Ephesians 2

Ephesians 2:1

HAth he] namely, God by the same power as he raised Christ from the dead, Ephes. 1. 20. hath also given you a spirituall life consisting in his grace, and in mans conversion to him, and in the being joyned to him by his Spirit. See Iohn 〈◊〉. 24. Dead] in spirituall death, consisting in the separation from God, and from his grace through sin, whence followeth miserie, and inhabilitie of doing good.

Ephesians 2:2

To the course] to the common manner of worldly mens living, who are not regenerate by Gods Spirit According to] following the Devils suggestions, and imitating his malignitie, who having been driven out of the high Heaven of glorie, Luke 10:18. Revlat. 12. 〈◊〉. ow wandereth up and down, and exerciseth the power which God permitteh him to have in these lower parts of the ayre, untill such time as he be shut up in the prison of everlasting torments The Spirit] namely, the authour of the evill inclination, and motion that is in corrupt men, 1 Corinthians 2:12. Worketh] namely, to whom God hath abandoned those who maliciously refuse the Gospell, for to drive them to all manner of evill without any stay. See Iohn 8. 41, 44.

Ephesians 2:3

We all] not onely you Gentiles but we Jewes also, Rom. 3. 9. 22. Of our flesh] as well of the sensuall part, as of that which is falsly called reason and understanding; which also hath its corruption; and as the Scripture speaketh, is flesh, Romans 8:6-7. Colossians 2:18. And were] being borne in sin and corruption we were by our birth subject to the wrath and curse of God.

Ephesians 2:6

Hath raised us] because that by reason of the most strict union of Christ the Head to believers who are his members, that which is done to the Head is likewise done and belongeth to all the members, and they likewise in right and in vertue of the infallible cause, and in certainnesse of hope are already raised up and glorified, and at the appointed time shall be so in effect, 1 Corinthians 15:12; 1 Corinthians 15:15; 1 Corinthians 15:20; 1 Corinthians 15:22. Through Christ] namely, in the benefit of our redemption through him.

Ephesians 2:8

By grace] which holds the place of principal cause, as faith is the meanes on mans side to receive and applie unto himselfe the feeling and fruition of that salvation which is presented unto him in Christ Of your selves] of any merit, worth, invention, or worke of yours.

Ephesians 2:10

For we are] He proves that our own workes cannot be the cause of our salvation, for we our selves that do them have been made, that is to say, regenerate and sanctified by his grace, and have been made fit to do them by his Spirit, besides that the use of them is not of merit to acquire right to salvation, but onely a way to come to the fruition of it Before ordained] to worke them in us, and to be wrought by us, God having by one and the same will and councell ordained the end of salvation, and the meanes to attain to it.

Ephesians 2:11

Wherefore] seeing God hath done us al in generall so many favours, you Gentiles who were furthest off, and most unworthy of them, ought to thinke your selves most obliged for them In the flesh] wanting the circumcision in your flesh, which was the Sacrament of Gods Covenant, and therefore likewise under the name of uncircumcised; you were abhorred of the Jewes, who for their honour were called the circumcised people, so that you had no part nor communion with Gods Church, neither outwardly nor spiritually, v. 12.

Ephesians 2:12

Ye were] ye had neither union nor communion with Christ, Head of the Church, Founder and Mediatour of the Covenant, and Spring of all spirituall and everlasting blessings.Aliens] and therefore separate from the bodie of it, namely, of the Church, to which onely he communicates his grace, and which at that time was restrained within the Jewish nation onely. See Ezech. 13. 9. Strangers] Having no interest nor portion in the goods promised in the Covenant of grace which was made with Abraham, and so many times reiterated and confirmed Of promise] namely, of grace. See Rom. 4. 13, 14. and 9. 8 To hope] of salvation and eternall goods Without God] without any knowledge or worship of the true God, 1Corinth. 8. 5, 5. wherein consists the interchangeable dutie of those who are in this covenant.

Ephesians 2:13

In Christ] not onely by his meanes, but also by vertue of the union which you have with him by faith Farre off] namely, from God, from his Covenant, and from the Church, as he had said, vers. 12. By the blood] by his death which he suffered for you, and hath been applied unto you by faith, you have been reconciled to God, and re-united into one bodie of a Church with the believing Jewes: this seemes to be added, to shew that the Gentiles were no more engrafted in the Church by circumcision, and by ceremonies, as anciently the proselites were, but by Christs passion shadowed by those figures.

