Downame - Houston-Packer Collection BX5133 .D76 C551 1608 v.1

OfGods elçElion,the a tofes,fubief!,obieïf,&e. , 175 vfe-ofthe meanes tending thereunto, for the praife of the glorie ofhis grace. In this definition is fet downe firfl the efficient caufe or author of' our ele6tion, namely God himfelfe, theFather, the Sonne and the holyGhof ; and this appeareth Eph, t .4. Re hash cbo(in vs inhimbefore the foundation-of the world, that 117ee fhould beeholie, &c. And Ioh.i 5..16. re hauenot cha. fenme, but I haue chofen you,aid ordatnedyouthat t leegoeand bring foorth fruit,&c. Secondly, the motiue or impulf ue caufeofGods eleí` iort is expreffed,namely,Gods free loue,meere goodwill and vn- deferued grace. And this alto is manifell Luk.i 2.3 2. Feare or little f ocke, for it is yourfatherspleafure to glue youa king. dome, And Eph.i .5. who bath predeffltnated vs tobeeadopted through lefur Clorauntobimfelt; according to thegoodpleafure- ofhis will. Here therefore are excluded all other caufes, wherewith diuers haue imaginedGodwasmoued to eleci vs;asnamely our owne will, the forefeeingofourworkes,worthineífe or faith, and the merits of our Sauiour Chrifi. And that thefe were not the caufes which moued the Lord to elect}vs, it maybee prooued by maaifefi tcfiimonies ofScripture. Fir( ; our owi e will is expreffely excluded, Rom.9,i 6. it is not in him that a illeth or runneth, but in God thatfhemeth mercie. Se- condly,not the forefight ofour owne wo: s, for the Apofile plainly affimeth,Rom.9.1 r:r.2.that befolf4he children were borne ,and when they had neither donegoodorer:ill; that the prtr re of Godmight remame . according to eleEh&n, not by workr,but. by him that calletk I 2. It mau raid y to her, theelder/hallferue theyounger: r 3. Asir r, written, l have toned. Jacob and hated Efsu Andchap. 1.5.6. he faith, that Gcds èleFlionis ofgrace, and ifit beeoft.race it isno moreof wortes, er elfe weregraceno moregra-e. Thirdly, not the forelght ofanyworthinef 'e iu vs More than in others :For there is no-dt f fererrce, for all haue finned andare depriuedofthe glorieof God : as it is 11.6m.3 .23. And theApoflle affirmethboth ofhimfelfe andothers,that theywereall dead in their linnet, and by nature the children of ),Vratbascellas others, Eph.2.1.3 . Fourthly, the Lordrefpe fed

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