knowledge and have their souls adorned with gracious and spirituall qualities of righteousnesse and holinesse are like to God and such as are most so are most like unto Him for Paul speaking of being renewed in the mind and of putting on the new man saith that it is after God or as it is more plainly Col. 3. 10. after the Image of God Which after God is created saith he 4. The Image of God consisteth not so much in the natural substance or faculties of the soul or the abilities of it for those are in a wicked man as in spiritual gifts and graces even conformity with God in true knowledge righteousnesse and holinesse for the Apostle speaking of the renovation of the mind by knowledge and putting on the new man in righteousnesse and holinesse saith That this is after God or after His Image 5. This new man of grace created after Gods Image as it consisteth not in things external Rom. 14. 17. but in the inward and substantial graces of Gods Spirit so it comprehendeth all spiritual habits and vertues and the exercise of all those graces in all the duties of universal obedience prescribed in both the Tables of the moral Law for he sheweth this new man consisteth in righteousnesse and holinesse which include a conformity to the Law of God in both its Tables Which is created in righteousnesse and holinesse 6. No performance of any one or of all commanded duties whatsoever is a sufficient proof of a renewed mind or the new creature but when it carrieth alongs with it that necessary ingredient of sincerity and truth which maketh the performer of any duty take God for his party Gen. 17. 1. bring up his heart to every duty Jer. 3. 10. and level at Gods glory as his main scope in all duties 1 Cor. 10. 31. and make conscience not only of one but of every duty Luke 1. 6. for he giveth this epithet of truth and sincerity to that righteousnesse and holinesse wherein this new man of grace created after Gods Image doth consist in righteousnesse and true holinesse or in righteousnesse and holinesse of truth Vers. 25. Wherefore putting away lying speak every man truth with his neighbour for we are members one of another THe Apostle being in the third part of the Chapter to presse upon them the exercise of some particular vertues which do belong to all Christians of whatsoever rank or station equally aswell as those formerly spoken of all of which are injoyned in the second Table of the Commands exhorteth them first from what he spake of putting off the old man and putting on the new to lay aside and mortifie the sin of lying forbidden in the ninth Command whereby a man doth speak what he knoweth or conceiveth to be untruth with an intention and purpose to deceive He exhorteth them also to speak the truth every man with his neighbour that is to speak as they think and to think of what they speak as it really is so that our speech may be conform both to the thing it self and to our conceptions of the thing Which exhortation in both its branches is inforced from this that they were not only members of one body but one of another every member of this mysticall body being bound to contribute all its endeavours as for the good of the whole body in the first place so of every particular member in the next and therefore it had been alike unnaturall and monstrous for them by lying and deceiving to circumveen one another as it were for the eye in the naturall body to deceive the hand or for any one member to contrive and carry on the ruine of another Doct. 1. It is not sufficient for
that which is good 5. It is the duty not only of Ministers but of private Christians also keeping themselves within the bounds of their calling Heb. 5. 4. to endeavour the edification of those with whom they converse while they labour either to beget or carry on the work of grace in them and this not only by their good example but by their edifying discourse and communication for he speaketh to all indifferently while he saith Let no communication come out of your mouth but that which is good to the use of edifying 5. We are not left to run at random in our ordinary discourses as if we might speak what we please providing we speak not evil but are tied only to speak edifying purpose and this at all times and with all persons Col. 4. 6. whether we be speaking of things religious or which appertain to our particular calling or recreations for as it is lawfull and necessary for Christians sometimes to speak of those things so there is such a way to speak of them as the hearers may be bettered by our speech But that which is good to the use of edifying 6. As godly discourse and conference ought to be heard and entertained by those who are present So although the Word preached be the ordinary mean of converting sinners Rom. 10. 14 15. yet the Lord is sometimes pleased to blesse the familiar and secret discourses of private Christians being spoken with grace and seasoned with the salt of divine wisdom by making them a mean of conveying grace unto others even to some whom no publick preaching of the Word could ever move or work upon 1 Pet. 3. 1. for the end of speaking good to the use of edifying here proponed is attainable else it had been no strong motive to the duty That it may minister grace unto the hearers Vers. 30. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption HE doth here inforce the former disswasive by a strong reason set down in form of precept the force whereof is first propounded that by their obscene unprofitable and unedifying discourse they would grieve the holy Spirit of God who is called holy because He is holy in Himself Isa. 6. 