SERMON XLVI. I4 xv. 18. Sot Thess. ii.13. Godkithfrom the beginning chosen, or taken, you from amongst the other Gentiles, unto salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth. Arid to this.he called you by our gospel. There was a book of life writtenbefore the foundation of the world ; Rev. xiii. 3. 411 that dwell upon the earth, that is, all this part of the world to which the prophecy refers, shall worship the beast, or follow after antichrist, except those whose names are written from the foun- dation of the world in the book of life of the Iamb that was slain; for that I take to be a much more proper translation of the original. In this book Of life were written the names of those persons, who should not yield to antichristian idolatry, and should be preserved from the general corruption that came upon the christian world. Upon the whole it appears from the language of scripture, that those who are sanctified and saved by divinegrace, were be- fore chosen of God, to be madeholy and happy. I proceed now to the second general head of my discourse, viz. That God from the beginning appointed his Son Jesus Christ to be the medium of exercising all this grace, and gave his chosen people to the care of his Son, to make them partakers of this salvation. This seems to be the meaning of my text. Are we blessed with all spiritual blessings? It is as the members of one body, in Jesus Christ, as our common head. Are we chosen ? It is still in Christ the Son of God. In all things he must have thepre-eminence: He is the headof the body, the church ; Col. i. 18. He was first chosen by the Father to be the glorious head of a holy and happy number of mankind, and we are chosen inhim that we might become his holy and happy members. He is called " The elect of God, in whom his soul delighteth ; Is. xlii. 1. 0° The mighty One on whom God has laid our help, who was exalted and chosen out of the people ;" Ps. lxxxix. 19. You may observe he is represented here to be chosen, as a man from among the people of Israel to be their Lord and Saviour ; but that he might beequal to this work, and and mighty to save, he was one with God, all the jis.lness of ,Ike godhead dwelt in him 'bodily ; Col. ii. 9. He is the flrordwho was with God, and who was God; John. i. 1. And in due time this Wordwas made f esh and dwelt among us ; verse .14. Are we chosen that we might be saved? It is in and through Christ, who was chosen to be our Saviour. Are we predestinated to the adoption of children ? It is still in Christ, who is the original Son, the " brightness of his Fa- ther's glory, the express image of his person, and who was appointed to be heir of all things ;" Heb. i. 2, 3. C0 And we
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