also the words rendred the spirit which worketh may relate either to his nature as being spiritual or to his way of working while he tempteth to wit by way of inspiration and a kind of breathing the words may be so constructed as to bear either though the first be mainly intended The spirit that now worketh or his spirit now working 10. Though there have been and yet are some fair flourishes of prais-worthy vertues and actions seemingly good in men unrenewed Rom. 2. 14. yet every unrenewed man and chiefly those who are come to age and understanding are very slaves to sin and so addicted to the actual service though not of all and every sin in particular for that were impossible yet of some one idol or other whether of their pleasure profit or credit that they cannot but go on in the service of it without all possibility of being reclaimed by any created strength for so much is implyed while unregenerate men are called children of disobedience that is men addicted and given over to disobedience so that they cannot be perswaded to relinquish it 11. Satan's way of working in and with obstinate godlesse sinners is most efficacious and powerfull he cannot indeed work any change upon the will by creating new principles or habits in it which before were not as God doth Jer. 31. 33. but he can not only tempt to sin by propounding aluring baits and objects to the outward senses or inward fansie which he may do to any man whether good or bad 2 Sam. 11. 2. but also when God judicially giveth over a sinner unto Satan withdrawing even His restraining grace from him Then doth Satan multiply his temptations without any intermission useth the utmost of created endeavours whereby and through God's up-giving the sinner formerly mentioned and because of the seed and root of all sin which is in the sinner by nature there is no sort of wickednesse unto the acting whereof Satan will not get him willingly driven and carried for saith he The spirit which now that is even in the mean time constantly and without intermitting the shortest moment or now worketh in the children of disobedience the word doth signifie to work with pith and efficacy 12. Though even the godly are not free from being tempted by Satan yea nor yet from yeelding sometimes to his temptations 1 Chron. 21. 1 2. yet he doth not work efficaciously in them and so as is described in the former Doctrine for he astricteth this way of Satans working to unregenerate men The spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience Vers. 3. Among whom also we had all our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind and were by nature the children of wrath even as others THe Apostle doth now apply this Doctrine to the Jews of whom he himself was one and therefore he designeth them by the pronoun We and affirmeth them to have been before conversion equally miserable with the Gentiles In doing whereof and that he may more fully explain this Doctrine of man's misery he sheweth first That even they had their conversation among those children of disobedience as being no lesse obstinately rebellious against God than the disobedient Gentiles following the lusts or the first motions and sudden flashes of their inbred corruption here called flesh which flowing from Adams first sin hath infected his whole posterity Christ alone excepted 2 Cor. 5-21 and seated it self in all the powers and faculties of their souls and bodies even the understanding and will not being excepted Rom. 8. 7. Col. 2. -18. for so is the word flesh usually taken in the New Testament Joh. 3. 6. Gal. 5. 13 16. Now all corruption and sin even that which is in the mind is called flesh because it is conveyed by fleshly generation Joh. 3. 6. the fleshly members of the body are the instruments whereby all is executed Rom. 6. 19. and every sin draweth the man from God to things earthly and fleshly Secondly he subdivideth this inbred corruption of their natures into two heads first the flesh particularly so called whereby as it is distinguished from flesh before mentioned and opposed to the mind spoken of afterwards must be meaned that corruption which is seated in the inferiour part of the soul to wit the sensual appetite and next the mind whereby is meaned the most noble faculties of the soul to wit the will and understanding in so far as they are also corrupted Concerning both which he affirmeth that even the Jews in their unconverted state were fulfilling their wills and desires by which desires of the flesh as they are distinguished from the lusts of the flesh formerly mentioned are meaned their deliberate and fixed resolution to follow those lusts and suggestions of corrupt flesh which accordingly he sheweth they did fulfill and accomplish to the utmost And thirdly he pointeth at the root and fountain-cause of this their miserable slavery and subjection to sin in the lusts and desires therof even their natural sin and misery whereby they were from nature that is from their very cradle birth and conception children of wrath as being by reason of their original sin lyable to the stroke of God's eternal wrath and as much lyable to it as the Gentiles were Doct. 1. There is not any piece of a Minister's task wherein he hath more need of a spirit of wisdom and impartiality than when he is about the reproof of sin and the discovery of peoples vilenesse by reason of their wickednesse lest if herein he respect persons those whom he reflects upon most be irritate as conceiving themselves to be unequally dealt with and lest others to whom he doth apply that convincing doctrine neither so directly nor with such an edge and vehemencie be puft up in their own conceit above others for the Apostle holdeth-forth the rest of what he hath to speak upon this subject of mans misery by nature in the person of the Jews lest either the Gentiles had been irritated or the Jews puffed up Among whom we all also bad our conversation 2. Whatever differences may be among unregenerate men as to things civil externals in Religion or the particular sins unto which they are inslaved yet all of them are alike vile in God's sight children of disobedience in whom Satan ruleth and worketh in so far as they are all walking in the lusts of the flesh following inbred corruption as their guide and obeying it in some one or other of its lusts for though there was neither civil commerce nor religious fellowship betwixt the Jews and Gentiles Joh. 4. 9. though the Jews had many external religious priviledges which the Gentiles did want Rom. 9. 4 5. and though some both of Jews and Gentiles were not enslaved to such vile and fleshly lusts as others were Phil. 3. -6. yet Paul pronounces of himself and all of them that they were children of disobedience because one way
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
A BRIEF EXPOSITION OF THE EPISTLES of Paul TO THE GALATIANS AND EPHESIANS BY JAMES FERGUSSON Minister at Kilwinning Isa. 28. 10. For precept must be upon precept precept upon precept line upon line line upon line here a little and there a little Col. 3. 16. Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another c. LONDON Printed for the Company of STATIONERS Anno Dom. 1659. To the Right Honourable and noble Lords Alexander Earl of Eglintoun c. AND Hugh Lord Montgomery his Son And to the Right Honourable noble Lady The Lady Mary Lesley Lady Montgomery RIGHT HONOURABLE IT is decreed in Heaven That we must through much tribulation enter the Kingdom of God Act. 14. -22. God only wise hath so resolved that by means of sanctified trouble the Heirs of glory may be weaned from earth and learn to place their chief contentment and happinesse not upon their enjoyments below which are uncertain empty and perishing but upon things above an inheritance incorruptible undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in Heaven for them How hard were it to make even those who are born of God long to be dissolved and bid adieu to all their sublunary contentments except the Lord in mercy did place a prick in every one of those roses and make their most promising earthly comforts within a little to prove as streams of brooks that passe away Job 6. 15 And how should this conciliate love to a sad and suffering lot and make the Lord's People who are strangers and pilgrims delight in the way which leadeth to such an home as Heaven is It is indeed our unacquaintance with Scripture and with what the Word of Truth holdeth forth to be the mind of God while He scourgeth every son whom He receiveth which doth occasion so much proud rising of spirit or base dejectedness of mind when the Lord doth not carve us out such a satisfying lot in all things as we would How often do we mistake our way and little lesse than quarrel with God only because He hedgeth us in with thorns of affliction that we cannot find out our lovers and therefore that man is truly blessed whom the Lord doth not only chastise but also instruct out of His Law Ps. 94. 12. and thereby make him understand and hear the voice of the rod and of Him who hath appointed it Mica 6. 9. And herein indeed the Lord doth greatly manifest His marvellous loving kindnesse and in wrath remembreth mercy that He joyneth instruction with correction and doth furnish His afflicted People with abundant means by which they may take up the mind of God for good unto them under His saddest dispensations even that the fruit of affliction is to take away their sin Isa. 27. 9 that He doth punish them seven times more and yet seven times more untill their uncircumcised hearts be humbled and they accept of the punishment of their iniquity Levit. 26. 24 28 41. that though He visit their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with stripes Nevertheless His loving kindnesse will He not utterly take from him Psal. 89. 32 33. and that when they are judged they are chastened of the Lord that they should not be condemned with the world 1 Cor. 11. 32. All this and much more to this purpose hath the Lord made known by His Word and doth daily inculcate and make more and more known by His sent Ministers who according to their Commission do open up and apply the rich treasure of holy Scripture unto the Lords People of their charge And as if all this were not sufficient He hath besides stirred up the spirits of many of His Servants in every age to 〈…〉 mit their Labours upon Scripture unto writing for the more publick use of the Church of God not only in the present but also the succeeding generations As for my self I ingenuously professe that being conscious of mine own weaknesse I did much incline to rest satisfied with expressing my Commission by word only in preaching to and conferring with my Flock and those of my charge But being earnestly requested and in a manner commanded by some Reverend Brethren whom I honour and reverence in the Lord to draw up briefly in writ a plain Analysis a short and sound Exposition of and the chief Observations grounded upon such Scriptures as I had either largely preached upon or more briefly opened-up to the Lords People of my charge I shewed them some of my weak endeavours of that kind to be disposed upon at their pleasure which when they were pleased to publish and to call for more work of the same nature expressing their confidence that what I had already done was acceptable to all that love the Truth and would be edifying to the present and after-ages and being thereunto also encouraged by diverse faithfull and understanding persons I have in obedience to their desires given-out this other Piece to be disposed of by them as they should see good And seing they have advised the publishing of it To whom could I with more confidence and conscience of duty dedicate these my mean labours than to your Honours considering that God hath appointed me to watch for your souls as one who must g 〈…〉 n account and that your Honours have endeavoured for your parts to encourage me to go about all the parts of my Ministery with joy and not with grief My Lords when I called to remembrance how long each of you was detained these years by-past from enjoying the benefit of my publick Ministery by your necessitated abode elsewhere I thought the best way to give you an account and to make you reap some fruit of my labours in your absence was to present these my weak endeavours to your Honours and what you have heard from me upon these Scriptures in publick when you were permitted to be my hearers I hope this little piece shall conduce to bring it to your remembrance and the Lord Himself convey it into your hearts there to remain to make your Honours more and more wise to salvation that in the day of the Lord Jesus ye may be matter of joy and a crown of rejoycing to those who have laboured among you and spoken the Word of God unto you And for you Madam who hath had liberty to be my hearer more frequently and constantly than my noble Lords as I trust your Honour will observe there is a good harmony betwixt that which I taught in the Congregation and which I now publish to the world and that this little piece shall according to your usuall diligence in searching Scripture and in keeping fellowship with God in the practice of all commanded duties be improved by your Honour for your further edification and encouragment to walk worthy of the Lord unto all well-pleasing So when I consider how refreshfull it hath been often unto me to behold your sweet submission under the Lord's hand your truly
Christian courage under variety of afflictions your tractable disposition to receive wholsome counsels your willingnesse to be instructed in the way to life and in order to that end to attend publick duties beyond many of your equals your strengthening my hands in the work of my Ministery as by other means so especially by your good example amongst the People of my charge I should judge my self very unanswerable to God and exceeding much blame-worthy if I did not encourage your Honour to make progresse in that good way wherein ye are already engaged And if my present essay upon this Piece of sacred Truth do contribute any thing to this end it shall be matter of thanksgiving from me unto the Lord who alone doth teach His People to profit And finally I do professe unto you all Right Honourable and most dearly beloved in our Lord that those words 2 Pet. 1. 12 13 14 15. sound much in mine ears and do sometimes work upon my heart if so I may in some measure follow the example of that blessed Apostle who wrote them Wherefore saith he I will not be negligent to put you alwayes in remembrance of those things though ye know them and be established in the present Truth Yea I think it meet as long as I am in this tabernacle to stir you up by putting you in remembrance Knowing that ere long or not knowing how soon I must put off this tabernacle Moreover I will endeavour that you may be able after my decease to have these things alwayes in remembrance Now it is the Lord alone who blesseth the endeavours of His Servants and giveth increase both to our planting and watering To whose rich and saving grace I commend your Honours most heartily and shall ever pray for all manner of blessings on you and all your rising posterity as is the duty of Your Honours obliged Servant who beggeth grace to approve himself your faithfull Pastor JAMES FERGUSSON To the Reader Christian Reader I Do here present thee with an Exposition of two of Paul's Epistles after the pattern so far as my weaknesse could reach held forth by those two Reverend Brethren Mr. David Dickson and Mr. George Hutcheson in their late Pieces of this kind upon other parcels of holy Scripture The Reasons of my undertaking besides what is held forth in the former Epistle were not any confidence I had to come up to my copie wherein I doubt not but as I my self am very conscious so the intelligent Reader will easily perceive that I come far short and that the superstructure by me is much unanswerable as to fulnesse of purpose accuracie and stile of language to the foundation laid by them But first an apprehension I had that as the compleating of such a work as this upon the whole Scripture is much wished for by many and would prove acceptable and profitable to the Church of Christ So many of greater abilities and fitnesse than I for such a task who did lie-by might be strongly induced to contribute their endeavours towards it if any essay of mine should be accepted Wherein I blesse the Lord I have not been in a mistake as may appear by what is sent abroad to the world since the publishing of my former Piece by a Reverend Brother my nearest fellow-labourer in the work of the Ministery upon the two Epistles of PETER And secondly I was one of those who some ten years ago without my knowledge were pitched upon by some Reverend Brethren of the Ministery for carrying-on this Work at which time I almost perfected the whole task then allotted for me but through some sad accident in those times of trouble all the Papers I had written upon that subject were destroyed and lost and so a great part of my time and life in a manner lost with them which notwithstanding did not so discourage me but the remembrance of what sweetnesse I tasted in that study and of the manifold advantage wherewith it did recompense my pains did make me full seven years after more easie to be wrought upon and perswaded by the earnest desires of others to make a new essay as being confident from former experience I my self at least should be no loser by it If any shall think this present Piece to be of greater length than my former and some others of this kind are I hope they will for satisfaction consider that seing the Apostle doth discusse a great and needfull controversie in the Epistle to the Galatians it requireth time and enlargement to find and follow the threed of an intricate dispute and to explain those excellent Truths which the Apostle doth so much labour to assert And as for the Epistle to the Ephesians it is well known to be so comprehensive as containing the whole substance of Christian Religion in so little bulk that hardly can any man at least not I satisfie either himself or his Reader without inlarging himself somewhat in opening up such a rich treasure and excellent subject I know there may be much coincidencie of Doctrines which do nativly arise from those Epistles and from those others to the Philippians and Colossians But the Reader may for his satisfaction consider that besides I have frequently referred him to those places where such Doctrines were formerly raised seing the Spirit of God hath thought it necessary to assert necessary truths oftner than once in severall Scriptures for our further confirmation it should not be thought an idle repetition in a Writer to draw out the same conclusions from the same truths when they occurr for hereby is given a proof of the sufficiency and fruitfulnesse of Scripture as furnishing many arguments to establish one and the same necessary truth To write the same things to you to me indeed is not grievous but for you it is safe saith our Apostle Philip. 3. 1. I trust it shall not offend that in some places I do not only hold forth the doctrine and conclusion which flow naturally from the text but also couch-in some explanations cautions reasons and somtimes some short uses for those serve to obviate mistakes about the truth in hand and to leave some impression of it upon the heart and affections If any take exception that Scriptures are too frequently cited and think they are hereby retarded from making progresse in reading the treatise They may be pleased to consider that I cite no Scriptures to confirm the Doctrines themselves which as I conceive are sufficiently grounded upon and confirmed from the text but only the cautions reasons and uses of those Doctrines which not being grounded upon the present Scripture I desired none to take off my hand upon trust However if any understand the purpose to be truth and grounded upon Scripture he needeth not stand to seek the particular passage which is brought to prove it except he please and judge it convenient that he may have some further ground of meditation upon the truth in hand thereby afforded And now
