Commentary Upon Ephesians 1, Commentary · Verse 13
VERSE. 13 Hauing in the end of the ſixt verſe ſhewed, that all of vsus come to receiue in Chriſt the grace ſhewed in time, as well as that which was giuen vsus before all worlds; hee doth prooue it, Firſt from benefits giuen to the Iewes, vntounto this thirteenth verſe; Secondly, from benefits beſtowed on the Gentiles. Now this matter is firſt handled ſimply, to the end of this firſt Chapter; Secondly, is ſet downe comparatiuely, illuſtrated from their former eſtate in miſery. Now in ſetting downe the benefit, we muſt firſt marke the benefit it ſelfe, which they are ſaid to hauehave receiued; Secondly, the effect which this mercy ſhewed them had in Paul, whom it moued to pray for them. In the benefit, theſe particulars are obſerueable. 1. In whom they receiued it, in Chriſt. 2. Who receiue it, euen ye; for this circumſtance (yee) is ſet out as it were in text letters; (Yee) who were before without God in the world, who walked in the vanitie of your mindes. 3. The order in which this benefit did befall them, which is to be gathered from the precedencie of two other. 1. Of hearing. 2. Of beleeuing. The hearing is amplified from the obiect, which is propounded more indefinitely; the word of truth; expounded more diſtinctly, the Goſpell of ſaluation. The ſecond thing going before it, is faith; in whom alſo hauing beleeued. 4. The laſt thing, is their benefit, which was their ſealing, in which we conſider. 1. Their ſealing. 2. The ſeale and ſealer, viz. the Spirit; ſet downe more generally from his holineſſe, inherent to his perſon, from this externall circumſtance, that he was the ſpirit fore-promiſed. In the fourteenth verſe he is deſcribed more particularly, from that reſpect in which hee is to the Saints, viz. an earnest, &c.
The ſumme. As we in Chriſt hauehave beene thus bleſſed, ſo in him euen ye Gentiles, ſinners; when ye had heard the word of truth, the Goſpell of your ſaluation, in him I ſay, euen yee, when yee had not heard onelyonly, but alſo beleeued, were ſealed with the holy ſpirit, which had beene before promiſed vntounto life eternall. To omit the firſt circumſtance, which hath met vsus before, and the ſecond alſo, which doth giuegive occaſion to conſider what impure perſons the Lord doth chooſe to ſanctifie; wee will come to the third and fourth points propounded; firſt handling the generall circumſtances of them; ſecondly, touching thoſe things which may by the way be pointed at in them.
Doct. 1 You when you had heard, were ſealed with the ſpirit.] Obſ. How God, by hearing his word, doth bring vsus to be partakers in his ſpirit. Hearing is eueryevery where made the beginning of our comming to God; He that heareth, and learneth from the father, Ioh. 6. If ye hauehave heard and learned Chriſt, as the truth is in Chriſt, Epheſ. 4.21. The word hath beene fruitfull in you, from what time you heard, &c. Col. 1. This was the ſenſe by which firſt death entred; Eue hearing the Serpent, was ſeduced: and this is the ſenſe by which wee are reſtored. Looke as the ground cannot be quickned with fruits, till it receiue ſeede, and the dewes from heauen; no more can our ſoyle be quickned with the ſpirit and fruits of the ſpirit, till by hearing it hath taken in this ſeede immortall, drunke in this heauenly ſhower of Gods word. Now it is not eueryevery hearing which is accompanied with the ſpirit, but hearing with the heart, ſo as the heart is affected to doe that it heareth. There is a hearing with the eare bodily; thus many may heare, who doe not vnderſtand, & Ergo, heare, & doe not heare. If out-landiſh men were here, ſuch as did onelyonly know their owne forraigne language; we might talke lowd enough in Engliſh, not fearing their hearing of vsus. There is a hearing ioyned with vnderſtanding, when yet the heart is not affected to doe after it; and this hearing is no hearing alſo: If one heare vsus asking him to doe this or that, if he hauehave no minde to performe it, we ſay, hee cannot heare on that ſide: It muſt Ergo, be ſuch hearing as Lydea heard with, whoſe heart God opened to attend to Pauls preaching.
