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
worthy to be received whoever do preach it neither doth it borrow any intrinsick authority from the person of the Preacher Hence the Galatians are commended that in this respect they received Paul as an Angel of God even as Christ Jesus See Luke 10. 16. From Vers. 15. Learn 1. The onely thing which maketh a people happy is to have the doctrine of the Gospel which is the mean of our reconciliation with God in Christ 2 Cor. 5. 18. preached among them and to receive this Doctrine and the faithfull Preachers of it with all due reverence love and subjection The injoying of honour riches and abundance of outward peace is no blessednesse being compared with this Psal. 4. 6 7. for the Apostle speaketh of these Galatians while they were in that case What or how great was then your blessednesse 2. Injuries received afterwards will not obliterate the inward sense or mar the outward acknowledgment of favours formerly received in a thankfull mind for though the Galatians had done no private injury to Paul ver 12. yet in their defection from Truth they had wronged him for the Truth 's sake and notwithstanding he proclaimeth those evidences of their love and respect which he had received formerly both in the former verse and more expresly here while he saith I bear you record ye would have plucked out your eyes c. 3. The love and reverence which People owe to Ministers ought not to be verbal and in profession only but real also even such as may evidence it self in the hearty bestowing of any thing which may be for their encouragement or for advancing the Work of God in their hands for Paul proveth these Galatians had received him as they ought from their readinesse to impart unto him all things necessary and possible for his encouragement Ye received me saith he for I bear you record ye would have plucked out your eyes 4. Though as is usually said Charity begins at home and we be commanded to love our neighbour only as our self Mat. 22. 39. Yet there is a certain case in which we must consider our neighbour not only as a neighbour but as a special instrument of God and thus we are in some respects to love and prefer him unto our selves and especially when he is an instrument imployed by God for the defence and propagation of the Gospel we ought to be ready to forsake the dearest things we have in the world though it were our own hands eyes feet yea and our very life if so it may promote the Work of God in his hands for in this case it is not our neighbour but Christ and the Gospel which we prefer unto our selves according to Mat. 10. 37. Hence because Paul was such an instrument the Galatians are commended for their readinesse to pluck out their own eyes and to give them to him 5. The wisdom and goodnesse of God hath so provided that the hands eyes and other members of our body being cut off or plucked out cannot be serviceable or usefull unto the body of any other hereby preventing the cruelty and tyranny of the greater sort who would make no scruple to mutilate the bodies of their inferiours if those mutilated members could serve for any use to themselves afterwards for saith he If it had been possible they would have plucked out their own eyes importing it was impossible not simply to pluck them out but that their eyes being plucked out could serve for the same use to him for which they did serve unto themselves Vers. 16. Am I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth THe Apostle concludeth from what he hath said of their former kindnesse to him that he was not now turned their enemy nor estranged in his affection from them for the interrogative hath the force of a vehement denial and that they had no reason to think so of him this only excepted that with much candor and ingenuity he had declared the Truth unto them in opposition to the Errors of the false Apostles the absurdity of which reason is also imported by the interrogative propounded to them Doct. 1. For Christians to entertain malice or a spirit of private revenge one against another as it is in any case sinfull so when there hath been no personal injury offered it is abominable and hardly can it be conceived that a man of conscience will be guilty of it for Paul having declared that they had done him no injury but shown much love and reverence unto him denyeth that there was any just reason why they could so much as conceive that he was turned an enemy unto them Am I therefore become your enemy 2. When men are once engaged in a sinfull course and especially in the way of error they are so dementate with it that they can put no difference betwixt it and themselves they have common friends and enemies and whosoever is an enemy to it is looked upon by them as an enemy to themselves for Paul by telling the Truth in opposition to their Error is looked upon as an enemy Am I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the Truth 3. However a faithfull Minister will readily be mistaken for his freedom and ingenuity in the reproof of sin as if he were an unfriend and enemy to the person reproved when really he can give no such evident proof of his love and respect Psal. 141. 