to theE P HE SI A N S. The '1Jivijio1J of the Fifth Verfe. . The reil that follows in the 5~6th. vn·. is to ltt forth the caufes of this our Predefiination · I call them caufes in a large fenfc. 1 • The infir~mcntal caufe [Chrij1] br (or throt'!Sh) Je(us Chrij1, for in and through a relation unto him it is, that we are Sons and Heirs of Heaven, as in that Rom. 8. it is dcclared,Cohetrs wrth Chrrfl. 2 . You have the Priucrpal FJ!ictmt Cauje,and in him the mover of God there• unto viz. the good pleafure of his will, accordmg (faith he) to thegoodplea– jitrt if hi&w rll; all is refolved into that as the fupreme lirfimover of all, and you in your thoughts are to attnbute all to that, when you thu:!k of your bewg made holy or happy. j. Thefinal Carife bothfor whom andfor what. 1. For whom, J and the word '".:.,.a, is fuch as will ferve either to fignify [for him(etj]; and foreferring unto God the Father; or [for him J that is,for Jefus Chrifl: the Son of God, who IS alfo together With the father, one end of this our Predefiination unto Adoption; therefore that which our Tran– ilators tranilate [to himfolf,] as referring to the perfon of God the Fa– ther, I would likewife render cfor him,] that is, for Jefus Chrifl:, read– ing the words thus; who bath Predef/mated t<S to Adoption6y Jefiu Chrrjl, [for him] as the fecond end, for whom. _ _ 2. For what,] To the praif' of the Glory of hu G,.act; fo ver. 6. that is,for the glory of his grace who did Predefl:inate, which is God the Father, ., And fo you have the reil of thefe Verfes Analyfed to you. There is nothing queilionable herem but only that Ilhould tranilate it Predeili· nated to Adoption [for him,] and foro carry itto Chriil, that he was intended as one ji1ral caufe of our Predeilination to Adoption as well as the inj1rummta!; that is, that it was intended by God that contrived all in ir, fo as that it lhould be for him as well as by him. • I will give you the fevera!Interpretations or Readings of the words. For himfelf. 1. There are fome would Interpret it by iv 1•v7<1 to this fenfe, that he hath Pre• deilioated us [ i11 himje!f,] to lhew that It was God's foie act imminent within himfelt; and in that refpect to give him the glory of it as the Conrriver,~c.Within himfolf-- But this will not hold; Jar lirfi it is har/h (in the phrafeology of it,) to render el~ ia~mv by fv ia.v1q). 2. That God was the caufe of Predefiination, we fee how that followerh after for the Apofile attributeth it unto his Will in the next words, [ Acc~rding to th; good-plea(itre of his Will.] And certainly, in fo brief an enumeration ofeau• les, he could not ufc a Repetition. And therefore j. Othersread it (as here our Tranilators have alfo turn'cl it,) [tmto himf'lf] to this fenfe; [ Havi11g Predtfli11attd Uf tmto AdoptioiJ to himje!f,] that is to be Children adopted to himfelf. ' ' Holy B .ryne., not being _fatisfied with this !all Reading of it, gives two Rea– fans agawfl: this lnterpreuuon. Firfi, (faith he,) that God did Predeilinate us to beChrldrm to him/elf, is fuf!lciently implied in the foie word [ Adoptrol1,] for to whom fhould we be Children but to him? Not to Chriil. Ag•in Secondly, The Apofile (faith he,) cloth not fay, that He hathchofetnu to 6e Sons, (in the ~oncrete,) but Ht huthchojen tts unto Adoption (in the abilract,) fo the words m the Original do run. Now, ( fays he,) to add [to him(df] unto [Adoptio11] (in the Abilract,) that is not proper. If indeed he had Gid, He h.uh cho(mur to be Soils to hrmfel{, that had been proper; but the words run in that Tenor: And therefore Mr /3,rynt, to avoid this, rather chafe that Interpretation (which }er, of all Is the woril,) l-It Predtj/inatedm i11 him[elf. L 2 That 75 ~ &rm.Vf. ~
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