398 SERMONS upon, Serm.XXXIX. Ôonducing to conformity to Chrift in holinefs and happinels 5 for whom he did fore. know, &c. In the words obferve, I. The way God tookin bringing his children unto glory, by conformity o Chili, in thtfe words, To be conformed to the image of his son. a.. The grounds of this conformity, Cet forth by two words, foreknowledge and prede- lunation ; whom he did foreknow, he alfa did predeflinate. 3. The reafon of this conformity to Chrift ; that he might be the ftrfl.born among many brethren; that is, that he might have the priviledge of the elder San, or the true and proper heir : the elder Son was to be the head of the family, and lord of all the reft of the brethren. Let us explain thefe things. t. The way and end aimed at; to conform NI to the image of his San; That is, in re- femblance to Chrift, that we might enter into glory the way by which Chrift entred, by a life of fufferings, and hardnefs. 2. The grounds of this conformity; Gods foreknowledge and predeftination. The fall of thefe terms implieth his gracious purpofe to fave us ; foreknowing here, is chu- f1ng, or taking them for his own from all eternity, 1 Pet. s. 2. Elel1 according to the foreknowledge of God; That is, according to the eternal purpofe of his love to them. For having all ddams pofterity in his eye and view,he freely chofe them; they were in a Sort prefent to God,and in his eye,before the foundation of the world;fo that his fore. knowledge ishis purpofe to do them good:the other word predeflination,is his appoint- ing them to come to glory by the way of faith and holinefs ; for to deftinate, is to ap- point, or order means to a certain end ; and to predeftinate is to appoint aforehand; and this predeftinating is ufed of Gods a &, becaufe when man willeth, or chufeth, or ordereth any thing, it prefuppófeth an antecedent goodnefs in the things which he willeth or chufeth, or an antecedent conveniency in the thing ordered, to the end to which it is appointed, which is prudent deftination ; but when God chufeth, or willeth, or ordereth any thing,he caufeth this goodnefs or conveniency to be in it;and therefore 'tis properly called predeftination. Well then obferve, Not things, but:perfons, are here fpoken of ; whom he did foreknow, he alto did predeftinate; his foreknowledge implyeth his favour, and his choice, John io. t4. ram thegood fhepherd that ky qw my cheep, and am known of mine; and verfe 27.7 know them, and they follow me. And his predeftination, is his appointing them to come to fuch an end, by convenient means;. fometimes 'tis applied to privilédges, fometimes to duties ; to priviledges, becaufe of the conveniency of antecedent and fubfequent priviledges, fo Eph. a. g. He bathpre- defiinated us to the adoption ofchildren; 'tis fit we fhould bemade children, before we have a right to a childs portion; therefore God by predeftinating us to the adoption of children, maketh us fit to obtain the inheritance. Sometimes to duties; as tofaith, A &s 13.48. At many as were ordained to eternal life, believed; and in the text, to bo- nnets; he did predeflinate at to be conformed to the image of his Son; that ís, by prede- ftination he bringeth it to país, that in time they do refemble Chrift. The order and cowrie of Gods laving the cleft, mutt not be broken; he hath decreed and forecafteth by what means he will bring them to glory: in fhort, foreknowledge and predeftina- tion agree, in that both are eternal, but they differ in the formality of the notion; fore- knowledge noteth his choice, or the purpofe of his love; predeftination his decree to bring things to a certain end, by certain appointed means ; and fo he did foreordain, and defign them by conformity to Chrift in life and fuffering, to come to ceeleftial glory; and thus by foreknowing he did predeftinate, and by predeftinating he did fore -know. 3. The reafon of this conformity to Chriftt ; that he might be the fsrfi.horn among many brethren. That is, that he might have the honour due to the firft born; the firft born was lord of the reft of the family, Gen. 27. 3 t. I have made him thy lord, and the refs of his brethren have !given to him for fervants. The firft. born gave to the reft of his brethren, a (hare of his fathers goods, referving to himfelf a double portion. Dent. 21. 17. Now this is applied to Chrift, who is Lord of the Church, or head of the bo. dy; Col. t. 18. and heir of all things, Heb. 1.2. And by vertue of this relation to the Church, he muft ntmï£u.,, firft it in all things, or as We tranflate it, he muft in all things have the, preeminence, Col 1. 18. in our confii &s and tryals he is the captain of our Calvation, Heb. 2.10. in holinefs he is our pattern or copy, 2 cor. 3. 18. primum in un. quogoe
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