Vſe 1 The Vſe of this is, to let vsus ſee, that where there is much hearing, yet the word is not there heard as it ſhould be: Who commeth to hauehave his heart burn within him? to be filled with the ſpirit by hearing, by being taught being admoniſhed? It is pittifull; We may obſerue ſome like Iudas, who was, when now he had heard Chriſt, and taken the ſop, he was filled, but with Sathan; they are viler after hearing then before: & the moſt like children, when Schooling-time is ended. Nay it is to be feared, that ſome with hearing, are growne paſt hearing; as thoſe who dwell, neere the continuall roaring of mighty waters, they waxe deafe, through continuall hearing ſuch vehement noyſe, ſo that they cannot heare any thing at all; ſo many, the ſound of Gods word hath ſo long beatē their eares, that they cannot diſcerne any thing in it, what euer is ſpoken.
Vſe 2 Secondly, this muſt teach vsus to attend on hearing: Wouldſt thou keepe the ſpirit from being quenched, deſpiſe not prophecie, hearing the Scriptures opened to thy vſe. Euen as the Conduit-pipes carry the water hither and thither ſo doth the word conueigh the graces of the ſpirit into our hearts; It is a peale to bed; when men can be without, hearing, not feeling neede of it, as ſome times they hauehave done.
Doct. 2 Secondly obſerue, what word heard bringeth vsus the quickning ſpirit, the word of the Goſpell. A mans drooping heart, vponupon the comming of ſome good newes to him, it feeleth as it were new ſpirits returne to it; ſo our dead hearts, when God hath made this glad tydings of ſaluation and pardon of ſinne be brought them, there doth returne to them a quickning ſpirit of peace, and ioy vnſpeakeable and glorious. Receiued you the Spirit by hearing the Law, or by the Doctrine of faith preached? Gal. 3.3. And for this cauſe the miniſtery of the Goſpell, is called the miniſtery of the Spirit, not of the Letter; becauſe this doctrine doth onelyonly bring vsus to receiue the quickning ſpirit, which doth worke in vsus a life eternall. The Law may bring vsus to feele our ſelues dead, Rom. 7. but it cannot quicken any: Though when the Goſpell hath now quickned vsus, it may inſtruct vsus, reforme vsus, yea, delight vsus in the inner man, Rom. 7. many things may helpe vsus, when now wee liue, which could not be meanes of reſtoring vsus from death to life. But it may be obiected, the Goſpell is ſaid a ſauer of death, as well as the Law is ſaid a a killing letter. I anſwere. The Goſpell is ſaid ſo, not that directly the nature of it is to kill, but by accident of mens corruption who reiect and will not obey it, it turneth to their further condemnation: As the Kings pardon cannot kill any by it ſelfe, yet deſpiſed by a malefactor, it may double his guilt, and bring him to more haſty and fearefull execution: So the gracious pardon of God, offered in the Goſpell, killeth not any by it ſelfe, ſaueth many who receiue it, yet deſpiſed, it may by occaſion worke heauier death and deſtruction. But the Law doth of it owne nature hold a man now in ſtate of ſinne, vnderunder death and condemnation, and cannot of it ſelfe bring any to life, who now hath offended; The words I ſpeake to you (ſaith Chriſt) they are ſpirit, they are life: Euen as the body of the ſunne, diffuſeth as an inſtrument, the beames of this materiall light; ſo it is the Goſpell, that inſtrument of God, by which hee ſendeth out the light of his gracious ſpirit into our hearts.
Vſe 1 The Vſe of it is, to ſtirre vsus vp earneſtly to deſire this ſincere milke of the Goſpell: Euen as there goeth out naturall ſpirits with the milke the babe draweth from the mother; ſo the Lord doth accompany this word of his, which the Church miniſtreth as milke, with that ſupernaturall ſpirit, which giueth quicknance to life euerlaſting: Euen as we doe daily renew our feeding, to repaire the decay of naturall ſpirits in vsus; ſo muſt we neuer be weary of renewing and encreaſing that ſupernaturall life and ſpirit which we hauehave receiued from Chriſt. If thou haſt the ſpirit, heare that thou maiſt keepe it? if thou wouldeſt hauehave it, and wanteſt it, attend on hearing, remembring how the Eunuch receiued the ſpirit, Acts 8. and how while Cornelius and his friends heard Peter opening the good word of ſaluation, the holy Ghoſt did fall on them, to the wonder of the beleeuing Iewes, who accompanied Peter.
