Page images
PDF
EPUB

to the good pleasure of his will. Besides, it is owned*, that "according to the received interpretation of the ancient fathers, the import of these words is this; that whom God foreknew, he predetermined to render conformable to the image of his Son, that is, to be like him in glory:" or as in another placet, "he predestinated, or foreappointed them to be conformed to the image of his Son, their elder brother; that is, to be sons of God and joint-heirs with Christ;" and the author I am concerned with, after he had considered the text in every light, "conceives the sense of it to be this; those whom he hath so foreknown as to make them his elect, and peculiar people; for them he hath designed the choicest blessings, even the adoption of sons, and their being co-heirs with Christ." Wherefore,

3. The calling here intended, is not of persons to suffering in this life for though such who are called by grace, are generally an afflicted people, they meet with many afflictions between their call to glory, and the enjoyment of it; yet they are not properly called to them, but to faith and patience under them: which is the meaning of the words of the apostle§; If when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God; for even hereunto were ye called, that is, not so much to sufferings, as to patience under them. And when in other places the saints are said to be called, it is either to grace or glory; thus they are called unto marvellous light, unto liberty, to the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ, to peace and holiness, to a kingdom and glory, even to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ; and here, in the context, they are said to be called according to his purpose; which is the same with being called with an holy calling, according to the grace which was given us in Christ before the world began**. Besides, all that are called to afflictions, or sufferings, are not justified and glorified; as for instance, the young man in the gospel, to whom Christ said, Take up the cross and follow me, who was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: and all such professors, who, when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by are offended ++. Add to this, that according to the received interpretation of the ancient fathers, the sense of the phrase is‡‡, that "whom God foreappointed to be the sons of God, the method he used to bring them to this adoption was this; to call them to the faith of Christ; or as elsewhere§§ expressed, "them also, in due time, he called to the salvation promised and offered in the gospel." And our author himself, at last |||| conceives this to be the sense of it: "that in order to this adoption designed for them, it is that he hath chosen them out of the world to be his church, an holy nation, and peculiar people to himself." And therefore,

4. When God is said to have justified the persons whom he foreknew, predestinated, and called; the meaning is not, that he approved of them as sincere and faithful, on the account of their faith and * Whitby, p. 63; ed. 2. 62. + Ibid. p. 448; ed. 2. 436. Ibid. p. 449; ed. 2. 437.

§ 1 Pet. ii. 20, 21.

|| 1 Pet. ii. 9; Gal. v. 13; 1 Cor. i. 9; Rom. i. 7; Col. iii. 15; 1 Thess. ii. 12; 2 Thess. ii. 14. ¶ Ver. 28. ** 2 Tim. i. 9. †† Mark x. 21, 22; Matt. xiii. 21. Whitby, p. 448; ed. 2. 436. §§ Ibid. p. 63; ed. 2. 62.

| Ibid. p. 449; ed. 2. 437.

patience in suffering for though God does approve of, and is well pleased with the faith and patience of his people under afflictions, yet no instance can be produced of the use of the word in this sense: not James ii. 21, 25, where Abraham and Rahab are said to be justified by works; the meaning of which is, not that they were approved of by Christ, or accepted by him on account of their works, but that their faith was evidenced to the world, their cause vindicated, and they cleared by thein from all false charges and imputations: nor Matt. xi. 19, where wisdom is said to be justified of her children; that is, not barely approved of by them, but vindicated, and acquitted from the charge of libertinism: nor Matt. xii. 37, where it is said, by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned; since justification stands directly opposite to condemnation, and is used in a forensic sense, as it is throughout this epistle to the Romans, and in this very chapter and context. Besides, according to the abovementioned received interpretation of the ancient fathers, the sense of the expression is*, that "whom God in due time called, and they believing in Christ upon this call, he justified them from, and remitted all their past sins." And according to our author's last conception of it, the meaning is," he hath justified them, or given them a full remission of their sins. Hence,

[ocr errors]

