Brief Exposition of Galatians and Ephesians, Exposition 2 · Chapter 4 · Verse and explication 4
Vers. 4. There is but one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling.
HE doth now inforce the former exhortation to unity and peace, first, from an argument taken from those many things, which are one and the same in the Church and all the true members thereof: and for this end, doth reckon forth seven unities, which may be looked upon as so many bonds and tyes of the essential unity, especially of the invisible Church; and as so many arguments also, that therefore all, professing Christ, should not only labour to be one in all those, as they would evidence themselves to be sincere Believers and members of that blessed society; but also improve their unity in these, for keeping unity and peace in lesser differences.
There are three of these unities, which are so many bonds and arguments, in this verse. The first is, that the whole Church is but one body, to wit, the invisible Church of real Believers is one mystical body, knit by faith to Christ their head, Eph. 3. 17. and by the bond of love among themselves, Joh. 13. 35. And the visible Church is one politick body, 1 Cor. 12. 27. conjoyned with Christ their head, and among themselves by external covenanting, (Psal. 50. 5.) and their serious professing of saving truths, Act. 8. 12, 13, with 23. and this body is but one, the invisible Church without all doubt is so, and the Catholick visible Church, made up of all Christians and true Churches in the world, is also one, because they have the same King, Laws, Word, Sacraments of admission and nutrition, which they visibly subject themselves to, and receive, and have a grant of the same common priviledges from God in the Gospel; and therefore they are all one visible Church. 2. There is but one Spirit, to wit, the third Person in the blessed Trinity, who, residing in Christ, the head. (Isa. 61. 1.) and in all the members (Rom. 8. -9.) as the soul in the natural body, doth by His gifts and graces animate, move and govern the Church, the body presently spoken of. 3. As the Church is one in these two; so their hope, following upon effectuall calling, is also one. Where, by hope is not so much meaned the grace of hope, as the object of that grace or good things hoped for, as Col. 1. 5- especially heaven and glory, the common inheritance of the Saints, Col. 1. 12. which they get not in hand, but only do possesse it in hope, Rom. 8. 24, 25. And this hope is said to be one, to wit, for kind and substance, though there will be different degrees in glory, Dan. 12. 2, 3. Doct. 1. That the whole Church, and all the members thereof, are but one body, is a strong argument inforcing the duty of keeping peace and unity; it being no lesse absurd and prodigious for Christians to bite and devour one another, than if the members of one and the self-same natural body, should rise up against, tear and destroy one another: for, he inforceth the study of unity from this, That there is one body. 2. That any be a member of this one body, it is necessary he have the Spirit of God residing in him, whereby he may be quickened and acted, either by the saving operations of that one Spirit; otherwise he cannot be a member of the invisible body, Rom. 8. 9, 10. Or, by His common gifts and operations; otherwise a man, come to age and understanding, cannot be a member, no not of the visible body, 1 Cor. 12. …1. for, he maketh this one body, and one Spirit of equal extent; There is one body and one Spirit. 3. That the whole Church, and all the members thereof, are animated and acted by one and the self-same Spirit of God, is a strong motive to incite to the study of peace and unity, seing divid lusts and practices are among those sins which grieve the Spirit. See ver. 30. 31. and that the difference of gifts and graces, wrought in us by that one Spirit, are given of purpose to make each member either usefull to another by that wherein it excelleth, or indigent of the help of others in that wherein it cometh short, and so to have the same care one of another, 1 Cor. 12. from vers. 14. to the end: for, he presseth unity from this, that there is one Spirit. 4. As an external call by the ministery of the Word, and professed obedience thereto, is sufficient to make a man a member of the visible body, and to partake of the common operations of the Spirit; So that any be of this mysticall invisible body, and quickened and acted by the saving operations of this one Spirit, it is necessary they be effectually called, and actually translated out of their natural state to the state of grace: for, he maketh their being of this one body, and having this one Spirit, to be necessarily joyned with their calling, to wit, their being of the visible body, and having the common operations of the Spirit with the external calling, and their being of the invisible body, and having the saving operations of the Spirit, with the inward and effectuall calling; Even as ye are called. 5. Though effectual calling be a work of Gods Spirit, there being none who comes to Christ except the Father draw him, Joh. 6. 44. yet none is compleatly called, untill he yeeld obedience to Gods call, and being wrought upon by God, doth actually work and concur with God for that end: for, what he called (chap. 1. ver. 18.) Gods calling, is here expressed to be their calling, because then only are we called when we obey the call of God; In one hope of your calling, saith he. 6. As those, who are yet in nature, not effectually called, are in a hopelesse state, having no right to heaven and happinesse, and consequently no ground to hope for it, how big soever they be otherwayes in their vain and groundlesse hopes, Deut. 29. 19, 20. So, effectual calling, doth open to the person'called a large door of well-grounded hope, that whatever be his misery here, yet he shall be perfectly blessed in the full enjoying of God for evermore hereafter: for, the called man only hath right to those rich promises, 2 Pet. 1. 3, 4. and God, by calling him, doth engage Himself to perform all that is promised to the called man, according to his hope, 1 Thess. 5. 23. with 24. for, therefore are those glorious things hoped-for called the hope of our calling. 7. The consideration of this, that called Saints are all of them aiming at one and the self-same prize of their high calling, and shall live together in glory, should be a strong argument to make them live in peace and concord, while they are here. Their joynt aiming at one mark should make them of one mind and heart, especially seing there is that in glory which will suffice all; and their seeking of one thing needeth be no occasion of strife and emulation, but rather of unity in heart, mind and affection; for, why should they strive together, who not only are brethren, Gen. 13. 8. but also are heirs together of the grace of life, 1 Pet. 3.—7. yea, heirs with Christ, Rom. 8. 17. and shall one day reign together in glory? for, he presseth their keeping unity from this, that they were effectually called, and heaven and glory hoped-for would suffice all, and be enjoyed by all; Even as ye are called in one hope of your calling.