Brief Exposition of Galatians and Ephesians, Exposition 2 · Chapter 1 · Verse and explication 9
Vers. 10. That in the dispensation of the fulnesse of times, he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth, even in him.
HEre is the intended effect which God did aim at in His gracious purpose of making fully known the mystery of the Gospel, both to Jew and Gentile, to wit. That at the full time and season, which God had dispensed, measured out, and pitched upon, as most fitting for the businesse in hand, (to wit, the time of Christ's incarnation and sufferings, Gal. 4. 4.) He might gather together in Christ all His own Elect (whether already glorified or yet upon earth) who before were separated from God, and one from another, and might make them one with God, being united with Christ their head by faith, Eph. 3. 17-. and one among themselves, being united by love, Col. 3. 14. Now, the Apostle affirmeth this gathering of all the Elect, was to be in the fulnesse of times: for, though many of them were already actually gathered and glorified, to wit, the things in Heaven before that time; yet the exhibition of that, by vertue whereof they were gathered, was at, and not before that time, to wit, the time of Christ's incarnation, obedience and sufferings, Heb. 9. 15. Doct. 1. All mankind by nature, and being considered in themselves, are under a fearfull dissipation and scattering: Sin hath rent and separated them from God, from man, and from the blessed Angels: for, gathering presupposeth a foregoing scattering; and the word rendred gather together in one, being taken from a word which signifieth the head of a natural body, or a short sum of a sparse discourse, and so signifying here to gather together under one head, to wit, Christ, and unto one sum and body amongst themselves, it supposeth that they are separated from God, from Christ, one from another, and from the Angels also: for, they were to be gathered into one body with those; That he might gather together in one, &c. 2. The Lord hath not left all mankind in this wofull separation and scattered condition: but, as He hath firmly purposed and decreed from all eternity; so in time He setteth about to gather together some of scattered mankind, and to unite them to Himself, one to another, and to the blessed Angels: for, the word rendred to gather, implyeth a gathering unto all these, as is said; And he hath purposed in himself,—that he might gather together in one. 3. The gathering together of the scattered Elect, and making of them one with God and among themselves, doth not depend upon the choice of their own free-will, which could do no other but refuse to be gathered, Mat. 23. 37. and so Christ should not have seen of the travel of His soul and been satisfied, contrary to what is promised, Isa. 53. 11. But upon the fixed and unchangeable purpose of God, which engageth His Omnipotency to make them willing to be gathered, Psal. 110. 3. and therefore they shall be infallibly gathered: for, the Apostle, as appears from the context, maketh this gathering depend on Gods purpose; He hath purposed in himself,—that he might gather together in one. 4. It is only God, who by His omnipotent power doth gather together the scattered Elect, and maketh them one with Himself, and with one another in Himself. We do so much love to wander, Jer. 14. 10. that we would live and die estranged from God, if the Lord by strong-hand did not reclaim us from our wandrings, for, saith Paul, He hath purposed in himself,—that he might gather together in one. 5. The preaching of the Gospel, and making known that blessed mysterie, is the mean which God maketh use of in this work of gathering the scattered Elect: because, though our actuall gathering be an act of Gods omnipotent power; yet, He dealeth with us as with rational creatures, by giving us an offer of His friendship, commanding us to accept of it as it is offered, and in the mean time sending forth his power with the command, whereby He maketh us to accept, Act. 16. 14. for, as is clear from the connexion, God's end intended in making known the mysterie of his will, is, That he might gather together in one. 6. As God is the great Master of his own House and Family, which is the Church, to whom He dispenseth and distributeth all her mercies, comforts and crosses with no lesse; yea, with infinitly greater care, wisdom and foresight, than any man doth care, provide for, and govern his own family; So, among other things, He dispenseth and ordereth times and seasons for his Church, as not only having fixed in his eternal counsel the general periods of the Churches time, how long the Church should be in her state of infancy, how long under the bondage of the Law, and how long she shall continue in her more grown and perfect age under the Gospel; but also the time and season for bestowing of particular mercies, and inflicting corrections and chastisements: for, the word rendred dispensation, signifieth the way of administrating the affairs of the family by the master thereof, and the times come under those things, which are administrated by God; That in the dispensation of the fulnesse of times. 