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V
E
R.q,.
Predeflinatiom
deflination may be defined to be an
aíì
of
counfell
,
(hewing
means
e-
ffedually bringing about
fome end
:
as
now
it
is
accepted
of
the will,
it
differs
therefore from election.
Fir(l,
EIe&ion
is
in
the
will, this
is
in
the underftanding
;Thole things whiehthy
coon
fellhook
predeflinated.
Se-
condly;
Election
is
only
of
the end, this
is
of
meanes
a1(ò.
Thirdly;
that
is
feated inthe will onely, this primarily
in
the
underftanding,
in
the
will by participation , in fo much
as
the
will
doth
accept ; for fhould
Gods
wifedome
'hew
meanes
which would
effee
ually
worke
any
thing; if
his will fhould
not accept
ofthem,
he could
not
be laid to
predeffinate
anggthing
by them.
This predefiTation
is
two-fold,
according
to
his ends:
The
firft
is an
ad
of
counfell,fhewing or preparing meanes
whereby
his grace
in
fome
'hall
be
glorious;and
of
this onely here
he fpeaketh,
as
is
plaine
in
the
Text:He
fpeaketh
of
it as
a
benefit in
Chrifl,
as
it
refpedeth
perfons
elect,ver
fi
4.
as
it
hath
his
terminus,adoption.
The
fecond
is, an
as
of
counfell,accepted
of
his
will, which
doth
Phew
and
decree
the being
of
all fuch
meanes,by which
his
juftice fhall
in
fome perfonsbe
glorious
:
Thus
Fulgentius
doth
make
predeftination,not onely
a
preparationin
his
eternal! difpofition
of
things which he did fore -know
himfelfe
about
to
worke,
whether
in
mercy
or juflice;
and the Scripture doubteth not
to
fay,that
God
did predeftinate
all
thofe things done to the
perfon
of
our
Saviour,then
which the
Sunne never faw
viler.The
Fathers doe define
Gods predeftination
in evill
things by fore-knowledge, onely
to
thew
a
difference
between the working
of
his
providence
in
good
and
evill,vi
that
he
doth not
worke
thofe
by
himfelfe,or by command,or
by
concur-
ring effectually
to
them,as
he
doth to good
adions.
Now
that which
is
fpokenrefpeétively,mufl
not be
abfolutely taken,
neither
need men
to
feare
the
ufe
of
fuch
phrafe, which God
himfelfe
hath
not
declined:'
But inough
of
this for this place.
Touching thethird point,Adoption;it noteth the
fame matter
for
fub-
ffance,
which
was
theendofElection,
even glorious life
withGod;but
it includeth
further
, a dignitie
or
fonne-Ihip,
which doth
intereffeus
in
fome
fort
to
life
of
glory;and looke
as
the royalty
ofa
Lord(hip,
maybe
diflinguifhed
from the Lordfhip it
felfe,
though they goe together
;
fo
may this dignity
or
title
of
Tonne.
(hip
from the inheritance
it
(elfe,
which
doth
goe
with it.
By
Adoption then, he meaneth
here
thedignity
and
glory
of
the
fonrtes
of
God;
under what main benefit, whether
under
juflification
or glorification,it
is
to be conceived,I will
thew after
in
un-
folding
the Doctrines.
The
fumme
of
thofe
two
verfes,is
in
larger terme
of
fpeech,as followeth:Ble
ffedbe God,who
hath
bleffed
usin
Chrifl with all
'iritaall
bleffing
;
as
for
example:
Who
hath
elected us, and
not
onely
chofen
us
to the end,hut hath
fo
ordered all things,by
an etern
all
difpofi-
tion
for us,who beleeve,
that
they
(hall
bring
us
to that
dignity and
full
glory
of
the
fonnes
of
God,
which
is
both
begun
in us
here
beleeving,
and
is
alto
to
be accomplifhed hereafter
through Chrift;
and
this
he Both
not
looking out
of
himfelfe
to
anything fore-feene
in
us,
but within
hitnfelfe;my
meaning
is,out
of
his
meere gracious pleafure,that thus
his
glorious
A
ßs,4,28.