Ephesians 2

Ephesians 2:2

according to the course of this world] The Originall 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, is by some rendred, the age of this world; by others, the life of this world; or, generation of this world; by the Syrian interpreter and Tremelius, mundaneitatem, the vanitie; or, word for word, worldlinesse of this world: the meaning is, after the common course and fashion of worldlings, that think of no other world then this present.

according to the prince] According to the will, instigation and suggestion of Satan, who being cast out of the higher heaven of glory, Luke 10:18. Revelation 12:8. doth wander about now, and exercise the power God permits him in these low regions of the air, untill he be shut up into the dungeon of eternall torments. 2 Corinthians 4:4.

of the power of the air] That hath power in moving the air, and raising storms there, as appeareth by the story of Job, (Job 1) and continually fighting against the faithfull out of the air, Ephes 6. 12. Or, the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 may be taken, as it is often, in Hesiod and Homer, for,〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 (as Hesiod.〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, caligine induti] that is, darknesse; and that indeed is his proper style, for as God is the Father of lights, so the Devill the Prince of darknesse.

now worketh in the children of disobedience] The particle now is added here, by reason that Satan, since the preaching of the Gospell, hath lost that operation and full sway in the faithfull, which formerly he had indifferently over all, albeit he doth not cease to assault and molest them; but the power that is left him now, is chiefly over the unbeleevers, 2 Corinth. 4. 4. 2 These. 2. 9, 10. and those whom God hath given over to Satan, who maliciously refuse the Gospel; and he by his operations and suggestious leadeth them whithersoever he will.

Ephesians 2:3

also we] After that he had condemned the Gentiles, he confesseth, that hte Jews (among whom he numbreth himself) were no whit better.

in the lusts of our flesh] By the name of flesh, in the first place he meaneth the whole man, which he afterwards divideth into two parts, into the flesh, which the Philosophers terme the sensitive or irrationall part; and into the minde, which they call the rationall; so that he leaveth nothing in man that is not dead in sinne and concludeth, that the whole man is borne subject to the wrath and curse of God. (John 3:6.)

the desires] Gr. the wills.

were by nature the children of wrath] Children of wrath may be understood, either actively, such as deserve wrath, as Judas is said to be the childe of perdition, (John 17:12.) and the Pharisees Proselytes, the children of hell: (Matthew 23:15.) or passively, such as are lyable to the wrath of God, and the sentence of eternall death; men in Gods hatred, as well as others, that is, profane people which know not God.

Ephesians 2:6

And hath raised us up together] To wit, as he addeth afterwards, in Christ: for as yet this is not fulfilled in us, but only in our head, by whose Spirit we have begun to die to sinne, and live to God, untill that work be fully brought to an end; but yet the hope is certain, for we are as sure of that we look for, as we are of that we have received already.

Ephesians 2:7

through Christ Jesus] Or, in.

Ephesians 2:8

by grace are ye saved through faith] Christ is the meritorious grace the efficient, and faith the instrumentall cause of our justification and salvation: grace and faith stand one with another, to which two these are contrary, to be saved by our selves or our works And because it might be objected, that faith is our work, and consequently that if we are justified by faith we are justified by works; the Apostle immediately addeth that though this faith be in us, et it is not of us, that is, not from the power of nature, but that it is meerly the gift of God: and this is to be meant not onely of the habit of faith, but the very act, as Saint Augustine in his 107. Epistle. Prosp. l. 1. de vocat. Gent. and the Synod held at Aurasica canon the last, clearly prove out of Philippians 1. 29.

Ephesians 2:10

his workmanship] We are Gods workmanship, both in respect of our first creation, and in respect of our regeneration, which is a second creation: of which these words are to be understood, for he speaketh not of us as we are by nature, but as new creatures in Christ by grace.

ordained] Or, prepared.

