havock of it ver 13. together with the great measure of knowledge he had in that Religion which he did then professe and of abilities to defend it beyond many of these who were equal in age with him and his zeal and servour for his Religion and the worst part of it to wit unwritten Traditions received from their fathers without any ground in the written Word of God Mat. 15. 3 9. All which he speaketh as of a thing publickly known ver 14. leaving them to gather hence that his so sudden change from being so zealous so deeply engaged and every way so able a persecutor â—o imbrace the Christian Religion could not flow from humane perswasion or any ordinary means but immediately from God Doct. 1. It is a matter of no small difficulty yea and in an ordinary way almost impossible for a man deeply engaged in a course of error having kythed active for it and endued with ability to defend it to be reclaimed from his error to imbrace the way of Truth for Paul maketh his so deep engagements to the Pharisaical Errors an evidence that his sudden change to Christianity did not flow from any ordinary mean but was wrought immediately by God For ye have heard c. 2. A sincere Convert will not shun to make an open and ingenuous confession of his wicked life not omitting any thing which may tend to the just aggravation of it and this not in a boasting or a rejoycing manner Iam. 4. 16. but that here by the freedom of God's grace may be commended 1 Tim. 1. 13 14. and that other vile sinners in their own eyes lost may have encouragement from God's dealing with him to belieâ—â— on Christ for life everlasting 1 Tim. 1. 16. and that Gods honour one way or other may be thereby brought about for Paul doth ingenuously confesse here that in time p 〈…〉 he had persecuted the Church of God extreamly and wasted it that he may thereby make evident that his conversion flowed from the immediate and extraordinary work of God and so stopt the mouth of those who were adversaries to Truth 3. That the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament were endited by the Spirit of God and that the Pen-men thereof were not acted with humane policy but immediately inspired by that unerring Spirit appeareth from this joyntly with other evidences held forth in Scripture it self that they concealed not their own faults but blazed them to the world when the glory of God did so require as Paul doth here Beyond measure I persecuted the Church of God saith he 4. This open and ingenuous confession of our bypast wicked life is to be extended only unto sins already known that hereby the publick offence may be removed but not to the making notour of such evils as have been keeped secret from the knowledge of others the divulging whereof would but multiply scandals and stumbling-blocks Rom. 2. 24. for Paul confesseth only what they had already heard Ye have heard of my conversation in time past 5. There is no particular Church on earth though never so famous for and orthodox in the point of Religion who may not so far degenerate from what they once were as that Religion both for Doctrine and Worship may be wholly corrupt from which those who would be saved must deliver themselves quickly and which God will not own for His as not being prescribed by Him but will father it on those who do professe it as their Religion and as invented by them thus the Jews once right in the point of Religion Hos. 11. 12. had now in Paul's time so far corrupted Religion in the doctrine of Justification Rom. 10. 3. of the Trinity Joh. 8. 9. of Manners or of the Moral Law as if it required nothing but external obedience Mat. 5 6 7. chapters in asserting the authority of unwritten Traditions and in worshiping God according to those Mat. 15. 3 9. and rejecting Jesus Christ the promised Messias 1 Thess. 2. 15. that Paul seeth a necessity to quit that Religion calling it theirs not God's My conversation in times past in the Jews Religion 6. Crosses afflictions and persecutions from wicked men are the ordinary lot of God's Church and People and this by reason of that enimity which is betwixt the seed of the Woman and the seed of the Serpent Gen. 3. 15 together with Satan's malice against the Church Gen. 3. 15. and his prevalent power over wicked men whereby he inciteth and draweth them on by such inducements as he knoweth will be most prevalent with the different tempers of those who are acted by him Joh. 12. 6. compared with Mat. 26. 15. to be executioners of that his rage and malice Rev. 20. 7 8. and because of God's tolerance and permission that thereby His Church may be tried Rev. 2. 10. every one whether good or bad being made to appear what really they are Dan. 11. 32. and that by the sufferings of His People the way of Truth may be made more lovely further spread and more imbraced by others Act. 8. 4 5 6 c. and that they may be also corrected for their bypast sins as abused peace and prosperity Judg. 10. 6 7. and that hereby also they may be restrained from many sins in time coming Isa. 27. 9. and this either by removing the opportunity of such sins through the rod Hos. 2. 6. or by renewing the hearts of many through sanctifying grace a greater measure whereof is bestowed usually by God upon His People under persecution and affliction Hos. 2. 