Brief Exposition of Galatians and Ephesians, Exposition 2 · Chapter 1 · Verse and explication 7
Vers. 8. Wherein the hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence.
THe Apostle doth, thirdly, speak of those spirituall blessings, which were prepared in Election, and purchased in that excellent work of Redemption, as they are conveyed and applyed unto the Elect in their effectual calling, whereby he carryeth-on his fore-mentioned scope, in shewing, That as God did give evident proofs of his free-grace and favour in all the former steps tending to salvation; so he had manifested the abundant riches of his grace in the effectual calling of those Ephesians, in so far as his eternal love, which was before alwayes hid in a decree, did no longer contain it self, but overflowed in its effects towards them, or in them, as the word may be rendred: which effects, wrought by Gods grace in them, he sheweth to be all wisdom and prudence, under which are comprehended all the saving graces of God's Spirit in Believers, if we take, as we safely may take, wisdom for the saving knowledge of divine mysteries, and of such religious truths as are only to be believed and fall not under practice; And prudence, for that grace and vertue, whereby we know our respective duties both to God and man, and our actions and practices are ruled and ordered according to the prescript of God's Word: for, so the words are taken, Col. 1. -9. Doct. 1. Whosoever are elected from eternity, and for whomsoever Christ did give a ransom to provoked justice in the fulnesse of time, all such in God's due time have the effects of God's eternal love, and of the price payed by Christ applyed unto them, and wrought in them, even the saving graces of God's Spirit: for, upon those Ephesians, who were elected, ver. 4. and redeemed, ver. 7. did God bestow the gracious effects of his eternal love, by working saving grace in them; He hath abounded towards us in all wisdom and prudence. 2. That those spiritual blessings which were prepared for us in Election and purchased in the work of Redemption, are applyed unto us, and we made actually to partake of them, It is the alone work of God in our effectual calling; there being not so much as either power or goodwill in us, who by nature are dead in sins and trespasses, to accept of Christ, or of any thing purchased by him, untill God do quicken us: for, the Apostle, shewing how the Ephesians were made partakers of those blessings, he ascribeth this work wholly to God, making them but meer patients in it; He hath abounded towards us, or in us, as a full fountain runneth over and watereth the adjacent ground. 3. As the same free-grace, and nothing else, which moved God to elect us before time, and send his Son to redeem us in time, doth make him also in our effectual calling to work in us those graces, and to give unto us an actual right to all those spiritual blessings which we were chosen unto, and which were purchased for us; So nothing lesse than abundant and overflowing grace is hereby made manifest to be in God; considering that there is not only a simple want of good will, but also an utter aversnesse from closing with his gracious offer, Mat. 23. -37. and that not only there is nothing in the Elect before effectual calling more than in the Reprobate, which might move God to bestow those excellent blessings upon them, but also much to scare him from ever medling with them, Ezek. 16. 3, &c. unlesse where sin abounded, grace did much more abound, Rom. 5. -20. for, the Apostle, speaking of God's bestowing grace upon the elect Ephesians, doth ascribe his so doing to his abounding grace; Wherein, or, in which grace (formerly spoken of) he hath abounded towards us. 4. All men by nature are destitute of saving wisdom, that is, the saving knowledge of divine mysteries, and things heavenly; seing there be many such things the light of nature revealeth nothing of, Mat. 16. 17. And though the light of Scripture doth reveal them; yet the natural man cannot look upon them, as real truths, 1 Cor. 2. 14. and so as throughly to venture his salvation upon them, Joh. 5. 40. for, he sheweth, that at their effectuall calling God did abound towards them in wisdom, importing, that untill then they had it not. 5. Though the Lord doth not bestow upon all, whom he effectually calleth, the same measure of saving knowledge, 1 Cor. 12. 4. yet he bestoweth upon every one so much as is necessary unto salvation, and as doth serve for an earnest of that full and perfect knowledge of God, which they shall enjoy hereafter: for, saith he, He hath abounded towards us in wisdom. 6. All men by nature are also deprived of saving prudence, there being many duties which the natural man cannot be convinced of to be duties, Mat. 5. 29, 39, 44. and many things required to the acceptable performance of every duty (Rom. 14. 23. Col. 3. 17.) the necessity whereof he can be as little convinced of; but chiefly, there being such impotency, and disorder in his will and affections, that he can least of all practise according to what he knoweth of his duties, Gen. 6. 5. for, he sheweth, that at their effectuall calling God did abound towards them in prudence, thereby importing, that until then they had nothing of that grace. 7. As God bestoweth this grace of prudence in some measure upon every one whom he effectually calleth; So wisdom and prudence, if they be sanctified and saving, go alwayes together: a man cannot believe well, except he also live well: Though, to speak of them otherwayes, as they are not saving graces, but only civil and moral vertues, they may be and often are separated: for, He hath abounded in wisdom and prudence, saith he. 8. Though God doth not perfect the work of grace in the Elect at the first instant of their conversion, but carryeth it on by degrees towards perfection, until death, Philip. 1. 6. yet even then he bestoweth the seeds and habits of every grace and saving vertue upon them. This new man of grace is not lame, nor wanteth any of his members, Gal. 3. 10. for, therefore, saith Paul, He hath abounded in all wisdom and prudence.