5. The glorification of them is not a making them glorious under sufferings; much less by giving them the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit to enable them to work miracles. The word is never used in this sense: not in 2 Cor. iii. 8-11, where the gospel ministration is said to be ev dón, in glory; but not on the account of the extraordinary gifts and miracles of the Holy Ghost, but because it is the ministration of the spirit of righteousness, and of life, in opposition to the law, the ministration of condemnation and death; and because it remains when the law is done away; and is attended with evidence, clearness, and perspicuity, when the legal dispensation had a great deal of darkness and obscurity in it: nor John xvii. 22, where our Lord says, The glory which thou gavest me, I have given them; which is not to be understood of the miraculous gifts of the Spirit; since the words are spoken not of the apostles only, but of all them that should believe in Christ, through their word, ver. 20, but rather of the glorious gospel of the blessed God, and the excellent truths and doctrines of it; see ver. 8: nor Acts iii. 13, where it is said, that God hath glorified his Son Jesus Christ; which was done, not by bestowing the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit on him, nor merely by the miracle then wrought, but by raising him from the dead, ver. 15; the thing he prayed for under this expression, John xvii. 1, and firmly believed, John xiii. 31, 32. Moreover God is never said to glorify his people in this way. It is true, indeed, miracles were wrought, that the Son of God might be glorified, John xi. 4. And in this way the Father did honour the Son, John viii. 54. And Christ was glorified of all on this account, Luke iv. 15. And the Spirit of God now glorifies Christ by receiving of his, and showing them to his people, John xvi. 15. But God is never said to glorify them by these gifts. Indeed some of the mem*Whitby, p. 63; ed. 2 62.

† Ibid. p. 449; ed. 2. 437.

bers of Christ's body are honoured with gifts and graces more than others, 1 Cor. xii. 26. And should it be allowed, that extraordinary gifts are intended in this last-cited passage; yet this cannot be the meaning of the word here: since the apostle is speaking not of particular persons, but of all the saints in general, who were the sons and heirs of God, ver. 17; had received the first fruits of the Spirit, and were waiting for the adoption, ver. 23; all who loved God, and were his called according to his purpose, ver. 28; even all God's elect, ver. 33. Now all these are not glorified in this sense; besides, were this the meaning of the phrase, then none would be predestinated, called, and justified, but such as have the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit: and on the other hand, none would have the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit but such as are predestinated, called, and justified: whereas, it is certain, that many might have, and had in the apostles' days, such gifts, and yet were destitute of the grace of God. It is much more agreeable to the context, and to the analogy of faith, to understand this phrase of eternal glory; since it is what the apostle speaks of in ver. 17, 18, 21, 23, and is what God's elect are predestinated and called unto; and what the righteousness of Christ, by which they are justified, gives them a right and title to; and which they shall certainly enjoy. The main objection* to this sense of the phrase is, "That when the apostle speaks of our final justification (glorification it should be) in this chapter, he still speaks of it as a thing future; saying, We shall be glorified with him, ver. 17, 18, 21. Whereas here he speaks of it as a thing past; saying, Whom he hath justified, them he hath also glorified." To which may be replied, Not to insist upon the change of tense, the past for the future, which is no unusual thing in Scripture; this is strictly true of that part of the body of God's elect, who are already in heaven, called the family in heaven, and the things in heaven; who through faith and patience have inherited the promises† : and is in some sense true also of the other part on earth, who are called and justified; since they are made glorious both by the robe of Christ's righteousness put upon them, and by the grace of Christ wrought in them; which makes them all glorious within, and is the beginning of eternal glory; for a saving knowledge of God in Christ is life eternal. Nor ought this sense of the phrase to be objected to by our opponents; seeing if such may be said to be glorified, who had the gifts of working miracles, much more may they be said to be so, who have the true grace of the Spirit, which is superior to all other gifts. Besides, God's elect may be said to be glorified, because of the certainty of their glorification. It is a kingdom prepared for them from the foundation of the world; which Christ has gone afresh to prepare by his presence and mediation in our nature; which he is in the possession of on the behalf of his people, and which is ascertained to their faith and hope: hence they are said to be saved by hope, and by grace through faith. Add to this, that they are in the same sense glorified in Christ, their representative head; in which they are said to be raised together, and made to sit together in heavenly places in him §. + Eph. iii. 15; Coloss. i. 20; Heb. vi. 12. § Eph. ii. 6.

*Whitby, p. 64; ed. 2. 63.
Rom. viii. 24; Eph. ii. 8.

SECTION IX.

Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure; having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his.- 2 Tim. ii. 19.

