Commentary Upon Ephesians 1, Commentary · Verse 23
Which is the body.] VERSE. 23 Doct. 1 Obſerue, that as Chriſt is the head of beleeuers, ſo they are his body, & eueryevery beleeuing ſoule a member of this body, whereof he is the head. Beleeuers are ſo ſaid the body, as the body ſtandeth in oppoſition to the head, not as it includeth the head within the compaſſe of it, accordingly as we vſe it when we ſay here lyes ſuch a mans body, for here we put body for an eſſentiall part of ſuch a mans perſon, not as oppoſed to the head, but as including the head with the reſt of the members, vnderunder the conception of it: But the Church is ſaid to be a body, as the body is diſtinguiſhed from the head, whoſe body it is, and ergo, it is ſo ſaid the body, that Chriſt who is the head of this body is diſtinguiſhed from it. Now the multitude of beleeuers are fitly ſo called; for as in a body are diuers members, hauing their ſeuerall faculties for the good vſe of the whole; ſo in the Church there are diuers kindes of members, ſome taught, ſome teaching, ſome gouerning, ſome gouerned, ſome diſtributing, yea, eueryevery member hath as it were his diſtinct grace, wherby he may ſerue to the good of the whole. But for further clearing of this, I will ſhow who are of already, and belonging to this body. Secondly, in what regard eueryevery beleeuer may be ſaid a member of the body of Chriſt: To the firſt I anſwer, that thoſe onelyonly are his body, who are ſo ioyned to him, or are by Gods effectuall calling ſo to be ioyned to him, that they ſhall finde ſaluation in him: or thoſe who hauehave, or ſhall proceede by ſpirituall regeneration from him, and grow vp to a perfect man in him, Eph. 5. He is called the head of the Church, and the ſauiour of his body: As the Church and his body, ſo his headſhip and ſaluation being of equall extent; to which purpoſe he ſaith, Ioh. 6. That it is the will of the Father, that he ſhould not looſe any of thoſe who are giuen him, but that he ſhould both begin and perfect their ſaluation, euen raiſe them vp to life eternall at the laſt day: Or, this body is the multitude of ſuch as hauehave or ſhall, in ſpirituall manner proceede from Chriſt, and grow vp in him: for as all who hauehave deſcended, and ſhall deſcend from the firſt Adam, are a compleate body naturall, vnderunder Adam the head and roote of them, (I take naturall, as it may be oppoſed to Adams perſonall body;) ſo the multitude of thoſe children who are giuen to this ſecond, Adam, (Loe I and the children whom thou haſt giuen me,) they make vp the whole body, whereof Chriſt, the ſecond Adam, is the head. For though there be vertue in Chriſt, able to hauehave procured the ſaluation of others, and though there be a paſſiue capacitie in all mankinde to be conuerted by him, vponupon ſuppoſition God would ſo hauehave determined; yet can he not be ſaid a head of any, but thoſe onelyonly whom God hath deſtinated to conuert and bring to ſaluation by him; as it is in the firſt Adam, who cannot be ſaid a head of any, but who are and ſhall in time actually, according to Gods determination, be propagated from him, though there wanteth not in Adam and his, both a generatiue force, and matter paſſiue, of which many others might be ingendred, if God had been ſo pleaſed to ordaine. To the ſecond, the faithfull are fitly ſaid a body, in as much as they hauehave conuexion with Chriſt, the ſpirit which commeth from Chriſt, vniting it ſelfe with them, and ſo making them one with Chriſt, that though betweene vsus and his body, there is a bodily diſtance, which is not in the head & members of a body naturall, yet the ſpirit which commeth from him, doth ſo ioyne vsus with him, that nothing commeth twixt him and vsus; that looke as the body of the Sun being far diſtant, neuertheleſſe the light that commeth from it, doth immediately vnite it ſelfe with our ſight; ſo it is that Chriſt bodily in heauen, yet the ſpirit comming from him, doth immediately ſo ioyne it ſelfe with the faithfull ſoule, that it maketh the faithfull ſoule one alſo with Chriſt, whoſe ſpirit it is.
