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
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
sinners and specially in this that Heaven and Salvation though purchased at a dear rate by Christ Joh. 3. 16. is notwithstanding freely offered unto all Rev. 22. 17. and really to be bestowed upon all who do but come to Him Joh. 5. 40. and by saving-faith lay hold upon Him Joh. 3. 36. for God's calling them to receive the Doctrine of the Gospel is here termed His calling them unto the grace of Christ. 12. It is ordinary for Seducers and those that are acted by a seducing spirit to usher-in their Errors by some excellent designations as of New-Lights a more pure Gospel-way and what not as here they design their Eerror by the name of another Gospel and this doubtlesse as they would have had the people believe a more excellent Gospel than what Paul had preached for Paul in imitation of the false Apostles calleth their Errors Another Gospel Vers. 7. Which is not another but there be some that trouble you and would pervert the Gospel of Christ. THe Apostle taketh away that excellent title from the error of the false Apostles whereby themselves did design it and denieth it to be a Gospel at all yea and to be any other thing but the invention of men whereby they troubled the Churches peace and laboured to overturn and corrupt the doctrine of the Gospel Doct. 1. It is the part of Christ's Ministers to undeceive a seduced People by taking off the vail of fair pretences wherewith Error useth to be covered and so made the more taking and to set it forth in its vilest colours that People may loath it for Paul doth take the name of Gospel from this error declaring it to be nothing else but a perverting of the Gospel Which is not another 2. There is but one Gospel one in number and no more and but one way to Salvation held out in the Gospel which is by Faith laying hold upon the righteousnesse of Christ Joh. 3. 16. Whatever doctrine holdeth forth any other way to Salvation than this it is no Gospel no glad-tidings of Salvation but a perverting of the Gospel for so doth Paul affirm of the doctrine taught by the false Apostles Which is not another c. 3. The proper effect of Error is to trouble the Churches peace first their outward peace among themselves the patrons of Error being zealous of nothing so much as to gain many followers Mat. 23. 15. for attaining whereof they scruple not much to make wofull rents and deplorable schismes within the Church Rom. 16. 17. Secondly their inward peace of conscience while some are thereby rendred first perplexed and anxious what to choose or what to refuse and at last are made to question all Truth 1 Cor. 15. 32. and others to imbrace Error for Truth and so to ground their peace upon an unsure foundation which can give no solid peace no not in the mean time and whatever false peace is thereby offered it will afterwards end in trouble Jude 13. Hence it is said here of the false Apostles by Paul There be some that trouble you to wit by their Errors The Scripture-use of the word is mainly to signifie inward trouble anxiety fear and perplexity of mind Mat. 2. 3. and 14. 26. The word seemeth to be borrowed from the troubling of waters Job 5. 4 7. which usually cometh to passe by great winds Jona 1. 7. and applied to the troubling of the Galatians by the winds of erroneous doctrine Eph. 4. 14. Doct. 4. Then is usually the design of Satan and of his instruments against Truth most dangerous and so most to be watched against and feared Mat. 7. 15. when they speak fairest and endeavour to palliate their Errors with specious pretences for here when they pretend to no lesse than the holding out of a more excellent Gospel than Paul's ver 6. they endeavour even to pervert and overturn the Gospel of Christ. 5. However people who are in hazard of seduction or already seduced unto Error are to be tendered and by all means servently to be laboured with in order to their confirmation or recovery Jude 22 23. Yet these obdured Leaders and desperate Seducers are not much to be taken notice of Paul thinketh such unworthy whom he should once name But there be some that trouble you 6. The Doctrine which maintaineth that Justification and Salvation are obtained partly by Christ and partly by the merit of good works is a perverting and total overturning of the Gospel in so far as it contradicteth the main scope of the Gospel which is to hold out and exalt Christ as our compleat Saviour Mediator and Ransom and not in part only Eph. 2. 7 8 9. 1 Joh. 1. 7. Hence the false Apostles while they presse justification by works as appeareth from the tenour of the following dispute are said to pervert the Gospel of Christ. Vers. 8. But though we or an Angel from Heaven preach any other Gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed IN the third part of the Chapter the Apostle that he may justifie his former reproof asserteth the Divine Authority of that Gospel which he had preached unto them And first by denouncing the terrible curse of eternal separation from Christ against those who should corrupt that Doctrine by preaching another way of Salvation differing from it The certainty of which denounciation he confirmeth from the supposition of an impossible case That if either he himself or the other Apostles with him Yea or if an Angel from Heaven should teach otherwise they were not to be exempted from this curse and therefore much lesse should there be exemption for others Doct. 1. The written Word of God without the help of unwritten traditions containeth in it all Truths necessary for bringing about the salvation of those who yeeld themselves to be instructed by it for the written Word comprehendeth the sum and substance of all that Paul preached or believed Act. 24. 14. and no Doctrine differing from what he had preached was to be taught under the hazard of a curse which could not be except he had preached all necessary Truths Let him be accursed saith he who preacheth any other Gospel 2. Whatever Doctrine is propounded unto the Church as a part of God's Word and necessary to Salvation if it be diverse and differing from or besides the written Word though it be not directly contrary unto it it is a cursed Doctrine and the Authors thereof accursed The Ambassador who speaketh any thing beside his Commission is as well in a fault as he who speaketh the contrary though not so much for saith the Apostle If we preach unto you any other Doctrine than that the word signifieth besides that we have preached unto you let us be accursed 3. So assured ought Ministers to be of the truth of what they hold forth as the way to life and salvation that nothing imaginable no not the authority of an Angel from Heaven may prevail to brangle
it to make Paul invidious if Titus had been circumcised they were ready to traduce him to the Gentiles as a man who preached one thing to them and practised the contrary among the Apostles if he had not been circumcised they had ground to incense the Jews against him as a contemner of that divine Ordinance 7. Jesus Christ having by that only Sacrifice of Himself upon the Crosse fulfilled all those Legal Types and Shadows of things to come Heb. 8. 5. and 9. 9. hath purchased liberty unto the Christian Church and made them fully free from the observation of those Levitical Ceremonies chap. 5. 1. hence this freedom is called Our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus 8. The Ceremonial Law of Moses was a great bondage and most burdensome yoke Act. 15. 10. to the ancient Church what through the multitude of performances which were thereby injoyned some whereof were extreamly expensive Lev. 1 2 3 4 5. chapters others painfull and hazardous to the natural life Gen. 34. 25. and others most wearisom to the flesh Deut. 16. 16. and what through the punctual observance of all those Ordinances enjoyned under most terrible Certifications Deut. 27. 26. for the Apostle calleth the return of the Christian Church to the observation of the Ceremonial Law which was endeavoured by those false brethren a bringing of them unto bondage That they might bring us unto bondage From Vers. 5. Learn 1. When things in themselves indifferent are urged as necessary and required as an evidence of our assent unto an untruth or quitting of any part of Truth in that case which is indeed a case of confession the practice of a thing indifferent is sinfull and to be abstained from for so did the false brethren urge the Circumcision of Titus even as an evidence of Paul's receding from the Doctrine of Christian Liberty and therefore he obeyed them not To whom we gave place no not for an hour 2. Though much may be done for comopsing of Church-differences by using all meeknesse and forbearance towards those who oppose themselves 2 Tim. 2. 25. acting joyntly with them in those things wherein there is an harmonious agreement Phil. 3. 16. holding off publick debates in those things whereabout the difference is Rom. 14. 5. providing they be not of the most weighty and substantial Truths Gal. 5. 2 3. Yet we are not for peace's cause to quit the least part of Truth whether by a formal denying of it or doing that which in reason may and ought to be so expounded thus Paul who for lawfull ceding did become all things to all men 1 Cor. 4. 19 c. would not give place by way of subjection so as to yeeld the cause controverted to the adversaries neither would he do any thing though never so little and in its own nature indifferent which might be an evidence of his yeelding To whom we gave place by subjection no not for an hour he would not use Circumcision no not that once he would not cede one hair breadth to them 3. A Minister of Christ when he is called to confesse and avow Truth hath not only his own peace with God and keeping of a good conscience to look unto 2 Tim. 2. 11 12. but also the condition of his Flock who will be much shaken or confirmed in the Truth by his faint or bold and faithfull confession Thus Paul in the present business had an eye to the converted Gentiles of whom were these Galatians lest their Faith had been shaken by his inconstancy We gave not place faith he that the truth of the Gospel might continue with you 4. It is not enough that people have the name of the Gospel among them of some Truths of it being mixed with several Errors but all and especially Ministers should endeavour to have the Gospel in purity and integrity free from any mixture of contrary Errors for a little leaven to which Error is compared Mat. 16. 12. leaveneth the whole lump 1 Cor. 5. 6. Thus it was Paul's endeavour that the truth of the Gospel might continue with them that is the whole Doctrine of the Gospel not corrupted with any Error Vers. 6. But of these who seemed to be somewhat whatsoever they were it maketh no matter to me God accepteth no mans person for they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me FOlloweth a seventh Evidence that both Paul's Doctrine and Office were divine containing the event of that meeting which he had with the Apostles in three things the first whereof is in this Verse to wit that of these or from those who were looked upon as chief among the Apostles of whom Paul's adversaries did boast as if they had been his superiours Paul had learned nothing which last words or some such like are to be supplied for making out the sentence and because their personal prerogatives such as that they had seen Christ in the flesh were Apostles when he was a persecutor might have been objected to his prejudice he sheweth these were not to be taken notice of by him neither would be taken notice of by God whose judgment is not swayed by any thing which is extrinsecal and belongeth not to the cause in hand and therefore their being Apostles before him would not make his Office or Doctrine more uncertain or lesse divine than theirs seing he was an Apostle now aswell as they and his Doctrine such as could not be questioned by themselves for after that conference wherein he related to them the Gospel preached by him they corrected nothing and added nothing to what he had said but approved all Doct. 1. It is nothing contrary to but agreeth very well with Christians modesty and humility for a man to speak to his own commendation in some cases especially when he laboureth under reproach and when the honour of God and the Gospel do also suffer with him for Paul avoweth that he learned nothing from the chief Apostles and was not in any thing inferiour to them because if he had yeelded to the contrary his adversaries would presently have retorted that he was no Apostle but at the most an ordinary Preacher and his Doctrine in time bypast had been erroneous But of these or from those who seemed to be somewhat supply for making out the sense I learned nothing which Paul concealeth in modesty it being that part of the phrase which should have expressed his praise most and leaveth it to be supplied by the reader from the scope of the purpose and from the like expression in the close of the verse The like form of speaking is used 1 Chron. 4. 10. Oh that thou wouldest c. or If thou wouldest 2. It is not unusual for heretical spirits to cry-up some of Christ's faithfull Ministers above the rest and so to have the persons of men in admiration and this not from any respect to them but for their own advantage Jude ver -16. as hereby rendring those whom they so cry-up
