Brief Exposition of Galatians and Ephesians, Exposition 2 · Chapter 2 · Verse and explication 11
Vers. 12. That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the common-wealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world.
THe Apostle, thirdly, doth here branch forth their misery at that time when they were unconverted Gentiles, in five particulars. First, They were without Christ, as being not only without all saving and reall interest in Christ, which was common to them with all the unregenerate, whether without, or within the visible Church, Gal. 5. 2. but also without an offer of Christ in the Ministery of the Gospel, as they were Gentiles, without the bounds of the visible Church, Psal. 147. 20. Secondly, They were aliens from the common-wealth of Israel, having no union or communion, neither with the invisible Church of true Believers, which was common to them with all the unregenerate, Rom. 2. …8. nor yet with the visible Church of Professors, which was in those times among the people of Israel, Deut. 32. 8. And this latter alienation was peculiar to them, as they were unchurched Gentiles, Psal. 76. 1. Thirdly, They were strangers to the covenants of promise, that is, the Covenant of Grace made with Adam after the fall (Gen. 3. 15.) and afterwards frequently renewed with Abraham, Gen. 17. 7. Isaac, Gen. 26. 3. Iacob Gen. 28. 13, 14. with Israel upon mount Sinai, Exod. 24. 7. and in the plains of Moab, Deut. 29. 1. &c. and with David, 2 Sam. 23. 5. And therefore it is called Covenants in the plurall number, though it was alwayes one and the same Covenant in substance; the substantiall sum thereof being alwayes comprised in that one comprehensive and fountain-promise, Gen. 3. -15. or Gen. 12. - 3. which seemeth to be here pointedat by the word, promise in the singular number; of which promise, all the following promises, made to Abraham, David and the rest, were but branches, or more full explanations. Now, they are said to have been strangers to this Covenant, not only, because they had no actuall interest in the saving blessings of remission of sins, grace here, and glory hereafter, which were promised in that Covenant, Gal. 3. 8. (and this was common to them, with all the unregenerate, Psal. 50. 16, 17.) But also they had not so much as this Covenant revealed unto them, neither that it was, nor of what kind, or upon what conditions it was; neither had they an offer of it by the publick Ministery of the Word, and so were not within the very outward bond of it, neither had any right to the externall priviledges of this Covenant, Deut. 4. 7, 8. which estrangement was peculiar unto them, as they were unchurched Gentiles, Deut. 29. 10, 11, 12. Fourthly, They were without hope, not only without that saving grace of hope, which floweth from faith laying hold upon the Covenant of promise, Rom. 15. 13. and sustaineth the heart in the patient and well-grounded expectation of the thing promised and believed, 1 Thess. 5. 8. and this was also common to them with all the unregenerate, Job 8. 13, 14. But also, they were in a condition so hopelesse, that their salvation was not in an ordinary way possible, as being wholly destituted of those means, whereby God doth ordinarily convert and save sinners, Psal. 147. 20. and this was peculiar unto them as they were unchurched Gentiles, Rom. 9. 4. Fifthly. They were without God, or atheists, not as if they had been deprived of all sense of a Deity, (for they worshipped false gods, Acts 14. 12, 13.) nor yet, as if they had been without the reach and care of Gods over-ruling and all-upholding providence, Acts 17. 28. but they were without the knowledge of the true God, Gal. 4. 8. or, though they had some confused knowledge, even of the true God, Rom. 1. 19. yet He was not their reconciled God in Christ, Col. 1. 21. neither did they give Him that worship and glory, which is due unto God, and was prescribed by Him in His Word, Rom. 1. 21, 22. And lastly, He addeth, that they were without God in the world: which words, in the world, may be looked upon, as a generall clause relating to all the particular branches of their misery before mentioned. And he seemeth hereby to condiscend, what that bypast time was, wherein all that he hath spoken was verified in them, to wit, when they were in the world, that is, without the Church, as the world is frequently taken in opposition to Gods Church, Joh. 15. 19. and 17, 14. and especially to the truely regenerate in the Church, 1 Joh. 5. -19. Doct. 1. As those who are converted, would frequently call to mind that sin and misery under which they were when God did call them (See vers. 11. Doct. 2.) so because an abstract view of sin and misery in the general, doth not much affect the heart, therefore they ought to branch forth and call to mind their misery in its severall heads and parcels, that so they may be the more affected with it: for, the Apostle, having exhorted them to remember their former misery, he doth not only give them a general view of it, ver. 11. but here doth branch it forth in five particulars, which they were to remember; That at that time ye were without Christ, &c. 2. For a man to be without an offer of Christ, yea to be without a reall interest in Christ, though there be never so frequent offers of Him, is a dolefull, sad and dangerous case; for, to want a reall and saving interest in Christ, is to want life, (1 Joh. 5. 