Exposition of Romans 8-11, Chapter 8 · Verse 29
VERSE 29. For whom he did fore-know, he alſo did predeſtinate, to be conformed to the Image of his Sonne, that hee might be the firſt-borne among many Brethren.
THe Apoſtle in the 28. Verſe affirmed; that Afflictions worke to the beſt good of Gods Children, becauſe God hath purpoſed to ſaue them: ſo that all things which are appointed them by God, are ſubordinat means to bring this purpoſe to paſſe. As a man purpoſing to build a houſe, goes to the Forreſt, chooſeth Trees, fels them, hewes them, ſawes them, to make them fit for his building: So God purpoſing to ſaue vsus, hewes off our knobs by affflictions, and prepares vsus for glory.
That Reaſon, from the purpoſe of God, is here and in the next Verſe enlarged, from the inuiolable connexion of the Effects of it, which are the cauſes of our Saluation.
This Verſe expounds the former, the next Verſe expounds this.
In this is a definition of the purpoſe of God: namely, that it is a foreknowing of the Called.
The Principall propoſition in this Verſe, is this: Thoſe which are foreknowne, are predeſtinated to bee conformable to Chriſt.
In this propoſition we hauehave two things. 1. The Subiect: Thoſe which he knew before. This Praecognition is not generall, or foreknowing of merit; but ſpeciall, ioyned with his louelove; and indeed ſo it ſignifies here. Euen the louelove of God, whereby from all Eternity he hath choſen vsus in Chriſt vntounto Saluation. This is called the good Pleaſure of Gods will! Eph. 1.5.Will is Purpoſe: Good pleaſure is this praecognition, or praeagnition.
The ſecond thing in the Propoſition is the Praedicate: he predeſtinated to be conformed to the image of his Sonne.
Here are two things. 1. The Act, he predeſtinated. 2. The Determination of the Act: to bee conformed, &c. and this is amplified with a limitation in the laſt Clauſe of the Verſe. Of the which in the due place.
He predeſtinated. To deſtinate is to appoint a thing to a certaine end. To predeſtinate, is to appoint a thing to ſuch end before-hand. Predeſtination is by Diuines vſually taken and vſed in their writings, for the whole counſell of God concerning the Elect and Reprobate: and this they doe for plainneſſe ſake. Here it is vſed onelyonly for Election: neither doe I obſerue it otherwaies vſed in the Scripture.
In Election we may conceiue two Acts. 1. A ſeparation of the choſen out of the Maſſe fallen. 2. An ordination of them to life, and the meanes of life. So is it taken here, as alſo in other places.Acts 13.48.
The ſecond thing in the Predicate, is the determination of the Act: To be conformed to the Image of his Sonne, that we may beare the Image of the heauenly Adam, as Paul elſe-where ſpeaketh. 1. Cor. 15.49.The meaning, to be like or conformable to Chriſt: that is, a Sonne, as hee is a Sonne: holy, as hee is holy: The which likeneſſe is either in this life, begunne: or in the life to come perfected. In this life it is a conformitie in holy Actions, and Paſſions. In the life to come a conformitie in Glory.
There are three Doctrines here concerning Predeſtination.
Doct. 1.The 1. There is a Predeſtination. Proued, Epheſ. 1.5. but largely in the next Chapter: Of which we are not to be ignorant, becauſe it is reuealed: Deut. 29.29.and they which deny it, or would not hauehave it taught, bereaue men of a principall ſtay vnderunder the Croſſe.
Doct. 2.The 2. The cauſe of Predeſtination is Gods fore-knowing and free louelove, Epheſ. 1.5. Not foreſeene merits, or Faith. God knowes what hee will worke in vsus: but that's not the cauſe of Predeſtination; Eph. 1.4.but being predeſtinated vntounto life, hee will hauehave vsus holy.
doctrine Doct. 3.The third, all ſuch as are elected, are predeſtinated to bee conformed to Chriſt, Ioh. 15.20. 1. Pet. 2.21. Phil. 3.21. Ioh. 14.43. and 17.22.
Vſe 1.We ſhould be comforted vnderunder the Croſſe, becauſe it is a Conformitie with Chriſt. God hath many ſonnes: but one onelyonly Sonne without ſinne, yet not without the Croſſe: He came into the world without ſinne, but he could not get out of the world, without the Croſſe. Should we which are ſinfull, then looke to be free from Croſſes? We vſe to be moſt tender ouer our firſt child; Chriſt was the firſt begotten: yet God neuer abaſed any of his ſecond ſonnes, as he vſed him. If we be vſed no otherwiſe then was Chriſt, wee hauehave no cauſe to complaine.
Art thou poore? So was Chriſt. Haſt thou enemies? So had He. Art thou diſdained? Remember, how he was reuiled, mocked, buffeted, ſpit vponupon. Art thou perplexed in Conſcience? O, his ſoule was heauy to death. Conſider the great things he ſuffered, and for thee, and thou ſhalt hauehave no cauſe to complaine of thy enduring. Luk. 14. Act. 14.12.The Croſſe was his way to Glory, and ſo it muſt be thine. Neither is godlineſſe aboliſhed, but built vp by the Croſſe.
Ʋſe 2.Chriſt is our Abſolute Example to follow. Others to bee followed, onelyonly as they follow Chriſt.1. Cor. 11.1.
