74 Book II. Looking unto j-ef114. Chap. 1 .Sect. 6, unto obedience? if God did fore-know.thcm firfl: obedient, how ~ Pet.r. '·! then did he frrie-k.ifow them tmto obedience ? I know it is a quefiion, whether qod i;t fore-fight of belief, ~tnd perfevrranc~ in faith and holinrjfe , do cf,oofe us to falvation ? for my pare I am for che negative, upon thefe well·known grounds. I. Bccaufe election on faith forefeene makes God to go out of hirnfel f, looking to this or rhac in the creature , upon which his will may be determined to elect; now this is againfi the all-fuffi. ciency of Gods knowledge, as if he fhould get knowledge from the things we know, and againfi the a!!-fufficiencie of Gods will, as ifbetnufr be beholding tv fomething in us, before the bufine1fe ofour election can be determined. • 2. Becaufe Election on faith or Jove forefeen, it makes Goa · to choofe us when we have chofen him, and to love us when we have loved him firfi, but this is contrary to Scripture, FVe love him J John 4-l9 becaufe he loved us firft; --t~nd herein r$ love, .not that we loved Y,.crfe to. qod, but that he loved us, andfent his Sonne to be thepropitiation for our Jinnes. · 3. Becaufe Election on faith forefeen,flands notwirh the freedome ofGods will within himfelf, but God tells us plainly, I will Rom; f'i I$· have mercy on whom I will have mercy ; and I will have com- " 1obll Good- pajfion on whom I will have compr~jfion *. 1 know fome would' ~ins expolltion not have this text ~nderftood of Election from eternity, but !JnRom. 9· of jufrification , 2·doption, falvacion, and yet they grant lS• 16 · the truth of ittobe ·alike, whether in reference to Election, . or : Joftification : the words , I will h,we mtrcy on whom I wifl ·have mercy, a.re one and the fame with thofe word, fpoken by God t@ Mofes, I p;ill be gracious to whom 1 r:rill br graEttad-.3) .:9 ,. ciow; Now to be graciom, as is confeifed, properly imports a · propenfeneife ofminde and will to do fome ligna! good wirhout any motive or engagement thereunto from without, efpecia!ly from the perfon or perfons to whom thi> good is done,or intended; which is a plaine argument that I will have mercy, is not · of that kinde ofmercy, the exercife whereofis drawn out,or pro- - cured by any thing whatfoever in thofe to whom it is fhewed, but becaufe it pl~afech it fdf,or him in whom it refideth fo to do; . and in this refpea mercy differs very little, or nothing at all from grace: the Apofrle exchanging_MofeJ his words, was but his inltfrpreter.. · . .
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