3 6 a The Life of Faith. dedication ; either of perjons to a holy cjftce ; and fo the Mini- fleas of Chrift arc fantíifed in their Ordination (which is ,a Con- fecration) and,their felf-dedication to God. ( And it is high fa-. criledge in themfelves, or anyother, that [hall alienate them unjuttly from their facred calling and work.) Or of things to holy ufes ; (as places and utenfils may be fancShfled : Or it may be a dedication ofperjons to a holy fiat e, relation and safe ; as is that ofevery Chrifiian in his Baptifm : and this is either an external dedicat,;:n, and fo all the baptized are fintl,fi:d and holy, or an internal Dedication, which if it be fincere, it is both at oval and habitual; when we both give up our felv,s to God in Covenant, and are alto d+fpofed and inclined to him ; and our hearsare fit upon him ; yea and the life afroconfilteth of the exercifeof this difpofition; and p:rformance ofthis cove- nant. This is the Sane iñcation which here I (peak of. And f9 much for the name. The dot rinal Propofitions necefrary to be underftood about it, are thefe (more largely and plainly laid down in my Con- frffrm, Chap. 3 ) Prop. r. So much of the appearance or Image of Godas there it upon any creature, fo much it it good and amiable to God and !0040. Objecrì. God loveth us from eternity, and when we were bis enemies ; not bccaufc we were good, but to make us bett: r than we were. Anfro. Gods Love (and all Love) confi(ìeth format); in complacency. Grid hathno complacency in any thing but in good ; or according to the mcafure of itsgoodnefs : From eter- nity God forefeeing the good which wsutdbe in us, loved us as good in ere cognito ; and not as athodygood, when we.were not. When we were his enemies, he had a double lore to us (or complacency) the one was for that natural good which re- mained in us as we were men, and repairable, and capable of being made Saints. The other was for that forefeengood as in rfje cognito, which he purpofcd in time to come, to put upon us. This complacency exceeded not at all the good which was the objc6 ofit : But with it was jsyned a will andpurpofe to give us grace and glory hereafter ; and thence it is called, A Love of Benevolence Not but that complacency is the true no- tion
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