Ephesians 2:14

Our peace] the tie, and foundation of the true union of the Gentiles with the Jewes into one and the same Church The middle wall] He hath questionlesse a relation to the wall which was in Solomons Temple, between the peoples and the Gentiles court, which hindred all manner of passage, sight, or communication between them, Ezech. 42. 20, the meaning is, that the Gentiles have by the Gospell gotten free accesse to the Church, and the goods thereof, being no more held to be prophane persons.

Ephesians 2:15

In his flesh] namely, in the sacrifice of his bodie, by which he hath disannulled all ancient ceremonies, which were a signe and a meanes of the separation of the two people, Gentiles and Jewes; and the occasion of great hatred betwixt them, the Jewes detesting the Gentiles and their manner of worship, as unclean and prophane; and the Gentiles abhorring the Jewes and all their observations as absurd, and contrary to those of all other nations, Acts 10:28. To make] the Italian, to create] that is to say, to make by a manner of new creation, these two nations regenerated by his Spirit, a new bodie of a Church united in Christ, who is the Head thereof, and the Foundation of all its subsistencie.

Ephesians 2:16

In one] being so united, to shew that none can have part in Gods peace, unlesse he be united to the Church; seeing that there being but one covenant, and one head thereof, namely Christ, it is impossible it should be made with men that were divided By the crosse] namely, by his sacrifice upon the altar of the crosse Slain] having by vertue of his death which was the destruction of the kingdom & life of sin, Romans 6:6. Galatians 6:14. taken away the cause of Gods enmitie with sinfull men, and of the Church with life of unbeleevers and heathens, which is no other but only the uncleannesse of sin; and hath established the true foundation of peace, which is righteousnesse and holinesse, considered in its reall truth of Faith and Spirit, and no more in the ancient outward signes of Mosaicall Ceremonies, Galatians 6:15. Thereby, the Italian,in himself.] namely, in his own death; or in it, namely, in the Crosse.

Ephesians 2:17

And came] in his own person, by taking upon him humane flesh, and the office of a messenger of pence, and afterwards by sending his Apostles, Luke 24:47. see 1 Peter 3:19.Unto you] namely, to the Gentiles in generall, who were separate from God, from his covenant and salvation To them] to the Jews, a people joyned to God by a speciall covenant.

Ephesians 2:18

For through] he proves that peace is truly made with God, because he now admits all nations indifferently unto him, to present their prayers and worship to him By one] namely, by vertue of the holy Ghost, which is one and the same in all beleevers, and works all the foresaid things in them by the same consent and will.

Ephesians 2:20

Are built] your faith by which you subsist in the communion of Saints, hath for its foundation & for infallibility & immoveable rule the doctrine of the old and new Testament, the principall subject whereof is Christ, who in his person is the essentiall foundation, & as it were the corner Stone (in which consists the chief strength of a building) binding the two walls together, which are the two nations of the Jews, and the Gentiles whereof the Church is composed, and alwayes bearing and withstanding all manner of dangerous encounters, which are more dangerous at the corners of buildings, then at any other part of them, see Son 8:9-10.

Ephesians 2:21

In whom] upon whom, or by vertue of whom, and of the conjunction with him Groweth] advanceth and raiseth it self, untill it come to its perfection in Heaven, Revel. 21. 3.

Ephesians 2:22

In whom] this seems to be added to shew, that whilest the mysticall Temple advanceth it self in this world, God hath on earth an inferiour walking and moveable habitation, which is the Church in travellers estate in this worlds pilgrimage. Such as the Tabernacle in the wildernesse was, being compared to the glorious Temple built by Solomon, in which there was a sound and immoveable firmnesse; and an infinite increase of Gods signes and gifts: ten candlesticks for one, and ten tables for one, though there were but one ark of the covenant in both; and so both in heaven and earth the Church hath but only one God and Redeemes You] namely, you Ephesians, and all the particular Churches in the world Through the Spirit] that is to say, Spiritually, or by the power of the holy Ghost.