Commentary Upon Ephesians 1, Commentary · Verse 6
Now followeth the end. For the praiſe of the glory of his Grace.] Firſt, to open ſome words in this verſe, that ſo wee may ſee the meaning, and conſider of it more fruitfully; it may be asked what Praiſe is: There are words which ſound this way, the difference whereof I thinke good to vnfold. Praiſe, when it is taken reſtrainedly, doth ſignifie the ſetting forth by ſpeech of this or that, in any which is praiſe worthy: Honor is larger, for it is done by word, worke, geſture, and ſerueth to report our reuerent reſpect to Gods excellency: Thankfulneſſe is a prayſing of God, as hauing beſtowed ſome benefits on vsus: Glory is the account which wee hauehave of God, when now hee is made knowne to vsus. Now heere praiſe is put in a larger acception, and may containe all of them, both the admiration and high eſteeme of it, when it is once manifeſted, the praiſing it in word, and honouring it, the thankeſgiuing which is moſt worthily yeelded to it.
Glory of God is ſometime vſed in a ſingular manner, to note a glorious inſtrument, comming immediately from God, and made immediately for God; man is the image and glory of God: Sometime it is vſed in an acception more frequent, for the glory of God which is in vsus who glorifie him, or the glory of God in himſelfe, who is glorified of vsus; euen the glorious being or eſſence of God; Thus it is vſed heere, and Rom. 9. that he might ſhew his glory to the veſſels of mercy, that is, glorious nature ſo merciful & gracious: So 2 Theſ. 1. from the glory of his power, that is, his glorious eſſence, which is moſt powerfull. Thirdly, for his grace, here wee muſt know that S. Paul vſeth diuers words,Rom. 5. 2 Tim. 3.5. Epheſ. 2. Tit. 3. Iohn 3. A… beneficientia it amicitia afficient ad benefaciendum. which ſignifie one thing, but clothed or putting on diuers reſpects, foreign. Rom. 5. LoueLove, Bountifulnes, Mercy, Philanthropie, Grace. Now all theſe are the ſame thing, euen LoueLove; What louelove is, I need not ſhow; Bountifulneſſe is LoueLove, as now it is in worke beneficiall; Mercy is louelove, as now it helpeth the miſerable; Philanthropie is louelove, as it reſpecteth mankinde; Grace is louelove, as it giueth good things freely, without deſert, to make accepted; The word ſignifieth to doe a fauour, to follow one with ſome reall fauour now executed. The ſumme then is this.
All this ſpirituall bleſſing wherewith God hath bleſſed vsus, is to this end, that he might manifeſt his moſt glorious eſſence, which is grace it ſelfe, and that to the intent we might admire it, eſteeme it highly, honor it, ſet it forth in words, yeeld thanks to it; which grace of his, before all worlds, is it which now in the appointed time hath made vsus who are children of wrath, accepted and followed with many fauours in his beloued Son our Sauiour.
The verſe containeth two things.
1. The end in theſe, words; For the Praiſe of the glory of his grace.
2 A deſcription of Grace, from the effect, which is ſet forth both by the principal cauſe, God by his eternall grace; & miniſteriall, or ſecondary, God out of his eternall grace, in & through his Chriſt hath made vsus accepted.
Doct. Firſt then wee obſerue, that all he did from eternity intend about man, hath no end but his own glory: Hee made all things for himſelfe, Prou. 16.4. All things are from him, through him, for him. Bring my ſonnes and daughters eueryevery one, whom I hauehave created for my glory, Iſa. 43.6.7. The reaſon is plaine, God who is wiſedome it ſelfe cannot worke without an end: A wiſe man will doe nothing but to ſome purpoſe: That which muſt be Gods end, why he maketh all things, muſt be better then all thoſe things which ſerue vntounto his end; for the end is better then that which ſerueth for it, as the body is better then foode, raiment, and all things which ſerue for the body. In the third place it is plaine that nothing is better then all the workes of God, beſide God, nothing better then eueryevery creature, but the Creator: If then he muſt needs hauehave an end why he maketh things, and this end muſt needs be better then the things made for it, and nothing is better then all the creatures, but onelyonly God the Creator: Hence it followeth that God muſt needs hauehave himſelfe as his end in eueryevery thing which he worketh: now God being ſo perfect, that he needeth not our good, that nothing can hurt him, or make him better in himſelfe: hence it followeth that his end muſt needs be ſome externall matter, as the making himſelf known, that he may be accordingly honored of vsus, & that to the benefit of vsus who yeeld him this honor. The Scripture intimateth 3. ends in that God worketh toward his choſen. 1. The glory of vsus; The wiſdom of the Goſpel is ſaid to be predeſtinate to our glory; all things are ours. The 2. is the glory of our mediatour, all are yours, you are Chriſts, 2 Theſ. 1. Chriſt ſhall be glorious in his Saints, yea, admirable in them that beleeue. The 3. is God himſelfe; all are yours, you Chriſts, Chriſt Gods; that is, for God and his glory: Now thoſe two former are ends to which, not for which God worketh. He that buildeth a houſe, that he may lay a ſure foundation, that he may raiſe the frame, giuegive it the due filling which belongeth to it, but theſe are not his proper ends, but that hee may hauehave a houſe for his habitation: So God worketh many things to our glory, and that in vsus his Chriſt may be glorious, but the proper end which hee hath in all, is his owne glory.
