(1) Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me. (2) For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. (3) But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
I would pass over every consideration of a private nature, as it relates to the person of the Apostle, to attend to those important points we meet with in this Chapter, which are of general moment to the Church. It is indeed to be lamented, that faithful servants of the Lord Jesus in all ages, like Paul, have been, for the most part, evil treated; while time-serving hirelings have been caressed, and often laden with worldly honors. But as the Apostle himself remarked, so the faithful of God ought to know, that no man should be moved by these things, for they are appointed thereunto, 1 Thessalonians 3:3. But, leaving the consideration of such subjects, it will be more to our purpose, to attend to what Paul hath here said, within the compass of these verses, on the jealousy of his soul, for the stedfastness of the Church in the true faith of Christ. This opens to a most interesting point of the Gospel, and I beg the Reader's earnest attention to it.
There is somewhat very lovely, in the midst of all the unkindness, Paul received from the Corinthians, in what he saith of himself, of his godly jealousy over them. What a charming representation it gives, of the Apostle's mind. Their ill requital of his friendship, did not keep back his labors, for their welfare. The salvation of their souls was dear to him. And yet more the love of Christ constrained him. Say what they might of him, yet his regard for them should not lessen. Reader! do not fail to observe, how grace prompts the soul to act, and to rise above resentments. Oh! what a blessed thing would it be, if men possessed of grace, were to manifest, upon every occasion, the superiority of that grace, in returning good for evil, towards those whose natural tempers, unrestrained by grace, act improperly.
But while I notice this by the way, in relation to the Apostle's godly jealousy, I beg the Reader's attention to a yet far higher subject, brought before us in those words, in the cause of that jealousy; namely, lest the minds of the people (Paul saith) should be led away from the simplicity that is in Christ. I hardly know in the whole Scripture, a sweeter, and more comprehensive manner of expression than this, of the plainness to be observed in the apprehension of Christ. The Apostle considers the whole of the subject, concerning Christ and his Church, though infinite in itself, and extending to infinite blessings in its consequences; yet in the outlines of it, so simple, so plain, and so easily understood, under divine teaching; that the wayfaring man, though a fool, shall not err therein. And in proof of it, the Apostle calls upon the Church, to consider it, under the similitude of Christ's marriage of his Church; in which he shews, that she is espoused to her Lord for the express purpose of being presented to him finally, and compleatly, as a chaste virgin. I beg the Reader to look at the subject in this point of view, under two or three leading particulars, in confirmation.
First. It is one of the sweetest, highest, and most blessed truths, of our most holy faith, that from everlasting, the Son of God betrothed, or, (as it is here expressed), espoused, his Church to himself, in an union, and Covenant, not to be broken, Hosea 2:19-20. For when Jehovah, in his threefold character of Persons, willed into being, from his everlasting love, the Church of God; this Church was chosen in Christ, and given to Christ. So that in the same moment, (let that moment be called by what name soever it may, in the language of heaven and eternity), that Christ became the Head, and Husband of his Church; the Church became the body, and spouse of Christ: and was betrothed to her Lord: Hence all those precious Scriptures, Ephesians 1:4; Isaiah 54:5; Jeremiah 3:14; Ephesians 5:25 to the end; John 17:2; John 17:6; John 17:9-10 etc. In this sweet point indeed, is contained the whole blessedness of the Church, for time and for eternity. All is founded upon this union. The Church of Christ had this secret grace-union with Christ, before she received her open nature in Adam. And, as Christ had in himself an infinite fulness of all blessings, both spiritual and eternal, for his seed, his spouse, his children, the Church; so, from their being chosen in him, and considered one with him, for receiving all communicable grace, during their time-state upon earth, and all communicable glory, when brought home to Heaven; it was impossible, that their after-connection with Adam should subject them to the loss of those blessings, bestowed upon them before in Christ, and preserved in Christ; which were to be brought forth for their recovery from the Adam-nature of sin, in what in scripture language is called, the fulness of time, Galatians 4:4. As this view of the subject runs it up to the fountain-head of mercy, so is it very blessed at all times, to trace it to this source; in order to discover, how effectually in this union and espousing of Christ's, the Church is secured, from the woeful consequences of the fall, and everlasting ruin; the power and means of recovery, being securely laid, in the Person, work, and offices, of the Church's Husband, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Secondly. Jehovah, in his threefold character of Persons, having thus from all eternity given, both Being, and well-being, to the Church in Christ; was pleased, for the accomplishment of his own sovereign, and gracious purposes, to go forth in acts of creation; and call into existence Adam the first man in nature, and with him, and from him, multitudes of his race, from whence the Church of Jesus might be gathered, during the time-state of the Church's existence upon earth. And the Lord was pleased, for the same wise, and blessed purposes, that the Church, being alike involved with the whole race of Adam in the ruins of the fall, should feel the awful consequences of her apostacy; and her glorious Head, and Husband, raise her up from those deplorable circumstances, and make her meet for to partake with him, in all his communicable grace and glory, both in time, and to all eternity.
Thirdly. We learn from this view of the subject, how in the incarnation of the Son of God, when he came, and openly tabernacled among us, all those great purposes were accomplished. He assumed our nature: in that nature paid the dreadful debt we had fallen under, both to law, and justice: cancelled the hand-writing of ordinances which was against us, taking it out of the way, and nailing it, to his cross: and having made our peace, by the sacrifice of himself; he returned to glory, to prepare a place for all his redeemed, until he shall come again to bring home his spouse to the everlasting enjoyment of himself in glory: that where he is, there his Church, shall be.