Doct. And here, before wee paſſe to the generall Doctrine; note from this, that the Goſpell is called, the word of truth; that all Gods promiſes made in Chriſt, are true and faithfull; They are Yea, and Amen, 2 Cor. 1. They are true, and worthy all entertainement, 1 Tim. 15. The whole word is true: For like as the witneſſe is, like is the teſtimony or depoſition which commeth from him: Now God is faithfull and cannot lye; but this is attributed to the Doctrine of the Goſpel, as agreeing to it, with a certaine excellency before other parcels of the word: For the Goſpell is ſometime called by generall names, as a doctrine of godlineſſe, a Law, a Teſtimony; Sometime it is deſcribed by the author, the Goſpell of God; ſometime from the obiect, the Goſpell of Chriſt, of the kingdome; ſometime from the property, as an eternall Goſpell, a good word, a true word, as here; ſometime from effects, as in the next words, a Goſpell of ſaluation. Now it is teſtified to be a word of truth, after an eminent manner, for three cauſes. Firſt, it is occupied about Chriſt, who is the truth and ſubſtance of all the ſhadowes legall, which now are vaniſhed. Secondly, the truth of this word is further confirmed to vsus then the truth of any other, by word, by oath, by the teſtimony of the great Apoſtle Chriſt Ieſus, by a iewry of ſolemne witneſſes, choſen for this purpoſe, by a multitude of miracles. Thirdly; this property is the rather annexed to this Doctrine of the Goſpell that thus our vnbeliefe might be holpen; for our minde is corrupted with errour, prone to any vnbeleefe, but hard to beleeue theſe points ſo high aboue the naturall reach and apprehenſion of it. Now as a Phyſitian doth ſay of his medicine, that it is excellent, not that it needeth commendations, but that he may induce his Patient the better to take it; So God and his Embaſſadours doe teſtifie of theſe things, that they are true, that wee might thus be brought to yeelde them beleefe.
But it may be obiected, that word which biddeth many reprobates beleeue the forgiueneſſe of their ſinnes, and life euerlaſting, that is not a word of truth; but the Goſpell doth ſo. The reaſon of the former propoſition is, becauſe that which biddeth me beleeue a lie, cannot be true; but to bid a reprobate beleeue his ſins are forgiuen, is to bid him beleeue a lye. The ſumme put together, commeth to this; That word which biddeth a man perſwade himſelfe of that which is vntrue, that is a lying word.To beleeue that my ſinnes are now pardoned me, and that I am ſaued; this is not the firſt act of faith, but followeth them when now a man doth ſee himſelfe to be iuſtified in Chriſt. Firſt I ſay, this may be denied, vnleſſe I bid him perſwade himſelfe ſo, with a minde of deceiuing him. Abraham by Gods command was bound to perſwade himſelfe that Iſaac was to dye vnderunder his owne hand, yet was not that a lying word, by which God ſpake to him, becauſe the intent of it was butto proue him: Some ſay he was bound to thinke ſo, vnleſſe God ſhould countermand and reuerſe his former command. Anſ. Abraham did abſolutely beleeue it; and Ergo, did not comfort himſelfe, by thinking God might call backe his former precept, but by conſidering that God could raiſe him from the dead: Much more may God bid the reprobate belieue this or that, while hee doth it but to euince their contumacy, and doth ſee well how farre they are from belieuing any ſuch matter.
Secondly I anſwere, that the ſecond part of the firſt reaſon is not true; God doth bid them belieue on Chriſt to forgiuenes of fin, he doth not bid any reprobate directly belieue that his ſin is forgiuen.
Vſe. O then let vsus take heed that we do not giuegive God the lye in al theſe things which he promiſeth to vsus; EueryEvery man will bleſſe himſelfe from this iniquity, from charging God with falſhood in word, yet no man is afraid to doe that with his deede, which he trembleth to pronounce with his lips: as wee may deny God not by word onelyonly, but by worke; ſo wee may make him a lyer, not onelyonly by charging falſhood on him by word of mouth, but by our deed, going away, and not heeding all the grace he offereth vsus in Chriſt; He that beleeueth not, maketh God a lyar, 1 Ioh. 5.10. Should one promiſe me an hundred pound, doing this or that, though I ſhould not tell him hee did but gull mee with words, yet ſhould I goe my way, neuer heeding what had beene promiſed, neuer endeauouring performance of the condition on which I might claime the benefit offered, by doing this, I ſhould ſhew plainly that I did not take for truth that I heard ſpoken; ſo it is betweene God promiſing to vsus on belieuing and repenting, and our turning our backes on him without endeauouring after theſe things.
