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Saved By Grace, By J O H N.B U N Y A N. |
SAVED BY GRACE.
"BY GRACE YE ARE SAVED."—EPHESIANS 2:5.
n the first chapter, from the fourth to the twelfth verse, the
apostle is treating of the doctrine of election, both with respect to the act itself,
the end, and means conducing thereto. The act, he tells us, was God's free choice
of some (verse 4,5,11). The end was God's glory in their salvation (verse 6,14).
The means conducing to that end was Jesus Christ himself—"In whom we have redemption
through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace"
(verse 7). This done, he treateth of the subjection of the Ephesians to the faith,
as it was held forth to them in the Word of the truth of the gospel, as also of their
being sealed by the Holy Spirit of God unto the day of redemption (verse 12-14).
Moreover, he telleth them how he gave thanks to God for them, making mention of them
in his prayers, even that he would make them see "what is the hope of his calling,
and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, and what is the
exceeding greatness of his power to usward who believe, according to the working
of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead,"
&c. (verse 15-20).
And lest the Ephesians, at the hearing of these their so many privileges, should
forget how little they deserved them, he tells them that in time past they were dead
in trespasses and sins, and that then they walked in them "according to the
course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit
that now worketh in the children of disobedience" (Eph 2:2,3).
Having thus called them back to the remembrance of themselves—to wit, what they were
in their state of unregeneracy, he proceedeth to show them that their first quickening
was by the resurrection of Christ their Head, in whom they before were chosen, and
that by him they were already set down in heavenly places, (verse 5,6); inserting,
by the way, the true cause of all this blessedness, with what else should be by us
enjoyed in another world; and that is, the love and grace of God: "But God,
who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were
dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ [by grace ye are saved]."
These last words seen to be the apostle's conclusion rightly drawn from the premises;
as who should say, If you Ephesians were indeed dead in trespasses and sins; if indeed
you were by nature the children of wrath, even as others, then you deserve no more
than others. [2]
Again, if God hath chosen you, if God hath justified and saved you by his Christ,
and left others as good as you by nature to perish in their sins, then the true cause
of this your blessed condition is, the free grace of God. But just thus it is, therefore
by grace ye are saved; therefore all the good which you enjoy more than others, it
is of mere goodwill.
"BY GRACE YE ARE SAVED."
The method that I shall choose to discourse upon these words shall be this—I will
propound certain questions upon the words, and direct particular answers to them;
in which answers I hope I shall answer also, somewhat at least, the expectation of
the godly and conscientious reader, and so shall draw towards a conclusion.
THE QUESTIONS ARE—
I. What is it to be saved? II. What is it to be saved by grace? III. Who are they
that are saved by grace? IV. How it appears that they that are saved, are saved by
grace? V. What might be the reasons which prevailed with God to save us by grace,
rather than by any other means?
Now the reason why I propound these five questions upon the words, it is, because
the words themselves admit them; the first three are grounded upon the several phrases
in the text, and the two last are to make way for demonstration of the whole.
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