Downame - Houston-Packer Collection BT70 .D75 1628z

CH AF. i. OfChrifi. 287 Thole which make the name of Predeftination proper to the Isle&, as thoughGod had not predeflina.- ted the Reprobate, but onely fore- knowne that thy fhould bee fuch, whereas Predeftination is fpoken ofwicked a&ions,Atli 4. z8. and the word equivalcnt thereunto 7rpoys ypaptvf'or (fore appointed) is vied for reprobation, lude 4. Theword Pre- fcience or fore-knowledge, is miffe- vnderf}ood of many for a bare knowledge inGod of all things that fhallbe, efpecially of the qualities thatGod fore-lawwould be in men, whereby he was led to choofeor re- ie t them, as Faith or Infidelitie, good or euill workes : And fo they make it a caufe by it felfe feuered fromhis Decree; teaching that the Reprobate are onely fore-knowne, not predeftinate: wherein is a dou- bleerrour ( betide the mif}akingof the wordPredeftination) for, Firft, Prefcience or Fore-know- ledge isneuer reparate from theDe- cree of God, but alwayes taken for an ordayning and fore-appointing, when it is referred to hita: and there- forehis bare knowledge,whereby he vnderfl andethall things that fhallbe, commeth not within the compaffe of this word. Secondly,It pointeth out the free fauourof God , and therefore hath place onely in theE1ett, But before we proceed to the further vntfolding of it, let vs,forour better vnderffáding, di(}ingui{h thefe words Purpofe, Fredafixation, and Pre- fcience,orFore-k nowledge, awordwhich in this Ar- gument wee often meete withal!. Purpofe,is Gods gene- rall Decree of all things, for the manifefling ofhis Glorie. Prede lination is one branch of this Decree, to glorifie himfelfe by the faluation of Tome, and deflruaion of other fome;in the one, to thew his Iuflice; in the other, to let forth his Merck. Prefcience or Fore- knowledge , is retlrayned to that part of his De- cree, which concerneth thofe that fhall bee fa- ued ; fignifying a De- cree with a loue and lip king , andwhen you ap- ply it to the perfons,is alwayes fpoken ofthe Ele& , ne- uer of the Reprobate, as, Rom.8. 30. Thom bee didfore_ ,know, he did prede£tinate tobe conformed to the Imageofhis Sonne, Rom, tT.2. god bath not reietledhispeoplewhomhe fore-knew. i.Pet. z. 2. Fore_knowne before the foundation of the World. So that where theApoflle, Ar 2.23. tel_ T 3 loth -

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