bitter and implacable persecutors as having some respect to conscience in other things and being acted in this from the principles of a deluded conscience Joh. 16. 2. which of all other ties doth most strictly bind and most effectually drive forward to fulfill its dictates especially in things of religious concernment Act. 13. 50. for Paul who profited in the Jews Religion above his equals and was exceedingly zealous did persecute the Church 9. The life and way of some who are engaged in a false Religion may be so blamelesse and according to the dictates of their deluded conscience so strict as that it may be a copie unto those who professe the true Religion and a reproof to many such for their palpable negligence so was Paul's way while he was a Pharisee even such as may serve for a copie unto Christians to walk by in several things as first to be active in spreading the true Religion in our places and stations and bearing down of contrary Errors as he was in persecuting the Christian Church because it was opposite to the Jewish Religion professed by him Secondly that what we do in Religion or for God we do it not negligently but with all our might Eccl. 9. 10. and to the uttermost of what our power can reach as he did persecute the Church not lazily but above measure or extreamly Thirdly that we labour to profit advance and grow in Religion both as to the knowledge of Truth contained in it Heb. 6. 1. and practise according to those Truths 2 Pet. 1. 5. as he profited in the Jewish Religion Fourthly that in the matter of growth there be an holy emulation and strife with others that we may outstrip them as he profited above many of his equalâ— Fiftly that we be zealous for our Religion as having love to it and to the honouring of God whether by our selves or others according to it Act. 15. 3. together with grief and anger when God is dishonoured and Religion wronged Joh. 2. 15 16 17. as Paul was zealous of the Traditions of his fathers for zeal hath in it a mixture of love and anger Doct. 10. As love to the honour of God may engage a man sometimes to speak to his own commendation So there would be that modesty and sobriety of spirit as it may appear he doth not speak from arrogancy or pride and that he seeketh not his own commendation in speaking for Paul commendeth his own diligence and abilities that thereby he may commend Free-grace which delivered him out of that state but with great modesty for he saith not he profited more than all but more than many and not more than his superiours but more than his equals to wit for time and age and those not in all the world but of his own nation 11. As our affections of joy love hatred anger and grief are by nature so corrupt Eph. 2. 3. that even the choicest of them if they be not brought in subjection to the Word by the Spirit of God will lay forth themselves rather upon forbidden and unlawfull objects than that which is warrantable and commanded by the Lord So our zeal and fervency of spirit in particular will bend it self more toward the maintenance of Error than of Truth for Error is the birth of our own invention Gal. 5. 20. and hath the rise from some unmortified lust within which it doth gratifie 2 Tim. 4. 3. so is not Truth Thus Paul sheweth that his zeal tended more to maintain that part of the Jewish Religion which was unwarrantable to wit the unwritten Traditions than all the rest of it And was much more zealous of the Traditions of my fathers saith he Vers. 15. But when it pleased God who separated me from my mothers womb and called me by his grace 16. To reveal his Son in me that I might preach Him among the Heathen immediately I conferred not with flesh and bloud 17. Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were Apostles before me but I went into Arabia and returned again unto Damoscus HEre is a second Evidence of the truth of what he formerly asserted ver 11. and 12. to wit that as God in His providence had been making way both in Paul's birth and education for that which He had purposed to imploy him in so when it pleased God at the time of his gracious and effectual calling ver 15. to make Christ and the doctrine of Redemption by Christ known unto him by extraordinary and immediate revelation Act. 9. 4. that as an Apostle immediately called by God ver 1. he might publish the knowledge of Christ among the Gentiles he was so much perswaded of his immediate Call from God that he did not debate the matter neither with himself nor others who might have disswaded him from giving obedience to it ver 16 but immediately went about the discharging of his Apostolick Office not without great hazard and pains to himself in Arabia and Damascus without so much as once visiting any of the Apostles ver 17. far lesse went he to be instructed in the knowledge of the Gospel by them or to receive Ordination unto the Ministerial Office from them as his adversaries did falsly alleage of him the falshood whereof he is here making evident From Vers. 15. Learn 1. Such is the power of God's good pleasure whereby He doth whatsoever He willeth in Heaven and Earth Ps. 135. 6. that the will of man though never so deeply engaged in the course of sin and wickednesse cannot resist it but most willingly doth yeeld unto it whenever the Lord thinketh fit to let forth that His good pleasure in its gracious and powerfull effects of drawing a sinner out of Nature to the state of Grace as it appeareth from the adversative particle But whereby the Apostle opposeth Gods pleasure to his own former weaknesse as prevailing over it But when it pleased God c. 2. The fountain-cause of man's salvation and of all things tending to it especially of his effectual calling and of that whereby he is made first to differ from another is God's good-pleasure and nothing present Eph. 2. 1. or foreseen to be Rom. 9. 11. in the person who is called for the Apostle ascribeth all of that kind in himself to the pleasure of God But when it pleased God to reveal His Son in me 3. The disposing of events or of things which shall fall out together with the time when they shall fall out are wholly ordered by God's will and pleasure for this pleasure of His circumscribeth even the time of Paul's calling But when it pleased God then and neither sooner nor later was Christ revealed to him 4. The Lord by His working in us and particular acts of providence towards us is often making way for some hid design and purpose of His about us which for the time we are ignorant of but when it appeareth by the event a wonderfull contexture of providences making way for it and
to Paul who had the Gospel of the Uncircumcision committed to him which was a Charge extending almost to all the universal World 5. While there is a question here of dignity anent the Apostles James is first named before Peter as being of eminent Authority among the Apostles who was President at the Council of Jerusalem for he spake last and concluded all Act. 15. 13 c. to whom Paul did betake himself and with whom all the Elders did conveen in a matter of great concernment and not with Peter Act. 21. 18. so that James hath rather been supream than Peter at least it followeth the first naming of Peter in other places Mat. 10. 2. Mark 3. 16. is no sufficient ground whereon to build his supremacy And when James Cephas and John 6. Peter was at this time at Jerusalem and without doubt had not yet seen Rome seventeen years at least after Christ's Resurrection ver 1. compared with chap. 1. ver 18. Yea neither was he at Rome a long time after this when Paul was there a prisoner Col. 4. 11. 2 Tim. 4. 16. How then could he have sitten Bishop at Rome twenty five years before his death as is alleaged for one main ground upon which the Popes succession to Peter as universal Bishop over the whole World is founded And when James Cephas and John perceived 7. There is here a solemn and mutual agreement that Paul and not Peter should be the Apostle of the Gentiles and therefore How could Peter have been twenty five years Bishop at Rome except he had violated his solemn paction confirmed by giving his hand which were most absurd once to mention They gave the right hands of fellowship that we should go unto the Heathen Doct. 2. The more we wait upon God for His Call and Direction to our Undertaking we have ground to expect that the more of successe and of a blessing will accompany them for Paul who did not undertake this journey to Jerusalem without the Call of God ver 2. hath all things succeeding with him according to his hearts wish so that not only the Apostles did not condemn the Doctrine preached by him ver 6. but on the contrary gave him their approbation acknowledging him for their Colleague and fellow-Apostle whereby the mouthes of his adversaries might have been fully stopped But contrariwise they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship for so are the words to be constructed all that which interveeneth being the reason which moved James Peter and John to do what they did Doct. 3. The Note which ariseth from dividing of the Charge of Jews and Gentiles betwixt Peter and Paul is at large Col. 1. 25. doct 3. Doct. 4. The Office of preaching the Gospel is a special Trust whereby a rich treasure of saving Truths 2 Cor. 4. 7. is concredited to weak men who must be answerable to God how they keep maintain and dispense that Treasure for the good of souls hence he saith the Gospel was committed or as a rich Treasure intrusted to him The Gospel of the Uncircumcision was committed unto me 5. It is not the pains of Ministers Isa. 49. 4. or any vertue which is in the Word preached as of it self 1 Cor. 1. 18. from whence the successe of the Ministry among a People floweth but from the effectual working of the Spirit of God whereby He effectually worketh that which the Word doth presse upon us 1 Cor. 3. 6. for Paul ascribeth the successe both of his own and Peter's Ministry to this He that wrought effectually in Peter the same was mighty in me 6. The power with which the Lord accompanieth His Word towards those whom he intendeth to convert by it is most efficacious and such as cannot be resisted but breaketh through and taketh away whatever doth oppose it He that wrought effectually the word signifieth to work with pith and energy and frequently it signifieth to work with irresistible efficacy 7. Where a Ministers pains are much blessed of God for the turning of many souls to God and where a man is endued with gifts and parts for the Ministerial Calling it is a real testimony and speaking-evidence of that man's calling from God for from this do they gather that the Gospel of Uncircumcision was committed to Paul because his Ministry was powerfull among the Gentiles and endued with gifts fitting him every way for the Apostolick Office for saith he the same was mighty in me towards the Gentiles and they perceived the Grace which was given unto me 8. It is the duty of Ministers as pillars to uphold the Truth by their doctrine prayers graces and parts Isa. 62. 6 7. 2 Tim. 2. 2. to be constant in Truth against all contrary blasts Mat. 11. 7. to adorn the Truth by good example of an holy life whereby they ought to shine before others Mat. 5. 16. 1 Tim. 4. 12. for as James Cephas and John were accompted pillars so they and all faithful Ministers are really such and Paul doth here indirectly tax the common opinion whereby that name was appropriate only to those three which did belong also to others Hence it is also that the Church Militant in respect of the Ministry of the Word chiefly is called the pillar and ground of Truth 1 Tim. 3. -15. And when James Cephas and John who seemed to be pillars 9. Whom God doth call to the undergoing of any imployment and chiefly whom He calleth to the Ministry those he fitteth with gifts and abilities suitable for that imployment in some measure whether lesser or greater Mat. 25. 15. for James Cephas and John did not acknowledge Paul to be an Apostle called by God but upon their perceiving that Grace or gifts both ordinary and extraordinary were bestowed upon him They saw that the Gospel of Uncircumcision was committed unto me when they perceived the Grace that was given to me 10. We ought not to withhold our approbation especially when it is craved from that which by evident signs and reasons we perceive to be approved of by God although there be many who disapprove it and though the giving of our approbation to it may disoblige those who otherwise pretend much friendship to us for those three Apostles perceiving by most convincing evidences that God had called Paul to be an Apostle they acknowledge him for such though those who did cry them much up as pillars and what not did no doubt oppose their so doing as tending evidently to the disadvantage of their cause They gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship Vers. 10. Only they would that we should remember the poor the same which I also was forward to do THe third thing in the event of that Meeting which did also evidence that Paul and the other Apostles did part good friends and in all things one among themselves was That the other Apostles did earnestly recommend to Paul and Barnabas the collecting of some charity among the Churches of the
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.
Which Argument is further urged ver 3 4. and enlarged unto their receiving these other miraculous Gifts of the Spirit by the means of that Doctrine and as confirmations of it ver 5. Secondly Abraham was justified by Faith ver 6. From which he inferreth that Believers are Abraham's children ver 7. and that all of them whether Jew or Gentile must be justified by Faith also ver 8 9. Thirdly Those who seek to be justified by the Law are under the curse of the Law and therefore not justified ver 10. Fourthly Scripture testifieth that men shall be justified by Faith ver 11. Whence he inferreth and proveth his Inference that therefore they cannot be justified by the Law ver 12. Fifthly Christ's redeeming of us from the curse of the Law and all the fruits following upon His Death are received by Faith ver 13 14. In the second part of the Chapter he answereth some Objections and joyntly sheweth the date prescribed by God for keeping the Ceremonial Law was now past Object 1. It seemeth the way of Justification by Faith in the Promise made to Abraham was changed by the Law given upon Mount Sinai He answereth by a similitude taken from humane Covenants ver 15. that the Covenant of Grace made and ratified by God with Abraham in Christ could not be altered nor abrogated by the Law which was given so long after ver 16 17 18. Object 2. The Law seemeth to be given in vain and to no purpose if it do not justifie He answereth by shewing another end for which the Law was given to wit for the discovery and restraint of sin and that God's design was not that people should be thereby justified ver 19 20. Object 3. The Law seemeth then to be contrary to the Covenant-promise if the one discover sin and the other forgive and cover it He answereth first retorting the Objection against the Propounders to wit that by their way the Law would be contrary to and destructive of the Promise ver 21. Secondly shewing the Law in discovering sin and condemning for it was subservient to the Promise while it did necessitate guilty sinners to believe and apply the Promise ver 22. Object 4. It seemeth the Ceremonial Law and the whole ancient dispensation ought to be observed under the Gospel for the same use and end at least He answereth shewing the Law was for good use to the ancient Church ver 23. which he illustrateth by comparing the Law to a Schoolmaster ver 24. but denieth that therfore it should be observed now because the Church was come to perfect age and so could not be any longer keeped under a Schoolmaster ver 25 26. Object 5. It seemeth Circumcision at least ought to be observed seing it was not added upon Mount Sinai but instituted long before He answereth shewing that Baptism doth serve for all those spiritual uses now which Circumcision did serve for then and consequently that Circumcision was not to be any longer practised ver 27 28 29. Vers. 1. O Foolish Galatians who hath hewitched you that you should not ohey the Truth before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth crucified among you THe Apostle being to insist further upon the former dispute lest their assertions had been thereby rendred dead and dull quickeneth them a little by inserting a sharp reproof wherein he chargeth them with folly in that they had suffered themselves to be seduced by a sort of spiritual sorcery or witchcraft unto disobedience to the Doctrine of the Gospel which disobedience he aggregeth from the perspicuity and plainnesse in which that Doctrine was preached unto them even such as if Christ together with His bloudy passion had been drawn and painted upon a board before them Doct. 1. The Minister of Jesus Christ when he is called to insist upon the clearing-up of Truths unto the understanding whether positively by shewing what is revealed in Scripture concerning them or controversally by refuting contrary Errors would mix his discourse with an occasional word of Exhortation Reproof or somewhat of that kind which may tend more immediately and directly to excite and quicken the affections of hearers lest they otherwise wax dull and languish for Paul casteth-in a sharp reproof in the midst of his dispute O foolish Galatians c. 2. Where the precious Truths of the Gospel are preached and disobeyed People neither labouring to be perswaded of the Truth in their understandings Act. 17. 32. nor to prize it in their heart and affections Matth. 11. 17. nor to practise it in their life and conversation Matth. 7. 26. this is a sin the evil whereof cannot be sufficiently aggreged or spoken against as being a sin against the remedy of sin Heb. 2. 3. for this is the fault for which the Apostle doth so sharply reprove those Galatians even that they did not obey the Truth the word signifieth the not believing of and disobedience to the Truth when it is believed 3. Hereticks who by fair words deceive the simple Rom. 16. -18. are a kind of spiritual Sorcerers and Heresie and Error is spiritual Witchcraft For first as Sorcerers by deluding the senses make people apprehend that they see what they see not So Hereticks and erring spirits by casting a mist of seeming reason before the understanding do delude it and make the deluded person beleive that to be Truth which is not chap. 1. 6 7. And secondly as Sorcerers in what they do of that kind are in a singular manner assisted beyond the reach of their own ability and skill by the Devil who really doth the thing upon the Sorcerers practising of some Satanical ceremonies which are prescribed unto them by the Devil as a watchword whereat he is ready to answer So heretical spirits are often more than ordinarily assisted in drawing of multitudes after them and this by Satan's concurring with them 2 Thess. 2. 9. Thus the Apostle speaking of that influence which false Teachers had upon them in drawing them from the Truth he saith Who hath bewitched you It 's a word borrowed from the practice of Witches and Sorcerers who being assisted by the Devil use to cast mist before the eyes to dazle and so delude them 4. For a people to have the Gospel among them and not to make use of it but to reject it and make defection from it argueth them to be fools indeed whatever be their wisedom otherwise in things relating to this present life for the Doctrine of the Gospel containeth saying Wisdom which maketh wise unto Salvation 2 Tim. 3. 15. which Wisdom they reject Thus Paul calleth them foolish Galatians because they obeyed not the Truth 5. Though neither Ministers nor any other ought to charge men with folly with a mind to reproach them or in way of private revenge Mat. 5. 22. Yet the Minister of Jesus Christ or any other who hath a Call to it may upbraid a man with folly if first the party reproved be guilty of folly as
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