2. The ſame life of grace for kinde which is in Chriſt, is in eueryevery faithfull ſoule; as the ſame ſenſe and motion which is in the head, is for kinde in the body alſo: for looke as that fire kindled, is of the ſame nature with the fire kindling; ſo this fulneſſe of grace in Chriſt, is of the ſame nature with that which it doth in ſome manner bring forth in vsus. Laſtly, eueryevery faithfull ſoule is gouerned by Chriſt outwardly and inwardly, as a member of the body by the head; the head doth not onelyonly ſhow the foote whether to goe, but imparts ſpirits which ſtirre vp the facultie of mouing, and ſo cauſe it to goe. Thus we are outwardly by Chriſts words directed, inwardly by his ſpirit; So many as are Chriſts, are lead by the ſpirit of Chriſt.
Vſe 1 The Vſe is, firſt for further Confutation: For if the faithfull hauehave none for a head, but they are a body to that perſon, then ſurely they hauehave not the Pope for their head, in any property of ſpeech, or they muſt as properly be ſaid the body of the Pope; yet Papiſts, who make no doubt to vſe the other phraſe, ſtraine curteſie here, and will not ſay the Church is the body of the Pope; but they might as well confidently ſay, this man is father to this childe, and yet be afraid to ſay, this childe is ſonne to ſuch a man.
Vſe 2 Seeing we are his body, let vsus not doubt but he hath fellow-feeling with vsus, and doth ſo farre as may ſtand with a glorified condition, commiſerate our diſtreſſes: Saul, Saul, why perſecuteſt thou me? He that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of my eye; Can the finger ake, but the head feeleth?
Vſe 3 This doth ſhow vsus our duetie, that wee muſt endeauour to ſubiect our ſelues wholly to Chriſt. If the head would direct one way, and the members take another, what a confuſion were this in the naturall body? Let vsus labour to deny our owne wils, and lay them downe before Chriſt; as euer we will with comfort call vponupon him to be a head to vsus, let vsus behaue our ſelues as obedient members to him. Some bend the will of Chriſt, like a leaden rule, to their owne will, and ſo farre they will goe in religion as ſhall humour them, and ſtand with their pleaſure: But let vsus know that true religion neuer beginneth, till in preparation of minde wee addreſſe our ſelues to deny and ſubiect our wills to that whatſoeuer Chriſt ſhall ſignifie as his will, out of his word.
Doct. 2 Obſerue againe, that hee ſaith This body is his fulneſſe, that Chriſt doth not count himſelfe full and compleate, without all his faithfull members; Hence it is, that while all Chriſts members are gathered, we are ſaid not to be growne vp to that age wherein Chriſt is full, or to the age of the fulneſſe of Chriſt, Eph. 4.13. For as it hath pleaſed Chriſt to make himſelfe a head to vsus, wee may ſay of him, as Saint Paul ſaith of the head, 1 Cor. 12. Can the head ſay to the foote, I hauehave no neede of thee? For as the head is not in full perfection, till it hauehave eueryevery member, and that in the growth which appertaineth to it; ſo Chriſt our head is not compleate, till hee hauehave all his members, and that in their ſeuerall perfections belonging to them; euen as it is betweene Kings, who are heads politicke, and their people, though for their perſons they are neuer ſo compleate, yet the multitude of their ſubiects addeth no ſmall glory to them; So it is twixt Chriſt our King, and vsus his people.
Vſe 1 Which conſideration, doth firſt ſhow vsus, that none of thoſe who either liue knit to Chriſt onelyonly by externall profeſſion, yea, none of thoſe, who receiue ſome effects of the ſpirit, which for a time onelyonly abide in them, none of all thoſe who in the end ſhall heare that ſentence, depart from me, were eueryevery true parts of Chriſts body; for Chriſt is made the fuller and compleate by all his true members, and ſhould be maimed if he lacked one of them: Theſe ergo, belonged to his body, as a wooden legge or glaſſe, doth to the body of a man, or at the moſt, as a bunching wenne, which is more inwardly continued, and hath a kinde of life, but it is not quickned as a member of it, and therefore it remaineth the more compleate when ſuch are cut off from it.
