Brief Exposition of Galatians and Ephesians, Exposition 1 · Chapter 3 · Verse and explication 2 – Verse and explication 3
Vers. 2. This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by the hearing of Faith?
THe Apostle, having stirred them up to attention by a reproof, doth now return to his former dispute, proving that we are justified by Faith, and not by Works, (See chap. 2. 16.) And this he proveth, first, because the Spirit of Regeneration and other saving Graces of the Spirit of God (called here the Spirit, as being fruits of the Spirit, chap. 5. 22.) were wrought in those of them, who were regenerate, not by the works of the Law, that is, by the Doctrine of Justification by Works, but by the hearing of Faith, that is, by hearing the Doctrine of Justification by Faith: for here, as usually elswhere, (See chap. 1. 23.) Faith is taken for the Doctrine that is believed: And for the truth of this assertion, he appealeth to their own conscience and experience, leaving them to gather, that therefore they were justified and reconciled by the Doctrine of Faith, seing God bestoweth His Spirit upon none but such as are reconciled unto Him, Rom. 5. 1, 2, &c. Doct. 1. There is not ordinarily any Church so corrupt, but God hath some who are truely gracious among them: for, Paul's Argument supposeth that the Spirit, and saving graces of the Spirit, were in some of those Galatians, because of whom, he speaketh generally unto all; Received ye the Spirit? saith he. 2. Even those who are truely gracious, may stagger strangely in reeling times, and be in a great measure overtaken with the most dangerous Errors of the times, though they cannot totally (1 Pet. 1. 23.) nor finally (Isa. 54. 7, 8.) fall away: for, Paul speaketh even to them who had received the Spirit, as to those who were taken with the common Errors; Received ye the Spirit? 3. As Regeneration and saving Grace is the work of God's Spirit in the Elect; So the ordinary mean whereby He conveyeth Grace to the heart, is, by hearing the Word preached: for, they had received the Spirit by the hearing of Faith. 4. Though the hearing of the Law preached, doth work conviction of sin, terror of conscience, and legal contrition, Act. 2. 37. whereby the heart is in some sort prepared for receiving of the Gospel; Yet the Law, as distinct from the Gospel, and as it presseth perfect obedience in order to our Justification before God, (in which sense it was mistaken by the false Apostles, and is so spoken of in this dispute; See upon chap. 2. 15.) can never be a mean of begetting Grace in the heart; for so it driveth the soul to despair, and worketh wrath, Rom. 4. 15. Thus the Apostle affirmeth, they received not the Spirit by the works of the Law. 5. It is the Gospel preached and heard, which the Lord maketh use of, as a mean for conveying Grace to the heart, being first convinced of sin and misery, by the preaching of the Law, Act. 2. 37, 38. for, the Gospel offereth Christ freely, from whom, being laid hold upon by Faith, we do all receive Grace for Grace, Job. 1. 16. Thus the Apostle affirmeth they had received the Spirit by the hearing of Faith. 6. Though a gracious heart, may be overtaken with Error, as said is, (See Doct. 2.) Yet there remaineth somewhat of conscience in vigour with them, in so far as that being appealed unto, about the truth of things weighty, and which belong to the reality of God's work in their heart, and the way of His working in them, they dare not readily lie, and contradict their own known experience: for, Paul at least supposeth so much, while he doth appeal to their own conscience and experience how saving Grace was wrought in them; This only would I learn of you, Received ye, &c. 7. Our Justification before God, and the renovation of our natures by the Spirit of God, are so much conjoyned, that the Doctrine, which, through God's blessing, is the mean of working the former, is also the only Doctrine appointed of God, for holding forth the right way of attaining the latter: for, Paul argueth, that the Doctrine of Justification without Works, is divine; because that Doctrine was the mean of conveying sanctifying Grace unto their hearts; as appeareth from the scope of the Argument here used, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by the hearing of Faith?
Vers. 3. Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
HEre is an Inference from the former Verse, That seing their beginning in the way of Christianity was spirituall, (the Doctrine of Justification by Faith having communicated the Spirit of Regeneration, and other Graces to them, as ver. 2.) it should be an act of extream folly and madnesse in them to quit that Doctrine, and to imbrace the Doctrine of Justification by Works, as if they could be perfected by it; seing it is but a fleshly dead Doctrine, and therefore is here called flesh, because flesh and corrupt nature do plead and stand for it, Rom. 10. 3. and because it doth produce no spiritual effect, but rather the contrary in the soul, who doth imbrace it, Rom. 7. 5. Doct. 1. The Text speaketh nothing against the Doctrine of Perseverance, as if those who were once renewed, and truly spiritual, might lose the Spirit of God altogether, and turn fleshly: For besides, first, that the Apostle doth not positively assert, that they were changed already, but only, by way of question, holdeth out the hazard which should follow upon their change. Secondly, he speaketh not of a change of qualities or dispositions from good to bad, but in their judgment, from the Doctrine of Faith, here called the Spirit, to the Doctrine of Justification by Works, here called flesh. Thirdly, though he did imply a change of qualities and disposition from Spirit to flesh, and from holinesse to sin, as a consequence of this change of judgment and opinion; Yet there is nothing here importing that any total or final change of that kind, either had fallen, or could fall upon those who were truly gracious. 2. The Doctrine maintained by the Papists now, That Faith in Jesus Christ doth begin our Justification, in so far as it disposeth us unto good works, and that by those our Justification is compleated, is no new error, but that which hath been held of old by these Hereticks, who had seduced the Galatians, and whom Paul here refuteth: for, he supposeth, that in answer to the present argument, they might readily affirm, that though the Doctrine of Faith (here called the Spirit, as 2 Cor. 3.—6.) did begin the work; yet the Doctrine of Works, here called flesh, did perfect it; Having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? 3. The fore-mentioned Doctrine, hath so many absurdities following upon it, That the imbracing of it doth argue no lesse than folly and madnesse: for, Justification by Faith and Works, cannot consist, Rom. 11. 6. much lesse can the former take its perfection from the latter, the more noble from that which is more base: hence Paul condemneth it of folly; Are ye so foolish (saith he) having begun, &c. 4. Our after-carriage, and walking in the things of God and religious matters, ought to be conform to our good beginnings, which we once had in those; and the contrary hereof, is incomparable folly and madness: for, he saith, Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?