and spoken of the whole Person for to be made of a woman which agreeth only to the humane nature is ascribed to the Person of the Son God sent forth His Son made of a woman 11. Jesus Christ being thus incarnate was in respect of His humane nature while in the state of humiliation truly subjected to the Law and accordingly conformed Himself unto it whatsoever Law it was whether general or moral which all men are obliged unto Luke 2. 5â— or more special positive and ceremoniall which the Jews and children of Abraham were bound to obey Mat. 3. 15. or yet more particular of a Redeemer and Saviour which He Himself only was obliged unto even to die for us Psal. 40. 6 7 8. for saith the Apostle He was made under the Law 12. Though Christ as He was a creature whose will cannot be the supream Law was thus bound to subject Himself to the Law yet it doth not follow hence that therefore He did not fulfill the Law for us but for Himself only because this obligation did flow from His taking-on the humane nature which He did freely and for our good for upon His being made of a woman He was also made under the Law otherwayes He was free from the Law From Vers. 5. besides what is marked upon chap. 3. ver 13. Learn 1. Not only Christ's death and sufferings which commonly go under the name of His passive obedience but also His active obedience to the Law in all those things and those things only wherein we were obliged is imputed unto us as our righteousness price whereby we are redeemed from the Law 's curse for He was made under the Law that He might redeem them that were under the Law So that the price of our Redemption and His subjection to the Law are of equal extent 2. As all men by nature are under the curse Eph. 2. 3. and irritating power of the Law Rom. 7. 5. and the Jewish Church were under that ancient rigid dispensation of the Law binding them chiefly to the observation of many costly and burdensom ceremonies See ver 3. so no lesse was required in order to a Redemption whether from the one or the other than the incarnation of the Son of God and His obedience both by doing and suffering to the whole Law of God only with this difference the Elect were redeemed under the Old Testament from the curse and irritating power of the Law by vertue of Christ's obedience while it was yet to be actually performed for though it be otherwise in natural causes yet a moral cause not present in being but only supposed as future may have its effect but the Redemption of the Jewish Church from that rigid dispensation of the Law was not effectuate before Christ was actually incarnate and did give real obedience to the Law God having so ordered that those legal shadows should not evanish until Christ the substance of them did come for it is with relation to this as a main part of his present scope that the Apostle saith God sent forth His Son to redeem them that were under the Law 3. The outward administration of the Covenant of Grace under the Old Testament had some inflâ—ence upon the ancient Church even as to the inward state of particular Believers in so far that though the Godly then did partake of the same spiritual blessings whereof we partake now yea and some particular persons were endued with greater gifts of the Spirit than many now are Yet greater plenty and abundance of Grace is bestowed upon the Church in the time of the Gospel if we respect the body of the Church and Faithfull in general than was bestowed before Christ came for the Apostle putting a difference betwixt those two times speaketh of receiving the adoption of sons as a thing proper to the dayes of the Gospel not as if the Spirit of Adoption had been altogether withholden from the ancient Church but because it was then tempered with the spirit of servitude the way to Heaven not as yet clearly manifested Heb. 9. 8. and is now bestowed in a more ample clear and plentifull measure for it is not unusual in Scripture that this should be affirmed of one and as it were tacitly denyed of another which is more illustrious in one than in another though it be common to both Mat. 15. 24. according to which rule the following sixth verse must be expounded Vers. 6. And because ye are sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts crying Abba Father HE giveth an evidence of their having received the adoption of sons in a more clear and plentifull measure under the New Testament to wit God's sending forth the holy Spirit the third Person in the blessed Trinity and making Him manifest His presence by His special and supernatural gifts in the hearts of Believers whereby they were enabled like little children to own and incall upon God as their Father and this without any distinction of Jew or Gentile which seemeth to be hinted at by the two epithets given to God both signifying the same thing the one Abba a Syriack word which language was then commonly spoken among the Jews the other a Greek word rendred Father which was most commonly used among the Gentiles Now this of God's sending forth His Spirit under the New Testament is not to be so understood as if He had not been sent forth into the hearts of Believers under the Old Testament but that He is now poured-out in a greater measure Joel 2. 28. Doct. 1. There are three Persons in the blessed Trinity the Father the Son and the Spirit all spoken of here God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son 2. The Spirit here spoken of is not a naked quality or operation and work only but a person subsisting of Himself as appeareth from this that He is said to be sent forth which agreeth only to persons God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son 3. He is a divine Person and no meer creature for He dwelleth in the hearts of all Believers which can be said of no person but God God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts 4. The holy Spirit proceedeth both from the Father and the Son for He is sent by the Father and is the Spirit of His Son and is so called here because the Apostle is to evidence their sonship by the operation of this Spirit which sonship of theirs is grounded upon Christ Rom. 8. 17. Doct. 5. Whoever have this high dignity of Adoption conferred upon them must also have the Spirit of God given to reside not in their brain only to fill them with the gifts of knowledge as He may be in Hypocrites Mat. 7. 22. but in their hearts also by making a gracious change there Eph. 4. 23. to be diffused from thence as from the first principle of life Prov. 4. 23. through all the faculties of the soul and members
of 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
meeknesse or severity unto their temper and that because being now at a distance he could not understand their temper so exactly and therefore was somewhat perplexed and in doubt how to deal with them All which do expresse to the life how tender constant sincere and well-ordered his affection and love was towards them ver 20. From Vers. 19. Learn 1. There ought to be such a conformity betwixt the heart and the tongue that the tender and warm expressions of kindness uttered by our tongue may be undoubted evidences of that real kindnesse and respect which is seated in the heart otherwise fair words are but foul flatteries abominable both to God and man Prov. 27. 14. for Paul doth speak to these Galatians most affectionatly as a mother to her dear children wherein he would have them to read his very heart My little children saith he 2. The Ministerial Calling is an imployment of no small labour and pains partly because of much labour and diligence which is required to fit a man for that imployment and for every part of it 1 Tim. 4. 13 15. Act. 20. 20. and partly because of many outward troubles and persecutions which do usually attend the faithfull discharging of it Mat. 10. 17. but mainly because the object of that imployment is the charge of people with relation to their spiritual and eternal concernments Heb. 13. 17 in which as people are most apt to miscarry so their miscarrying therein is most dishonourable unto God and dangerous to themselves and therefore the Minister whose charge doth ly about those and maketh conscience of his charge cannot but be much exercised even to wearynesse and the wasting of his natural spirits with a tide of contrary affections as hopes and fears joy and sorrow desire and indignation c. 2 Cor. 11. 28. Hence Paul setteth forth the measure of his ministerial pains by the travel of a woman with childe Of whom I travel in birth saith he 3. Though it be God only who by His own almighty Power doth beget us to that new and spiritual life of Grace Iam. 1. 18. 1 Cor. 3. -6. yet He maketh use of called Ministers as the ordinary means and instruments by whose ministery His Spirit doth effectually work and bring about the conversion of sinners Rom. 10. 17. and therefore the honour and title of being spiritual fathers and mothers is conferred upon them hence it is that Paul not only calleth them his little children but also saith he did travel in birth with them whereby he compareth himself to a woman in travel and the work of the Ministry to the travel it self by the means whereof children are born to God 4. Though those who are once regenerated cannot totally fall away from grace so as to stand in need of a second regeneration for the seed of God abideth in them 1 Joh. 3. 9. yet they may so far fall away as that the new man of Grace in them will be much marred and all lively evidences of their regeneration ly under ground and in the dark and so as that to outward appearance there will be nothing of the life of God in them for though Paul saith not he be got them again yet be did travel in birth with them again that so Christ might be formed in them which supposeth that the Image of Christ in them was much darkened the beauty thereof marred and their spiritual life and motion hid and hardly discernable as the life and motion of an unborn childe in the womb 5. The great end of a Minister's pains and that which not being attained he is not to cease or to rest satisfied is not so much his own exoneration as to have a near conformity to Christ and the draughts of His Image consisting both in knowledge Col. 3. 10. and holinesse Eph. 4. 24. wrought in the hearts and lives of his hearers for this was aimed at by Paul Until Christ be formed in you saith he From Vers. 20. Learn 1. The presence of a Pastor with his Flock is so necessary in order to the entertaining of mutual affection and the suppression of prejudices when they are yet in the bud and before they come to any great height and in order to a Minister's better uptaking of the peoples case and condition and to his application of suitable and seasonable remedies that though a Minister may sometimes be necessarily withdrawn from his Flock yet he ought alwayes have a desire to be present with them without neglecting any occasion when it offereth of returning to them for thus was it with Paul I desire to be present with you 2. A Minister ought to take notice so far as is possible of the several conditions and dispositions of his People that hereby he may know how to carry himself and to speak to them in that way which he conceiveth will be most gaining upon every one admonishing some reproving others comforting and instructing some and sharply threatning others for this we conceive is meaned by Paul's changing of his voice in order to which he desired to be present with them that so knowing their case he might the better fit his speech to their condition 3. As the People of God are not all of one but of different tempers some being more tractable and some more obstinate some more soft and easie to be wrought upon by the Word and some more obdured some more subject to heartlesse discouragements and others to high and lofty unsobernesse of spirit So that way of dealing in a Minister which will be profitable for the one temper will not be so for another for Paul being ignorant of their present temper stood in doubt of them as fearing if he did not fall upon a right way of dealing with them he might do them more hurt than good 4. Though a Minister may sometimes have reason to doubt what way to take with a people in order to their gaining and be not a little perplexed lest there be not successe answerable to his pains yet he is not to give over but must go on doing what is likeliest and depending upon God for successe so doth Paul here for though be stood in doubt of them or was perplexed for them yet he sendeth this Epistle to them Vers. 21. Tell me ye that desire to be under the Law do ye not bear the Law IN the third part of the Chapter the Apostle confirmeth and illustrateth the truth of the whole preceding disputation concerning our Justification by Faith and not by Works and the abolishing of the ancient legal Dispensation of the Covenant of Grace and this by the history of Abraham's family whereby he sheweth the Lord did prefigure not only the doing away of that ancient Dispensation under the dayes of the Gospel but that also so many as did adhere unto it being considered as it was set in opposition to the Covenant of Grace by those who sought to be justified by the works of the Law were kept under
nature 5. As the power of God is engaged to give a being and subsistance unto every thing contained within the compasse of a Promise Isa. 46. 11. So it doth accordingly perform even when all ordinary means and second causes do fail and become uselesse for bringing about the thing promised for a promise being made to Abraham that Sarah should have a childe she conceiveth and beareth Isaac not after the flesh or according to the ordinary course of nature but through vertue of that Promise But he of the free-woman was by promise saith he Vers. 24. Which things are an Allegorie for these are the two Covenants the one from the mount Sinai which gendreth to bondage which is Agar 25. For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia and answereth to Jerusalem which now is and is in bondage with her children IN the third place the Apostle expoundeth the mystery which was lurking under and prefigured by the former history In order to which he sheweth that those things or the Scripture presently cited is an Allegorie that is besides the literal historical sense of the words God intended that the purpose contained in them should shadow forth the state of His Church in the following particulars So that Abrahams two Wives did represent the two Covenants to wit the old Covenant or the Covenant of Grace under the old Administration Heb. 8. 7. which Covenant was greatly mistaken and did degenerate unto a plain Covenant of Works in the sense of many who did adhere unto it 2. The new Covenant or the Covenant of Grace under the new Administration Heb. 8. 8. The first of which Covenants he sheweth was prefigured by Agar the bond-woman and he describeth it 1. from the place where it was first given to wit upon mount Sinai 2. From the like effect produced by it with that of Agar to wit that as Hagar so this Covenant especially as it was generally mistaken for a Covenant of Works did beget children unto bondage that is they who adhered to that Covenant so taken were not thereby freed from their bondage to sin Satan and God's wrath chap. 3. 10. and were of a servile mercenary disposition as doing whatever they did in God's service not from love but slavish fear and of purpose to merit Heaven by their good works Mark 10. 17. This is ver 24. And having as it were in a parenthesis shewen the fitnesse of the former resemblance because mount Sinai where the old Covenant was first delivered is also in God's providence called Agar by the Arabians he describeth this Covenant thirdly from those who in the time of the Apostles did tenaciously adhere to it by shewing that the earthly Jerusalem or the Jewish Church not as she was in her best times but in that present age did answer that is as the Original doth bear was in the same rank or did keep a kind of harmony and concord with that Covenant because that Church and the members thereof called here her children did remain in a servile condition which he shewed before was the fruit of adhering unto this Covenant as it was now adulterated and corrupted ver 25. Now though the Spirit of God maketh use of the history of Abraham's having two wives to set forth a spiritual mystery not condemning his fact yet this doth not justifie his polygamy no more than injustice in stewards is justified by the parable Luke 16. 1. it being sufficient that the Word of God doth condemn polygamy elsewhere Mà l 2. 15. and Mat. 19. 4 5 6. Doct. 1. Though there be only one genuine sense and meaning of every place of Scripture which is sometimes expressed in proper Gen. 1. 1. sometimes in figurative and borrowed speeches Luke 13. 32. otherwise if Scripture had moe meanings than one it should be ambiguous and doubtsom yet this hindereth not but that the sense of Scripture may be somtimes not simple but composed so that there is one thing signified immediately by the words and another thing immediately by the purpose comprehended in the words and but mediately by the words themselves as it is in types and allegories for this history did immediatly set forth the state of Abraham's family and the state of Abraham's family did shadow forth the state of God's Church in the particulars afore-mentioned Which things are an Allegory saith he 2. Though the Spirit of God speaking in Scripture giveth us expresse warrant to expound some places of Scripture as holding forth by way of type or allegory some further purpose than what the words do either in their proper or usual acception bear yet it doth not follow hence that we may without such warrant expound other Scriptures after the same manner or hold forth our witty inventions of that kind as a part of the meaning intended by the Spirit of God in those Scriptures for the Spirit of God expresly sheweth that this Scripture or those things are an Allegory 3. It is a very usual way of speaking in Scripture whereby the name of the thing signified is given to that which doth only signifie and represent that thing So is it in the words of the institution of the Lord's Supper Mark 14. -22. and so is it here where the Apostle speaking of Abraham's two wives saith Those are the two Covenants not that they were essentially such but because they did represent and prefigure them 4. Though the Covenant of Grace entred by God with sinners in Christ hath been but one for substance in all ages of the Church Heb. 13. 8. yet there hath been divers wayes of administrating it one especially under the Old Testament and another under the New hence is it that this one Covenant is held forth as differing from it self and as if it were not one but two for those are the two Covenants saith he 5. The Covenant of Grace as it was dispensed under the Old Testament because the Law and the curse of the Law was then much pressed and the grace contained therein but darkly propounded was therefore generally looked upon as a Covenant of Works and the most part did so rely upon it and expect life from it 〈◊〉 for the Apostle speaketh of the Covenant made on Sinai in this sense while he saith it did gender unto bondage to wit as it was mistaken for a Covenant of Works and how it is said in that sense to gender unto bondage is cleared in the Exposition The one from the mount Sinai which gendreth unto bondage 6. Hagar Sarah's bond-maid did fitly represent and prefigure the Covenant of Grace as it was delivered upon mount Sinai not only for the reasons contained in the Text but also because as Hagar was once a second wife to Abraham and Ishmael her son for a while Abraham's presumed heir Gen. 17. 18. yet after she began to contest with her mistris Sarah Gen. 16. 4. and her son to persecute Isaac the childe of promise both mother and son were cast out of Abraham's family and deprived
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
remainder of corruption yet unmortified whereby his whole mind will and affections are partly spiritual partly carnal both flesh and Spirit are in him For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit saith he 3. None of those powers or principles in the regenerate man are dead dull or meerly passive but both of them are working and active for the flesh lusteth and the Spirit lusteth whereby is meaned that both of them do sway and incline the whole man to work in a way congruous to their respective natures the one to good and the other to evil 4. The activity of these two active principles is in a flat opposition the one to the other so that in one and the same man and while he is about one and the same action there is a conflict and battel betwixt these two contrary parties Rom. 7. 19 21. The flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh 5. As there is a mixture of both these principles in all the powers and faculties of the regenerate man So there is a mixture of their respective influence and efficacy in every action of his whereby though there be a prevalency of the one above the other in some actions yet there is not one action to which both of them do not contribute somewhat if not by a causal influence yet by some measure of active resistance For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh 6. Hence it followeth that as the actions of the regenerate are not perfect and free from a sinful mixture So there is some difference betwixt his worst actions and those same actions as gone about by the unregenerate man even this that the flesh doth not advance with a full gale but meeteth with the contrary tyde of resistance from the Spirit in some degree for as the flesh lusteth against the Spirit so the Spirit lusteth against the flesh and ye cannot do the thing that ye would saith he 7. Though unregenerate men may have somewhat like to this spiritual combat even a conflict sometimes betwixt the natural conscience and rebellious affections Rom. 2. 1. yet they have not this same very combat here spoken of wherein one faculty is not carried against the other but every faculty as it is flesh is carried against it self as it is spirit now that this combat is not in the unregenerate man appeareth from this that he is wholly flesh Gen. 6. 5. and not at all spirit And this combat is betwixt flesh and spirit for the flesh lusteth against the spirit 8. The mutual resistance and opposition of those two parties flesh and spirit in the regenerate man as it beginneth at the very first rise of every action in the understanding will or affections So it continueth and waxeth alwayes more fierce as the action is carried-on towards its full accomplish ment by the executive faculties for saith he Ye cannot do the things that ye would importing that our willing of good or evil is more free from this opposition though not altogether free than our actual doing or accomplishing of it being so willed See Rom. 7. -18. Vers. 18. But if ye be led by the Spirit ye are not under the Law HE proveth the same conclusion secondly shewing that they who are led and guided by the regenerate part or an inward principle of grace within which it all one with walking in the Spirit spoken of ver 16. are not under the Law whereby is not meaned that they are not under the Law as a rule and guide of new obedience for both the Word and the Spirit do guide as shall appear from the first Doctrine but they are not under the condemning Rom. 8. 1. nor yet the irritating power of the Law whereby the more that unregenerate men are urged unto rigid obedience by the Law the more doth their corrupt nature spurn and rebell as being desp 〈…〉 to get all done which the Law enjoyneth This irritating power of the Law is spoken of Rom. 7. 5. Now they who are led by the Spirit are not thus under the Law because unto such a fountain of Grace is opened-up for enabling them in some measure to do what the Law enjoyneth Phil. 4. 13. and for pardoning them wherein they fall short 1 Job 2. 1 2. So that corruption in them is not so much irritated by the Law as in the unregenerate and by consequence the lusts of the flesh are not fulfilled as was expressed ver 16. Doct. 1. The regenerate part or new man of Grace performeth the office of guide and leader to the godly in all their actions which are truly spiritual In so far as first it self is ruled by the Word and to be tryed by the Word Isa. 8. 20. which Word alone is the external light and lanthorn to direct our steps Psal. 119. 105. as the light of the Sun or candle is to the eye Secondly the work of Grace it self as the understanding is thereby illightned is the internal light whereby the regenerate man doth spiritually understand the things of God revealed in Scripture 1 Cor. 2. 12. as by the internal light of the eye we discern those things which are made conspicuous by the external light of the Sun or candle Thirdly the same work of Grace as the will and affections are thereby renewed being actuated by the continual supply of exciting grace from the Spirit of the Lord is a strengthening guide to all spiritual actions by whose influence alone the regenerate man who as to any principle of nature and free-will within himself is not sufficient to think any thing 2 Cor. 3. 5. is rendred able and made actually to walk in the wayes of God Philip. 2. 13. for while he saith If ye be led by the Spirit he supposeth the office of the Spirit and regenerate part is to guide and lead 2. The natural man so long as he remaineth in that state is so much a slave to his sinful lusts That those things which are appointed of God to curb and make them weaker are so far from bringing about the end proposed that his lusts are thereby inraged and made more violent for the Apostle being to prove that those who are led by the Spirit do not fulfill the lusts of the flesh which is laid down to be proved ver 16. saith such are not under the Law to wit the strict and rigid exaction of the Law importing that the rigidity of the Law which of its own nature tendeth to restrain sin and to make it weaker is turned by the unregenerate man unto an occasion for the fulfilling of his lusts Vers. 19. Now the works of the flesh are manifest which are these Adultery fornication uncleannesse lasciviousnesse 20. Idolatry witchcraft hatred variance emulations wrath strife seditious heresies 21. Envyings murders drunkennesse revellings and such like of the which I tell you before as I have also told you in time past that they which do such things shall not inherit the
