Brief Exposition of Galatians and Ephesians, Exposition 1 · Chapter 3 · Verse and explication 4 – Verse and explication 5
Vers. 4. Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain.
HE cleareth what he said of the folly and madnesse, which is in following the way presently spoken of, by shewing, if they should hold on to seek Justification by Works, or partly by Faith, and partly by Works, they would lose all the fruit of their former constancy and sufferings, sustained by them for that Truth which he did now preach; this he speaketh not positively, but as it were doubtingly, and suspending its certainty, upon the hopes he had of their amendment. Doct. 1. It is the lot of those who professe Truth, to suffer many things in the defence of it. See chap. 1. ver. 13. doct. 6. The Galatians found the truth of this, Have ye suffered so many things? 2. They may suffer many things for Truth, who afterwards will make foul defection from it: for, as the example of others, particular interest, wrapt up in the publick, and the general applause which sufferers for Truth do receive from the lovers of Truth, will make even Hypocrites suffer much; so continued sufferings, will make even the godly faint for a time; yea, the best, being left to themselves, in an hour of tentation, will turn their back upon Truth, so that no engagements by a profession, no experience or remembrance of that joy and sweetnesse, which they have found in the way of Truth, nor yet their former sufferings for Truth, will make them adhere unto it: for, these Galatians had suffered many things for the Doctrine of Justification by Faith; yea, and had found much sweetnesse and satisfaction in it, chap. 4. 15. and yet now they have made defection from it; Have ye suffered so many things in vain? 3. Afflictions and sufferings for the Truth, are very useful and profitable to the sufferers, though not to satisfie God's justice for sin, neither in its guilt nor punishment, neither eternal nor temporal; for, these are fully done away in Christ, Isa. 53. 5. Yet for other ends, as for the trial of their Faith, 1 Pet. 1. 7. for conforming them to Christ their head, Philip. 3.—10. who was a man of sorrows, Isa. 53. 3. for making them die to the world, chap. 6. 14. and to fit them for Heaven; afflictions and crosses being the beaten way which leadeth to it, Act. 14. 22. for, while he saith, Have ye suffered so many things in vain? he importeth their sufferings would have been usefull for them, if they themselves had not hindered it. 4. Whatever have been the sufferings of a people or person for Truth, they are all in vain, lost, and to no purpose, as to any thing which can be expected from God to the party who hath suffered, if so he make defection from, and turn his back upon Truth afterwards: for, Paul insinuateth this as an undoubted Truth, while he saith, Have ye suffered so many things in vain? 5. Though these who have suffered much for Truth, should afterward make defection from it, we are neverthelesse to keep charity towards them, as hoping God will give them repentance, and reclaim them: Yea, all our sharpnesse towards them, whether in aggreging their sin, or in holding out the terrible consequences which are deserved by, and probably will follow upon, their sin, ought to be wisely tempered, by expressing those charitable thoughts which we have of them: for, so doth the Apostle here, while, speaking of these Galatians, who had formerly suffered much for Truth, and threatning them for their present defection with the losse of all those advantages which they might have expected from their sufferings, the suspendeth the certainty of the threatning, upon their hoped-for repentance; If it be yet in …, saith he.
Vers. 5. He therefore that ministreth to you the Spirit, … worketh miracles among you, doth He it by the works of the Law, or by the hearing of Faith?
HE again returneth to the Argument for Justification by Faith, set down, ver. 2. and enlargeth it thus. That the Lord had not only accompanied that Doctrine among them with the fruits of the Spirit of Regeneration and saving Graces, wrought by it, but also with other extraordinary gifts of the Spirit, such as the working of miracles, speaking with strange tongues, curing of diseases, which were so many confirmations, that the Doctrine was of God. Doct. 1. Though the saving Graces of God's Spirit, are conveyed to the hearts of hearers, by the preaching of the Gospel; Yet God is the author and worker of them, and the Gospel only a mean by which He worketh: for, having spoken of their receiving the Spirit, when he first propounded this Argument, ver. 2. he doth here in the resuming of it, explain how they received it, to wit, by God's bestowing of it; He therefore that ministreth to you the Spirit. 2. When the Doctrine of the Gospel, as it is now dispensed under the New Testament, did first break up, the Lord, to confirm the Truth thereof, did accompany the preaching of it with the working of miracles (which properly are works above natures strength, and so could be wrought by none but God) and this, that hereby the truth of the Doctrine might be confirmed, which being once sufficiently done, there is no further use for miracles now: for, the Apostle sheweth that miracles were wrought among the Galatians, by the hearing of Faith, and that this was one Argument of the divinity of that Doctrine, while he saith, He that worketh miracles among you, doth He it by the works of the Law, or by the hearing of Faith? 3. So strong and provalent is the spirit of Error, where it is letten loose, and so weak are the best in themselves to resist it; that for love to Error they will quit Truth, though formerly never so much confirmed and sealed unto them, by the saving fruits of God's Spirit in their hearts accompanying it: for, though these Galatians had the Doctrine of Justification plainly preached, ver. 1. and sealed to them by the saving Graces of God's Spirit, and by many miracles wrought among them; yet they make defection from it: He therefore that ministreth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, &c.