which follow after and flow from the working of God's Spirit in us even those Works are imperfect Isa. 64. 6. and so cannot make us compleatly righteous and we do owe them to God in the mean time Luke 17. 10. and so they cannot satisfie divine Justice for the failings of the bypast time They are the work of God's Spirit in us Philip. 2. 13. and so we can merit nothing at God's hand by them for He excludeth the Works of the Law in general now the good Works of the Regenerate are such as are commanded by the Law and done in obedience to the Law besides that those false Apostles did admit a mixture of Faith and Works in Justification so that if the Apostle had not excluded even Works which flow from Faith they might have quickly agreed upon the point Man is not justified by the Works of the Law Fourthly That through vertue whereof we are thus justified and absolved by God is the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ performed by Himself while He was here on Earth both in doing what we should have done Mat. 3. 15. and suffering what we ought to have suffered Gal. 3. 13. which righteousnesse is not inherent in us but imputed to us Rom. 5. 17 18 19. as the sum of Money paid by the Cautioner standeth good in Law for the principal Debtor So we are said to be justified by the Faith of Christ or Faith in Jesus Christ as laying hold upon His righteousnesse which is imputed to us as said is and by which only we are made righteous Fifthly Though Faith be not alone in the person justified but is ever accompanied with all other saving graces for it worketh by Love chap. 5. 7. Yet Faith is that only grace which hath influence in our Justification for all other Works even those that flow from Grace are excluded and only Faith admitted to have hand in this businesse A man is not justified by the Works of the Law but by the Faith of Jesus Christ and that we might be justified by the Faith of Christ and not by the Works of the Law Sixthly Faith hath influence upon our justification not as it is a Work or because of any worth which is in it self more than in other graces or as if the act of believing whether it alone or joyntly with other graces were imputed unto us for righteousnesse but only as it layeth hold on Jesus Christ and giveth us a right to His Righteousnesse through the merit whereof alone we are justified for it is by the Faith of Jesus Christ or Faith receiving Joh. 1. 12. and resting on Jesus Christ Isa. 26. 3 4. that we are justified besides that all Works of the Law or commanded by the Law are here excluded and by consequence Faith it self as it is a work is excluded also Seventhly This way of Justification by Free-grace accepting of us for the Righteousnesse of Jesus Christ and not because of our own worth is common to all who ever were are or shall be justified whether good or bad the most eminent and best of men must quit the conceipt of their own righteousnesse and rely upon Him who justifieth the ungodly by Faith for even those who were Jews by nature Paul and the other Apostles betook themselves to this way Even we saith he have believed in Jesus Christ and the Scripture cited by Paul speaketh universally of all For by the Works of the Law shall no flesh be justified Eightly Before man be justified through vertue of this imputed Righteousnesse he must first be convinced of his own utter inability to satisfie divine Justice and so to be justified by any thing which himself can do So natural is it to seek for a righteousnesse of our own and in our selves that we will never seek in earnest to the Righteousnesse of Christ until we be made to despair of our selves Rom. 10. 3. for the Apostle sheweth that this conviction went before their Justification Knowing that a man is not justified by the Works of the Law Next he must be convinced also of a worth in Christ's Merit to satisfie divine Justice and that this Merit of Christ's is offered to all who shall lay hold on it by Faith so as that it shall stand good in Law for them in order to their Absolution as if they had given an equivalent satisfaction to God's Justice themselves for none will venture his immortal soul upon that the worth whereof he doth not know Hence the Apostle sheweth that the knowledge of this also did preceed their Justification Knowing that a man is not justified but by the Faith of Jesus Christ. And lastly being thus convinced he must by Faith receive and rest upon Jesus Christ and that most perfect Righteousnesse of His by making his soul adhere and cleave to the Word of Promise wherein Christ is offered Act. 2. 39 41. whereupon followeth the real Justification and Absolution of the man who so doth for Paul marketh this as a third thing going before their Justification Even we have believed in Jesus Christ that we might be justified Doct. 4. The former practices of ancient Believers eminent for parts priviledges and graces who have quit their own righteousnesse and ventured their soul wholly upon this imputed Righteousnesse of Christ laying hold upon it by Faith ought to be looked on as a strong argument inforcing us to do the like for the Apostle's scope is to prevail with those Galatians by this argument We who are Jews by nature saith he have believed in Jesus Christ that we might bejustified 5. Though the approved practices of eminent godly persons may have their own weight in order to our encouragement to deny our selves and lay hold on Christ Yet it is the Word of the Lord which can only quiet a man's conscience in this matter and make his mind fully aquiesce to it for the Apostle unto their example subjoyneth a Scripture-confirmation of the Truth in hand By the Works of the Law shall no flesh be justified Vers. 17. But if while we seek to be justified by Christ we our selves also are found sinners is therefore Christ the minister of sin God forbid HE preoccupieth an Objection which might have been framed against the present Doctrine thus If the Doctrine of Justification by Christ doth suppose that even the Jews themselves who are sanctified from the womb are equally sinners with the Gentiles and that being unable to attain to Justification by the Works of the Law they must only rely on Christ by Faith as Paul had but presently affirmed ver 16. Then it would seem to follow that Christ were the minister of sin or that the Doctrine of the Gospel did make men sinners both by taking away that Righteousnesse of the Law which the Jews thought they had and were warranted as they conceived by the Scriptures of the Old Testament so to think as also by furnishing both Jew and Gentile with an occasion to cast-by all care of Holinesse and
those Galatians were Secondly if the reproof flow from love and compassion in the person who doth reprove and an honest desire after the sinner's good as it was here for he casteth not up their folly in passion but in compassion desiring nothing but their good and amendment Thirdly if the reproof carry along all lawfull and allowed moderation with it as here he calleth them not wicked but more gently foolish or imprudent and withall layeth the great weight of their sins upon their Seducers who had bewitched them And fourthly That the reprover not only himself do know that there is reason so to charge them but also hold forth these reasons to them that they may be convinced also for so doth Paul he demonstrateth their folly from that they obeyed not the Gospel which was so plainly preached among them O foolish Galatians c. Doct. 6. Ministers ought not to rest upon a coldrife way of preaching Truth Mat. 7 -29. but are to endeavour the delivery of it with that perspicuity and plainnesse Col. 4. 4. that power and livelinesse 1 Cor. 2. 4. as it may penetrate the conscience of the hearers and be so clear and evident to them as if it were pictured and painted out before their eyes and in order to this they would not only labour to understand throughly what they preach 1 Tim. 1. 7. but also to believe it themselves 2 Cor. 4. 13. and to have their own affections in some measure warmed with love to it 1 Tim. 1. 15 And above all would labour with God that the effectuall operation of His Spirit may come along with what they preach 1 Cor. 2. -4. that so the Truth delivered may be the more lively and convincingly represented to the hearers for Paul did so preach Jesus Christ was evidently set forth crucified among them before their eyes He did so represent Christ and Him crucified to their ears by the preaching of the Word as if they had seen Him with their eyes 7. Though Jesus Christ and His sufferings are to be painted out vively represented and pictured by the plain and powerful preaching of the Gospel Yet it doth not follow that they are to be artificially painted with colours upon stone or timber for religious use for God commandeth the former but condemneth the latter Exod. 20. 4. And the graven image is but a teacher of lies Hab. 2. 18. Doct. 8. The more clearly and powerfully that the Gospel hath been preached among a People their defection from it and not giving obedience to it is the more aggreged for Paul aggregeth their not obeying the Truth from this that before their eyes Jesus Christ had been evidently set forth crucified among them Vers. 2. This only would I learn of you Received ye the Spirit by the works of the Law or by the hearing of Faith THe Apostle having stirred them up to attention by a reproof doth now return to his former dispute proving that we are justified by Faith and not by Works See chap. 2. 16. And this he proveth first because the Spirit of Regeneration and other saving Graces of the Spirit of God called here the Spirit as being fruits of the Spirit chap. 5. 22. were wrought in those of them who were regenerate not by the works of the Law that is by the Doctrine of Justification by Works but by the hearing of Faith that is by hearing the Doctrine of Justification by Faith for here as usually elswhere See chap. 1. 