14 15. than at another time thus Paul persecuted the Church of God extreamly 7. Though the Church of God as to the inward estate thereof which standeth in Election and the fruits of saving Grace flowing therefrom cannot be utterly wasted Joh. 10. 28 29 neither can the outward state of the visible Church be so far decayed as that the visible Church should altogether cease to be at least in all places Mat. 16. -18. Yet the Lord may so far give way to the rage of persecutors for the reasons mentioned in the former Doctrine as that thereby the outward face and beauty of the visible Church shall be totally marred the Members thereof being partly killed Joh. 16. 2. partly scattered Act. 8. 3 4. the publick Ordinances of divine Worship being altogether for a time suppressed and the publick Assemblies of the Church interrupted Dan. 11. 31. Thus Paul wasted the Church the word signifieth the vastation of Lands burning of Houses and utter depopulation of Countries which use to be accomplished by an inraged prevalent enemy I wasted it 8. The Church of God may expect to meet with persecution and sufferings not only from men avowedly wicked and openly flagitious but also from others whose carriage is smooth free from scandal and in all things according to that false way of Religion which they professe blamelesse Satan laboureth most to have such engaged and such being once engaged are most
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
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
having shewen his charitable confidence towards the seduced people doth evidence how dangerous their error was notwithstanding by denouncing Gods judgment against their prime seducers But he that troubleth you shall bear bis judgment saith he 6. How the native and ordinary effect of error is to trouble the Churches peace See Chap. 1. Vers. 7. Doct. 3. But he that troubleth you 7. Though there were not a Christian Magistrate to inflict civil punishment upon seducers and those who by drawing disciples after them do trouble the Churches peace or though the Christian Magistrate do not make conscience of that which is his duty herein Rom. 13. -4. yet such evil doers as those may certainly expect their deserved judgment from God either here or hereafter to be inflicted either immediately by Himself Zech. 10. 7. or mediately by some one instrument or other Zech. 13. 3. for though there was now no Christian Magistrate to punish such yet Paul with much confidence affirmeth He that troubleth you shall bear his judgment 8. So just is God that when He maketh inquisition for bloud in His day of vengeance He will suffer no impenitent transgressor how subtil soever escape His most accurate search nor yet passe free from the dint of His avenging stroke who-ever he be for parts power or estimation for he speaketh in the singular number he that troubleth you to shew that every one and as it were apart and one by one should be taken notice of and shall bear his judgment whoever he be that is without exception of persons Vers. 11. And I Brethren if I yet preach Circumcision why do I yet suffer persecution then is the offence of the crosse ceased HE presseth the exhortation thirdly by refuting a calumny whereby as it seemeth his adversaries would have made people believe that Paul by circumcising Timothy to prevent the stumbling of the weak Jews Act. 16. 3. had declared himself to be of the same judgment with them in the present controversie And he answereth denying that he did urge Circumcision to be observed by the Gentiles at all Act. 21. 25. nor yet by the Jews in the sense of his adversaries and giveth two evidences of the truth of his denial First if he had preached Circumcision the Jews would not have persecuted him as they constantly did Secondly they would not have taken offence at the preaching of the Gospel or of Salvation through Christ crucified which is here called the Crosse or doctrine of the Crosse as 1 Cor. 1. 18. The truth of both which consequences lyeth in this that the great reason why the Jews did persecute the Apostle and were such enemies to his doctrine was his preaching down of Circumcision and the whole frame of that ancient legal administration under which they were born and educated Act. 21. 28. Doct. 1. It is the ordinary lot of faithfull Ministers to be subject unto slander and reproaches not only in respect of their lives Rom. 3. 8. but also in respect of their Ministry and Doctrine as if they were Hereticks for even Paul is reported of as a preacher of Circumcision which is supposed while he saith If I yet preach Circumcision 2. So active are heretical seducers as they leave no mean unessayed which may serve to confirm and establish their seduced followers if it were even to spread reports of their chiefest opposits that they are secretly and under-hand of the same opinion with themselves and that sometimes they declare their judgments to that purpose for so did they report of Paul as is here supposed If I yet preach Circumcision 3. The faithfull Minister of Jesus Christ though he be maliciously and basely reported of ought not to render evil for evil unto those who have invented or entertained such reports but to return love for their hatred and good for their evil labouring more to vindicate himself than to rub disgrace upon them whereby he shall heap coals of fire upon their head Rom. 12. 