3. and the cause of all holinesse in us Rom. 15. 16. And we are are said to grieve Him not as if He who is God could be grieved properly for the passions of grief anger sorrow c. as implying some defect or imperfection are not in God Numb 23. 19. But improperly and in so far as we do that which in it self is apt to grieve Him if He were capable of grief Rom. 14. -15. and which provoketh the Spirit of God to do that which grieved persons do even to withdraw from the soul to shew His dislike and to return grief for grief This reason is next inforced from one work of the holy Spirit in the hearts of Believers which is here called sealing by a metaphor taken from that use of seals and signets among men whereby publick writs are confirmed and made authentick or the wares of merchands are marked and set apart for their own use In like manner the Spirit of God by renewing and sanctifying Believers imprinteth the draughts and lineaments of His own image upon them whereby they are not only set apart and sealed as His own peculiar goods but themselves also may be assured that they are His and shall be safely keeped under that seal untill the day of judgement called here the day of redemption See upon chapter 1. ver 13. and therefore by grieving the Spirit they did hazard the removall of this seal at least darken it much and consequently mar their own comfort exceedingly Doct. 1. The holy Ghost the third person of the blessed Trinity is graciously pleased to become in a singular manner familiar with the truely regenerate taking up a place of abode in their spirits and furnishing them with sweet and necessary counsel and advice from time to time 1 Joh. 2. 27. for as we shew His being grieved doth speak His withdrawing from them and a ceasing from being so friendly and familiar with them as a stranger will do from an inne wherein he hath received some affront which implieth that He was once present and familiar with them And grieve not the holy Spirit of God 2. How friendly and familiar soever the holy Spirit of God be with the believing soul yet so holy and pure is His Nature that he can behold no iniquity Hab. 1. 13. but when those that are dearest to Him give any way to known sin He must shew Himself displeasd with it and with them for it for so much is supponed while the Apostle disswading them from sin sheweth this holy Spirit of God will be grieved by it And grieve not the holy Spirit of God 3. However many by their obscene and putrid discourse intend no further than to make themselves or others joviall and glad Hos. 7. 3. yet hereby and by such other sins of the like stamp as being against the motions light and direction of the Spirit this holy Spirit of God is much displeased and so much as persons grived use to be and therefore will withdraw His gracious and conforting presence with all those other tokens of His respect and favour from the person by whom He hath been grieved Isa. 57. -17. leaving him to be guided for a time by his own spirit and the spirit of Satan Psal. 81. 12. and giving him over to a kind of desperate grief and hellish horrour Psal. 32. 3 4. or senslesse stupidity Isa. 63. 17. as a just reward for grieving the holy Spirit of God for Paul sheweth that by their putrid communication they would grieve the Spirit of God and make Him do what grieved persons use to do while he saith And grieve not the holy Spirit of God 4. As those spirituall plagues inflicted upon our spirits for grieving of the Spirit of God and following upon His withdrawing from us are most terrible so the childe of God not only may but ought to skare at and abstain from sin even that he may be preserved from those spirituall plagues and judgements though neither love to duty nor fear of an other correction do constrain him for the Apostle laboureth to deter them from the sin of loose speaking by this consideration as being of greatest force even lest thereby they should grieve the Spirit And grieve not the holy Spirit of God saith he 5. Though the redemption of Gods children be perfected in regard of the price payed by Christ Joh. 19. 30. yet in regard of the application of it unto us it is but begun in this world and perfected in the next for he speaketh of our compleat redemption as yet to come Whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption 6. Those whom God will compleatly redeem from all sin and misery both in soul and body and from whose eyes He will wipe away
all tears at the last day are only such upon whom the Spirit of God doth imprint the draughts of His own image in righteousnesse and holinesse as the impression of the draughts and lineaments of a seal or by sealing put upon the thing sealed for he saith by whom meaning the holy Spirit we are sealed unto the day of redemption 7. Upon whomsoever the Spirit of God doth imprint this seal and stamp of true holinesse and of joy peace and comfort flowing therefrom all such shall be securely keeped and preserved as Gods own peculiar treasure by the power of God unto salvation to be fully manifested and compleatly bestowed at the last day for they are sealed unto the day of redemption a metaphor as we shew from merchands who leaving their wares behind them do put their mark and seal upon them untill such a day wherein they will come and own them 8. By