23. Faith is taken for the Doctrine that is believed And for the truth of this assertion he appealeth to their own conscience and experience leaving them to gather that therefore they were justified and reconciled by the Doctrine of Faith seing God bestoweth His Spirit upon none but such as are reconciled unto Him Rom. 5. 1 2 c. Doct. 1. There is not ordinarily any Church so corrupt but God hath some who are truely gracious among them for Paul's Argument supposeth that the Spirit and saving graces of the Spirit were in some of those Galatians because of whom he speaketh generally unto all Received ye the Spirit saith he 2. Even those who are truely gracious may stagger strangely in reeling times and be in a great measure overtaken with the most dangerous Errors of the times though they cannot totally 1 Pet. 1. 23. nor finally Isa. 54. 7 8. fall away for Paul speaketh even to them who had received the Spirit as to those who were taken with the common Errors Received ye the Spirit 3. As Regeneration and saving Grace is the work of God's Spirit in the Elect So the ordinary mean whereby He conveyeth Grace to the heart is by hearing the Word preached for they had received the Spirit by the hearing of Faith 4. Though the hearing of the Law preached doth work conviction of sin terror of conscience and legal contrition Act. 2. 37. whereby the heart is in some sort prepared for receiving of the Gospel Yet the Law as distinct from the Gospel and as it presseth perfect obedience in order to our Justification before God in which sense it was mistaken by the false Apostles and is so spoken of in this dispute See upon chap. 2. 15. can never be a mean of begetting Grace in the heart for so it driveth the soul to despair and worketh wrath Rom. 4. 15. Thus the Apostle affirmeth they received not the Spirit by the works of the Law 5. It is the Gospel preached and heard which the Lord maketh use of as a mean for conveying Grace to the heart being first convinced of sin and misery by the preaching of the Law Act. 2. 37 38. for the Gospel offereth Christ freely from whom being laid hold upon by Faith we do all receive Grace for Grace Job 1. 16. Thus the Apostle affirmeth they had received the Spirit by the hearing of Faith 6. Though a gracious heart may be overtaken with Error as said is See Doct. 2. Yet there remaineth somewhat of conscience in vigour with them in so far as that being appealed unto about the truth of things weighty and which belong to the reality of God's work in their heart and the way of His working in them they dare not readily lie and contradict their own known experience for Paul at least supposeth so much while he doth appeal to their own conscience and experience how saving Grace was wrought in them This only would I learn of you Received ye c. 7. Our Justification before God and the renovation of our natures by the Spirit of God are so much conjoyned that the Doctrine which through God's blessing is the mean of working the former is also the only Doctrine appointed of God for holding forth the right way of attaining the latter for Paul argueth that the Doctrine of Justification without Works is divine because that Doctrine was the mean of conveying sanctifying Grace unto their hearts as appeareth from the scope of the Argument here used Received ye the Spirit by
exhortation to quit all relation unto the bond-woman as they would escape the threatned judgment CHAP. V. IN the first part of this Chapter he exhorteth them to persist in their Christian Liberty from the bondage of the Mosaical Yoke and chiefly that they would not seek after Justification by these Ceremonial Observances In order to which the observation of the Ceremonial Law was mainly urged by the false Apostles Act. 15. 2. Which exhortation he presseth 1. directly because first Christ had purchased that liberty ver 1. Secondly Circumcision did deprive the person circumcised of all benefit by Christ ver 2. Thirdly it engaged him to keep the whole Law and so made his Salvation impossible ver 3. Fourthly seeking after Justification by these Observances was a renouncing of Christ ver 4. Fifthly Paul and other converted Jews sought not to be justified by these but by Faith ver 5. Sixthly the Command enjoyning Circumcision had now ceased ver 6. Next he presseth the exhortation indirectly first by reproving them for their defection ver 7. and by obviating two objections ver 8 9. Secondly by professing his hope of their recovery ver 10. Thirdly by refuting a calumny spread of himself as if he had preached Circumcision ver 11. Fourthly by wishing the prime seducers were cut off ver 12. In the second part of the Chapter he exhorteth them to use their liberty aright for which he giveth two rules 1. They would not give licence to their fleshly corruptions 2. They would serve one another by love ver 13. The latter of which he inforceth Because first love is the compend of all duty ver 14. Secondly dangerous effects would follow upon the want of it ver 15. and prescribeth an help for reducing the first rule in practice to wit walking in the Spirit ver 16 17 18. And having cleared what it is to fulfill the lusts of the flesh v. 19. 20 21. and what to walk in the Spirit from the respective effects of both Flesh and Spirit ver 22 23. he useth one argument against fulfilling the lusts of the flesh because they were engaged to crucifie them ver 24. and another for walking in the Spirit because they all pretended at least to regeneration and the first principles of a spiritual life ver 25. and concludeth with a dehortation from ambition provoking and envying one another ver 26. Vers. 1. STand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free and be not intangled again with the yoke of bondage THe Apostle first exhorteth them stedfastly constantly and against all contrary opposition to maintain both in judgment and practice the former doctrine of the Churches freedom especially from the Levitical Ceremonies Secondly he dehorteth them from coming under that intolerable bondage which did attend the making conscience of those ceremonial observances Act. 15. 10. and had some resemblance with that bondage of Idolatry under which they formerly were with relation to which he saith be not again intangled See chap. 4. ver 9. Thirdly he inforceth the exhortation more directly by six arguments The first whereof which is in this verse is Because Christ had purchased this freedom to the Church by His Bloud Doct. 1. Then only is it seasonable to labour upon the affections of an erring people by exhortation and reproof when sufficient pains have been first taken to inform their judgements and by strength of reason to convince them of their error otherwayes exhortations perswasions and reproofs will prove but poor and weak arguments for Paul useth this method here while having formerly gone about by Scripture and Reason to convince them of their Error he doth now exhort them Stand fast therefore c. 2. Every man by nature is a bondslave as being under the bondage of sin Rom. 6. 17 Satan Eph. 1. -2. the curse of the Law Gal. 3. 10. The Jews moreover were under bondage to the Ceremonial Law the observing whereof was a bondage because of the great trouble pain in the flesh and expence which did attend the observation of it and therefore it especially is meaned by the yoke of bondage in this place See Act. 15. 10. for while he saith Christ hath made us free he supposeth a foregoing-bondage 3. Jesus Christ by his obedience and death chap. 4. 4 5. hath purchased freedom and liberty unto His Church a liberty not to do evil Rom. 6. 1. nor from the yoke of new obedience Mat. 11. 29. nor from the crosse Mark 8. -34. nor yet from that due obedience and reverence which inferiours ow to superiours Col. 3. 22. Rom. 13. 1. but from the dominion of sin Rom. 6. 14. the tyranny of Satan 2 Tim. 2. 25 26. the curse Gal. 3. 13. and irritating power of the Law Rom. 7. 5 6. from observing the Ceremonial Law of Moses Col. 2. 14. and much more from subjecting our Consciences to the Rites Doctrines Ceremonies and Laws of men in the matter of Worship Col. 2. 20. for saith he Christ hath made us free 4. The consideration of the worth and price which Christ hath put upon our freedom and liberty in all the fore-mentioned particulars even such as He hath given Himself for the purchase of it ought to indear it unto us so much as that contrary to all opposition and to the utmost of our power and abilities and upon all hazard whatsoever we may with courage and constancy in our places and stations stand to the defence of it for so much doth the Apostle enjoyn saying Stand fast therefore to the liberty and that because Christ hath made us free 5. Though civil liberty and freedom from bodily bondage be so much desired that even before we be called to it we are ready to break all bonds and aspire to be at it Jude ver 8. Yet so ignorant are we of that worth which is in spiritual liberty and freedom from spirituall bondage that hardly can we be excited to seek after it or made to stand to it when it is attained but are in daily hazard to return to the flesh-pots of Egypt preferring our former bondage to our present liberty Hence the Apostle findeth it necessary to inculcate this duty so much of standing to the liberty and of not being intangled again with the yoke of bondage 6. Multiplicity of external Rites and significant Ceremonies in the matter of Worship is not only a burden and yoke to the conscience hard to be born but also an intangling and insnaring yoke especially when folk do place all their religion in these so that when once the conscience hath stooped to take on this yoke hardly can it again be shaken off the truth whereof doth hold in Rites and Ceremonies which are even appointed of God but much more in those which are appointed only by men for the Apostle calleth the Ceremonial Law a yoke and such as would intangle them Be not intangled again with the yoke of bondage he alludeth to oxen whose necks are tyed to
