Brief Exposition of Galatians and Ephesians, Exposition 2 · Chapter 3 · Verse and explication 7
Vers. 8. Unto me, who am lesse than the least of all Saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ.
THe Apostle doth extoll and magnifie his Office, thirdly, from the consideration of his own unworthinesse, which was so great, by reason, especially, of his enmity to Christ and the Christian Church, while he was unconverted, 1 Tim. 1. 13. that to his own apprehension, and for what he knew of himself and others, he was more unworthy, and lesse to be esteemed of, than the meanest of Gods children and Saints: and yet the Apostolick office (called here grace, because it did flow from Gods favour and grace) was bestowed upon him. And, fourthly, from the excellency of the subject matter, which he was engaged, by vertue of his Office, to preach and set forth unto the Gentiles, even the unsearchable riches of Christ, under which is comprehended the whole Doctrine of the Gospel, wherein are contained such things relating to Christ in His Person, Natures and Offices, and to the benefits of Justification, Adoption, Sanctification, of grace here, and of glory hereafter, purchased by Him, and bestowed upon the Elect; and such things also relating to His manifold wisdom manifested in His various dispensation to His Church in severall ages, as are not only hid to naturall men, but also above the reach of all created understanding (even though renewed by grace) to comprehend them fully in this life, untill we see as we are seen, 1 Cor. 13. 12. All which things are here called riches, not only because of that unsearchable abundance, and worth, which are in the things themselves, but also because they make the Elect (to whom they are offered, and upon whom they are bestowed) truly rich, Rev. 3. 18- and possessors of all things, even though they have nothing, 2 Cor. 6. -10. Doct. 1. Though whensoever a sinner doth turn to, God, all his sins are freely pardoned, and in that respect forgotten, and past over by God as if they had never been, Ezek. 18. 21, 22. yet the pardoned sinner himself should not forget, but so far keep them in memory, as he may be thereby keeped humble, and little in his own eyes, so long as he liveth: for, Paul did so much remember his bypast, and pardoned blasphemies, as that he accounteth himself lesse than the least of all Saints. 2. Growth in grace, and increase in humility, and in low esteem of a mans self, do usually go together, so, that most eminent Christians, considering what they have been before conversion, (1 Cor. 15. 9.) and what they yet are, because of the remnan… of sin dwelling in them, (Rom. 7. 18.) should and will judge themselves the least of all Saints, according to that deep insight and sense which they have of their own sins, being compared with the remote view, which they take of the sins of others, Rom. 14. 10. for, so doth Paul judge of himself from those grounds; unto me, who a… lesse than the least of all Saints. 3. Sense of sin, and of self-unworthinesse, ought so to abase and humble the childe of God, as not to make him question, far lesse deny, that God hath any saving work in him; this latter not being true humility, but sinfull ingratitude, which frequently hath its rise from an unmortified root of crushed pride, though it pretend to great humility: for, Paul abaseth himself, and yet insinuateth that he is a Saint, while he saith, I am lesse than the least of all Saints. 4. As all Saints are not of one standing and size, but some greater, some lesser and some lesse than the least, except themselves; So it is no small honour and dignity to be among the least of Saints, and to have a work of saving grace, though but in the meanest degree; seing even the meanest of Saints have a choise room in Gods heart, Psal. 40. 17. for, while he saith, I am the least of all Saints, he declareth he thought it an honour to have any room among them. 5. Deep sense of sin, and of self-unworthinesse in a childe of God, do well consist with a confident pleading for, and avowing of an interest in, yea, with admiration at, and extolling of the riches of Gods mercy and free grace towards such an unworthy wretch, as he is: for, both these were in Paul; unto me, who am lesse than the least of all Saints, is this grace given. 6. The Lord in deepest wisdom doth often bestow the rarest gifts and graces upon such, as by reason of their former wickednesse, are most conscious to themselves of their own unworthinesse: yea, and sometimes will employ them in most eminent pieces of His service, as knowing such have somewhat to keep them humble, and make them ascribe the glory of what they do unto God, 1 Cor. 15. 