Vſe 2 Is eueryevery beleeuing ſoule a member, making Chriſt their head more full? This then doth aſſure vsus, that Chriſt will keepe vsus, who are true members of him, and not ſuffer any thing to ſeperate vsus from him. Is it not a blemiſh in the body, wherein one member onelyonly is wanting; So Chriſt ſhould be maimed, if wee were any of vsus loſt, who exiſt in him, as liuing members of him. Beſide, what naturall head would part with a member, were it in the power of it ſtill to enioy it? Wherefore when Chriſt wanteth no power, wee may aſſure our ſelues hee wanteth no will to preſerue vsus in that vnion and communion which as members wee hauehave attained with him.
Vſe 3 This doth let vsus ſee a ground of patience againſt the contempt to which true Chriſtians are ſubiect in this preſent World. Men often deeme them the refuſe and off all of all others; but this may encourage, Chriſt doth thinke ſo honourably of vsus, that hee counteth himſelfe maymed and imperfect without vsus. If Grace once fauour and reſpect vsus, wee paſſe not what inferiour perſons thinke of vsus: So ſhould it be heere, wee ſhould digeſt diſgrace from men more eaſily, to thinke that our great God and Sauiour hath vsus in ſuch eſtimation.
Obſerue laſtly from this deſcription of Chriſt, Who filleth all in all, that whatſoeuer thing is in vsus as Chriſtians, all of it is from Chriſt, Coloſ. 2.10. In him wee are compleate, filled with all heauenly gifts, which ſerue to remooue euill, or ſet vsus in ſtate of bleſſedneſſe; So Coloſ. 3.11. Put on the new man, in which Chriſt is all in all: For looke as what euer things are in naturall men, are all from the olde Adam, as for example; That they are of this complection, this ſtature, feature, ſexe, in regard of their body, that they are of ſharpe mindes, reaching wits, or otherwiſe, that they are in this Countrey, in this ciuill condition, what euer they hauehave according to the faſhion of this world which paſſeth, all is from the firſt Adam: ſo looke about thee, what euer thing is to be ſeene in a Chriſtian as a Chriſtian, all is from Chriſt this ſecond Adam, who filleth all in all. Should wee hauehave any thing which we receiued not from him, wee might ſo farre boaſt in our ſelues, Ergo, Wee hauehave not any thing which is not giuen vsus by Chriſt, that all our reioycing might be in God through him. Hee doth furniſh vsus with the whole ſuite of Grace and glory, that his magnificence might not in the leaſt degree be obſcured. For the cleerer opening of this point, two things are heere to be conſidered.
Firſt, What the things are wherewith hee filleth vsus.
Secondly, how we come to be filled.
