cause of God's purpose and foreknowledge,' by saying 'We know that all things work together for good to them that love God,' T ἄξιοι συνεργήσεως, because they that love God are worthy of his co-operation." And in his Latin Commentary, he saith, he "uses the word "fore-knew," to shew they were fore-known by God, in quibus sciens quales essent amorem suum Deus affectumque posuisset, on whom God placed his affection, as knowing what they would be'." But,

(2.) Saith he, "If you will refer this purpose to God, we are then called according to the purpose of him, qui sciens in eis religiosam mentem et salutis inesse desiderium, who knowing they had a religious mind, and a desire of salvation,' called them; and in this sense neither the cause of our perdition or salvation will be placed in God's foreknowledge, nor our justification only in our calling: neque glorificari de nostrâ penitus potestate sublatum est, nor will our glorification be exempted from our own power'." Moreover he adds, that "by embracing this ABSURD OPINION," as he calls it," which saith, A man therefore is not justified, and so not glorified, because he is not predestinated, and that he is not predestinated because not foreknown; Ingentem fenestram aperiemus iis qui negant in hominis potestate esse ut salvus fiat,we shall give great ground to them who deny that it is in the power of a man to be saved;' whence they infer, that they are guilty of no fault who are not justified, because they are not called, are not predestinated, are not foreknown." And Ecu→ menius saith," the apostle mentions being called ACCORDING TO ένα μη ἃτοπον ἀπαντᾶ εἰ ὁ θεός τινας ευ ἐποίησε, τινὰς δὲ ἐ, και προσωποληψίας ἀπαλλάττει τὸν θεὸν, ' that he might not fall into an absurdity, which would follow if God should do good to some persons and not to others, and that he might free him from being an accepter of persons';" wherefore, according to the received interpretation of the ancient Fathers, the import of these words is this,

PURPOSE,

First. Those whom God foresaw would be true lovers of him, εὔθετοι εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν, 'fit for the kingdom of God, and ἄξίοι, WORTHY of the peace and blessings of the gospel,' he predetermined to render conformable to the image of his Son, that is, to be like him in glory. (Rom. viii. 17.) Them also in due time he called to the salvation promised and offered in the gospel. (2 Tim. i. 8. 9. Tit. i. 2, 3.) And they believing in Christ upon this

call, he justified them from and remitted all their past sins. (Acts. xiii. 38, 39. Eph. i. 7.) And them he also glorified, by giving them the Spirit, which is the earnest of that glory; (Eph. i. 13.) and by participation of which Spirit, christians are said not only "to behold the glory of the Lord, but also to be changed into the same image with him from glory to glory." So Origen upon the place. And this exposition agrees well with the context; for he had said before, that christians, having the first fruits of the Spirit, groaned after this redemption of their bodies;" (verse 23;) and, verse 26, 'the Spirit helpeth our infirmities interceding for us, sevaypois dλaλntois, WITH SILENT GROAN s'after it; and that he intercedeth for the saints, according to (the mind of) God' to give them this redemption; and then it follows, daev de, therefore we know that all things work together for good to them thatlove God, &c. Or,

"

Secondly. EdoaσE, HE HATH GLORIFIED them, by giving them his Spirit to enable them to work the greatest miracles, and those extraordinary gifts which rendered them glorious, and also were to them a confirmation of the glory promised;" So the • Greek Fathers. And hence the ministration of justification is said to be ¿v dóžn, in glory,' as being the ministration of the Spirit. (2 Cor. iii. 8, 9, 10, 11.) And Christ saith of the apostles to whom he gave the Spirit, I have given them the glory which thou gavest me:' See the note on John xvii. 22. So when a miracle was wrought in Christ's name, εdóžaσe, 'God GLORIFIED him.' (Acts iii. 13.) And when God wrought signs by Moses, edožασev dvтòv, ' He glorified him.' (Ecclesiasticus xlv. 3.) See Luke iv. 15. John viii. 54. xi. 4. xiii. 31, 32. xvi. 14. 1 Cor. xii. 26. And, in favour of these interpretations, let it be noted, that when the apostle speaks of our final glorification in this chapter, he still speaks of it as a thing future, saying 'We shall be glorified

z De glorificatione possumus in præsenti seculo illud intelligere quod dicit Apostolus, omnes nos aper ta facie gloriam Domini speculantes, eadem imagine transformamur a gloria in gloriam, &c.

