u6 Of the IVJorvledg of (jod the Father, ~ They fba/1 perijb, but thou remaineft; and they fha/1 wax old M doth a G.•rment : And ~· M aVefture jba!t thou fold them up, and they fba/1 be changed ; b11t thou art I he fome, and thy YeaTJ fba/1 not fail. I do not, nor mull: not affirm, that this is not at all the Object of a Decree of God's : For it is certain that all his Works, ad extra (whereof this is one) are fuch. Yea, rhis is one part and piece ofthat Fulnefs in the Text, ofwhich, as of the reil:, it is faid in the due of all, Col. I. 19. It pleafed the Father that all Fu!neJ fhould dwell in him. And again, Pfal. 2. 6, 7. I will publifb the Decree, I have jet my ICing en my holy Hill. His being King was the Object ofa Decree. Yet tl:ill! add withal, that it was withal his Due and Inheritance. Neither do I intend that it was a Decree only, and meerly in this refpel:t, to this firtl: Grace, That this Man !bould be united to God's Son, being the Objei.l of a pure and meer Arbitrarinefs in God, to have, or not to have decreed it. That therefore, this other Dignity (that is, the natural Confequent of it) is faid alfo to be fo decreed: Virtually, (or as we fay, Volitum in canf•) becaufe that that which this wholly depended upon, was the Obje<'l: of a Decree meerly free, bnt I acknowledg it truly the Obje<'l: ofa free Decree of God's Will, as well as the former. For he was willing and well pleafed in it, and from fuch a Will ap· pointed him the Heir, and made him Lord, and Chritl:. Yet fiill, fay I not in that fenfe Arbitrary, that fuppofing withal (as bath been fo often faid) him to be united to the Son ofGod, that by a contrary Decree this Royalty might for ever have been denied him, and the contrary determined by God. - And there is no Incongruity in this, or Derogation from God ; that this and other the like Priviledges !bould be both his natural Due, and yet the Obje<'l: ofa Decree. We fay againfi the Papitl:s in a matter ofa lefs alloy, That ifGod could make Man at firfi with an Undertl:anding, and a Will; it was by the Law of Creation, a nece£f.1ry and natural Due to that Man to be created Holy, and in the Image of God, and not in pure Naturals,as the Papitl:s Dream;and yet to give Man that Holinefs at firfi, was the Obje<'l: of a Decree over and above his being made Man. But this Duenefs ofChrifi's being the End ofall, (if at all the Chrifl:) is of an higher Nature; though I illufirate it by that ofa leffer,between the Cre– ator and the Creature. Alfo we know, that in Chritl:'himfelf, the Perfonal Glory he bath in Heaven, he holds by a double Tenure; the one as God's natural' Son; the other by Me· rit: and yet over and above it is faid to be given him by his Fother, as an Act of his Will and Decrees. It is true, that for the manner or way of Contrivance, how all !bould tend and ferve to his Glory, this mu{( be granted to be meerly Arbitrary, and dependent on the Counfels ofGod's Will: Fven as the ordering how they !hall ferve to his own Glory is. Yet that all !bould be cafi for Chrit1's Glory, as for God's (though in a Subordination unto God's) is a neceffary ina· tural Law between the Father and the Son: And fo he holds it, and not fimply by Arbitriment. Thus much for the fecond Particular, That his Royalty, in being the firfi of God's Decrees, and therein to be the End of all Things, is held forth in tbele Words, Firji·begottw, &c. He 1s hefore all Things. But concerning his Priority in God's Decrees, there will be occafion to fpeak more hereafter, in other places ofthis Difcourfe. CHAP.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=