By REV. J. R. ANDERSON (26th October, 1855—Friday Evening).
“For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren” (Romans viii. 29).
A MAN that is spiritually enlightened can hardly look into the Scripture of Truth, or investigate any portion of it in a manner suitable to his character, without discovering traces of a wide distinction between the people of God and the men of the world; and were the scheme of Divine providence unfolded to the view of such a man to the same extent and with the same clearness, he could not fail to meet with evidence of this distinction in the various and intricate revolutions which under that scheme take place.
Wheresoever the Word of God is faithfully administered, effectually applied and practically exemplified, there this distinction falls more or less palpably under the observation and to whatever part of the dispensation of grace he may look, he is sure to meet with traces of this distinction.
It evidently runs through the whole of this remarkable chapter, as well as the Epistle of which it forms a part; and certainly does so in the words of our text.
We have brought before us in these words two weighty matters of inquiry to which we are called humbly to address ourselves.
I. The description given of those that are spoken of, “whom he did foreknow.”
II. The purpose concerning them, “He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son.”
III. The end contemplated in the purpose, “That He might be the firstborn among many brethren.”
I. The first point of inquiry, then, brought before us in the text is relative to the description given of those of whom it speaks.
“Moreover whom He did foreknow.” It is almost superfluous to remark, for as soon as the mind begins to settle down upon what is here stated, it becomes apparent that they are persons belonging to the children of men, of whom the Apostle here speaks. They are introduced in language, no doubt mysterious and weighty, at the same time intelligible and significant, so far as the Scripture itself goes, they are marked out by this singular fact—they are persons whom He foreknew. If again, we advert to Him who is said to have foreknown these persons it is almost unnecessary for us to state, for you will perceive it at once yourselves, that it is the living and true God in the person of the God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ—the primary and proper Author of the economy of grace, the original fountain of Salvation. In all these characters He is virtually introduced in our text: though He is not named far less presented under any of these attributes. But that is no uncommon thing in Scripture, nor is there any great difficulty created by it. There is only One whom this language suits and only One to whom it is ever applied, “Moreover whom He did foreknow.”
It is comparatively easy, as we have hinted, to state these things—the grand difficulty is to get a spiritual and profitable apprehension of them. We know of no way in which such an apprehension can be obtained, but that by which Moses got insight into this mystery. He was stirred up to interest. “I beseech thee, show me thy glory.” He to whom this petition was presented condescended favourably to receive it, and accordingly preparation was made for granting what Moses asked; not perhaps as that eminent servant of God desired and expected: he seems to have expected too much, but in the way that seemed to meet the wisdom of God and if it seemed good to His wisdom, it was just what would satisfy Moses.
We apprehend that all acceptable petitions carry along with them this modification, “not my will but thine be done.” Not in the way I think best, but in the way that Thou dost judge best, not at the time and in the manner that I may look for, but which Thou seest fit. The preparation made for fulfilling the desire of Moses’s heart consisted in his being put into the cleft of the rock, and placed by Him whose glory he sought to see. “And the Lord said, Behold there is a place by me and thou shalt stand upon a rock” (Exodus xxxiii. 21). Simple language, yet striking and impressive, and an intimation was made of the manner in which the petition was to be granted. Moses may have wished to see His glory directly—he was told no flesh could see His face and live. He would therefore obtain a view of the back parts of His glory, and preparation being made the petition was granted in the Lord’s passing by and proclaiming His name unto Him.
Now, my friends, Moses got insight into His glory by Jehovah proclaiming His name when He passed by—the same thing in substance must take place with us. It is in this way, and in this way alone, that we can rise to a spiritual apprehension of Him, to whom the text refers as He who has foreknown a people. Now if there be any such apprehension then there will be what the Scripture calls “a believing that He is.” There will be some sense of the Divine majesty in which He is clothed; He will be seen to sit and to be worthy to sit on the throne. All things lying beneath Him, and before Him, and at His entire disposal, and more especially turning to the text; the whole family of mankind, their birth, their connection with the first covenant, and their apostacy, their fall, their ruin lying stretched out before His view: because all this is included in our text, Moreover whom of all that mass He foreknew. We are not to understand the language of foreknowledge simply as if it conveyed the idea only of what we may term for distinction sake “cognition,” for in that respect there is no distinction between one man and another. He formed their hearts alike, He knows all men. “Known unto God are all His works” (Acts xv. 18). “Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the Lord” (Jeremiah xxiii. 24).
We apprehend that the youngest child capable of reading and exercising a natural understanding upon the meaning of words is capable of discovering that there is something distinguishing whatever it may be, conveyed in the language here used: “Whom He did foreknow,” and therefore the interpretation is not a sound one that would bind it down to simple cognition, yet we cannot arrive at the sound interpretation without proceeding as we have endeavoured to do upon the glory of the omniscience of Him who is here spoken of. We thus by adhering closely and faithfully to the letter of the text, demolish entirely the notion of Arminians, there is no place left for it in the Scripture of Truth, and if a place is to be found for it, it must be found among the imaginations of men, and whoever build there, will be thrown sooner or later into as great confusion as those who built the Tower of Babel. The language indicates, as we have said it manifestly does, the idea of a distinction, points to the infinite love wherewith He regards the people He is said to foreknow.
So we should do no violence to the text; we should offer a faithful rendering of it were we to have recourse to the coining of a term and say, Whom He did forelove. There are these two elements brought into view; the people pointed at are the objects of the love of Him who foreknows them; and these people are the objects of His love prior to everything in them that is lovable.