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
and freedom through vertue of that price Thirdly he sheweth the impulsive cause which moved God to bestow such a benefit even the riches of that same grace and free-favour in God formerly spoken of By all which he carrieth on his main scope which is to confirm those Ephesians that salvation and all the steps leading to it do flow from God's free-grace in Christ. Doct. 1. All men the Elect themselves not being excepted are by nature under slavery and bondage to sin Joh. 8. 34. Satan Eph. 2. 2. and to God's wrath Joh. 3. 36. for redemption presupposeth bondage In whom we have redemption 2. There was no delivery to be had from this bondage by prayer and intreaty nor by exchange of prisoners as in wars nor yet by strong hand and meer force but by paying of a price not to Satan who detaineth the Elect in slavery as a rigid Tyrant or mercilesse Jaylor from whom they are delivered by force Heb. 2. -14. but to God Eph. 2. 2. whose justice was wronged by the sins of the Elect and therefore behoved to be satisfied for redemption according to the force of the original word is a delivery by ransom and price 3. Jesus Christ is that Person by whom we have redemption from the fore-mentioned slavery this work by the counsel of the whole Trinity being put over upon Him as one who not only had right both of property to redeem the Elect being His creatures Heb. 1. 10. and of kinred Lev. 25. 48. as being our brother and of the same nature with us Heb. 2 14 but was also fitted to be our Redeemer a price to wit His humane nature being put in his hands to lay down Heb. 10. -5. and was able to redeem as being also God whereby His sufferings as man became a ransom of infinit value Act. 20. -28. for by saying In whom or in Christ we have redemption he saith that we have it by Him 4. We have this redemption not only by Christ but also in him which holdeth also in forgivenesse of sins He being the common store-house wherein the Elect have all their spiritual blessings treasured up even before they take their spiritual being from Him or get those blessings actually applied unto them as Adam's posterity have their original guiltinesse whence all actual transgressions flow treasured up in Him before they take their natural being from Him Rom. 5. 12. As also because this redemption and the fruits of it are not actually applied to the Elect until they be in Christ and by faith united to Him Joh. 3. 36. for saith he In whom meaning Christ we have redemption and forgivenesse of sins 5. The wrong done to infinit justice by our sin was so great that nothing performed by Christ could be a sufficient ransom in order to our redemption except he had crowned all his other actions and sufferings by laying down his life and undergoing a bloudy and violent death for We have redemption through his bloud to wit not as excluding his former obedience Rom. 5. 18 19. nor yet his other sufferings especially his soul-sufferings Isa. 53. 10. but as being the head-stone and compleating of all Joh. 19. 30. Doct. 6. Sin is a debt as being a wrong done against God obliging the sinner to repair God in his honour or otherwayes to underly the wrath of a provoked God for ever Rom. 6. 23 for the word forgivenesse in the Original and as it is used in Scripture is taken from those who are loosed out of a prison for debt The forgivenesse of sins 7. There is no delivery from this debt of sin and obligation to wrath because of sin but by pardon and forgivenesse It is an infinit debt and so cannot be satisfied by finit creatures for thus doth Paul expresse the way how the debt is removed even by forgivenesse of sins 8. Though the guilt of sin be removed by forgivenesse and therefore freely as to us yet that sin might be thus freely forgiven with the good leave of provoked justice forgivenesse of sin was purchased at a dear rate by Christ for as we have redemption through his bloud so also forgivenesse of sins 9. Jesus Christ hath this rich treasure of forgivenesse of sins which he hath bought by his bloud laid up in himself so that whensoever a sinner sensible of this weighty debt doth lay hold upon Christ by faith and is thereby ingraffed in Him his sins are freely pardoned and his debt remitted for In him saith he we have forgivenesse of sins 10. As that grace favour and good-will which God manifested in the salvation of sinners is a rich copious and abundant grace so nothing argueth the riches of this grace more than that from it do flow such excellent effects as the giving of Christ the Son of God to redeem slaves and rebels together with forgivenesse of sins they being infinit wrongs and there being many of them in every pardoned sinner Psal. 19. 12. And those not only ordinary infirmities but sometimes also heinous transgressions Psal. 51. 14. and yet free-grace pardoneth all and this not only in one but in all Believers in all ages and doth yet remain as full and overflowing in God to pardon self-condemned sinners as ever all which doth argue no lesse than a copious rich and abundant grace for the Apostle speaking of grace with relation to those two redemption and forgiveness which flow from it he calleth it a rich grace According to the riches of his grace saith he Vers. 8. Wherein the hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence THe Apostle doth thirdly speak of those spirituall blessings which were prepared in Election and purchased in that excellent work of Redemption as they are conveyed and applyed unto the Elect in their effectual calling whereby he carryeth-on his fore-mentioned scope in shewing That as God did give evident proofs of his free-grace and favour in all the former steps tending to salvation so he had manifested the abundant riches of his grace in the effectual calling of those Ephesians in so far as his eternal love which was before alwayes hid in a decree did no longer contain it self but overflowed in its effects towards them or in them as the word may be rendred which effects wrought by Gods grace in them he sheweth to be all wisdom and prudence under which are comprehended all the saving graces of God's Spirit in Believers if we take as we safely may take wisdom for the saving knowledge of divine mysteries and of such religious truths as are only to be believed and fall not under practice And prudence for that grace and vertue whereby we know our respective duties both to God and man and our actions and practices are ruled and ordered according to the prescript of God's Word for so the words are taken Col. 1. -9. Doct. 1. Whosoever are elected from eternity and for whomsoever Christ did give a ransom to provoked justice in the fulnesse of time all such in
this ground any thing savouring of imperfection as if He did consult or deliberate concerning things to be done as men do from ignorance or doubtfulnesse of what is most convenient and therefore do first consult and advise about the best expedient and then make choice accordingly There is no such doubtfull inquisition or previous deliberation in God in order to his working His will alone is in stead of all counsel and deliberation seing his most holy will hath all equity wisdom and righteousnesse joyned with it so that there is nothing more required to make an action be well wisely and advisedly done than that it be willed of God for the Apostle saith not He worketh all things according to the will of his counsel as if counsel and deliberation went before and the choice of the will followed after but after the counsel of his will shewing that His willing of a thing to be done is in place of all further consultation about it From Vers. 12. Learn 1. As God's giving grace unto gracelesse sinners His drawing them out of nature to the state of grace and bestowing the heavenly inheritance upon them is a work which setteth forth the glory of God's most excellent Attributes of mercy goodnesse justice power and beneficence and giveth occasions unto beholders to set forth his praise in all those though the man himself upon whom this work is wrought were silent the very work should speak for it self So it is the duty of those especially whom God hath so dealt with to take occasion from his gracious work in them to set forth the praises of Him who hath called them out of darknesse to his marvellous light 1 Pet. 2. -9. They are not alwayes to dwell upon complaints of themselves but sometimes would mount up in the high thoughts of His commendation and praises for this is the end designed by God in calling them to obtain this inheritance even that we should be to the praise of his glory which words may be taken both passively the praise of His glory was to be manifested in them and actively they themselves were to set forth His praises 2. The more early a man doth close with Christ and imbrace Him by faith as He is offered in the Gospel the lesse he doth protract and delay his so doing the more of praise to God's glorious Attributes is manifested in him and the more of obligation doth ly upon him to set forth God's praises who hath so early broken the yoke of his slavery to sin and Satan for their trusting and first trusting in Christ before others is spoken of as a mean conducing to His praise and engaging them to it That we should be to the praise of his glory who first trusted in Christ. 3. That any do believe in Christ at all and that some do believe in Him sooner and others later dependeth not upon any difference in the persons themselves but upon God's purpose counsel and good pleasure for their trusting and first trusting before others is subservient to the end which was proposed by God to wit the praise of His glory Now the necessary means and the end intended do depend upon one and the same purpose so that if God have decreed the end He must also have decreed the means tending to that end That we might be to his praise who first trusted in Christ. 4. The Gospel when it is preached to a People though never so godlesse and obdured will not want its own saving fruits among some of those to whom it is preached God useth not to send His Gospel unto a People of purpose to harden all and to make them inexcusable but because there are some belonging unto the election of grace who are to be converted by it for as the Gospel was to be preached first to the Jews because of the promise made to the fathers Rom. 15. 8. So when it was preached it wanted not fruits among them though they were a People to be cast off enemies unto all good had crucified the Lord Jesus 1 Thess. 2. 15 16. for they were of those Jews who first trusted in Christ. 5. It is no small priviledge for any wether person or people to be trusters in Christ before others it is a matter of their commendation Rom. 16. -5. it glorifieth God in so far as their example and experience may prove an encouraging motive unto others 1 Tim. 1. 16. it carryeth with it several advantages for the sooner a man doth close with Christ he will get that work done the more easily he is the sooner freed from slavery to Satan and his own lusts he is the sooner capacitated to do the more service to God and his great concernments are the sooner out of hazards for Paul maketh it a prerogative and priviledge which the Jews had beyond the Gentiles even that they first trusted or hoped in Christ. Vers. 13. In whom ye also trusted after that ye heard the Word of Truth the Gospel of your salvation in whom also after that ye believed ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise 14. Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession unto the praise of His glory THe Aposte applyeth the former doctrine in the second place to the believing Gentiles in the person of those Ephesians That hereby he may shew they were as much in the debt of God's free-grace for salvation as the believing Jews In order to which he holdeth forth first the benefit which they had received from Christ even the same which he shew was bestowed upon the believing Jews to wit the heavenly inheritance and all those other spiritual blessings which lead to it for as it is necessary that some word be added to the beginning of this verse for making good sense so it seemeth the word trusted taken from the close of ver 12. cannot be it for the word rendred there first trusted is but one in the Original and cannot be applyed unto the Gentiles as not being the first who trusted in Christ And therefore it is safer and more apposit also unto the Apostle's scope to repeat that word which is v. 11. have obtained an inheritance especially seing he is applying here to the Gentiles what he had applyed there to the Jews the principal part whereof and that upon which all the rest spoken of there doth depend is their obtaining an inheritance Secondly he setteth forth the mean whereby they obtained this excellent benefit even their hearing of the doctrine of the Gospel which he describeth from its excellent nature as being the Word of Truth and from that great good which it revealeth and offereth even salvation Thirdly he mentioneth a work of God's holy Spirit upon their hearts after they had believed which is here called sealing by a metaphor taken from the use of Seals and Signets among men which are chiefly used for putting a difference betwixt true Writs and those which are counterfeit so that this
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
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
things and preferreth Christ unto all Far above all principality and power c. 5. As there is a world to come when this is gone wherein shall dwell righteousnesse 2 Pet. 3. 13. So though Christ's Kingdom shall cease at the last day and be delivered up by Him to the Father as to the way wherein He doth now administer it by ruling in the midst of His enemies Psal. 110. -2. whom He subdueth and destroyeth Psal. 2. 9. and gathering-in His Elect by the means of Word and Sacraments Matth. 28. 19 20. Yet this Kingdom of His shall never cease but be continued in that world which is to come without end as to the glory majestie absolute soveraignity and dominion over all the creatures which Jesus Christ Mediator and God manifested in the flesh shall enjoy for ever and ever for these words Not only in this world but in the world to come do shew the duration of Christ's kingly glory and are to be referred not to the word named immediatly preceeding but to God's action of setting Christ at His right hand far above all principality not only in this world c. From Vers. 22 Learn 1. The Lord hath all things at His disposal to do with them what He pleaseth for saith Paul He hath put all things under His feet which He could not have done except they had been at His disposall 2. Jesus Christ God-man Mediator is not only exalted unto high glory and dignity above all the creatures but also hath received absolute dominion and soveraign authority over them all So that all the creatures even the greatest are subjected to Him and that in the lowest degree of subjection to wit some willingly as the effectually called and chosen Psal. 110. 3 others by constraint and without or contrary to any purpose or intention of their own being lyable unto and made use of by His over-ruling power for bringing about His own glory and His Churches good Rom. 8. 28. Thus devils reprobates crosses tentations and all creatures are subjected to Him for it seemeth those all things which are under Christ's feet must be taken universally of all creatures whatsoever as being most agreeable not only to the verse preceeding where the comparison is made betwixt Christ and all creatures but also to Philip. 2. 10 11. which place is a commentary unto this He hath put all things under His feet Vers. 22. And gave Him to be the head over all things to the Church 23. Which is his body the fulness of Him that filleth all in all THe Apostle having spoken of Christ's glory and soveraignity in general over all the creatures doth next hold forth His special dominion and soveraignity over the Church by shewing that Christ over or above all that is in a special manner is given by the Father to be the Churches head which is a metaphor taken from the natural body to which he compareth Christ and his Church And first he sheweth that Christ doth answer to the head which implyeth an eminency in Him above the Church His Body Cant. 5. 10. together with authority and power over His Church to rule and govern her both visibly by His own Officers dispensing the Word and Censures 1 Cor. 5. 4 and inwardly by the powerfull operation of his Spirit Joh. 16. 13. 14. It implyeth also onenesse of nature betwixt Him and His Church Heb. 2. 14. and fulnesse of perfection enabling Him to do all the duties of an head to such a great necessirous and infirm body as His Church is Col. 2. 3. And it implyeth a strict union betwixt Him and His Church as is betwixt the head and members in the natural body the tye of which union as to the Church visible which is His visible political and ministerial body 1 Cor. 10. 16 17. is the bond of the Covenant of Grace wherein they are externally Psal. 50. 5. together with a profession of faith in Christ Act. 8. 37. But as to the invisible Church of real Believers they are as to the inward man animated and enlivened with that same Spirit which was poured-forth on Christ Rom. 8. 9. they have also faith in Him and love to Him wrought by His Spirit in them Col. 1. 4. Eph. 6. 24. and hereby they are united most strictly to Him And lastly the metaphor implyeth communication of influence from Christ to the Church to wit an influence of common gifts from His Spirit to the visible Church Eph. 4. 7 c. and an influence of spirituall life motion and of saving grace to the invisible Church of Believers Col. 2. 19. even as the head is above and ruleth the body is of the same nature with the body hath all the inward and outward senses with memory and understanding seated in it for guiding the body is united to the body and conveyeth influence for motion and sense unto the body And secondly ver 23. he sheweth that the Church answereth to the rest of the body under the head and is called Christ's body to wit not His natural but mystical body which implyeth not only the Churches union with Christ but union and order also among the members themselves together with diversity of gifts and functions as there are several members in the natural body 1 Cor. 12. It implyeth also their receiving influence for life and motion from Christ Eph. 4. 16. and the duty of subjection and obedience due unto Him as head Eph. 5. 24. He sheweth also the high honour which is put upon the Church by being Christ's body even that hereby they become Christ's fulnesse not as if Believers did adde any personal perfection to Him who is infinit in perfections unto whom nothing can be added Only they are members of that mystical body unto which He of grace hath undertaken the relation of head so that the Church is the fulnesse not of personall but of mystical Christ as both head and members of that mystical body are comprehended under that name Christ. See 1 Cor. 12. 12. and therefore lest any should think that this expression did imply any want of perfection in Christ to be supplyed by the Church the Apostle sheweth that Christ as God-man Mediator filleth the all of His body the Church for the purpose in hand requireth this all to be so astricted upon whom He bestoweth a fulnesse partly of gifts and partly of graces a fulnesse answerable to the present state of childhood and imperfection wherein we live here on earth as the Romans are said to be full of goodnesse and knowledge Rom. 15. 14 So that Christ is so far from borrowing any perfection from His Church that all her perfections are but drops falling from that Ocean and fulnesse of grace which is in Him Joh. 1. 16. Doct. 1. As Jesus Christ is the Father's gift unto the Church A gift which is offered unto all within the Church Job 3. 16. though not received by all Joh. 1. 11. but by real Believers who by receiving Him obtain
