Chap. 1 V. 11–14 In Whom Also We Have Obtained An Inheritance, Being Predestinated According To The Purpose Of Him Who W
HOMILY II
CHAP. 1 V. 11–14 IN WHOM ALSO WE HAVE OBTAINED AN INHERITANCE, BEING PREDESTINATED ACCORDING TO THE PURPOSE OF HIM WHO WORKETH ALL THINGS AFTER THE COUNSEL OF HIS OWN WILL.
Paul earnestly endeavours on all occasions to display the unspeakable loving-kindness of God towards us, to the utmost of his power. For that it is impossible to do so adequately, hear his own words. O! the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and of the knowledge of God; how unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out. Still, notwithstanding, so far as it is possible, he does display it. What then is this which he is saying; In whom also we have obtained a lot, being predestinated? Above he used the word, He hath chosen us; here he saith, we have obtained a lot. But inasmuch as a lot is the effect of chance, not of deliberate choice, nor of virtue, (for it is closely allied to ignorance and accident, and oftentimes passing over the virtuous, brings forward the insignificant into notice,) observe how he corrects this very point: being predestinated, saith he, according to the purpose of Him who worketh all things. That is to say, not merely have we obtained by lot, as, again, we have not merely been chosen, (for it is God who chooses,) and so neither have we merely been allotted, (for it is God who allots,) but it is according to a purpose. This is what he says also in the Epistle to the Romans, To them that are called according to a purpose; and, whom He called, them He also justified, and whom He justified, them He also glorified. Having first used the expression, “to them that are called according to a purpose,” and at the same time wishing to declare their privilege compared with the rest of mankind, he speaks also of inheritance by lot, yet so as not to divest them of free will. That point then, which more properly belongs to happy fortune, is the very point he insists upon. For this inheritance by lot depends not on virtue, but, as one might say, on fortuitous circumstances. It is as though he had said, lots were cast, and He hath chosen us. The sum of the matter is this: men predestinated from deliberate choice, that is to say, having chosen them to Himself, He hath separated. He saw us, as it were, chosen by lot before we were born. For marvellous is the foreknowledge of God, and acquainted with all things or ever they come to pass.
But mark now how on all occasions he takes pains to point out, that it is not the result of any change of purpose, but that these matters had been thus drawn out from the very first, so that we are in no wise inferior to the Jews in this respect; and how, in consequence, he does every thing with this view. How then is it that Christ Himself saith, I am not sent, save unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel? And said again to His disciples, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not. And yet that Paul again himself says, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you, but seeing ye put it from you and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn unto the Gentiles. These expressions, I say, are used with this design, that no one may suppose that this work came to pass incidentally only. According to the purpose, he says, of Him that worketh all things after the counsel of His own will. That is to say, “He had no after workings; in that He had drawn out all things from the very first.” Thus he adds the conclusion himself, according to the counsel of His will. So that it was not merely because the Jews did not listen that He called the Gentiles, nor was it of mere necessity, nor was it on any inducement arising from them.
Ver. 12, 13. That we should be to the praise of His glory, who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the Gospel of your salvation.
That is to say, by whom. Observe how he on all occasions speaks of Christ, as the Author of all things, and in no case gives Him the title of a subordinate agent, or a minister. And so again, elsewhere in his Epistle to the Hebrews, he says, that God Who in times past spake unto our Fathers in the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us in His Son i.e. by His Son.
The word of truth, he says, no longer that of the type, nor of the image.
The Gospel of your salvation. And well does he call it the Gospel of salvation, intimating in the one word a contrast to the law, in the other, a contrast with punishment to come. For what is the message, but the Gospel of salvation, which forbears to destroy those that are worthy of destruction.
Ver. 14. In whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance.
Here again, the word sealed, is an indication of especial forecast. He does not speak of our being predestinated only, nor of our being allotted our inheritance, but further, of our being sealed. For just as though one were to make those who should fall to his lot manifest, so also did God separate them for believing, and sealed them for the allotment of the things to come.