The things are, all that fulneſſe of God, which beginneth in grace, is then perfected in glory when God ſhall be all in all. More particularly, he doth fill vsus with righteouſneſſe and life; for eueryevery thing filleth other with ſuch as it ſelfe hath: Now as the firſt Adam filleth his with ſinne and death; ſo the ſecond Adam hath treaſured in him righteouſneſſe and life for all that are his; therefore hee is ſaid, Daniel 9.24. to hauehave taken away ſinne, and brought to vsus eternall righteouſneſſe; and hee is ſaid, 2 Tim. 1.10. to hauehave tooke away death, and brought to light life and immortalitie; the life, is either the life of grace, or of glory; the life of grace, is inward, or outward: The inward grace of Chriſt, being that which doth dwell in the ſoule, principally changing it, in the vnderſtanding, will and affections of it: which doth alſo ſecondarily ſhow it ſelfe in the body, both making the outward man more amiable and awfull; Wiſedome maketh the face to ſhine, and alſo ſubiecting the members of it to it ſelfe, ſo as they become weapons of righteouſneſſe, Rom. 6. Euen as that cloud of Gods preſence, firſt filled the ſanctuary, and thence ſpread it ſelfe into the whole houſe; So the ſoule, being firſt filled with all knowledge and goodneſſe, Rom. 15.14. they breake out thence, and ſhow themſelues in the body, as the outward temple; Know ye not, your bodies are the temples of the holy Ghoſt? Now the externall grace which we receiue from Chriſt, is that whereby we are in this or that ſtate and condition; ſome teachers, ſome gouernours, ſome taught and gouerned. Euen as the naturall force of Adam doth frame the matter of the naturall body, one part into an eye, another into a hand, &c. ſo this is from Chriſt that the multitude of Gods choſen, who are the matter of his body myſticall, ſome are made members of one kinde, ſome of another, the life of glory is that which wee looke for from Chriſt in the heauens, both for ſubſtance and circumſtance of it. For looke as we hauehave, not onelyonly from our firſt parents, a naturall life for the ſubſtance, both of ſoule and body, but alſo all the circumſtanciall ioy, which from times, places, creatures are incident to vsus: So wee ſhall hauehave in Chriſt, and from him, not onelyonly that glorious light of vnderſtanding and louelove, wherewith wee ſhall louelove God, now ſeeing him as he is: not onelyonly thoſe glorious endowments of the body, whereby it ſhall become ſtrong, immortall, glorious, ſpirituall, but all the circumſtanciall ioy which ſhall in heauen be incident to our eſtates now glorified, wee ſhall be filled with it all through him.
For the ſecond point, how we come to be filled: Theſe three things muſt be obſerued. Firſt, that all fulneſſe is in Chriſt, who hath receiued it without meaſure; We hauehave it from him according to the meaſure of his gift, Ioh. 1. Eph. 4. As the ſunne hath fulneſſe of light, in that perfection which doth agree to light; the Moone hath light from the Sunne in that meaſure wherein it is capable; ſo Chriſt, the Sunne of righteouſneſſe, hee hath fulneſſe without meaſure; but the Church, with all her members are filled from him, according to the capacitie of them, as members vnderunder him.
Wee muſt know by what meanes we receiue our fulneſſe from Chriſt: To which the anſwere is by being partakers of Chriſt himſelfe, we come to be filled with the fulneſſe of grace and glory in him, as by eating and taking the ſubſtance of earthly nouriſhments, wee come to hauehave the vertue in them, euen to be filled with ſpirits and bloud ingendred from them; ſo in Chriſt is life, by getting him wee come to partake in this life which floweth from him. More particularly, the meanes by which wee come to be made partakers of Chriſt and ſo to be filled, they be ſuch meanes as conueigh Chriſt to vsus, or make vsus receiue him. The firſt are the word and Sacraments, for as Perſons by their words, and by a ring doe contract and giuegive themſelues fully the one to the other: So doth Chriſt by his word offering vsus himſelfe, and by his Sacraments as pledges and tokens conueigh himſelfe and beſtow himſelfe on vsus. Now we receiue him partly by Humilitie, which doth emptie vsus of our ſelues, and make roome for him, for pouerty and hunger are eueryevery where made the forerunners of being filled: partly by Beliefe which doth feede on him and apply him, partly by walking in Chriſt, and exerciſing our ſelues ſpiritually; be filled with the ſpirit, ſpeaking to your ſelues in Pſalmes, &c. Our walking in Chriſt maketh him ſettle and roote more and more in vsus: Now the further hee dwelleth in vsus, the more hee filleth vsus; Beſide that, the nature of fire is to burne out further when it is blowed and mooued.
