Brief Exposition of Galatians and Ephesians, Exposition 2 · Chapter 6 · Verse and explication 3
Vers. 3. That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.
HEre he sheweth what that promise is, and thereby giveth a second argument to inforce the duty of obedience upon children unto parents, taken from the profit and advantage which should redound unto them by it: for, the Lord doth here expresly promise prosperity, and long life to all such as make conscience of this duty. For understanding of which promise, know, that though it was to be understood, even in the most plain and obvious sense of the words, as it was held forth to the ancient Church, to whom God used to promise and bestow things carnall and earthly, as an earnest and shadow of things heavenly, 1 Cor. 10. 11. Yet, even then there was a tacite condition implied, to wit, in so far as the thing promised should serve for Gods glory, 2 Chron. 35. 24. and the good of those to whom the promise was made, 1 King. 14. 13. But, now under the New Testament, though this promise, even in the letter be doubtlesse fulfilled unto many; Yet, it is chiefly to be understood in a sprituall sense, in so far as the godly obedient childe, whether he live long or short, doth alwayes live well, because he liveth in Gods favour, Psal. 63. 3. and cometh to a full and ripe age, as having reached the prize and mark, for attaining whereof, life is given, even the salvation of the soul, Isa. 65. 20. Hence Learn, 1. Though our first and chief motive unto duty, ought to be the equity and righteousnesse which is in the thing it self, as being commanded by God; Yet we may eye the promised reward, whether temporall or eternall, as a secondary motive and encouragement, providing it be not looked at as a thing to be merited by our obedience, Luk. 17. 10. for, as (ver. 1.) he inforced this duty of obedience from the equity of it, in the first place; So here, from the advantage which should redound unto children by it, in the second place; That it may be well with thee. 2. So merciful is God to man, that He hath injoyned only those things as equitably righteous and conducing to His own glory, which tend also, and no lesse to our own profit and advantage, so that we need not to separate our own well-being from His glory, but are alwayes to seek the former as a mean of, and in subordination to, the latter: for, the Apostle sheweth, that this duty of obedience in children, as it tendeth to glorifie God in the first place, it being a doing of what is right according to His command; So it tendeth to the advantage of children in the next: That it may be well with thee, 3. To live well and long upon the earth, is in it self not to be despised or under-valued, in so far as though the godly man, the longer he liveth, he is the longer keeped out of heaven, yet he findeth the moe proofs and experiences of Gods goodnesse here on earth, 1 Joh. 3. 13. and hath the larger opportunity of a fair seed-time of glorifying God here; and, consequently, shall of free grace reap a more plentifull harvest of comfort at death, and of glory hereafter, 2 Cor. 9. 6. for, he promiseth this as a blessing to the obedient childe, that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long upon the earth: which (as we shew) is accomplished sometimes in the very letter. 4. Then do we rightly apply unto our selves, under the New Testament, those things which were spoken to the Jews under the Old, when, passing-by what was in such things typical, or astricted to the infant-state of the Church which then was, we look upon what was substantial, moral, or of common equity as belonging unto us yet: for, so much doth the Apostle teach, while, citing the promise annexed to the fifth command, he saith only, that thou mayest live long upon the earth, and omitteth the last clause of that promise, to wit, which the Lord thy God giveth thee, Exod. 20. 12. whereby that promise was in a peculiar manner astricted to the Jews, and to the land of Canaan, which He did give them to inherit. 5. The best way to thrive, even in things worldly, and to attain prosperity, health, wealth and length of dayes, so far, at least, as shall serve for Gods glory and our own good, is, to live a godly life, by taking heed thereto according to Gods Word and especially by giving due reverence and obedience to our natural parents, and consequently to all our lawfull superiours, because of the Command of God: for, unto the Command, ver. 2. Honour thy father and mother, this promise is subjoyned, that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long upon the earth.