have compleat salvation in right and title 1 Corinth 3. 21 22. and in the earnest of it Eph. 1. 14. So the whole work of their salvation from its first step in regeneration unto its last step in their glorification doth intirely flow from Gods free grace and from none of their worth for he saith ye are saved in the time bypast and ascribeth it to grace by grace ye are saved 4. The maintaining of the interest of free grace in our salvation as being the alone impulsive cause thereof in opposition to our worth is a thing that the Spirit of the Lord is very carefull of the glory of His free grace being all which He seeketh after in our salvation chap. 1. 6. and a thing which men do naturally encline to intrench upon and to rob Him of either in whole or in part Rom. 10. 3. for therefore doth the Apostle so frequently shew the dependance which salvation hath upon Gods mercy love and free grace ver 4. -5. and here by grace are ye saved 5. Free grace and faith do well agree in the bringing about our salvation neither is salvation the lesse of free grace that it is also of faith seing faith is not only a fruit of Gods grace in us Phil. 1. 29. but also and mainly because faith doth not justifie or save us for any worth in it self or as it is a work for all works are excluded ver 9. but for the worth of its object Jesus Christ and of His righteousnesse Rom. 5. -19. which faith apprehendeth Philip. 3. 9. for the Apostle ascribeth their salvation both to grace and faith ye are saved by grace through faith 6. Though Gods free grace favour and goodwill doth freely bestow that salvation upon the Elect which Christ by His merit hath purchased yet the Wisdom of God hath thought it fitting that this salvation shall not be actually bestowed untill the person to be saved do lay hold by faith upon the offer of salvation in the Gospel and of Christs righteousnesse whereby salvation is acquired that so the heirs of glory may not only have a right to heaven by faith before they come to the actuall possession of it Joh. 3. 16. but also be made meet to partake of that heavenly inheritance Col. 1. 12. their natures being renewed when the habit of faith is wrought in them by God 2 Corinth 5. 17. and their hearts also being purified by the exercise of that grace Acts 15. 9. for saith he by grace are ye saved through faith 7. The ascribing of salvation to Gods free grace though it doth not exclude Christs merit and the act of faith as imbracing the righteousnesse of Christ See Doct. 5. Yet it excludeth all things in our selves whether dignity of our natures the enjoyment of civil or ecclesiastick priviledges nobility of discent all our common or more speciall gifts and induements whether of nature or grace from having any meritorious or causall influence in bestowing either a right to salvation or the possession of it for Paul opposeth these two by grace are ye saved and that not of your selves 8. As heaven and salvation are Gods gift so they are such a gift as is freely given by God who is not induced thereto by any thing in the person to whom it is given whether sense of benefit already received or hope of any benefit to be received from Him in time coming which occasioneth the bestowing of gifts among men salvation is indeed a gift but not such a gift for it is a gift without all rise from any thing in our selves And that not of your selves it is the gift of God saith he Vers. 9. Not of works lest any man should boast HE further explaineth in what sense their salvation did come from free grace and proveth it by other two arguments which do also confirm the two former The first taken from the removeall of those things in particular from having any meritorious or causall influence upon their salvation which all men have a kind of naturall propension to rely upon for salvation to wit their works and those even their good works for so doth he explain himself ver 10. whence it followeth that they were saved of grace and not of themselves The second is taken from the end aimed at by God in contriving the plot of lost mans salvation to wit that all ground of gloriation might be taken away from man as being in the meanest respect a saviour to himself and that all the glory might be ascribed compleatly unto God in Christ See 1 Cor. 1. 30 31. which end could not have been obtained except they had been saved by grace and not of themselves Doct. 1. Though the word grace in Scripture be somtimes taken for the saving graces of Gods Spirit in us 2 Pet. 3. 18. yet when salvation is ascribed unto Gods grace we are alwayes to understand grace in God that is His free favour and goodwill and not grace inherent in us or good works the exercise of that grace for the Apostle establisheth grace ascribing our salvation to it and excludeth grace inherent and good works which were inconsistent if they were the self same thing Not of works saith he 2. The salvation of Believers doth so much flow from free grace as that all works of theirs even their good works are thereby excluded from having any meritorious influence upon it for even our best works are imperfect Isa. 64. 6-they are a debt which we owe unto God Luk. 17. 10. the power and activity whereby we do them is given of God Phil. 2. 13. and therefore we can merit nothing and least of all salvation by them at Gods hand Thus the Apostle explaineth how we are saved by grace even so as to exclude all works Not of works saith he 3. Though a man may boast and glory of the good things which God hath given him in some respects See upon Gal. 6. ver 4. doct 5. Yet the way wherein salvation is conveyed unto sinners is so contrived that no ground is left for man to boast in himself for any thing which his wisdom goodnesse power or worth do contribute for bringing of his own salvation about either in part or in whole From the first step thereof election unto the last his glorification man and his worth are still depressed and God and His free grace alwayes exalted for the Apostle sheweth this was the end God did aim at even least any man should boast 4. In so far as works even good works have place in the matter of mans salvation so far hath man mater of boasting and ascribing the glory of his salvation to himself and holding back the glory of it from God for although good works do come wholly from the Spirit of God in so far as they are good yet they are our works in so far as they are wrought by us being now renewed and enabled to work by influence from God and therefore heaven and salvation
should in that case be given unto us for the vertue and worth of somewhat which is ours for Paul affirmeth that works even good works which we are created unto in Christ Jesus ver 10. are excluded from having any causall influence upon salvation lest any man should boast implying if works were not excluded man should have ground of boasting See Rom. 3. 27. Vers. 10. For we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them LEst the Apostle by commending grace and excluding works from being the cause of their salvation should have seemed to justle out works and an holy life as altogether unnecessary Therefore in this verse he sheweth that the study of good works is of absolute necessity required in those who are to be saved because all such whether Jew or Gentile for he speaketh in the first person including himself and the believing Jews are Gods workmanship that is renewed and made over again by Gods createing power through the interveening mediation of Christ Jesus and this of purpose that they may make conscience of good works yea and further God who had predestinated them to heaven had also decreed and prepared good works for them as the way wherein they behoved of necessity to walk in their journey to heaven which as it proveth the undeniable necessity of good works so it also confirmeth that they neither were nor could be saved by works because the power whereby they did good works did follow upon their regeneration and was given them freely by God As also God had prepared good works that they should walk towards heaven in them but not to merit heaven by them Doct. 1. Believers are Gods workmanship not only by naturall creation but supernaturall renovation they are not only once made but made over again not by having the substance of their soul and naturall powers thereof destroyed and new ones substantially different from those substituted in their place but by having the vitious qualities which were in those subdued and weakened and contrary graces and vertues implanted in their stead Eph. 4. 22 23 24. for saith Paul we are His workmanship the word signifieth a thing of His making whereby he meaneth not Gods first making of them as men but His making of them over again as renewed men which appeareth from what followeth His creating them in Christ and unto good works 2. As the making of sinners over again and new creatures is only Gods work So the power whereby He so maketh us is no lesse than creating power much like unto that power whereby in the beginning He made some things of nothing and some things of pre-existing matter but such as was wholly unfit and indisposed for those things to be made of it Gen. 2. 7. 22. considering that in this great and mighty work of God He maketh those who were wholly indisposed to good and averse from it Psal. 81. 11. yea perverse resisters of all motions towards that which is godly and holy Job 21. 14. to be true lovers of it and walkers in its for this much is implyed while he saith we are His workmanship created c. 3. Christ behoved to strike in as Mediator betwixt God and us before we could be made this new workmanship the life which we have by this new creation being purchased by His death 1 Joh. 4. 9. and applied unto us by His power after He is now arisen from death Act. 5. 31. The furniture whereupon the actions of this life are performed coming also from Him Joh 15. -5. for saith he we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus 4. Believers are made new creatures not to live idlely or to work wickedly but that they may in the whole course of their life make conscience of good works which are not only works of charity or duties of immediate worship but every duty whether of worship Act. 10. -2. or of our callings Act. 9. 36. 39. whether to God or man or to our selves Tit. 2. 12. which is warranted in the Word as lawfull or commanded as necessary Mic. 6. 8. gone about by a man regenerate and in Christ Mat. 7. 17 18. by vertue of influence from the Spirit of Christ Phil. 2. 13. for Gods glory as the main end of the worker 1 Cor. 10. 31. and with due respect had to all necessary circumstances Psal. 1 -3 every duty of that kind so gone about is a good work which Paul saith they were created unto in Christ Jesus even unto good works 5. Though many actions of unregenerate men are materially good and very usefull both for themselves and others Rom. 2. 14. yet no unregenerate man can do any work which is spiritually good and acceptable to God even their good works are but shining sins as being destitute of a great part of these necessary requisites unto a good work mentioned in the former Doctrine for Paul sheweth that a man must be a new creature and Gods workmanship before he can do a good work for we are saith he Gods workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works 6. Though good works be not necessary to merit or purchase salvation yet are they necessary unto those who are justified and saved in severall respects not only as they are the necessary fruit and end of regeneration and as they are the way which leadeth to heaven their necessity in both which respects is grounded upon the present Scripture but they are necessary also as evidences of our right to salvation 1 Joh. 3. 14. as a guard to preserve peace with our own consciences 2 Cor. 1. 12. as evidences of our thankfulnesse to God and Christ who hath freely saved us 1 Pet. 2. 9. and for the edification of others Matth. 5. 16. for the Apostle's scope is to prove that as we are not saved by works so that good works are necessary in other respects We are created unto good works which He hath fore-ordained that we should walk in them 7. Christians are like unto those who walk in a journey from one place unto another through a streight and beaten way which lyeth betwixt in so far as they advance from sin Ezek. 18. 31. to heaven Phil. 3. 14. in the way of holinesse and good works for the word rendered to walk whereby he expresseth what should be the daily exercise of a renewed man is a metaphore taken from those who travell in a journey and he maketh the way wherein they walk to be good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them 8. The Lord hath prepared and made ready good works as a beaten path wherein His renewed people may walk without any discourageing or perplexing difficulty in so far as He not only hath ordained in His eternall and unchangeable decree that they shall make conscience of good works which seemeth to be mainly meaned by His fore-ordaining of good works here spoken of but He doth also hold forth
Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone IN the third similitude he compareth the Church unto an edifice or stately building and sheweth that those Ephesians were a part of it Which similitude doth hold forth a further degree of nearnesse to and communion with God and His Church than the former in so far as the stones of an edifice are most strictly joyned together both with the foundation and amongst themselves and herein he doth doubtlesse allude to Solomons Temple which did prefigure the Church of the truly Regenerate And first that he may with greater clearnesse set forth this their happy condition he doth describe this spiritual stately and in several things admirable edifice from four things First in this verse from its foundation or that which doth support the weight of the building which he calleth the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles whereby is not meaned that the Prophets and Apostles in their own persons are the foundation of the Church for they are built as lively stones with the rest of the Elect upon the foundation Philip. 3. 8 9. And therefore we must hereby understand the foundation which was laid by them as wise master-builders under God 1 Cor. 3. 9. 10. to wit the Doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles or rather Jesus Christ the sum and scope of their Doctrine Rom. 10. 4. 1 Cor. 2. 2. as the Apostle expoundeth himself 1 Cor. 3. 11. and is clear from Isa. 28. 16. to which place he doth here allude and which is also more plainly set forth in the close of this same verse where the Apostle proveth that they were built upon that foundation because Christ is that corner-stone spoken of Isa. 28. 16. and Psal. 118. 22. So that the foundation and corner-stone must be both one in this place seing he inferreth the one from the other only with this difference that Christ is not only the lowest corner-stone which lyeth under the whole building and is a part of the foundation to which corner-stone He is compared Isa. 28. 16. but He is also the highest to which He is compared Psal. 118. 22. Yea and such a corner-stone as reacheth all alongs the angle from the foundation to the top of the building binding the two walls of the Church together which are the two Nations of Jews and Gentiles for the word in the Originall signifieth the extream corner-stone that is both the highest and the lowest and consequently compriseth all which ly between those two extreams neither doth the word imply that there are any other subordinate or secundary foundations or corner-stones seing the word is better rendered extream corner than chief Doct. 1. Those excellent priviledges bestowed upon Believers consisting in and flowing from union and communion with Christ and His Church are of such a spirituall sublime and divine nature and we are so carnall dull and slow of understanding that there are no proper significant words whereby to expresse them so as we may understand them for therefore is it that the Spirit of God doth speak of them to us in our own language and taketh similitudes from things earthly to set them forth that so we may at least understand somewhat of them as here he maketh use of a similitude taken from a stately building for that end And are built upon the foundation 2. So excellent and full are those priviledges and so compleat is that happinesse which is enjoyed by Believers that not any one similitude taken from earthly things can fully or in any measure satisfyingly set them forth for therefore is it that the Spirit of God doth multiply similitudes to this purpose that what is wanting in one may be supplied by another as here having set forth the happy state of Believers from the similitude first of a city next of a family ver 19. he doth in this verse add a third similitude taken from an edifice And are built upon the foundation saith he 3. So steadable is Jesus Christ unto Believers and of such universal use in order to their being built up in one temple unto God that there is not any one piece of a building by which His steadable usefulnesse can be sufficiently represented He is not only the foundation-stone who being the first stone which was laid in the building Rev. 13. 8. doth support this whole spirituall edifice Matth. 16. 18. who was brought so low by His sufferings and dayly in the preaching of the Gospel that the meanest Believer may be rolled upon Him Matth. 11. 28. and upon whom the weights of all Believers great and small do hing Isa. 22. 24. but He is also the corner-stone who reacheth from the foundation to the top of this spirituall edifice and joyneth Jew and Gentile the two walls of the Church together in one see ver 15. yea and all particular Believers are united in Him Joh. 17. -22 23. who breaketh the violent blasts of all those storms which would otherwise overthrow the edifice Isa. 25. 4. and use to beat most violently upon the corners of buildings Job 1. 19. who also is the choice of the stones of the building as corner-stones use to be Jer. 51. 26. as being of more durable substance even the great and mighty God Isa. 9. 6. and is in His humane nature adorned and polished with a variety and fulnesse of created graces above His fellows Psal. 45. 7. as corner-stones are more curiously ingraven and wrought than the rest of the building Psal. 144. 12. in whose stability and strength the strength of the whole spirituall edifice Matth. 16. 18. and of every lively stone thereof doth consist Joh. 10. 28. as the strength of an artificiall building consisteth in the goodnesse of the foundation and corners Matth. 7. 24 25. for the Apostle speaking of this spirituall edifice giveth unto Christ the place both of foundation and corner while he saith Ye are built upon the foundation of the Prophets Jesus Christ himself being the chief or extream corner-stone 4. That any man be a part of this spirituall edifice and do partake of all those glorious priviledges which flow from union and communion with God and His Church and are enjoyed by all the lively stones of this building he must be built upon Christ the foundation taking band upon Him by the cement of lively faith for the Apostle shewing that those Ephesians were a part of this spirituall building saith they were built on Christ And are built upon the foundation 5. There is no closing with taking band upon Christ aright as a foundation-stone or rock for salvation except He be conceived and accepted of as He is revealed and offered in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament for He is called the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles to wit whom they set forth and placed as a foundation in the Church by their Doctrine and Writings 6. Though God Himself be the principall author and builder of this spirituall edifice Isa. 28. 16. 1 Corinth 3.