Circumcision upon them as a thing whithout the which they could not be saved whereby they laid upon them a kind of necessity and constrained them to be circumcised and sheweth three principles from which they did herein act two whereof are in this verse first from hypocrisie or a desire to make a fair outward shew of Religion by observing those fleshly and carnal rites such as Circumcifion difference of meats legal purifications and the like injoyned by the ceremonial Law Secondly from pusillanimity or a politick design to eschew persecution from their Country-men the Jews and from the Civil Power at the instigation of the Jews Act. 18. 12 13. for preaching the sincere doctrine of the Gospel concerning Christ crucified which is here called the Crosse of Christ See chap. 5. ver 11. the fury of which persecuters was much abated towards such Christians as did observe the ceremonial Law of Moses the preaching down whereof of any other thing did inrage them most chap. 5. 11. Doct. 1. Though an external profession of Religion Rom. 10. -10. and the practice of such external rites 1 Cor. 11. 24. and other ordinances of divine worship as God hath commanded Col. 3. 16. are to be made conscience of yet when the practice of those external things is opposed to the inward substantial duties of Religion the former being rested upon without the latter Mat. 15. 8. or when the practiser affecteth a vain shew and to be reputed religious because of those things much more than to be religious really and indeed Mat. 6. 16. this is the sin of hypocrisie loathsom both to God and man and that especially when people affect a shew from the practice of those rites which are not commanded of God for this is condemned here in the false Apostles that they desired to seem exceedingly religious and to make a fair outward shew of Religion by observing such carnal rites as God had now abolished under the Gospel As many as make a fair shew in the flesh saith he It is ordinarily observed that the zeal of those who are carried away with the spirit of error themselves and whose great work is to seduce others doth most run out upon the externals of Religion thereby affecting a fair shew and to be reputed as men singular for piety and devotion that so they may deceive the simple who take all for gold that glistreth Rom. 16. -18. So those Apostles desired to make a fair shew in the flesh 3. An erring conscience is of great force and mightily prevalent with erring persons to make them follow the dictates thereof It being usual for such to pretend conscience as a reason why they cannot subject themselves to Truth God in His holy Justice doth give them over to a spirit of delusion 2 Thess. 2. 11. and maketh conscience to be their snare when it imbraceth darknesse for light Isa. 5. 20. and uncessantly vexeth them untill they execute its most unreasonable irreligious unnatural and sometimes most blasphemous commands Joh. 16. 2. Jer. 32. 35. for the false Apostles did constrain them to be circumcised mainly because by teaching the absolute necessity of Circumcision to Salvation Act. 15. 2. they possessed their consciences with that erroneous opinion and their consciences so misled did constrain them to follow its dictates 4. As persecution doth ordinarily follow upon the sincere preaching of the Gospel So when persecution for the Gospel waxeth hot there are usually many found who to decline a suffering lot do tamper with the persecuters of Truth though not by total apostasie from Truth yet by coming a great length in making shipwrack of faith and a good conscience only to gratifie those who persecute the truth and to break the edge of their rage and fury against themselves who notwithstanding will labour to keep up their credit in the Church of God as if they were acted from no such politick design but from a principle of light and conscience for so those false Apostles constrained others to be circumcised pretending conscience for their so doing when their design was only lest they should suffer persecution for the crosse of Christ. 5. Though Hereticks and every one who are carried away with a spirit of error pretend to conscience as that which they desire to follow and dare not contradict in what they hold yet very frequently such especially they who are seducers of others do but make a pretext and shelter of conscience to cover their pride politick designs love to ease in a troublesome time pusillanimity of spirit fear of persecution and a desire of vain glory by which they are acted more than from any principle of conscience for those false Apostles pretended to light and conscience as the rule of what they did Act. 15. 2. and yet they did it only saith Paul lest they should suffer persecution for the crosse of Christ and ver 13. That they may glory in your flesh 6. However they who persecute others for Truth do also pretend to conscience Isa. 66. 5. yet they are often found to be men destitute of conscience and more politick than conscientious even in those things wherein they pretend most to conscience in so far as they do dispense with some professors of Truth if so they come but a little towards them and comply with them in some things only though not in all things as intending hereby to work them up to a greater length in progresse of time for so the persecuting Jews did not molest those Christians who were circumcised though they did otherwise professe faith in the Messiah already come whom the Jews had crucified as is clear from this They constrain you to be circumcised only lest they should suffer persecution for the crosse of Christ. 7. As a desire to eschew a suffering lot and persecution even for Truth by all lawful means is no wayes sinful but commanded Mat. 10. 23. and commendable Prov. 22. 3. So to dispense with the least jot of Truth and to imbrace the smallest of Errors contrary to Truth that hereby the greatest of sufferings might be eschewed is blame-worthy and extreamly sinfull seing the least of sins hath more of evil in it than the greatest of sufferings Those are our affliction but not our sin for the Apostle condemneth his adversaries not that simply they had laboured to eschew persecution but that they constrained others to be circumcised only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ. Vers. 13. For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the Law but desire to have you circumcised that they may glory in your flesh THe Apostle first maketh good his former charge against his adversaries to wit That they urged Circumcision not from zeal to the Law of God and from conscience but from a politick base design because they made no conscience to keep the Law themselves that is neither the moral Law which they transgressed daily by their wicked and licentious lives Philip. 3. 18 19. nor
to a stately edifice founded upon Christ ver 20 21. And shewing they were a part of this building ver 22. Vers. 1. ANd you hath He quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins THe Apostle being yet further to establish those Ephesians in the doctrine of salvation by free grace in Christ and for this end to set forth the happinesse of that estate in which free grace had placed them sheweth the misery of their former estate before conversion even that they were dead not naturally but spiritually there being nothing of that spiritual life in them which consisteth in the union of the soul with God Joh. 5. 40. and in a vertue and power of the soul flowing from this union to do those things which are spiritually good and acceptable unto God Joh. 15. 5. even as the natural life consisteth in the union of the soul with the body whereby the man is inabled to move speak and do such other actions as are competent to that life so that their spiritual deadnesse doth speak a separation from God Psal 53. 3. and total inability to do any thing which is spiritually good Rom. 8 7. The efficient and formall cause of which death he sheweth to have been their sins and trespasses whereby under two words used indifferently in Scripture to expresse one and the same thing and both of them in the plural number is set forth the multitude of sins under which they lay in this their dead condition as their original sin their actual sins sins of omission commission and especially their manifold idolatries which are chiefly pointed at as those sins wherein not only the Ephesians but the world in general did wallow before Christ came in the flesh Act. 17. 29 30. Hence Learn 1. It is not sufficient that the Servants of Jesus Christ do only preach priviledges and hold-forth unto Believers that happy estate unto which they are lifted-up through Christ It is necessary also that joyntly herewith they be calling them to minde their wofull miserable and lost estate by nature that the one being set foregainst the other both may more clearly appear in their own colours and that those dangerous rocks of growing vain because of what they now are 2 Cor. 12. 7. and of turning discouraged and diffident because of what they once were Psal. 25. 7. may be eschewed for the Apostle in the preceeding chapter having spoken much of those high priviledges unto which the Ephesians were advanced by Christ he doth here minde them of that miserable state wherein God found them And you who were dead in sins and trespasses 2. There is nothing contributeth more to commend the doctrine of free grace to peoples consciences and so to commend it as to make them closely adhere unto it both in profession and practice than the serious perpending of mans wofull and altogether hopelesse estate by nature This alone would do much to scatter all that mist whereby humane reason doth obscure the beauty of this truth by extolling man's free will as a co-worker with grace Rom. 3. 19 20. and would necessitate the lost sinner to imbrace it and to venture his otherwise hopelesse salvation upon it 1 Tim. 1. 15. for this is the Apostle's scope through this whole Chapter even from the consideration of the wofull estate of those Ephesians before conversion to illustrate this doctrine of salvation by free grace and to confirm them in it And you who were dead in sins and trespasses 3. Believers in Jesus Christ are not to look upon their lost and miserable estate by nature separately and apart from but joyntly with God's free grace and mercy which hath delivered them from that misery for otherwise the thoughts of sin and misery may if God should give way swallow them up Mat. 27. 4 5. Hence is it the Apostle hath so contrived his discourse here that all-alongs while he speaketh of their misery in the first three verses the mind of the Reader is kept in suspense without coming to the perfect close of a sentence untill God's mercy in their delivery from this misery be mentioned ver 5. for the Original hath not these words he hath quickened in this verse but the Translators have taken them from ver 5. to make up the sense without suspending the Reader so long untill he should find them in their own proper place And you who were dead c. 4. Every man by nature and before conversion is dead not to sin for that is proper to the Regenerate only See Rom. 6. 2. where the grammatical construction is the same in the Original with that which is here only the sense is much different but in sin whereby he is wholly deprived of all ability and power to convert himself Rom. 9. 16. or to do any thing which is spiritually good Rom. 8. 7. for while he saith the Ephesians were dead in sins before God did quicken them he speaketh of a thing common to them with others and therefore he reckoneth himself and the other believing Jews with them ver 3. And you who were dead in sins 5. As the fountain-cause of this spiritual death was Adam's sin in whom all have sinned Rom. 5. 12. through the merit of whose sin imputed to us we are deprived of original righteousness Rom. 7. 18. and a perverse inclination unto all evil hath come in its place Gen. 6. 5. So every mans own particular actual sins do lay him lower under this state of death and make his delivery from it more difficult Jer. 13. 23. for saith he Ye were dead in sins and trespasses under which are comprehended as we shew both their original and actual sins Vers. 2. Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world according to the prince of the power of the air the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience HE proveth they were thus dead in sins and trespasses from their walking in and making a daily trade of sin without striving against it or any through remorse for it which wofull walk of theirs he doth illustrate from two guides which they followed and by which they were carried-on and incouraged in their sinfull course The first was the universal corrupt course and custom of the world that is of wicked men in the world Psal. 17. 14. in all ages which had become a Law for them to walk by The second guide was Satan who is here called a prince not only because there being a number of those unclean spirits they are joyned as one politick body among themselves under one who is as prince and head of the rest Mat. 12. 24. and 25. 41. but also and mainly because of that power which all the Devils and chiefly their head and prince have over wicked men in the world Joh. 14. 30. 2 Cor. 4 4. even over the children of disobedience which princely power of his is described from the place where by God's permission he doth exercise it to wit the
henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro which implyeth an acknowledgement that at least he was once such a childe and that it was necessary for him as well as others to quit that childish temper 4. As the renewed children of God are once babes in Christ and weak in all the parts of the new man even in knowledge prudence patience and other graces so they must not be alwayes such but are to be growing upwards towards perfection for the first of those is implyed and the other expressed while he saith That we henceforth be no more children 5. Pronenesse to error and easinesse to be carried away with every doctrine which pretendeth to Truth is a mark of one who is not grown in grace and but a babe in Christ if he be renewed at all for he calleth those children who are tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine 6. That errors and heresies are not lesse damnable and dangerous than other sins appeareth from this that the souls hazard from these is expressed by the hazard of masterlesse ships tossed by contrary winds among rocks or beds of sand while he saith tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine 7. The spirit of error is alwayes turbulent and when suffered to walk abroad doth raise most strange commotions both in the publick state of the Church while hereby the lovers of Truth are called publickly to contend for it Jude ver 3. and in the hearts of private Christians chiefly those who are weak and unsetled and hereby made to fluctuate among the rocks of several opinions and sometimes at last to split upon some one error or other Gal. 1. 6. for so much is implyed while he compareth heretical doctrines to the boisterous winds which drive the ship of the Church to and fro with every wind of doctrine 8. There â—s no erroneous doctrine so hazardous and damnable but Satan will find out some active spirits to spread it and to seduce others unto the imbracing of it for those are the men here spoken of by whose sleight and cunning craftines the winds of false doctrine are made to blow and carry children to and fro tossed by the sleight of men 9. As those whom Satan engageth to carry on a course of error and heresie in a Church are usually men of parts and gifts exceeding far in abilities the generality of the Lords People whom they intend to seduce and as far as men of age and understanding go beyond simple children and babes So these whom Satan thus engageth do usually prove men void of conscience and stand not much upon fraud or falshood providing they may gain their point for the Apostle calleth them men in opposition to those whom formerly he called children and sheweth them to be such men as did make use of sleight and cogging craftinesse and a subtile compendious art of deceiving for carrying on their point by the sleight of men and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive 10. Though heretical spirits and seducers of others are men void of conscience Yet they make it their great work to hide their knavery and to appear that which they are not by their large pretences to conscience and piety 2 Cor. 11. 15. hereby to deceive the simple and to carry on their wofull design the more securely under that cover Rom. 16. 18. for he compareth them to cunning gamsters who carry the matter so dexterously that their fraud and knavery do not appear by the sleight of men He alludeth to subtile coggers of dice as said is 11. Hereticall spirits and ringleaders of errour are usually more than ordinarily assisted in their wofull work and so as they fall upon dexterous means which they pursue uncessantly and are attended with marvellous successe oftentimes in so doing the Lord permitting Satan so to act them and to act by them for heightening the triall and making a more speedy and through discovery of the unstability of peoples spirits by those means for the expressions here used do imply their more than ordinary assistance in all those by the sleight of men their cunning craftinesse or singular dexterity to do any mischief and their lying in wait to deceive or their deceiving by a compendious subtil art 12. However subtil seducers make a fair shew of Reason Scripture Piety and Humility for procuring credit to their errors Col. 2. 23. yet the strong and only prop whereupon error leaneth and wherein its great strength doth lie is nothing else but vanity falshood subtil craftinesse and deceit for Paul sheweth that these are the arms of Hereticks whereby they defend their errors even winds of doctrines sleight of men cunning craftinesse and lying in wait to deceive 13. That great measure of parts and gifts with which hereticall seducers are frequently indued their unwearyed diligence in making use of these their deceits falshood and sleights for gaining their purpose and the more than ordinary successe which they are attended with in trying times ought not to discourage the weakest of the Lords people or make them dispair of standing out against their assaults but rather incite them to watchfulnesse to seek after knowledge a spirit of discerning solidity in judgement and stability in truth that so in the strength of the Lord they may resist their activity and wiles for the latter part of the verse hath an indirect argument in it for pressing the duty contained in the former even that henceforth we be no more children tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine and that because they had to do with the sleight of men the cunning craftinesse of those who lie in wait to deceive Vers. 15. But speaking the truth in love may grow up into Him in all things which is the head even Christ HE doth illustrate the fore-mentioned end of the Ministery thirdly from another fruit of that spirituall edification unto which the work of the Ministery is also subservient even to growth in grace or that real Believers by speaking the truth or rather as the word signifieth by cleaving to the truth of heavenly doctrine and by making conscience of the duties of love and good works as the fruit of their sincerity in adhering to truth may grow up and make progresse in all christian vertues untill they attain to their full stature and height of growth even such a measure of conformity with Christ as they be in a manner transformed in Him and become most perfectly one with Him whom he calleth here as often elsewhere See upon chap. 1. 22. the head to show a reason why Believers should grow up in Him and to through conformity with Him even that so the Members of this mystical body may be in some measure proportionable to their head Doct. 1. The ordinance of the Ministery is appointed of God not only to awake those who are yet in nature and drive them to Christ Eph. 5. 14. but also for the good of those who are
already converted even to make them grow up in grace untill they come to perfection and therefore none who live on earth can justly account themselves to be above this Ordinance for the Apostle sheweth that also is one end of the work of the Ministery that those who are already quickened by it may grow up into him 2. The work of edification intended to be brought about by the ordinance of the Ministery is not attained upon souls though they be preserved free from Error except they also know the Truth adhere to it and be growing up in grace and in making conscience of all the duties of an holy life for Paul having mentioned one fruit of that spirituall edification mentioned ver 12. to be freedom from error and infection from false teachers ver 14. he here addeth another that speaking or cleaving to truth in love we may grow up into him in all things 3. Our making conscience to grow in grace is a soveraign remedy against the hazard of being surprized with error and tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine in so far as then we are so much busied about our heart that we have not leisure to be taken up with vain and giddy notions of an unsetled head for Paul having dehorted them from being as children tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine subjoyneth as a preservative from that unsetled temper but speaking the truth in love we may grow up 4. It is not sufficient for these who live under the drop of Ordinances to attain to the being of grace so as they can prove by evident marks that they have grace but they must also labour to grow in grace for hereby we glorifie God and speak to the commendation of our Lords table whereat we feed Joh. 15. 8. hereby we attain to the enjoyment of many rich priviledges which otherwise we are deprived of 1 Joh. 4. 18. and hereby also we are more enabled to ride out against a storm in trying times as appeareth from the conhexion of these two verses teaching that babes in Christ and children are tossed to and fro with every wind when grown and growing Christians will ride it out for Paul teaching that the end of the Ministery is to make Believers grow doth show they ought to grow while he saith But speaking the truth in love we may grow 5. As we do then sincerely adhere to the truth of heavenly Doctrine when we make evident our so doing by walking in all the duties of love both to God and our neighbour for faith worketh by love Gal. 5. 6. So our love is then truely Christian and not a fleshly lust or morall vertue only when it is grounded upon truth and the result of our adhering to it by faith for therefore Paul conjoyneth these two making the latter as it were the result of the former while he saith but speaking or cleaving to the truth in love 6. That Christians may grow in grace it is most necessary they labour to have both their understanding enlightened with truth and their heart and affections inflamed with love without either of which our growth is not Christian and spirituall but either superstitious and blind even a growth in error if the understanding be not enlightened or growth in pride conceit self-love and arrogance if the head only being filled with light our affections be not inflamed with love to God and our neighbour for therefore he prescribeth that by speaking the truth in love we should grow up 7. This Christian growth must not only be in one thing but in all things in so far as grace must be growing not only in all the parts of the soul understanding will and affections but the whole man also and all the parts thereof must grow according to all the ordinary dimensions or in all Christian vertues and duties both of our generall and particular calling 2 Pet. 1. 5. even as it is in living bodies who grow equally and proportionally in all their parts of length breadth height and depth That we may grow up in all things saith he 8. Then do Christians grow as they ought when they are in a perpetuall motion towards Christ so as to be daily more and more like Him incorporate in Him and one with Him that full conformity with Christ and that most perfect union and communion with Him which shall be attained in glory being the mark and scope toward which they tend and without attaining whereof they do not sit down satisfied as if they had enough for saith he we may grow up into Him 9. Though there ought to be a spiritual emulation among Christians so as to strive who may grow most and outstripe others 1 Cor. 14. 