Ir the Lord knows them that are his, in distinction from others who are not his, and loves them with a special, peculiar, and everlasting love; then there is a select number, whom God has chosen to be his by a firm, immutable, and unalterable act of his grace, which stands sure and inviolable. But, the Lord knows them that are his : therefore, in answer to this argument,

1. It is observed *, "That by the foundation of God, we are to understand the doctrine of the resurrection; which is the foundation of the church, Matt. xvi. 18; of our faith and hope, 1-Cor. xv. 19, 1 Thess. iv. 13, 14, styled rò deμéλiov, the foundation of the doctrine of the resurrection, Heb. vi. 1, 2; the faithful saying, ver. 11, by denying of which the Christian faith is overturned, ver. 18, to which fundamental doctrine God hath set this seal, for confirmation of it, The Lord knoweth them that are his; that is, loveth and approveth of them, so as to reward them at the resurrection." To which may be replied, that it will easily be granted that the doctrine of the future resurrection of the dead is spoken of in the context: nor will it be denied, that it was a fundamental article in the Jewish creed, Heb. vi. 1, 2; or of the Christian faith, 1 Cor. xv. 13, 14, 19. Though it does not seem to be the foundation of the church, Matt. xvi. 18, but the doctrine of Christ's deity and sonship, owned by Peter, or rather the person of Christ himself, whom he confessed: nor does it seem to be intended here; seeing the seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his, which regards particular persons, cannot well agree with it; since the resurrection will be both of the just and unjust. And if only the doctrine of the resurrection to eternal life is intended; and the meaning is, that God stands so kindly affected to his people, his sheep, whom he has given to Christ, that though they die, he will raise them up to eternal life; this is so far from militating against, that it rather establishes the doctrine of absolute election. Besides, the foundation of God standing sure, here spoken of, is opposed not to the error and heresy of Hymeneus and Philetus; but to the persons of them, and others, who through them apostatized from the faith: so that by the foundation of God, is to be understood the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of truth †, which holds it forth, supports, and maintains it; even the general assembly and church of the first-born, which are written in heaven; the whole body of the elect; that church which is built upon a rock, the immoveable foundation, Jesus Christ, against which the gates of hell cannot prevail §; who every one of them are brought in time to possess, and exercise the faith which is the substance of things hoped for, and will never fail to these perWhitby, p. 67; ed. 2. 66. § Matt. xvi. 18.

+1 Tim. iii. 15.

|| Heb. xi. 1.

Heb. xii. 23.

sons this seal is annexed, the Lord knoweth them that are his; he knows whom he has chosen, he loves them with a peculiar affection, takes care of them, provides for them, protects them, so as that they shall never perish.

2. It is also observed, "That these words are taken from Numb. xvi. 5, where, as it is declared, that God knoweth them that are his, that are separated to his service, and will maintain their cause and calling, against all opposers; so here, that God will own his apostles and ministers, against all those that set up against them." Be it so, that the apostle refers to the place cited; yet as there Moses speaks of persons, whom God had chosen to be priests, whom he would stand by and preserve, whilst the earth swallowed up their opposers, from whose tents the Israelites were bid to depart; so here the apostle speaks of a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, who were made kings and priests: titles under the gospel-dispensation, not peculiar to ministers, but common to them, with all the saints; who are opposed not only to Hymeneus and Philetus, but to those whose faith was subverted by them; and who should stand, though they fell, being under thes pecial notice and care of God; and are therefore bid to depart from apostates, their doctrines, and practices; let every one, not only ministers, but all that name the name of Christ, depart from iniquity, as an evidence of their election, and the means of their final perseverance. The simile the apostle uses in ver. 20, 21, of vessels of gold and silver, and also of wood and of earth, some being to honour, and some to dishonour, is much the same with that he uses in Rom. ix. 22, 23, and manifestly shows that he is speaking of elect persons, in opposition to others. Nor does Theodoret's descant upon these words, mentioned by our author, contradict the doctrine of absolute election, when he says, God foreknoweth both them that believe, and those who openly fight against the truth.

SECTION X.

For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners.—ROM. v. 19. THE reason why this text comes to be considered in this discourse of election is, because it is said †, that the "foundation of this decree is laid in the sin of Adam, imputed by God's arbitrary will to his posterity." Though this author must needs have known, that the Supralapsarians especially consider the decree of election as antecedent to and irrespective of the fall of Adam; and therefore the sin of Adam, and the imputation of it to his posterity, could not be the foundation of such a decree; which has no other foundation than the sovereign will and pleasure of God. However, I shall consider the objections made to this doctrine.

1st. As to the objections ‡ made against "Adam's sin being every man's personal sin, and consented to by every man's personal will; because it is said §, in Adam there was not only the will of one singular man, but the universal will of all mankind, and of every singular Whitby, p. 68; ed. 2. 67. + Ibid. p. 77; ed. 2. 76. Ibid. p. 79-81; ed. 2. 78, 79. § Davenant's Animadv. on Hord, p. 231.

« PreviousContinue »