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V
E
R.4.
gods
EleBion.
45
The
former
propofìtion
is
not
true; It
is
enough,
if
by
Gods decree
7,
ofpermtring
fin,
they
may become finfull, which
is
the
truth
;
For
God did
by
his
decree
of
pernsiflion (hut up all in fin,
that
he
might
have
mercy upon
all.
Theaffitmption
is
denied:
Theeffeá
was alike
bycreation, but the
S.
love
born
to
fome,
in
regard
of
life
eternall,
was
notyeelded to other
-
fbme
:
theevent
Both tellit aloud ;
for
why,
on
the
like fall
and mifery
of
all, .doth
he
thew
fuch riches
of
grace
to
force, above
otherfome
Certainly
becaufe
before the fall,he had loved them to life: Henceic is,
that
all
thegrace
(hewed after fin,is
but
an
Epiphony
of
that love which
k
God
did
beare
before the fall.
To
the laft
:
I deny
that Gods
decree
of
permitting
fin,
doth
take
9.
away
liberty
in
finning.
While
Gods decree
did not take away his
judgement,
but that
he
did work
by counfell,
and think
the thing fach
as
he
might do, or not doewhilehe
finned
with this judgement, he
fin-
ned
freely, though
never fo neceffarily.
If
Gods
decreeto
permit
a fin,
doth not bring on ofneceffrty
the
being
of
that
fin,
then
God
may per-
mit
or
deliver
a
finnerto
fin, and
no
fin
followeth.
But
this latter
is
molt
abfurd for
God might have
his
action made fru(trare, and when
God
giveth
a
man
penally
up
to fin,
it
fhould be in
the creatures power whe-
ther
cods
judgement lhould be executed on him,
yea
or
no.
Thus
ha-
ving difcuffed
this queftion, we paffeon
to the lait
circumltance
:
The
next end
of
our election.
The
Life
of
this
Doctrine
is, firft
to
endeare this love
of
God
to as:
ï
r;
We
fee in
humane loves,
if
one
haveof zo.
3o.
of4o.
yeares, born
us
good will,
this
circumftance of antiquity,
doth
make
it
more
refpected
of
us.
How
fhould weaccount
of
this
love,which before
all
worlds,the
Lord
did bear
us,
accordingly
as
he
hathmanifefed the
fame
in us
who
beleeve.
This doth
give
us
to
confider
how conftant the Lords
love
is;
As
we finde it
in
time,
fo he did intend it
towards
us
from
all
eternity
;
z.
Thus
he
goeth on, not onely within himfelf,
but towards
us,
without
any alteration
or
fhadow
of
change: and
thus
he
will
doe;
for
whomhe
once loveth unto life, he
doth
love him ever,
as
Chrift
fpeaketh.
We
do
feele
changes, but look
as
the Skieis variable,
the
Suh in it
felf
being
no
whitchanged
;
tjtus
the
effeéts
of
God
in
us
vary,
though himfelf
in
his
affèétion (if
I
may
fo fpeak) is
immutable
toward
us.
Laftly;
We
may hence
gather the freedome
of
Gods love,choofing
us
to life
;
things which are not, cannot have vertue
of
caufing
this or
that:
When
we
were not,ne yet had done
any
thing,before
all
worlds,
we were chofen
by him,
ergo,
S.
Paul,
Rem.
9.
faith,
God
theft
Jacob
before
he w
es,or had
done any thing,that the election might beaccording
to free
purpofe; and
S.
Paul
2
Tim.
r,
faith, that
wee
are
lived,
not
by
works, but according
to
grace
givenas
before
all
worlds
;
whereas merit
of
works, and grace given
us
before
all
worlds,
are oppofed.
If
any fay
that
Paul
excludeth works then prefent, when God elecìeth, it
nothing
hindereth but that
he
might from eternity fore
-fee
works whereon, be-
fore