An expositon of all St. Pauls epistles together with an explanation of those other epistles of the apostles St. James, Peter, John & Jude : wherein the sense of every chapter and verse is analytically unfolded and the text enlightened. / David Dickson ...

The Second Part.

Vers. 17. This I say therefore and testifie in the Lord, that yee henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their minde.

18. Having the understanding darkned, being aliena∣ted from the life of God, through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:

19. Who being past feeling, have given themselves over to lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

Now follows the second part of this Chapter, in which hee gives seven Precepts for the holy leading of the life of every one of them severally taken.

Precept 1. That they should not any longer walk as other Gentiles, but as became those who were effectu∣ally called from the state of sin, unto Christ. The Rea∣sons of this Precept or Exhortation are four.

I say] Reas. 1. I who am an Apostle by authority gi∣ven mee of God, do earnestly beseech you for the Lords sake, to whom you must give an account if you neglect and despise this my earnest desire.

In the vanity] Reas. 2. From the miserable condition of the Gentiles, and of all those that are unregenerate; which condition is couched in these seven particulars: (1.) That they were led by a vain minde, which doth not dictate any thing certainly in divine things, nor directs humane actions to any profitable end, vers. 17.

Darkned] (2.) That the reason of unregenerate Gentiles, in things pertaining to God and happiness, is darkned and blinded. (3.) That they are alienated from the spiritual life of God, and from all communion with God. (4.) That they have no saving knowledge of God, but are quite ignorant of God as to salvation, or as hee is in the Church revealed in Christ. (5.) That they have a heart hardened by natural, voluntary, and judicial obduration; for when they do willingly harden themselves in sin, they are also by the just judgement of God, further hardened in sin, and the blindness of their mindes, vers. 18.

Past feeling] (6.) That being buried in unsensible∣ness, and griefless quietness, they do not any more fear sin, or feel the natural bitings of conscience. (7.) That the Gentiles are freely, and unrestrainedly carried away in the lust of sinning, not onely to a meer desire, but also to a full commission of all uncleanness with greediness, and to follow their pleasures with an unsatisfiable desire and study to fulfill them, vers. 19. Hence the second Reason holds good, the condition of all other Gen∣tiles is most miserable: Therefore walk not as they do.

Vers. 20. But yee have not so learned Christ:

21. If so bee that yee have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Iesus.

Reas. 3. The knowledge of Christ, or the Doctrine of faith in Christ, in which you are instructed, and which you have learned, requires another manner of life from you, than that which the Gentiles follow: Therefore you should not imitate them, vers. 20.

If so bee] Hee limits the former Reason, and re∣strains it to the truly regenerate, who have sincerely and truly heard Christ, and are effectually taught by his Spirit what that true holiness in Christ is, what that right manner of living prescribed by Christ is, and how great the virtue and spiritual power in him is to make his true and genuine Disciples live according to his orders (I say) with these at least the former Reasons will bee va∣lid, vers. 21.

Vers. 22. That yee put off, concerning the former con∣versation, the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts:

23. And bee renewed in the spirit of your minde:

24. And that yee put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holi∣ness.

Reas. 4. The Doctrine of Christ doth expresly re∣quire of beleevers that they perform these three things. (1.) That following repentance, they should more and more put off, and lay aside the old man, or that corrupt nature, which shewed it self in their former conversa∣tion, which corrupt nature, or old man is daily made worse, and more corrupt through deceitful lusts, and so it doth more and more corrupt and destroy man, vers. 22. (2.) That they should bee more and more renewed in the spirit of their minde, that is, that beleevers should do their endeavour, through the Word and Spirit of God, to make their understanding more and more spi∣ritual, which of its own nature is repugnant to the wis∣dome of God, and argues against it. (3.) That be∣leevers should put on the new man, or should study to manifest and declare in themselves the actions and qua∣lities of the new creature, renewed after the Image of God, and therefore should carefully yeeld obedience to the divine Law in those things which respect God and their neighbour. Hence the Argument is thus, The Christia•• ••octrine requires of you that putting off the manners o•• the old man, your minde being renewed, you should study to approve your selves new creatures, in the exercise of righteousness and holiness. Therefore you should not walk as other Gentiles.

Vers. 25. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour, for wee are members one of another.

Prec. 2. In this hee doth particularly command them to lay aside the custome of lying, and to speak the truth; and alledges one reason for this exhortation or com∣mand, viz. because we are, as it were members one of ano∣ther, therefore as it is in the natural body, where, if the members should defraud one another, it would bee a Monster; so wee should account it in the Church, when those that profess the faith deceive one ano∣ther.

Vers. 26. Bee yee angry and sin not, let not the Sun go down upon your wrath:

27. Neither give place to the Devil.

Prec. 3. Touching refraining from anger, whether it bee unlawful or lasting. Sin not by being angry, that is, bee not too soon, or too long angry, do not favour anger in your souls, nor suffer it to sleep with you, but bee sure to observe a measure even in lawfull anger, and if any unlawfull anger chance to overtake you, which indeed very often falls our, I counsel you presently to forbear, and leave it off.

To the Devil] The reason of this Command is from the damage which they might otherwise receive. If they did shew any liking to anger, they would give way to the Devil to tempt and egge them on to sin more, to whom

they should not at all give place, either in the allowance of this or any other sin.

Vers. 28. Let him that stole steal no more; but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that hee may have to give to him that needeth.

Prec. 4. Touching their laying aside the custome of stealing and fraudulent dealing. And the reason of this Command is, because it is far better they should betake themselves unto labouring with their hands, that so they might bee able to help themselves, and releeve others ne∣cessities, than to steal.

Vers. 29. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edi∣fying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

30. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby yee are sealed unto the day of Redemption.

Prec. 5. To take heed of the faults of the tongue. That they should not speak filthy, hunful, or unprofitable things, which neither make for the glory of God, nor for their own, or others advantage; and on the other side, that they should speak those things which were honest, and which did tend to the edification of their Neigh∣bour.

And grieve not] Hee adds the reason of the Com∣mand, lest the Holy Ghost, which dwelleth in you, should bee grieved with your corrupt and filthy speeches. Hee urges this reason, and renders it more strong, and weighty, in that by the Holy Ghost they were sealed to the day of Redemption, and by his presence, they were in a manner noted and marked for Gods proper and pe∣culiar ones, that in the day of their perfected redemption, which is the day of resurrection, they may bee brought into Gods Mansion-place: Therefore they ought to shew their thankfulness to this Spirit in another manner, than by thus offending him with their uncleanness.

Vers. 31. Let all bitterness and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evill speaking, bee put away from you, with all malice.

Prec. 6. In which hee forbids bitterness, and rancour of minde, and wrath, and clamour, and evill-speaking, and all kinde of roughness, and malice, or frowardness towards their neighbour.

Vers. 32. And bee yee kinde one to anot••••••, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christs sake hath forgiven you.

Prec. 7. In which on the contrary hee commands mu∣tuall mercy, friendship, and forgiving one anothers faults. To which is added the most weighty reason, be∣cause God in Christ hath forgiven you your sins, and hath shewn abundance of grace to you in Christ: There∣fore you should be bountiful and merciful to one another.