'It is possible for us in the present life to understand what is here said by the Apostle concerning glo, rification,- We all, with open face, beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed in the same image from glory into glory, &c. ED.

a

· Ἐδόξασε διά των χαρισμάτων, διὰ τῆς υιοθεσίας, διὰ των χαρισμα των τες υιοθεσίας; so Chrysostom and cum. Ἐδόξασεν υιές ὀνομαζόμενα, καὶ πνευμαία ἁγία δωρησάμεν χάριν; so Theodoret and Theophylact,

'He hath GLORIFIED them by his gifts, by the adoption, by the gifts of adoption;-so Chrysostom and Ecumenius. He GLORIFIED them by giving them the name of sons, and by endowing them with the Gift of the Holy Spirit ;-so Theodoret and Theophylact.' ED.

with him,' (verses 17, 18, 21,) whereas here he speaks of it as a thing past, saying, 'Whom he hath justified, them he hath also glorified.' ANSWER SECOND. Another very probable interpretation of these words is this, "Those whom God foreknew," that is, approved of as persons fit to be received into his favour, (which sense of goeyvw, hath been established by Origen, and in my note on the place,) "he fore-appointed to be conformed to the image of his Son," that is, to be like him in sufferings, (verse 17. 2 Tim. ii. 11.) who ‘first suffered, and then entered into his glory,' and so was the first-born among many brethren; he first suffering, and "leaving them an example that they should follow his steps," (1 Pet. ii. 21.) looking up to this Captain and Finisher of our faith, "who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, and is sat down at the right-hand of the throne of God." (Heb. xii. 2.) "And whom he thus predestinated, he in due time CALLED to suffer;" for hereunto,' saith St. Peter, "are we Christians called;" (1 Pet. ii. 21.) and to this they are appointed,' (1 Thess. iii. 3.) "And whom he thus called, upon their patience under these sufferings, dinaiwoɛv, he approved as sincere';" this is as proper an import of this word, opposed to 'CONDEMNED,' as any other. For as when it is opposed to CONDEMNATION BY LAW, the opposite is TO BE ABSOLVED; so when it respects the person, it also signifies to APPROVE OF PRONOUNCE INNOCENT AND RIGHTEOUS; God justifying and ABSOLVING us because he APPROVES of our faith and repentance, and PRONOUNC ING US SINCERE, because he APPROVES of our heart and actions. In which sense Abraham, έdıxaiwon,' was justified' by works, when he offered up his son Isaac; and Rahab when she received the spies. (James ii. 21, 25.) So 'wisdom ¿dixaiwen, IS APPROVED OF by her children.' (Matt. xi. 19.) So, by thy words dixaiwenon, thou shalt be justified,' that is, approved of, or condemned. (Matt. xii. 37.) "And whom he thus justified, he afterwards glorified," that is, he gave them a glorious reward of all their sufferings, or made them glorious under sufferings: according to those words of St. Peter, 'If ye are reproached for the name of Christ, happy are you; for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.' (1 Pet. iv. 14.)

Now to confirm this interpretation, let it be observed that the whole purpose of this chapter is to comfort christians against the sufferings they were exposed to in this world. This the apostle doth (1.) from this consideration, that the Spirit which they had