Vſe 2 This muſt ſtrengthen our faith toward the promiſes of God: O they are purer then ſiluer ſeauen times fined. Should an honeſt man in telling vsus any thing, when he came to this or that which hee ſaw vsus not eaſie to belieue; ſhould he interſert but this proteſtation, that what he would tell vsus he knew it moſt true, we would the eaſlier receiue it, and giuegive credit to it; how much more when God doth condeſcend ſo farre to our infirmity, as not onelyonly to tell vsus theſe things, but to teſtifie to vsus, that they are truth it ſelfe?
Secondly, it might be noted here, that the Goſpell is ſuch a doctrine, as worketh ſaluation; Gods power to ſaluation, it may well be called a good ſpell, or word, for it bringeth vsus the tidings of all our good. Firſt, it bringeth immortality and life to light. Secondly, it offereth vsus the grace of forgiueneſſe, and life euerlaſting. Thirdly, It is Gods inſtrument, whereby hee worketh faith, receiuing theſe things. Fourthly, it is the word of Grace which muſt build vsus vp, and bring vsus to that bleſſed inheritance, Acts 20.32. But I haſten to the things remaining in this verſe.
Doct. 3 The 3d. general doctrine is, that it is not enough to heare, but we muſt belieue, before we can be partaker of the good ſpirit of Chriſt, Gal. 3 14. By faith we receiue the ſpirit of promiſe: The Gentiles hauing heard and belieued, God did giuegive them his ſpirit, Acts 15.7.8. Hee that belieueth, riuers of water ſhall flow from him, which is ſpoken of that ſpirit which they receiue, who belieue on Chriſt, Iohn 7.28 This fore-promiſed ſpirit, is firſt in the fulnes of it receiued by Chriſt our head, Acts 2.33. and from Chriſt it commeth to vsus; for from his fulneſſe wee receiue Grace for Grace. Now looke as a member cannot receiue thoſe ſpirits from the head which cauſe ſenſe and motion in the body, but they muſt be vnited with the head, ſo it is heere, wee cannot hauehave this ſpirit from Chriſt our head, but wee muſt by this ſinew or nerue of faith be vnited to him.
But how can we receiue the ſpirit by faith, when we cannot belieue before we hauehave the ſpirit? Some thinke that wee hauehave firſt actuall grace, that is, that the ſpirit as an ayde without vsus, doth make vsus actually belieue, that ſo the ſpirit afterward by habit of faith, and all other ſanctifying graces, may come to dwell in vsus. Now they would anſwere, that though wee cannot belieue without the outward aide of the ſpirit, yet we might belieue without the ſpirit, by any ſupernaturall habit dwelling in vsus; but this is the error of the ſchoole: for wee are ſaid to hauehave a ſpirit of faith, before we can bring forth the act of faith, 2 Cor. 4. hauing the ſefe-ſame ſpirit of Faith wee ſpeake. Againe, no externe helpe can make vsus bring foorth good fruit, till it make vsus firſt good trees; and a blinde man may be …ifted vp to ſee, without a faculty of ſeeing, as well as an vnbeleeuing man lifted vp to an act of Faith, without a faculty, a ſupernaturall habit of belieuing: Wee, ergo, are ſaid beleeuing to receiue the ſpirit, becauſe then wee receiue it more fully and manifeſtly, dwelling in vsus to our ſanctification and aſſurance, touching our redemption.
Vſe 1 Wherefore let vsus labour by faith to be one with Chriſt; let vsus eate, as it were, and drinke him, by beliefe on him, then ſhall wee feele the quickning ſpirit comming out of him; yea let vsus ſtriue for a further meaſure of faith; for the wider the mouth or necke of a veſſell is, the more it receiueth, the faſter it filleth; ſo heere, the more our faith dilateth it ſelfe, the more abundantly doth this ſpirit flow into vsus from Chriſt.