12. Yet there should be no division envious strife or carnal emulation among them upon this account so as to envie the progresse of others or cast stumbling-blocks in their way to retard them but an harmonious on-going and rejoycing in the progresse one of another seing they are to grow as the parts of one body under one head Christ for so much doth Paul here teach We may grow up into Him which is the head even Christ. Vers. 16. From whom the whole body fitly joyned together and compacted by that which every joynt supplieth according to the effectuall working in the measure of every part maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of it self in love THe Apostle doth illustrate the forementioned end of the Ministery fourthly and joyntly inforceth the study of love and unity by shewing how all gifts and offices do tend to the edifying of the body and furtherance of that growth whereof he spake ver 15. while he describeth Christ the Head presently spoken of from His influence upon and relation to the Church His body wherein he alludeth to a natural living body and the way how it being orderly made up of its severall members joyned together by nerves and sinews doth receive life motion nourishment and growth from the head and heart by the benefit of those bonds and ligaments whereby the particular members do not only receive life and nourishment unto themselves but do also convey them unto others so that every member doth receive due encrease and thereby the whole body doth come to maturity and growth In allusion to which way of the naturall growth of the naturall body he sheweth first that by vertue of spirituall influence drawn from Christ who is as the head and heart of the mysticall body the whole body to wit that which is militant on earth or all sincere Believers the true and lively members of this body are joyned fitly or orderly every one in his own place and station and also firmly or compactly with Christ and among themselves Secondly that they are thus joyned by the means of spirituall joynts and s 〈…〉 ews whereby we are to understand every thing that joyneth Believers with Christ and among themselves and they are either joynts and bonds of inward
seat of reason the mind and understanding in all men is by nature infected and polluted by this old man of inbred corruption for otherwise there were no need that we should be renewed in the spirit of our mind 2. It is not sufficient in order to our effectual learning of Christ and being taught by Him that we cease to do evill and labour to mortifie our inbred corruption with the several branches thereof but we must also learn to do well and endeavour to have the whole man adorned with the several graces of Gods Spirit making conscience of all the positive duties of an holy life for the Apostle sheweth their being taught of Christ consisted not only in the putting off the old man but in being renewed in the spirit of their mind and ver 24. in putting on that new man 3. See three doctrines implyed in the notation of the word renewed which signifieth to restore a thing deformed and antiquated to its ancient form and beauty upon Col. 3. vet 10. doct 4 5 6. Doct. 4. Right information of the mind and judgement and the knowledge of truth and duty flowing therefrom are most necessary to be sought after by Christians if so they would lead an holy life An erring mind will of necessity at least in so far make a crooked heart and an irregular hand for Paul sheweth that in particular it is necessary to be renewed in the spirit of the mind Vers. 24. And that ye put on the new man which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse REsteth the third thing which the effectual learning of Christ doth require from and work in those who are so taught even that it be their daily task to put on the new man that is to be more and more endued and adorned with new and spirituall qualities whereby their mind may not only be renewed as was mentioned ver 23. but also their will affections and actions Which renewing work he sheweth is carried-on by Gods creating power after the pattern of His own Image which consisteth in perfect conformity to Gods Law as well in the second Table set forth here by righteousnesse as in the first set forth by true holinesse or holinesse of truth to wit that which is wrought by truth Joh. 17. 17. and is not counterfeit but sincere true and reall which epithet doth also agree to righteousnesse Now those gracious and spiritual qualities are called the new man and said to be put on as new garments See the reasons for both upon Col. 3. ver 9 10. doct 3. Hence Learn 〈◊〉 Where there is saving knowledge wrought in the mind sanctified practice in all the duties of an holy life will follow for unto the renewing of the mind ver 23. is here subjoyned the putting on the new man in righteousnesse and holinesse 2. So dead and indisposed are we by nature to holinesse and grace that no lesse than creating power is required to work it in us It is neither implanted by nature Psal. 51. 5. nor attainable by any industry or pains of ours Rom. 9. 16. but is a work of Gods omnipotency though He make use of means for that end 2 Tim. 4. 2. for he saith this new man is created 3. Only those who are renewed in knowledge and have their souls adorned with gracious and spirituall qualities of righteousnesse and holinesse are like to God and such as are most so are most like unto Him for Paul speaking of being renewed in the mind and of putting on the new man saith that it is after God or as it is more plainly Col. 3. 10. after the Image of God Which after God is created saith he 4. The Image of God consisteth not so much in the natural substance or faculties of the soul or the abilities of it for those are in a wicked man as in spiritual gifts and graces even conformity with God in true knowledge righteousnesse and holinesse for the Apostle speaking of the renovation of the mind by knowledge and putting on the new man in righteousnesse and holinesse saith That this is after God or after His Image 5. This new man of grace created after Gods Image as it consisteth not in things external Rom. 14. 17. but in the inward and substantial graces of Gods Spirit so it comprehendeth all spiritual habits and vertues and the exercise of all those graces in all the duties of universal obedience prescribed in both the Tables of the moral Law for he sheweth this new man consisteth in righteousnesse and holinesse which include a conformity to the Law of God in both its Tables Which is created in righteousnesse and holinesse 6. No performance of any one or of all commanded duties whatsoever is a sufficient proof of a renewed mind or the new creature but when it carrieth alongs with it that necessary ingredient of sincerity and truth which maketh the performer of any duty take God for his party Gen. 17. 1. bring up his heart to every duty Jer. 3. 10. and level at Gods glory as his main scope in all duties 1 Cor. 10. 31. and make conscience not only of one but of every duty Luke 1. 6. for he giveth this epithet of truth and sincerity to that righteousnesse and holinesse wherein this new man of grace created after Gods Image doth consist in righteousnesse and true holinesse or in righteousnesse and holinesse of truth Vers. 25. Wherefore putting away lying speak every man truth with his neighbour for we are members one of another THe Apostle being in the third part of the Chapter to presse upon them the exercise of some particular vertues which do belong to all Christians of whatsoever rank or station equally aswell as those formerly spoken of all of which are injoyned in the second Table of the Commands exhorteth them first from what he spake of putting off the old man and putting on the new to lay aside and mortifie the sin of lying forbidden in the ninth Command whereby a man doth speak what he knoweth or conceiveth to be untruth with an intention and purpose to deceive He exhorteth them also to speak the truth every man with his neighbour that is to speak as they think and to think of what they speak as it really is so that our speech may be conform both to the thing it self and to our conceptions of the thing Which exhortation in both its branches is inforced from this that they were not only members of one body but one of another every member of this mysticall body being bound to contribute all its endeavours as for the good of the whole body in the first place so of every particular member in the next and therefore it had been alike unnaturall and monstrous for them by lying and deceiving to circumveen one another as it were for the eye in the naturall body to deceive the hand or for any one member to contrive and carry on the ruine of another Doct. 1. It is not sufficient for
there is an easie passage from what is allowed to that which is forbidden And jesting saith he 4. It is not sufficient for Ministers to forbid and reprove sins under such and such general heads but seing people either through ignorance cannot or wickednesse will not see or lazinesse care not to see the evil of severall particular sins contained under those generall heads therefore they are bound in their reproofs and prohibitions to fall upon the particular branches and instances of that evill which they speak against for the Apostle chap. 4. ver 29. having spoken against corrupt communication in the general doth here enumerate three distinct branches of that evill filthy speaking foolish talking and jesting 5. Called Saints and Christians should be so tender in walking as that they scare not only at those evils which are palpably grosse and cryed-out against by all but also at every other thing which is unbeseeming their profession or inconvenient and disadvantagious to the Gospel or their own peace for the Apostle disswadeth from those sins upon this ground that they are not convenient 6. A choice remedy against filthy speaking foolish talking jesting and other sins in our ordinary communication is to have our hearts alwayes keeped so sensible of Gods goodnesse and so desirous to expresse what sense we have thereof unto others that whenever occasion offereth we may gladly lay hold on that subject rather than on any other and thereby provoke others to do the like for so we should not be necessitated as oft-times in a kind we are to fall upon sinfull vain and idle communication through penury and want of better purpose hence the Apostle as a remedy against the fore-mentioned evils prescribeth giving of thanks 7. There is not any case incident to a Christian but if he search throughly there will be found some ground for thanksgiving and rejoycing though not in himself yet in Gods dealing with him whether for mercies bestowed or judgments not inflicted Philip. 2. 27. for while Paul commandeth them to exercise themselves and cheer up one another with giving of thanks in stead of foolish talking and jesting he supponeth there will be alwayes reason of thanksgiving But rather giving of thanks 8. Though Saints may and are bound sometimes and in some cases to confesse their faults one to another Iam. 5. 16. and consequently may regrate their spiritual losses and decay yea and may also speak of what concerneth their worldly affairs Gen. 31. 38. Yet it is not only most seemly but also a thriving way for the inward man not to dwell alwayes upon heartlesse regrates for what they want but to adde at least a mixture of chearfull acknowledgement of what they already have giving hearty thanks to God for it for as the Apostle doth not astrict them only to giving of thanks in their conference and discourse So he doth recommend it as the choicest subject to be most frequently insisted on But rather giving of thanks Vers. 5. For this ye know that no whoremonger nor unclean person nor covetous man who is an idolater hath any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and of God HE doth further inforce the dehortation by a new argument wherein is more of terrour than in the former and that it may be more terrible and pungent he appealeth to their own conscience and knowledge for the truth of what he is to affirm to wit that all impenitent persisters for of such only this and the like threatnings are to be understood Jer. 18. 