Of EleClion. 433 Secondly, As Election was Free in choofing t!Je Jews, and is froe in tile~ choice of thole ,rews who are to come_, and yet God took in this refpect too Chap. 7. their Fathe~s tn 1t notwtthfiandmg; fo lt !S 1n ours: And fo it gqe> not by Birth~ as the movtng caufe , but as the fubfervmg Infirument or means to manifefi thlt his Love the more; both to the Father, and the Child. . And therefore thirdly, God often times ( if not ufually) to lhew his Grace takes not all the Seed. Do you fl!Y wherein hflve I loved you, Wfls 110 t Efau J acobs Brother, yet I lovedJacob, a11d h.1tedEfau? M1l. t, 2, Now Secondly, Let us confider what Harmony in Reafon there is for this, that God ·lhould ordain the C h1ldren of Holy Parents to be holy. Something t o which Purpofe I have belorc hinted jpflr~m in this Difcourfe ; as, '· That God hath implanted even in affedion, yea the graciousaffedions of parents, the firongefi defire of their Childrens Salvation next to their own : And God knows t he heart of a F~cher , as having a Son himfelfwhom he loves ' and whom alfo Out of love he chafe and ordained Heir of all things, Heb. 1. 2, Therefore to comply with their defire of his own implanting, he hath ordered the coming fonh of his Eled in this World fo, as they lhall ra– ther iffue out of the Loins of his Eled, than of others, who would not ha~e hearts to defire any fuch Priviledge for their Children, nor would ever acknow· ledge it a mercy. It was indifferent in-it felf, through whofe Loins his Elect 1hould come, for that ferved but to bring forth Men whom he would love. And feeing it would bo • gratification from God unto fuch Parents, and but cafi a– way upon others, he rather chafe to befiow it upon his own, rather than O· thers. . , And Secondly, This is a Blelling and Priviledge more than meerly outwards, or which extends but unto this Life; it is a Spiritual bleffing, and reacheth to Eternity, and of its comfort tho inward Man is only capable. All fp:rirual AffcCrions of love to others , though drawn forth in , and by llelhly Relati– ons, will continue for ever: So what fpirituallove harh been drawn om between Man and Wife will continue in H eaven, as it is an honour to Chrifi for even So I, aud the Childrm whom tho11 haflgivm me: And to Minifiers their Con– verts are their Crown in the Dav of Chri!l:, and fo likewife are fuch Children to fuch Fathers. It had been a fmall thing to Abraham to have been counted the Father of the Faithful , if his comfort from it had been but what he had when he was here, and faw none but Ifaac and Jjhmael of his Seed: No, it is yet to come, when at the Day of Judgment, he lhall fee fo many of Gods Beloved ones to hwe been t:rken out of his Loins. 3· Ou Gods part, it became him to do this favour for his Children; for it a– grees with the exade!l: Rules ofFriendlhip (which towards his Eled God pro· teffeth to walk by, and keep unto) that can be found upon Earth, to be a Friend unto the Family of aFriend, a Friend unto his Houfe after him: Th•n this, there is no higher commendation of Friendlhip. 'David and Jollathan ( you know) were the noble!l: Pair of Friends and highe!l: Patterns of Friend– lhip , we read of iM fiory; and fee whu a Covenant they make each with o– ther' I s,,/1, 20. '4· I)· Thou fjJ,IIt 1/0t 011/y while yet I live, {hew me the l{ind11e(s of the Lord--but al{o thou jhalt 11ot cttt off thy kindm(s from my Houfe furever; and verfe 4 2 ' their Oath W3S between each others Seedforever [ betwee11th~ Seed, m1d my Seed: J Now God profcfT<th himfelf the rruefi , the compleatefi Friend, anol therefore no firain of Friend!hip fh all Men take up, which he will be wanting in, yea, wherein he will not exceed. What ! 4ooo, years a.fcer to remember his Covenant with A6rflham and Jf,•ac! as m the future converfwn of the Jew! their Seed he will 1 RowJ, ' 1. ~8. The A– po!l:le gives this as a roafon ofthat rh~ir converfion, they are Betovrdfor tbetr Fathers fake: What an unheard of Friendlhip is this? Can M' n boafi of 1he like 1 You know God profcffethof A6rab.1m , that hewa.rhi! Frintd, Jal)lcs 2. 23. [ tllld he was crtlledtf,e Frimd of God] and in this very rcfped God chofe his Seed; and the Covenant with them takes in <his very Confiderarioo, (and unto that of his is ours conformed) rhus exprdly, I(i•i·4'·8. Tbo" l(rael flrt mv Jervant , Jacobwhm I havr chofe!l, the Seed of AbrahamHIJ FriqJd, you K kk ma;-
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