20. for so doth Paul while he laboureth only to clear himself to those Galatians among whom he was misreported of giving them the affectionate stile of Brethren And I Brethren if I yet preach Circumcision why do I yet suffer persecution 4. While we labour to clear our selves from false imputations or calumnies we had need to use much circumspection in declaring the matter of fact lest we fail in any one circumstance and so be found lyars while we go about to justifie our selves for Paul is thus circumspect while he denyeth not that he did circumcise any for he circumcised Timothy Act. 16. 3. or that he did ever preach Circumcision for he did so while he was a Pharisee Gal. 1. 13 14. but that he did preach the observing of it now as a thing necessary to salvation If I yet preach Circumcision saith he 5. A faithfull Minister neither ought nor will conceal any part of necessary Truth which he is otherwise called to preach though he certainly know he will incur hazard losse and persecution from men because of it for Paul knew he was persecuted by the Jews for his preaching against Circumcision and yet he preacheth Why do I yet suffer persecution 6. Neither is he to conceal any part of necessary Truth when the eminent hazard of peoples salvation call 〈…〉 for the preaching of it though imbittered enemies should take occasion from his preaching of that one Truth to reject all Truth for Paul preacheth down Circumcision though the Jews did take occasion from his so doing to reject the whole Gospel for saith he Then to wit if he had preached Circumcision the offence of the Crosse is ceased 7. If men once place Religion and Worship in rites ceremonies and such externall observances the most substantiall Truths of God and duties of Christianity will not bear so much weight with them in progresse of time as the meanest of those for though Paul did preach Christ sincerely 1 Cor. 1. 23. and urged obedience to all the duties of the Moral Law Rom. 13. 8 9. yet seing he did not preach Circumcision he was persecuted by the Jews who placed Religion in such external performances Yea they reject and stumble at the doctrine of Salvation preached by him because he would not preach Circumcision also Why do I yet suffer persecution then is the offence of the Crosse ceased which implyeth that his not preaching Circumcision was the cause why they persecuted his person and stumbled at his doctrine Vers. 12. I would they were even cut off which trouble you HE presseth the exhortation fourthly by a wish that their prime seducers who troubled their outward and inward peace were cut off from communion with the Church by the sword of Excommunication whereby he sheweth both that their sin deserved to be so censured and that the good of the Church if her present distemper could have born it did require that this censure had been inflicted Doct. 1. The Lord Christ King and Head of His Church
that receiveth and as he is able to spare who giveth for this was the case of the Church in Paul's time being under persecuting Tyrants And therefore he commandeth Let him that is taught communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things 7. The Churches maintenance is only due unto such Ministers as have abilities to preach the Gospel and are faithfull and diligent Labourers in the Word according to those abilities wherewith they are endued And therefore though private men are not hereby warranted to withdraw the ordinary and allowed maintenance from their Ministers upon pretence that they are either not able or not painfull Mat. 23. 2 3. yet it concerneth those whom Christ hath intrusted to be Overseers of His House to be carefull that such who are either really unfit or unwilling to preach be removed from their Charge and not suffered to eat up the Churches maintenance feeding themselves and starving the souls of people committed to their charge Therefore the Apostle while he pleadeth for maintenance to a Minister doth describe him from the actual exercise of his Calling Let him communicate to him that teacheth Vers. 7. Be not deceived God is not mocked for whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap THe Apostle supposing that those who were averse from the duty of beneficence to their Ministers did colour their own avarice and naughtinesse with a number of seemingly plausible excuses taken from their pretended indigence multiplicity of other burdens and such like he speaketh to such witty cheaters as these in this verse desiring them to advert that though they might stop the mouthes of their honest-hearted Ministers as not knowing how or not being willing to contradict them in what they affirmed and might mock them for their simplicity afterwards yet they had another party to deal with in this matter even God Himself who would not be deceived or mocked with their lying pretexts and excuses and forbiddeth them to deceive or flatter themselves by thinking otherwise and so proceedeth to presse the duty of beneficence towards Ministers by an argument expressed in a similitude taken from sowers of seed who may expect an increase in the time of reaping according to what they have sown whether it be much seed or little good seed or bad So accordingly as mens actions are whether good or bad which are compared to seed Prov. 11. 18. and 22. 8. and more particularly as they imploy their temporal goods the imploying whereof is also compared unto sowing 2 Cor. 9. 