Chap 1 .Secl-,8. and fyeak, and purpofe with himfelf, and furely his purpofes muft ftand upon thi1\.om. I1.19 coum, for th:gtfts and calling of God arewi!hottt rcpcntatice. . ) acSECT. VIII. The Dcc,-ee. THE Decree ofGo~ co<ecerning mans fa!vation before the foundation of the world, Pfab 7 ,2.' appears 111 t~1ef~ texts, I wt!l declare the decree ( fltth God ), what was that? why, conterntng Clm!t, and concetnmg_.rhe Church, thon art my Son, thi< da) have I beffotten thee; 11sk._ of me, and I jJudlgz.ve thee theh:athrn for thine inheritance, and the Jttt~rmofl pttrts ofrhe r.<rth for thy poffeffion. It was God, Decree to give out of Jews and Gentiles a Cburch to Clmfl:; a.nd.thts Decree was made in that day of eternity, wben the Son of God was begotten of hts Father. Thts Decree m Scnpture.phrafe bath fevenl titles r. It is tbe very fame with tbat which we ufually call Pred·fhnation; for what is Predei!i: nactonbut a Decree of God cor.cernmg the d1fferem preplratior.s of Grace, wherebyfome ate gmded mblltblr unto fahatton ? Predefunatton IS aDecree both cf the means •nd end ; a Decree ofgl\'lng Grace effectual unto fom~perfons here~ and ofbringing rhe fame perfons unto glory. hereafter. Tlus Decree, thts Preddbnatwn, tlus golden chain of Rom. s. 30 • the means and end, 1s fet down by the Apoftle, Whom he did predejlimtte, them he a!focal– led; and whom he c,.t/cd, them he alfo Juf/ijicd; and whom he Jufi'ified, thim he ai[o gloriftrd. As God lmh preddlmated {ome to ltfe and glory , fo be harh prcdellinated them to be called, and Jut•ified befo:e they be glorified ; wbomfoever tlte Lord bath decreed to fave EJI't:fr. 1 • 4 • them bath be alfo decreed to fanctifie before they come to enjoy that fa lvation. God hath chofen U& in Chnjl before the fotmdation ofthe world, that we jhonld be fir!! holy, and then hap2 rhcf. ,,13. py. S.e how thefe are twilled by the Apofl:le once and again, God hath from the begin– mng chofen )'Oit to (alvatron throttg·h fan£hficatwn of the Spmt, andbelief •f the truth. I have beard of fome blafphemous reafonings, if we are predeflmare to befavcd, we may live · as we lift; for howfoc-ver we live, rhou,c,h neverfo wickgdiy, yet tve jiJa/1 be (aved. 0 fearful! 0 devililh reafoning! furrly this comes from the Devil, and not from God, or his Word: Mark here oneofSatans depths; in omward things he tempts men to dij/mjl God, and to rely altogether on means : but in heavenly things, and mdtters offalvation, he tempts men to lay all on Go,l,s Decrees and Gods purpo{es, «ithollt any regard had to the means. Such men might a' well lay, the Lord bath appointed rhat we fhalllive to fuch a time, and rill then we !hall nor die, and therefore what need we food in health, or phyfick in ficknefs? Oh take heed of thefe re>fonings! Gods Decree doth not remove rhe ufe ef the means, but eilabliiJ. and confirm them.-- 2. The Decree is the fame with that book._ of life Phi\. 4- 3 • wherein are written the names of the Elect; Pattltels us offame women, with Clement, Luke "' , 0 • and other fellow-labourers, whofe names are in the boo/z. of life. And Chrifls bids his 1\cv. , 0 ,,.. Difciples re,oycc, bccattfe their names are written in heaven. And John faw in his vifion the de,zd, [mall andgreat,j/and before 'God, and the book! were opened, and another book._•w opened, which i; the book_ of life. As Captains have a book wherein they write the nam~s of their Souldier>; and Citizens have a book wherein they record the names of rhetr Burge!Tes; So God bath his Decree or ~ook of life.. ~n wbich he regifiers all that beExoo. P· '!> longs to him. Some otherrexrsfpeak ol a book of ltfe, aS', blot me I pray thee out ofrh} , 3,• booi<,whichthotthajl written, fltd .Mofenn Ius zeal for Ifrael; to whom the Lordanfwmd, whofoever Jinneth againft me, hzm will I blot out of my book, But tbts was not the book (fay fome) of God>eternal Decree, but the book of his providences; God bath adouble book,and both in a figure he nath a book of Ius refolved Decrees, and a book of hts acted prO\ idences; this latter is bur a tranfcript, or a copy of the fo.rmer: thofe huge. ongt• nal volumes of love and bleffings wh1ch God bath latd .up 1n hts heart for Ius own people from all eternity is rhe book I mean : Jndeed rlm book 1s wrmng out eveiY Jay by rhe hand and pen of provtdence m the ordermg of ~ll thofe atfatrs whtch con– cer~ our falvation. _ 3. This Decree is the very fame alfo wtth Gods feal; rht foanda· ' T'~ '· ' 0• tion of God ftandeth jitre, having thi<feat,, the Lord kziowerh the'Ytthat are his. A.~e~e:s ufed in three cafes; I. To keep rlungs dtfl:mct .. 2. To keep thmgs fecr~t. 3: l P things fafe · In every of thefe refpe<'l:s Gods Dw;ees are feals, bur efpemlly m the lafl' thofe .fouls.that are fealed by God, they are fafe in the love and favour of God; as '!"ben7ob tells .us rbat Godfealeth up'the ft.<rs, (i.e.) fay fome, he preferver~ t~;g~~ m t.hett orbs, m the pbces ~here he bath fer them they !hall never dtop out • feal>
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