These are the outlines of what the Apostle meant to teach the Church, concerning their being espoused to Christ; and from the simplicity of which, he felt a godly jealousy; that they might not be tempted to depart. But we must observe what the Apostle saith, with the caution he himself intended it, and agreeably to the general tenor of Paul's preaching and ministry, when he talks of having espoused them to one husband; and that he might present them; as a chaste virgin, to Christ. everyone knows, that even in the common transactions of human marriages, it is the Bridegroom himself which espouseth the Bride, and not the friend of the Bridegroom. And, in this act of divine grace, which marks the Lord Christ, in his marrying our nature, Jesus speaks of it as his own act I will betroth thee unto me forever, Hosea 2:19. And the day of the Lord's manifestation to everyone of his people, is called, the day of their espousals. Thus saith the Lord, I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousal, when thou wentest after me in the wilderness in a land that was not sown, Jeremiah 2:2. And in like manner, the Church is spoken of collectively, as crowning the Lord Jesus, in the day of his espousals, Song of Solomon 3:11
So also, when the Apostle speaks of presenting the Church as a chaste Virgin to Christ; it is well known, that neither the first presentation of the Church to her Husband in grace, nor the final presentation of the Church in glory, is the act of men, or angels. All is from Christ himself, to himself; and, in every act of grace here, and glory hereafter, it is the Lord which worketh in his people, both to will, and to do, of his good pleasure. The Holy Ghost, by the Apostle, refers the whole, and every act, into Christ. He gave himself, it is said, for his Church, having loved it that he might sanctify and cleanse it, and present it to himself a glorious Church, Ephesians 5:24-26
Neither can it be said, in the present time-state of the Church, that Christ's Church is presented as a chaste virgin; for though, from everlasting she is married to the Lord, and Christ is her first Husband; Hosea 2:7, yet as a treacherous wife, when the Lord called her by his grace, she was departed from the Lord, and He brought her back. Jeremiah 3:20; Jeremiah 3:20. But the Apostle's meaning is evidently in allusion to his labors in the ministry among them, when the Lord the Spirit owned and blessed the labors of Paul in his aim to allure them to Christ. And perhaps, in a more limited and confined sense the Church may be called chaste, when after her recovery from the Adam-fall of sin, she became cautious in the principles of faith, not suffering a corruption from the minglings of human invention, but through grace was enabled to preserve a virginity in the pure doctrines of the Gospel, which at regeneration she received. We have a similar relation in this sense in the book of the Revelation: Revelation 14:3-5
When the Reader hath duly attended to those proper distinctions, I would request a moment's notice further, to what I humbly conceive the Apostle had in view, when he called the faith, the simplicity that is in Christ. It is a beautiful, though short account, of the pure faith of Christ. And in an age like the present, deserves the more particular regard.
The simplicity that is in Christ, implies, (what in truth is the exact description of it), that it is a, plain, sweet, simple, and impossible to be mistaken plan, under divine teaching, of Jehovah's own providing, for the recovery of the Church, from the ruins of the fall. In which, each glorious Person of the Godhead comes forward in his office-character of love, and grace, to make the highly favored objects of that love happy in time, and happy to all eternity. So that everything in it is full of a beautiful simplicity. The everlasting love of God the Father to the Church in Christ, is expressed, in all the innumerable instances of it, in the most plain, gentle, tender, and affectionate manner. One Scripture contains in its bosom the sum and substance of every other: God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life, John 3:16. In like manner, the everlasting love, of God the Son to the Church, is revealed in terms of equal simplicity, and grace. For He is said, so to have loved the church as to have given himself for it, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savor, Ephesians 5:2. And no less, the everlasting love of God the Holy Ghost to the Church, comes home endeared to the heart with equal clearness, in that, it is said: After that the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man appeared, we were saved by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost, which he shed upon us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, Titus 3:5-6. And what can be more plain, more simple, or more perspicuous, when we discover, that all our mercies flow from this united source, in the joint love, good-will, and unceasing affection of all the Persons of the Godhead.
Reader! do not hastily pass away from this view, of the simplicity that is in Christ! The Serpent beguiled Eve by his subtlety, in doing what? Even in seducing her to believe, that the simple act of faith, of believing in God, and depending wholly upon him, was to simple to give credit to; and, likening to his devilish, devices, she fell. And what is the artifice of the Arch-fiend now? To tempt men to swerve from the simplicity that is in Christ, by supposing that Christ's Person, work, righteousness, and blood shedding, are but procuring causes; and that our faith, sincerity, repentance, and the like, must he added, in order to render it effectual. And thus, the simplicity that is in Christ, the minds of some men are corrupted from the beautiful whole of Christ, in Christ, and from Christ, becomes mingled with creature-attainments. And, instead of accepting Christ, as the One only Ordinance of Heaven for salvation; men of this description teach their hearers, that their faith, their sincere endeavors in, obedience, and their sorrows for occasional departures, the Lord will accept; and in consequence bestow upon them grace, mercy, and favor, through, Jesus Christ. How might the congregation exclaim against such false doctrines, there is death in the pot? 2 Kings 4:40.