vertue of this sealing and stamp of sanctification peace and joy imprinted by the Spirit of God upon the hearts of Believers even they themselves may attain to know assuredly that they are in the state of grace and shall be preserved in it untill the great day for as this sealing of them by imprinting the draughts of Gods image upon them is a discriminating mark betwixt them and others so it serveth not so much to make it known to God that they are His who knoweth who are His from all eternity and antecedentally to their effectual calling 2 Tim. 2. -19 or to make it known unto others who cannot infallibly discern the grace of God in any but themselves 1 King 8. -39. as unto themselves otherwise the Apostle would not have used a forcible argument not to grieve the Spirit from His sealing of them if it were a thing which could not be certainly known but guessed at by them Grieve not the Spirit by whom ye are sealed unto the day of redemption 9. So far is the work of grace in Believers or their assurance of being in a state of grace flowing herefrom and wrought in them by the Spirit of God from breeding security and loosnesse of life that by the contrary there can be no such prevailing argument to make them abhor sin entertain and follow the motions of the Spirit of God and consequently to lead an holy life Not only ingenuity and gratitude for the favour received will bind them to it but also holy fear and circumspection lest otherwise they mar and darken the seal so as they cannot discern the draughts of it and consequently lose though not the seal it self 1 Joh. 3. 9. yet the comfort and assurance which they had by it Psal. 30. -7. for the Apostle useth this as an argument to keep them from grieving the Spirit by sin even because they were thereby sealed unto the day of redemption Vers. 31. Let all bitternesse and wrath and anger and clamour and evil-speaking be put away from you with all malice HEre is a fifth precept containing an amplification and illustration of the second given ver 25. concerning the restraining of anger and he doth illustrate it by forbidding the several branches degrees and effects of that evil as first all bitternesse whereby must be understood here the lowest degree of sinfull anger even all secret smothered displeasure and alienation of affection which hath more of discontent and grudge than of revenge in it Psal. 37. 1. Secondly wrath or fiercenesse which is an impetuous rage and passionate commotion of the heart and affections upon the sense of an apprehended or reall injurie preventing and obstructing the use of reason which being soon up is as soon allayed 1 Sam. 25. 21 22. with 32. Thirdly anger which as it is distinguished from the rest is an eager desire of revenge and a fixed resolution after deliberation to have that desire satisfied Act. 23. 12. Fourthly clamour whereby is meaned boisterous words loud menaces and other inordinate speaches which are the black smoke whereby the fire of anger and wrath kindled within doth first manifest it self Act. 15. 39. Fifthly evil speaking or blasphemie as the word signifieth a further fruit of wrath and anger to wit disgracefull and contumelious speeches by which the party incensed doth endeavour to stain the reputation of him who either really or to his apprehension only hath done him wrong 1 Sam. 20. 30. And sixthly malice which is rooted anger and continuing wrath making the person in whom it is daily intent upon all occasions of revenge and wholly implacable untill he get his vindictive humour satisfied Rom 〈◊〉 31 Doct. 1. Bitternesse wrath anger clamour evil-speaking and malice do grieve the holy Spirit of God and darken much the work of grace in the heart whereby he sealeth Believers there being no sins more opposit to the fruits of the Spirit mentioned Gal. 5. 22. than those are so that where such sins are given way to grace must be upon the decaying hand for the Apostle unto that command grieve not the Spirit immediately subjoyneth this let all bitternesse and wrath and anger be put away implying that otherwise they would grieve the Spirit 2. So subtile is sin and so impotent and unskilfull are we to resist it where it once getteth entry that one degree of sin doth still make way for a further and so goeth on from evil to worse and therefore the wisest course is to oppose it betimes lest by forbearance it gather strength for the Apostle doth here set down severall degrees of sinfull anger the former whereof doth still make way for the latter and the latter is alwayes worse and a step nearer to the height than the former Let all bitternesse wrath and anger c. 3. It is not enough for Christians to refrain from the venting of their passions in their inordinate expressions and actions but they must also and in order to their refraining from those set about the rectifying of their inward affections and most secret distempers of their spirit otherwise if the flame of anger and wrath doth burn within it will most readily send up a black smoke of clamour and evil speaking to the offence of others for Paul forbiddeth not only clamour and evil-speaking but also all bitternesse wrath and anger 4. Sins of the tongue and outward man are to be put away and mortified as well as sins of the heart they being in some respect more dangerous Matth. 18. 7. because more scandalous and alwayes implying a defiled heart from which they flow Matth. 15. 19. and which they render worse than formerly it was Let all clamour and evil-speaking be put away saith he 5. It is not sufficient to suppresse keep at under and weaken our corruptions we ought to aim at and rest satisfied with nothing lesse than the totall subduing through removall and plucking of them up by the very roots for he saith Let all bitternesse c. he put away the word signifieth Let it be lifted up and so destroyed Vers. 32. And be
