Brief Exposition of Galatians and Ephesians, Exposition 1 · Chapter 3 · Verse and explication 14
Vers. 23. But before Faith came, we were kept under the Law, shut up unto the Faith, which should afterwards be revealed. 24. Wherefore the Law was our School-master to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by Faith. 25. But after that Faith is come, we are no longer under a School-master. 26. For ye are all the Children of God by Faith in Christ Jesus.
IN these words the Apostle answereth a fifth Objection, and doth more directly handle that point concerning the abrogation of the ceremonial Law; yea, of the whole Mosaical Dispensation, now, under the dayes of the Gospel: The Adversaries might have objected, Seing the Law, or that legal Dispensation of the Covenant of Grace, was so usefull unto the ancient Church, and so subservient to the Promise, as is affirmed, ver. 22. Then why did Paul cry down the use of it, especially the practice of the ceremonial Law now? The Apostle answereth by distinguishing times, and sheweth, that before Faith came, whereby he meaneth not the grace of saving Faith, (for, that was alwayes in the Church, Heb. 11. 4, &c.) but either Christ, called Faith, because He is the object of Faith (in which sense He is called our hope, 1 Tim. 1. 1.) or, the full manifestation of the Doctrine of Faith, which was about the time of Christ's death and ascension: he granteth (I say) that before that time, the use of the Law was first necessary to the Jews, because they were by the Law, as by a military guard, keeped, to wit chiefly, from being mixed with other Nations, whether in Religion or Policy, Eph. 2. 14. Secondly, It was saving to them, in so far as it did shut up, conclude, and enclose them, as it were, in a prison, (for it's the same word, and that same purpose more fully expressed, which is ver. 22.) under sin and the curse due to sin, that hereby they might be in a manner prepared, and, as it were, necessitated to imbrace the Doctrine of Salvation by Faith in Jesus Christ, which was then but darkly, Mat. 11. 11. and afterwards more clearly revealed, the full revelation whereof, they were by this mean, kept more intent upon, ver. 23. Which latter use of the Law, he illustrateth and concludeth, by shewing the Law, as a Pedagogue or Schoolmaster, did with much rigor and servitude, govern and rule the Church then in her infancy and childhood, and thereby did lead the Elect unto Christ, that they might be justified by faith. The Apostle having thus shewed (ver. 23, 24.) that the Law, that is, the legal dispensation of the Covenant of Grace, was for good use to the ancient Church, denyeth that therefore the use of it should be continued now, when the doctrine of Faith is clearly manifested; yea, by the contrary, he sheweth it was then to be abrogated, and the Christian Church freed from the observation of it, because it exerced only the office of a Schoolmaster over children, and so can have no authority over the Church, and especially Believers now, ver. 25. which he proveth from this, That the Christian Church, and all of them, to wit Jew and Gentile, were like a son come to age, because of their Faith in Christ Jesus already come; and so was to be dealt with no longer as a childe under a Schoolmaster, ver. 26.
From Vers. 23. Learn, 1. Though there was Gospel, or the Doctrine of Salvation by Free-grace, held forth, to be laid hold upon by Faith, unto the ancient Church, ver. 8. yet it was …o obscurely and sparingly propounded then, and so clearly and largely manifested now, That the Scripture speaketh as if that Doctrine had not been at all in the Church then, but only revealed now in the dayes of the Gospel: for here, he calleth all the time of the Old Testament, the time before Faith came, or before the Doctrine of Free-grace, the object of Faith came, and that this Faith was afterwards to be revealed, to wit, because it was but sparingly revealed then. 2. Besides other differences betwixt the administration of the Covenant of Grace under the Old Testament, and under the New, this was one, the old administration was extended only to the Jews, Psal. 147. 19, 20. and to some of other Nations, who, forgetting their own People, (Psal. 45. 10,) joyned themselves to them; but the new is extended to all Nations, Mat. 28. 19. for, this difference is here hinted at, while the Apostle (speaking of those who were under that old dispensation, ver. 23, 24.) speaketh of them in the first person, We were kept under, &c. We, that is, the Nation of the Jews, whereof Paul was one; but, speaking of those who are under the new Dispensation, he mentioneth not only the Jews, under the pronoun of the first person, We, ver. 25. but also the Gentiles, under the pronoun of the second person, Ye, ver. 26. for ye, saith he, to wit, the Galatians of the Gentiles, are all the Children of God. 3. The administration of the Covenant of Grace under the Old Testament by so many Rites, Sacrifices, Ceremonies, such a system of politick Laws, such rigid pressing of moral duties, with the annexed promises of eternal life, and threatnings of Gods wrath and curse, (the Gospel-promise all the while being hid, as it were, behind the curtain) among other uses, did serve for a hedge, or a place of military defence, to keep that ancient People, of whom Christ was to come, distinct and separate from all other Nations, as a besieged city is guarded by walls, ditches, and armed souldiers from the irruption of enemies: for, this is aimed at while he saith, We were keeped under the Law, to wit, as by a military guard; for so the word signifieth. It's true, they were also keeped from going astray, either in Religion, or in life and conversation; but that use of the Law was mentioned, v. 19. Doct. 4. The hard servitude wherwith the ancient Church was pressed, and under which she was, as to her outward estate, as it did forcibly constrain the Elect among them, to quit their own righteousnesse, and to betake themselves for righteousnesse and life unto Faith in the promised Messiah, as knowing somewhat from Scripture (Hag. 2. 