Of Eleelion. -------=--~--------~ ~ To Evidence the Demon1\ration of this, that there iJ an Eldfion, ~c. BooK I. . I !hall make ufe ol no other Argument, than a R.eprefcntation , and Scheme ~ of the courfe , and current , which runs down through All times as the Scripture Stories have purpofely, in a continuation of lnflanccs of Perfons elected,drawn a·Line of Election: And oppofirely , together there is a Lineof reJectiOn throughout all Ages: Which way of proof is mofi proper, and fu– table to the courfe of the Text; which bath recourfe to an eJ<amplary lnflancc ol Election, continued in an Age, as deplorate as whatever in the Old Te– fiament. This draught of the wh@le, fet in one view, may prove plea– fam to you, and will be profitable for your lnfiruction. There are thofe in the World that fay, God harh loved All Mankind alike as to Salvation; And to that purpofe bath, in All ages, given them helps and Divine Aili!lances in common, more or lels, which we u[ually ten~ Common Grace: which if their Wills, bei~g !l:i~red tip and moved thereby, will ufe well, then they may, and do obtam Fattb, and an effeCtual Calling unto Salvation: And upon the right u!e of thofe Common 'Adjutories it is that God cloth then Elect them , and not till then : Or upon the forelight fro~ All Eternity that they will do fo. But ifthey do not ufe thofe helps well, then they are reprobatcd, or rejed:ed. But fr~m t~at rehearfal of In!l:ance.s through All A~es , when put all to· gether, 11 wtll appear, That the fpectal Grace of EleC:bon bath put the dif· forence : The one obtaining.(as th~ word in the Text is,) by vir.tue thereof, The Etdfton h,uh o6tamedtt: whtl!l: the reil: of Mankmd, wuh all their common helps, have perilhed; being left to the blindnefs and hardnefs of their own Hearts in the ufe of them; And the refl were 6/inded. And the Story of the one fort fet oppofitcly to the other, as tile Scripture in all Ages doth , will evince it. Now my Argument from matter of Fa6:, or from the Examples recorded in fuch acontinued Series, to prove that this proceeded from Gods Eternal Purpofes, and Decrees, and that one are Argumentative of tae other , is founaed upon this R.ule,which will not deceive us: That what bath been done, and fallen out in the World; And as it bath been done, that God afore De– creed and Determined lhould come to pafs; yea, and in that manner as it hith come to pafs ; The infallibiltty of which Maxim , is abundantly evident in Scripture Declarations, and from undeniable Reafon, drawn from the Perfed:ions of God: If therefore in the Stories 'of All Ages, this differing Condition, and difpofement of Perfons be tound; Then certainly the De– crees of God mull have been the Supream Caufc, and Determmer thereof: But above All things elfe, this general Rule will undeniably hold in the mat– ter of Grace, and Eled:ion out of Grace: For there is nothing more Gods own to difpofe of to whom he pleafeth, than Grace in us, and Glory to us, out of the freedom of the Grace in himfelf; and fo ore evidently dependent on his Soveraign Wili:Shatt bt not~fays Chri{\ of him)do what hewtll with hi& own? And for the confirming of this Rule, in this fpecinl cafe touching Eled:ion; that the matter of Fad:, or what cloth fall out in Perions, as touching their Salvation, doth come to pals in the Event, according to Gods everlailing De– crees thereabout; I !hall only mention what an Apo{\Je, in an Affembly of Apofiles, Atls 15. did only menuon and alledg to this (very purpofe, as the Ground why the Gentiles came now, and but now to be Convened; which was newly begun to be done afore their eyes, in that Age, Verf. 14· yea, and together therewith, the falling down, or decay of the Houfe of 'David, or the Church of the Jews; and the building of that Church in the Room thereof : Applying for the lffue, or fulfilling of both thefe, the Prophecy of Amos, Cap. 9· His words the Apofile rehearfeth in .litis 15. Ver(. 16, J7. Af– ter thi.Jwillreturtt, andwilt/;uild again the Tahrnacle of 'David thatu j allttt dowtt; and I wit/ build again the ruilu thereof, and1will/et it 11p : That the rejidue of Mm might feek after the Lord, and Att tbt GentJits upollwhommyname u catted, [uith the Lord, who doth at/ thrfe rhmg1. And fo caufe this great Alteration forctqld to have the more wetght upon .the m1ods
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