Brief Exposition of Galatians and Ephesians, Exposition 2 · Chapter 1 · Verse and explication 4
Vers. 5. Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will.
IN this Verse, the Apostle doth first expresse Gods eternal decree of Election, formerly mentioned by another word, to wit, Predestination, which setteth forth the same decree and purpose, together with its eternity and extent, not only to the end proposed by God, but to the whole progresse of convenient means, by which the end intended was infallibly to be brought about. Secondly, he further describeth this decree of Election and Predestination from another end, which God designed to be brought about by it, even the Adoption of children by Jesus Christ, to be bestowed upon the Elect: whereby is meaned not only that begun Adoption which Believers possesse here, Joh. 1. 12. and whereby they have a right to the heavenly inheritance, Rom. 8. 17. but also and mainly that compleat and perfect Adoption, whereof the Elect shall partake hereafter, even the actual possession of their glorious inheritance: See the word so taken Rom. 8. 23. He describeth it also from the causes moving God to elect any, or one more than another, which are set down, first, more briefly, to himself, it is better rendred in himself: whereby are excluded all causes moving God to this act, without Himself. Secondly, more largely and expresly, to wit, God's absolute and soveraign will, swayed with favour and goodwill towards those whom He did choose. Doct. 1. God hath not only decreed to set forth the glory of His mercy, by bestowing Heaven and Glory upon some of mankind, Luke 12. 32. but, in that same wise and eternal counsel of His, He hath forecasten and accordingly decreed by what means and helps the person so elected may come to Heaven, and shall undoubtedly obtain it. And therefore none can warrantably expect that this decree of Predestination will bring them to Salvation, if they live in the prophane neglect and contempt of those means which do lead unto it: for, the force and usual acception of the word predestinated, is extended to the means aswell as to the end; Having predestinated us. 2. No not the Elect themselves are children to God by nature, they are not born sons, but made to be sons by grace and adoption, who before were heirs of hell and children of wrath, Eph. 2. -3. for, a childe by adoption is opposed to a childe by nature; men are not said to adopt their own children, but strangers, Exodus 2. 10. Now God hath predestinated the Elect unto the adoption of children. 3. God is graciously pleased in time, not only to call and justifie those whom he did choose for Himself before all time, Rom. 8. 30. but also to make them partakers of the grace of adoption, whereby a further dignity is put upon them than formerly was, even that being already drawn out of nature to grace in their effectual calling, and reconciled to God in their justification, they are now advanced to the dignity of sons and children to the most High, and have a right to all the priviledges of sons, as the Spirit of Adoption, whereby they cry Abba, Father, Rom. 8. 15. fatherly pity from God under their infirmities, Psal. 103. 13. protection from the rage of enemies, Prov. 14. 26. provision and furniture for their straits and necessities, Mat. 6. 30, 32. necessary chastisment from God as their Father, Heb. 12. 6. and a right to the inheritance of life eternal, Heb. 1. 14. not only as they are friends with God, and clothed with a perfect righteousnesse, which they have by justification, but as God's own sons and heirs; which inheritance, being once possessed, their adoption, which is now but begun, shall be full and compleat, Rom. 8. 23. for, saith the Apostle, He hath predestinated us unto the adoption of children. 4. Besides those other differences which are betwixt God's adopting of the Elect to be His own Children, and one man's adopting of another to be his son and heir, this is one; Men do adopt children, because they have none of their own, but God doth not adopt the Elect from any such indigence or want, as having a natural Son of His own, even Jesus Christ the only begotten of the Father: for, the Apostle, having spoken of the Adoption of the Elect, doth presently make mention of Jesus Christ the Son of God by nature; Unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ. 5. That any of those who are children of wrath by nature, are advanced to that excellent dignity of being Children by adoption to the most High, and of enjoying all the fore-mentioned priviledges of children, it is through Jesus Christ the Mediator, in so far as He having purchased Heaven the inheritance of children by His own merit, He hath absolute right and title unto it to bestow it upon whom He pleaseth, Mat. 28. 18. And having united the Elect by faith unto Himself, and thereby given them a right and interest in Himself, they not only become the sons of God, Joh. 1. 12. but are made heirs and co-heirs with Christ, Rom. 8. 17. and so do enjoy a right to the heavenly inheritance through Him: for, saith he, having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ. 6. As God hath in His eternal decree of Election firmly resolved and determined to bestow this high priviledge of Adoption upon the Elect, both begun Adoption here, and compleat Adoption, or the actual installing of them in Glory hereafter, and by consequence did decree to give them saving Faith also, seing Adoption floweth from it, and dependeth upon it, Joh. 1. 12. So, whomsoever He hath decreed to lift up to this high dignity of sons, He hath decreed also to renew their nature, and to make them holy; that so their carriage may be suitable to their state and priviledges: for, saith Paul, (ver. 4.) He hath chosen us, that we should be holy; and here, having predestinated us unto the adoption of children. 7. All was in God Himself, and nothing without Himself which moved Him to elect and choose those whom He did set His love upon; so that neither fore-seen works, or the right use of natural parts, Eph. 2. 10. nor fore-seen faith, Act. 13. 48. nor yet the merit of Christ, 1 Joh. 4. 9. nor outward respects, such as nobility, wisdom, riches, 1 Cor. 1. 26. yea, nothing present or to come in heaven or earth did move Him to choose any, or one more than another: for, saith he, God predestinated us in Himself; whereby are excluded all causes moving God to this act without Himself. 8. God hath absolute power and soveraign right to dispose as He will of all His creatures, even of reasonable creatures; and this not only in their temporary, but also in their eternal concernments: which soveraign will of His, is the supream sinlesse cause why God did elect some to glory; yea, and why He did passe by others, Rom. 9. 18. for, the Apostle, condescending upon the reason why God did design some for grace here and glory hereafter, doth pitch upon this soveraign will of His; According to the good pleasure of His will. 9. The Lord God hath sweetly tempered His absolute dominion and soveraign will, with rich favour and condescendency towards those whom He did elect: His will to them was good-pleasure and good-will, In so far as when He might have fitted them for destruction as He did the reprobate, Rom. 9. 22. or never have given them a being, or but the being of beasts, to be annihilated after death, or have drawn out their life to all eternity upon earth, allowing them some tolerable contentment there, every one whereof would have been a favor, being compared with the state of damned reprobates; yet, His good-will hath bee… a better will to them, whereby He hath decreed to give unto them a rational being with a short Lease of a miserable life here, and endlesse joys and pleasures at His right hand for evermore, 1 Thess. 4. 17. for, saith the Apostle, He hath predestinated us, not simply according to His will, but according to the good pleasure of His will.