was as not to question far lesse deny but confidently avow what he now by grace is and that because not only the joynt consideration of both maketh them shine forth more clearly in their own colours but also our fixing our eye upon the former without avowing the latter doth breed discouragement unthankfulnesse and in progresse of time heartlesse dispare of an outgate from the wofull state wherein we apprehend our selves yet to be for the Apostle representeth to their view both those joyntly Ye were sometimes darknesse but now ye are light 3. Believers can never attain to read the happinesse of their present state through grace so long as they fix their eye only upon what they are in themselves nor yet untill they consider what they are in Christ and by vertue of that fulnesse of perfections in Him which not only floweth forth to them in the streams according to their measure Joh. 1. 16. but also is imputed to them in the fountain 1 Cor. 5. 21. and therefore may be looked upon by them as their own for although he calleth them darknesse absolutely and in themselves yet they are light not in themselves but in the Lord Christ. 4. Our former darknesse of ignorance and profanity wherein we have for a long time lived is so far from being an argument to make us continue in our former wofull course that on the contrary we ought from the consideration thereof be incited to take up our selves and live more tenderly for the time to come seing the time past of our life may suffice usto have walked in a godlesse course 1 Pet. 4. 3. for Paul maketh this an argument why they should not any longer partake with obstinate sinners in their godlesse course for saith he ye were sometimes darknesse 5. Neither long continuance in sin already even to wearinesse nor yet any conviction of the shame and dammage which do attend it are sufficient to make a man abandon and quit it throughly except there be a gracious change wrought in him chiefly as to his inward state from that which he sometimes was for he mentioneth this gracious change of their inward state as that wherein the strength of the present argument doth ly whereby he would disswade them from being partakers with them for ye were sometimes darknesse but now are ye light in the Lord. 6. As all spirituall priviledges in generall are bestowed upon us that we may improve them both for our comfort and also for enabling and inciting to duty So the more we enjoy of light whether external light in preaching of the Word or the internal light of knowledge in the mind we ought to improve it the more by walking according to that light else our condemnation shall be greater Joh. 3. 18. for from their priviledge of being light in the Lord he inferreth walk as children of light Vers. 9. For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodnesse and righteousnesse and truth THe Apostle in way of parenthesis doth give a reason of the former consequence or why their being now light in the Lord did bind them to walk as children of light and consequently not to partake with obstinate sinners in their sin and withall sheweth wherein that walking doth consist The reason is taken from the new creature and habits of grace in the heart called here the Spirit as Rom. 7. 25. Gal. 5. 22. and are the same with the light of grace by the Spirit of God spoken of ver 8. Now he sheweth the fruit of this light or of those gracious habits consisteth in the exercise of all Christian vertues which are here summed up in three 1. Goodnesse whereby we are inclined to communicate what good is in us for the advantage of our neighbour both in his spirituall 1 Pet. 4. 10. and bodily Gal. 6. 10. estate 2. Righteousnesse whereby we deal righteously in all our transactions with others And 3. Truth whereby we carry our selves sincerely being free from error hypocrisie or dissimulation whether towards God or men So the force of the argument cometh to this Such a walking as he did enjoyn was the native fruit and result of their being made light in the Lord by the Spirit of God and therefore they were obliged to it Doct. 1. It is the duty of Christs Ministers not only to presse upon the Lords people the practice of holinesse in generall but also to condescend upon and accordingly to presse the exercise of those particular vertues both to God and men wherein holinesse doth consist otherwise people will readily place most of holinesse in those things wherein it consisteth least Matth. 23. 