5. he is neverthelesse to go on in his duty labouring to obviate all such mistakes and prejudices as he best may for Paul ceaseth not to tell them the Truth although he was looked upon as an enemy for his so doing only he laboureth to clear them of their mistake Am I therefore become your enemy c. Vers. 17. They zealously affect you but not well yea they would exclude you that you might affect them 18. But it is good to be zealously affected alwayes in a good thing and not only when I am present with you THe Apostle in further prosecution of the former purpose obviateth an objection arising from that fervent zeal or that intense love joyned with serious endeavours to oppose and a kind of indignation against any thing that might prove hurtfull unto them which the false Apostles seemed to carry towards them beyond what Paul did so that yet they had reason to doubt of his affection to them The Apostle answereth It was true indeed that the false Apostles pretended great love to and zeal for them but their zeal was not of the right stamp as not having that which is truly good for its object to wit the edification of those for whom they seemed zealous but rather their destruction while all their zealous endeavours did tend to exclude them and rent their affection from Paul himself and other faithful Pastors And again as their zeal did deviate in the object so also in the scope proposed which was not to gain these Galatians to Christ but popular applause to themselves
blessings according as He hath chosen us in Him 6. God did not choose or elect us because we were holy or because He did foresee we would be holy but that we might be holy so that neither fore-seen holinesse good-works nor fore-seen faith were the causes of Election but effects and fruits flowing from it for saith he God hath chosen us that we should be holy 7. God hath elected none to enjoy everlasting glory after this but such as He hath chosen to be holy here And therefore a man may safely and certainly conclude he hath been elected from all eternity if he be sanctified and renewed by the Spirit of holinesse in time and whatever assurance of Election is pretended unto by any who lead an unholy life it is but a strong delusion a vain presumption and no well-grounded perswasion for He hath chosen us as to Heaven and glory so also that we should be holy 8. This real and saving holinesse from which a man may conclude his own Election is joyned with an honest endeavour after such a conversation as is blamelesse and obnoxious unto no just reproof from men It is not only inward and in the heart but outward also and in the hand and tongue for saith he He hath chosen us that we should be holy and without blame to wit from men as the word is taken Luke 1. 6. 1 Tim. 3 2. Doct. 9. Where this real and saving holinesse the fruit of electing love is there will not only be a blamelesse conversation before men but also sincerity of heart before God which doth not imply perfection in holinesse for none should then be holy before Him in this life 1 King 8. 46 but ingenuity and singlenesse of spirit opposit to a double heart and hypocrisie even such ingenuity as a man dare appeal to God to judge of his honest endeavour after that in reality and in deed which he pretendeth unto in the wayes of God for those words before Him expresse such sincerity of heart See 2 King 20. 3. Psal. 18. 23. we should be holy before Him 10. Sound holinesse and sincerity of heart are most manifested in the duties of love to our neighbour flowing from our love to God for external duties of Religion may be diligently followed even by hypocrites Isa. 1. 11. And the inward substantial duties thereof are not so easily discerned neither by others nor yet by our selves as when they are accompanied with the painfull and conscientious practice of those duties which love to our neighbour doth enjoyn for therefore doth the Apostle give an instance of this holinesse in love rather than in any other duty And without blame before Him in love Vers. 5. Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself according to the good pleasure of His will IN this Verse the Apostle doth first expresse Gods eternal decree of Election formerly mentioned by another word to wit Predestination which setteth forth the same decree and purpose together with its eternity and extent not only to the end proposed by God but to the whole progresse of convenient means by which the end intended was infallibly to be brought about Secondly he further describeth this decree of Election and Predestination from another end which God designed to be brought about by it even the Adoption of children by Jesus Christ to be bestowed upon the Elect whereby is meaned not only that begun Adoption which Believers possesse here Joh. 1. 