You see how, in process of time, He makes them objects of wonder. So long as they were in His foreknowledge, they were manifest to no one, but when they were sealed, they became manifest, though not in the same way as we are; for they will be manifest except a few. The Israelites also were sealed, but that was by circumcision, like the brutes and reasonless creatures. We too are sealed, but it is as sons, with the Spirit.
But what is meant by, with the Spirit of promise? Doubtless it means that we have received that Spirit according to promise. For there are two promises, the one by the prophets, the other from the Son.
By the Prophets.—Hearken to the words of Joel; I will pour out of My spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. And hearken again to the words of Christ; And ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you, and ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. And truly, the Apostle means, He ought, as God, to have been believed; however, he does not ground his affirmation upon this, but examines it like a case where man is concerned, speaking much as he does in the Epistle to the Hebrews; where he says, That by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation. Thus here also he makes the things already bestowed a sure token of the promise of those which are yet to come. For this reason he further calls them an earnest, for an earnest is a part of the whole. He hath purchased, what we are most concerned in, our salvation; and hath given us an earnest in the mean while. Why then did He not give the whole at once? Because neither have we, on our part, done the whole of our work. We have believed. This is a beginning; and He too on His part hath given an earnest. When we shew our faith by our works, then He will add the rest. Nay, more, He hath given yet another pledge, His own blood, and hath promised another still. In the same way as in case of war they give hostages between nation and nation: just so hath God also given His Son as a pledge of peace and solemn treaties, and, further, the Holy Spirit also which is from Him. For they, that are in deed partakers of the Spirit, know that He is the earnest of our inheritance. Such an one was Paul, who here already had a foretaste of the blessings above. And this is why he was so eager, and yearned to be released from things below, and groaned within himself. He transferred his whole mind thither, and saw every thing with different eyes. Thou hast no part in the reality, and therefore failest in the description. Were we all partakers of the Spirit, as we ought to be partakers, then should we behold the Heavens, and the order of things that is there.
It is an earnest, however, of what? of
Ver. 14. The redemption of the purchased possession.
For our absolute redemption takes place then. For now we have our conversation in the world, we are liable to many human accidents, and are living amongst ungodly men. But our absolute redemption will be then, when there shall be no sins, no human disasters, when we shall not be indiscriminately mixed. At present, however, there is but an earnest, because at present we are far distant from these blessings. Yet is our conversation not upon earth; even now we are out of the pale of the things that are here below. Yes, we are sojourners even now.
Ver. 14. To the praise of His glory.
This he adds in immediate connection. And why? Because it would serve to give those who heard it full assurance. Were it for our sake only, he means to say, that God did this, there might be some room for misgiving. But if it be for His own sake, and in order to display His goodness, he assigns, as a sort of witness, a reason why these things never possibly could be otherwise. We find the same language up and down applied to the case of the Israelites. “Do Thou this for us for Thy Name’s sake;” and again, God Himself said, “I do it for Mine own sake;” and so Moses, “Do it, if for nothing else, yet for the glory of Thy Name.” This gives those who hear it full assurance; it relieves them to be told, that whatever He promises, for His own goodness’ sake He will most surely perform.
MORAL. Let not the hearing, however, make us too much at our ease; for although He doth it for His own sake, yet notwithstanding He requires a duty on our part. If He says, Them that honour Me I will honour, and they that despise Me shall be lightly esteemed, let us reflect that there is that which He requires of us also. True, it is the praise of His glory to save those that are enemies, but it is to save those also who, after being made friends, continue His friends. So that if they were to return back to their former state of enmity, all were vain and to no purpose. There is not another Baptism, nor is there a second reconciliation again, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment which shall devour the adversaries. If we intend at the same time to be always at enmity with Him and yet to claim forgiveness at His hand, we shall never cease to be at enmity, and to be wanton, to grow in depravity, and to be blind to the Sun of Righteousness which has risen. Wouldest thou admit the ray that shall open thine eyes? render them then good and sound and quicksighted. He hath shewed thee the true light; if thou shunnest it, and runnest back again into the darkness, what shall be thy excuse? What sort of allowance shall be made for thee? None from that moment. This surely is a mark of unspeakable enmity. When indeed thou knewest not God, then if thou wert at enmity with Him, thou hadst, be it how it might, some excuse. But when thou hast tasted the goodness and the honey, if thou again abandonest them, and turnest to thine own vomit, what else art thou doing but bringing forward evidences of excessive hatred and contempt? ‘Nay,’ thou wilt say, ‘but I am constrained to it by nature. I love Christ indeed, but I am constrained by nature.’ If thou art under the power and force of constraint, thou wilt have allowance made; but if thou yield from indolence, not for a moment.
