Brief Exposition of Galatians and Ephesians, Exposition 2 · Chapter 2 · Verse and explication 10
Vers. 11. Wherefore remember that ye being in time passed Gentiles in the flesh, who are called uncircumcision by that which is called the circumcision in the flesh made by hands.
HEre beginneth the second part of the Chapter, where the Apostle, for the further establishment of those Ephesians in the Doctrine of salvation through free grace in Christ, doth more largely insist upon the former purpose contained in the first part of the Chapter, with a more particular application of it to the Ephesians, and in them to all the Gentiles. And, first, (by exhorting them to remember their former misery, while they were in Gentilisme) he giveth; in this and the following verse, a most lively description of their then miserable state, as first, that they were in the flesh, that is, the flesh of their foreskine not being cut off by circumcision, they were not only destituted of that ordinance, but also of all other soul-saving ordinances of Gods Worship, unto the enjoying whereof, circumcision gave a right and entrance, Exod. 12. 44. Secondly, This their miserable estate was matter also of their reproach; the Jews making their want of Circumcision a continuall upcast unto them, which he hinteth at, by shewing that the carnall Jews, who were only circumcised in the flesh by the hands of men, but not in their hearts by the Spirit of God, did not cease to reproach the converted Christian Gentiles with uncircumcision, even at that present time, when circumcision and the rest of those Leviticall ordinances were now abrogated. Doct. 1. Even Believers having attained to the sense of Gods mercy in Christ, are very prone to forget that wo and misery, which they were under, before their delivery from it: for, the watchword here given to those Ephesians, supposeth so much; Wherefore remember, saith he. 2. Those who are converted, ought frequently to remember, and call to mind their sin and misery, under which they were before God shew them mercy, though not to take pleasure in the remembrance of it, Ezek. 23. 19. 21. nor to despair of, or question Gods mercy in order to their delivery from it: Isa. 1. 18. yet, that hereby they may be provoked to pity towards others, who are yet in that state, Tit. 3. 2, 3. to greater fruitfulnesse in good works for the time to come, Rom. 6. 19. and to magnifie the riches of Gods mercy in their delivery from that wofull state, 1 Tim. 1. 13. 14. and that they may be kept humble under their present enjoyments, Ezek. 20. 43. for, therefore doth the Apostle exhort those Ephesians to remember their former sin and misery; Wherefore remember, saith he, that in times past ye were. 3. Christians, in order to the more effectual bringing about of the forementioned ends, ought not only remember that sin and misery, which was common unto them with others, but also, and chiefly would search out, and call to mind wherein their sin and misery did exceed the sin and misery of others: for, Paul biddeth them here remember that misery, which in a great part was peculiar unto themselves as Gentiles, and which they had more than the Jews; Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh. 4. The consideration of Gods rich grace through Jesus Christ, whereby alone He carrieth on the salvation of lost sinners in all its steps, may be a great encouragement, and a strong argument to inforce this duty of searching out and calling to mind our matchlesse sin and misery: and that because this rich grace hath not only a remedy for all our sin and misery in it, Rom. 5. 20. but also it is most perceived and felt in its sweet and lively effects, when the soul is most affected with the sense of its own vilenesse, Luk. 15. 21, 22. for, the Apostle, having spoken of Gods rich grace, whereby we are saved through faith in Christ, he inferreth as a conclusion thence, Wherefore remember that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh. 5. Though it is now under the New Testament no more, but much lesse miserable to be born a Gentile, than to be born a Jew, Rom. 11. 20. Yet, to have been born a Gentile, and not of Abrahams race, was once, to wit, before Christ came in the flesh, a sad and miserable lot: for, when he is calling to mind their former misery, he biddeth them remember that they were in time past Gentiles. 6. Those, who are born without the bounds of the Church, and live not under the drop of divine Ordinances, are in a poor and wofull case, as being not only under wrath, and destitute of any actuall interest in the blessing (which piece of misery is common to them with all the unregenerate, whether within or without the visible Church. See ver. -2.) but destitute also of all those means, whereby the blessing useth to be conveyed, Rom. 10. 14, 15. so that their salvation is not in an ordinary way possible: for, while he is calling to mind their former misery, he biddeth them remember they were Gentiles in the flesh, that is, destitute of Circumcision the leading ordinance, and consequently destitute of all Ordinances, having no part nor communion with Gods Church neither outwardly, nor spiritually, as he explaineth himself, ver. 12. 7. As the contemning, even of outward Ordinances, is no small sin before God, 1 Sam. 2. 17. with 24. So it is matter of just shame and reproach before men, which did hold especially in the contempt of Circumcision under the Old Testament; it being then a seal of the Covenant, Gen. 17. 10. the outward badge of the Lords people, Gen. 17. 14. and a leading Ordinance, giving right and entrance to the enjoyment of all other Ordinances, Exod. 12. 44. and it doth no lesse hold in Baptism under the New Testament, seing the Sacraments of the New Testament are of as much worth, as the Sacraments of the Old; and Baptism serveth for the same ends now, which are presently mentioned to have been the uses, for which Circumcision did serve then: for, although Paul doth only mention expresly, that uncircumcision was unjustly cast up to the Christian Gentiles by the carnall and hypocriticall Jews in the present time wherein he wrote, yet hereby he would have them to remember how this was matter of just reproach and upcast unto them, even from the godly Jews in former times, when Circumcision stood in force, and that this disgrace and reproach, was a part of their former misery, (See 1 Sam. 17. 26, 36.) who are called uncircumcision, &c. 8. There are two things in every Sacrament, to wit, an outward action upon the outward man by the outward instrument, and an inward action upon the inward man by the hand and Spirit of God; for, so was it in Circumcision, the outward action being here expressed by Circumcision in the flesh made with hands, which implieth there was another inward action, spoken of Col. 2. 11. 9. There are not a few within the visible Church, who rest upon the outward action done by man in the Sacrament, as if that alone were sufficient, and do not seek after that which God doth inwardly work upon the heart: And so do use Sacraments as sorcerers do their charms and spels, where the bare rehearsing of some set form of words, with such a composed strain of outward carriage and gesture, is relied upon for the producing of wonderfull effects: for, of this sort were those who are here called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands, that is, such who rested upon the outward action, and sought after no more but it. 10. They have very frequently least of Religion in reality and effect, who are most puft up with the conceit of their own Religion, and make greatest noise about things least necessary in Religion, or which are in themselves indifferent, as if the greatest stresse of Religion did ly in those: for, those, who boasted themselves of their Religion and Circumcision against the uncircumcised Gentiles, and did place their whole Religion in Circumcision, and the rest of those mosaicall Ordinances now abolished, were the Circumcision in the flesh made with hands, that is, such as had only the outward form of Religion, but not the life and power of it. 11. As it is a great reproach to be despisers of Ordinances; So it is but a poor credit for people to have Ordinances, if they rest upon the outside of them, not labouring to have life and power conveyed from God through them: for, Ordinances, so rested upon, as they will increase peoples judgement afterwards, Mat. 11. 22. So they prove a fearfull snare in the mean time, in so far as they are usually relied upon for salvation, Philip. 3. 7▪ and occasion is taken from them to neglect all other duty both to God and man, Jer. 7. 10. for, Paul doth here speak of it as a thing disgracefull; who are called, saith he, Circumcision in the flesh made with hands.