Ph 'l.r . t9 . 1 Cot, l5 · )7, 1 Pet. r. zo, Book ll. Locking unto :fefru. Chap.!.Sett.t !mowledge ofGvd, and his free love that is the caufe thereof. 3· He h.rth chofen m in him before the foundlltion of -the world. J ( i ) From all eternity; but becaufe within eternity God 4oth fore fee the things which are done in time, therefore this phrafe (fay fome) may be extended not only to rcfpect the actual creation, but the decree it felf of the worlds being ; q. d. he hr<th chofen us ir1 order of nature, brfore his decree did fay the foundation of the wodd. My meaning is not to enter into contraverGes; this all grant, that the ancient love which the Lord hath borne us in Chrifl: is not of yefterday, but before all worlds. Paul mentions gr11ce given m before all "P?orlds. But that which is the mofr obfervable in the text, as to our purpofe, is, that we are chofen in him; we read efthree phrazes in Scripture fpeaking ofChrifr; fomet imes we are faid to have bleffings in him, and fometimes f or him, and fometimes through him. · Sometimes in him, as herr, he hMh chofen us in him; fometimes for him, as el!"ewhere, to y ou it is given for (hrift hu fa-~e, not one!y to beluve, but to j'uff'tr; fometimes through him, as in that of Paul, thank! be to Uod which giveth us the vi[fory through our Lord '/4w c£.rift. Now blel1ings come through (/?rift, in refpe& chat Chri!t is a Media tour not onely of impetration, but execution; noc onely obteining and re-ceiving from gr~r:e all good for us, but in executing and appl ) ing efficacioufly the fame unto us: And bleffings come for {hrift , in reipect that Chrifi doth by hi.s obedience obtain .every good thing,which in time is comunicated to us: And we have bleflings in Chrift, becaufe that in Chrifr,as a common frore-houfe, every thing is firft placed, which is to be imparted afterwards to any of us. And thus we are chofen in C brill as in a common perfon. This grace ofelection begal'l fi rit at(_ brifr our head, and fo defcends downwards on us his members ; Chrifl: is the firft begotten amnngfi all his brerhren,having the prebeminence, or Chrifr was the firft-borne among many bre. tbren, the fir fl: that opened the womb: Chri!l: was fealed and fet apart to be the Prince of our falvation,before (in order of nature) we were elected. Concerning this election, or predefrination ofChri{t, the Apoft le puts all out ofquefrion,who verily wM f.qre6rd.~ined beforethefcundations of the world,but WM manifPjf in thefe l!'jf :imes for·yoc . SECT.
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