to th-e E P H E S I AN S. 95 Ill. Obferve, that Chrifl is faid to be the Beloved fimply i~ and for himfelf, ~ and [ill whom we have Redemptio11] comes afterward as ~ fuper-added thmg. ~ So that, fet afide the work and benefit of R.edernpnon, that IS to be had m and by Obfrrv. • Chrifl . and there is a lovelinefs m Ius very Pcrfon beyond all, for wh1ch we l Jhould delire him. You that are Sinners do love hi1h, becaufe he hath Redemption for you, and fo you have need of him ; (and you do well.lb to love him, for he deferves it;) but yet, let me .tell you, Ejl ~!tqmd m Chrzflo formojitu [alvatorr; There is fomething in Chnfl more beautiful, more am10ble and glo· rious than his being a Saviour. God cannot love lum for any benefit of Redemption by him; andy~t he is God's Beloved. He is prim11m amabile, loved for himfelf: and fo let !urn be to thee, This is the firfl fort of Obfervations from hence, ASecond fort is this ; . 1 , If thou beef\ in Chrifl, fear not Sin; for God from everlafling faw all thy Ob(erv.:t. Sins, and yet for all that he continued to accept thee m Ius Beloved. It altered his mind not a whjt : He was fo much pleafed W1rl1 h1s Beloved, that though in his own Prtefcinzce he forefaw what we would be, yet having chofen us in.his Son he accepteth us in him· and fo, now that we aCl:ually ex1fl and fin agamft him', he notwithflanding fi~ds fo much contentment at home in his Soil (having him by him,) that he can patiently bear witll us, and pleafe himfelf in Chrifl. And fo, though he fee thee finful for the prefent, and torefaw thee finful from cverlafling; ye.t he flill accepts thee in his Beloved. And the Reafon is, becaufe Jefus Chrifl is more beloved of him, than Sin is or can be hated by him. If ever Sin !hould come to have more interefl for hatred in the heart of God, than Chrift hath for Love, thou·mighfi well fear; but he bath accepted thee in his Beloved, therefore be not thou ati·aid: ' · 2. Hath God accepted thee, and rendred thee thus dear unto himfelf in his 0Pforv ,_, Beloved? Nomatterth'ough the' World hate thee ; The World)h'all hate you, · · (fays Chrifl, ]oh11 16. ~ 5.) "'t!ie world.J'Otl [hall have tri611lntion; but 'tis no matter, ilz me; •otzjha!J havepeace,Wc. God accepts thee in Chrift, h~ renders thee dear unto·hinifelf in his Beloved. >· . Go therefore unto God, to be accepted orl~y ill and through. his Beloved. Obforv, ii Here ts the greatefl and flrongefl Argument for tt that can be. It IS fa1d before, inver+ that God chofe us 'unto prr{ect Holi1ufS, and ordained us to perfetl Glory, and to be Sons to him, ver. 5'. and both thefe, as we Jhall one day be in Heaven : and yet after both thefe, the acceptation of our Perfons in the Beloved comes in as a Third and diflinCl: benefit; fo that all this would not have pleafed him fo much, as one look upon us in his Beloved, lt is not perfect Ho;. linefs, nor that cornpleat Glory which we !hall have in Heaven, that makes us accepted with God comparatively to this, to be confidered and accepted in the Beloved. And wilt thou now go and bring thy imperfect Graces and menftrous Duties? Art thop in Glory yet? Art thou perfectly holy ? If thou wert, yet confider here IS a Th1rd benefit beftdes all thefe, He bath accepted t<sin his Beloved; which let thy Soul look out for, notwithflanding all thy Grace and Holinefs. . And fo I have gone over the Three firfi Blellings, which are Eternal ones · and _abfolutely pitched upon our Perfoos in the relation we have tb the Perfon of Chr.lfl. God cbofous to be in him, and becaufe he is holy, we mufl be holy : Hohnefs therefore is elfential to our Bei~g in Chrift; God Predejlinated us iri Chnfl_, therefo_re we mufl be.Sons, as he 1s ;· and fo we are predeflinated to Ado– ptiOn 10 h1m Ius Natural Son. And then, God hath acceopted us in his Beloved; and therefore as he loveth him, fo he loveth us. ~ All thefe Three Bleflings are not founded fo much upon the Merits of Chrifl, as ·upon the Relation we have unto h1s Perfon. And they are the Blellings which were firfl and abfolutely in· tended to our Perfons, fimply in the Relation which by Electien we had given u3 to the Perfon of Chrift. And fo much for the lixth Verfe, ~ome
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