nS8 ~ BooK Ill. ~ Of the l(,noTJ?ledg, of (jod the Father, L Of Savi,our, in that his Name of [ fifru]. 2. Of [ Chr!ft]. 3· Of [Lord]. Which three do comprehend a RefpeCl: and Foundation unto all his Purpofes, of what fort foever. The words afo~e memwn all three; I~ Jifru Chrijl om· Lord, which ilfucs fully to the Pomt mHand, and falls m wuh the words here to the Corinthirms, my Text. Thus of God's Purpofes, which were the Matrix, the Womb of all Things. I!. Chrifr is the Medium of God's Creation, CN. But more particularly, let me here add one Infl:ance, which yet may ferve for all other; and I add it here, becaufe it neighboureth fo near this form, as I could not well leave it out here : And it concerns the El.:ecution of all Things begun by the fame Chril:t, as the former did, t?e purpofes of all Things i~ Jefus Chrifl:. And fo we have Proof, and Infl:ance m both Kmds, both mGods Pur– pofes, and in the execution of them out of the fame Chapter. When God !hould after ( as he did ) come to effect or put in execution all or any of thefe the purpofes of his Heart, frill this Lord prefents himfelf as fi; and able to fubferve him in the execution thereof, as an Univerfal Agent or In– firument; In the virtue of whom he effected them all, and brought them forth to act. For Infiance; The firfi Purpofe of God that was put into execution, and which was in– deed the Ground-work, the Materia Subflrata, or SubjeCl: Matter of all other Works that were to follow, in execution, was that of Creation ; the putting of all Things into Being, ( as the ultimate or bottom-Subje[/, the Matter which his Decrees were to have to work upon); of this it is expre!ly faid, in Ephef. 3· 9· and indeed is added by the Apoflle, as the eminent lnfl:ance of all the re(\; Who created all Things by Jefos Chrift, not one thing excepted, but was created by him. And again, If when God, fetting his Hand to create, would make more . Worlds than one, ( as he bath made two, viz,. Heaven and Earth ) in the vir– tual Influence of this Lord, God-Man, it was, that thefe Worlds were made; Heb. r. 2. Whom he hath appointed Heir of all Things ; by .whom alfo he made the Worlds. And herein, likewife again, this Lord is the Maker of all, and every thing in each and both thefe Worlds ; Co, ~of. I. I 6. Vijib!e or lnvijib!c, whether Things in Eartb or in Heaven. All which IS to be underfiood of him as God– Man.· But of thefe Things afterwards, upon that Col. 1. I6, &c. more parti– cularly. Ill. The Church of the EleCl: have a more fpecial dependance upon one Lord Chrifl:, as God-Man, I Cor. 8. 6. And we by hi!JJ, I !hall lay down only fome Generals, that !hew the Tenure that the Church of the EleCl: hold on the one Lord. Chrifl:, as God-Man. . Two Things are imported in thefe words, .And we byhi111. r. A Super-creation Being, and Exifl:ence given us in Him. 2. Super-creation Bleffings, and Benefits by Him, which appertain to that Be– ing in Him. Which Bleffings are of two forts. I. Of Redemption, as Siimers, through this one Lord ; as he is Jejiu, that we hold of his Merits. 2. Of Bleffings abl:traa:Iy confidered, from thofe of Redemption; that we hold of him as he is Chrift the Lord ; through our Relation to, and Union with his Perfon. We
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