6. whether for good and pious uses or for pampering their fleshly lusts as he brancheth forth this sowing in the following 8. verse so they might expect an answerable reward or punishment from the Lord to wit either here or hereafter for thus is the same similitude expounded 2 Cor. 9. 6 7 8. Doct. 1. As the sin of backwardnesse in people to bestow any thing for upholding the Gospel in the publick Ministry thereof is very common and hath begun early in the Christian Church So the Minister of Christ may not upon pretence of modesty as being unwilling to kyth much in that wherein his particular advantage is any way concerned suffer this sin to go unreproved more than others seing it tendeth so much to the Gospel's prejudice and that it is excesse of modesty which impedeth the practice of a necessary duty for Paul observing this sin to have been too common even in his time doth sharply admonish and rebuke those who were guilty of it while he saith Be not deceived God is not mocked 2. Neglecters of duty and chiefly of expensive duties such as is that of giving competent maintenance to the Ministry are very quick and witty to find out pretexts and excuses to colour their sin and so to siele the eyes of those whom they have to do with and this all that they may enjoy the profit of sin and yet eschew the shame and imputation of it before men for Paul doth here meet with such witty excuses and with those who made use of them Be not deceived God is not mocked 3. Though God be alwayes the sinners party whatever sin he doth commit Psal. 51. 4. yet seing Ministers are Christ's Ambassadors 2 Cor. 5. 20. and that the contemning or discouraging of them by withholding competent maintenance from them doth so directly tend to the utter overthrow of Religion and decay of all publick Worship therefore He is in a singular manner party and will kyth Himself to be so unto all who are guilty of so doing for the Apostle representeth the Lord as the party whom they had to deal with while he saith Be not deceived God is not mocked 4. Though subtil wits may so excuse their sin as thereby to cast such a blind before the eyes of men as they will hold them innocent or at least cannot know how to fasten guilt upon them yet the allseeing eye of God cannot be so fieled He knoweth the thoughts afar off Psa. 139. -2. and discerneth the very intents of hearts Heb. 4. -12. and therefore cannot be set off with plausible pretexts for it is in this respect he saith God is not mocked as they mocked men by making them give credit unto their lying excuses 5. Then doth a man most dangerously deceive himself when he resteth satisfied with this that he hath conveyed his fraudulent and covetous practises so handsomly that men shall find nothing for which to blame him as if because short-sighted man cannot find him out that therefore he shall escape the accurate search of the allseeing God for the Apostle affirmeth they would be deceived if they did entertain any such thoughts of God Be not deceived God is not mocked 6. Though men do usually give all that for lost which they bestow for maintaining the Gospel and for pious uses yet it is not so but shall be returned unto them in God's appointed time with increase if not in things of the same kind yet in things equivalent to and better than those for so much doth his comparing beneficence of this kind to the seed sown import Whatsoever a man soweth that shall be also reap 7. The reward which God hath freely promised unto the good works of His People and more particularly unto their chearfull liberal and christian beneficence is not to be despaired of nor yet the justly deserved judgment denounced against the wicked for their evil works and chiefly for their nigardly withholding a part of what God hath given unto them from charitable and pious uses is to be doubted of though both of them be long deferred for both the promised reward and threatned judgment are compared to the reaping of the harvest which doth most certainly though not immediately follow upon the sowing of the seed Whatsoever a man soweth that shall be also reap 8. As the faith of a reward to be freely given according to the promise unto our works of charity and beneficence is a strong encouragement to fruitfulnesse in
Church of Christ is a thing which ought to be prized by us highly and sought after earnestly and so much as there is nothing in our power which we ought not to bestow upon it and dispense with for the acquiring and maintaining of it for so much was it prized by Christ that He gave his own life to procure it and did beat down all His own Ordinances which stood in the way of it He even abolished in His flesh the Law of Commandments contained in Ordinances for to make of twain one new man 2. There are no divisions more hardly curable than those which are about the Religion and Worship of God in so far as they engage not only the credit but also the consciences of the divided parties hence one party so engaged doth pursue what they maintain as that wherein Gods honour and their own salvation are most nearly concerned and doth look upon the other party as an adversary in so far at least to both of those for the Apostle speaking of Christs uniting the Jew and Gentile in one Church and Religion maketh use of a word which sheweth this was a task of no small difficulty even such that no lesse than creating power was required to it while he saith for to make in Himself the word signifieth to creat in Himself of twain one new man 3. So strict and near is that conjunction and union which is especially among true believers in the Church that all of them how far soever dispersed through the world do yet make up but one man and one body as being all whatever be their other differences most strictly united as members unto one head Christ 1 Cor. 12. 