9, 10. whereas others would readily take the glory unto themselves, being puffed up with their gifts and successe, and so should fall in the condemnation of the devil, 1 Tim. 3. 6. for, God's dealing with Paul, in giving him such excellent gifts, and the Apostolick office from grace, proveth so much; unto me, who am lesse than the least of all Saints, is this grace given. 7. The more unworthy that any is, upon whom the Lord bestoweth grace, and sheweth mercy, the glory of His grace is so much the more set forth, and shineth the more brightly: whileas where sin hath abounded, grace doth much more abound, Rom. 5. -20. for, Paul commendeth the dignity of his calling, and the worth of that grace, by which he was called to that office, from his own basenesse and unworthinesse; unto me, who am lesse than the least of all Saints, is this grace given. 8. It concerneth a Minister much, as to be deeply affected with the sense of his own unworthinesse; so, seriously and frequently to ponder the weight and dignity of that trust, which is put upon him, and what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints, the dispensing whereof, is committed unto him; that so with greater fear and reverence, care and diligence he may take heed to his Ministery, which he hath received in the Lord, to fulfill it, Col. 4. 17. for, Paul considereth also the worth of that message, which he was intrusted with, while he saith, that I should preach the unsearchable riches of Christ. 9. Though others of the Apostles besides Paul, were intrusted to carry the Gospel unto the Gentiles; yet considering, that he was so fully instructed in the knowledge of this mysterie of the rejection of the Jews, and calling of the Gentiles, ver. 3. and Rom. 11. and had a perpetuall conflict with the Jews, through the whole course of his life in the defence of this truth, as is clear from the Acts of the Apostles: as also that he hath committed more unto sacred Writing to this purpose for the use and benefit chiefly of the Gentiles, than any of the other Apostles, Therefore is it that Paul doth seem to have been intrusted in a peculiar manner with the charge of preaching the Gospel unto, and being the Apostle of, the Gentiles, which appeareth, as from other places, Act. 26. 17, 18. 1 Tim. 2. 7. so from this, unto me, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles. 10. Offices, and competencie of gifts for discharging any office, are given of God to those who have them, and especially to Ministers, not to keep them without use-making, Matth. 25. 27. or, to make use of them only for gaining applause, or advantage to themselves, 2 Cor. 4, 5. but that they may employ them for the glory of God, and the good of others: for, this grace was given to Paul, that he might preach among the Gentiles. 11. As Jesus Christ, with all that rich store and copious abundance of created graces and divine perfections which are in Himself, and of satisfactory fulnesse which is in those many good things purchased by Him, should be the main subject of a Ministers preaching, whatever he preacheth besides of legall threatnings or duties, being made to relate some one way or other unto Him; So Jesus Christ and the riches of the Gospel, are so large a field and subject, that the most gracious and able Ministers will find daily purpose, and fresh matter furnished of new, whereof to preach concerning it; yea, and never will be able to go through it: for, Paul made Christ and the Gospel the main subject of his preaching, and did find them unsearchable; that I should preach the unsearchable riches of Christ. 12. Though those hid treasures of wisdom and knowledge in Christ, and the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the Saints, and of all those other good things purchased by Him, and offered in the Gospel, go beyond the reach of all created understanding to know them fully; yet it is the duty both of Pastors and people to search into them; there being as much knowledge of those unsearchable riches attainable, even here, as may encourage all to search, Hos. 6. 4. and nothing being more sweet upon earth, than to be swallowed up, and overwhelmed in this deep and bottomlesse gulf of the unsearchable riches of Christ, when penury of thoughts, and want of enlarged hearts to comprehend that incomprehensible subject, necessitate the soul sometimes to succumb under the weight, to stand still, wonder and exclaim, O the depth of the riches, &c! Rom. 11. 33. for, though those riches are unsearchable; yet Paul did search in them, for he preached them, and consequently, they to whom he preached, were obliged to search into them also; That I should preach the unsearchable riches of Christ.