Now then, come, let us examine this very question, whether sins are the effect of force and constraint, or of indolence and great carelessness. The law says, “Thou shalt not kill.” What sort of force, what sort of violence, is there here? Violence indeed it is to kill, for who amongst us would as a matter of choice plunge his sword into the throat of his neighbour, and stain his hand with blood? Not one. Thou seest then that, on the contrary, sin is more properly matter of violence and constraint. For God hath implanted in our nature a charm, which binds us to love one another. Every beast (it saith) loveth his like, and man his neighbours. Seest thou that we have from our nature seeds which tend to virtue; whereas those of vice are contrary to nature? and if these latter predominate, this is but an evidence of our exceeding indolence.
Again, what is adultery? What sort of necessity is there to bring us to this? Doubtless, it will be said, the tyranny of lust. But why, tell me, should this be? What, is it not in every one’s power to have his own wife, and thus to put a stop to this tyranny? True, he will say, but a sort of passion for my neighbour’s wife seizes hold on me. Here the question is no longer one of necessity. Passion is no matter of necessity, no one loves of necessity, but of deliberate choice and free will. Indulgence of nature, indeed, is perhaps matter of necessity, but to love one woman rather than another is no matter of necessity. Nor indeed is the point in question natural desire, but vanity, and wantonness, and unbounded licentiousness. For which is according to reason, that a man should have an espoused wife, and her the mother of his children, or one not acknowledged? Know ye not that intimacy breeds attachment? This therefore is not the fault of nature. Blame not natural desire. Natural desire was bestowed with a view to marriage; it was given with a view to the procreation of children, not with a view to adultery and corruption. The laws, too, know how to make allowance for those sins which are of necessity,—or rather there is no such thing as a sin of necessity, but all arises from wantonness. God hath not so framed man’s nature as that he should have any necessity to sin, since were this the case, there would be no such thing as punishment. We ourselves exact no account of things done of necessity and by constraint, much less would God, so full of mercy and loving-kindness.
Again, what is stealing? is it matter of necessity? Yes, a man will say, because poverty causes this. Poverty, however, rather compels us to work, not to steal. Poverty, therefore, has in fact the contrary effect. Theft is the effect of idleness; whereas poverty produces usually not idleness, but a love of begging. So that this sin is the effect of indolence, as you may learn from hence. Which, I ask, is the more difficult, the more distasteful, to wander about at night without sleep, to break open houses, and walk about in the dark, and to have one’s life in one’s hand, and to be always prepared for murder, and to be shivering and dead with fear; or to be attending to one’s daily task, in full enjoyment of safety and security? This last is the easier task; and it is because this is easier, that the majority practise it rather than the other, Thou seest then that it is virtue which is according to nature, and vice which is against nature, in the same way as disease and health are.
What, again, are falsehood and perjury? What necessity can they possibly imply? None whatever, nor any compulsion; it is a matter to which we proceed voluntarily. We are distrusted, it will be said. True, distrusted we are, because we choose it. For we might, if we would, be trusted more upon our character, than upon our oath. Why, tell me, is it that we do not trust some, no, not on their oath, whilst we deem others trustworthy even independently of oaths. Seest thou that there is no need of oaths in any case? ‘When such an one speaks,’ we say, ‘I believe him, even without any oath, but thee, no, not with thy oaths.’ Thus then an oath is unnecessary; and is in fact an evidence rather of distrust than of confidence. For where a man is over ready to take his oath, he does not leave us to entertain any great idea of his scrupulousness. So that the man who is most constant in his use of oaths, has on no occasion any necessity for using one, and he who never uses one on any occasion, has in himself the full benefit of its use. Hence it will follow, that in no case is there any necessity for an oath, to produce confidence; since we see that they are the more readily trusted who abstain from taking oaths.
