44 .Book H. Jlroittng unto ]efu3'. Chap·':l.Secb, purpofe of God, fo. rhedecree of Gud fpeaks the ft~bm;;~;i·~ryofrhe thing de- • Tim. , , ! (, creed. The Foundatton ofGodft~ndeth fure;(t.) The decree ofGod rouchmg mans Salvation is unchangable. If the Laws oftheMedes and PerfianJ were fo abfolure,rhat they could nor be reverfed, then much lefs can the decrees of God be rcverfed: no man rhar is nor elect– ed can be e~etted ;, and no _man thar ,is eleCted can pofilbly be damned. My jheep hEar my voice (fmh Chnf1) and!g•ve unto them eternal life, and they jhallneverpmjh, neither Joh xo. •j,o8. jha/1 any man pluck.. them out of my hand. And lt mufi needs be fo, for Gods decree is grounded on the Eternal and unchangable w1ll of God ; and hence we fay that there is a cerram number of the EleCt known only to God, wlllch cannot poffibly be encreafed or Joh,, 3 . , 8 . diminifhed.. I ~Qlow whom I h~ve chofen, faith Chrift_. And yet thou can[\ not, 0 my foul, hence mfer, that thou ma1fi be fecure; for m this decree the end and the means are joyned together of God, and they cannot be feperated by any man : if thou bedl not godly, never expeCt to be happy: Gods decree of Predefiination is as well for the giving of grace, as forthe giving of glory. 6. Confider the Covenant {\ruck betwixt God and Chrifi fot thy falv>tion. If thou wouldf1: fain be acquainted with the very Articles of i~, go on then, rake Scripture along, and firfi on Gods part thou mayf1: obferve, and meditate, and confider of rhefe panicu. Jars.--- . , I. That there was a defignation and appoimmem of Chrift from all Eternity to the office of Mediatorlhip: whence Chrif1: isfaid robe fealed by the Father, for himhath God Joh 6. 'i• the Fatherfealed: and chofen of the Father, beholdmy fervantwhom I uphold, mine Elelt, ICc~.-4:.. 1 ' or chofen one. 2. There was a commandment from rhe Father to the Son, which he muft obey, and fubmit unto. As firfi, he had a command what tO teach his people, as the Prophet of )oh. 12 , 49 , the ~hurch, for I h•ve 11ot{pok§n of myfeif (faich Chrifl) bJet the Father which {ent me, hegave me a commandment, what I {h•uldfay, and what I foou!d[P;ak._. Secondly,he had a commandment to lay down Ius lt(e for thofe that were gtvcn hnn, no man tak!th it fron Joh. IO. tS. me, but I lay it down of my {e/f; I have potverto lay it down, and I have power to tak§ tt again; this Commandmmt have I received of my Father. 3. There was a Promife from the Father to the Son : the Father covenants with him in thefe things; firil, that he will give him the Spirit in abundance. Behold my [er– lla. 4'· I. vant whom I uphold; - ·I have put my Spirit _upon him, hejh.11/ bring forth judgment to the JfJ, ,,, I, ,, Gentiles. -And the Spim of the Lordfoal/ reft upon him,the Spirit of wi{dom and under– ftanding, the Spirit of counfel and might, the Spirit of ~Qlowledge, and of the fear of tb: Lord. Secondly, rhat he will give him afi!ftance and help in this great work ofRedemplf,,, 4' · 6. tion, I the Lord have ea/led thee in righteou[nejs, and will hold thy hand; what'sthat? why, I will ftrengthen thee with my power, I will fo hoid thy hand that thou lhalt not be difcouraged in the work ; he foall not fail, nor be di{conraged till he have[et iudgJfo. 42 • 4· ment upon the earth. Thirdly, that he will give him a bleiTed fuccefs, that he il1all not labour in vain, heJludl fee hid feed, he foall prolong his day,, and the pleajitre of the Lord Ita.>S· 10 • 11 • foall pro{per in his hands: he jhall fee of thetravail ofhis[on!, andfoall befatisjied. Chrifis fuffering were as a womans travail, though il1e futfer many pains and pangs, yer 01e fees her Child at !aft; fo il1all Chrift fee many believing on bis Name: they are the promife lfJ, 5)· 5· made by ~the Father to the Son, that Nations that ~nowhim not jiMilrununto him. Fourth– ly, that he will give himand 1 his Redeemed ones everlalting glory; to Chrift_bimfelf there is a promife of glory,he bath glorifiedthee. And to the Members of Chnfl the~·e is a promife of glory ; and thiS prom& of glory ro them w~s ma~e known to Chnlt from everlafiing: it was one of the fecrets of God, and C..hnfl: bnngs om that fecret from the bofome of his Father, and reveals it to his Difciples. It is my Fathm pleafor< Luk. "· 3>· (faid be) togive yo11 the Kingd•m; Chrifi knew his Fathers will ~y theCovenanr p~ffing betwixt his Father and him, and this will of the Father concer~mg glory promJied to theSaintsChriftdoth bring forth to hghr. T~efe wer~ the Arttcles _of the Co.enanton Gods part; now 0 my foul, fee themon Chnils ~art 1n thefe parttculars.- I. There was an acceptation of the office to whllh he was defigned by. the _Fath<;; he did not take the office of Mediator!hip U?On himfelf, but firfl: the Father calls h1m ro It, and then the Son accepts it. Chrift glorified not himfolf to be made an high Prieft, but he Hob ; . > that_(aid unto him, thott art 'my Son, to day have i begotten thee ; he called him,and then f!tb. '· :o i· the Son apfwered, Lo l<;ome. . A J. 2. There was a promife on Chrifts ~art to depend and trufl upo 1God for help ; -~ a~ain !will pHt my tm~< in him. they ~re Lhe words of Chrifl to his !'ather· AndbJfa' ' • ~ , . mp
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