7. 8. in any of those three vices mentioned ver 3. which holdeth also by proportion in the other three mentioned ver 4. as being so neer of kin to the former were deprived of all present right unto and should never come to the possession of that blessed state of eternal glory in heaven which glorious state is here called a Kingdom and inheritance See reasons hereof upon Gal. 5. 21. doct 9. and the Kingdom of Christ because it is His as He is Mediator by donation from the Father Psal. 2. 8. in so far as the Father hath intrusted Him with the administration of the Kingdom of grace here Matth. 28. ver 18. by which means an entrance is made for the Elect into the Kingdom of glory Joh. 14. 2 3. It is called also the Kingdom of God or the whole persons of the blessed Trinity distinct from Christ as Mediator because it is Gods by originall right and as absolute King of this Kingdom who is accountable to none 1 Cor. 15. 28. This argument is further strengthened by joyning another upon the by with it while he deterreth them from one of the fore-mentioned evils to wit covetousnesse by calling the covetous man an Idolater because he setteth his prime affections of love and confidence upon riches 1 Tim. 6. 16. Prov. 18. 11. holdeth them for an universall good sufficient for all things Luk. 12. 19. as God only is 2 Cor. 9. 8. and because he beareth such respect unto them that he dare not freely make use of them Eccles. 6. 2. and serveth them with his heart as some god-head Matth. 6. -24. Hence Learn 1. So strong is the interest of sin even in the best and so violent are those tentations especially which drive men towards the fulfilling of their fleshly lusts That although a man be convinced of the great evil which is in them and the losse of heaven which doth follow upon his living in them yet there is no small hazard when such tentations are presented of yeelding to them for he taketh it for granted they knew the hazard of living in those sins and yet doth see it necessary to set them on their guard against them for this ye know that no whoremonger c. 2. The Lords servants are not to flatter people in any beloved sin upon pretence of rendering them thereby more tractable and obedient in other things but must discover the evil of all sin excepting none though it were never so generally practised yea and pleaded-for by those to whom they preach for this sin of uncleannesse chiefly of fornication was commonly practised and pleaded-for as no sin among the Gentiles yet Paul at his first preaching the Gospel to those Ephesians had spoken against it and convinced them of the ill which is in it Hence he saith so confidently for this ye know that no whoremonger hath any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ. 3. As this doth highly aggreage a sin that it is committed against our knowledge So the moe and weightier aggravations that any sin is liable unto when it is committed we ought to be the more deterred from the committing of it for he mindeth them of their knowing the danger that would follow upon those sins hereby implying their guilt would be the more weighty if they should commit them that so they might be deterred from them For this ye know that no whoremonger c. 4. Prohibitions and threatnings denounced in Scripture against any
thou that sleepest 4. The first Doctrine deduced from ver 8. hath ground here also in that he doth again minde them of their miserable case by nature not only under the similitude of death formerly used chap. 2. 1. but also of sleeping 5. Neither can an offer of Christ unto a sinner be savoury nor a command to imbrace this offer get entertainment untill first a discovery be made unto the sinner of his sad and miserable case by nature for the Lord in holding forth the offer of Christ and commanding them to imbrace it doth so speak as he first discovereth the wofull case wherein they were by the similitude of sleep and death while he saith Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead 6. Our utter inability to help our selves or to do any thing acceptable to God contracted by Adam's fall doth not weaken or abolish Gods soveraign right and dominion over us in so far as though we be not able to do yet He may justly require and exact of us to do for though they were dead and consequently unable to help themselves yet He requireth them to awake and arise Awake thou that sleepest arise from the dead 7. Though it be the only power of God which quickneth dead sinners and bringeth them from nature unto grace Col. 1. 13. there being no principle of a spirituall life in us by nature whereby we can quicken our selves yet the Lord is pleased to work upon us not as upon senslesse blocks but as reasonable creatures by commanding and perswading us to do that which is our duty though not in our power to do and thereby as a mean conveying unto the Elect the effectual working of His power whereby He worketh in them what He requireth from them for He commandeth those who are dead to arise from the dead and so maketh them to rise Rom. 4. 17. Arise from the dead 8. Though the Word of God for the most part be contrived in general precepts threatnings and promises without expresse mention of one more than another except in some general qualifications to whom each of those in particular belong Joh. 3. 16. Gal. 3. 10. yet before a sinner be brought to Christ the Spirit of God doth make particular application of those unto his conscience as if they were directed unto him by name And the more a Minister doth labour to reach the consciences of people by making particular application of general truths unto them they are in a fairer way of gaining ground upon them and doing good unto them by what they preach for the Apostle holding forth a directory unto us how to walk in order to the gaining of godlesse sinners from the Lord's example doth bring him in speaking as it were to every one in particular Awake thou arise thou Christ shall give thee light 9. The holding forth of Christs excellency and of that excellent state of light joy comfort knowledge which being once forfeited by Adam's fall is again purchased by Christ and to which He bringeth all such as do come unto Him is one of the strongest arguments though others also must be made use of Luke 13. 3. to prevail even with natural hearts to make them willing in the day of Gods power and obedient to Him when He doth call them for Paul sheweth that even God Himself doth make choice of this argument Arise and Christ shall give thee light Vers. 15. See then that ye walk circumspectly not as fools but as wise HEre is a new precept the third in order of those which are contained in this Chapter and it is deduced also as a conclusion from what goeth before to this purpose That seing they were now light in the Lord ver 8. and obliged not to have fellowship with the unfruitfull works of darknesse but to reprove them ver 10. therefore they would see to their walk or take accurate inspection of their life and conversation whether in word or deed and to see to their walk as to be circumspect or precise in it even willing to go to the outmost as the word in the original doth signifie of what every command requireth both for matter and manner especially labouring as to approve themselves unto God so to give no just cause of exception or offence at what we do unto others no not to those that are without who are expresly mentioned Col. 4. 5. where the same precept is in substance proponed Which precept so proponed he doth first inforce by a reason for the particle as doth not alwayes make comparison but sometimes rendereth a reason and the reason is that true wisdom doth consist in walking thus and to walk otherwayes is extream folly Doct. 1. The more of light and knowledge a man hath received from God he ought to take the more diligent heed that in all things he practise according to his light seing not only the way of such is most eyed by wicked men who watch for his halting Jer. 20. 10. but also if he doth not walk the more circumspectly he deserveth double stripes Luke 12. 47. for this exhortation may be looked on as an inference from what he saith ver 8. ye are now light in the Lord See then that ye walk circumspectly saith he 2. So many are the wayes by which we may become accessory to other folks sins See ver 7. doct 3. and so many are the snares which Satan and his instruments do lay in our way to intrap us Eph. 6. 11. that if we walk not all the more circumspectly we cannot eschew but we must partake one way or other with wicked men in their sins for this exhortation may be looked upon also as an inference from what he said ver 11-Have no fellowship with the unfruitfull works of darknesse See then that ye walk circumspectly saith he 3. Those only are most fit to reprove sin in others to some good purpose who walk most circumspectly and live so as they cannot be justly blamed themselves Even the very righteous walking of such is a forcible reproof of sin in others though they speak nothing Heb. 11. 5. and otherwise their speaking will have no force Matth. 7. 3 4. besides that God doth usually blesse the pains of such Prov. 10. 21. for this exhortation may be also looked upon as an inference from what he said ver -11. but rather reprove them See then that ye walk circumspectly 4. That a man may walk accurately and circumspectly coming up so far as through grace he is able to the outmost of what every command requireth both for matter and manner it is necessary that he walk not rashly and indeliberately but that he see and diligently consider antecedently to his acting to wit not only what he is to do that it be neither evil nor appearance of evil 1 Thess. 5. 22. nor an occasion leading to evil Rom. 13. 14. but also from what principle and fountain Matth. 7. 17 18. for what end Matth. 6. 2 5. and by
