CHAP.!. upon the Epiflle of J A M E ~. ·2. Partly for a wit~efs o~ rh~ir ~h~nkfulneb, they havmg received aU from him, were .to gtve htm thts acknowiedgmenr, Prov.j. 9• Honour the Lord with thy fubflance, .ttnd V;,ith the Jirfl fruits of thy incre:tfe • This was the honour and the homage they were to do toGod: Now this is every where attributed to the people.of ' God, as eo Ifrael, becaufe they were Gods peculi~r people calle~ eut fmm all the N~tions ~ Jer. 2. 3· The firft fruits of hi's in– creafe is holinefs to the Lord; that is~· of all people they were dedicated to Qod: Sp the holy Worlh1ppcrs, figured by thofe J/irginJ in Revel. 14. Verf. 4• are faid to be redmnedfrom a- - mongmen, to be~ firfl fruits l!iltoGad an_d the Lamb; Thefe were thechiefeft, Chrifis own portion : 1 So the Church is called, Heb. u. H• TheChurchofthejirftborn: All thcworld are as common men, the Church are the Lords. - The Points are thefe: . I. That which engaged God to the work of Regenerationwas ob[erv{)t.r~· meerly his own will and good pleafure; Of-,bi:s own Will begat ·he m: Rom.~.J8. He hath mercy tmWhom he Will b11:v~ mercy, ~nd whom he will he hardneth. GodsWill i~ the Reafon of all his AClions; you will find the highefl: caufe to be WilJ, Loveaqd Mer~ cy; Godcan have no higher motive, nothing witl}oqt' hirnfelf, . tfo forefigh~ of Fai~h and Works-, he was meerly inclined by his– own pleafure.,_: T"hn I 5.r6. Ye hq:ve not chrif'en me, but I hp;v~ chofenyor~; he begins with us fidl:. When MofH ~re;ne~h- of the c~ufe of Gods Love to Jfrael, ~e ,affigneth no~ping but _lover Deutq.7;8-.He lovedyoSI,becaufo he lovedyou; he had no motive, . and cal"l expect: nofati.sfacJiM: So P[4l.18. 19. He 4e/ivered me, bccaufe he delighted j;i ,ne; th~t was all the reafon he did it, . be– caufe he would do it: So Hojea .... I 4· .4• I wi!J love tkemfree/f;, there~s the fpring and rife ofall : This is ~pplicable divers ways. 1. Tofiir us ~p to admire,the mer.cy of God, tb~.t norping lhould incline and difpofe his heart but hi.s ownWill;, the fam~.: Will that • begat us) pafi oy others; Wh&m he Will he faveth, andW,hfJm he Will he ht~.rdneth. Mans thoughts are very unfober inthe inqu"iry why 6od fuould choofe fome, and leave others; w,hen yon hav~ gone aU, you mufr refi in thi$ Supream Caufe, GQqS Will and P~eafure : M.at.II.2~.Even fo Father, becau[e it pleqfed thef: Chrifi him– felfcould gtVe no other reafon, and there is the qnal ~efl.;llt o( all ~ifpu~es.- . 9h admire·God,,all,ye his SaintS'~ in his m~rcy to you; . •this- . '
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