12.) light, (Joh. 1. 4, 5.) strength, (Joh. 15. -5.) liberty, (Joh. 8. 36.) and acceptation with God, Mat. 3. 17. And to have a saving interest in Christ, doth make a man truly happy, what ever be his misery otherwise: for, he maketh this the first branch of their misery, and that which virtually compriseth all the rest, even that at that time they were without Christ. 3. Though Christ from all eternity had a right unto, and interest in the Elect, they being given over unto Him in the Covenant of Redemption, Joh. 6. 39. yet they never have, nor can plead any interest in Him, or in those saving benefits, which were purchased by Him, untill they be effectually called, and do actually believe in Him; for, though God from all eternity had chosen in Christ those who were truly Godly among the Ephesians, cap. 1. 4. yet untill their effectuall calling, they were without Christ, as without Christ did speak their not having an actuall interest in Him; That at that time ye were without Christ. 4. Though Jesus Christ was not so clearly manifested unto the Jewish Church, as He now is under the Gospel, 2 Cor. 3. 14. yet, they were not then altogether without Christ, they had Him revealed unto them, though but darkly in the Word, Gen. 12. 3. and in their daily sacrifices, which were types and shadows of Him, Col. 2. 17. yea, and the Godly then had reall interest by faith in Him, Joh. 8. 56. and in those saving benefits, which then were to be, and now are actually purchased by Him, Rom. 3. 25. for, the Gentiles are here said, in opposition to the Jews, to have been at that time without Christ; whereby it is implyed, that the Jewish Church was not without Him. 5. It is no small happinesse for men and women to have union and communion with the Church of Christ; It is even an happinesse in its own kind, and comparatively to be members of His visible Church; for, thereby we partake of all the priviledges thereof, which are Gods speciall care and government, Isa. 4. 5, 6. protection, and preservation in all ages, notwithstanding the opposition of all enemies, Isa. 31. 4, 5. the enjoyment of the ordinary means of salvation, Psal. 147. 19. and the externall communion of the Saints by partaking of the same ordinances, 1 Cor. 10. 17. and the mutuall gifts one of another, 1 Thess. 5. 11. together with the offers of Christ and salvation upon such terms as they are proponed in the Gospel, Act. 13. 38. But it is much more happinesse to be members of the invisible Church of Believers; for thereby we do partake of all the saving benefits and special priviledges thereof: which are union with Christ, as her head and Husband, Eph. 5. 23. 30. communion with Him in all the saving fruits of His Redemption, relating either to grace here, or glory hereafter, chap. 1. 3. together with that communion, which Believers have among themselves, in their mutuall partaking of the gifts and graces one of another, 1 Cor. 12. 25, 26. And to be deprived of all union and communion with Christs Church, is a wofull, sad, and miserable case: for, Paul maketh this the second branch of their misery, that they were aliens from the commonwealth of Israel. 6. So strait and nigh is that union betwixt Christ and His Church, that separation from, or union with the one, inferreth separation from, or union with the other: and in the same respect and degree, wherein men are separated from, or united with Christ, they are in some answerable respect and degree separated from, or united with His Church: for, the Apostle conjoyneth these two, as of equall extent; Ye were without Christ, as being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel. 7. As the Lord hath been graciously pleased to transact with man about that obedience, which he oweth unto God, as his soveraign Lord and Creator, in the way of Covenant, or mutuall paction and agreement; wherein, for his better encouragement to discharge the duty required of him, the Lord doth assure him of a rich reward, Joh. 3. 16. So, the Covenant which God hath entered with fallen man, is a Covenant of promise, wherein the thing promised is freely given, and not for any worth in him to whom it is given: for, as his affirming that the Gentiles were strangers to the Covenants of promise, implyeth that the Church was no stranger to the Covenant, but that God did deal with them by way of Covenant; so the word promise in the Originall, signifieth a free promise, where the thing promised is freely bestowed; And strangers from the Covenants of promise. 8. For men to live and die without an offer of the Covenant of grace made unto them to be entered by them, is a wofull, sad, and dangerous case; for hereby they are not only deprived of all the priviledges of the visible Church, mentioned, Doct. 5. to which the tender of this gracious Covenant unto a people, and their professed subjection to it, doth give right, (the Covenant being the Churches Chartor, whereby she holdeth all these priviledges, Act. 2. 