On the contrary, it was his purpose, as revealed in Scripture, to bring his people to these exalted privileges through a Redeemer. It was in Christ, as their head and representative, they were chosen to holiness and eternal life, and, therefore, in virtue of what he was to do in their behalf. There is a federal union with Christ which is antecedent to all actual union, and is the source of it. God gave a people to his Son in the covenant of redemption. Those included in that covenant, and because they are included in it,-in other words, because they are in Christ as their head and representative,-receive in time the gift of the Holy Spirit, and all other benefits of redemption. Their voluntary union with Christ by faith is not the ground of their federal union, but, on the contrary, their federal union is the ground of their voluntary union. It is, therefore, in Christ, i.e., as united to him in the covenant of redemption, that the people of God are elected to eternal life, and to all the blessings therewith connected. Much in the same sense, the Israelites are said to have been chosen in Abraham. Their relation to Abraham and God's covenant with him, were the ground and reason of all the peculiar blessings they enjoyed. So our covenant union with Christ is the ground of all the benefits which we, as the people of God, possess or hope for. We were chosen in Christ, as the Jews were chosen in Abraham. The same truth is expressed in chap. iii. 11, where it is said that the carrying out or application of the plan of redemption is "according to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord." God purposed to save men in Christ, he elected them in him to salvation.

Again, this election is from eternity. He chose us gò xaraCoλñs xóoμov, before the foundation of the world. Comp. 2 Thess. ii. 13; Matt. xxv. 34.-As our idea of time arises from the perception of motion or consciousness of succession, the natural expression for eternity is "before time," before the

existence of creatures who exist in time. Hence what has been from eternity is said in Scriptures to have been before the world was, John xvii. 24; 1 Pet. i. 20; or before the ages, 1 Cor. ii. 7; 2 Tim. i. 9. "The grace given us in Christ Jesus Tgò Xgóvwv aiwvíwv, before the world began." There seem to be two things intended by this reference to the eternity of the divine purpose. The one is, to represent God as doing every thing in time according to a preconceived plan, or as working all things after the counsel of his own will. From eternity, the whole scheme of redemption, with all its details, and in all its results, lay matured in the divine mind. Hence every thing is certain. There is no possibility either of failure or of any change of purpose. The eternity of God's purpose is, therefore, a strong ground of confidence and comfort. The other is, to express the sovereignty of the divine purpose. The grace was given to us before we existed, before the world began, and, of course, before we had done any good or evil. It was, therefore, not for works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us. If the one aspect of the truth that God chose us before the foundation of the world is adapted to produce confidence, the other aspect is no less adapted to produce humility.

This election is to holiness. We are chosen εἶναι ἁγίους καὶ ἀμώμους κατενώπιον αὑτοῦ, to be holy and without blame before him. These words admit of two interpretations. They may be understood to refer to our justification, or to our sanctification. They express either that freedom from guilt and blame in the sight of God which is the proximate effect of the death of Christ; or that subjective purification of the soul which is its indirect but certain effect, produced by the Holy Spirit, which his death secures for his people. The words admit of either interpretation; because ȧyál, as remarked above on ver. 1, often means to cleanse from guilt,' 'to atone for;' and ayos means 'clean from guilt,' 'atoned

for; and άuos may mean 'free from any ground of blame;' -“unsträflich” (not deserving of punishment), as Luther renders it. In favour of this interpretation it is urged, first, that it is unscriptural, as well as contrary to experience, to make perfect purity and freedom from all blemish the end of election. There is little force in this argument, because the end of election is not fully attained in this life. It might as well be said that the violeσía, "the adoption of sons," to which in ver. 5 we are said to be predestinated, includes nothing more than what is experienced in this world. Besides, in chap. v. 27, it is said, Christ gave himself for the church, "That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but (iva ȧyía nai apapos) that it should be holy and without blemish." This, certainly, is descriptive of a degree of inward purity not attained by the church militant. Comp. Col. i. 22. Secondly, it is urged that the whole context treats of the effect of the iλaorýgiov, or propitiatory sacrifice of Christ, and therefore these words must be understood of justification, because sanctification is not the effect of a sacrifice. But the Scriptures often speak of the remote, as well as of the immediate end of Christ's death. We are reconciled to God by the death of his Son in order that we should be holy. Propitiation is in order to holiness. Therefore, it is said, "He gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify us unto himself a people, zealous of good works," Titus ii. 14. In many other passages sanctification is said to be the end for which Christ died. There is nothing in the context, therefore, which requires us to depart from the ordinary interpretation of this passage. If the words v ȧyán, “in love," are to be connected with the preceding clause, it is decisive as to its meaning, 'We are chosen to be holy and without blame in love.' It is a state of moral excellence which consists in love. That is, it is no mere external con

