A~e Expofttion of the Epiftle SE R M 0 N ·VI. EPHES. I. S', 6. 5· Having predeftinated 114 Hnto Adoptionby jefmChrift for himfel[, according to the good pieafore of bfi will. 6. To the praife of the glory of his Grace, wherein he bath maJe macupted in the Beloved. · THE Coherence of thefe words with the ~ofmer ~ands thus; they contain a Second In!lance of that General of Ius prem1fed ver. 3· wherem the Apo!lle had faid,That God had 6/eflm wirh alJ Spiritualblef!mgs i11 hea– -venty thi11gs ,., Chrifl, .Now as in that Verfe he mentioneth both ~n Acto[ i1k{ft11g us [He bath blef!edm:J and in the general or total fpeaks of certain Biej]ings themfelves wherewith God bath bletfed us [with AlJ Jpiritual blef jing in heavenly things i11 Chrijl :) fo in thefe following Vcrfes he accordingly in!lancJth in Particulars ; namely, r. Electio11, ver-42. Predej/i11t1tion, ver.); Both which are Acts of Bleiling us; . . His fir!\ In(lance is in EteEtioiJ, [According M be bath chofm tu in him before the {otmdatio11 of the world.] Here is the Act of Bleiliog, that God Chofe us in Chri(l, and fo ble(l us ; for Bleiling was joyned with Choofing, as a concomi– tant of it: God then giving us all Spiritual bleilings when he chofe us, (as out of other Scriptures I have !hewed.) So that the meaning is, that then, and in that act of chooling, God thus ble!l us ; and that particular bleiling be!lowed b:)l that act,-is, that we were blelfed with a perfect holinefs, (as it there follows,) That we might be holy midwithout blame before him in love. The Second In!lance he giveth is Prediflinatiotl (having predeflinattd tU tmto Adoption,~c.] Herein again Prtdtj/ittation is the Act of bleiling, and that from eternity : and Adoptio11 is the particular Btej]ing wherewith we were blelfed. And this is tlie fruit of Prede!lination, as perfed: holinefs is of Ele– ction. Now as an Introduction to the opening of thefe words, you will expect I fhould fir{\ di!linguifh between [Ghofm] and [Predej/i11attd,] or between God's Etectio1l and Predefli•tatio1J. ToChoofe, is to fingle aod cull out from others, or out of a common lump: And to Prtdtjlitlate, is (in Englifh) to fore-ordain, orfore-appoitJttofomeend. Now how do thefe d,ffer, as they were then done by God? 1. It may be there was no difference intended ; but the Apo!lle being to re– peatthe fame thing, or one and the fame ad:, his fcope being apart to mention rhofe particular ISieilings by that one word, as they are be!lowed upon us by that one and eternal act of God's Love, he takes occafion about them to ufe two fevepl words or exprellions thereof, cfpecially confidering that thofe eter– nal acts of Cboofing, Prtdefti1lfltitJg, (!)c. were all but one entire act in God : even as his Effence is one, And yet the Holy Gho!l is pleafed to exprcfs it by Two Ac1s; whereof the one notes out one thing more eminendy, and the other another thing, fo to convey all of it the fuller unto om apprehcnf10ns, according to this latter conception; "· Some
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