Brief Exposition of Galatians and Ephesians, Exposition 2 · Chapter 5 · Verse and explication 16 – Verse and explication 17
Vers. 16. Redeeming the time, because the dayes are evil.
THe Apostle doth, next, amplifie and illustrate the former precept, by pointing out one thing, wherein this accurate and wise walking doth mainly consist, which he doth therefore exhort them unto, even that they would redeem the time, that is, close with, and make use of every opportunity and fit occasion of doing good (for, the word, rendred time, doth properly signifie that nick of time, which is fit and opportune for doing any thing, Gal. 6. 10.) and to use it with more than ordinary diligence, yea, and with the losse of their own pleasures, ease and worldly profit, and so in a manner regain the time formerly lost by negligence, while they should do as much in the present time, as they might have done both in that, and in the time formerly mis-spent, if they had used but ordinary diligence: Even as merchants, from whom the word renderd redeem is taken, who use to buy their commodities while the fit time of buying lasteth, and having haply had great losses, or formerly spent their time idely or unthriftily, do dispense with their own pleasures and ease, and by their more than ordinary diligence, seek to redeem, and, as it were, to buy back again the time which is lost. Which duty of redeeming time he doth inforce upon them, from the evil of the present times through the wickedness of men, and those manifold troubles in the times, which were hanging over the Churches head, and whereby all opportunity of doing good might in a short time be taken from them, or they from it. See Eccles. 11. 2. Joh. 9. 4. Doct. 1. As there are some times and seasons more fit and opportune than others, for doing some pieces of service to God, and of our duty to men; So a great part of spiritual wisdom and accurate walking, doth consist in diligent and timeous going about of such duties, as God doth call-for at that time: and they, who for love to their ease, profit, pleasure and credit, do mispend their time, and neglect that good one thing, which God's glory and their own salvation do call-for to be gone about in the seasonable time, are but inconsiderate fools: for, he sheweth, that circumspect, wise walking consisteth in this, even in redeeming the time. 2. As we are naturally prodigall and lavish in mispending of time; So it is no small part of divine wisdom to regain, as it were, mispent time by double diligence, and to buy it back again, so far as is possible, by breaking off our ease, our sleep, and weaning our selves from our ordinary and allowed recreations at other times: for, this command to redeem the time, doth speak so much. 3. So far should we be from complying with the evils of the times, for eschewing the hatred, and gaining the favour of wicked men in the time, Hos. 5. 10, 11. that the abounding of sin and wickednesse in the time, should make us so much the more conscientious and diligent in a profitable spending of the time, and in accurate and circumspect walking, by keeping at a great distance from any thing that is sinfull in the time, Rev. 3. 4. as knowing not only that such evil times do threaten to remove all opportunity of doing good from us, or us from it, Eccles. 11. 2. but also that they carry alongs with them many tentations from evil example, from straits, from persecutions, Matth, 24. 24. which calleth for greater circumspectnesse: besides, that the dishonour which God getteth from many in such times, should make us honour him the more, Psal. 119. 136. for, he maketh the evils of the times a motive, not only to redeem the time, but also to walk circumspectly; For the dayes are evil. 4. Times cannot be so evil, but Gods children may, and will improve, even the evil of those times for Gods honour and their own spirituall advantage: yea, and the worse that times are, in some respects they find a way to improve them the more for those ends: for, Paul maketh the evil of those times a spur to incite the Godly unto their duty, while he saith, Redeeming the time, for the dayes are evil.
Vers. 17. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
IN the third place he inferreth a conclusion from the evil of those times, containing a further amplification of the precept given, ver. 15. from the rule of, or the mean enabling us to, this circumspect walking, set down both negatively and affirmatively, to wit, that, seing the time was evil and full of snares, they would not be unwise, or without understanding in the point of duty, either for the matter or manner of it; but would acquaint themselves with God's will revealed in His Word, whereby they might be directed in relation to all duties, dangers, snares, tentations and cases. Doct. 1. The great thing to be aimed at in seeking knowledge and understanding, is not that we may only know, or be able to jangle about questions, or that we may be known or esteemed of for our knowledge; but that we may practise, and walk circumspectly, according to what is made known unto us: for, he would have them understanding, and knowing God's will, for this end, that they may walk circumspectly in those evil dayes, as is clear from the illative particle wherefore: Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding, &c. 2. No mother-wit, naturall philosophie, or carnall wisdom is a sufficient rule to walk by in a way acceptable to God, or to convey us safely through those rocks and snares, which are spread for our feet in evil times, 1 Cor. 1. 20, 21. and 2. 14. It is only the knowledge revealed in His Word, which is able to reach this end, as containing in it a most perfect rule both of faith and manners, 2 Tim. 3. 16, 17. for, he would have them, in order to this end, understanding what the will of the Lord is. 3. There is that in God's will revealed in Scripture, and in no other writings else, which is sufficient to make a man compleatly wise unto salvation, and to drive away those dark clouds of ignorance and folly, which are in the spirit of every man by nature; there being no other science, or knowledge, which can give a through discovery, either of our lost estate by nature, or of the way of our delivery from it by a Redeemer, nor yet of that obedience in its full extent, wherein our thankfulnesse for a delivery consisteth: for, he opposeth those two, Be not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. 4. As it ought to be a Christian man's study to know the will of God revealed in Scripture; So this is a subject, which never will be perfectly known; there being alwayes some new thing to be learned of it and from it, even by those who are greatest proficients in the knowledge of it, Psal. 119. 96. and therefore we must be still schollers at this school: for, Paul setteth forth their studying to know this subject, by a word of the present time, implying it would be a continued lasting work, while he saith, understanding what the will of God is.