Brief Exposition of Galatians and Ephesians, Exposition 2 · Chapter 4 · Verse and explication 31
Vers. 31. Let all bitternesse, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil-speaking be put away from you, with all malice.
HEre is a fifth precept, containing an amplification and illustration of the second, given, ver. 25. concerning the restraining of anger: and he doth illustrate it by forbidding the several branches, degrees and effects of that evil, as, first, all bitternesse, whereby must be understood here the lowest degree of sinfull anger, even all secret, smothered displeasure and alienation of affection, which hath more of discontent and grudge, than of revenge in it, Psal. 37. 1. Secondly, wrath, or fiercenesse, which is an impetuous rage, and passionate commotion of the heart and affections, upon the sense of an apprehended, or reall injurie, preventing and obstructing the use of reason, which being soon up, is as soon allayed, 1 Sam. 25. 21, 22. with 32. Thirdly, anger, which, as it is distinguished from the rest, is an eager desire of revenge, and a fixed resolution, after deliberation, to have that desire satisfied, Act. 23. 12. Fourthly, clamour, whereby is meaned boisterous words, loud menaces, and other inordinate speaches, which are the black smoke, whereby the fire of anger and wrath kindled within, doth first manifest it self, Act. 15. 39. Fifthly, evil speaking, or blasphemie, as the word signifieth, a further fruit of wrath and anger, to wit, disgracefull and contumelious speeches, by which the party incensed doth endeavour to stain the reputation of him, who either really, or to his apprehension only, hath done him wrong, 1 Sam. 20. 30. And, sixthly, malice, which is rooted anger, and continuing wrath, making the person in whom it is, daily intent upon all occasions of revenge, and wholly implacable, untill he get his vindictive humour satisfied, Rom: …. -31-. Doct. 1. Bitternesse, wrath, anger, clamour, evil-speaking and malice do grieve the holy Spirit of God, and darken much the work of grace in the heart, whereby he sealeth Believers; there being no sins more opposit to the fruits of the Spirit (mentioned Gal. 5. 22.) than those are; so, that where such sins are given way to, grace must be upon the decaying hand: for, the Apostle, unto that command, grieve not the Spirit, immediately subjoyneth this, let all bitternesse, and wrath, and anger—be put away, implying, that otherwise they would grieve the Spirit. 2. So subtile is sin, and so impotent and unskilfull are we to resist it, where it once getteth entry, that one degree of sin doth still make way for a further, and so goeth on from evil to worse: and therefore the wisest course is to oppose it betimes, lest by forbearance, it gather strength: for, the Apostle doth here set down severall degrees of sinfull anger, the former whereof, doth still make way for the latter, and the latter is alwayes worse, and a step nearer to the height than the former; Let all bitternesse, wrath and anger, &c. 3. It is not enough for Christians to refrain from the venting of their passions in their inordinate expressions and actions; but they must also, and in order to their refraining from those, set about the rectifying of their inward affections and most secret distempers of their spirit: otherwise, if the flame of anger and wrath doth burn within, it will most readily send up a black smoke of clamour and evil speaking, to the offence of others: for, Paul forbiddeth not only clamour and evil-speaking, but also all bitternesse, wrath and anger. 4. Sins of the tongue and outward man, are to be put away and mortified, as well as sins of the heart; they being in some respect more dangerous, Matth. 18. 7. because more scandalous, and alwayes implying a defiled heart, from which they flow, Matth. 15. 19. and which they render worse than formerly it was; Let all clamour, and evil-speaking be put away, saith he. 5. It is not sufficient to suppresse, keep at under and weaken our corruptions: we ought to aim at, and rest satisfied with nothing lesse than the totall subduing, through removall, and plucking of them up by the very roots: for, he saith, Let all bitternesse, &c. he put away: the word signifieth, Let it be lifted up, and so destroyed.