27. and animated as to the inward man by the same Spirit of God residing and acting in them Rom. 8. 9. for the Apostle sheweth that all of them whether Jew or Gentile were made not only one people one nation one family but one new man For to make of twain one new man 4. As the essentiall unity of the invisible Church without which the Church could not be a Church doth of necessity depend upon and flow from that union which every particular member hath with Christ as Head seing the grace of love whereby they are knit one to another Col. 3. 14 doth flow from faith Gal. 5. -6. whereby they are united to Him Eph. 3. 17. So the more our union with Christ is improved unto the keeping of constant communion and fellowship with Him the more will be attained unto of harmonious walking among our selves suitable unto that essentiall union which is in the Church of Christ for the Apostle maketh the conjunction of Jews and Gentiles in one Church to depend upon Christ's uniting of them to himself For to make in Himself of twain one new man saith he 5. The peace which ought to be and which Christ calleth for in His Church is not a simple cessation from open strife which may take place even when there remaineth a root of bitternesse in peoples spirits Psal. 55. 21. but it is such an harmonious walking together in all things as floweth from the nearest conjunction of hearts and the total removal of all former bitternesse of spirits for the peace which Christ did make betwixt Jew and Gentile did follow upon His abolishing the enmity and making them one man so making peace saith he From Vers. 16. Learn 1. Union and peace with men even with good men is to little purpose except there be peace and friendship with God also for the Apostle sheweth that Christ in abolishing the ceremonial Law did design not only the conjunction of the Church among themselves but their reconciliation with God also and the former in subordination to the latter And that He might reconcile both unto God in one body 2. As all mankind have fallen from that state of friendship with God wherein they once were before the fall Eccles. 7. 29. So the repairing of this wofull breach and making up of friendship betwixt God and the Elect was Christ's great businesse in the world for effectuating whereof whatever He did or suffered was in some one way or other subservient for the Apostle sheweth He suffered in the flesh abolished the ceremonial Law united the two Nations that He might reconcile both unto God in one body The word rendred reconcile signifieth the making up of old friendship 3. Though the believing Jews under the Old Testament were reconciled unto God even while the ceremonial Law stood in force Psal. 32. 4. Yet the price by vertue whereof they were reconciled could not be actually payed to wit Christ's death and sufferings except the ceremonial Law had presently evanished See Ver. 15 Doct. 4. neither could Jew and Gentile be united together in one body and so reconciled to God while that Law was in force and binding See Vers. 14. Doct. 5. Therefore and in those respects it was necessary for Christ to abolish the ceremonial Law that He might reconcile both Jew and Gentile unto God for so saith Paul He abolished the Law of Commandments in Ordinances that He might reconcile both unto God in one body 4. There can be no reconciliation betwixt God and us except we be united by faith to Christ and to the body of all Believers in Him So that none can be one with God who are not of the mysticall body of His Church yea and in so far will the sense and sweet effects of reconciliation with God be interrupted and obstructed as persons reconciled do give way unto divisions rents and strifes among themselves for the Gentiles and Jews being in one body with Christ and His Church come to be reconciled unto God That He might reconcile both unto God in one body that is being united among themselves in one body under Christ the head as is affirmed vers 15. 5. As Jesus Christ did interpose as mediator and peace-maker to reconcile God and us So He behoved in order unto this end to bear the chastisment of our peace and to lay down His life by a shamefull painfull and cursed death that so the justice of God being fully satisfied for our wrong we might enjoy God's peace and favour with life for he sheweth the mean of their reconciliation was the crosse of Christ not the material tree or matter of the crosse but Christ's sufferings and death upon the crosse That He might reconcile both unto God in one body by the crosse 6. Christ in suffering Himself to be overcome by death did fully destroy sin death the ceremonial Law and every other thing which could impede the reconciliation of the Elect with God He having thereby brought-in the substance of all those legal shadows Col. 3. 17. satisfied the justice of God and purchased grace and strength which afterwards He was to convey unto all Believers for mortifying and subduing the body of sin and death in them Act. 5. 31. for saith Paul He hath slain the enmity thereby that is by the