Romans 8:29

St. Paul in these verses, lays before us. chain of the causes of salvation inseparably linked together, the first of which was before all time, namely, God's foreknowledge of us from all eternity, and his predestinating and appointing of us to eternal life: Whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate.

But what were we predestinated unto?

He tells us in the next words, To be comformed to the image of his Son; That is, to be made like unto our Lord Jesus in affection and disposition, in life and conversation, in the temper of our minds, and in the actions of our lives; like unto him in his sufferings, in the cause of his sufferings, righteousness-sake and well-doing; in the kind of his sufferings, reproach, hatred, outward violence, and death itself; and in the manner of his sufferings, with meekness and patience; and like unto him in his glory; suffering with him, we shall be glorified together.

The second privilege we are partakers of, is in time, namely, effectual vocation: Whom he did predestinate, them he also called. They are called out of. state of ignorance and darkness, of sin and wickedness, of slavery and bondage, unto knowledge, grace and holiness; and the Holy Spirit of God, inclines and enables them to obey this call.

The third privilege is justification: Whom he called, them he also justified; That is, absolved from guilt, and freed from condemnation; discharging them from their obnoxiousness to wrath, and the severity of divine displeasure.

The last privilege we are partakers of, is after time, namely, glorification; Whom he justified, them he also glorified. They are already glorified in Christ their head, they have already the earnest and first-fruits of glory, namely, the Holy Spirit dwelling in them, and they shall ere long partake of the same glory which Christ himself is in possession of; Father,. will that those whom thou hast given me, may be with me, where. am, to behold my glory. John 17:24.

But it may be said,, that one link is wanting in this golden chain of salvation, namely, sanctification: No mention is here made of that.

Ans. Some conceive, that sanctificaiton is couched in effectual vocation; others, that it is included in glorification; for sanctification is gloria inchoata, glorification is gratia consummata; grace is the lowest degree of glory, and glory is the highest degree of grace.

Others answer, That the apostle makes no mention here of sanctification, for this reason, because he was setting down here the causes of salvation.

Now, sanctification being the way to salvation, but not the cause of it, the apostle mentions not that here; though elsewhere he sufficiently shews, that none are now justified, nor can be hereafter glorified, that are not here sanctified and renewed.

From the whole, learn, 1. That there were certain persons, before all time, chosen of God to possess and inherit eternal life.

2. That God's design in chusing of them, was to render them conformable to Christ, in his holiness, in his sufferings, and in his glory.

Learn, 3. That those whom God chuseth before time, he calleth, justifieth, and sanctifieth in time, and will finally glorify, when time shall be no more.