Brief Exposition of Galatians and Ephesians, Exposition 2 · Chapter 4 · Verse and explication 3
Vers. 3. Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
HE doth now fall upon the main scope of this first part of the Chapter, exhorting them by all possible endeavours to keep the union of all the members of the Church, being united together by the holy Ghost, even in heart, and especially in things spiritual: all which are implyed in this unity of the spirit, and that, in order to this unity, they would be of a peaceable disposition and deportment, to wit, so as not to make unnecessary ruptures and breaches upon every difference, whereby they should be firmly knit together, as the members of one body by its several ligaments and sinnews. Doct. …. As there are several sorts of union in the Church, and more particularly, besides that union which is amongst the members of the invisible Church, the bond whereof is the saving graces of Gods Spirit, (all of them being united to Christ, the head, by faith, Eph. 3. 17. and one to another by love, Col. 3. 14.) There is an union also of the visible Church and the members thereof amongst themselves: and this is twofold, the one necessary to the being of a Church and being of a Church-member, so that a Church cannot be a Church, nor a man a member of the visible Church without it: the ty of which union is Gods Covenant with the visible Church, and the Churches professed imbracing and laying hold upon that Covenant, when offered in the Gospel, Psal. 50. 5. the other necessary to the welbeing of the Church, which is entertained by unity in judgement, (1 Cor. 1. 10.) in heart and affection, (Act. 4. 32.) by concurrance in purposes and actings, Philip. 1. -27. So all those sorts of union, and union in all those respects, is to be sought after and entertained in the Church: for, the Apostle speaketh indefinitly, Endeavouring to keep the union of the Spirit. 2. The union which God requireth among His People, is not an union in sin or error, Isa. 8. 12. nor yet a civil union only, in things worldly, upon politick and civil interests, Act. 12. 20. nor yet a meer outside agreement, or living together only, Psal. 55. 21. but an union in heart and spirit, in things spiritual, and such an union, whereof the Spirit of God is author: for, therefore is it called the unity of the Spirit; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit. 3. The study of keeping peace and unity in the Church, is a most necessary duty, as being one prime instance of walking worthy of our vocation, spoken of, ver. 1. and yet such is the restlesnesse of some, and the prevalency of pride, passion, love to self-interest, and such like dividing lusts in others, that it is a duty most difficile to be practised, as being the result of all those graces, mentioned, ver. 2. and not attainable, even by those who are endued with those graces, except they apply themselves wholly to it, and use the utmost of their serious endeavours for that end, as is clear from the connexion of this verse with the two preceeding, and from the word in the original, rendered endeavouring, implying study, diligence and solicitude. 4. Neither fair pretences for peace and union in the Church, not seconded, but rather contradicted, by practice, nor yet some carelesse endeavours, which are easily broken by appearing difficulties, are that which God will accept of at our hands as the duty required for preserving unity in the Church, where it is, or for restoring unity where it is already lost: there is no lesse called-for than the utmost of our serious endeavours for that end, so as we not only carefully eschew what may on our part give cause of renting, 1 Cor. 8. 13. but also, that we be not easily provoked when a cause of renting is given by others, 1 Cor. 13. 5. and that, when a rent is made, we spare no pains, nor stand upon any thing, which properly is our own, for having it removed, Gen. 13. 8, 9. and that we do not-weary of those endeavours under small appearances of present successe, 2 Cor. 12. 15. for, he biddeth them seriously endeavour to keep the unity of the Spirit. 5. So many are the temptations arising from the corruptions of those among whom we live, to make us neglect this duty of keeping the union of the Spirit, that except we be of such peaceable dispositions as to digest many things one in another, which otherwise our corruptions would make much stir about, we cannot choose but fall at ods, rent assunder as so many disjoynted legs and arms, and upon every occasion involve our selves and the Church of Christ in several sad and dangerous broils and ruptures: for, he calleth peace, that is, a peaceable disposition, kything in all our deportment, the bond, or ligament, whereby the members of the Church are knit together; in the bond of peace, saith he. 6. Whatever differences may fall out among the members of the Church in the matter of opinion and judgment; yet they are not presently to break the bond of peaceable walking one with another by counteractings and factious sidings; but ought to study unanimous and joynt practice in those things wherein there is agreement; and where this peaceable deportment, flowing from a peaceable frame of spirit, is, it tendeth much to preserve what remaineth of this spiritual unity, and to regain what is already lost: for, peace with man, which is the peace here spoken of, doth especially consist in our harmonious walking together, flowing from a peaceable frame of spirit, and is here enjoyned as a special mean for keeping the unity of the Spirit, even in the bond of peace.