Vſe. Wherefore ſeeing this is Gods end, let vsus in all things labour to yeelde him glory, whatſoeuer we are, let vsus be it in him, & through him, and for him. We ſee eueryevery thing that commeth of the earth, goeth to that common parent againe; eueryevery body made of theſe elements, is reſolued into theſe elements; ſo muſt it be with vsus, wee muſt returne backe to him in glorifying him, from whom wee come, as the workemanſhip of his hands: It is certaine, if he be not glorified of vsus, hee will glorifie himſelfe in vsus. What a ſhame is it that wee ſhould not hauehave his glory, as the end we aime at in eueryevery thing, who hath made all things in heauen and earth ſerue, as their end, to which they may be reduced?
Doct. Secondly obſerue, that he doth generally intend his praiſe of his grace, in all ſuch who are predeſtinated by him: that which God doth out of his grace, muſt needs be to the glory of his grace; But hee doth elect and predeſtinate vsus out of his grace. We ſee that if one doth this or that in wiſdome, he is praiſed for his wiſedome, which in this or that he hath ſhowed: So in any other vertue, thus it is, thoſe things which God doth out of his grace, hee muſt needes intend to hauehave his grace notified in them, and to hauehave it, being knowne, admired, honoured, & praiſed accordingly. Againe, thoſe things which God doth out of iuſtice, though, diuerſly iuſtice, from which they come, ſhall be glorious in them, yet all that iuſtice doth is reduced to this, as the iuſt ſupreme end, euen to lend a voice to the riches of Gods glorious mercy, which he ſheweth the veſſels of mercy: For looke as in vsus the actions of inferiour vertues, which commend the vertues they come from, they are ſeruiceable in ſome ſort, to actions of ſuperiour vertues, Ergo, what my temperance doth vponupon the Sabbaoth, it doth it for religion ſake, that my deuotion may more fully and fruitfully occupie himſelfe; ſo would God hauehave vsus conceiue in his diſpenſation, that what his iuſtice doth, it is ſuch, that in ſome ſort it hath a reſpect to, and is ſeruiceable to this moſt ſupreame end, this praiſe of his grace; this is it, in which he moſt delighteth: Euen as vertuous Kings after the matters of God, affect aboue all things to be had in honour for clemencie and bounty; ſo it is with our God, King of Kings, all he doth is to this end, that his grace may be made manifeſt, vntounto his greater glory. Men indeede may looke at praiſe as a ſpurre, but not driue at it, as their higheſt end, nay, they may not ſeeke it, but for a further end, Gods glory, the good of others, their owne due encouragement: But God may ſeeke his glory as his vtmoſt end, becauſe hee is not in danger of Pride, as man is, and there is none higher then himſelfe, to whom he ſhould hauehave reſpect; this maketh him when he ſheweth himſelfe to Moſes, proclaime this in himſelfe without compariſon aboue others. See the place.
Vſe 1 The Vſe of this is, firſt, to ſtirre vsus vp to glorifie him in regard of his grace to vsus: How will ſeruants who belong to bountifull Lords, commend them for their franke houſe-keeping, liberality to the poore, bounty to their followers? So ſhould we neuer ceaſe to hauehave this grace in our hearts and mouthes, to his glory who hath ſhewed it. Let vsus not be like thoſe grounds, which ſwallow Seede, and returne nothing to the Sower: They are not the children of grace, in whom God obtaineth not this end; for all ſuch as belong to his grace, he hath choſen them to this end, that his grace ſhould be knowne, praiſed, and magnified by them. Saint Paul; I thanke God in Chriſt, Rom. 7. Praiſe be to God in Chriſt, 1 Cor. 15. Bleſſed be God, euen the Father, 1 Pet. 1. If the light of Gods graces ſhining in men, muſt make vsus glorifie God in them; how ſhould this moſt high grace of God before all worlds thinking on vsus for good; how I ſay, ſhould it be extolled of vsus? When the louelove in a good man muſt be glorious in our eyes, yea, ſeeing his predeſtination hath ſo wrought, that all things ſhall worke for our good; let vsus in euill, as well as in good praiſe him; hee loues in eueryevery thing louelove it ſelfe. Euen as waters come from the ſea, and returne againe to it: So from this Ocean commeth eueryevery bleſſing, and eueryevery benefit ſhould by praiſing this grace, be reſolued to it.
