In the secret views of God, justified from everlasting - William Styles

"Effect of Atonement and Redemption. Eternal Justification. We believe that on the ground of the righteousness which the Lord Jesus engaged to work out; the whole election of grace were, in the secret views of God, justified from everlasting, and were thus accepted, approved, and acquitted in His sight as they stood in association with their glorious Surety from before the foundation of the world. (Num. 23:21; Jer. 1:20; Eph. 1:6. Note.—The restricted view of this text popularly given, falls sadly short of its real meaning. It stands in connection with God’s secret acts of eternal and sovereign grace, and teaches that by the unchanging settlements of the covenant, we were chosen, adopted, and accepted in Christ before the foundation of the world. Compare the rendering in the Revised Version.


“The chosen people” were of old,
Pure in Jehovah’s sight,
And never did He them behold,
But with a vast delight.
“O, with what pleasure He surveyed,
The highly favoured train,
Saw Jesus and His honoured bride,
In perfect splendour shine.
“In the pure arms of Sovereign grace,
He clasped the chosen see,
Determined evermore to bless,
The members in their Head.”


-William Styles