23. for Paul having exhorted them to walk as children of the light doth here shew wherein that walking doth consist even in all goodnesse and righteousnesse and truth 2. None can walk as a childe of light or practise those duties wherein such a walk consisteth in a way acceptable to God but he who is a childe of light truely regenerate and acteth from a principle of grace in the heart Whatever floweth from an unrenewed heart how specious soever is but a shadow and imperfect imitation of the childe of light in this christian walk as an ape would imitate a man or a violent motion doth resemble that which is natural and floweth from an inward principle for he sheweth the exercise of goodnesse righteousnesse and truth wherein our walking as a childe of light consisteth is the fruit of the Spirit or of the root of grace in the heart wrought by the Spirit of God For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness c. 3. As it concerneth Christians to walk suitably unto their state and priviledges So they would seriously consider in order to their walking thus that holinesse of life is the native fruit and result of their being in a gracious state or of the work of grace in the heart and therefore that they are not only obliged to lead an holy life in way of duty and gratitude but a necessity also doth ly upon them to it if so they be renewed and as they would not evidence themselves to be yet in their unrenewed state for having exhorted them to walk as children of light or suitably to the state of grace he inforceth the exhortation by shewing that such a walking is the native fruit and necessary result of being in such a state For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodnesse c. 4. A facility and easinesse to communicate what is in us for our neighbours good and advantage doth well consist with the exercise of righteousnesse whereby we give every man his due and do require of him what is our due from him for he conjoyneth the exercise of those two while he saith the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodnesse and righteousnesse 5. As the grace of sincerity and freedom from dissimulation and hypocrisie is a necessary ingredient in the exercise of all other vertues So our walking answerably unto
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
and will vent it self even in giving of thanks or in a sensible acknowledgement of favours received and in expressing our sense of them whether by word or work to the praise of the bestower Which duty is amplified 1. from the time when it ought to be discharged alwayes and at all times not as if we were to be alwayes and without intermission in the actuall exercise of this duty of formall and direct thanksgiving seing there are other necessary duties which sometimes must divert us from it but because our whole life ought to be according to the will of God and consequently a reall expression of our thankfulnesse to Him and because we are not to omit any occasion when it offereth of formal and direct thanksgiving to God expressed in words flowing from the inward sense and feeling of our hearts as they are said to do a thing alwayes who do it upon all due occasions See 2 Sam. 9. 13. Secondly from the matter for which we are to give thanks for all things whether spirituall or temporall prosperous or adverse for God maketh all things even those which are adverse work together for the good of such as love Him Rom. 8. 28. yea He punisheth lesse than our iniquities deserve Ezra 9. 13. and maketh saddest corrections to afford most necessary and profitable instructions Psal. 94. 12. and 119. 71. so that there is ground of thanksgiving even for those Thirdly from the party to whom this duty is to be discharged unto God and the Father See upon Col. 3. ver 17. doct 3. And fourthly from the party through whom Jesus Christ by the vertue of whose merit and satisfaction which are His name whereby He is known we are not only inabled to go about our duty Philip. 4. 13. but also all our spiritual performances whether of prayer or thanksgiving are acceptable and well-pleasing unto God Eph. 1. 6. Doct. 1. The more a man doth find his heart disposed to give thanks to God at all times and for all things even for those things wherein divine dispensation goeth crosse to his own affections he may the more certainly conclude that he hath the saving work of Gods Spirit in him in a copious measure and the more apt we are to mistake repine and murmure at Gods dealing and so to wast our spirits in heartlesse complaints there is the lesse evidence of a gracious work of Gods Spirit in us at least in any great measure for he maketh giving of thanks alwayes for all things an effect of being filled with the Spirit 2. So firm so calm and composed is that man's state and inward frame of heart who hath his soul replenished with a rich measure of the saving work of Gods Spirit that nothing can fall out so crosse unto him but he may see the hand of God working for good to him in it and consequently be kept in perfect peace and a joyful frame of heart expressing it self in giving of thanks to God notwithstanding of it yea and for it for he sheweth the man filled with the Spirit may attain to this fixed frame of heart even to be giving thanks alwayes for all things unto God 3. Spiritual exercises especially that of giving thanks are such that being rightly gone about frequency in them doth not beget satiety and loathing but rather a greater delight to continue in them so that the more we are acquainted with them the more we love them for otherwise this command of giving thanks alwayes should never receive obedience 4. So steadable and usefull is a cheery and thankful frame of heart unto a Christian that it bringeth meat out of the eater encouragement from matter of discouragement and taketh occasion to lift it self up in the praises of God even from these things which are matter of down-casting and heartlesse drouping unto others for a thankful heart will give thanks alwayes and for all things even for adverse and crosse dispensations 5. Though we are bound to give thanks unto men for favours received as unto instruments of Gods good providence towards us Col. 3. -15. yet religious thanksgiving is only due unto God as implying an eying of Him to whom we give thanks as the supream fountain and author of the favour received having sufficiency in Himself and receiving nothing from any other 1 Chron. 