Of EleC!ion. 359 You would think with yourfelves:, fure if Chriitwereever tempted by the~ Devrl , tt would meerly and only nnfe from the Devt!s malice : llut the Evan. Chap. r4. geliit exprefl~ tells u•, MJtth. 4· 1. JefttJ wa~ led .of the Spirit, to 6r tempt. v-v""'V ed, f.!)c. Chnit w•s our Leader, and fo fuffercd bemg tempted : So the So~rit of G~d was his Leader, the Leader of him into Temptation, ' · Now look as there was this necellity laid on him , to be made this way p.r. felt; fo alfo the like necellity laid upon us, by the fame will and hand ; I<om; 8. 29. For whom he did jarek11ow, he at(o didpredeflitwte., lobe c~uformed to r'IJ! Image of hu Son, that he might /;e the firf/6onz amongfl many Brethrm: And this is particularly fpoken in relation to fufferings : And as Chri([ had his [ ot~ght, and mujl J fo have we; AfJs '4· 1.2. Co11firmi11g the So11ls ofthe 'Dif· ciptes, and exhortilzg them to co1zti11ue m the Faith; mzd that we m11fl, throttg6 much tri6ttlation, enttr iuto the Kilzgdom of God: A{\range way of comfor~ ring, fireng&hnir.g, and confirming the Brethren: llut 'it was the commori Principle the Primitive Chrinians were trained up unto. The reafoos for this, which in the Scriptures are mcire ufually rendred, are, drawn 4 confequenti, or a parte pojl; that is, from the good confcquence and fruit of them; as from the ufefu!nefs, and profitablenefs: He6. n. 10. And t hat he delights to try our Graces; Prov, 3· 12. For whom the L ord Joveth, he corrrfJeth; evmM a Father I he Son, in whom he delighJeth: And he tri<tll the righteous; P(11l. U.). And r Pet,1.7. That the tri at ofyour Faith m''Y be . f otmd ttnto prai[e, a11d Ho11ot~r, a11d Glory, at the appearing of .!e(ta Chrif/ : Which·Jo6 alfo hath, Chap. 23. 10. God therefore boafied of his fervant .]o6, Chap. t . 8. as~ General ufeth to boa{\ of a great, and noble Champion: There .are rhefe, and many the like, which the Scriptures hold forth. But thefe are not thofer am 'in the inque{\ after atthis time: But the great Qllery is, a parte ant( : That is, what ihould move God, who might have brought us to Salvation another way ; yet fo, as no way W<!uld, or did pleafe him, but this: They muft be very great Ends :I ihall take thofe that hold cor· refponde~cy with the Text, . r. He ts fet forth m thrs, as a God of all Grace, ( ~ou wrll wonder perhaps at this reafon, of all other,) and therefore ordained lt to choofe to bring us • and Chri([ 7 through fufferings, and Temptations to Glory: Grace had the firit c!1oice of us; and therewith of the way of bringing us to Salvation : And where Grace fets jt felf moft to love, there it ordains the mo([ of Afllit1io1Js, and Temptations: So of Pattl, (the next Man in Heaven to Chriit;) AfJs rg. 15, 16, He is a chofen veffel to me: fome ([range preferment furc befell this Man,whomChri([doth fo fetout: But in ver(. t6.For I willjbew him how great ~hingi.he mufl.fi4fe~ for my_ nam~s {ake : You hzve in this, Gods ever– !a([ing defign upon htm , m bnngmg htm to Glory; as comnved m hiS firft Choiaof him: And you fee a mu{/ falls upon him too; and 'tis Free Grace's palling it upon him, when it chofe him to Salvation. But £till you will fay, why is it that Grace ihould do this? to expofe thofe, whom it loves thus, to Sufferings and Temptations? Truly, 1, Becaufe Grace is feen, and difcovered mofi, in helping us, and relieving . us: Heb. 4• 16, You read of a Throne erected , and it is a Throne of Gracr: But what is it that cloth eitabliih, and exalt that Throne? Truly, Httpi11g ut in timr of need: In the execution thereof is exercifed much of the Dominion Md Soveraignty of Grace: Seen even in fending feafonnble fuccour, and r-e– lief, unto Men fuffering, and di!lreifed; in giving forth Grace and Mercy fuita– ble to their Needs in fufferings. And together herewith God affected to confound his enemies, that would be oppofitc to us: This of Grace is a Monarchy, as you fee in that Text : And Great Monarchies ufe to fhewfheir Grtatnefs,by vifJ'ories over,and fubduing Rebrls, and Enemies that are incurable: Says God, I have {et up Pharoah; to fhew whether he or I be thegrearer Ki~g: And leaves him to do his worf1: And fo in the Text, you have the Devil your Enemy; And God le" h1rrl range up and down, as if he were loofe : And he is at one end ofevery Temp· ration or other: Our Lulls are the Sea that trouble , and tofs wrthtn us; but the Devil .is the wind that fiirs up thofe waves : Chriit by cLtrbing, re([raining.,
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