An Exposition of Pauls Epistles, Letter 5 · Chapter 5
CHAP. V.
THere are two parts of this Chapter, the former contains nine general Precepts touching the practice of holiness, which indifferently concern all beleevers, to vers. 21. The latter contains four more special Precepts touching Oeconomical, or houshold offices, unto the end.
Vers. 1. Bee yee therefore followers of God as dear children.
Precept 1. Touching holiness in general, That they should study to imitate God in holiness: The reason is, because yee are the beloved Sons of God: Therefore you should imitate God your Father, who is holy.
Vers: 2. And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us, an offering, and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour.
Prec. 2. That they should walk in mutual love; hee adds the reason thereof, because Christ hath so loved us, that hee offered himself a sacrifice for us, that God might forgive us our sins; the power of this sacrifice appears in this, that it hath pleased and appeased God towards us: These two Precepts also may serve to confirm the preceding exhortation in the end of the former Chapter, concerning forgiving one anothers faults.
Vers. 3. But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not bee once named amongst you, as becometh Saints.
Prec. 3. That they should beware and avoid fornication, and all kinde of uncleanness and covetousness, yea that they should not bee so much as named among them without detestation, much less committed: The reason thereof is, because it becomes Saints thus to carry themselves, who have devoted themselves to the service of the most holy God.
Vers. 4. Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jeasting, which are not convenient, but rather giving of thanks.
5. For this yee know, that no Whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man who is an Idolater, hath any inheritance in the Kingdome of Christ, and of God.
6. Let no man deceive you with vain words, for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.
Prec. 4. That they should avoid filthiness of speech, foolish talking, and scoffing. Of these two Precepts, hee gives five Reasons.
Which are not] Reason 1. Because filthy speech doth not at all become Saints.
But rather] Reas. 2. Because wee have other matters of joy afforded us to take up our talk with, viz. Thanksgiving for Gods benefits, vers. 4.
This yee know] Reas. 3. Because uncleanness and covetousness are excluded from the Kingdome of heaven, which is called God the Fathers and Christs, because it is a Kingdome common to both.
Idolater] Reas. 4. Because covetousness is Idolatry, substituting the creature in the place of the Creator. Wee may understand the same of other vices, vers. 5.
No man] Reas. 5. Because whoever are addicted to these vices, are reckoned among the sons of disobedience, or Rebels against God, and shall feel the most heavy wrath of God, whatever Seducers may say to the contrary, vers. 6.
Vers. 7. Bee not yee therefore partakers with them.
Prec. 5. This hee adds as an inference, wherein hee generally disswades them from partaking in these aforesaid vices, and all others wherewith the sons of disobedience defile themselves. The Reasons hereof are eight: The first went before, lest they bee made partakers of the future wrath hanging over the disobedient.
Vers. 8. For yee were sometimes darkness, but now are yee light in the Lord, Walk as children of light.
Reas. 2. From their changed condition, because before your conversion to faith, you were slaves and bond-men to ignorance and wickedness, but now in Christ yee are beautified with the light of wisdome and holiness, that yee should commend this light to others (where hee gives a hint of the same Precept affirmatively, viz. That they should not walk as the sons of darkness, but as the sons of light, obeying the word of God, which affords light to the right ordering of our lives) therefore you should not bee companions of the obstinate.
Vers. 9. (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth.)
Reas. 3. Because the fruit of the Holy Ghost, by whom yee are translated from darkness to light, consists in goodness, righteousness, and truth: Therefore yee should bring forth these fruits, and not bee companions of the obstinate, in the fruits of the flesh.
Vers. 10. Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.
Reas. 4. In which hee explains the Precept touching walking in the light, Because endeavouring to walk as Sons of the Light, yee may experimentally know, and certainly try what is acceptable to God, what not: Therefore bee not yee, by walking in darkness, of the fellowship of the disobedient.
Vers. 11. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
Reas. 5. Here also the Precept is repeated and explained. Because walking as the Sons of Light, yee will not onelyonly not partake of the sins of others, but by the example of your holy life you will condemn the sins of others: Bee not yee therefore their companions, but rather abhor their manners.
Vers. 12. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.
Reas. 6. Because the works of darkness, which the rest of the unconverted Heathens secretly commit, for their filthiness are not worthy of a Christians ear: Therefore you ought not to have any intercourse with their sins, but rather reprove them, as the Sons of Light.
Vers. 13. But all things that are reproved, are made manifest by the Light: for whatsoever doth make manifest, is Light.
Reas. 7. Because the rebuke of secret sins, which is given by your openly-declared holy life, doth prick the consciences of the wicked, and doth manifest that their works are evil: and this doth very much conduce to their conversion; for thus it brings them to the knowledge of themselves.
Is Light] Hee confirms this reason, and proves that an holy life is Light. Because it hath the property of Light, so far as it manifests to the wicked, that their works are evil.
