Brief Exposition of Galatians and Ephesians, Exposition 2 · Chapter 1 · Verse and explication 5
Vers. 5, To the praise of the glory of His Grace, wherein He hath made us accepted in the Beloved.
THe Apostle (having already described the decree of Election from two of those ends which God proposed unto Himself to be brought about by it, to wit, the sanctification (ver. 4.) and glorification of the Elect, ver. 5.) doth here in further pursuance of the former scope, mentioned upon ver. 3. first, further describe this decree from a third and supream end which God therein designed most, which is, That as His grace, or freedom of His love toward the Elect, is glorious and praise-worthy in it self, and therefore called the glory of His Grace, or His glorious Grace, according to the custom of the Hebrew language: So it might be acknowledged to be such, and set forth as such, especially by the Elect themselves. And, secondly, That he may clear how deservedly this Grace ought to be praised, having already showen that it was the fountain-cause of our Election before time, ver. 5. he doth now declare that this same grace and good-will in God, is the only cause why God doth in time manifest that His eternal love in the effects thereof, by making the Elect lovely, and fit to be accepted of by God as f…iends through Jesus Christ the beloved, and by accepting them both in their persons and actions, and being reconciled to them accordingly; for, the word signifieth both to make accepted, and to accept. Doct. 1. That grace, free-favour and good-will which God doth manifest in saving of lost sinners, is altogether glorious, as having many and singular excellencies in it. It is an ancient grace, ver. 4. most free, Hos. 14. 4. omnipotent, Joh. 12. 32. and a most liberal grace, Psal. 84. 11. and therefore a grace so glorious, that no created understanding can conceive, much lesse tongue can expresse those marvellous, ravishing, and transcendent excellencies which are in it, Eph. 3. 19. for, he calleth it the glory of his grace, or his glorious grace. 2. It is the duty of all the Elect to praise, admire, and highly to esteem of this glorious grace, and to testifie this their high esteem of it both by word and work, in the whole strain of their life and conversation, This grace being so glorious and praise-worthy in it self, so rich and beneficial towards us, and this duty of praise being all which we can bestow, Psal. 116. 12, 13. and God doth call for from us in way of thankfulnesse for this His glorious grace, Psal. 50. 15. for, seing God in Election did propound to Himself the up-stirring of the Elect to praise the glory of his grace, it must needs be their duty to praise it. 3. This eternal decree of Election and Predestination is so contrived, that when it is made known, matter of praise to God's glorious grace is abundantly manifested in it: for, its rise is of grace, preventing all actual or fore-seen worth in those who are elected, (See ver. 4. doct. 6.) and all the midses, whereby the execution of this decree is carried-on to its utmost period, are also of grace, (See ver. 5. doct. 1.) So that all-alongs it breatheth grace, and nothing but grace: for, He did choose us to the praise of the glory of his grace; and therefore matter of praise, for grace behoved to be manifested in His choosing of us, when it is revealed, otherwise He should not have taken a convenient mean for bringing about the intended end. 4. That great and supream end, which God intended most to be brought about by this eternal decree of Election, (and to which the other two ends, formerly mentioned, to wit, the sanctification and glorification of the Elect, are but subordinate means for bringing of it about) was, that hereby Men and Angels might see matter of praise and thanksgiving unto His rich mercy and free-grace, and be excited to set forth the praises thereof accordingly; not, as if He stood in need to have His glory acknowledged, or praised by creatures, nor as if their praising of Him could adde any perfection to Him, who was compleatly glorified in Himself from all eternity, Joh. 17. 5. but He holdeth forth matter of His own praise, that the Elect may be perfected in praising of Him: for, saith the Apostle, God hath predestinated us to the praise of the glory of his grace. 