Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2012 with funding from Queen's University - University of Toronto Libraries http://archive.org/details/christianpredestOOevan : CHRISTIAN PREDESTINATION THE C?L niretermimb M WM ©$ raWS ©DB, TO SUFFER WITH JESUS, IH THiT WITH HIM Till II Q&BftXfllB. BE1I1KG AN EXJPOSXTXOIW OF iilllS fill 1 It® il| DEDUCED CRITICALLY FROM THE TEXT; astd x,ggdecant, FKOM THE CONTEXT: REV. JOHN S. EVANS QUEBEC PRINTED BY MIDDLETON AND DAWSON, SHAW'S BUILDINGS, LOWERTOWN. 1862. Rc/1 El — "It is necessary, frequently, tovisit the ground on which Christianity was first established, to ascertain the limits and extent of the primitive faith, and to recover the parts taken by unjust violence, or lost by injudicious concession." BishopofBristol. TEXT AND CONTEXT. Romans, viii. 17-39, 17 And ifchildren, then heirs; heirs ofGod, andjoint heirswith Christ: if sobe thatwesuffer withhim, that wemay be also glorified together. 18 For I reckon that the sufferingsofthis present time are notworthy to 19 be comparedwith the glorywhich shall be revealed in us. Forthe earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for themanifestation of the sons of 20 God. For the creaturewas made subject to vanity, notwillingly,butby 21 rea-on ofhim whohathsubjected thesamein hope : Because thecreature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption, into the 22 glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that thewhole 23 creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they,but ourselves also, whichhave the first-fruits oftheSpirit,even we ourselvesgroan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, towit, the 24 redemption of our body. Forwe are saved by hope. But hope that is 25 seen isnothope : forwhat aman seeth, why doth he yethope for? Butif wehope for that we seenot, then dowe withpatiencewait forit. 26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth ourinfirmities for we know notwhat ; weshouldprayfor aswe ought; buttheSpirititself maketh intercession 27 for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And bethat searcheth thehearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints accordingto thewillofGod. 28 Andwe know thatall thingswork together for good to them that love 29 God, to them thatare the called according tohis purpose. Forwhom he did foreknow,he alsodid predestinate to beconformed to theimage ofhis 30 Son, that he might be the first-bora among many brethren. Moreover, whom hedid predestinate,themhe also called and whom he called, thera ; he alsojustified ; andwhom he justified, them he also glorified. 31 What shall we then sayto thesethings? If God be for us, who can be 32 against us? He thatsparednothis own Son, butdeliveredhimup for us 33 all, howshall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall 34 lay anythingto the charge oi God'select? ItisGod thatju3tifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea, rather that is risen again ; whoiseven at therighthand ofGod,whoalsomaketh intercession 35 forus. Whoshall separate usfrom the love ofChrist? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, orperil, or sword? 36 (Asitis written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; weare 37 accounted as sheepforthe slaughter.) Nay,in all thesethingswearemore 38 than conquerors, through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor 39 thingspresent, nor thingsto come, norheight, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from thelove ofGod, which is in ChristJesus our Lord. —— BRIEF ANALYSIS. INTRODUCTION. PAGE The occasion that suggestedthe exposition that is now submitted 8 Preliminary criticism, showing that Calvinism hasno basisin thispassage, 1houghusuallydeemeditsstrongestandleastequivocalproof-text; and thatArminians, too, have misapplied these verses 8 EXPOSITION. Prayer and searching the Scripturesmust becombined 15 Asthe text is grammatically and logicallyjoined to the context, we must go back to find the subject oftheseconnected observations 15 The GeneralTopic is announced in the 17th verse to be this: the regene- rate, aschildren of God, mustsufferwith Jesus, the Son ofGod, that with Him they may be glorified.—Ver. 17 , 16 Preceding Context. The sufferings referredto are notthe atoningsufferings, butthe sufferings of the present time , 17 The Son ofGod and thechildren ofGod subjectto these 17 All men feel these, but do not endure themwith the same spirit 17 Jesus leftusan example ofthe rightspirit 17 The example ofJesusas asufferer maybeimitatedbythemthatarerenew- edinspirit 18 That they may doso, motivesare presented 18 The present suffering scene will soon give place to a glorious scene, in which will be found abundantcompensation. Ver. 18 19 The glory ofthe resurrection state is looked for by the Christian's frail body.—Ver. 19 20 Thisexpectation is warranted by a correct view of God's final purpose whenappointing thepresent state ofprobation Ver. 20 21 That the expected glorification ofthe body has not yet takenplace, isevi- dentfrom the nature ofthings; but thecontinuedanticipation ofitis authorized.—Ver. 22 22 — — — — ——— The desire ofthe mortal bodyfor regeneration is sympathetically felt by the already regenerate soul.—Ver. 23 22 We regard thisfuturesalvation of thebodyas a thingrealized in hope. Ver. 23 22 Certain hope causespatientwaiting. Ver. 25 23 The Divine Spirit aids our bodily infirmities to sustain the sufferings. Ver. 26, 27 , 23 All the sufferings of the present time that affect the children ofGod are made to work togetherforgood totheir souls. Ver. 28 24 Thesufferingsthat come to them through the innocent infirmities of the body are the mostsearching and improving testsot character 25 Jesuswasmade perfect through suffering r 26 By following his example, his adopted brethren, too,canbe madeperfect through suffering 26 , Accordingly, God's guardian love deliberately purposes that hischildren should attend thisperfecting school, and calls them toit 28 Text. This appointment to suffer is expressly and fixedly made bythe Divine will, because it is only by being conformed to the image ofthe Son insuffering,thattheycould beconformed tohis imageintheglorythat shall follow.-Ver. 29 28 As in the suffering, so in the glory thatfollows it, Christ ispre-eminent.. 29 The arrangementsfor carrying intoeffect the Divine will are made and continued by Divine Providence 31 These arrangements leave free thehuman will 36 God "calls" them that lovehim to submit to the appointed sufferingsvol- untarily andjoyfully.—Ver. 30. (1stclause.) 36 Havingappointedandcalled them tosuffer,God "justifies"theminregard- ing thiscall ascomingfrom Divine love, andinexercisingaccordingly patient and joyful hope in the midst of tribulation Ver. 30 (2nd clause.) 37 Yea,he '' glorifies" thembymeansofthe verysufferingsthat someregard as badges of shame.—Ver. 30 (lastclause.) 38 Succeeding Context. The same theme runs also through the succeeding context.—Ver. 31 41 By thusemploying sufferings,Godcounteracts the attemptsofadversaries, and reversesthe results at which they aim 41 All thisis only whatmaybenaturallyexpected from such a God asours Ver.32 42 Who then will henceforth think present suffering asufficient ground foran accusatory charge againstGod's elect? Ver. 33 (1stclause.) 42