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V
E
R.4.
gods
Eleffion.
But
I
will
handle the
firft
in
the
next DOdrine
;
the later
in
the
la(t
conclufion or doétrine
of
this verte.
From
this
then,thatwe
are
beloved
in
Chrift
as
our head,
we
may gather our happineffe. O how
firme
is
that
conjunEiion,
which
is
begun
in
fuch
a
head,
who
is
God with
God,
bleffed
for
ever
!
If
Kings bear
good
will
to
fome family,
if
his
love
begin in
fome
chiefe
one who
is
with him
at
Court,
as
his
fpeciall favou.
rite,it
is
fo much
the
firmer to all
the reti
of
them.Thus herehow
firm
84
fore
is
his
love
to
us,
whom
he
hash
loved
to
life
in
Chrift
our Head,and
eldefl
brother,
w
ho
is
his
naturali Son, from whom it
is
impotlible
that
his
love (hould ever
ftart
a
and
when
it
is
fure
to the head,can the body
be
forfaken
Before
thefoundation
of
the world
:
]
Obferve what
ancient love
the
Lord bath born
us in
Chrift
:
it
is
not
of
yeflerday,but before
all
worlds,
that
his
love
refted
onus,
elating
us
to
falvation, fach
as
fhould (land
with
the
praife
of
his
glory,
z
Tim.
.9.
There
is
mention
of
Grace
given
us before
all worlds. lohn
17.24.
c
*take
it
manif¿fl
that
thou
loveJlthem,as
thou
lovedfl
me before
thefoundation
of
the world.
I
have loved
thee
with an
evcrlafling
love,
faith
the Prophet. Earthly
men will purchace
to
themfelves and heires,
when
it
is
but
a pofïibiliry
whether they
(hall
have heire
of
their body, yea or
no.
Again, they
will thew
their
care
of
pofterity while yet
they
are
unborn, by
making
fure intailes
:
But
our
Father
of
all
the Fatherhood
in heaven and
earth,
doth, when
we
were
but
poffible creatures
before him, love
us
to
this end
of
fuper-
naturali bleffedneffe
:
for,
by
this phrafe I
take
not onely eternity,
but
the
degree
of
order
in
eternity,
is
noted, that for order,before the being
of
the world was willed
by him,
he did
Phew
us
this grace
of
choofing
us
to
life.
Here therefore
is
fit
',face
confider
of
that
queftion ;
whe
-'
ther
Godforefeeth
man
an
fallen,
before be
deli
him.
The
queftion
I
fhould
anfwer negatively,
but
in
determining
of
it,
we will confider ;
a. The
arguments
which
affirme
it.
a. The
reafons
which deny.
3.
We
will
(hew
what we
take
to be the truth
in
this
matter,
anfweringle
argu-
ments
which
are
here propounded
to the contrary.
r
Firlt then the execution
is
urged, to prove our
Eledtion after fin.
Thole
whom God (now
fallen into
fin)
juftifieth, faveth, and con
-
demneth, thole now
being in
fin,
he chofe to fave, and decreed to
condemne.
But
God
faveth and
condemneth
men
now
fallen
into fin, Ergo.
z
Thofe who
are
chofen out
ofinercy,and
reprobated out ofJuflice,
they
arenow
forefeen
in
mifery
by
fin.
But
our
Elation
is
out
of
mercy,
and
reprobation
is
out
of
Ju-
ílice, Ergo.
3
Thofe which
are
not, or
have
not
any
way being, they cannot be
elected
or
rejedted
:
But
before Decree
of
Creation,
men are
not.
Ergo.
The
firft
part
is
plain,that which hath
no being, can have
no
affeEtions,
that cannot
bee
thus,
or
thus,
which
is
not at
all.
4 That
which maketh God
firft decree mans
rejeCion,
to
the glory
E
2
of.
39