Vſe 2 We ſee the idoll faith which many reſt on, for it bringeth them not to be partakers of a holy ſpirit, nay their faith is accompanied with a ſpirit of ſenſuality, fleſhly prophaneſſe, filthineſſe, couetouſneſſe, euen ſuch a ſpirit as is fit to come from a groundleſſe and fruitleſſe preſumption.
Thus hauing conſidered the benefit in generall, wee will ſift it more particularly; for hee doth not barely ſay, in whom when ye alſo had belieued, ye receiued the ſpirit, but ye were ſealed with the holy ſpirit fore-promiſed. Two things are to be marked; 1. The ſealing, which doth figuratiuely ſignifie a ſingular confirmation giuen to faithfull ones touching their redemption: The ſeale, the holy ſpirit, that is both the perſon of the ſpirit dwelling with vsus, and the graces of the ſpirit inherent in vsus, which is here ſaid a ſpirit of promiſe, becauſe God had fore-promiſed to put his ſpirit into our hearts, that his word and ſpirit ſhould neuer leaue the faithfull ſeed; that he would poure out the ſpirit on all fleſh; which ſolemne promiſes make me thinke that this phraſe is in this ſenſe rather to be conſtred, as Gal. 3.4. Wee are ſaid by faith to receiue the promiſe of the ſpirit; that is, the ſpirit of promiſe, or that had beene promiſed, as here it is vttered.
Doct. 4 Firſt obſerue, that the faithfull are as it were by ſeale confirmed, touching their ſaluation and full redemption; for this is to be ſupplied from the 4 Chap. 30. ver. Who confirmeth vsus, who hath annointed vsus, yea, who hath ſealed vsus, 2 Cor. 1. As God did ſeale his Chriſt, as the perſon in whom hee would be glorious by working our redemption; ſo he doth ſeale vsus who are belieuers, for perſons who ſhall hauehave redemption by him. Euen as perſons contracting doe mutually ſeale and deliuer each of them their deedes in ſeuerall: ſo betweene God and the belieuer; the belieuer doth by faith ſet to his ſeale as it were, that God is true in that which he promiſeth, Iohn 3.33. and God he doth ſeale vntounto the beleeuer, that he ſhall be infallibly brought to the ſaluation hee hath belieued; for to ſeale vp belieuers to redemption, or to ſeale redemption to belieuers, are heere equiualent. Looke what a ſeale ſet on any thing doth, it agreeth well to belieuers: For firſt a ſeale maketh ſometimes things ſealed ſecret; Thus the graces of the ſpirit make belieuers vnknowne to the world, who hauehave not receiued the ſame ſpirit with them, yea ſuch as none can ordinarily know their happineſſe beſide themſelues: My louelove is like a fountaine ſealed; for this cauſe the World knoweth you not, becauſe it knoweth not the Father, 1 Iohn 3.2. Secondly, a ſeale doth diſtinguiſh; thus the belieuers are a peculiar to God, are ſet apart; as the firſt fruits of the creature, are taken out of the world. Thirdly, A ſeale doth make things authenticall: Thus meaſures, cloathes, deedes, any thing by the ſeale comming, is confirmed and warranted in the kinde of it: Thus belieuers they hauehave that giuen them which doth fully aſſure their ſaluation alwaies, yea, which doth not onelyonly make it ſure in it ſelfe, but ſometime put it out of all doubt with them, that they can ſay, they know whom they hauehave belieued, and that hee is able to keepe their ſaluation they hauehave truſted him with to that day. Looke as Kings when they take any to great offices, or to hauehave & hold lands, matter of inheritance heere or there, they giuegive their ſeale, that they may the more ſecure it vntounto them; ſo doth God to vsus, when now hee taketh vsus belieuing to that heauenly inheritance. But it may be obiected by many belieuing hearts, wee finde no aſſurance, but much doubting euer and anone, though wee hope wee hauehave and doe truely belieue. Anſw. It is one thing to hauehave this or that ſurely by deed and ſeale confirmed, another thing to know that we hauehave a thing ſo ſealed: As men in earthly things may hauehave ſure euidence for this or that, and yet not alwaies know the certainty of their hold, and ſo doubt cauſleſly, thus it is in belieuers, they hauehave their redemption euer ſurely ſealed, but not knowing the certainty hereof in themſelues, they are yer-while ſubiect to doubtings.
