Brief Exposition of Galatians and Ephesians, Exposition 2 · Chapter 3 · Verse and explication 11
Vers. 12. In whom we have boldnesse and accesse with confidence by the faith of Him.
HE doth magnifie his Office, eighthly, from three excellent priviledges, whereof Believers among them (some in a greater, some in a lesser measure, some at one time, some at another) did partake by the means of his Ministery; as being thereby brought to Christ, in whom they enjoyed all these 1. Boldnesse, or liberty to speak all their mind freely (as the original word doth bear) whereby, as it is distinguished from the other two, is meaned that holy freedom and boldnesse, which is in reconciled souls to speak their whole heart to God, both in the duty of prayer and thanksgiving, and is opposed to misbelief, terror of conscience, or to whatsoever doth straiten the heart, or stop the mouth in discharging these duties. 2. Accesse, to wit, unto God, (See chap. 2. 18.) which is larger than the former, as comprehending freedom and liberty of spirit in reconciled souls to exercise all their saving graces, in the exercise whereof communion with God doth consist. 3. Confidence, or a wellgrounded perswasion, that both our persons and performances are accepted of God. All which priviledges he sheweth were enjoyed by them by vertue of their being in Christ, of whom he spoke, ver. 11. and by the exercise of faith relying upon Him. Doct. 1. Whatsoever worldly disadvantage may follow upon the preaching of the Gospel unto a People, Matth. 10. 34, 35. yet, those excellent and spiritual priviledges which are conveyed thereby unto them who receive the Gospel, may and ought sufficiently commend the Ministery of it unto all: for, Paul doth here commend his Office from these spiritual fruits which were enjoyed by it, as their being in Christ, in whom they had boldnesse, and accesse with confidence. 2. And more particularly, liberty and freedom to speak our heart to God in all our concernments; and accesse to God, or fellowship with Him in the exercise of all our graces (all obstructions arising either from the apprehension of Gods terror, and our own guiltinesse; or from our inability, backwardnesse of spirit to good; or, from those impediments which the devil, the world, or our own hearts do create and cast in our way, being removed) Those, I say, together with confidence, and a well-grounded perswasion that both our persons and duties are accepted of by God, may and will abundantly serve to commend the Ministery of the Gospel unto those who have found it accompanied with such effects to their own hearts, whatever other troubles they may be under for their receiving of it: for, the Apostle commendeth his Ministery from their enjoying of those priviledges in particular by the means thereof; In whom we have boldnesse, &c. 3. The more a Christian doth find his heart enlarged, and his tongue loosed to speak unto God in the duties of prayer and praise, he will find the more of accesse unto, and of fellowship with, God in the exercise of all His saving graces; and the more a man be restrained of liberty in those duties, he will readily find himself the more restrained from the exercise of faith, hope, patience, humility, meeknesse, or any other of His saving graces: for, the Apostle conjoyneth boldnesse, or liberty in prayer and praises, with accesse, or freedom of spirit to approach unto God in the exercise of saving graces; In whom we have boldness and access. 4. A well-grounded perswasion of our acceptation with God, both as to our persons and actions, doth serve exceedingly to furnish the heart with boldnesse in prayer, and with familiar accesse unto, and fellowship with God; in so far as a great many of those obstructions, which … boldnesse and accesse, do arise from diffidence, misbelieving doubts, or ignorance whether God accepteth of us or not, Rom. 10. 14. for, the Apostle speaketh of confidence, or of this well-grounded perswasion, as having some influence upon the other two, while he saith, boldnesse, and accesse with confidence. 5. Those excellent priviledges of boldnesse, accesse and confidence, are not only purchased and conveyed unto sinners by Christ; (as was explained in the point of accesse, chap. 2. ver. 18. doct. 2.) but also they are enjoyed by none but such as are in Christ, and united to Him by a lively and saving faith: and all who are not so in Christ, are estranged from spirituall liberty and boldnesse in prayer, though they be never so much flowing in eloquence and discourse: They are estranged also from accesse unto God, being banished from His favour and presence, Psal. 58. 3. and have no well-grounded confidence, that God doth accept either of their persons or actions, seing He is well-pleased only in Him, Matth. 3. 17. for, he saith, In whom, meaning Christ, we have boldnesse and accesse with confidence: They were first in Him, 6. Faith in Jesus Christ (whereby we receive (Joh. 1. 12.) and rest upon Him for salvation, Isa. 50. 10.) is one thing, and confidence or perswasion of our acceptation with God is another; the former being the cause, root and fountain of the latter: For, Paul sheweth, that confidence floweth from faith, while he saith, with confidence by the faith of Him, or faith in Him. See Gal. 2. 20. 7. As faith in Jesus Christ is that grace which uniteth us to Him; So it not only goeth before our boldnesse, accesse and confidence, but also maketh way for, and is the cause of those: and therefore, the more that faith is keeped in exercise, there will be the more of liberty and boldnesse; the more of accesse to God and nearnesse, and the more of a well-grounded perswasion of our acceptation by God, and confidence: for, he ascribeth their being in Christ, their accesse, boldnesse and confidence unto faith, while he saith, by the faith of Him.