Ephesians 2:11

remember that ye] Applying the former doctrine to the Gentiles, he sheweth that they were not onely as the Jewes by nature, but also after a speciall sort strangers and without God, and therefore they ought the rather to remember so great a benefit of God as was their admittance into the covenant of grace.

b that which is called the circumcision] Or, in regard of that. Either he meaneth by circumcision the Jews, who were known and distinguished from the Gentiles by circumcision the mark of the Covenant; or if he take not circumcision, as he doth Galatians 2:7. for the Jewes who were circumcised, but for the sacrament it self: then the meaning is, that the Ephesians were uncircumcision in respect of the carnall circumcision, that is, were utterly destitute of it. If it be objected, that the Egyptians, and Ethiopians, and Colchians, and Arabians, and some other nations were circumcised; as Herodotus l. 2. Hieron. upon Jeremiah 9. Alexander ab Alexandro Gentalium l. 2. report: the answer is easie; that though they were cut in the foreskin of the flesh as the Jews were, yetthat was done to another end, either as a mark of their Nobilitie, or for some other purpose. They received it not as the seal of Gods Covenant; their Circumcision was no Sacrament at all, neither by virtue thereof had they any entrance into the true Church of God.

Ephesians 2:12

without Christ] He beginneth first with Christ, who was the end of all the promises, and shadowed out to the Jews under all their Types.

being aliens from the common-wealth of Israel] That is, had no right nor title to the common-wealth of Israel.

without God in the world] The Gentiles were not simply Atheists; for they worshipped some one, some more gods; yet because they worshipped not the true God; or if they worshipped the true God, yet they worshipped him not as God, nor glorified him in their life and conversation; but became vain in their imaginations, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, &c. Romans 1:21; Romans 1:23. they are said to be without God: and in this sense, the Turks and all Infidels may be rightly tearmed 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 without God, because they worship not the true God in Christ.

Ephesians 2:13

Bt now in Christ Jesus] Christ is the onely bond both of Jews and Gentiles, whereby they are tied and united both to God, and one to another.

Ephesians 2:14

For he is our peace] That is, the Authour and cause of our peace; as well of the peace between God and us, as between our selves: he is the cement, the onely tie, and ground of the true union of Jews and Gentiles into one and the same Church.

the middle wall of partition] By the ceremonies and worship appointed by the law the Jews were divided from the Gentiles: but now Christ having broken down the partition wall, joyneth them both together both in himself, and betwixt themselves, and to God. In this manner of speech the Apostle hath regard to that partition which was in Solomons Temple between the outward court of the Gentiles, and that of the people which was Lorica lapidea, whereof Josephus de bello Judaico l. 6. c. 6. speaketh, a wall that hindred all passage, sight, and communion betwixt them, Ezekiel 42:20. The meaning is, that the Gentiles had gotten a free accesse now by the Gospel unto the Church, and the benefits thereof; being not accounted profane any longer. And it may be also, that the Apostle in this allusion had an eye to the renting of the vail in the Temple, Matthew 27:51. Luke 23:45.

Ephesians 2:16

in one body by the Crosse] He alludeth to the sacrifices of the law, which reprsented that true and onely sacrifice.

having slain the enmitie thereby] Or, in himself. For he destroyed death by his death, and fastened it as it were to the Crosse, and the cause sinne being taken away, all hatred and enmitie betwixt God and man necessarily ceased.

Ephesians 2:17

which were afarre off, and to them that were nigh] To them that were afarre off, that is, to the Gentiles, (Isaiah 57:19.) aliens from the common-wealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, vers. 12. and to them that were nigh; that is, to the Jews, who were neerer to God by reason of his Covenant with them, and Ordinances among them.

Ephesians 2:18

through him, &c.] See Romans 5:2.

by one Spirit] Or, in.

Ephesians 2:19

yeare no more strangers] The Gentiles are taken into the fellowship of salvation, and he describeth the excellency of the Church, calling it the Citie and House of God.

Ephesians 2:20

and are built] Gr. having been built. That is, your faith whereby you subsist in the communion of Saints hath for its infallible and immoveable ground, the whole doctrine of the Old and New Testament, the main subject whereof is Christ, who in his own person is the reall and essentiall foundation, and as it were, the corner-stone, where the great strength of the building lyeth, (Psalms 118:22. 1 Pet. 2. 6, 7.) joyning the two wals together; that is, the two different Nations of the Jews and Gentiles, of whom the Church is composed.

Ephesians 2:21

Framed together] So that God is the workman, not onely of the foundation, but also of the whole building.

Ephesians 2:22

for an habitation of God] Both the whole Church and every particular beleever is an habitation of God; for God dwelleth in the Church, Levit. 26. 11, 12. and in every true beleever by his Spirit, 2 Corinthians 6:16.

through the Spirit] Gr. in.