called Ministers by God to hold forth unto the Lords People than the doctrine of Salvation through free grace the greatest of all trusts So whatever is committed or given by God unto them is not for themselves alone but for the good of those also unto whom they are sent and therefore God doth usually deal the better with Ministers for the Peoples sake for the relative which doth relate to the antecedent grace and Paul saith This grace or the doctrine of the Gospel is given me to you-ward Vers. 3. How that by revelation he made known unto me the mysterie as I wrote afore in few words 4 Whereby when ye read ye may understand my knowledge in the mysterie of Christ. THe Apostle being in the second branch of the first part of the Chapter to ver 13. more largely to illustrate what he did but briefly assert ver 2. to wit that the Apostolick office of dispensing the Gospel to the Gentiles was committed unto him doth first shew to ver 7. that he was sufficiently furnished by God with knowledge and insight in the Doctrine of the Gospel concredited to him And in those two verses he declareth not only the nature of this Doctrine that it is a mysterie or sacred secret but also that it was made known unto him by God together with the manner how he came to the knowledge of it to wit by extraordinary revelation from God and not by ordinary means as is more clearly expressed Gal. 1. 12. and for proof of his knowledge and insight in this mysterie he referreth them to what he hath written succinctly of it in the two former Chapters in which he hath by a most divine and ravishing strain set forth the grounds causes and means of salvation and made application of all both to Jew and Gentile which is the very comprehensive sum of this mysterie ver 3. from which two preceeding Chapters being diligently perpended and read by them he doubteth not but they should find he had not arrogantly and without ground ascribed to himself a great measure of knowledge and insight in that mysterie which he calleth the mysterie of Christ because Christ is the chief subject of the Gospel 1 Cor. 2. 2. and the very mysterie of that mysterie 1 Tim. 3. 16. This is contained ver 4. From ver 3. Learn 1. Whoever are called by God to undergo any office in His house they are in somemeasure greater or lesser competently furnished and fitted by Him for that imployment And therfore giftlesse Ministers were never sent by God for Paul having shown that the Apostolick Office was committed unto him by God ver 2. he now declareth how God had furnished him for it How that by revelation He made known unto me the mysterie 2. That the Gospel is a mysterie and in what respects it is so see chap. 1. ver 9. doct 1. He made known unto me the mysterie 3. The Lord doth usually manifest Himself more or lesse unto His Servants according to the nature weight and difficulty of those imployments unto which He doth call them for He maketh Himself manifest to Paul by extraordinary revelation because he was to serve Him in an extraordidary embassage as an Apostle How that by revelation He made known unto me 4. As Christ's Ministers may sometimes in sobriety speak to the commendation of their own knowledge and of their other ministerial abilities to wit when they are necessitated to assert and avow their calling from God So it is most safe to speak no further to that purpose than they have formerly given some proof of in discharge of their calling to which they may appeal as an undeniable confirmation of what they affirm lest otherwise their bare assertion be taken for vain vaunting and arrogant boasting for Paul being called to speak of his own knowledge and abilities as an evidence of his calling from God referreth them to that proof which he had given thereof in his former writings while he saith As I wrote afore in few words 5. The Doctrine of salvation revealed unto and Preached by the Apostles is contained in their writings and therefore there is no necessity of unwritten traditions for the Apostle proving that this mysterie was revealed to him he doth not refer them to what he had preached unto them for the space of two years Acts 19. 10. but to his writings which had been no adequate proof except he had written the sum of all which was revealed unto him at least of so much as was necessary for them to know As I wrote afore in few words 6. The Spirit of God speaking in Scripture hath comprised large and comprehensive purpose even the whole plot of mans salvation and the sum of mans duty in a small bulk and few words as knowing that reading much would be but wearisomenesse to the flesh Eccles. 12. -12. and intending that the gift of interpretation and exponing Scripture should have place in the Church 1 Corinth 12. 8. for Paul the pen-man of the Spirit of God giveth a comprehensive sum of the whole Gospel in the two first Chapters with relation to which he saith here I wrote afore in few words From ver 4. Learn 1. The brevity of Scripture and comprehensive largenesse of the purpose contained in it do not occasion any such obscurity in Scripture but by diligent reading the mind of God therein may be found out and understood for notwithstanding Paul hath shown he had comprehended that whole mysterie in few words yet saith he Whereby when you read ye may understand 2. The Word of God therefore ought to be frequently read and diligently perused by all the Lords people this being one mean and second to none except publick preaching Rom. 10. 14 15. which the Lord doth blesse as for other ends So for attaining to know and understand the purpose and subject-matter contained in the Word for Paul supponeth it was their duty to read what he had written and sheweth by reading they should understand his knowledge in the mysterie 3. Even private Christians through diligent reading of Scripture may attain to such a measure of knowledge and understanding as may enable them to judge of the abilities gifts and doctrine of Ministers for Paul speaking even to private Christians amongst those Ephesians saith Wherby when ye read ye may understand my knowledge in the mysterie of Christ. 4. Though private Christians are not to sist themselves as publick judges of the doctrine of Ministers 1 Cor. 14. 32. neither should they delight much in venting their private judgement especially their carping censures Iam. 1. 19 yet they are not as stupid blocks without triall and examination to receive what-ever the Minister saith but ought to passe a private judgment of discretion upon what they hear whether it be truth or error right or wrong in so far at least as may regulate their own practice in choosing or refusing what they hear 1 Thess. 5. 21. for Paul alloweth unto those Ephesians
to passe such a judgement upon his own doctrine and abilities Ye may understand my knowledge in the mysterie of Christ. Vers. 5. Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men as it is now revealed unto his holy Apostles and Prophets by the Spirit THe Apostle giveth a reason why he called the Gospel the knowledge whereof was revealed unto him a mysterie and thereby doth also prove that there was a necessity of extraordinary revelation for bringing him to the knowledge of it to wit because this Doctrine of salvation through free grace by Christ and more especially the calling of the Gentiles to partake of this salvation in all respects equally with the Jews which is chiefly intended by the mysterie here spoken of as is clear from ver 6. was not so fully and clearly made known in the former ages of the world unto any of the sons of men whether without or within the Church as it was now under the Gospel revealed immediately by the Spirit of God unto the holy Apostles who these were see upon Col. 1. ver 1. doct 2. and the Prophets of the New Testament spoken of Act. 15. 32. 21. 8 9 10. Eph. 4. 11. who being extraordinarily assisted by the Spirit of God did not only open up the prophetical Scriptures of the Old Testament confirming and proving the Doctrine of the Gospel from these but also did foretell things to come Doct. 1. The children of men are naturally ignorant of Gospel-truths and know no further of them than God is pleased to reveal and make known unto them for the Apostle sheweth that the sons of men were passive as to the measure of light which was attained unto of those truths Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men as it is now revealed 2. The Lord in bestowing grace and the saving knowledge of Himself doth act as a most free agent not constrained by any necessity so that He dispenseth grace to whom He will Rom. 9. 18. to some more sparingly and to others more liberally whether we compare times with times or persons with persons in one and the same time Rom. 12. -3. for He hath revealed the saving knowledg of this mysterie now under the Gospel in a greater measure than he did formerly Which in other ages was not made known as is now revealed saith he 3. Neither the Doctrine of salvation through free grace by Christ nor Gods purpose to call the Gentiles to partake of this salvation equally with the Jews was altogether unknown to the ancient Church before Christ came there being severall manifestations of the former in the Covenant of Grace as it was first revealed unto Adam Gen. 3. 15. and after renewed with Abraham Gen. 17. 7. David 2 Sam. 23. 5. and commented upon by the Prophets Isa. 53. 3 c. and many full prophesies also of the latter which the Apostles themselves did make use of to confirm the calling of the Gentiles as Act. 13. 47. cited from Isa. 49. 6. and Act. 15. 15. cited from Amos 9. 11 for the Apostle doth not simply deny that the former ages had any knowledge of this mysterie at all but comparatively It was not in other ages made known as it is now revealed But fourthly neither the Doctrine of salvation nor yet the calling of the Gentiles were so fully or clearly revealed under the Old Testament as they are now under the New both of them being but sparingly spoken to then Mat. 13. 17. and what was spoken for the most part wrapped up in a vail of types and shadowes so that they could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished 2 Cor. 3. 13. The latter to wit the calling of the Gentiles being only then fore-told and prophesied of and therefore could not be so distinctly solidly and satisfyingly known as now when it is accomplished Besides that the time when and the manner how it was to be accomplished and particularly that the Gentiles should have accesse unto the Church without an entrance by the door of circumcision Those I say were either not at all or but very sparingly revealed so that even the Apostles themselves after Christs ascension did doubt and hesitate much about the truth of this mysterie untill it was more fully revealed Act. 10. 10 c. for saith Paul Which in other ages was not made known as it is now revealed 5. As Christs servants may be sometimes necessitated to speak unto the commendation of their own receipts from God So Christian sobriety will teach them to be so far from disparaging or undervaluing the receipts of others to render themselves thereby the more esteemed of That they will endeavour to have others who are equally deserving to partake with them in that deserved esteem which they challenge unto themselves for Paul having begun to speak ver 3. of that knowledge of this mysterie which was revealed unto himself doth here affirm the same of all the Apostles and Prophets As it is now revealed unto the Apostles and Prophets 6. Though God might easily communicate the knowledge of Himself unto all whom he intendeth to save in a way extraordinary immediately and without the help of second means Act. 2. ver 3 4. yet He hath rather chosen to communicate His mind so unto some few only who have some of them at least at His appointment 2 Pet. 1. -21. set down in sacred Writ what they themselves did immediately receive from God 1 Job 1. 1. by which means the knowledge of God may in an ordinary way be conveyed unto others Job 20. 31. The Lord hereby preventing Satans designe who would otherwise have obtruded upon people his own delusions in place of immediate revelations from God 2 Chron. 18. 21. and trying the obedience of His people if they will subject themselves unto His will and word in the mouth of His Servants Matth. 10. 40. as also gently sparing their infirmity and weaknesse who could not one among a thousand carry aright those extraordinary manifestations of God unto their spirits 2 Cor. 12. 7. for saith Paul this mysterie was revealed by the Spirit to wit immediately not unto all but to His holy Apostles and Prophets 7. As all the Lords Ministers ought to be inherently holy not only because of the precept enjoyning so much in a speciall manner unto Ministers Tit. 1. 8. but also for the more successefull discharging of their office seing the secret of the Lord is with them who fear Him Psal. 25. 14. and the lips of the righteous feed many Prov. 10. 21. and as all the extraordinary Office-bearers for what is revealed Judas alone excepted and Pen-men of holy Scripture were really sanctified and holy So inherent holinesse without a peculiar illumination of the Spirit of God superadded for that end is not sufficient for giving clear light and insight in Gospel-mysteries for He giveth the Apostles and Prophets the epithet of boly to shew they themselves were so
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
and all the members thereof are but one body is a strong argument inforcing the duty of keeping peace and unity it being no lesse absurd and prodigious for Christians to bite and devour one another than if the members of one and the self-same natural body should rise up against tear and destroy one another for he inforceth the study of unity from this That there is one body 2. That any be a member of this one body it is necessary he have the Spirit of God residing in him whereby he may be quickened and acted either by the saving operations of that one Spirit otherwise he cannot be a member of the invisible body Rom. 8. 9 10. Or by His common gifts and operations otherwise a man come to age and understanding cannot be a member no not of the visible body 1 Cor. 12. â—1 for he maketh this one body and one Spirit of equal extent There is one body and one Spirit 3. That the whole Church and all the members thereof are animated and acted by one and the self-same Spirit of God is a strong motive to incite to the study of peace and unity seing divid lusts and practices are among those sins which grieve the Spirit See ver 30. 31. and that the difference of gifts and graces wrought in us by that one Spirit are given of purpose to make each member either usefull to another by that wherein it excelleth or indigent of the help of others in that wherein it cometh short and so to have the same care one of another 1 Cor. 12. from vers 14. to the end for he presseth unity from this that there is one Spirit 4. As an external call by the ministery of the Word and professed obedience thereto is sufficient to make a man a member of the visible body and to partake of the common operations of the Spirit So that any be of this mysticall invisible body and quickened and acted by the saving operations of this one Spirit it is necessary they be effectually called and actually translated out of their natural state to the state of grace for he maketh their being of this one body and having this one Spirit to be necessarily joyned with their calling to wit their being of the visible body and having the common operations of the Spirit with the external calling and their being of the invisible body and having the saving operations of the Spirit with the inward and effectuall calling Even as ye are called 5. Though effectual calling be a work of Gods Spirit there being none who comes to Christ except the Father draw him Joh. 6. 44. yet none is compleatly called untill he yeeld obedience to Gods call and being wrought upon by God doth actually work and concur with God for that end for what he called chap. 1. ver 18. Gods calling is here expressed to be their calling because then only are we called when we obey the call of God In one hope of your calling saith he 6. As those who are yet in nature not effectually called are in a hopelesse state having no right to heaven and happinesse and consequently no ground to hope for it how big soever they be otherwayes in their vain and groundlesse hopes Deut. 29. 19 20. So effectual calling doth open to the person'called a large door of well-grounded hope that whatever be his misery here yet he shall be perfectly blessed in the full enjoying of God for evermore hereafter for the called man only hath right to those rich promises 2 Pet. 1. 3 4. and God by calling him doth engage Himself to perform all that is promised to the called man according to his hope 1 Thess. 5. 23. with 24. for therefore are those glorious things hoped-for called the hope of our calling 7. The consideration of this that called Saints are all of them aiming at one and the self-same prize of their high calling and shall live together in glory should be a strong argument to make them live in peace and concord while they are here Their joynt aiming at one mark should make them of one mind and heart especially seing there is that in glory which will suffice all and their seeking of one thing needeth be no occasion of strife and emulation but rather of unity in heart mind and affection for why should they strive together who not only are brethren Gen. 13. 8. but also are heirs together of the grace of life 1 Pet. 3. 7. yea heirs with Christ Rom. 8. 17. and shall one day reign together in glory for he presseth their keeping unity from this that they were effectually called and heaven and glory hoped-for would suffice all and be enjoyed by all Even as ye are called in one hope of your calling Vers. 5. One Lord one faith one baptism IN this verse are other three of these unities which are also so many bonds of and incitements to that unity exhorted unto ver 3. First there is but one Lord which title though it belong to all the three Persons in the blessed Trinity by right of creation and accordingly is given to God under the name of Master Mal. 1. 6. yet seing the unity of the Spirit is spoken to ver 4. and of God the Father ver 6. therefore it ought in this place to be astricted to Christ the second Person to whom it is in a peculiar manner due by right of Redemption in so far as He hath redeemed the Elect from their naturall slavery and bondage under sin Satan and Gods wrath to be a peculiar people unto Himself 1 Pet. 1. 18 19. and hereby hath purchased a right to rule over them as Mediator Lord-depute and Administrator under the Father Philip. 2. 9 10 11. And He is said to be but one Lord there being none to whom either as partner or substitute He will communicate this His glory of dominion and lordship over His Church either in whole or in part 1 Pet. 5. 3. Secondly there is but one faith where by faith may be meaned the grace of faith for that is also one in respect of the author God Col. 2. 12. of the object which it apprehendeth the whole Word of God Act. 24. 14. and especially Christ and the promises Philip. 3. 9 Yet by faith is mainly here meaned the Doctrine of faith proponed by God to be believed as Gal. 1. 23. and this Doctrine is but one because though in the severall ages of the Church it was proponed diverse wayes and with considerable variation in some weighty circumstances Eph. 2. 14 15. yet in substance it hath been is and ever shall be the same Act. 15. 11. Heb. 13. 8. and from Christs coming in the flesh even to the end of the world it is to remain the same both for substance and circumstance Heb. 12. 27 28. and though there be different opinions in the Church about divine Truths revealed in the Scripture which occasioneth different faiths See ver 13. Yet there is only this one
understanding c. 2. No mother-wit naturall philosophie or carnall wisdom is a sufficient rule to walk by in a way acceptable to God or to convey us safely through those rocks and snares which are spread for our feet in evil times 1 Cor. 1. 20 21. and 2. 14. It is only the knowledge revealed in His Word which is able to reach this end as containing in it a most perfect rule both of faith and manners 2 Tim. 3. 16 17. for he would have them in order to this end understanding what the will of the Lord is 3. There is that in God's will revealed in Scripture and in no other writings else which is sufficient to make a man compleatly wise unto salvation and to drive away those dark clouds of ignorance and folly which are in the spirit of every man by nature there being no other science or knowledge which can give a through discovery either of our lost estate by nature or of the way of our delivery from it by a Redeemer nor yet of that obedience in its full extent wherein our thankfulnesse for a delivery consisteth for he opposeth those two Be not unwise but understanding what the will of the Lord is 4. As it ought to be a Christian man's study to know the will of God revealed in Scripture So this is a subject which never will be perfectly known there being alwayes some new thing to be learned of it and from it even by those who are greatest proficients in the knowledge of it Psal. 119. 96. and therefore we must be still schollers at this school for Paul setteth forth their studying to know this subject by a word of the present time implying it would be a continued lasting work while he saith understanding what the will of God is Vers. 18. And be not drunk with wine wherein is excesse but be filled with the Spirit IN this verse are other two of those precepts which do belong to all Christians in generall first that they be not drunk with wine where by wine is meaned all drink which maketh drunk set forth in one of its kinds which is most generally known And the Apostle's scope is not to forbid all use of wine seing it may be lawfully used as all other good creatures of God 1 Tim. 4. 4. for health 1 Tim. 5. 23. for satisfying thirst Rom. 12. 20. as also for a Christian and sober chearing up the naturall and vitall spirits upon some singular occasion Joh. 2. 8. Prov. 31. 6. but he condemneth all excessive and inordinate use of wine when more of it is taken than either natural necessity calleth-for or Christian sober recreation and chearfulnesse doth allow and so much as our bodies and spirits are thereby overcharged in some measure lesse or more and so rendered unfit for God's service Luk. 21. 34. even although the use of naturall reason be not taken away by it Isa. 5. 22. This disswasive from drunkennesse is inforced from the sad concomitant and consequence of this sin called here excesse The word signifieth lavish wasting and destruction which wasting destruction is extended elsewhere to the drunkards means Prov. 23. 21. his reputation and credit Hab. 2. 16. his natural strength of body Prov. 23. 29. his wit and judgement Hos. 4. 11. yea and to his soul for ever without repentance 1 Cor. 8. 10. So that this one word hath a comprehensive sum of all those dreadfull consequences which do accompany this one sin Secondly in opposition to their being drunk with wine he exhorteth them to be filled with the Spirit of God to wit by labouring to have the fruits of the Spirit in all goodnesse righteousnesse and truth with joy peace and the comfortable sense of His presence abounding in them in a rich and copious measure Doct. 1. Christians as in all other things so in their eating and drinking must be ruled by the Word and neither by their own appetite Prov. 23 1 2. nor the pleasure of others Hos. 7. 5. for he prescribeth a rule for their drinking Be not drunk with wine saith he 2. So pernicious and perverse is our naturall corruption that those things which God hath given to man for his help and good are perverted by it for bringing about his hurt both in soul and body and outward estate for wine which is given for health and glading the heart of man Psal. 104. 15. is abused to drunkennesse and consequently to God's dishonour and the man 's own prejudice so much is supponed while he saith Be not drunk with wine 3. There is no sin more inconsistent with wise circumspect and conscientious spending of time than the sin of immoderate drinking is Experience sheweth it consumeth time casteth open doors to all wickednesse burieth shame which keepeth many from vice and transformeth a man to a very beast so that he neither knoweth nor careth what he doth it is the mother of strifes and lust driveth to stealing lying swearing and what not for in opposition to the duty of walking circumspectly and redeeming the time he mentioneth this sin of drunkennesse and forbiddeth it And be not drunk with wine saith he 4. Such is the tyrannie of this sin that where it is once given way to it carrieth a man headlongs in the service of it so that he valueth no losse whether of credit means body or soul if he may get his beaâ—tly appetite satisfied for Paul supponeth many were given to this sin though therein was excesse or destruction and losse of all the forementioned good things following upon it while he saith wherein or in which being drunk or in which drunkenness there is excess or losse and destruction 5. Though a gracious person may through infirmity slip into this sin of drunkennesse Gen. 19. 32 33. yet a drunken course of life cannot consist with a mans having the spirit of grace in any plentifull measure seing He is a spirit of temperance chastity and moderation Gal. 5. 23. and not of excesse for the adversative particle but implyeth an opposition betwixt those two drunkennesse and enjoying the presence of the Spirit of God Be not drunk with wine but be filled with the Spirit 6. We ought not to rest upon and content our selves with a small measure of the graces of Gods Spirit but are to endeavour to be filled with them and to have the Spirit of God dwelling richly in us by actuating all our graces Cant. 4. 16. and adding one degree of grace unto another 2 Pet. 3. 18. for he commandeth them not only to have but to be filled with the Spirit 7. What even fleshly sinfull pleasure a man doth find or imagineth to find from any sinfull course the same and much more is to be had in a spirituall and divine manner in the way of grace and particularly a copious plentifull measure of the spirit of grace doth work the like effects spiritually which wine immoderately taken doth bodily It filleth the soul with joy and gladnesse Psal. 4.