38. with 39.) but their salvation in that case is also rendered in an ordinary way impossible, there being not so much as an offer of it, nor a making known unto them the terms and conditions whereupon salvation may be had: yea, and further, to be without an actuall interest and right to the saving blessings of that gracious Covenant, arising from the grace of saving faith, laying hold upon those blessings, and the offer of them in the Covenant, is a case in some respects no lesse lamentable, sad, and dangerous (which is the case of all who are unregenerate, even though they be members of the visible Church, and so within the outward bond of the Covenant, and do enjoy the common blessings thereof, (Rom. 9. 4. Matth. 20. -16.) for, such are not only destitute of an claim and title to any of those spirituall blessings, which are offered in the rich and precious promises of this Covenant, Jer. 31. 33, 34. and 32. 39, 40. but also shall have no advocate to plead for them, Matth. 7. 23. are bound to fulfill the whole Law, else they can never be saved, Gal. 5. 3. and have no strength allowed upon them for the fulfilling of it but their own, (for they are without Christ) must stand and fall at Gods tribunall, according to that dreadfull and terrible sentence of the Covenant of works, Gal. 3. 10. yea, it shall go worse with them in the great day, than with those who never heard the Gospel, Matth. 11. 22. So that the case of such is most miserable: for, the Apostle maketh this the third branch of their misery, even that they were strangers from the Covenants of promise, without all title or interest either to the outward priviledges, or saving blessings of that Covenant. 9. As those, who are without the offer of Christ in the Gospel, without the bounds of the visible Church, and the external bond of the Covenant of grace, are in a case altogether hopelesse; their salvation being in an ordinary way altogether impossible: So all unregenerate men, even those who are within the Church, and have no real interest in Christ, or the saving benefits of the Covenant of grace, by the grace of faith, and have no union or communion with the invisible Church of sound Believers, all such are destituted of the true and saving grace of hope for heaven and salvation, and those other good things promised in the Word, even that hope which is grounded upon the Word, (Psal. 119. 49.) and the mercies of God, (Psal. 147. 11.) and not upon our own performances, Matth. 7. 22. and beareth up the heart under all discouragements, Psal. 119. 81. yea, and setteth the man who hath it upon the task of purifying his own heart, 1 Joh. 3. -3. All unregenerate men are destituted of this hope, whatever false hopes, blind confidence, and daring presumption they may entertain in their hearts, Deut 29. 19. for, the Apostle, having affirmed of those Ephesians, that at that time they were without Christ, &c. he addeth they were also without hope, that is, their salvation was in an ordinary way hopelesse, to wit, as they were without the offer of Christ, and the Doctrine of the Covenant, and they were destitute of the grace of hope, as being without actuall interest in Christ by faith, &c. and unregenerate; having no hope. 10. To be wholly destitute of this true and saving grace of hope, is a most wofull, dangerous, and lamentable case: for hereby men do live in continuall hazard of spirituall shipwrack, being destitute of the anchor of their soul, Heh. 6. 19. hereby they are exposed to deadly blows from sin, Satan and worldly discouragements, being destitute of their helmet, Eph. 6. 17. hereby they want a necessary spur and incitement to diligence in duties, 1 Joh. 3. 3. yea, and hereby they cannot choose but die either in stupid senslesnesse, Job 21. 13. or in desperate diffidence, Gen. 4. 13. for, he maketh this the fourth branch of their misery, that they had no hope, which includeth mainly their wanting the grace of hope; having no hope, saith he. 11. There is no knowledge of God, as we ought, or énjoying of Him, except we know Him in Christ, and come to Him by Christ: for, the Apostle maketh their being without Christ, and their being without God, to go together; And without God in the world, saith he. 12. As not only profane avowed Atheists are without God, but those also, who do not know the true God, and give not to Him that trust, love, fear and joy, above what they give unto any other thing else, and who do not labour to have Him made their own God; So to be thus without God, is a wofull, sad, and lamentable case, even the headstone of all that misery which any creature can be under: for hereby God remaineth their enemy, Col. 1. 21. All the creatures are against them, Hos. 2. 18. and they themselves are under the drop of Gods eternall wrath and vengeance: (See, ver. -2.) for, the Apostle affirmeth here of those Ephesians, that before their conversion they were without God, though even then they had some knowledge of the true God, Rom. 1. 19. and he mentioneth this in the last place, as the sum and headstone of all their misery, even that they were without God in the world.