Brief Exposition of Galatians and Ephesians, Exposition 2 · Chapter 5 · Verse and explication 14
Vers. 14. Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
HEre is a second argument to enforce the duty of reproving those unfruitfull works of darknesse, which also confirmeth the former, to wit, that by reproving them they should be made manifest. The argument is taken from Gods own example, who in His Word doth reprove the world of sin, and thereby conveyeth the light of Jesus Christ unto them, as the Apostle proveth, by shewing what is Gods great work and design through His whole Word, whereof this verse is a short sum, though it seemeth more particularly to relate unto Isa. 60. ver. 1. 2. from which this place is thought to be cited, with some variation in the words, but none in the purpose. Which design is threefold: The first branch whereof, is here implyed, even to convince all unrenewed men especially, how wofull and dangerous their present case is, and that it is a spirituall sleep and death. 1. A sleep, because the carnall man hath all his spirituall senses bound up, Isa. 43. 8. having no spirituall fellowship with those who live a new life, Ephes. 4. 18. doth dream and fancy that he seeth, heareth, and converseth with them, Rev. 3. 17. which he will after find to be but a meer fancy, when his conscience doth rouze him up, Rom. 7. 9. neither hath he power over himself, but is exposed as a prey to Satan, or any who mindeth his spirituall hurt, 2 Tim. 2. 26. for, such is the case of those naturally who are in a naturall sleep. And, secondly, a death, because the naturall man hath not only his senses bound up, as in a sleep; but there is no spirituall power or faculty remaining in him to do any thing which is truly good, Rom. 8. 7. as a dead man hath no principle of life, or vitall action. The second branch of this great design is here expressed, which is to point out unto all such what is their duty in that case, even to awake and rise from the dead, that is, in a word, to turn to God, to break off their sins by repentance, and to set about all the duties of holinesse flowing from the principle of a new life. Which duty is here, and elsewhere, enjoyned by God unto dead sinners, not, that it is in their power, Jer. 13. 23. but because it is their duty so to do; yea, and such a duty as must be gone about, otherwise they cannot be saved, Luk. 13. 3. and because by such exhortations and commands, as by an outward mean, the Spirit of God doth effectually work that in them, which He requireth from them, Rom. 10. 17. The third branch of this great design, is to encourage them unto this duty, from the promise of a greater measure of the light of knowledge, holinesse and comfort here (all which are comprehended under the name of light. See upon ver. 8.) and of glory hereafter (called also light, Col. 1. 12.) to be given unto them by Christ upon their so doing. Doct. 1. The pains which God doth take upon godlesse sinners, yet in nature, to awake them from the sleep of sin, and to draw them unto Christ, is a strong argument binding us to commiserate the case of such, and from pity towards them to endeavour in our stations to bring them out of that wofull state wherein they are. Our obligation to help them is greater than His, besides that we are bound to work with God, and to further His design: for, he inforceth upon them the duty of reproving those godlesse Atheists, in order to their conviction and amendment, from Gods example, who doth the like; Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest. 2. That God hath appointed reproof of sin to be the ordinary mean of awakning dead sinners, and of bringing them to Christ, and that He maketh use of this mean Himself all alongs His Word, in order to this end, should encourage us, as we have accesse, in our stations, to make use of that mean towards those with whom we converse; as knowing God may, and when He pleaseth, will, blesse the mean appointed by Himself, whatever unliklyhood there be otherwise of successe: for, he exciteth them to practise this duty from this, that God maketh use of reproof, as the ordinary mean of bringing souls to Christ; Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest. 3. Scripture doth not consist so much in the formall words, as in the sense and meaning of those words: and therefore though we cannot keep in memory the very formall words of Scripture; yet if we remember the sum of the purpose contained in those words, we may make use of it, as of the Word of God, whether for confirmation of truth, refutation of errour, exhortation to duty, or reproof of sin and vice, 2 Tim. 3. 16. for, the Apostle, being to presse this duty of reproving upon them from Scripture, doth not cite the very formall words of Scripture, but giveth the generall drift of all Scripture in few words, or the sense and meaning of one particular Scripture, to wit, of Isa. 60. 1, 2. from which this verse seemeth to be cited; Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest. 4. The first Doctrine deduced from ver. 8. hath ground here also, in that he doth again minde them of their miserable case by nature, not only under the similitude of death formerly used, chap. 2. 1. but also of sleeping. 5. Neither can an offer of Christ unto a sinner be savoury, nor a command to imbrace this offer get entertainment, untill first a discovery be made unto the sinner of his sad and miserable case by nature: for, the Lord, in holding forth the offer of Christ, and commanding them to imbrace it, doth so speak, as he first discovereth the wofull case, wherein they were, by the similitude of sleep and death, while he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead. 6. Our utter inability to help our selves, or to do any thing acceptable to God, contracted by Adam's fall, doth not weaken or abolish Gods soveraign right and dominion over us; in so far as, though we be not able to do, yet He may justly require and exact of us to do: for, though they were dead, and consequently unable to help themselves, yet He requireth them to awake and arise: Awake thou that sleepest, arise from the dead. 7. Though it be the only power of God, which quickneth dead sinners, and bringeth them from nature unto grace, Col. 1. 13. there being no principle of a spirituall life in us by nature, whereby we can quicken our selves; yet the Lord is pleased to work upon us, not as upon senslesse blocks, but as reasonable creatures, by commanding and perswading us to do that which is our duty (though not in our power) to do, and thereby, as a mean, conveying unto the Elect the effectual working of His power, whereby He worketh in them, what He requireth from them: for, He commandeth those who are dead, to arise from the dead, and so maketh them to rise, Rom. 4. 17. Arise from the dead. 8. Though the Word of God for the most part be contrived in general precepts, threatnings and promises, without expresse mention of one more than another, except in some general qualifications, to whom each of those in particular belong, Joh. 3. 16. Gal. 3. 10. yet, before a sinner be brought to Christ, the Spirit of God doth make particular application of those unto his conscience, as if they were directed unto him by name: And the more a Minister doth labour to reach the consciences of people, by making particular application of general truths unto them, they are in a fairer way of gaining ground upon them, and doing good unto them by what they preach: for, the Apostle, holding forth a directory unto us, how to walk in order to the gaining of godlesse sinners, from the Lord's example, doth bring him in speaking, as it were, to every one in particular; Awake thou, arise thou, Christ shall give thee light. 9. The holding forth of Christs excellency, and of that excellent state of light, joy, comfort, knowledge, which, being once forfeited by Adam's fall, is again purchased by Christ, and to which He bringeth all such as do come unto Him, is one of the strongest arguments (though others also must be made use of, Luke 13. 3.) to prevail, even with natural hearts to make them willing in the day of Gods power, and obedient to Him when He doth call them: for, Paul sheweth, that even God Himself doth make choice of this argument; Arise—and Christ shall give thee light.