to tbe E P H E S I A N S. My Brethren, there was a lov: which God d_id bear to Man in innocency, the ~ terms of which were fuch, as m a way ?f Jufhcc, betw~en. th<;.Creator and the ~ Creature it became God, if he made him holy, as he did m mnocency, to befiow up~n him. But becaufc that this was a Love, that feemcd to have a kind of Jul'cice iri it, and fomething in the Creatnre which itwas founded upon, there· fore he defiroys that condition, that he !)light make· way to mamfefi the love, that was according to his own purpofe and grace, and meerly from himfelf: And that now is his love; for if God do love like God-, this is the love that is his, that is proper unto him. And faith he, Not according to our wor/v ; that is, it is foun· ded upon nothing at all in the Creature : For, by Worfv there, he underfiands all habitual difpo!itions of Goodnefs, of what kmd foever, as the Scripture u!i1· ally cloth; as when it faith, He will judg every Man accordi11g to hi; worfv, it is not only meant ofthe outward ails, but ofthe inward frame of heart. He looks to nothing in the Creature, but to hisownpurpofe. It is his Love, therefore it is free : That's the firfi. r Secondly; His Love, it is a love that is firm and peremptory, unchangeable and invincible ; and fuch a love it became God to bear us, if he would love us, for that properly is his Love. 'P11t not your tmfi in Princes, faith the Pfalmifi; t>hey will all f.1il, the Men peri!h, and their thoughts peri!h ; yea, fometimes their thoughts and affellions die to their grea~e~ Favourites, ~efore they die themfelves. But his Love IS firm and peremptory, It JS unchangeable and mvmcible, and thiS becaufe it is his Love. Mal. 3· 6. I am the Lord, I change not ; that is, If! beGod, and whilfi I am God, I will not ceafe to love you, I will not change : Therefore it is that ye Sons of Jacob are not conjitmcd. His Love is as immutable as his Be· ing: I will not be God, ifl be not your God, and love you ; he pawns all in his Godhead upon it : I am the Lord, faith he, I change not, tberefore ye are not con– confomed. In Rom. 9· 11. fpeaking of the Elellion of Jacob, he faith, That the purpofe of God according to Elei1ion might ftand, (it's a great word that,) he fix'd it upon fuch a B'!fis, as might fiand for ever. It is a true thing, that all 'God's Counfcls, they do fiand fix'd and firm, look how he purpofeth them, be they of what kind foever. That Adam !hould be holy, that Counfel did fiand firm, but how ? It fiood firm for fo long as he purpofed it, which was till fuch time as he fell, it was but for a moment in comparifon. And fo, that Smtl !hould be King, he purpofed it, and it fiood firm fo far, but he repented that he made Saul King. But when he cometh to fpeak of EleCtion, he fpeaks of that, a~ of fuch a Counfel, that not only fiandeth, as all other his Counfels do, but as that which is perpetuated to eternity. His purpofe tq love Adam, it was a firm pur· pofe, for fo he did; but how? whilft he was in that fiate ofinnocency, and had the Image of God upon him; but his purpofe according to Elellion, (as the diltinCtion is there,)- that fiands, and it O:ands for ever. Therefore it is not of works, but (as was faid before) of his own purpofe, that it might fiand, that it !)1ight have a Rock of Eternity, for the Bajis of it to fiand upon. It is therefore, as by way of diltinctioo from all purpofes elfe, as it were, c.1lled, the Purpoft according to Ele&ion. If you will have this further confirmed, take that place alfo, which loadeth it with more Epithites for the firmnefs of it, in .2 Tim. 2. 19. The foundation of God ftandeth Jitre, havi11g tbis Je•l, The Lord lznoweth them that arc hi1. He [peaks of God's purpofe in Elellion, and of the Perfons elelled ; for he faith it is that which bath this feal, The Lord lznoweth them that are his. You have here all forts of words to make it firm. 1. It is called a Foundation, The foundation of God (faith he) ftandeth jitre. There are two great foundations, and ofthe two (ifwe may make comparifons) this is the greater. Jefus Chrifl: is a foundation, but the eternal Love of God, that is the firfi foundation, it was the Womb of Chrifi himfelf, 1 Cor. 3· 11. Other foundation can no Man l~y, than that is laid, which is Jeji!J Chrif/. There you fee Chrifl: is a foundation, but here is a higher fbundation, The Lord kpoweth them that are his, loved them, and chofe them, and fa he did Chrifi himfel£ 2. It is not only called a Foundation, but a Cure Foundation. . 3· It is called the Foundation ofGod, it is founded in him, it is founded upon him, It IS as firm as himfe!f; as he is God, he will fiand to it, and therefore it mufi needs fiand. "' V 2 . 4· It
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