Brief Exposition of Galatians and Ephesians, Exposition 2 · Chapter 3 · Verse and explication 12
Vers. 13. Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.
THe Apostle, having now sufficiently magnified his Office, doth here, in the third branch of this first part of the Chapter, hold forth his main scope in all he hath spoken from ver. 2. in an exhortation to courage, or a disswasive from fainting and discouragement in their Christian course, notwithstanding of his present sad sufferings, who had preached the Gospel among them. Which disswasive, as it is most humbly and affectionatly propounded; (for the word rendred desire, signifieth humbly to beg and intreat, Act. 3. 2. and 12. 20.) So it is most vehemently urged from three reasons, 1. Because of the worth and dignity of his Apostolick Office, spoken of in the preceeding verses, and related unto here, as one reason of the present disswasive, in the illative particle wherefore. 2. All his tribulations were in a special manner for them, to wit, not only for their confirmation, and example; but mainly because they were occasioned by his publick asserting the priviledges of the Gentiles by faith in Christ without circumcision, Act. 22. 21, 22. And thirdly, they were not only profitable unto them in the former respects; but also glorious and honourable, in so far, as God did herein shew how much He esteemed of them, by sending His Apostles not only to preach unto them, but also to confirm the Gospel by their sufferings: and that hereby the glorious priviledges of the Gentiles, as to their interest in Christ, and all the blessings of the Covenant of Grace, were asserted and confirmed in despite of the desperate rage and fury of the Jews, Philip. 2. 17. Doct. 1. It is an ordinary evil, incident even to those who have once made swift progresse in their Christian course, to faint and relent in it, so as to give way unto lukewarmnesse and coldrifenesse, in stead of their former zeal and fervency, Rev. 2. 4. to security and lazinesse, in stead of former watchfulnesse and diligence, Gal. 5. 7. to drouping discouragement and backwardnesse, in stead of former courage and chearfulnesse, Heb. 12. 12. for, this is the evil of fainting, which Paul did look upon as incident to those Ephesians, and therefore disswadeth from it; Wherefore I desire that ye faint not. 2. As tribulation for the Gospel, whether imminent or already lying on, doth usually make those faint, and turn remisse in their Christian course, who have not timeously fore-casten trouble before it came, Mark 4. 17. So when trouble and persecution befalleth the Ministers of Christ, especially those who are primely instrumentall in the work of the Gospel, then are the Lords people most apt to faint and be discouraged; because that therein they do frequently with great anxiety and diffidence fore-cast irrepairable detriment to the work of God, as if God could not find out other hands to carry on His work, when such and such are laid aside: for, Paul fore-saw that his tribulation (who, having been such an eminent instrument in the work of the Gospel, did now every day expect death at Rome) would occasion their fainting, and therefore he doth guard against it; I desire, that ye faint not at my tribulation. 3. Affliction and tribulation for the Gospel, is a triall not only to those who are under it, but to others also, who look on, and ate in no lesse hazard to be thereby brangled in their confidence, blunted in their zeal, and rendered remisse in their former forewardness, than the person himself who suffereth: for, Paul is more afraid of their fainting because of his trouble, than of his own; and therefore doth carefully guard against it; I desire that ye faint not at my tribulation. 4. It is not sufficient for a faithfull Minister, that he labour earnestly to rouze up people from their naturall deadnesse, and once engage them in the way of Christianity, Eph. 5. 14. but he must also endeavour to keep them moving, when they are so engaged, forecasting wisely, and labouring to remove carefully what offences and stumbling-blocks Satan and corrupt flesh may cast in their way to retard them in it, or make them turn aside from it: Thus Paul wisely foreseeth and carefully laboureth to remove that ground of stumbling and fainting, which they were apt to take from his sufferings; faint not at my tribulations. 5. A faithfull Minister, suffering for truth, will not be so sollicitous for his own concernments relating to his outward estate, as for the Church and people of God, lest they be turned aside, or made to faint by reason of his sufferings: for, Paul doth not so much desire, that they would furnish him with things necessary in the prison, or use means for his delivery from it, as that they faint not at his tribulations. 6. It is not sufficient that Ministers exoner themselves simply in holding forth to people their dutie, unlesse they be vehemently serious in pressing upon them the practice of it: and this especially in hard declining times, wherein the dead and lukewarm affections of people use not to be easily wrought upon: for, Paul doth affectionately desire, or humbly beg of them (as the word signifieth) that they would not faint. 7. This may sufficiently guard the Lord's people from discouragement, stumbling, and heartlesse fainting, notwithstanding the sad suffering lot, which is sometimes measured out unto the Lords faithfull servants for the truths cause, when they consider the excellent worth of truth, and how those, who suffer for it, have not cast themselves without necessity upon their sufferings, but were necessitated to meet with them in the way of their calling: for, from what Paul hath said formerly, from ver. 2. of his calling to preach the Gospel among the Gentiles, and the worth of that message which he did carry, and was the occasion of his sufferings, he inferreth this disswasive, Wherefore, I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations. 8. This may in reason prevent the fainting and stumbling of the Lords people at the contempt, reproach, and other hardships, under which they who preach the Gospel, do for the most part labour, if they would seriously consider, that all those sufferings are occasioned in a great part by them, in so far, as if it were not for respect to the souls of people, Ministers might do much to shift the crosse, as well as others: for, Paul laboureth to prevent their fainting and stumbling at his sufferings from that consideration; faint not at my tribulations, which are for you, saith he, implying, if he had not preached the Gospel unto the Gentiles, he might have been free from trouble. 9. So honourable is it to suffer for Christ and truth; that not only the persons themselves, who suffer, are thereby honoured, Act. 5. 41. But also all such as have interest in them: and especially the sufferings of a faithfull Minister, are glorious and honourable unto his flock, as testifying Gods high esteem of them, in sending His servants to suffer for their good: which ought in reason to prevent their fainting at his sufferings; yea, and make them glory in them, and take encouragement from them: for, Paul sheweth, his tribulation was their glory, and therefore desireth them not to faint.