QUEST. II.—WHAT IS IT TO BE SAVED BY GRACE?
So then, it remained that I show you, FIRST, How we are saved by the grace of the Father. SECOND, How we are saved by the grace of the Son. And, THIRD, How we are saved by the grace of the Spirit.
Of the Father’s grace.
1. The Father by his grace hath bound up them that shall go to heaven in an eternal decree of election. Here, indeed, as was showed at first, is the beginning of our salvation (2 Tim 1:9). And election is reckoned not the Son’s act, but the Father’s—” Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ, according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world” (Eph 1:3,4). Now, this election is counted as an act of grace—” So then, at this present time also, there is a remnant according to the election of grace” (Rom 11:5).
2. The Father’s grace ordained and giveth the Son to undertake for us our redemption. The Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world—” In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; that in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace, in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus” (Eph 1:7; 2:7; 1 John 4:14; John 3:16; 6:32,33; 12:49).
3. The Father’s grace gives us Christ to be justified by his righteousness, washed in his blood, and saved by his life. Christ mentions this and tells us it is his Father’s will that they should be safe-coming at the last day and that he had kept them all the days of his life, and they shall never perish (John 6:37-39; 17:2,12).
4. The Father’s grace giveth the kingdom of heaven to those he hath given to Jesus Christ—” Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32).
5. The Father’s grace provided and lay up in Christ, for those that he hath chosen, a sufficiency of all spiritual blessings, to be communicated to them at their need, for their preservation in the faith, and faithful perseverance through this life; “not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began” (2 Tim 1:9; Eph 1:3,4).
6. The Father’s grace saves us by the blessed and effectual call that he gives us to the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ (1 Col 1:9; Gal 1:15).
7. The Father’s grace saves us by multiplying pardons daily for Christ’s sake—” In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace” (Eph 1:7).
8. The Father’s grace saves us by exercising patience and forbearance towards us all the time of our unregeneracy (Rom 3:24).
9. The Father’s grace saves us by holding us fast in his hand and by keeping us from all the power of the enemy—” My Father,” said Christ, “that gave them me is greater than all, and no man can pluck them out of my Father’s hand” (John 10:29).
10. What shall I say? The Father’s grace saves us by accepting our persons and services, lifting up the light of his countenance upon us, manifesting his love, and sending his angels to fetch us to himself when we have finished our pilgrimage.
Of the grace of the Son.
SECOND. I come now to speak of the grace of the Son; for as the Father put forth his grace in the saving of the sinner, so doth the Son put forth his—” For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich” (2 Cor 8:9).
Here, you also see that the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ is brought in as a partner with the grace of his Father in the salvation of our souls. Now, this is the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ; he was rich, but for our sakes, he became poor, that we, through his poverty, might be made rich.
To inquire, then, into this grace, this condescending grace of Christ, and that by searching out how rich Jesus Christ was, and then how poor he made himself, that we, through his poverty, might have the riches of salvation.
First. How rich was Jesus Christ? To which I answer—1. Generally; 2. Particularly.
1. Generally. He was rich as the Father—” All things that the Father hath,” saith he, “are mine.” Jesus Christ is the Lord of all, God over all, blessed forever. “He thought it not robbery to be equal with God,” being naturally and eternally God, as the Father, but of his Godhead he could not strip himself (John 10:30; 16:15; Acts 10:36; Phil 2:6; Rom 9:4,5).
2. Particularly. Jesus Christ had glory with the Father; yea, a manifold glory with him, which he stripped himself of.
(1.) He had the glory of dominion; he was Lord of all the creatures; they were under him upon a double account—(a) as he was their Creator (Col 1:16); (b) as he was made the heir of God (Heb 1:2).
(2.) Therefore the glory of worship, reverence, and fear from all creatures was due unto him; the worship, obedience, subjection, and service of angels were due unto him; the fear, honor, and glory of kings, and princes, and judges of the earth were due unto him; the obedience of the sun, moon, stars, clouds, and all vapors, were due unto him; all dragons, deeps, fire, hail, snow, mountains and hills, beasts, cattle, creeping things, and flying fowls, the service of them all, and their worship were due unto him (Psa 148).
(3.) The glory of the heavens themselves was due unto him; in a word, heaven and earth were his.
(4.) But above all, the glory of communion with his Father was his; I say, the glory of that unspeakable communion that he had with the Father before his incarnation, which alone was worth ten thousand worlds, that was ever his.
(5.) But again, as Jesus Christ was possessed with this, so, besides, he was Lord of life; this glory also was Jesus Christ’s: “In him was life,” therefore he is called the Prince of it; because it was in him originally as in the Father (Acts 3:15). He gave to all life and breath, and all things; angels, men, beasts, they had all their life from him.
(6.) Again, as he was Lord of glory and Prince of life, he was also Prince of peace (Isa 9:6); by him, harmony and good order were maintained among things in heaven and things on earth.
Take things briefly in these few particulars—(a.) The heavens were his, and he made them. (b.) Angels were his, and he made them. (c.) The earth was his, and he made it. (d.) Man was his, and he made him.
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