29. 14. and implying also a religious subjection of the whole man both in soul and body unto his benefactour in evidence of a thankfull heart 1 Cor. 6. 20. for the Apostle speaking of this religious thanksgiving will have it ascribed to God only Giving thanks unto God and the Father 6. That we may imploy Jesus Christ aright whether for furniture and through-bearing in duty or for acceptation of our performances by God it is most conducing and necessary that we so take Him up as He is made known by the Word in His Person Nature and Offices and accordingly close with Him by faith as ours whereby our faith being acted in Him with relation to our state and persons upon undoubted grounds we may find more easie work to act faith in Him for furniture to such a particular duty or for acceptation to it when it is performed for Paul seemeth to imply so much while teaching them to act faith in Christ for through-bearing and acceptation in this duty of thanksgiving he doth hold Him forth not only under His titles of Lord and Jesus and Christ which do imply His distinct Natures with the unity of His Person and His threefold Office to which He was anoynted See upon chap. 1. ver 17. doct 6. but also maketh mention of His Name which expresseth whatever other thing is revealed of Him and whereby especially He is made known and withall appropriateth Christ unto himself teaching them to do the like upon grounds of knowledge of what He is while he saith in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Vers. 21. Submitting your selves one to another in the fear of God THe Apostle having from chap. 4. ver 1. exhorted unto such duties as belong to all Christians in general of whatsoever rank or station doth now in the second part of this Chapter exhort to those duties which belong to Christians as they are members of families And first in this verse to make way from the former purpose to that which followeth he doth premit a general exhortation unto all whether superiors or inferiors to be mutually subject one to another where submission or subjection is taken not strictly for that which is the root of obedience in inferiors towards superiors as ver 22. but generally for that service of love which every one oweth to another for their mutuall good and advantage in their severall stations See upon Gal. 5. ver 13. And it is called submission to our neighbour because it is not sufficient that we simply do the commanded dutie unto him except our so doing flow from a principle of love to him and that we actually intend therein his
good and advantage and because it must be done with condescendency of spirit and stouping seing our proud and lofty spirits do look upon every duty towards our neighbour as below them And he addeth in the fear of God which containeth 1. a motive to the duty this mutuall submission and stouping unto all those duties which we owe one to another being an evidence of a man's fearing God Gen. 42. 18. and 2. the right fountain from whence this submission should flow for then do we our duty towards others acceptably and as we ought when our so doing floweth from the fear and awe of God Col. 3. -22 and 3. the rule and measure of this submission there being none bound to submit himself to please his neighbour further than is consisting with that subjection and obedience which he oweth unto God Act. 5. 29. Doct. 1. We are not under pretence of going about the duties of Gods immediate worship to neglect those other duties of our particular callings and which we owe to man in our several stations God alloweth time for both we are to take time for both and conscientious regard of the one and of the other are most consistent for the Apostle enjoyneth both the former and latter sort of duties as it were with one breath which is clear from the grammatical construction of the words Giving thanks alwayes submitting your selvet one to another Yea secondly The consciencious discharging of those duties which we owe to our neighbour in our several stations in a way acceptable to God doth call for and argue a copious measure of the saving work of Gods Spirit in the heart no lesse than those other duties of Gods worship and service for this verse dependeth upon and is constructed with ver 18. Be filled with the Spirit submitting your selves 3. There are none living whom God alloweth to live only to themselves but all are bound to lay out themselves in their respective imployments for the good and behoof of others even superiors for the good of inferiors for this command is given to all without exception Submitting your selves one to another 4. As God hath tyed us not to live to our selves only but also to others whose good we are to aim at in our place and station So for a recompence and that there may be a kind of equality He hath tyed those others to live also unto us and one way or other to be forth-coming for our good and advantage for the command and obligation founded upon it is reciprocal Submitting your selves one to another 5. Where the fear of God is rooted