Vſe 1 The Vſe is, that ſeeing God hath thus ſealed to vsus our ſaluation, we ſhold, Ergo, labor to be fully perſwaded touching this his grace toward vsus. Though true beleeuers are not alwaies ſure of their ſaluation in their ſenſe and iudgement, yet they ſhould euer ſtriue to this; For as men would be truſted confidently, in that they promiſe and ſeale; ſo God much more would hauehave vsus be ſecure, touching that which he hath promiſed, written, ſworne, outwardly and inwardly ſealed.
Vſe 2 Let vsus all ſtriue to get our ſelues ſealed to redemption, ſeeing God doth ſeale thoſe whom hee will deliuer in that great day; If we be not in this number, we ſhall not eſcape damnation. Euen as in the ninth of Ezechiel, and Reuelation 7. thoſe were kept from the iudgement ſpirituall in the one place, corporall in another, whom God had ſealed and marked thereto, ſo is it here, &c.
Doct. 5 The laſt point followeth, viz. That the holy ſpirit, and the graces of the ſpirit, are the ſeale aſſuring our redemption, the ſeale ſealing vsus to redemption. For aſſurance of outward things wee hauehave onelyonly the ſeale ſealed on waxe, or otherwiſe, wee neede not the Signet ſealing; but wee are confirmed touching ſaluation, both by the ſpirit of God, who is as it were the ſeale ſealing, and by the graces of the ſpirit, which is as it were the ſeale ſealed and printed vponupon vsus; yea, theſe two, both of them are together as a ſeale, while it ſtandeth vponupon the matter which it now ſealeth. Looke as the Kings of England graue on their broad Seale their owne image, & ſo print as it were their owne picture in this or that which they ſeale: So our God by his holy ſpirit, eſſentially like himſelfe, he doth print vponupon our ſoules, his owne image; vponupon vsus I ſay, whom he ſealeth to redemption.
Now, that both Gods ſpirit and this image of God in vsus, doe as it were ſeale vsus vp to ſaluation, is plaine. For firſt of the perſon of the ſpirit, it is ſpoken, Rom. 8. that it beareth witneſſe to our ſpirits, that we are Gods children, and heires with Chriſt. The ſpirit of God doth by his owne teſtimony in ſpeciall manner confirme vsus and aſſure vsus this way. Now for the other, We know by this, ſaith Saint Iohn, that we are tranſlated from death to life, becauſe we louelove the brethren. Now ſeeing it is the holy ſpirit dwelling in vsus, and Gods holy image in our ſoules, which ſeale vp our ſaluation: How ſhould wee labour for the ſpirit and for holineſſe, without which none ſhall euer ſee God? Had wee great matters to be conueied to vsus, though all were concluded, and the inſtruments ready drawne, yet wee could not reſt till we had got all ſure ſealed; ſo it is with vsus, we ſhould not reſt, but ſeeke this holy ſpirit, that we might ſee our heauenly inheritance ſafe and ſure, euen ſealed within vsus.
Secondly; We ſee by this, that the ſeale is Gods holy ſpirit, that God doth not intend by ſealing, to make our ſaluation certaine in it ſelfe, but to vsus alſo: For he who ſealeth vsus with ſuch a ſeale which we may know, hee would hauehave vsus aſſured in our ſelues, touching that to which we are ſealed: But the ſpirit may be knowne of vsus; for that which is a ſigne manifeſting other things to vsus, muſt need…s it ſelfe be manifeſt. Now Saint Iohn ſaith, By this we know God dwelleth in vsus, and we in him; becauſe he hath giuen vsus of his ſpirit: Vnreaſonable Sheepe cannot know the markes wherewith they are marked; but reaſonable ſheepe may know the ſeale wherewith they are ſealed.
Thirdly, we may gather how fearefull the ſtate of ſuch is, who wil ſcoffe at the ſpirit, at Purity, Holineſſe: Surely as God hath his ſeale, ſo the Deuill hath his: when hee filleth men with darkeneſſe in middeſt of teaching, hardens their hearts till they know not how to be aſhamed and penitent, filleth them with hatred and ſcorne of ſuch as are more conſcionable then themſelues, it is a preſumption God hath giuen them vp to the power of Sathan, that hee might ſeale them to eternall damnation.