82 EPHESIANS,

God purposed to save men in Christ, He elected them in him to salvation. Again, this election is from eternity. He chose us πρὸ καταβολῆς κόσμου, before the foundation of the world. Comp. 2 Thess. 2,13. Matt. 25, 84. As our idea of time arises from the perception of motion or consciousness of succession, the natural expression for eternity is ‘ before time,’ before the existence of crea- tures who exist in time. Hence what has been from eternity is said in Scriptures to have been before the world was, John 17, 24. 1 Pet. 1, 20; or before the ages, 1 Cor. 2,7. 2 Tim. 1,9. “The grace given us in Christ Jesus πρὸ χρόνων αἰωνίων, before the world began.” —There seem to be two things intended by this reference to the eternity of the divine purpose. The one is, to represent God as doing every thing in time according to a preconceived plan; or as working all things after the counsel of his own will. From eternity the whole scheme of redemption with all its details and in all its results lay matured in the divine mind. Hence every thing is certain. There is no possibility either of failure or of any change of pur- pose. The eternity of God’s purpose is, therefore, a strong ground of confidence and comfort. The other is, to express the sovereignty of the divine purpose. The grace was given to us before we existed, before the world began, and of course before we had done any good or evil. It was, therefore, not for works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us. If the one aspect of the truth