The laſt thing to be marked is the order and degrees wherein we come to be filled; now Chriſt doth fill vsus firſt in regard of parts at our firſt Conuerſion, in as much as he doth giuegive vsus ſuch grace as doth oppoſe all ſinne, and incline vsus to all obedience, that though we can accompliſh nothing as we deſire, yet in the inner Man as wee are new creatures, wee delight in the Law of God: As the frame of an Infant is full for the members, though it is ſmall for quantity; ſo is the frame of our Grace. Secondly, we are filled with fulneſſe after a ſort for the preſent age of Child-hood, in which wee now liue: thus the Romanes are ſaid to be full of goodneſſe and all knowledge; full after a ſort for this ſtate of Child-hood in which wee here liue, full in compariſon of more imperfect beginnings. Thirdly, laſtly. We are abſolutely filled with all that fulneſſe which doth belong to vsus as members of Chriſt, and that is to be done in heauen heereafter: Looke as the firſt Adam communicateth and filleth his Children with this naturall life, ſo as they are firſt infants, then ripe for children, then men: So Chriſt doth gradually impart vntounto vsus his members this fulneſſe, which dwelleth in him.
Vſe 1 Wee ſee then that all fulneſſe is from Chriſt: how doe they then forget themſelues who ſeeke righteouſnes out of him? That befalleth them, they leaue the well-head of all grace and glory, and digge Ciſternes which will not hold water.
Vſe 2 This doth teach vsus to come to Chriſt. Bountifull Lords want none to reteyne to them, happy is hee who may ſhrowd himſelfe vnderunder their wings: Shall we not preſſe with reuerence to this Lord of Lords, who doth fill all in all with his ſpirituall bleſſings, who keepeth an open houſe, inuiteth, Ho, whoſoeuer thirſteth, let him come and drinke, yea drink freely the waters of life, and Iohn 7.37. Whoſoeuer commeth to me, I will not caſt him forth? Chriſt may complaine as he did ſometime with that people of the Iewes, How oft would I hauehave gathered you, but you would not? So hee may ſay to vsus, How oft would I hauehave had you, blinde, naked, miſerable by nature, come to me, that ye might be filled with righteouſneſſe and life, but ye hauehave refuſed? Well, did we know what wee are called to, and what wee might finde in him, then would we come and be ſuiters to him, Iohn. 4.10. But alas this is hid from our eyes.
FINIS.
Faults eſcaped.
PAge 73. line 13. read collectiuely. Page 82. line 27. read parallel. pag. 90. line laſt, r. an. pag. 92. l 23. r. then God may permit or deliuer a ſinner to ſinne, and no ſinne followeth. p. 112. l. 8. r. in infancie. p. 131. l. 25. leaue out nu. p. 136. l. 5. adde, are. p. 140. l. 14. r. benediction p. 148. l. 15. r. typified. p. 150. l. 10. r. conſectary. p. 163. l 7. adde, hath theſe ends. p 178. l. 22. r. Partus. p. 183. line 1. r. darkeneſſe. p. 205. l. 9. r. the Doctors. p 207. l. 31 r. count. p 224 l 3. r. to a head p. 226. l. 2 r. one. p. 227 l. 9 r. ſucceſſiuely p. 228. l 6. r. one. p. 228. l. …2. adde, in p. 232. l. 7. r. neere. l. 242 l. 32. in the margin, blot out Doct. 2. p. 168. l. 24. blot out, with prauity, and l. 27. r. pronitie to ſin. p. …01. l. 5 and 6. r. may not one that hath it. p 311. l 14. r. propounded. p. 338. l. 5. r. for p. 340. l. 15. r. within vsus his grace. p. 345. l. 4. r. an 355. l. 26. r. preparatiue. p 357. l. 19. preparation. p 359. l. 2. for the latter (our) r. one. p. 355 l 25. r. preparatiue. p. 363. l. 26 r reſiſt; That the will of the creator is the neceſsitie of things, on Gods decree neceſsitie followeth. But this, &c. p 383 l 1. r. ſtile. p 384 l: 4. r. much leſſe. p. 402. l. 13. r. euer. p. 3…. l. 13. Grace once. r. great ones.
End of the text · Paul Baynes, Commentary Upon Ephesians 1 (1618)