received was not that of fear (of death, they being delivered from the bondage of that fear by the death of Christ, Heb. ii. 15.) but the Spirit of adoption,' which declared them heirs of God,' and such as were to be glorified with Christ after their sufferings, (Rom. viii. 15, 17.) who would raise their mortal bodies. (verse 11.) (2.) That this future glory was sufficient ground of patience under all their sufferings; it being that which would entirely deliver their bodies from corruption, and translate them ‘into the glorious liberty of the sons of God. On which account, saith the apostle, "I reckon that the sufferings of this present life are not worthy to be compared to the glory which is to be revealed.' (verse 18.) (3.) That whilst they continued in this afflicted state, patiently waiting for this glory, they had the Spirit of God, to help their infirmities, and to enable them to intercede for it with silent groans, according to the will of God; and knew that all these sufferings should work together for good to them who love God, and were called according to his purpose' of making them like to their head, Christ Jesus, who was made 'perfect by sufferings." And so it was with his own beloved people, styled the people v zgoέy WHICH HE FOREKNEW.' (Rom. xi. 2. Amos iii. 2.) He determined that they should first be afflicted four hundred years. (Gen. xv. 13.) He humbled these 'his sons and his first-born,' before he called them out of Egypt, and after he had called them thence 'he humbled and chastised them as a man chasteneth his son.' (Deut. viii. 5.) But all this he did for their profit, that he might do them good in their latter end.' (verse 16.) After these sufferings he justified them, that is, he approved and owned them upon all occasions as his peculiar people, and defended them, and pleaded their cause against all their enemies, and at the last he rendered them a glorious people in the eyes of all nations, dožασe, HE GLORIFIED Israel before them,' (Isa. iv. 5. xliv. 23.) especially by causing his glorious presence, or his Shechinah, the emblem of the Holy Spirit, to rest among them. (Hag. ii. 5.) And so we may rest assured he will now deal with all those who truly love him, and whom he hath chosen before others to be his church, and his peculiar people.

VIII. ARGUMENT FOURTH. "If God knoweth who are his, then hath he a select number whom he hath chosn to be his; but God knoweth who are his'." (2 Tim. ii. 19.)

with him,' (verses 17, 18, 21,) whereas here he speaks of it as a thing past, saying, 'Whom he hath justified, them he hath also glorified.'

ANSWER SECOND. Another very probable interpretation of these words is this, "Those whom God foreknew," that is, approved of as persons fit to be received into his favour, (which sense of goéуvw, hath been established by Origen, and in my note on the place,) "he fore-appointed to be conformed to the image of his Son," that is, to be like him in sufferings, (verse 17. 2 Tim. ii. 11.) who first suffered, and then entered into his glory,' and so was the first-born among many brethren; he first suffering, and "leaving them an example that they should follow his steps," (1 Pet. ii. 21.) looking up to this Captain and Finisher of our faith, "who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, and is sat down at the right-hand of the throne of God.” (Heb. xii. 2.) "And whom he thus predestinated, he in due time CALLED to suffer;" for hereunto,' saith St. Peter, "are we Christians called;" (1 Pet. ii. 21.) and to this they are appointed,' (1 Thess. iii. 3.) "And whom he thus called, upon their patience under these sufferings, idinaiwoɛv, he approved as sincere';" this is as proper an import of this word, opposed to 'CONDEMNED,' as any other. For as when it is opposed to CONDEMNATION BY LAW, the opposite is TO BE ABSOLVED; so when it respects the person, it also signifies to APPROVE OF PRONOUNCE INNOCENT AND RIGHTEOUS; God justifying and ABSOLVING us because he APPROVES of our faith and repentance, and PRONOUNCING US SINCERE, because he APPROVES of our heart and actions. In which sense Abraham, êdınαicon,' was justified' by works, when he offered up his son Isaac; and Rahab when she received the spies. (James ii. 21, 25.) So 'wisdom Edixaiwen, IS APPROVED OF by her children.' (Matt. xi. 19.) So, by thy words dixaiwenon, thou shalt be justified,' that is, approved of, or condemned. (Matt. xii. 57.) "And whom he thus justified, he afterwards glorified," that is, he gave them a glorious reward of all their sufferings, or made them glorious under sufferings: according to those words of St. Peter, 'If ye are reproached for the name of Christ, happy are you; for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.' (1 Pet. iv. 14.)

Now to confirm this interpretation, let it be observed that the whole purpose of this chapter is to comfort christians against the sufferings they were exposed to in this world. This the apostle doth (1.) from this consideration, that the Spirit which they had