in the heart it will make a man conscientiously carefull and tender of his duty towards man so that he will not only do his duty but also do it from a right principle and motive and so do as he will not overdo by displeasing God while he goeth about to please men for he holdeth forth the fear of God as the fountain motive and rule of that submission which is here enjoyned Submitting one to another in the fear of God Vers. 22. Wives submit your selves unto your own husbands as unto the Lord. THe Apostle cometh now to presse those particular duties which are incumbent to every member of a compleet Family And being to begin with the duties of husbands and wives he doth in the first place exhort wives to their dutie to wit that part of it which is peculiar to them passing-by those other duties which are common to them with their husbands as love Tit. 2. 4. Col. 3. 19. communion of body and goods 1 Cor. 7. 4. dwelling together 1 Pet. 3. 7 bearing mutually with one anothers infirmities Gal. 6. 2. These duties then peculiar to the wives are here briefly summed up in this one word of submission properly and strictly so called and it supposeth somewhat in the wife to wit a reverend esteem of her husband as the root of this submission spoken of ver 33. to be evidenced in her respective speaking to him and of him 1 Pet. 3. 6. and it expresseth somewhat to wit the obedience of the wife to her husband in things lawfull flowing from reverence and submission of mind 1 Pet. 3. 5 6. It implyeth also somewhat as consequentiall to that state of subjection wherein the wife is placed even the exercise of several vertues as that she be a keeper at home Tit. 2. 5. an active promotter of her husband's and her own affairs especially within doors Prov. 31. 13 c. that she evidence shamefastnesse sobriety and submission in her moderate speech in her grave and affable deportment and in rendering her self teachable in those things wherein she shall be instructed by her husband 1 Tim. 2. 9 10 11 12. Now this submission of the wives is explained first from the party to whom they owe it to wit their own husbands even though they should come short of others in knowledge wisdom and every other thing which doth deserve it 1 Sam. 25. 17. And 2. from the manner motive and rule of their submissive obedience while he saith as unto the Lord to wit Christ expresly spoken of ver 23. For 1. It must not be constrained and feigned but willing and sincere resembling so far at least that subjection which they owe to the Lord Christ for though the comparative particle as doth not hold forth an equality in all things yet it pointeth at a similitude and likenesse in some things 2. It must not flow from a natural principle only of law custome or desire of preventing domestick broyles but from conscience of duty to the Lord Christ and from respect to His ordinance who hath so appointed And thirdly it must be only in things lawfull and no wayes contrary to that submissive obedience which they owe to Him Doct. 1. As the right ordering of Families doth conduce much to the advancing of Religion and Policy combination in Families being the foundation of all other societies So the good and orderly conversation of husband and wife is of great concernment for advancing piety and godlinesse among all the other members of the Family for as the Apostle presseth much those duties which belong to Christians as they are members of Families so he doth begin with the duties of husband and wife Wives submit your selves 2. When we are to deal with persons of several estates and conditions and to inform and presse upon them their respective duties we are to begin with the inferiours rather than the superiours because their duty through the subjection which is in it is more difficile and being made conscience of is a strong motive unto the Superiour to go about his dutie in like manner for therefore the Apostle in pressing duties upon those three pairs which are in every compleat Family doth alwayes begin with the inferiour first as here Wives submit your selves 3. The great and main duty which a wife as a wife ought to learn and so learn as to practise it is to be
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
work here called sealing did serve to evidence the truth and reality of somewhat which might otherwise have been questioned and particularly with relation to the Apostle's present scope it did serve to evidence the reality of their right to the glorious inheritance the truths of the Gospel and the sincerity of their closing with and believing of the Gospel now the work of God's Spirit which maketh all this evident and therefore hath the name of sealing is mainly His renewing and sanctifying work and especially His carrying-on of that work whereby He imprinteth the image of Himself which is holinesse Eph. 4. 