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32
VERSA.
4.
8phefians,Chap.i,
`T
E
R,4,
Who
hstb
eluted
us
:
]
Now
he
doth
profecute the
DodrineofGods
benefits,which were fummarily propounded,
and
proveth
that
he
fpake
by particular enumeration; firft,
of
benefits
before
all
times, which
we
have
fo
in
Chrift, that
we have them
through
him
;
Secondly,
of
thole
benefits
whichwe have fo
in
Chrift,that
we have
them allo
for
his
fake,
and
through
him,
as
he
fpeaketh
in
the 7. verle,
changing
his
phrafe,in
wham
we
have
rediption,through
his blond.
The
former
are
two.
r.Eledtion
in
this
verfe.z.Predeftination
in
the5.and
6.verfes.
In
this verfe weare to
marke thefe
things.
1.
The
fpirituall bleffing,
as he
bath
elected. 2.
The
perforas
here laid to be elected, (ue)3.
The
perfon
in
whom, (in
him)
4.
The
time.
S.
The
end.
Firft,to
open the meaning
ofthem,and
then tocome tothe
inftrudtion
to
he deduced. Firft,
for
Eledtion,
it
is
put fometime
for that
eledtion
which
is
made
in
temporary execution
of
Gods purpofe,whether
it
be
a
feparating
of
men
tothe
frate
of
Grace, which maketh them
as
the cho-
fen firft fruits
of
the
creature;thus
it is
taken,
¡oh»
¡g.19.Theworld
hateth
you
becau
fe
I
have
chofen you out
ofthe
world,and
thus, r.Pet. z.ver.z.es
the
elellofthe
di(ßerfion,
feemeth
to
be underftood
:
or
a
feparating
ofthem
to
any
office
or dignity,
as
Saul;
yea,
Judea
might
in
this
fenfe
be
faid
(chofen.)
But heere he fpeaketh
of
that choyfe which God made with
himfelfefrom
all
eternity,as
is
manifeff.
Secondly,
By
the
perlons (us,) he meaneth
him lelfe
with
thole
Epbe-
fians
which
he had called Saints and beleevers,ver.
r.
In him.]
Is diverfly conftrued; firft,in
him, that
is
in
God the
Sonne,
not confidered
as
God_man, Head and Mediator
of
the Church, but
as
fecond
Perfon,Godwith
the Father.
Thus
all
things
arelaid created,
in,
or
byChrift
;not that
he
is
confidered
as
Man
-God
in this
worke,but
be-
caufe
Chrift God
-Man
as
the
Sonne
of
God, God
with the Father
and
Spirit,as
that
perfon by
whom
all
things
are
created.Butver.3.ir
is
plaine,
he
doth
confider
Chrift
as
we are
bleffed
in
him,
in
regard
of
both
na-
tures,
even
as
he hath
God
for his
God by covenant;
In him
who
hath
God
for
his
God
and
Father,we
are blefled.
Some
make
this(i»
Chrif
)not
to
be
referred to
that
adtìon
of
election,
but tothe end,
in
this
fen((e; He
bath
chofen
win
ChrifI,
that
we
fboald
be
holy,
that
is, he
hath chofen
us
that
we fhouldbe holy
in
Chrift;
but
be-
fides
the harfhnes,
it
is
impertinent, though
a
truth;
for, his fcope
is
to
prove,not that
in
Chrift
we are made
holy,but that
we have this
blefling
of
eledtion in
Chrift.
Some
take
(in
Chrift,)
as
if
itbelonged tothe
perlons elected,
in this
fenfe,as he
hath
chofen
us
now by faith
in
Chrift,to that
fore-fight
of
his
which beholdeth
all
things
as
prefent,which are to
come;but
this
is
be-
fide
the
fcope
of
this Scripture, which intendeth not to
lay downe our
union with Chrift by faith,but Gods
elebting
Chrift;Ergo,In
him, mutt
needs belong
to the
adtion
of
Eledting, not
that
objet
about which it
is
exercifed.
In
him.]
Therefore noteth, Chrift
God-man,
as
the
head and firft
Eledt,after whom,and
in
whom
all
of
us
his
body (for order
of
Nature)
are