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
of Christs body are by nature lost and gone even dead in sin and children of wrath Eph. 2. 1. -3. So there was no way for their recovery but by Jesus Christ His becoming man and suffering death and uniting Himself being now risen from death unto them as their head that so He may bestow the influences of spirituall life with a right to heaven upon them here and at last take them to Himself in glory hereafter for he sheweth that Christ is become the Churches head that He might be a Saviour of his lost body 6. The dominion and power which husbands have over their wives is not tyrannicall rigid or soveraign but loving gentle warm and amiable and such as the wife may look upon as a mercy to her self as well as a dignity unto her husband for it is compared here unto that sweet and naturall power which the head exerciseth over the body and Christ over His Church who maketh His people willing in the day of His power and it ought to be employed wholly for the good and safety of his wife as Christ is the Saviour of the body Vers. 24. Therefore as the Church is subject unto Christ so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing THe Apostle secondly repeateth the exhortation as a conclusion from the former argument that wives should subject themselves unto their own husbands and addeth two things 1. The manner of this subjection to wit such as it may resemble the subjection of the Church unto Christ which is to be understood not in all things for wives are not to subject their souls and consciences to their husbands as Believers do to Christ trusting in Him for life and salvation but in some things only to wit so as they may subject themselves willingly chearfully lovingly chastly and dutifully unto their husbands for so doth the Church subject herself unto Christ. He addeth secondly the extent of this subjection and obedience even to all things which is not to be understood of all things absolutly and without exception Acts 5. 29 but all things lawfull godly honest and which are not forbidden in the Word of God even though they crosse the humour of the wives and argue little discretion in the husband who commandeth them Numb 5. 14 15. c. for nothing is excepted here but what is contrary to that subjection which is due to Him who hath commanded this subjection of wives to their husbands as Paul commenteth upon an expression like to this 1 Cor. 15. 27. Doct. 1. As subjection in wives unto their husbands is a most necessary duty So considering the inbred pride arrogance and self-willednesse which is in all the sons and daughters of Adam by nature it is a work of no small difficulty to get wives peswaded to give that hearty chearfull loving and dutifull respect and obedience unto their husbands which both the Law of nature and the written Word of God do require from them for to what purpose else doth he reiterate this exhortation and inforce it by so strong and convincing arguments Therefore as the Church is subject unto Christ so let the wives be unto their own husbands 2. Though there be much unmortified corruption in the Church of true Believers and a law in their members rebelling against the law of their mind Rom. 7. 23. yet God doth look upon them as true and loyall subjects to Christ in so far as with the Spirit and better part according to which God doth reckon with them they serve the Law of God Rom. 7. 25. and do groan after and long for the time when they shall be fully freed from the body of death and throughly subjected unto the will of God Phil. 1. 23. for while he saith as the Church is subject unto Christ it is supponed that the Church is subject unto Him and looked upon by God as such 3. The servants of Christ in pressing duties ought mainly to guard against that extremity which people naturally are most prone to fall into especially seing all the guards which can be used will have sufficient work to keep the heart from breaking over upon that hand for though there be some things excepted from coming under that obedience which wives do owe to their husbands as was cleared in the exposition yet because wives are more inclined to multiplie exceptions in this purpose than to diminish them Therefore he extendeth this obedience expresly to all things leaving them only to gather from the circumstances of the Text and other places of Scripture those few things which are excepted that thereby he may with one word cut off all unscriptural exceptions limitations and restrictions which imperious aspiring spirits impatient of the yoke are ready to bound and straiten this submission and obedience by Let them be subject in every thing saith he Vers. 25. Husbands love your wives even as Christ also loved the Church and gave Himself for it THe Apostle doth now exhort husbands to their duty which he first proponeth summarily under the name of love to their wives whereby the heart and inmost affections of the husband ought to be so inclined and disposed towards his wife as that not only he do wish her good but also endeavour unto his utmost to bring it about which is not to be so understood as if the wife were not bound to love her husband also Tit. 2. 4. But he presseth love upon the husband in particular because he is most ready to fail in this duty of love and to abuse that superiority which God hath given him over his wife by proving rigorous and bitter against her Col. 3. -19. Now this love enjoyned to husbands is not that common Christian love which is extended unto all Christians of both sexes as unto brethren and sisters in Christ Joh. 13. 34. but a speciall and conjugall love which ought to be extended unto none but unto a mans own wife and it includeth cohabitation with his wife and contentation with her love only Prov. 5. 18 19. a patient bearing with her infirmities and frailties 1 Pet. 3. 7. with a fatherly care to defend her 1 Sam. 30. 5 c. to provide for her in all things according to his power which either her necessity or dignity of her rank doth require 1 Tim. 5. 8. lovingly to govern direct and instruct her 1 Cor. 14. 35. yea and to cherish her ver 29. Next he inforceth this duty by two arguments The first whereof is proponed in this verse to wit Christ's example who loved His Church and from love gave Himself for it See upon ver 2. Which example of Christ's love doth not only inforce the duty as an argument but also point forth the right manner of the duty as a pattern In so far as the husbands love ought to resemble Christs to wit in the chastity of His love who loveth none to His Church Joh. 17. 9. the sincerity of His love who loveth the Church not for His but
10. 16. but also to confirm the grant of them to us if we believe Rom. 4. 11 yea and to exhibit a greater measure of those saving graces unto us upon our right using of them 1 Cor. 11. 24. therefore is it that the thing signified is ascribed unto the sign and seal Now the Apostle doth mention Baptism only and not the Lords Supper either because there is the same reason for both and therefore it was sufficient to expresse the one or because Baptism is the first and leading Sacrament and sealeth up our regeneration and new birth in a peculiar manner Tit. 3. 5. and therefore it is most appositly mentioned here where he speaketh of God's work in bringing sinners out of nature unto the state of grace The second mean and instrument which God maketh use of is the Word to wit the Covenant of Grace revealed in the Gospel and preached by sent Ministers Rom. 10. 15. which the Lord doth blesse for conveying grace to gracelesse sinners and so for sanctifying and cleansing them not by any vertue in the sound syllabs or sentences of this Word but by the effectuall working of His own Spirit Acts 16. 14. whereby He doth accompany His Word when and where He pleaseth Joh. 3. 8. Doct. 1. The love which an husband carrieth unto his wife ought to make it self evident not only in these things which tend to her welbeing in things temporall but also and chiefly in his sincere endeavours to bring about her spiritual and eternall good by labouring to instruct her in the saving knowledge of God in Christ 1 Pet. 3. 7. lovingly to admonish her for her faults Job 2. 10. and to pray with her and for her 1 Pet. 3. -7. for the example of Christs love to His Church which he is to imitate doth teach so much seing He from love gave Himself for the Church that He might sanctifie and cleanse her 2. As Gods Image was lost and forfeited by Adam's fall unto all his posterity so there was not any possible way for our recovering of it except a price and no lesse price than the bloud of Christ had been first payed to provoked justice for it for Christ behoved to give Himself and thereby purchase sanctification for us that so He might sanctifie and cleanse the Church 3. Our dying Lord had an actuall intention in due time to sanctifie and accordingly doth regenerate justifie and sanctifie yea and bring unto glory all those for whom he died and gave Himself a sacrifice and offering unto God for His intentions cannot be frustrated but He must see the travell of His soul Isa. 53. 11. Now that He intended to sanctifie all such is clear For He gave Himself for it that He might sanctifie and cleanse it 4. As all those for whom Christ our Lord did from love give Himself and whom by His death He intended to sanctifie were in themselves polluted and unclean lying in their bloud defiled both with the guilt of sin already committed and with the filthy vilenesse of sin yet indwelling Eph. 2. 1 -3. So such was the fervency of love in Christ to lost sinners and such was the vertue of His merit that no uncleannesse of this kind did make Him loath them or despare of getting them made clean For that He gave Himself for the Church to cleanse it supponeth that they were unclean and yet He loveth them and from love setteth about to cleanse them 5. The stain and blot of sin both in its filth and guilt hath so much sunk down in and polluted the whole man in soul and body that no liquor under heaven can wash it out or cleanse the soul from it but only the washing cleansing vertue of Christs most precious bloud For He gave Himself for the Church that He might cleanse it 6. This precious liquor of Christs bloud did not cleanse and sanctifie all those for whom He gave Himself so soon as it was shed upon the crosse no there neither was nor can be any cleansing of any by the bloud of Christ untill it be effectually applied unto the filthy soul for he mentioneth the Word and Sacraments as the means whereby Christ applieth the vertue of His death and ascribeth therefore this effect of cleansing unto them He gave Himself that He might cleanse it by the washing of water by the word 7. As this work and duty of applying the cleansing vertue of Christs death by a lively faith Act. 15. 9. is of all the other most difficult So the goodnesse of God hath provided many means by the help whereof we may be carried on towards it the chief whereof are the Word preached and the Sacraments administrated the former containing the charter or grant of Christ and of all His benefits from God unto every one who will receive Him Job 3. 16. The latter being the great seal of heaven annexed to this grant Rom. 4. 11. that thereby we may be more and more confirmed in the faith of it for His providing these means doth point at both the difficultie of applying Christ and his care to have us brought up to it That He might cleanse it by the washing of water and by the word 8. The Spirit of God prescribeth means unto Himself by which He bringeth about the work of grace in gracelesse sinners not to ty Himself absolutely and in all cases to such means but that we may be tyed to depend on Him in the use of them His ordinary way being to convey grace by these for though He may sanctifie some from the womb before they hear the Word or receive any Sacrament Jer. 1. 5. yet He holdeth these forth as the ordinary means by which He cleanseth even the washing of water by the word Vers. 27. That he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish HEre is the second end of Christs giving Himself for His Church as also of His sanctifying it which end is not attained untill the life to come for besides that he hath spoken of the Churches state of grace ver 26 the words here used are so comprehensive and large that they cannot be well understood to have their full accomplishment untill Believers be brought by Christ unto that full perfection in grace which shall be attained in glory Which state of perfection is here set forth by that most perfect union and conjunction which the Church shall have with Christ being presented to Him as the Bride to the Bridegroom for the through accomplishing of the marriage by vertue of which most perfect union the Church shall be glorious that is perfectly holy and happy as he after explaineth shewing all evil whether of sin or misery shall be removed even the least spot of sin or wrinkle through old age or misery not excepted and that all contrary good shall be bestowed both perfect holinesse and happinesse in such a measure that
which is betwixt Christ and His Church for what was spoken historically of marriage is here applied mystically to Christ For this cause shall a man leave c. 3. As the Church of true Believers is the Bride the Lambs wife espoused already to Christ So never any man did more to purchase a Bride to himself than Christ hath done for His. He laid aside the glory which He had with the Father and became of no reputation as was mystically foretold in this history of the first marriage A man shall leave his father and mother 4. The great travel and trouble which Christ was put to for purchasing a Bride unto Himself doth not make Him regard her the lesse now when He hath her for He doth inseparably cleave unto her with most ardent and exemplary affection as was also mystically foretold And shall be joyned to his wife Vers. 32. This is a great mysterie but I speak concerning Christ and the Church THe Apostle concludeth this purpose concerning the spiritual conjunction of Christ and His Church here made use of to illustrate that near conjunction betwixt husband and wife with an observable acclamation that it is a great mysterie which word as it is usually taken in Scripture doth signifie a thing secret not obvious to every understanding and hid either in it self or in its cause and reason whether it be held out in plain terms or under the vail of some external sign or figure to represent it See 1 Tim. 3. 16. Eph. 3. 3. 1 Cor. 15. 51. Rom. 11. 25. 2 Thess. 2. 7. And lest by reason of his speaking all alongs of the bodily marriage betwixt husband and wife any had so far mistaken him as to think he called that a mysterie therefore he explaineth himself by shewing he was to be understood not of the bodily marriage but of the spiritual or that strict union or conjunction which is betwixt Christ and His Church Now he calleth this union a great mysterie because it is a thing hid in it self before it be revealed 1 Cor. 2. 7 8. yea and after it remaineth unsearchable by the light of reason how Christ now glorified in heaven can be one with us on earth and can only be acknowledged by faith Heb. 11. 1. Beside the bonds of this blessed union and conjunction are not naturall or bodily but spirituall even the Spirit of Christ Eph. 2. 18. and the grace of faith Eph. 3. 17. and therefore though the conjunction following upon these bonds be real Joh. 17. 21. operative Joh. 15. 5. and indissoluble Joh. 10. 28 29. yet the way of it is wholly spirituall and heavenly and consequently not so much to be searched into by reason what or how it is as to be believed that it is and improved for attaining and finding in our selves those blessed effects which do attend it where it is Doct. 1. That Papists have not ground from this place to make marriage a Sacrament properly so called is clear from the Apostle's own commentary whereby he sheweth by the mysterie here spoken of he doth not understand the bodily marriage but the spiritual beside that the word mysterie as we shew in the use of Scripture doth signifie a sacred secret not obvious to ordinary capacity and therefore every mysterie is not a Sacrament See 2 Thess. 2. 7. Rom. 11. 25. This is a great mysterie but I speak concerning Christ and the Church 2. The more a man doth attain to know of this mysterie of the mystical union and conjunction which is betwixt Christ and His Church the more he will be ravished with admiration at the unsearchable deepnesse and profundity of it so far will he be from thinking himself able sufficiently to comprehend it for even Paul who saw as far in this mysterie as any other Eph. 3. 4. doth stand admire and cry This is a great mysterie 3. As Ministers are bound to set forth to the Lords People that most near and blessed union betwixt Christ and believing souls and to presse upon them the study of the knowledge of it So both Pastors and People have need of much sobriety of spirit in diving into this subject not trusting to the quicknesse of their own wit nor judging of it by natural reason but resting upon what God hath revealed and made known concerning it and choosing rather to remain ignorant where he hath not revealed than curiously to search and pry further than is revealed for Paul while he is instructing them in this subject seeth it necessary to minde them of the profoundnesse of it this is a great mysterie 4. As we are ready through ignorance or inadvertence to mistake the right meaning and sense of Scripture So the Spirit of God speaking in Scripture hath carefully guarded against all such mistakes while he doth clear the right and genuine sense of a doubt some and dark Scripture by Scripture it self either in the same place or another for so doth Paul here while to obviate a possible mistake he saith But I speak concerning Christ and the Church Vers. 33. Neverthelesse let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself and the wife see that she reverence her husband HE doth here by way of diversion from dipping further at this time in that spiritual conjunction of Christ and His Church exhort both husband and wife to learn from that forementioned law of marriage a short sum of their respective duties and first that every husband without exception or admitting any excuse would love his wife as himself that is seing she is a piece of himself as ver 28. otherwise if the particle as were only a note of similitude comparing different things and making a mans love unto himself the rule of his love unto his wife Then every man's neighbours should be equally loved with his wife for every man is to love his neighbour as himself in that sense Gal. 5. 14. And secondly he enjoyneth the wife that she reverence or as the word signifieth from love do fear her husband the meaning whereof is that she inwardly acknowledge that degree of honour which God hath put upon him 1 Cor. 11. 3. and give evident testimony of her inward esteem in words 1 Pet. 3. 6. actions and whole carriage and especially in her loathnesse to offend him 1 Pet. 3. 2. Doct. 1. Though there be some latent mysteries intended by the Spirit of God to be set forth by some plain histories recorded in Scripture besides their historicall and literall sense yet we are not upon that pretence to turn the whole Scripture into an allegory as if no more were intended in those Scriptures by the Spirit of God but only to set forth the spirituall mysterie We ought to look upon the historicall and literall sense of them also and mainly and make such use of them as being so taken they will afford for Paul having shown the mystical and allegorical use of Adam's words doth divert from that
