Brief Exposition of Galatians and Ephesians, Exposition 2 · Chapter 5 · Verse and explication 11 – Verse and explication 12
Vers. 11. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darknesse, but rather reprove them.
HE explaineth, next, the negative part of the former precept, as it was expressed, ver. 7. First, by discharging them to be accessory (any of those wayes mentioned, ver. 7. doct. 3.) to the sins of wicked men, called here works of darknesse, because they flow usually from the darknesse of ignorance, Act. 3. 17. and are the works of unrenewed men, who are nothing but darknesse, (See ver. 8.) are contrary to the light of Gods revealed will, Joh. 3. 20. and are usually committed in the dark, the very actors being ashamed to do them openly, 1 Thess. 5. 7. and because they bring those, who live and die in them without repentance, unto utter darknesse, Matth. 25. 30. They are also called unfruitfull works; because they not only bring no advantage unto those who do commit them, Rom. 6. 21. but also much hurt and dammage, even the wages of sin, which is death, Rom. 6. 23. Next, by commanding them to reprove convincingly those works of darknesse, and the parties guilty of them, and this, though chiefly by their contrary good works, Heb. 11. 7. yet not only by those, but also by the word of admonition and reproof, Eccles. 7. 5. as occasion should offer, and Gods glory with the edification of their neighbour should seem unto spiritual prudence to call for it. Besides what is already observed from a parallel place, ver. 7. doct. 1. hence Learn, 1. Then do we make an approven search and enquiry into what is acceptable unto the Lord, when we do not satisfie our selves with the naked knowledge of what He approveth, Rom. 2. 18. nor yet do only labour to defend by force of reason, or sufferings, what we find to be truth after search against gain-sayers, 1 Cor. 13. 2, 3. but do also make it the rule of practice, by practising or for bearing accordingly: for, the Apostle, having commanded them, ver. 10. to prove what is acceptable unto the Lord, doth here enjoyn them to abstain from that which they could not but by searching find to be displeasing to Him, while he saith, and have no fellowship with the unfruitfull works of darknesse. 2. Though we are not simply, and in all cases to abstain from the fellowship of wicked men, but may freely converse with such of them, as we are bound unto, either by the law of necessity, Psal. 120. 5, 6. or by any civil, (1 Pet. 2. 18.) religious, (1 Cor. 7. 12.) or natural bond, Eph. 6. 1, 2. yet, no ty of that kind doth give us warrant to partake with them in their sins; and therefore we are to eschew all unnecessary and voluntary fellowship and familiarity with them, Psal. 26. 4. lest thereby we be drawn to walk in their wayes, Prov. 22. 24, 25. and they be hardened in their evil course, and kept from being ashamed, 2 Thess. 3. 14. for, he forbiddeth absolutely all fellowship with them in their sins, and consequently whatever may bring us under that hazard, if so it can be eschewed, without the neglect of any other duty; And have no fellowship with the unfruitfull works of darknesse. 3. We ought to look upon sin in its blackest colours of shame, digrace, losse of our time, strength, and of all other expence consumed upon it, together with the dammage both here, and hereafter, which followeth upon it, and lay aside the consideration of those pleasant deceitfull baits, which Satan doth busk it with to make it more taking; that so we may be the more deterred from it: for, Paul giveth sin a name implying all those and much more, that the very name given to it may scare them from it, while he calleth it the unfruitful works of darknesse. 4. Though the command enjoyning to reprove the sins of others, be an affirmative precept, and therefore not binding unto all, with relation to all persons, at all times, and in all cases, and Christ Himself forbiddeth to cast the pearl of precious reproof before dogs or swine, Matth. 7. 6. that is, such who mock the word of admonition, or prove more inraged by it, whom we are to reprove, not so much by conversing with them, or by speaking to them, as by fleeing from them; yet as to others, our not reproving of their sin, when occasion offereth, and Gods glory with their edification seemeth to call for it, is a sinfull partaking with them in their sin: for, having discharged them to have fellowship with the works of darknesse, he subjoyneth, but rather reprove them, implying, that otherwise they would have fellowship with them. 5. Though this duty of labouring to reclaim others from sin by convincing reproofs, whether in words, or in the contrary work, ought mainly to be discharged unto such as have nearest relation to us, Eph. 6. -4. or whom we have a more speciall charge of, 1 Thess. 5. 12. or whom we are most intimate with in spirituall bonds and fellowship, 1 Thessal. 5. 14. yet we are not to neglect this duty towards others, who stand not under such near relations to us, no not to those, concerning whom we have strong grounds to fear that they are yet unrenewed, and enemies in their hearts to Jesus Christ, so long, at least, as all hopes of prevailing with them by that mean are not cut off, 1 Cor. 7. 16. for, he commandeth them here to reprove the sins even of unrenewed Pagans, called therefore the unfruitfull works of darknesse; but rather reprove them, saith he.
Vers. 12. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.
HE doth now confirm the precept thus explained; and, first, he inforceth the disswasive, from having fellowship with the unfruitfull works of darknesse, by an argument taken from the abominable filthinesse of those sins which the wicked Pagans committed in secret, that they might eschew publick shame, which was such, that it was a shame even to speak of them, or to hear them spoken of, leaving them to gather, it was much more shamefull to act them, or to be any wayes accessory unto the acting of them. Doct. 1. There should be such an holy bashfulnesse in converted Christians, as to think shame in speech to utter, at least without detestation, those things, which godlesse sinners are not so much ashamed to practise: and especially Ministers in their publick preachings would be very modest and sparing in the deciphering of filthy sins, lest they thereby defile their own tongues, offend the ears of some, and do teach others how to commit that sin, which they pretend to reprove: for, Paul giveth this as a reason not only why they should not communicate with the unfruitfull works of darknesse, but also why he did not make expresse mention of those works in particular; for it is a shame even to speak of those things, saith he. 2. As all conscience of right and wrong, together with fear and shame following upon doing wrong, be not fully extinct in the unrenewed man; So those small remainders, are not effectuall to restrain them from what is wrong, but being over-powered with prevalent Atheism, do give them full liberty to act abominable wickednesse, if so they can hide it from the eyes of men, without any effectuall restraint from the all-seeing eye of God: for, conscience of the dishonesty, which was in those unfruitfull works of darknesse, made them eschew the eyes of men, but notwithstanding they committed them in secret; for it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. 3. As secrecy and solitarinesse are most obnoxious to foulest tentations, especially to those, which tend to satisfie the lust of uncleannesse, Gen. 39. 11. 12. and therefore would be eschewed by all, 1 Thess. 5. 22. much lesse sought after by any, Prov. 7. ver. 8, 9, 10. So when men do not seek the vail of secrecy to cover their sins, but do glory in their shame, and dare with Absolom, (2 Sam. 16. 22.) commit those sins openly, and before the sun, which very common honesty, and a naturall instinct would seek to cover; it speaketh a man more corrupt than the very grossest of Pagans, who hath put out-the very common principles of naturall honesty, and made his own conscience dead and senslesse, so that he knoweth not shame, Zeph. 3. -…. for, even the Pagans, whose sin he doth here aggreage, did take the benefit of secrecy to cover their villanies, which are done of them in secret, saith he.