The Papiſts tell vsus of the conformities of Saint Francis, &c. whoſe orders muſt bee followed without making queſtion: but we are predeſtinated, not to conforme to Francis or Dominick, but to Ieſus Chriſt. Hee is our Patterne, our Copy.
Many Schollers attaine to the perfection of their Copie, but wee can neuer: and indeed it was neceſſary wee ſhould hauehave ſo excellent a patterne, that we might neuer want matter to imitate.
If we muſt be conformable to him, we muſt know how he liued, and dyed: and this muſt be alwaies before our eyes, as the Copie is before the Schollers.
The Goſpell propounds three ſorts of workes of Chriſt. 1. The worke of Redemption. 2. Miraculous workes. 3. The workes of obedience. The two firſt are for our Inſtruction, but the laſt onelyonly for our Imitation. He bids vsus not to redeeme the world, or to walke vponupon the ſea. But in the works of godlineſſe hee ſaith to vsus, as Gedeon to his Souldiers: Iudges 7.17.As you ſee me doe, ſo doe yee; Be ye holy, as I am holy.
Ʋſe 3.As thou wouldeſt be like Chriſt in glory, ſo endeuour to be like him in holineſſe. Examine thy ſelfe. Chriſt was humble. It may be thou art proud, diſdainfull: witneſſe thy vaine apparell, and arrogant behauiour. Chriſt ſpent whole nights in Prayer: Thou ſpendeſt them in riotouſneſſe and luxury. Chriſt was often in the Temple: thou hadſt rather bee any where then at Religious exerciſes. It was meat and drinke to him to do his Fathers will: to thee to do thine owne vile will. What likeneſſe is here? this is not to be conformable, but contrary vntounto him. Doeſt thou thinke to bee like him in glory, which liueſt thus? That that body of thine which thou haſt made an Inſtrument of Whoredome, Drunkenneſſe, &c. ſhall be endued with his glory? No, no. It is as poſſible for thee to bee ſaued, liuing thus, as it is poſſible for Chriſt to be like thee.
That hee might be the firſt borne among many brethren.
This is the limitation of the conformity. We ſhall hauehave glory: not equall; but like: not by Arithmeticall, but Geometricall proportion: not inch for inch, but ſutable to our eſtates: He is the firſt borne, and therefore muſt hauehave the double portion.
That: This is not to be taken finally; but cauſally: for this was not the end, but the reaſon why we ſhould be patient, becauſe ſo was our Elder brother, vntounto whom we muſt be conformable.
That hee might be the firſt borne. He is ſo called by alluſion to the priuiledges of the firſt borne. They were the Princes of their FamiliesaGen. 4.7., and Prieſts, till the Tribe of Leui was ſeparated to that Office, in their ſtead.bNum. 3.12. And they had a double portion,cDeut. 21.2. Chro. 21.3. diuiding the inheritance among the reſt of the brethren. So Chriſt is our King, Prophet, Prieſt, and is anointed with the oyle of gladneſſe aboue his fellowes.dPſal. 45. Heb. 1.
Among many brethren. That is, the Elect, which by Adoption are the ſonnes of God, and ſo the brethren of Chriſt. Chriſt tooke our Nature vponupon him; but we are not his brethren hereby: but when wee partake of his Nature, being Bone of his Bone, and Fleſh of his Fleſh, by a ſupernaturall birth, as he is Bone of our Bone by a naturall, then are we his brethren. Theſe brethren are called many, in regard of themſelues, not in regard of the Reprobate.
Here are three things. 1. Chriſt is the firſt borne, Coloſ. 1.18. Reuel. 1.5. We are his brethren, Iohn 20.17. Heb. 2.11. We ſhall be like him, 1. Iohn 3.2.
Vſe 1.It is much to be Gods ſeruants, but to be his Sonnes, euen the brethren of Chriſt, is an exceſſe of LoueLove. We giuegive God iuſt cauſe to be aſhamed of ſuch children as wee are, and our bleſſed Sauiour to be aſhamed of ſuch brethren. Chriſt is not aſhamed of thee, though thou beeſt poore, though ful of infirmities: be not thou aſhamed of him, and his ſeruice: the world caſts ſhamefull and opprobrious things vponupon them which followe Chriſt: which keepes many, from profeſſing the Goſpell; this being ſuch a rub which they cannot get ouer. Remember, Chriſt is not aſhamed to acknowledge and call thee brother: put on thou therefore Dauids Spirit, I will (ſaith he) Pſalm. 119.confeſſe thy name before Princes, and will not be aſhamed.
Vſe 2.A friend in the Court is worth much. Wee hauehave in the Court of Heauen, a ſpeciall friend, euen a brother, to ſpeed our ſuits. Let it comfort vsus in Prayer, and make vsus confident to go to him, and not to the Virgin Mary, &c.
Vſe 3.Naturall brethren, howſoeuer they may diſcent among themſelues, yet they will take one anothers part againſt enemies: ſo that wrong one, wrong all. Let then the World and prophane men take heed how they wrong vsus: for Chriſt is our brother, and hath promiſed protection, and to take our parts.
Ʋſe 4.Chriſt is our Elder Brother, therefore our Prince, vntounto whom we owe ſubiection and obedience. If we be ſanctified and performe this: Hee is not aſhamed of vsus. Thou art aſhamed of thy brother; if he be a Drunkard, a Thiefe, a Whoremaſter: if thou beeſt ſuch, aſſuredly Chriſt is aſhamed of thee.