6, 7. compared with Heb. 12. 26, 27.) that then the Church should be eased of that hard servitude and bondage: for, in both these respects, the Law did shut them up unto the Faith afterwards to be revealed, making them close with the Doctrine of Free-grace for Salvation by Faith in the mean time, and earnestly to expect the full revelation of it by the Messiah, Job. 4. 25.
From Vers. 24. Learn, 1. The Church of God, considered as a politick body, and with relation to her different state in several times, hath some resemblance to the age of a man, as having had her infancy under the Patriarchs, her childhood under Moses, and her perfect age under the Gospel: which different states, and, as it were, several ages of the Church, did arise, partly from the Churches rudenesse and incapacity to comprehend spiritual Truths in their native beauty and lustre, which were alwayes the greater, by how much the Church was nearer her beginning: and partly, from the different measure and degrees, wherein the promise and way of Salvation by the Messiah, were made known to the Church; the manifestation whereof, was first very obscure, Gen. 3. 15. but afterwards alwayes more and more clear, untill at last, according to the foregoing prophecies, (Mal. 4. 2.) The Sun of Righteousnesse, at Christ's incarnation, death and ascension, did arise with healing under his wings: The Apostle pointeth at those several ages of the Church, while he representeth the Jewish Church as a child under a pedagogue in this verse, and more fully, chap. 4. ver. 3. and the Christian Church, as men of perfect age, and so no longer under a Schoolmaster, ver. 25, 26. Doct. 2. The Lord's visible way of dispensing Grace and covenanted Blessings by external means, hath not been alwayes one and the same, but diverse according to the temper and complexion of His Church in her several states and ages; so that as the Churches state was more rude and earthly, or more polished and spiritual, the Lord did train her up under a more rude or spiritual form of Worship; thus the Church, while in her infancy and childhood, was under a Pedagogue, whose charge is to attend children; The Law was our Schoolmaster; but now, being come to grown age, she is no longer under a Schoolmaster. 3. The Lord's way of dispensing Grace under the Old Testament, as it is set down in the Law given by Moses, was very suitable to the childish and infant-state of the Church, the Lord dealing with them in a way much like to that, whereby Schoolmasters do train up children at Schools: for, under this dispensation there were, first, a whip and rod, to make the refractory stand in aw, even the frequent inculcating of God's curse (Deut. 27. 15, &c.) and comminations of temporal calamities (Deut. 28. 16, &c.) and also many ceremonial penances, in their many washings and purifications, Lev. 15. through the whole chapter. Secondly, there were allurements also for those, who were of better and softer natures, to gain and keep them in obedien… such as did befit the state and condition of that People, even frequently reiterated promises of temporal blessings, (Deut. 28. 3, &c.) and also an earthly inheritance, Isa. 1. 19. Thirdly, there were restraints also from the use of things (in their own nature indifferent) put upon them, under fore certifications, (Lev. 11. through the whole) thus to try their obedience, to bow their wills, and so to make them tractable and obedient in these other … weighty things of the Law, 1 Cor. 9. 9, 10. And lastly, though their dignity, as sons, was not altogether keep… up from them, 2 Cor. 6. -16, 18. yet it was but fel… made mention of; and the Promise, the charter of their inheritance, kept up under a dark vail, 2 Cor. 3. 13. and they themselves made to serve under hard servitude and bondage, as if they had not been sons but servants, chap. 4. 3. Wherefore the Law was our Schoolmaster, saith he. 4. God's great design and scope in all this pedagogy of the Law, was, that thereby souls might be directed unto Christ, and made to close with Him for righteousnesse, Rom. 10. 4. The frequent inculcating of the Moral Law and Promises of life upon their obedience, did convince them how far they were from that exact righteousnesse, which God required; and that therefore they behoved to seek for righteousnesse some-where else, which was inforced by the threatnings of the Law, shewing that otherwise they would perish. The Ceremonies, Sacrifices, and frequent Washings, did also tend to this, even to convince them of, and to keep their eye fixed upon their own filthinesse and deserved damnation, and to make them seek for righteousnesse, satisfaction to provoked Justice, and the expiation of their sin, in that alone sacrifice of the death and bloud of Christ, Heb. 9. 9, 10, 11. for, saith he, The Law was our Schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ. 5. The Godly, under the Old Testament, were justified by Faith, laying hold upon Christ for righteousnesse, even as we are now: for, saith he, The Law did bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by Faith.