24. upon Believers as an impression of the draughts and lineaments of the Seal are by sealing put upon the thing sealed so 2 Tim. 2. -19. the grace of sanctification and departing from evil is called a Seal though those other works of God's Spirit in Believers whereby He giveth them sense of His presence comfort and joy unspeakable flowing from it and full assurance may be looked upon as lesse principal parts of this Seal Fourthly ver 14. by the metaphor of an earnest which is used among Merchants for ratifying of their bargains he sheweth a use for which the bestowing of the holy Spirit upon them and His sealing of them by His sanctifying grace did serve even to be an earnest of the heavenly inheritance the full possession whereof being delayed until the last day God gave unto them His holy Spirit with His saving graces as an earnest or some small beginnings and a part of that glory which shall then be revealed that hereby He might assure them of their obtaining the whole in due season Fifthly he sheweth the date and time how long they were to content themselves with the earnest even untill the redemption of the purchased possession that is untill the day of judgment at which time those who are purchased by the bloud of Christ and are His possession and peculiar people shall obtain compleat redemption and full delivery from sin and misery In which sense redemption is taken Rom. 8. 23. And sixthly he sheweth the end which God purposed unto Himself in all this even the same which he mentioned formerly ver 12 to wit the praise of His Glory From the benefit which those Gentiles received besides what is marked upon the parallel place ver 11 Learn 1. Though it was the prerogative of the Jews above the Gentiles that Christ was first preached unto them and accordingly some of them did first trust in Him See ver -12. yet God hath made both Jew and Gentile equally to partake of all other things aswell of those which concern salvation it self as of the means and way of attaining to it for the same Christ the same free-gifted inheritance through Christ and the same Gospel which was bestowed upon the Jews are also bestowed upon the believing Gentiles In whom ye also have obtained an inheritance saith he 2. It is a thing highly observable and much to be taken notice of that the Gentiles who were profane dogs Mat. 15. 26. not a people Deut. 32. 21. without God chap. 2. ver -12. should be set down at the childrens table and have full accesse to free-grace and salvation and all spiritual blessings tending to salvation equally with the Jews who were God's only People separated to Him above all People Exod. 19. 5. to whom did pertain the Adoption Glory Covenants c. Rom. 9. 4. for Paul cannot speak of this without an also which is a note of exaggeration and heightneth the purpose as a thing very observable In whom ye also have obtained an inheritance From the mean whereby they attained this excellent benefit Learn 1. The hearing of the Gospel which supposeth the publick preaching of it Rom. 10. 14. is the ordinary mean whereby faith is wrought and consequently a right is conveyed unto the heavenly inheritance in so far as the Gospel so preached doth not only propound and make known to the understanding the object of saving faith which was before hid but the Lord also at or after the hearing of this Gospel preached doth work the grace of faith in the hearts of the Elect Act. 16. 14. for saith he Ye obtained an inheritance after that ye heard the Word of Truth the Gospel 2. The Gospel is the Word of Truth not only because it containeth nothing but truth for so the whole Scripture is the Word of Truth Psal. 19. 9 but also the Truths of the Gospel are most excellent Truths as being most remote from ordinary knowledge Mat. 16. 17. most profitable to lost sinners Tit. 2. 11. and do manifest the praise of God's glorious Attributes Luke 2. 14. more than any other Truths besides the Gospel doth clearly hold forth the truth and substance of all these dark and legal shadows Joh. 1. 17. for by the Word of Truth he meaneth the Gospel as he presently cleareth After ye heard the Word of Truth the Gospel of your salvation 3. As the doctrine of Salvation is the doctrine of the Gospel or glad-tydings to lost sinners for the word rendred Gospel signifieth a glad or good message So the doctrine of the Gospel is a doctrine of Salvation as not only revealing Salvation and a possible way for attaining to it which the Law doth not Gal. 3. 21. but also being the power of God to Salvation Rom. 1. 16 and the mean which God doth blesse for making us imbrace by faith the offer of Salvation Rom. 10. 14 15. and for working all other saving graces in the Elect Col. 1. 6. for the Apostle calleth this doctrine the Gospel or glad tydings of Salvation 4. It is not sufficient to know that the Gospel is a doctrine of Salvation in general or unto others only but every one would labour by the due application of the promises of the Gospel unto themselves to find it a doctrine of Salvation to them in particular for Paul hinteth at so much while he saith not simply the Gospel of Salvation but of your Salvation From the Spirit 's work of sealing following upon believing Learn 1. As the Gospel preached and heard doth not profit unto Salvation except it be believed so the Truths of the Gospel and Jesus Christ that good thing offered in those Truths is that in the whole Word of God which saving faith doth chiefly close with and rely upon and is fully satisfied with It findeth death in threatnings a burden of work in precepts but in Christ and the Gospel it findeth the way to Heaven made patent even a way how the sinner may be saved and divine justice not wronged for the Apostle having spoken before of their hearing the Gospel doth adde In whom to wit Christ the words may also read In which to wit the Gospel ye believed 2. Though none can actually believe before the Spirit of God come to dwell in them bringing alongs His royal train of habituall graces and the habit of faith amongst the rest unto the heart with Him