duty For understanding of which promise know that though it was to be understood even in the most plain and obvious sense of the words as it was held forth to the ancient Church to whom God used to promise and bestow things carnall and earthly as an earnest and shadow of things heavenly 1 Cor. 10. 11. Yet even then there was a tacite condition implied to wit in so far as the thing promised should serve for Gods glory 2 Chron. 35. 24. and the good of those to whom the promise was made 1 King 14. 13. But now under the New Testament though this promise even in the letter be doubtlesse fulfilled unto many Yet it is chiefly to be understood in a sprituall sense in so far as the godly obedient childe whether he live long or short doth alwayes live well because he liveth in Gods favour Psal. 63. 3. and cometh to a full and ripe age as having reached the prize and mark for attaining whereof life is given even the salvation of the soul Isa. 65. 20. Hence Learn 1. Though our first and chief motive unto duty ought to be the equity and righteousnesse which is in the thing it self as being commanded by God Yet we may eye the promised reward whether temporall or eternall as a secondary motive and encouragement providing it be not looked at as a thing to be merited by our obedience Luk. 17. 10. for as ver 1. he inforced this duty of obedience from the equity of it in the first place So here from the advantage which should redound unto children by it in the second place That it may be well with thee 2. So merciful is God to man that He hath injoyned only those things as equitably righteous and conducing to His own glory which tend also and no lesse to our own profit and advantage so that we need not to separate our own well-being from His glory but are alwayes to seek the former as a mean of and in subordination to the latter for the Apostle sheweth that this duty of obedience in children as it tendeth to glorifie God in the first place it being a doing of what is right according to His command So it tendeth to the advantage of children in the next That it may be well with thee 3. To live well and long upon the earth is in it self not to be despised or under-valued in so far as though the godly man the longer he liveth he is the longer keeped out of heaven yet he findeth the moe proofs and experiences of Gods goodnesse here on earth 1 Joh. 3. 13. and hath the larger opportunity of a fair seed-time of glorifying God here and consequently shall of free grace reap a more plentifull harvest of comfort at death and of glory hereafter 2 Cor. 9. 6. for he promiseth this as a blessing to the obedient childe that it may be well with thee and thou mayest live long upon the earth which as we shew is accomplished sometimes in the very letter 4. Then do we rightly apply unto our selves under the New Testament those things which were spoken to the Jews under the Old when passing-by what was in such things typical or astricted to the infant-state of the Church which then was we look upon what was substantial moral or of common equity as belonging unto us yet for so much doth the Apostle teach while citing the promise annexed to the fifth command he saith only that thou mayest live long upon the earth and omitteth the last clause of that promise to wit which the Lord thy God giveth thee Exod. 20. 12. whereby that promise was in a peculiar manner astricted to the Jews and to the land of Canaan which He did give them to inherit 5. The best way to thrive even in things worldly and to attain prosperity health wealth and length of dayes so far at least as shall serve for Gods glory and our own good is to live a godly life by taking heed thereto according to Gods Word and especially by giving due reverence and obedience to our natural parents and consequently to all our lawfull superiours because of the Command of God for unto the Command ver 2. Honour thy father and mother this promise is subjoyned that it may be well with thee and thou mayest live long upon the earth Verse 4. And ye fathers provoke not your children to wrath but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. HE doth here in a word set forth the duty of parents And because they are apt to abuse their parentall authority and chiefly the fathers therefore he enjoyneth to them and by consequence to the mothers to beware of provoking their children to wrath or of imbittering their spirits which is done either by denying them that which is their due in food râ—iment or meanes of education Lam. 4. 3. or by commanding things in themselves unjust 1 Sam. 20. 31. or by unjust and rigorous commands about things in their own nature indifferent 1 Sam. 14. 29. or inveighing with bitter words against them chiefly when there is no cause 1 Sam. 20. 30. and lastly by beating them either unjustly when there is no fault 1 Sam. 20. 33. or immoderatly unseasonably or basely when there is a fault Next he doth guard them against the other extremity of too much indulgence to their children while he exhorts them first to bring them up or as it is in the original to nourish them which comprehendeth not only their giving unto them present maintenance from the womb Gen. 21. 7. but also their providing for them against the future 2 Cor. 12. 14. and training them up in any lawfull imployment whereby they may be able under God to sustain themselves and theirs Gen. 4. 2. And secondly to joyn nurture and admonition with their education by the former whereof is meaned the timous seasonable and compassionate correction of children which parents are bound to dispense Prov. 13. 24. and by the latter is meaned the information of their judgement how they ought to carry themselves towards God in things religious Gen. 18. 19. and how towards man in righteousnesse civility and good manners which is also a great piece of the duty of parents towards children Prov. 31. 1 8 9. And lastly he addeth that their education must be in the admonition of the Lord Christ that is such as becometh Christians and by which young ones are instructed chiefly in the knowledge of Gods Word of Jesus Christ and of the way of salvation held forth by Him Hence Learn 1. Such is the prevalencie and interest of sin in the soul of man now fallen that in some it wholy extinguisheth or much weakeneth the most intense of our natural affections and maketh them run in a channel quite contrary unto what they ought for the Apostle supponeth that even naturall affection in some parents to their own children will be so far weakened as by their unnatural carriage to provoke and imbitter them
where it is weakest and the enemies greatest force doth lie for because masters are most prone to break out against their servants in threatning railing and reviling words as thinking words are but wind and their tongues are their own Psal. 12. 4. therefore he forbiddeth that evil mainly and expresly Forbearing threatning saith he 5. As it is very usuall for powers on earth sinfully to oversee and not to punish the cruell and unjust dealing of masters towards servants So those sins which are most connived at by men are most severely taken notice of by God for the Apostle mindeth them that God would call masters to an accompt how they carried towards their servants though men did not take notice of them Knowing that your master also is in heaven 6. It is too too ordinary for men in place and authority above others to carry themselves as if they had none above them to be countable unto or at least to dream that the Lord will not take such strict account of them as of their underlings and servants for the Apostle obviateth such thoughts and so doth indirectly imply that masters did so think while he saith your master also is in heaven and there is no respect of persons with him 7. Ministers are bound to inculcate even those truths upon the Lords people which they in charity do judge to be throughly known already by them because truths are better known than made use of by the most part yea the calling to mind of known truths by the publick Ministery doth through Gods blessing put a new lustre and efficacy upon them for inciting unto duty for therefore though the Apostle supponeth they knew this truth yet he putteth them in remembrance of it Knowing that your master is in heaven See what is observed further upon this description of God from His royal palace and impartiality in judging upon Col. 3. ver 25. doct 4 5. and Col. 4. ver 1. doct 4 5 6. Vers. 10. Finally my brethren be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might THe Apostle having from chap. 5. ver 21. exhorted unto those duties which belong to Christians as they are members of families doth now in the second part of this Chapter exhort unto one duty which belongeth unto all Christians in generall the making conscience whereof is necessary for practising all or any of the fore-mentioned duties even that they would prepare and make ready for a christian warfare And being in the first branch of this part of the Chapter unto ver 14. to inforce this duty more generally he doth first propone the exhortation to wit that finally or notwithstanding of all he had formerly spoken this one thing did remain yet necessary to be delivered by him for so much the Original word doth imply even that they would be strong fortifie themselves take to them spirits and resolutions in order to their Christian warfare And this first by looking at and making use of that strength which they had and all Believers have without themselves in the Lord Christ who is engaged with them as leader and generall in this warfare Joh. 10. 28. And particularly they are to look at and act their faith upon the power of His might or His almighty power in order to their being strong and resolute as that which alone was able to answer all their faintings and fears arising either from their own weaknesse Rom. 4. 19. with 21. or the strength of enemies Joh. 16. 33. Hence Learn 1. It is not enough for Christians to know what they ought to do by vertue of their severall relations except they also set about the practice of their duty according to what they know of it for the Apostle having already instructed them in the knowledge of their duty he sheweth this one thing was yet remaining even to prepare themselves with resolution and courage in order to their better practising of it Finally or this yet remaineth that ye be strong in the Lord. 2. As the duties of a Christian life whether in our generall or particular calling will not be discharged by us without a battell and conflict with strong difficulties and terrible adversaries So it is the duty of Christs Ministers not only to presse duties upon the Lords people but also to forewarne them of these difficulties and dangers which ly in the way of their duty and to instruct them how to wrestle with and overcome them all for so doth Paul having already pressed upon them the duties of their generall and particular callings he doth here not only forewarne them but also forearme them against difficulties and hazards Finally be strong in the Lord. 3. Though the Lords Servants sometimes may and are also bound to command and charge the people of God committed to their charge to make conscience of their duty 1 Tim. 6. 17. yea and also denounce against them most terrible threatnings if they neglect it 2 Tim. 4. 2. Tit. 1. 13. yet so long as gentle exhortations enforced with sweet smooth insinuations and rationall demonstrations of the equity and necessity of the thing may prevail they are rather to be followed by them thereby testifying their affection unto and charitable esteem of their hearers as of rationall men who are in a greater probability to be wrought upon by insinuations desires and convincing reasons than by threats and boasts for the Apostle doth here gently exhort them enforcing this exhortation by an insinuative compellation while he calleth them brethren and afterwards convinceth them of the equity and necessity of that to which he doth exhort them Finally my brethren be strong in the Lord. 4. So strong and terrible are these difficulties which Christians are assaulted with in the way of duty See ver 12. that there is need of more than ordinary strength resolution and courage for meeting with them and charging through them Faint hearted-cowards and lazie sluggards will never face them far lesse overcome them Prov. 22. 13. for in order to their rancountering those difficulties he biddeth them be strong that is take to them spirits and courage 5. No naturall courage nor hardinesse of spirit arising from mans naturall temper though in some respect sufficient for making men endure any temporall hardship without succumbing Prov. 18. 14. is able to underprop and bear us up against the furious assaults of such spirituall adversaries and breaking discouragements arising from such multiplied difficulties as daily do assault us in our Christian course for he biddeth them be strong not in themselves or in the power of their own naturall resolutions but in the Lord and the power of his might 6. No strength of grace inherent no spiritual courage flowing from the graces of Gods Spirit in us is alone and by it self sufficient to make us stand and bear us through as victors in this spirituall conflict we must besides be underpropped by the power and strength of Christ the Lord without us by whose influence our inherent graces
stand to their arms against him which implyeth that at least he would assault them yea and might in part prevail against them for we wrestle against the rulers of the darknesse of this world 15. Natural excellency greatnesse and dignity are very consistent and often-times found to be stained with the greatest moral deformity yea and most excellent creatures when they degenerate to wickednesse do usually prove most perverse for those glorious creatures whom he presently called principalities and powers having fallen from God became not only wicked but wickednesse it self in the abstract Against spiritual wickedness 16. So base so shamefull so defiling a thing is sin that it putteth a stain a blot a note of ignominy upon the greatest of created excellencies if once it get place yea the moe and more choice excellencies that God hath adorned any person with he proveth the more loathsom and abominable to God when he giveth loose reigns to wickednesse for those princely excellent creatures by reason of their sin are branded with this ignominious stile they are spiritual wickednesse 17. It addeth much to the christian souldier his disadvantage in this spiritual conflict that his grand and dreadfull enemy the devil is of a spiritual and immaterial substance for being a spirit he is of vast understanding and able to take up our natural inclination and what temptation will be most prevalent with us Joh. 12. 6. with Mark 14. 11. he is invisible both in his nature and approaches he oft doth reach a deadly blow before we know it is he 2 Sam. 15. 11. he penetrateth all material substance and cannot be keeped out by locked doors yea the external senses being closed he worketh upon the inward fancy and imagination Mica 2. 1. he is unwearied in his motions and never ceaseth to pursue his design notwithstanding of growing difficulties and multiplied repulses Gen. 39. 7. with 10. 12. he hath a singular dexterity in driving us on to act spiritual sins that is either inward sins of the heart or sins that are conversant not about carnal passions and fleshly lusts but spiritual objects such as spiritual pride errour unbelief c. these being more like to his own spiritual substance for he setteth him forth in his spiritual nature to make him more dreadfull as also according to the judgment of some Interpreters to hint at the kind of those tentations which with greatest dexterity and vigour he assaulteth the Saints with most even to spiritual sins against spiritual wickednesse or the spirituals of wickednesse as it is in the original 18. The malice of Satan doth bend it self against the Christian souldier not so much in his temporall and worldly as in his spiritual and heavenly concernments and whatever he doth to the Christian's hurt and prejudice in the former it is that he may hereby reach him a blow in the latter Job 1. 11. for Paul doth shew the matter about which the quarrel is betwixt Satan and us to be things heavenly not earthly in high places better because of heavenly things 19. No worldly concernment or hazard ought to go so near us as that which concerneth the eternal good and salvation of our souls the hazard of losing those concernments will startle a Christian souldier much as knowing it can profit him nothing to gain the whole world if he lose his soul for to make them take the alarm with greater speed he sheweth it was not things earthly but heavenly which Satan intended to spoile them of For we wrestle for heavenly things Therefore put on the whole armour of God as it is ver 11. Vers. 13. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day and having done all to stand HE doth here first repeat the former exhortation with some small variation as a conclusion following upon the former reason while he commandeth them to take unto them this whole armour and for the end formerly mentioned even that they might be able to withstand and resist the enemy as it were face to face foot to foot hand to hand and this chiefly in the evil day whereby is meaned not only the whole time of our life which is full of tentations and therefore in that respect evil but also and chiefly some circumstantiat time wherein tentations were to abound chiefly the time of death not excluding but rather probably including that time which was foretold by Paul himself Acts 20. 29 30. Next he enlargeth this end which was to be attained by their putting on and making use of their armour not only to their withstanding at the first onset and during the time of the fight but also to their standing after the victory and after they have done all or overcome all where by standing as it is distinguished from withstanding presently mentioned must be meaned the posture not of a souldier but of a conquerour who useth to stand when the conquered are thrown upon the ground Psal. 20. 8. Hence Learn 1. The dreadfull opposition which the Christian souldier must meet with in the way to heaven should not discourage or make him heartless but only incite him to shake off security and laziness and to prepare himself for the day of battell for from what he hath said ver 12. of their terrible adversaries he inferreth here wherefore take unto you the whole armour 2. As our serious fore-casting and thinking upon together with our preparing our selves accordingly for this christian conflict is a necessary duty So such is our love to carnal ease and security Prov. 6. 9. 10. that we are not easily excited to this duty one alarm will not do it for therefore doth he give them a second almost in the same words wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God 3. The graces of Gods Spirit by which the soul is compleatly armed for this spirituall conflict are not of our own making or procuring but being made to our hand by God we have them for the taking for he calleth them the whole armour of God and biddeth the Ephesians only take them take unto you the whole armour of God 4. As this spiritual armour or the saving graces of Gods Spirit being once put on may though not altogether 1 Joh. 3. 9. yet in a great part be wrung or wyled from us by the power and sleight of Sathan our dreadfull adversary So we are not in that case to quit the field and yeeld the cause but by renewing our faith repentance and former diligence in the use of meanes Rev. 2. 5. to take them to us again Neither are they ever so far lost but they may be recovered our great Generall being alwayes at hand to renew our strength to make us mount up and not be weary Isai. 40. 29 31. for the word rendered take unto you signifieth to take again or recover that which we have lost or let go 5. As our spiritual adversaries in this Christian conflict are most