Hoping however that the truth of the doctrine has approved itself to you, we shall proceed to state,
II. The way in which those ends are accomplished — The order and method of God's dispensations, from
eternity to eternity, are here clearly marked :
1. He " foreknows" men as objects of his love —
[As far as relates to mere prescience, all things are equally exposed to the view of the omnipresent God ; and they who shall ultimately perish, are as much "foreknown" by him, as those that shall be saved. Many in this sense are foreknown by him, who are not predestinated, or called, or justified, nor ever will be glorified. But the word here used imports more than mere prescience, and includes an affectionate regard to the persons foreknown. In this sense it is elsewhere used2; and in this sense it must be understood in the passage before us. It is equivalent to that expression of the prophet Jeremiah, " He has loved us with an everlasting lovea." And if we inquire into the reason of this love, we can assign no other than that which our blessed Lord has assigned, " Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight V]
z John x. 14. Rom. xi. 2. and in 1 Pet. i. 20. the same word is rendered, by a far stronger term, '" fore-ordained." » Jer. xxxi. 3. b Matt. xi. 26.
2. He then " predestinates" them unto life —
[We speak of this, as though it succeeded the former in point of time : but with God there is no interval between his foreknowledge and fore-ordination. The inward affection, and the decree consequent upon it, are perfectly co-existent. But in God's predestination, he has respect both to the end and to the means ; or rather to the end by the means. He does not ordain men to life in a way of sin, but, as we have already shewn, in a way of holiness. This is strongly asserted by St. Paul, in a fore-cited passage ; " God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation, through sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth0." And St. Peter to the same effect says, We are " elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience, and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christd."]
3. In due time he " calls" them by his word and Spirit —
[The calling here spoken of, is not the mere external call of the Gospel : for many are so called, who, rejecting the call, are never justified or glorified. It is the internal call, whereby they are " made willing in the day of God's power." " The word comes to them in demonstration of the Spirit and of power," and they are " turned from darkness unto light, and from the power of Satan unto Gode." This is the call which they experience, and which is the combined result of God's eternal purpose, and his effectual grace f.]
4. These, as soon as they believe, he "justifies" —
[Whatever sins a man may have committed, they are all blotted out of the book of God's remembrance, the very instant that he obeys the Gospel call: "All that believe," says the Apostle, " are justified from all things8:" nor shall so much as one of " his sins and iniquities ever be remembered against him any moreV]
5. These, in due time, he glorifies —
[Yes, blessed be God, the chain of God's purposes reaches from eternity to eternity ; nor shall one link of it be broken. The glorification of the saints is in part effected, even in this life ; inasmuch as " the Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon them';" and "they are changed into Christ's image, from glory to glory, by the Spirit of the LordV But in
« 2 Thess. ii. 13. d 1 Pet. i. 2.
e 1 Cor. ii. 4. Acts xxvi. 18. f 2 Tim. i. 9.