Vſe 2 This Doctrine, hath Vſe for confutation: If this be the laſt end, and the direct and immediate end of all God doth toward his children, then it cannot be, that their life of glory in the heauens ſhould be giuen them from the hand of iuſtice: For if that ſhould next of all and immediately be giuen them from iuſtice, then the laſt things, to which Gods predeſtination ſhould come, is the glory of Gods diſtributiue iuſtice.Aeque proximè & immèdiat…o. If they ſay God doth giuegive it as an act of grace and iuſtice; I anſwere, then God hath not done all in election and predeſtination to life, vntounto the glory of his grace, but to the ioynt glory of his grace and iuſtice. Againe, it is impoſſible that God ſhould alike immediately giuegive life ioyntly from grace and iuſtice: For if grace giuegive it freely, iuſtice cannot together giuegive it, as a matter due by meritorious purchaſe. God may as poſſibly condemne the ſame man, both out of reuenging iuſtice and mercy at once, as he can giuegive a man life at once, both from free grace, and diſtributiue iuſtice; for mercy and reuenging iuſtice are not more oppoſite, then grace is to diſtributiue iuſtice.
Againe, we ſee them confuted, who thinke that God propounded an indefinite end about his creatures, deſtinating his creature to his glory, in a manner indefinite, whereas we ſee in the higheſt acts of Gods counſell the Scripture mentioneth, God is teſtified to hauehave his end, not in generall, but ſpecified as it is here, the praiſe of his glorious grace. Beſide that, God cannot propound ends indefinitely; for this ſuppoſeth that God may prouide for ſome particular end, and be fruſtrated in it; that he dependeth on the will of man in his decrees touching his glory, in this or that particular manner; that he doth not ſee in that inſtant moment, or ſigne of his eternall act, whereby he did decree to make: When he doth decree to make his creature, to what particular end hee ſhall bring him, onelyonly hee is ſure in ſome kinde or other to hauehave his glory.
Doct. Obſerue thirdly, from this he ſaith; Of the glory of his grace.] And ſo the other attributes of God are his eſſentiall glory, a moſt glorious Eſſence; In earthly things, that is a glorious body, which is light ſome & radiant, & hath a kinde of luſter, Ergo, Saint Paul ſaith, there is one glory of the Sun, another of the Moone and Stars, making theſe lightſome bodies ſubiects of glory: Thus it is a property of a body glorious, to ſhine as the Sunne; needes then muſt God be eſſentially glorious, who dwelleth in light, who is light it ſelfe, ſuch as that to it there is no acceſſe; ſuch as that the Seraphims conſcious of their infirmitie, doe veyle themſelues before it. The light naturall, which this bodily eye ſeeth; the light of reaſon, of grace it ſelfe, all are as nothing before this light. When Moſes ſaid, Lord ſhew me thy glory, Exod. 33. the Lord ſaid, I will ſhow thee my excellency; And what was it? Euen his grace, mercy, bounty, long-ſuffering, &c. Exod. 34.
Vſe 1 I name this by the way, to ſtirre vsus vp, that wee may indeauour to know the properties of God, and view as we may, the reflection which wee hauehave in his word and workes, of ſo infinite glory. How dull of heart are we, that wee no more ſeeke to hauehave the eyes of our mindes wiped, that we may get ſome glympſe of it? We will runne after glorious ſights on earth, and are much affected with them, to ſee the glory of Kings, eſpecially when their royall eſtates hauehave annexed princelike wiſedome, it maketh that befall men, which did once happen to the Queene of Sheba; There is no ſpirit remaining in them, they are ouercome with it: But how would this delight vsus, did we in any meaſure diſcerne it? What ſhall be our glory in heauen, our bleſſedneſſe, but to enioy the continuall view of this glory, this moſt bleſſed viſion? By meditation and contemplation, to fixe the eye of our ſoules on this glory, will transforme vsus into the likeneſſe of it. All the glory of this world is but like the ſhine of rotten wood, which ſeemeth bright for the night ſeaſon, but is nothing, as we ſee by day but rottenneſſe it ſelfe. Wherefore let it not bewitch vsus, but let vsus all ſeeke to God, to take away the vaile off our hearts, to the end that we may yet, as in a mirrour or glaſſe, get ſome ſight of this moſt rich glory. Rom. 9. This grace of his which hath beene alwaies towards vsus.