12. and whereby they have a right to the heavenly inheritance Rom. 8. 17. but also and mainly that compleat and perfect Adoption whereof the Elect shall partake hereafter even the actual possession of their glorious inheritance See the word so taken Rom. 8. 23. He describeth it also from the causes moving God to elect any or one more than another which are set down first more briefly to himself it is better rendred in himself whereby are excluded all causes moving God to this act without Himself Secondly more largely and expresly to wit God's absolute and soveraign will swayed with favour and goodwill towards those whom He did choose Doct. 1. God hath not only decreed to set forth the glory of His mercy by bestowing Heaven and Glory upon some of mankind Luke 12. 32. but in that same wise and eternal counsel of His He hath forecasten and accordingly decreed by what means and helps the person so elected may come to Heaven and shall undoubtedly obtain it And therefore none can warrantably expect that this decree of Predestination will bring them to Salvation if they live in the prophane neglect and contempt of those means which do lead unto it for the force and usual acception of the word predestinated is extended to the means aswell as to the end Having predestinated us 2. No not the Elect themselves are children to God by nature they are not born sons but made to be sons by grace and adoption who before were heirs of hell and children of wrath Eph. 2. -3. for a childe by adoption is opposed to a childe by nature men are not said to adopt their own children but strangers Exodus 2. 10. Now God hath predestinated the Elect unto the adoption of children 3. God is graciously pleased in time not only to call and justifie those whom he did choose for Himself before all time Rom. 8. 30. but also to make them partakers of the grace of adoption whereby a further dignity is put upon them than formerly was even that being already drawn out of nature to grace in their effectual calling and reconciled to God in their justification they are now advanced to the dignity of sons and children to the most High and have a right to all the priviledges of sons as the Spirit of Adoption whereby they cry Abba Father Rom. 8. 15. fatherly pity from God under their infirmities Psal. 103. 13. protection from the rage of enemies Prov. 14. 26. provision and furniture for their straits and necessities Mat. 6. 30 32. necessary chastisment from God as their Father Heb. 12. 6. and a right to the inheritance of life eternal Heb. 1. 14. not only as they are friends with God and clothed with a perfect righteousnesse which they have by justification but as God's own sons and heirs which inheritance being once possessed their adoption which is now but begun shall be full and compleat Rom. 8. 23. for saith the Apostle He hath predestinated us unto the adoption of children 4. Besides those other differences which are betwixt God's adopting of the Elect to be His own Children and one man's adopting of another to be his son and heir this is one Men do adopt children because they have none of their own but God doth not adopt the Elect from any such indigence or want as having a natural Son of His own even Jesus Christ the only begotten of the Father for the Apostle having spoken of the Adoption of the Elect doth presently make mention of
condemnation unto others Heb. 11. 7. for the metaphor of an earnest used among Merchants when the sum covenanted is not presently given doth bear so much Who is the earnest of our inheritance 4. As even Believers are apt to doubt if ever the covenanted inheritance shall be bestowed and actually enjoyed by them So the Lord is most willing to do all which in reason can be required for removing all doubts of that kind and more particularly He giveth them an earnest or a part of this covenanted inheritance in hand to assure them of his purpose to bestow the whole in due time for the metaphor of an earnest doth bear this also the end of giving an earnest being to assure the receiver of the giver's honest purpose to perform all that he hath promised which otherwise might be called in question Who is the earnest of our inheritance 5. The Spirit of the Lord sealing Believers and those saving graces of the Spirit which he worketh in sealing do serve for the same uses in relation to the Covenant of Grace wherein heaven and glory is promised to Believers for which an earnest doth serve in a civil bargain for as the earnest is a part of the sum and usually but a small part and yet may assure the receiver of his obtaining the whole So the Spirit and His work of grace received here is begun glory Joh. 17. 3. and though but a small part of it 1 Cor. 13. 12 13. yet the smallest measure of grace may assure the man who hath it of his obtaining the full possession of glory in the day of the Lord Jesus Philip. 1. 