Paul said to the centurion, and to the soldiers
He did not direct his speech to the governor and owner of the
ship, who very likely, being sensible of the danger, were in the
scheme with the mariners, and at the head of them; but to Julius
the centurion, and the soldiers under him, who having no
knowledge of maritime affairs, were not apprised of the danger,
nor aware of the design of the shipmen; and besides, had now
great dependence upon the assurance the apostle had given, that
no life should be lost: to these he said,
except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be
saved;
pointing to the mariners who were about to let down the boat, in
order to make their escape: the apostle had before declared, that
there should be no loss of any man's life, and yet now affirms,
that unless the mariners continued in the ship, the rest of the
company could not be saved: this does not show that the decree
concerning the salvation of them was a conditional one, and that
the condition was, that the mariners should stay in the ship; but
that their stay in the ship, who had skill to guide and direct
it, as also the company when shipwrecked, were a means absolutely
fixed in the decree, and therefore was absolutely necessary: God
had determined to save the whole ship's crew, and that in the
same way and manner; they were all to be shipwrecked; some were
not to leave the ship before hand, and save themselves in the
boat, but they were all to be exposed to equal danger, and then
be saved; and till that time came, the proper and prudent means
were to be made use of, who were the shipmen, who best knew how
to manage the ship in this extremity: this teaches us that the
end and means, in the decrees of God, are not to be separated;
nor is any end to be expected without the use of means; and means
are as peremptorily fixed, and are as absolutely necessary, and
must as certainly be accomplished, as the end. Thus spiritual and
eternal salvation is a certain thing; it is the appointment of
God, which is absolute and unconditional, immutable and
unfrustrable; there is a sure connection between the decree of
God and salvation; it is a scheme drawn by Jehovah in the council
of peace, who is God only wise, saw everything before hand that
would come to pass, and has power to execute his scheme; it is an
affair secured in the covenant of grace, which is sure and
immovable; God is faithful who has made it with his Son; and
Christ, the surety and Mediator of it, is equal to that part
which he has in it; yea, salvation is a finished work, full
satisfaction is made for sin, and pardon procured, an everlasting
righteousness is brought in, all enemies are conquered and
destroyed, and Christ's people are saved from them: and the
interest which he has in them shows the certainty of their
salvation; for they are given to him, and are in his hands; they
are his portion, his treasure and his jewels; they are the
purchase of his blood, and the travail of his soul; they are
united to him, and are built upon him; they are interested in his
preparations and prayers, and are in some sense saved already;
and yet there are some things which God has fixed as means, and
made absolutely necessary, and without which none can be saved:
as for instance, none can be saved without regeneration; without
this there is no meetness for heaven; nor does it appear without
it that any have a right unto it; nor can an unregenerate man
have any true hope of it; wherefore such as are chosen and
redeemed, are regenerated by the Spirit of God: so likewise
without holiness no man shall see the Lord; this is fixed in the
decree of God, and is necessary to the enjoyment of him, and to
fellowship with angels and glorified saints; wherefore the Lord
sanctifies all he saves: particularly none without faith in
Christ will ever be saved; nor is this inconsistent with
salvation being by grace, seeing it is not considered as a cause
of salvation, but is itself a gift of grace; it lies in receiving
things at the hand of God, it admits of no glorying in men, and
gives all the glory of salvation to God and Christ, and free
grace; and this is necessary because God has appointed it, and
therefore he bestows it on all he means to save: to which may be
added, that without perseverance in faith and holiness, there is
no salvation; wherefore the Lord puts his grace into the hearts
of his people to cause them to persevere; he encompasses them
with his power, upholds them with the right hand of his
righteousness, and preserves them from Satan, and from a final
and total falling away.