Brief Exposition of Galatians and Ephesians, Exposition 2 · Chapter 2 · Verse and explication 7
Vers. 8. For by grace are ye saved, through faith, and that not of your selves: it is the gift of God:
THe Apostle, Fourthly, While he giveth a reason of what is said, ver. 7. (as appeareth by the causall particle, for) doth sum up all which hath been spoken from ver. 4. in this one comprehensive proposition, that their compleat salvation, from the first step unto the last, did flow from Gods grace and favour (for, by grace here must be meaned Gods free favour and grace in him, not the effects of this grace, good works, or grace inherent in us; for those are expresly excluded, ver. 9.) and withall, that they were so saved by grace, as faith was not excluded; This grace of faith being the hand, or instrument, whereby we lay hold upon, and apply to our selves Jesus Christ, and His righteousnesse offered freely in the Gospel, in order to our salvation, Rom. 3. 25. And, Secondly, Because the establishing of them in this truth, is his main scope through the whole first part of the Epistle, therefore he doth here, not only explain in what sense salvation doth flow from grace, but also doth expresly confirm it by arguments, First, by removing all things in generall, which could be called theirs, whether prerogative, priviledge, naturall or acquired worth, from being the meritorious procuring cause of their salvation, or of any part of it; the truth whereof is more than evident from what is said of their spirituall death in sins and trespasses, ver. 1, 2, 3. and therefore he needeth not bring any new argument to prove it. Secondly, by asserting from that same ground, that their salvation was Gods gift, and therefore it behoved to be free, and of grace, else it could not be a gift. Doct. 1. Though the ascribing of salvation unto works, is not wholly inconsistent with, and destructive of Gods grace from having any influence upon salvation, seing Adam's salvation, even according to the tenor of the Covenant of works, had been also of grace in some respect, it being of grace that God did enter any Covenant with man at all, and of grace also that He did accept, even of mans perfect obedience so, as upon his performance of it to make him sure of eternall life; yet the ascribing of salvation, or any part of it unto the merit or worth of works, doth obscure, and is inconsistent with that exceeding riches of grace, which God intendeth to set forth by that way of salvation, which is propounded in the Covenant of Grace: for, the Apostle being here to prove, that Gods way of saving those Ephesians, was a fit mean to set forth the exceeding riches of His grace, giveth this for a reason, even that their salvation did flow only from grace, and from nothing in themselves, nor any work of theirs, So that if it did not flow only from grace, and from nothing in themselves, it could not demonstrate those exceeding riches of His grace: for, saith he, ye are saved by grace, and that not of your selves; not of works. 2. Whatever differences may be among severall persons in other things; yet all come of Adam by ordinary generation, are equall, as in their common misery by nature; so in the way of their delivery from that misery by free grace through a Redeemer, there being no other name under Heaven given among men, whereby we can be saved, but the name of Jesus, Act. 4. 12. for, therefore doth the Apostle so frequently change the person in this first part of the Chapter, while he sometimes speaketh of the Ephesians and Gentiles alone in the second person, as, ver. 1. sometimes of himself, and of the Jews with them in the first person, as ver. 5, 6. not, as if some part of the purpose did belong only to the one alone, and some part of it unto both joyntly: for in one and the same purpose he changeth the person, as while he giveth a reason in this verse, of what he spoke ver. 7. but rather to shew, that the purpose here insisted on, which is mans misery by nature, and their delivery from that misery by free grace and Christ, doth belong equally to Jew and Gentile: and therefore he standeth not much to which of them he doth speak; for by grace are ye saved, saith he. 3. As Believers are in some sense already saved, not only because they have salvation begun in their new birth, which is a passing from death unto life, 1 Joh. 3. 14. but also they have compleat salvation in right and title, 1 Corinth. 3. 21, 22. and in the earnest of it, Eph. 1. 14. So, the whole work of their salvation, from its first step in regeneration unto its last step in their glorification, doth intirely flow from Gods free grace, and from none of their worth: for, he saith, ye are saved, in the time bypast, and ascribeth it to grace, by grace ye are saved. 4. The maintaining of the interest of free grace in our salvation, as being the alone impulsive cause thereof, in opposition to our worth, is a thing that the Spirit of the Lord is very carefull of, the glory of His free grace being all which He seeketh after in our salvation, chap. 1. 6. and a thing, which men do naturally encline to intrench upon, and to rob Him of, either in whole or in part, Rom. 10. 3. for, therefore doth the Apostle so frequently shew the dependance which salvation hath upon Gods mercy, love and free grace, ver. 4. -5. and here, by grace are ye saved. 5. Free grace, and faith do well agree in the bringing about our salvation: neither is salvation the lesse of free grace, that it is also of faith; seing faith is not only a fruit of Gods grace in us, Phil. 1. 29. but also and mainly, because faith doth not justifie, or save us for any worth in it self, or as it is a work, (for, all works are excluded, ver. 9.) but for the worth of its object, Jesus Christ, and of His righteousnesse, Rom. 5. -19. which faith apprehendeth, Philip. 3. 9. for, the Apostle ascribeth their salvation both to grace and faith; ye are saved. by grace through faith. 6. Though Gods free grace, favour and goodwill doth freely bestow that salvation upon the Elect, which Christ by His merit hath purchased; yet the Wisdom of God hath thought it fitting, that this salvation shall not be actually bestowed, untill the person to be saved, do lay hold by faith upon the offer of salvation in the Gospel, and of Christs righteousnesse, whereby salvation is acquired, that so the heirs of glory may not only have a right to heaven by faith, before they come to the actuall possession of it, Joh. 3. 16. but also be made meet to partake of that heavenly inheritance, Col. 1. 12. their natures being renewed, when the habit of faith is wrought in them by God, 2 Corinth. 5. 17. and their hearts also being purified by the exercise of that grace, Acts 15. 9. for, saith he, by grace are ye saved through faith. 7. The ascribing of salvation to Gods free grace, though it doth not exclude Christs merit, and the act of faith, as imbracing the righteousnesse of Christ (See Doct. 5.) Yet it excludeth all things in our selves, whether dignity of our natures, the enjoyment of civil, or ecclesiastick priviledges, nobility of discent, all our common, or more speciall gifts and induements, whether of nature or grace, from having any meritorious, or causall influence in bestowing, either a right to salvation, or the possession of it: for, Paul opposeth these two, by grace are ye saved and that not of your selves. 8. As heaven and salvation are Gods gift; so they are such a gift, as is freely given by God, who is not induced thereto by any thing in the person to whom it is given, whether sense of benefit already received, or hope of any benefit to be received from Him in time coming, which occasioneth the bestowing of gifts among men; salvation is indeed a gift, but not such a gift: for, it is a gift without all rise from any thing in our selves; And that not of your selves, it is the gift of God, saith he.