He anticipates, prevents, gets the start of them in His love. He is the first in a sense too high for us to reach, too weighty for us to bear; the discovery of it such as the soul sometimes pants after will form part of that far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory that shall be enjoyed in the heavenly world.
Now, my friends, if you know Him, if you regard Him with ought of the reverence that is due to Him, you are shut up to the admission that He can foreknow if He will. His love is His own, yea, Himself belongs to Himself. Oh, how rich He is! Who hath first given to Him? Can any man, can any Angel, can all the Angels be profitable to Him? So, to say He belongs to Himself. He has therefore infinite wealth, infinite beauty, infinite glory, infinite happiness.
Taking your stand upon this simple and fundamental but immense, and immensely grand truth, you will find it comparatively easy to admit in your own souls that His love is His own. May I not do with mine own what I will. May I not set my love upon whom I will? Will you say, “We are not pleased with the way thou hast set thy love?”
We can sympathise with those who would utter that language in bitter complaints of their own corruption and pride. He is pleased with what He does in the selection of the objects of His love, that is enough, if He is pleased. It is not for us to be displeased. But sometimes there is a jealousy in the gracious soul that the judge of all the earth shall do right. You that are thus jealous, be it known to you that from eternity and from that unreckonable date He has looked at the objects of His love. “I have loved thee with an everlasting love.” He has looked at His own foreknowledge of them, and He has from Eternity appeared honourable in His own eyes because He has set His love upon this, and not upon that.”
That should allay any jealousy you may have on that point. He is honourable in His own eyes, and there are no eyes that burn with such purity, and jealousy, and dignity as His, and if the sovereign exercise of His love will pass clear through this fire it will not suffer in any other; and He aims at bringing the soul into harmony with Him in this matter. It will be fit for glory when it is somewhat established on this height, and soon it will be near Him, never to be far from Him; with Him so as no more to have hard thoughts respecting Him.
Now, my friends, do these weighty things find any place in your souls? Have you any room for them? In considering your state as sinners and enquiring after salvation, do you find any need of them? In examining the religion which you possess, and to which some of you propose to give expression in observing the ordinance of the supper, do these things hold any place in that religion? Why should the Apostle Paul writing to the saints at Rome, on the common salvation, as Jude terms it, open up the gracious condition in which he and His brethren stood, and illustrate the blessings they enjoyed; how should Paul speak of such weighty matters, if such weighty matters can be dispensed with on the part of those who bear the Christian name. Dearly beloved judge you, and judge you as it respects yourselves, your professed religion—that you are none of Christ’s unless the fragrance of the love of the Father, to which we have referred, be sought after as an indispensable element in the religion you profess. Let us now pass to the:
Second weighty enquiry raised by the text.
Time and strength forbid our dwelling long upon any of these themes. They look far more suitable for the great men of bygone days, than for the little men of our time. Well may we say, without any affection, in the words of Jeremiah, “I cannot speak for I am a child.” He that ministers to you ought to be foremost in this exercise; the brethren in the Eldership should have a holy emulation with one another who will be the foremost in saying without affection, we cannot speak for we are children; and so throughout all the members of the Church. A lovely Church it will be just in proportion as this beautiful grace of humility spreads and manifests itself amongst us.
If ever there was a time when pride is unsuitable in the members of a Church, it is the present. We profess to be witnesses; let us take care that we always appear in the proper attire of witnesses clothed in sackcloth as we found on our day of public preparation. “Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep.” “Moreover whom He did foreknow He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.” The first thing here that meets our view is the form in which the purpose is cast, it is “predestination.” In the preceding clause we have a term used somewhat kindred to that which we now meet with, nor is it difficult to see the difference in the signification of these two cognate terms. When it is said “whom He did foreknow,” reference is evidently had to the persons who were separated in His loving eye, or if you like it better, in His loving heart from others.
There is an infinite tenderness in the love of God. We should be afraid to touch it. Perhaps that is one reason why we so seldom get an inlet into it—it might kill us.
But in the term which we would now endeavour to explain, what is denoted by the one previously used is presupposed.
The persons are marked out. His love is upon them; now what will be the purpose concerning them—He predestinates them. You will at once perceive an excellent harmony, a beautiful order in the truth which the Apostle guided by the Spirit of Truth here puts upon record. It would be to disturb this harmony, to mar this beautiful order, to make these terms change places, and to speak of His foreknowing those whom He did predestinate.
The simple, accurate mode of presenting the matter is that which is here adopted, whom He foreknows He predestinates.
In the former clause we have expressed in a compound form love antecedent to anything lovely, we have in this second clause another compound term expressive of a purpose antecedent to anything in the creature that could form a foundation for that purpose.
Mark the language is guarded, it is antecedent to anything in the creature, but not antecedent to something in the Creator.
His forelove in its sweetness, its tenderness, its majesty; oh, what will heaven be, where the soul will feast under discoveries of that love! It is hard to understand it, and harder to bear it, but it may appear that there is great mercy in His hiding this in the present state. May He not be considered as saying to His people, “I have many things to say to you.” About what, Lord? About my love, “but ye cannot bear them now.” The purpose is called predestination, because it is antecedent to anything in the object of this love that can form a ground for it. Arminianism again falls as Dagon of old did, before the Ark of God, and when the truth comes out in its full effulgence in Eternity, all error will skulk into outer darkness, and the volume of heaven shall be opened, a pavement for the feet of the Great I am.
Take you care and not miss being there. To find yourselves not there will be the first draught of damnation, and no people will drink such a bitter cup as the people of this Tabernacle.
(To be continued.)