5. There ought to be a sweet concord and harmony betwixt a Ministers doctrine and practice, his hand and tongue would joyntly preach and presse the same Truth; for, so his doctrine shall have greater weight with hearers, when he doth commend and seal the truth of it by his own example and practice; Thus Paul, while he is pointing out the duty of the Elect to be the praising of God's glorious grace, he himself is practising this duty; for, as is clear from ver. 3. he is speaking all-alongs of this purpose by way of praise and thanksgiving to God. 6. Though the Elect from all eternity are loved by God with His love of benevolence, whereby he willed good unto them, and decreed to bestow good upon them, ver. 4. Yet there is a love of complacency, or delight in God, whereby He not only willeth good unto the persons so beloved, but accepteth of them, acquiesceth in them, as in His own children and friends reconciled to Him, and delighteth Himself in His own graces bestowed upon them, in which respect the Elect, as being children of wrath by nature, are not from eternity beloved of God, nor accepted of by Him; yea, not before they be effectually called, and reconciled to God through faith in Jesus Christ, Heb. 11. 6-. for, Paul speaketh of Gods making us accepted and lovely, or of His accepting us, as of an action done in time, Wherein He hath made us accepted in the Beleved. 7. Whomsoever God hath elected before time, those He accepteth of, and is well pleased with in time, both in their persons and actions, if they be good, having first made them lovely and fit to be accepted of by Him: which He doth by working in them a conformity (both as to their state and actions) with the rule, according to which He doth accept; not the rule prescribed by the Law, which requireth no lesse than a perfect and personall righteousnesse in order to our acceptation by God, Gal. 3. 10. but the rule prescribed by the Gospel, which admitteth the imputed righteousnesse of a cautioner in place of a perfect personal righteousnesse whereby our persons are accepted and made lovely to God, Rom. 5. 19. and of sincerity in our actions in place of perfection, whereby they are also accepted, Psal. 119. 6. for, saith Paul, speaking of the Elect, He hath made us accepted. 8. That same grace, free-favour and good-will, which moved God to elect us before time, moveth Him also to make us accepted, lovely and well-pleasing to Himself, and to accept of us in time; whence it followeth, that as the eternal decree of Election was most free, and in nothing dependent on our works; So that work of God, whereby He draweth souls out of nature, cloatheth them with Christ's righteousnesse, and bestoweth grace upon them, is wholly free also as to us, and cometh only from His most free grace without respect had to any worth of ours: for, saith he, Wherein, or, in which grace, whereof he spoke formerly as the fountain-cause of Election, He hath made us accepted. 9. Christ is beloved and accepted by the Father, being considered even as Mediator, in so far as that He was sent and intrusted by the Father to discharge that office, Joh. 5. 30. and carryed Himself in the discharge of it according to what was enjoyned by the Father, Heb. 10. 7. and did finish all in order to the redemption of the Elect, which He had undertaken to the Father, Joh. 19. 30. for, the Apostle, speaking of Christ as Mediator, calleth Him Beloved; He hath made us accepted in the Beloved. 10. Christ as Mediator is so much beloved of the Father, That all the Elect being once effectually called, are made lovely and acceptable to God through Him; Neither doth God accept of the persons or actions of any, but through Him who is Jehovah our righteousnesse, Jer. 23. 6. and being laid hold upon by faith, we who are in our selves unrighteous, are made righteous, 2 Cor. 5. 21. and the sinfull failings of our best actions hid and covered in Him; So that both our persons and actions are accepted: For he hath made us accepted in the Beloved. 11. God's free-grace, and Christ's merit are no wayes inconsistent, but do well agree together as the procuring causes of our acceptation and reconciliation with God: for, though Christ hath purchased a state of favour and friendship unto us by the payment of an equivalent price; yet all cometh from grace unto us, in so far as it was grace in God that made him give his Son to die for us, Joh. 3. 16. So it was grace in Christ that made him undertake to die in our place, Joh. 10. 18. And it is no lesse of free-grace, that the price payed by Him is accepted of in our name, Joh. 33. 24. for, the Apostle doth mention grace and Christ's merit, as the joynt causes of our being accepted; Wherein, or, in which grace he hath made us accepted in the Beloved.