From Vers. 25. Learn, 1. The proposing unto our selves to bring about a good, necessary and spiritual end, is not sufficient to justifie our use-making of whatsoever means, we may conceive to be, or sometimes have been approven of God, as conducible for that end, except those means have a present stamp of divine approbation for the using of them; God's end is to be endeavoured by His own means: for, though the bringing of us to Christ for righteousnesse be as necessary now under the Gospel, as it was under the Law, and though the pedagogy of the Law of Moses was an approven mean for bringing about that end under the Old Testament; yet Paul will not grant, That therefore it should now be made use of in order to that end, because under the dayes of the Gospel, the ty of divine authority enjoyning the use-making of that Schoolmaster, is ceased; But after that Faith is come, we are no longer under a Schoolmaster, saith he; and therefore are not to subject our selves unto him. 2. Though the curse of the moral Law is to be denounced against all impenitent sinners in the Christian Church, that hereby they may be constrained to flee unto Christ for righteousnesse, Joh. 3. 36. and the precepts thereof are to be urged upon the Regenerate, as the rule of their obedience, Eph. 6. 1, &c. and though the exact righteousnesse, required in the Law, doth serve as a glasse, wherein even the Renewed may see their manifold failings, Rom. 7. 14, &c. and so be necessitated to betake themselves daily to the bloud of sprinkling for pardon, Rom. 7. 25. (In which respects, the moral Law may be called a Schoolmaster, even to the christian Church, and a Schoolmaster to bring them to Christ) yet the christian Church is fully freed from that legal dispensation of the Covenant of Grace, which was added to the Covenant-promise upon mount Sinai, which what it was, is explained, ver. 19. doct. 2. and ver. 24. doct. 3. For after that Faith is come, we are no more under this Schoolmaster, saith he.
From Vers. 26. Learn, 1. The Church of God under the New Testament, as to her outward state, is in a state of Sonship or Adoption, which noteth her freedom from that rigor and servitude, under which the ancient Church was through the outward legal dispensation of the Covenant of Grace, chap. 4. 3. and the truly godly have some peculiar dignity added in relation to the grace of Adoption over and above what Believers under the Old Testament had, in so far as the vail of that legal dispensation being removed, the generality, at least, of Believers now have more ready accesse to the Covenant-promise, and a clearer insight in, and knowledge of all those priviledges, which belong unto them as the sons of God, Heb. 12. 22, 23, 24. for, taking what the Apostle saith of their being the children of God in both or either of those respects, his intended scope is brought about, which is to shew, That the christian Church is not under the pedagogy of that Mosaical dispensation, even for, or, because ye are all the Children of God, saith he. 2. Though Faith in the Messiah to come, did entitle Believers under the Old Testament, to the dignity of Sons and Daughters to the Lord Almighty; yet Faith in Jesus Christ already come, doth adde some peculiar dignity of Sonship upon the christian Church, and especially upon Believers in it, even that which is presently mentioned in the preceding Doctrine, the Lord having been pleased to make the Churches full growth, and utmost perfections, (as to her priviledges, and outward state and measure of accesse) to tryst with His Son's coming in the flesh, that so His entry to the world might be more stately, as being accompanied with such a measure of royal munificence, Heb. 11. 40. for, saith he, Ye are all the children of God by Faith in Jesus Christ, to wit, already come.