to the E PH E S I AN S. 59 Sec• 11 dly, Affirmatively, The meaning is this, That Jefus Chr!!l in election~ was theHeadof the Elect. He was confidered, and from the fir!l ordamed by Strm. V . God, as aCommo11 Perfo>J, to reprcfcnt Us~ . He undertook for us then, and fo ~ in him we were chofen, as m aHead. Th1s IS the fenfe that Holy Ra11us g1veth of it . To note out (faith he) the order of Election, namely, that Chri!t was chafe~ fir([ as a Head, and we in him. Though both at the fame time ; yet for priority of Nature, He as a Common Perfon and a Head was firfl: elected, and we in him. For the clear under!landing of this, I will fir(\ give you two Cautions to pre: vent a mifunder!landing of it; And fecondly explain, how it might be that Chri!l fhould be confidered as a Common Per!on in the Act of Electwn. fir!l, For the Cautions: I. Learn to di!linguifh between being elected with Chrijl, and being elected i fl Chrijl. To be elected with Chrifl, is to be elected at the fame rime he was, for matter of time; for all was from etcrmty 1 But to be elected 111 Chr1{11s Wtth this difference, That Chri!l at God's fir!l Act of Election was confidered as a Common Perfon, a Head and Root, and we all as ilt him: This is common both to Chrift and to Us, that we were elected with Him, and he withVs, for matter of rime. But this is proper to Chrifi, that we were elected ;, Him, he not in Vs. To explain this to you both out of Scripture, by his Type, Adam; and alfo by a Similitude, that may convey it to your underftanding. Firfl, by Scripture. So Gme(: 1. 2 7· He created Man: iiJ hiJ own image crea– ted he him (that is, Adam) Male a11d Female created he them. God in crea– ting A dam created all Mankind; as in ble!ling Adam he blelfed all Mankind. Yea, the Creation of Adamwas all the creation that the reO: of Mankind had : For thouglr they exifi by Generation, fucce!lively ; yet in him were they created, virtually, and then only. Thus in choofoJg Chrifi,, G~d lookt upon him as a: Common Perfon, as a Seco11d /!dam, and chofe us 10 htm. And therefore you fhalllind in the 1 Cor.z). that God (peaks of Chrifl and of Adam, as if there h1d been but rhofe two men in the World: [The jirj/ Ma11] (fays he) and [the [eco11d Mull.] Was there but a lirft Man, and a fecond Man l Yes; but thefe two Men ftood for all the reft. Or (in a word) Jefus Chrift was not only a Com– mon Perfon in his dying for us; but in his being chofen alfo, (as I fhall fhew by and by,)andfowewereelected in him. This is the meaningofit. ForrheSi" militude which I fpake of, I !hall take it from amongft Men. Suppofe that a Kingdom were now to be new fet up, and a King to be chofen, and rl1cy meanc fv to choofe him as they would choofe his Pofierity, his eldeft 'Sons that fhould be after him, and that for eyef. Now when they have made this Covenant with this lirft Man, the firft King; We ta~<e you for our King, and your eideft Son; and the eldeft Sons of all your Poflenty after you td the end of the world. In this cafe it may be (aid, That at the fame time they chofe his Sons with him; and not fo only, but that they chofe his Sons i>t hi'." alfo. Why! Becaufe he was the firft, and they arc confidered as i11 his Loitts. What faith Chrift ? Here am I, r111d the Children that thott haflgivmme. And fo God faid to him, Here thou art, a/Jd in thee a!Jmy EleE!. I appoint thee as a Root to as many men us I choofe together with thee; but I choofe them i11 thee. When God firft laid, Lrt there be a Tree; for order of rime both Root and Brancires came up together, the Branches were created with the Root and the Root with the Branches; yet the Branches in the Root, and not th; Root in the Branches. Boafi not thy felf, as if that thou wert chofcn alone and he alone · and that then thou werr g.iven to him to be i11 him for time to' come. No, tl;at place f Inay allude untomRom. 1 r.8. Bo<ljl11ot thy .ftlf; for thou bearefl 11o11hr Root, 6uttl" Root thee. Thou beareft not Chrift · he was not chofcri in thee but thou in him, and for him. ' ' lL The fecond Caution is, that you take heed how you under!land it,as if that Cb nf\ alone wer, d1Clmctly chofen; and that our perfons were not as diftinCl:ly <!JOfen too. Yes.' both Chrift and we too were difiinctly and particularly tn?ught ~f and ~o trtdtv1Ciually elected. The meaning (1 fay) of this our being ,E.cE!ed'" h1m, IS not as tf he only had been dt!l mCl:ly and by name chofen, and ! 2 we
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