The truth of the Apostle's observation being esta- blished, we proceed to shew,
II. The importance of it —
We have already called your attention to the way in which the observation is introduced, and which, we conceive, marks very strongly the importance of it in the Apostle's mind. And we may notice the same from the very pointed way in which the observation is made. The Apostle seems determined that nobody shall misunderstand him : and he has effectually se- cured his object in that particular.
To shew the importance of his observation then, we say, that,
1. It establishes beyond all doubt the freeness and fulness of the Gospel salvation —
[In many places, both in the Old and New Testament, does God guard his people against arrogating any thing to themselves. He warns the Jews by Moses, that they would be ready to indulge this propensity : but that his mercies to them had been in no respect the fruit of their own goodness, but wholly of his free and sovereign grace e? The only thing which they could behold on a retrospect, and which they ought to look back upon with never-ceasing shame, was, one continued scene of wickedness and provocations f. Thus St. Paul again and again reminds us, that it was " not by works of right- eousness which we had done, but according to his own mercy that God had saved usg:" and still more plainly in another epistle, that " he had saved us and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his oivn purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the zvorld beganh." But the words of our text are so strong, that no one can attempt to get over them, without shewing, that he is manifestly " wresting " them from their proper, and obvious, and only meaning. Be it known then, that salvation is, and ever must be, of grace, from first to last. Our election from eternity, our justification in time, and our glorification when time shall be no more, are all the fruits of God's free and sovereign grace : the foundation was laid in grace ; the super- structure is raised by grace ; and " when the head-stone shall be brought forth, we must still cry, Grace, grace unto it1."
e Deut. ix. 4 — 6. f Deut. ix. 7. Compare Ezek. xxxvi. 31, 32. h 2 Tim. i. 9 j Zech. iv. 6, 7, 9.