Vers. 14. Wherefore hee saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee Light.
Reas. 8. Confirming the former. Because the voice of the Holy Ghost in the Scriptures, or the Prophetical and Apostolical Doctrine, both taken together, have this tendency and drift, that those that sleep and are dead in sins, should bee raised to repentance, and come unto Christ by Faith, that so they may bee enlightened and saved by the Light of Christs Grace: Therefore all the Sons of Light ought both in words and deeds to commend this Doctrine to others, and propagate it to the salvation of others, shunning in the mean while all intercourse with sinners.
Vers. 15. See then that yee walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise;
Prec. 6. Making for the observation of the former. That they should take care to walk accurately, as becomes those who are indued with the Wisdome of God revealed in the Gospel, and not being deceived, decline from the way, as those who are ignorant of Gods Will.
Vers. 16. Redeeming the time, because the daies are evil.
Prec. 7. Having the same drift. That they should not suffer their time to bee spent in idleness and pleasures, and to pass unfruitfully, but with the loss of pleasures, or of sluggish idleness, or unprofitable business, they should take hold of, and as it were redeem opportunities of well doing: Hee gives the reason, Because the times are full of dangers, through the malice of men, who (no one knows how soon) may take away their liberty, goods, yea life it self, and deprive them of all opportunity of doing good.
Vers. 17. Wherefore, bee yee not unwise, but understand what the Will of the Lord is.
From this reason hee inferrs a conclusion: Therefore (saith hee) bee wise, and not fools, observing what God requires of you, that yee should perform it diligently without delay, while time is afforded.
Vers. 18. And bee not drunk with Wine, wherein is excess: but bee filled with the Spirit:
Prec. 8. Forbidding them to bee drunk with Wine, or any other drink. The reason is, because in this drunkenness is the destruction of estates, credit, body and soul.
Bee filled] Prec. 9. This is delivered by way of Antithesis; that rather they should bee filled and exhilerate themselves with the saving water of the Holy Ghost, that is, they should strive to abound in the experience of joy, which is from Gods Spirit: in which fulness there is no excess.
Vers. 19. Speaking to your selves in Psalms and Hymns, and spiritual Songs, singing, and making melody in your heart to the Lord,
The reason of the Precept is from those better fruits which spiritual joy produceth, such are all sorts of spiritual Songs, especially those which are in the holy Scriptures, with which they should mutually edifie one another, and glorifie God from their heart or spiritual affection. A Psalm is a sacred song in general, especially that which is by playing on the harp. A Hymn properly contains Gods praise. An Ode or Song, is a common name.
Vers. 20. Giving thanks alwaies for all things unto God and the Father, in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ,
Hee shews the special use and end of Christian Songs, that wee should alwaies, in what condition soever wee are, through Jesus Christ, give thanks to God our Father for all his benefits.
The Second Part.
Vers. 21. Submitting your selves one to another, in the fear of God.
The second part of this Chapter follows, wherein that hee may descend to oeconomical Precepts, hee premises an exhortation touching submission to one another in general, that still keeping that order which God had placed them in, they should each one in his office help one another; for where-ever there is love, there will bee care to serve one another: Hee adds in the fear of God, because it is requisite that from this fountain should flow sincere obedience of this Precept from the heart, to the glory of God; for is is onelyonly the fear of Christ which can bring our fierceness into subjection, that wee should not refuse the yoak, and can bring down our pride, that wee should not bee ashamed to serve our neighbours.
Vers. 22. Wives, submit your selves unto your own Husbands, as unto the Lord.
Now follow the oeconomical Precepts. (1) That Wives should bee in subjection to their own Husbands, chastly, sincerely, and in lawful things. The reasons whereof are four.
As unto the Lord] Reason 1. Because Christ commanded that the Wife should bee subject to her Husband, and accounts of that subjection as if shee yeelded obedience to himself, and in like manner looks upon the Wives rebellion against her Husband, as rebellion against himself.
Vers. 23. For the Husband is the Head of the Wife, even as Christ is the Head of the Church: and hee is the Saviour of the body.
Reas. 2. Because the Husband is in honour and authority over the Wife, as the head is over the body. Therefore it is meet that the Wife …ould bee in subjection to him.
As Christ] Reas. 3. Because … will have the Husbands authority over the Wife to …ee a similitude of Christs authority over the Church.
And hee is] Reas. 4. The same similitude is illustrated. As Christ is the Head of the Church for its good: so the Husband is the Head of the Wife for her good, whom hee ought in all things to defend, ch…rish and comfort: And as it is expedient for the Church to bee obedient to Christ; so it is for the Wife to bee obedient to her Husband.
Vers. 24. Therefore as the Church is subject unto Christ, so let the Wives bee to their own Husbands, in every thing.
