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V
E
R.4.
gods
EleSion..
37
our
fall
is
elected
;
no,
he
is
the
firft
begotten amongft
all his
brethren,
having the
prxeminence;
He was fealed, and
let
apart to be
the Prince
of
our
falvation
,
to
the glory
of grace, before
(
for nature)
that
we
were
elected
;
He
was fore
-
known
before
the foundation
of
the
world,
I
Pet.
t.
The
wife providence
of
God doth
difpofe every
thing,fo much more
principally
and timely, by
how
much
it
is
more
excellent
:
Hence
it
is,
that
it
doth not
think
of
elating
and predeftinating us,
who
are
as
abo-
dy,
and come
by
occafron
to think
on
him,
who
is
the
head afterward.
2.
We
are predeftinated
to be
made
like
unto him.
Now
that
matter-
picture,and firlt pattern
is
beforethat which
is
drawn byit,
and
done
af-
ter
:
Chrift
was
the
chiefe
pattern
of
the
elation
of grace;
And look
as
it were an unnaturall
thing for the
feet
to come forth
of
the
wombe,
before the head
;
So for
us
to come forth of thii womb before our
head,to
me feemeth very prepofterous
;
yet
I
fay, though
he
is
firft
cho-
len to
that glory which
became him
as
ahead,
he
is
not the
caufe
why
we are chofen
;
Even
as
the
tint
vldam
is
not the
caufe
why
God
did
love one,
fo
that
I
fhould be
a
man,
and have this naturall lifeand being,
though
in and
through
him
I
come
to
have this being
:
So Chrift
is
not
the
caufe
why God
would haveme, rather then others,
have
this
being
and life
above nature,
though
I attain
to,
and
receive
this being
in
him,
for
his
fake, and
through him. The
love
of
God
as
immediately com-
meth from himfelf to me,
as
to Chrift
;
this love
whereby
he would
have me
to
receive fupernaturall life and
bleffednet'e with himfelf. But
here
two
weightyObjections
are
to be
anfwered
;
for
hence
two
errone-
ous
conclufions are inferred,
in
this
wife; The
firft
proveth that we,
as
elected, are now confidered
as
fallen
into
fin.
Thofe
who
are chafen
in
him,whofe
promifi
and
exhibition
commeth
in
after
fin,they
are
confidered
as
now
infin,
before they
are
thorn
: Bat obj
ect
.
I.
we
are
chofen
in
him,
&c.
The
firft part
is
not
true,
as
which prefuppofeth
that
things are
in
Re/i.
Gods
intention in
the
fame
order
in
which we
fee
them
in execution
:
Things
in
their materiali
exiting
have one order,
in
their intending ano-
ther.
I
want
a
houfe
to dwell
in,
I
mut
hire
or
build
one,
I
cannot
get
any let to
mc,
fay
I
;
well then
;
I intend
to
build me
a
dwelling houle,
I cannot without workmen
;
I intend
in
the third
place,
to
hire
Car-
penters and Mafons, but becaufe
my workmen
can
doe nothing without
matter, hence I decree
to
prepare
tone
and
wood
:
Now
in
executing,
I
firft
let
tone
and wood the
matter, then
I hire
workmen, then
I
raifc
the frame,
then
I
enter and dwell
in
it.
In order
of
materiali
exiting,
Chrift
is
revealed, promifed, exhibited after fin, but he was intended
before
fin
;
the
Apotle
reckoned
the order
in
which
.
,things
exit,
I Cor.
3.
22, 23. the world, youthe Elect,
Chrift, God
but
he gi-
verhus
to
underftand
the order
of
intention
:
firft
God intendeth
his
own
glory, then
Chrift,
then the
Church,
then the
World
:
He who
is
elated
and fore
-known
to
be
a
Lamb
taking away
fin, a
Mediator
redeeming from
finne
and
death,
he
is
elated
him
felfe
after
E
fin