Of ElefJion. r'-Af) Secondly , To this Purpofe confider, that rhefe indefinite Promifes , or ex– floox V. prellions of Gods Decrees, umo Men, and ro fevcral forts of Men, though ~.~ rl1ey be allmdchnlte, ond nor d,flmCl:ly and parttcularly naming the Perfons; yet in refpect of rh1s rhe1r dcGgnauon, fame of them are more exprefs and ~:>articular, than others : There are feveral degrees •nd latitudes of tilem, fom e do moreconfufedly and widdy p6inr out thefe Eled:, fame more neerly aod diflind:ly; fame rake a greater compafs, fame a narrower; fame fpeak more remotely , others with a more fpecial and neerer defignarion. I may exprefs it under rhat diflinction you read in Eph.217.and lf~ti. 57· 1 9.fome are ajt~r off and fame art nigh,ThcPromifes given rheGentiles were more remote,and for ofrlor there were fuch multitudes in all Nations , as to make Promifes to fome of that multitude was very remote: It being as if one fhould fpe ak of Gold·mines in the Wrfl-lndier, nor defining where; which how wide an expreffico were ir and how far off fhould fuch an one fpeak? Bur if he fhould fay,there are abun: dance of great Mines in the Land of Jewry, even within that little compafs of People, how nigh fhould he fpeak, and how nigh would every Man of them that had F1elds and Polfefiions, think himfelf of the Polfeiiion of a Mine?This ·were a near defining of them , though with fame iAdefinitenefs, 3 contracting them within a narrower Circle : But if a Family were defigned , as theHoufr of 'David, like the naming of a Particular Field whe,re thefe Treafures were hid, this were yet more near, yet nor perfectly and diflindly defining, yet within a little, Now in futh feveral degrees of indefinires more or Jefs, hath God been pleafe~ to reveal himfelf and his Decrees according to his good plea· fure. See it in ~e fir{\ Promife given, the Promife of the M~(fiah; how vafi– ly indefinite was it?[ the Sud of th• Woman] it roolt in all Mankind, and poin– ted out one Man among{\ all: How far off was this from directing how to find who this was ? The next Promife was more definite, and contracted to a oar– newer compafs, even to A6rahams J'eed, cutting off all Nations and Fami– lies befides; and yet further contracted to Ijaack: Ifaack hod Jacob and Ejmt; Efnu was cur off, and God limited it to Jacob: But he had Twelve Sons. Now .how indefinite is the Promife again become? Then it was confined to Jud"h ; hut .7udahhad many Families. Then it was contraded to 'Davids , and to B•thlthem the City of 'DaviJ; and th~n yet nearer, to a Virgin of the Houfe of 'David, [ t1 Virgi11 fha/J concnve a So11 J and there the Star fiands even over that Field and Womb where the Me(fiab was laid. So in the Choice of 'David to be King; firfl he makes an inaefinite Promife of the Sceprer to Ju– dah; which naming of the Tribe was remote, even one among{\ Thoufands; then he names the Family, I Sam. 16. I, I wz/J {tnd thee to Jelfe the Bethlt· mite, for I haveprovided mt a King among his Sons: This was fiill indefi– nite, but very neer, for it was one among feven, and yet Samuel bids fan– difie them all, and thatthey come to the Sacrifice, vtrft 5· for lie knew nor whomirwouldfallupon. Thusirisin the Cafe in hand in the Promifes of Salvation, in which Election is more or Jefs indefinitely propounded. That Promife, [Peace on Earth, good will tow11rds Mm] Luke 2, '4· was very remote , and yet was a true exprellion of Gods Decree , that he had chofen Millions of Mm , nor Angels: Bur then it came to the Jews, I am uot (ent /;ut to thtlofl Shup of !{rat/, fays Chrifl Matth. 10. 6. and )'tare the Chil– drtn of lht Prophet and of thf Covtnmzt, unto fOtl firfl God fmt his 'Son to /;/efi you; AEls l · 25, 26. this was near; but when it came to fuch as were convened ( Sntvatio11 i6 come to this Houjt, Lukt 9·9· Thou jhntt 6t fnved, mtd thy Houfhotd, AEls 16. F· y•ea , yot<r Children are holy) it comes fa near, that he indefinitely pronounceth them truly holy upon ir. In that heap or Jump of Believers Children, there is fo much Wlieat of EleCl:ion, and fo little Chaff ~ampara t1vely to it, as he ventures to ~all the heap holy. . For, Thirdly , If you examine it, you !hall find, rhatthere is no Prom:fe of Salvation to any fort of Mankind, fo neer an Univerfal Promife as t bis is: And therefore it is juftly the peculiar Priviledge to this fort of Mankind, Be· Jievers Children , to be accounted holy , it is fo near, fa diflinct a deflgnatl· on, For,
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