Book II. Looking unto :fejttJ, Chap.I .Seet.s jpirit of life they jhall be united. Tl us may I imagine the Lord from all eternity to fay, and fpeak, and purpofe with himfelf, and furely his purpofes mufi fiand upon this account,for the gifts and , ~.'Jtn. 11 , 29 , calling ofGod are without repentance.. . ltom, 81 30. Ecclef. 1, 4• SECT. VIIJ. The Decree. THe DeHee ofGod concerning mans fa! vation bef()re the fouudation of the world, appea rs in thefe texts, 4 will declare the decree (f.<tith God);what was that? why, concerning Chrifi, and concerning the Church, thou art my Sonne, this d-;y ·have I begotten t'hee ; I'Ai(; of me, and I fo al! give thee rhe heathen for thine inheritana, and tbe uttermoft parts of the earth f or thy pof] ef!im · It was Gods Decree to give out of Jewes and Gentiles a Church to Chrift ; and this Decree was made in that day of eternity, when theSonneofGod was begotten of his Father. Tbii decree in Scripture-phraze hath feveral titles, J. It is the very fame with that which we ufually call Predeflination; for what is Preddl:ination but a Decree of God concerning the different preparation ofGrace, whereby fome are guided infallibly unto falvation? Predeftination is a Decree both ofthe means and end; a Decree of giving Grace effectual unto fome perfons here, and of bringing the fame perfons unto glory hereafter. This Decree, thi~ Predell:mation, this go iden chaine of the meanes and end, is (et down by the Apofile, Whom h~ did predeftinate, them he alfo called, and whom he c.t/led, them he al(o juflijird, and whom he jr.Jiijird, them he aljo glorified. As God bath predeftinated fome to hte and glory, fo be hath preddl:inated them to be called , and jufl:ified before they b.:: glorifi ed; whomfoever the Lord bath decreed to fave , them hath he alfo d('creed to fam'l:ifie befor~ they come to enjoy that falvation. G'd hath chofen us in Chrifl bcfwe the foundation of the world, that we fhould be firfr holy, and then happy. See how thefe are twifred by the Apofile once and again, God hath from the beginnii'Tg chofen you to falvation, through fanaification of the Spirit, and beliefe of tbe truth. lhave heard offome blafphemous reafonings, if we - are
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