6. hence the Apostle calleth the Spirit with his graces this earnest Who is the earnest of our inheritance From the time how long the use of this earnest was to continue Learn 1. As real Believers are Christs possession in whom He dwelleth Eph. 3. 17. and whom He manureth and maketh fruitfull Joh. 15. -2. So He hath purchased them to wit by paying a price to provoked justice 1 Cor. 6. 20. and by force from Satan their old possessor and master Heb. 2. 14 15. and purchased them for this end that He might possesse them for speaking of Believers he calleth them a purchased possession 2. Though the redemption and delivery of Believers be already begun and their bonds loosed in part Col. 1. 13. yet their compleat redemption is but to come to wit from sin at death Heb. 12. -23. and from misery not untill the last day then and not while then shall their bodies be raised up in glory and their redemption be full and compleat Rom. 8. 23. for the Apostle speaketh of their redemption as of a thing yet to come Untill the redemption of the purchased possession 3. As this earnest even the holy Spirit with His graces being once given cannot totally be lost So if this day of redemption were once come there shall be no further use of an earnest the covenanted inheritance will then be fully possessed and consequently no place left for fears or doubts about the obtaining of it for he saith the Spirit was to be an earnest untill the redemption and so He must continue with them untill then but was not to serve for an earnest any longer Who is the earnest untill the redemption of the purchased possession From the end proposed see what is already observed upon ver 6. and ver 12. Vers. 15. Wherefore I also after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and love unto all the Saints 16. Cease not to give thanks for you making mention of you in my prayers THe Apostle in the second part of the Chapter taking occasion from what he heard of those Ephesians breaketh forth in thanksgiving and prayer to God for them whereby he prosecuteth his main scope in so far as that by every sentence and word almost he doth breath forth the high esteem which he had of God's free grace in Christ and thereby doth confirm their faith besides that while he prayeth for their perseverance and growth in the faith and knowledge of saving truths he doth indirectly at least excite them to persevere and make progresse in the same And first having shewn the good report which was brought unto him of those spiritual graces which were eminent in them whereof he instanceth two which are the sum and compend of all the rest and doth illustrate them from their principal object faith in Jesus Christ and love to all the Saints ver 15. he maketh known unto them what was his exercise upon their behalf even that being incited by the consideration of these spiritual blessings bestowed by God upon them and mentioned ver 13 14. and by the report which he had of them ver 15. he made conscience to continue in the duties of thanksgiving and prayer to God for them ver 16. From Vers. 15. Learn 1. It is not sufficient that Christs Ministers do presse duties upon the Lords People having convincedly cleared unto their consciences the equity which is in those duties but they must also hold forth unto them a copie of that obedience which they so much presse by their own example and practice for so the Apostle having abundantly cleared ver 13 14. that the Lord 's converting and sealing of those Ephesians did call upon them to praise the glory of His grace he himself doth here put hand to this work Wherefore saith he I cease not to give thanks for you 2. It is a great encouragement to blesse the Lord and to pray unto Him in behalf of those who are making conscience of these duties for themselves for while he saith I also give thanks he supposeth they were doing the like and that he was encouraged from thence 3. Grace is like a precious oyntment whose savour cannot be hid the report of it where it is in life will spread and make his name who hath it savoury unto such as are truly gracious themselves for Paul though at a great distance being now at Rome heard of their faith in Jesus Christ and love to all the Saints 4. It is the duty of Christians to be joyfully reporting and speaking of the grace of God and good which is in others providing it be wisely done that is first sparingly and so as not to place all our own Religion in speaking of the Religion of others Secondly not rashly or without such grounds in the person whom we commend as charity at least may rest upon Thirdly impartially and not factiously crying up some and decrying others who are equally deserving Jude -16. for Paul's hearing of their faith and love implyeth that some had reported to him of that good which was in them 5. Even in the best Churches in those primitive times who were most commended by the Apostles every one had not faith and so is it yet All are not Israel who are of Israel Rom. 9. 6. for the word rendred their faith in the Original is the faith which