Obſerue fourthly. Wherewith he hath made vsus accepted.] That is, with which grace electing and predeſtinating vsus, that it might be glorified of vsus, he hath now in his time done vsus fauour, or made vsus accepted in his Chriſt. Doct. Obſerue then, what grace it is which in time doth worke all good things for vsus; euen the ſame grace which before all time did purpoſe them to vsus: Gods louing vsus to life, doth not beginne when now we are brought home by conuerſion to beleeue on him, but when we were his enemies, he did ſo louelove vsus, that he gaue his Sonne all to death for vsus, Ioh. 3. Rom. 5. And when he calleth vsus in time, he doth it out of that grace which was giuen to vsus in Chriſt our head, before all worlds: For this cauſe the Scripture doth not ſay, that God beginneth to louelove vsus to life when we beleeue, but that he giueth vsus life eternall, executing that to which he had loued vsus; neither doth the Scripture ſay, that in Chriſt now ſent to worke our redemption, louelove in God is firſt conceiued; but that it is manifeſted, when that ſauing grace appeared, Tit. 3. when the philanthropie, or louelove of mankinde appeared, Tit. 3.5. So God doth call vsus according to grace giuen vsus before worlds, but now made manifeſt, 2 Tim. 1. 1 Tim. 1. yea, life and immortality are ſaid to be brought to light, as things which had beene ouerſhadowed by the Goſpell. Now looke as if the Sunne hauing her light long eclypſed, ſhould after breake out, it were no new light, but an foreign, or new getting vp of the old light, which for a time was eclypſed: So it is with this ſunne of Gods eternall grace, the interpoſition of ſinne, through the vertue of iuſtice, did for a time keepe from vsus all the gracious influence of it, till at length in Chriſt, remouing that which hindred, it breaketh out, piercing our hearts with the beames of it, and working in vsus many reall effects, which it could not put forth till iuſtice were ſatisfied: Euen as God knew how to louelove Chriſt his Sonne to that glorious life, to which he had choſen, and yet execute the curſed death on him, as our ſurety: ſo he could louelove vsus with his eternall louelove, vntounto that life, to which he had choſen vsus, and yet execute on vsus the curſed death, when we had offended.
Vſe 1 This firſt ſerueth to excite in vsus godly ioy, in vsus I ſay, who ſee this light riſen ouer vsus, this louelove ſhining vponupon vsus in Chriſt, which was ſometime ſo ouercaſt by ſinne and death, that no glimpſe of it might be diſcerned. If this bodily ſunne had his light but two or three daies eclypſed, O how ſweet and amiable would it ſeeme to vsus, when getting the victory, it ſhould ſhine in manner accuſtomed? But ſhall it not affect, that the grace of God quite hid from vsus, while wee were the children of wrath, lay in all kinde of darkeneſſe, that this grace ſo hidden ſhould like a ſpring ſunne returne to vsus, and refreſh vsus?
Vſe 2 Againe, we ſee them confuted, who will not yeelde that God loueth any ſinner vntounto life, till he doth ſee his faith and repentance: But the louelove which deſtinateth to bring one to life, may ſtand with wrath, executing death; and why doth hee worke in ſinners repentance, faith, ſanctification, which are the meanes tending vntounto life, if hee may not purpoſe the end vntounto them? What ſhall hinder him from louing them thus farre, as to purpoſe to them that he can iuſtly execute?
Doct. Obſerue Laſtly, in and through whom the grace of God doth bring vsus to receiue fauour and grace, euen in, and through, his beloued. The Law came by Moſes, but grace and truth through Ieſus Chriſt. The Angels did ſing at his birth, glory to God, peace on earth, good will to men; In him God was reconciling the world, & God did giuegive this teſtimony of him, This is my beloued, in whom I am well pleaſed. For Chriſt hath performed ſuch an obedience at the commandement of grace, as doth yeeld ſuch ſatiſfaction to Iuſtice, that grace may iuſtly giuegive vsus eueryevery good thing; yea ſuch an obedience, as doth procure from grace eueryevery good thing for vsus; for Grace and Iuſtice kiſſe each other in Chriſt; Grace freely beſtowing all her gifts vntounto her glory, and that without any wrong, nay with full contentment of reuenging iuſtice. See the firſt to the Coloſſ. what is written on thoſe words, Who hath tranſlated vsus into the kingdome of his beloued Sonne.