But again, if a man is injurious, is this a matter of necessity? Yes, he will say, because his passion carries him away, and burns within him, and will never let the soul be at rest. Man, the violence is not the effect of anger, but of littleness of mind. Were it the effect of anger, all men, whenever they were angry, would never cease committing acts of violence. We have resentment given us, not that we may commit acts of violence on our neighbours, but that we may correct those that are in sin, that we may bestir ourselves, to prevent our becoming sluggish Anger is implanted in us as a sort of sting, to make us gnash with our teeth against the devil, to make us thus vehement against him, not to set us in array against each other. We have arms given us, not to make us at war amongst ourselves, but that we may employ our whole armour against the enemy. Art thou prone to anger? Be so against thine own sins: chastise thy soul, scourge thy conscience, be a severe judge, and merciless in thy sentence against thine own sins. This is the way to turn anger to account. It was for this that God implanted it within us.
But again, is plunder a matter of necessity? No, in no wise. Tell me, what manner of necessity is there to be grasping: what manner of compulsion? Poverty, a man will say, causes it, and the want of common necessaries. Now this is the very reason why you ought not to be grasping. Wealth so gotten has no security in it. You are doing the very same thing as a man would do, who, if he were asked why he laid the foundation of his house in the sand, should say, he did it because of the frost and rain. Whereas this would be the very reason why he should not lay it in the sand. They are the very foundations which the rain, and blasts, and wind, most quickly overturn. So that if thou wouldest be wealthy, never be rapacious; if thou wouldest transmit wealth to thy children, get righteous wealth, at least, if any there be that is such. Because this abides, and remains firm, whereas that which is not such, quickly wastes and perishes. Tell me, hast thou a mind to be rich, and dost thou take the goods of others? Surely this is not wealth: wealth consists in retaining what is thine own. He that is in possession of the goods of others, never can be a wealthy man; since at that rate even your very silk venders, because they have the piece consigned to them by others, would be the wealthiest and the richest of men. Though for the time, indeed, it is theirs, still we do not call them wealthy notwithstanding; and why forsooth? Because they are in possession of what belongs to others. For though the piece itself happens to be theirs, still the money it is worth is not theirs. Nay, and even if the money is in their hands, still this is not wealth. Now, if consignments thus given render not men more wealthy because we so soon resign them, how can those which arise from rapine render them wealthy? However, if at any rate thou desirest to be wealthy, (for the matter is not one of necessity,) what greater good is it that thou wouldest fain enjoy? Is it a longer life? Yet, surely men of this character are short-lived. Oftentimes they pay the penalty of plunder and rapaciousness, by an untimely death; and not only by the loss of the enjoyment of their gains, but by a departure, having gained but little, and hell to boot. Oftentimes too they die of diseases, which are the fruits of self-indulgence, and of toil, and of anxiety. Fain would I understand why it is that wealth is so eagerly pursued by mankind. Why surely for this reason hath God set a limit and a boundary to our nature, that we may have no need to go on seeking wealth beyond it; and hath commanded us, for instance, to clothe the body in one, or perhaps in two garments; and there is no need of any more to cover us. Where is the good of ten thousand changes of raiment, and those moth-eaten? The stomach has its appointed bound, and any thing given beyond this, will of necessity destroy the whole man. Where then is the use of your herds, and flocks, and cutting up of flesh? We require but one roof to shelter us. Where then is the use of your vast ground-plots, and costly buildings? Dost strip the poor, that vultures and jackdaws may have where to dwell? And what a hell do not these things deserve? Many are frequently raising splendid edifices, with pillars and costly marbles, in places which they never so much as saw. What scheme is there that they have not adopted. Yet neither themselves reap the benefit, nor any one else. The desolateness does not allow them to get away thither; and yet not even thus do they desist. You see that these things are not done for profit-sake, but in all these cases folly, and absurdity, and vainglory, is the motive. And this, I beseech you, let us avoid, that we may be enabled to avoid also every other evil, and may obtain those good things which are promised to them that love Him, through our Lord Jesus Christ.