The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 53

department or Divine operation; from the most microscopic objects to the massive systems of immensity. Before we go on to notice the reasons suggested in the passage why man should adore the Eternal for his redemptive predestination, it may be well, in order to remove much of erroneous sentiment and terrible feeling that exist in the minds of some men in relation to this great subject, to state the following thin~s. 1. The predestination of God contemplates good, and good only. (1) The benevolence of his nature proves this. He is Love, and it is eternally antagonistic to love to plan for misery. (2) The structure of the universe proves this. True science sees a Divine plan in every part of nature, from the minutest to the largest objects. Yet it has never discovered, as Archbishop Paley has well said, any contrivance for suffering. Not a single "vessel" has been discovered that has been "made for dishonour." (3) The declarations of thtJ Bible prove this. The Bible only reveals God's will concerning mao, and it tells us that his will is that we shall all be saved. (4) Consciousness proves this. All men feel that God intends their happiness. If they did not, moral sense would be an impossibility. 2. The predestination of God never inierfere:i with the free agency of moral beings. It is true that no philosophy has yet harmonized, to the satisfaction of the human understanding, the doctrine of free agency with the doctrine of eternal predestination. This is the great intellectual puzzle of the ages. But that the one interferes not with the other in the slightest degree is attested: (1) By history. Amongst the many examples that might be selected, take one--the crucifixion of Christ. That stupendous evil was predetermined. Yet were not his crucifiers free? "Him being delivered," etc. (2) By Scripture. The Bible everywhere appeals to men as responsible beings-appeals to their choice, and warns them of a judgment, when every one " must give an account of himself." (3) By consciousness. Men feel that they are free. This feeling defies all logic. It is the ultimate argnment. Beyond its decisions there is no appeal 3. '.l.'he predestination of God is not exdusively confined to human redemption. This we have already intimated. It does not follow, because Paul refers God's predestinating agency in man's salvation to an eternal plan, that he would not have referred it in any other department to an eternal plan. It is a characteristic of a pious man that he traces all that is good to God ; and of a truly intelligent man, he would trace everything to the Divine plan. Had Paul been writing on botany, he would have traced every blade and flower and plant that grew to the predestination of God. Had he been writing on anatomy, he would have traced every organ, limb, joint, vein, nerve, and sinew to the predestination of God. But he was writing of man's salvation, and it was only to his purpose to refer to predestination in connection with that. Predestination is _not a dream of the schoolman, or a dogma of Calvin, but an eternal law of the universe. 4. The predestination of God is revealed in Scri1-:ure according to forms of human thought. As no finite being can comprehend the Infinite, no finite mind can give a representation of his acts that is absolutely correct. What, for example, in the predestination of God, is there answering to onr ideas of that act? The ideas of commencement, observation, resolve, enter into our conceptions of it. But these are foreign to the subject. What is there, too, in God's choice, answering to our ideas of choice? The ideas of beginning, comparison, rejection, acceptance, enter into our conception of choice; but in God's choice there was no beginning, no comparison, etc. What conception can we have of the processes and the workings of a mind that knows no succession, to whom all the future is as the past, who has but one eternal thought? Alas I that men should be so impious as to dogmatize upon a subject like this I "Who by searching can find out God?" We now pass on to the question-Why should we exultingly adore the Eternal on account of his redemptive predestination? Paul suggests three reasons in the text. I. HAPPINESS IS ITS EXCLUSIVE AUi. What are the II spiritual blessings in heavenly places," which the apostle in the text traces to it? 1. Moral excellence. " That we should be holy and without blame." The two words :represent spiritual excellence. _(I) Negatively. "Without blame." Perfectly free from all that is wrong in thought, t'eeling, and practice. Appearing before God "without spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing." (2) Positively. "Holy." Consecrated to the will and service of God. 2. Spiritual elevation. " Heavenly places." A truly Christian man is now in heavenly regions. Though on the earth, he is not of the earth, he is of heaven. His fellowships, ideas, 11ervices, aspirations, f're heavenly, :fle is 90mQ to im "innu!]leri\ble company of angelli," m"BESµlf~. ;l  THE EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS. [ OB. I. 1-98.