7. As every time chosen of God for bestowing of any mercy, is the full and fittest time for his bestowing of it; So the time of Christ's incarnation is in a speciall manner the full time, and fulnesse of time; and that not only because it was that full time which God had appointed in his decree, and, for reasons known to his own unsearchable wisdom, condescended upon as the most fitting time for that great work; but also, because all the fore-going prophecies, promises and types of the Messias, were fulfilled in those times, Luke 24. 27. and the will of God concerning man's salvation was then, and not till then fully revealed, Heb. 1. 2. for, the Apostle calleth those times, the fulnesse of times; That in the dispensation of the fulness of times. 8. Though the benefits purchased by Christ, and particularly that of effectuall calling, and gathering together unto God those whom sin did separate from Him, be intended for, and accordingly doth light only upon few, Mat. 7. 14. Yet the Gospel, and Promise, by which Christ and the benefits purchased by Him are revealed, is drawn up in the most comprehensive expressions: And this of purpose, that none may hereby be excluded from laying hold upon that gracious offer, but such as do exclude themselves, Joh. 5. 40. for, saith he, That he might gather together in one all things, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth: by which broad expressions are meaned only the Elect (for there is an universality and world even of those, 2 Cor. 5. 19.) and not all the creatures, not Devils or Reprobates, Joh. 17. 9. yea, to speak properly, not yet the elect Angels, who being never separated from God by sin, cannot be gathered to him by Christ, though they may improperly and in some respects be said to be so; to wit, because of those advantages which they have by Christ, as that they are now most perfectly and inseparably united with God, without hazard of being separated from Him, Mat. 18. 10. and have attained the knowledge of that wonderfull plot of Man's Salvation through Jesus Christ, which was a mysterie even to them, Eph. 3. 10. and a greater measure of joy than formerly they had, upon Christ's converting and saving of lost sinners, Luke 15. 7, 10. Doct. 9 All who belong to God's purpose of Election, and who are, or shall be gathered together in Christ, are either in heaven or earth: Paul knew no purgatory, or third place for the souls of the Elect to go unto after death, to endure the temporal punishment due to their sin: for, he divideth those all things, which were to be gathered, into things in heaven, and things on earth. 10. There is an union betwixt the Saints departed now in heaven, and those who are yet alive upon the earth, so as they make up one mystical body under one head, Christ, to whom the Saints departed are united (though not by faith, 1 Cor. 13. 10.) yet by sense, as we are united to Him by faith: and as they are united to Christ, so also one to another, and to us by love: for charity never faileth, 1 Cor. 13. 8. from which union there floweth a communion betwixt them and us, whereby they do pray for the Church in general, Rev. 6. 10. (though not for the particular conditions and persons of men upon earth, whereof they are ignorant, Isa. 63. 16.) and the Godly upon earth do in heart and affection converse with them in heaven, Philip. 3. 20. desiring continually to be dissolved and to be with Christ, Philip. 1. 23. (though they are not to pray unto them, or give them religious worship, Rev. 19. 10.) for, saith he, That in the dispensation of the fulnesse of times, he might gather together in one, things in heaven, and things on earth. 11. Jesus Christ is that person, in, and by whom we are gathered together unto God by faith in Him, and to the Angels, and also among our selves by the grace of love; He having united the two dissentient parties, God and man, in His own Person, Mat. 1. -23. and having satisfied justice for that wrong which caused the rent, Isa. 53. 5. and working in us by His Spirit those graces of faith and love, whereby we are made one with God and among our selves, Act. 5. 31. and having by His death taken away that wall of partition and enimity which was betwixt Jew and Gentile, Eph. 2. 14, 15, 16. it being also necessary that we be in Him by faith, before we be united to God through Him; for, the Apostle is so much delighted with this Truth himself, and would so gladly have it well known & believed by others, that he doth inculcate it twice in this one vers. That he might gather together all things in Christ, and again even in Him.