From these reasons hee inferrs the conclusion: that it is necessary for the Wife to bee obedient to her Husband in all things, which hinder not her due subjection unto God and Christ.
Vers. 25. Husbands love your Wives, even as Christ also loved the Church, and gave himself for it.
Prec. 2. Which is given to men, that they should love their Wives; the reasons thereof are five.
As] Reas. 1. From the example of Christs love towards the Church, which love the Apostle commends from these four marks.
(1) That Christ out of his love offered himself for the Church which was then lost.
Vers. 26. That hee might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water, by the Word;
(2) That hee loved his Church, and offered himself for it, to the end that hee might sanctifie it, or of a prophane and impure Church make it a holy one.
Washing] (3) That Christ doth effectually cleanse his Church by virtue of his blood, and of his free promise, which hee applies to us by the ordinary means of Baptism, and of the Word, as by instruments of his Spirit, ordained for the confirmation of Faith, and the communication of virtue.
Vers. 27. That hee might present it to himself a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinckle, nor any such thing; but that it should bee holy and without blemish.
(4) That hee hath loved his Church for this end, that hee might at length present it glorious in Heaven, without any mark or token either of sin or misery, and hee will ever prosecute this his work till hee hath brought it to pass.
Vers. 28. So ought men to love their Wives, as their own bodies; hee that loveth his Wife, loveth himself.
Reas. 2. Of the Precept given to men touching loving their Wives. Because Wives are the bodies of their own Husbands, according to that Law of God, They two shall bee one flesh.
Hee that loveth] Reas. 3. Because hee which loveth his Wife, loveth himself, and performs the office of love unto himself, for that love of a mans own Wife, doth every way redound to the Husbands good.
Vers. 29. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the Church:
Reas. 4. Because it is as unnatural to a Wife and good Husband not to love his Wife, as it is to hate his own flesh, and it is as agreeable to reason, to favour and make much of his Wife, as it is to regard his own flesh.
As] Hee confirms and illustrates this reason by the example of Christ, which hee wills us alwaies to have in our eye, as the most perfect example of love.
Vers. 30. For wee are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
Hee proves that Christ loved us as his own flesh, and that it was not possible for him to hate us, but hee was as it were constrained out of love to maintain and cherish us: because wee are members of his body, flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bone, that is, wee are as nearly joyned to him, as Eve was to Adam: for what Eve owed to Adam in the flesh, wee owe to Christ in the regeneration of our spirit, and much more. In the forming of Eve, Adam lost onelyonly one rib: but in the reforming of the Church, Christ lost his life. OnelyOnly the matter of Eve was from Adam: but the Church hath from Christ its natural formation, and spiritual reformation, in respect of both the body and soul of every member.
Vers. 31. For this cause shall a man leave his Father and Mother, and shall bee joyned unto his Wife, and they two shall bee one flesh.
Reas. 5. Where hee proves both that the Church owes its beginning to Christ; and that Husbands ought to love their Wives, even from the institution of marriage, which requires that by reason of the streight knot between Husband and Wife, a man shall leave Father and Mother, and bee joyned to his Wife, and they two shall bee united into one flesh, by the bond of wedlock, by which they now have a mutual right to, and power over one another: the words of this institution have a typical sense: for God, in that saying, Gen. 2.23. Thou art flesh of my flesh, and bone of my bone, intended to represent the union of Christ, and the Church, and to shew that wee are bone of Christs bone, and flesh of Christs flesh, that is, that wee are most nearly united to Christ, because in the speech of Adam to Eve, it was prefigured, that Christ (as hee was one flesh with us, and made us one flesh with himself by a spiritual wedlock) did as it were leave his own Father (laying aside after a manner that glory which hee had with the Father, abasing himself when hee was in the form of God, and taking upon him the form of a servant.) Also it was prefigured that Christ should leave Mary his Mother, that by dying hee might buy the Church to bee his Spouse, with which hee would bee one flesh.
Vers. 32. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the Church.
The Apostle viewing this last thing, not the carnal wedlock, but the union of Christ with the Church, calls it a great mystery: and lest any one should otherwise understand his saying, hee signifies in express words, that hee doth not speak this of the mystery touching the carnal marriage of Husband and Wife, but concerning the spiritual conjunction of Christ and the Church, which is made by virtue of the Spirit, not of the flesh, by Faith, and not by any natural bond or tye.
Vers. 33. Nevertheless, let every one of you in particular, so love his Wife even as himself, and the Wife see that shee reverence the Husband.
Letting the mystery pass, hee returns to the Precepts touching the duties of Husband and Wife, and in the last place adds Precept 3. wherein hee reduces all the duties of the Husband to sincere love, such as is the love wherewith hee loves himself, and this love hee presses upon them; On the other side hee reduces all the duties of the Wife to fear, and reverence towards her Husband, that shee offend him not, but indeavour in the Lord to please him in all things.