of free-men and masters And that this argument may have the more force with them he appealeth to their own conscience and knowledge for the truth of it if it was not so as he had affirmed Doct. 1. Then and then only may a man reckon himself to do good or a good work acceptable to God when the thing he doth is warranted by Gods will revealed in His Word when he doth it in singlenesse of heart from an inward principle of love and good-will within in the heart and in obedience to Gods command or as service unto Him for the obedience required from servants was to be so qualified ver 5 6 7. and he doth here call it a doing good Whatsoever good thing a man doth 2. Even the basest drudgery of servants being so qualified is a doing of good and cometh within the compasse of good works which the Lord will take notice of as such for it is with an eye to the imployment of servants mainly that he here speaketh Whatsoever good thing a man doth the same shall be receive 3. As it is lawfull to eye the promised reward for our encouragement in the way of duty So it is the mind of God that every one should in the due and right order make particular application unto themselves of such promises as are in Scripture held forth unto all in general for he holdeth forth the promise of a reward which is made unto all who do good in general to be made use of by Christian servants for their encouragement in particular Whatsoever good a man doth the same shall be receive of the Lord. 4. Promises have no influence to excite unto duty except the truth of them be known and believed so that ignorance and misbelief of divine truths are a great cause of abounding profanity and neglect of duty in all ranks for he layeth the weight of their encouragement to duty from this promise upon the knowledge and faith which they had of it knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doth the same shall be receive of the Lord. 5. The Lord in dispensing rewards looketh not to the externall beauty splendour or greatnesse of the work but to the honesty and sincerity of it how mean or inconsiderable soever it be otherwise for the promise of a reward is to the outwardly mean and base works of poor servants if so they be honest and sincere aswell as to the more splendid honourable and expensive works of their rich masters The same shall he receive of the Lord whether he be bond or free Vers. 9. And ye masters do the same things unto them forbearing threatning knowing that your master also is in heaven neither is their respect of persons with him HE doth here in the first place set down the duties of masters towards their servants 1. positively while he enjoyneth them to do the same things which is to be understood not of the duties themselves which are much different from the duties of servants See them briefly summed up upon Col. 4. ver 1. doct 1 2. but of those properties and conditions which are common to the duties of both so that the master is bound to discharge his duty towards his servant in singlenesse of heart as service to Christ in obedience to the will and command of God from his heart with love and good-will even as the servant is bound to minde those qualifications in his duty towards his master Next negatively while he forbiddeth threatning or rather commandeth to relax and moderate threatning as the word doth signifie and so the thing forbidden is excesse in threatning and boasts when they are alway menacing oftentimes for light occasions and sometimes for none And by proportion all fierce and inhumane way of dealing with servants by masters whether in words or deeds is here forbidden also In the second place he inforceth this duty by minding them of that which they did know at least ought to have known even that they also aswell as their servants had a master above them to call them to an accompt to wit God who to make the argument more pungent is described 1. from His magnificent and stately Palace where His glory shineth to wit the Heaven not as if He were only there and nowhere else Jer. 23. 24. but to set forth His absolute dominion 2 Chron. 20. 6. His omniscience Psal. 11. 4. His holinesse Isa. 57. 15. and His omnipotency Psal. 115. 3. so that their sin could not be hid from Him His holy Nature did hate it He had both right and power to punish it 2. From His impartiality and justice in judging so that He respecteth not persons nor faces outward shew and appearance as the word signifieth and therefore by persons is not meaned the substance or personal subsistence of men but their outward state and condition even that which is conspicuous in man and doth commonly make him more or lesse esteemed among men as country state of life riches poverty wisdom learning c. and consequently to respect persons is to wrest judgement from a sinfull respect to the outward state condition of parties and such other things which are wholly extrinsick to the cause in hand which vice the Lord is free of as being the righteous Judge of the world who cannot be byassed by fear love pitty or any other inordinate affection as man is and consequently the outward dignity power or wealth of masters would not make Him spare them if they made not conscience of their duty Hence Learn 1. Though masters are freed from subjection and giving obedience unto their servants yet not from doing duty unto them Neither is there any power among men so absolute no not that of Kings and supream Rulers Rom. 13. 3. -4. -6. but it implyeth an obligation through vertue of Gods Ordinance upon those who are invested with it to make conscience of several duties towards their inferiours and subjects for he saith And ye masters do the same things unto them 2. It concerneth masters in their place as much as servants in theirs not only to go about their duty but also to advert to the manner wherein they do it even that it be done in sincerity cordially chearfully taking God for their party more than men for he saith Ye masters do the same things unto them 3. It is not only lawfull but in some cases necessary for masters sometimes to threaten boast cast down their countenance upon negligent lazy disobedient and chiefly upon profane servants providing they do it moderatly and keep off excesse for the Apostle doth not simply forbid all manner of threatning but only prescribeth a moderation thereof Forbearing or moderating threatning 4. The Servants of Christ in the reproof of sin ought mainly to guard against such evils as those to whom they speak through custom perverse inclination or a deluded mind are most ready to fall into and so ought people set mainly against such sins in themselves and thereby defend the wall
known unto His People the whole counsel of God Act. 20. 27. there being no truth revealed in Scripture the knowledge whereof is not usefull either for the being or well-being for the necessary food or ornament of a Christian 2 Tim. 3. 16 17. yet they are most to inculcate and presse upon peoples consciences the knowledge and practice of most necessary and weighty truths chiefly those which are fundamental and of daily use and practice for the Apostle in pressing the use of the spiritual armour doth wisely recommend one piece of special and daily use above all the rest while he saith Above all taking the shield of faith 2. The grace of faith is another necessary piece of a Christians armour without the which we are destitute of Christs imputed righteousnesse Philip. 3. 9. and so exposed to the dint of sin-pursuing justice Joh. 3. -36. and to all the bitter accusations and challenges of the devil our adversary Rom. 8. 33. We are destitute also of Christs covenanted strength which is communicated and engaged for our through-bearing in all our spiritual conflicts only when it is laid hold upon by an act of faith Joh. 15. 4 5. and consequently without the exercise of that grace we are exposed as a prey to every tentation and especially to Satans fiery darts here spoken of in the text seing in that case we have no strength to resist them but our own which indeed is none Joh. 15. 5. for the Apostle commandeth the Christian souldier to arm himself with this grace Above all taking the shield of faith 3. This grace of faith is the most excellent and necessary piece of all the Christians armour in so far as faith though weak and imperfect in it self Luke 17. 5. yet laying hold on the promise it engageth the almighty power of God and Christ to be for us Matth. 15. 28. it giveth life being and vigour to the other pieces of this armour even to all the sanctifying graces of Gods Spirit Acts 15. 9. 1 Tim. 1. 5. it maketh up all imperfections by covering them with Christs most perfect righteousnesse Philip. 3. 9. and so defendeth them against the furious or subtil assaults of Satan whereby he endeavoureth to make us question their reality and throw them away as counterfeit hypocritical and uselesse Lam. 3. 18. it bringeth a fresh supply of strength to the rest from Jesus Christ when they are weakened wounded and almost rendred unprofitable Isa. 40. 31. yea it alone doth sometimes keep the Believer from total fainting and quitting all when the rest are shattered brangled disappear and for the time are uselesse Job 13. 15. for the Apostle recommendeth this piece above all the rest while he saith Above all take the shield of faith 4. As Satans great design is to wrest and wring this piece of our armour from us and that because of its excellency and usefulnesse yea and often doth prevail to mar our use-making of it So it would be our chiefest care to keep this grace of faith in daily exercise and without delay to return to the exercise of it when we have fallen from it for the word rendred taking signifieth to take again that which we have lost or let go Above all taking the shield of faith 5. It is the Christian's duty to study the excellency and usefulness of any grace and especially of faith that thereby he may be incited to seek after it and to make use of it we must first put a price upon grace before we be at any pains for it for that he may incite them to make use of faith he informeth them of its excellency and usefulnesse while he saith wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts 6. Though the devils and fallen angels be many See ver 12. yet so united are they in wickednesse and in carrying-on their wofull work under one chief head and prince Matth. 12. 24 26. as if they were but only one for therefore doth he speak of the devil as of one the fiery darts of the wicked 7. As Satan that wicked one his great work and businesse is to draw and drive others to sin and wickednesse So he hath several sorts of tentations which he maketh use of for that end according to the diversity of sins to which he tempteth and the different tempers and dispositions of those whom he tempteth he hath not only subtil wiles and strategems spoken of ver 11. but also fiery darts whether of violent boyling lusts or raging despair which he throweth afar off and indiscernably with great force and violence wherein they resemble darts All the fiery darts of the wicked 8. Among all the tentations which Satan maketh use of to carryon his wofull work his fiery darts are most hard to be resisted and where given way to most dangerous in so far as they give a double hurt and dammage even as materiall fiery darts do both wound and burn so those tentations being entertained do not only defile the soul with guilt but also disturb and disquiet it with their force and violence Hos. 7. 4. or vex perplex and put it to pain with that anxiety and horrour which they breed in it Gen. 4. 13. for he commendeth faith above all the rest from its quenching those tentations which implyeth that they are both hardly resistible and most dangerous wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked 9. The grace of faith though never so well exercised cannot hinder Satan to throw those fiery piercing tentations nor yet doth it alwayes repel them but sometimes they pierce even the Believers soul where finding suitable fewel they raise a burning flame and make great vastation and havock for while he saith faith doth quench them it is implyed they will be sometimes boyling and burning within ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts 10. The grace of faith not only supplyeth the place of armour to ward off blows but is also medicinall to cure those dangerous wounds which the soul receiveth in this spiritual conflict through the prevalency of tentations and the negligent use-making of our other graces it is both defending and healing armour for thereby we are able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked 11. There is no spirituall disease or wound so desperate no sin so prevalent in the soul but the grace of faith rightly made use of in laying hold on the merit and vertue of Christs death is sufficient to cure it and destroy it yea and to cure not only one disease but many for he attributeth a vertue to it to quench fiery darts and all the fiery darts of the wicked Verse 17. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God IN this verse are contained the fifth and sixth pieces of the spiritual armour which he will have them to take and make use of The fifth is salvation or the hope of salvation the