secration to God, as was the case with the Jews, nor any mere ceremonial freedom from blemish, to which we are elected. This is altogether the most natural connection of the words, from which no one would have thought of departing, had it not been assumed that the words, "holy and without blame," refer to sacrificial purification. To connect έv åɣáτ? with λaro, would give the sense, 'Hath chosen us in love; but this the position of the words forbids. To connect them with googías, which follows, would give the sense, In love having predestinated us.' But this also is unnatural; and besides, the word "predestinated" has its limitation or explanation in the following clause, "according to the good pleasure of his will." It would be tautological to say, 'He hath predestinated us in love according to the good pleasure of his will.' The majority of commentators, therefore, adopt the construction followed by our translators.

If election is to holiness, as the apostle here teaches, it follows, first, that individuals, and not communities or nations, are the objects of election; secondly, that holiness in no form can be the ground of election. If men are chosen to be holy, they cannot be chosen because they are holy. And, thirdly, it follows that holiness is the only evidence of election. For one who lives in sin to claim to be elected unto holiness is a contradiction.

Ver. 5. The apostle says, God hath chosen us to holiness, having predestinated us to sonship; that is, because he has thus predestinated us. Holiness, therefore, must be a necessary condition or prerequisite for the sonship here spoken of. Sonship in reference to God includes,-1. Participation of his nature, or conformity to his image. 2. The enjoyment of his favour, or being the special objects of his love. 3. Heirship, or a participation of the glory and blessedness of God. Sometimes one and sometimes another of these ideas is the most prominent. In the present case it is the second and third. God having

predestinated his people to the high dignity and glory of sons of God, elected them to holiness, without which that dignity could neither be possessed nor enjoyed. It is "through Jesus Christ" that we are made the sons of God. "As many as received him, to them gave he the power to become the sons of God," John i. 12. "For we are all the children of God by faith of Jesus Christ," Gal. iii. 26. Christ has purchased this dignity for his people. He died for them on condition that they should be the sons of God, restored to their Father's family, and reinstated in all the privileges of this divine relationship.

The words siç avrov, to himself, in the clause, 'Predestinated us to sonship by Jesus Christ to himself,' are somewhat difficult. The text, in the first place, is uncertain. Some editors read ɛis aùróv, “unto himself," and others sis autóv, "unto him." In either case, however, the reference is to God. They admit of three explanations:-1. They may limit or explain the word "sonship:"Sonship unto himself,' i.e., sons in relation to God. 2. They may express the design of this adoption: 'Sonship for himself,' i.e., for his benefit or glory. This assumes that ɛis is here equivalent to the dative. 3. They may be connected immediately with the words. "Jesus Christ:"Through Jesus Christ to himself,' i.e., to be brought to him by Jesus Christ. The first is generally preferred, because it gives a good sense, and is consistent with the force of the preposition.

The ground of this predestination, and of the election founded upon it, is expressed by the clause, κατὰ τὴν εὐδοκίαν Tov Deλýμaros Avroữ, according to the good pleasure of his will.— The word Eudoxía means either "benevolence," "favour," as in Luke ii. 14; or "good pleasure," "free" or "sovereign purpose," as in Matt. xi. 26; and Luke x. 21, Phil. ii. 13. The meaning therefore may be either according to his benevolent will,' or 'according to his sovereign will', i.e., his good plea