84 Of EleClion; ------~--~~~----~ ~Redumer,Verf.5.Hoving predeffinotedtu UIJto Adoption ofChitdmz,6y Chri{l BooK II.. rmto himfelf ; which it relating to Gocl the Father fpeaks this great Truth ~ that God ordained us unto Immediate Communion which himfelf, as elfe: where 'tis faid ; or if that word cloth refer unto C'hrifl himfelf (as fome; ) yet farther fiill, a Prede!\ination to Adoption is all one in effed, as to fay, Pre– de!\inated unto Glory : For Adoption and a Son·lhip irt Election unto Chrifr fpeaks with all a Title unto Gtor_y, as that place Romans 8th lhews ; If Children, then Heirs and coheirs with' Chrifl, &c. And it is added, Heirs with God himftlf as Chrijl alfo is. And fo thofe words Ephrjians , , ~Prede(\inating us to Adoption to himfelf, as referring to the All of God the Fa– ther as Prede!\inating. [t is all one as to fay, we were predefiinated to inhe– rit God himfelt; and to immediate Communion with himfelf; and fo it refers us to that ultimate Glory when God lhall be all in all. Now this Title of A· doption holds clearly by another Right befide• that of Redemption :For Chrifr as the Natural Son, being by Election one Head aAd Husband, a Relation un– to him upon that account befiowed, cloth convey Adoptionand Sonlh ip to u• and fo a Right to that Inheritance which agrees with what I have elfewher~ faid. In like manner, by our choice unto compleat and immutable holinefs in the 4thVtr{t, is not meant that imperfed: holinefs in this Life, which is or– dained as fuch to be means o[ G~ory, (as our Sub·lapfarian Divines alledge ir:) For 11 IS that holtnefs whtch IS Wlthout blame before God, and fo fuch an holi· nefs which will never be fubject to change or mutation; yea, and fo perfe& an holinefs in God's own view, fortime to come as well as time prefent, as God lhall find no detect in to blame. Whereas even the mo!\ perled: holineiS the Angels had by Creation, whilfi made mutable , was chorgtd with (oll1 and imperfe~ion in that refpect, Jo64· I 8. But this is that unchangeable ho– linefs , the holinefs which is the End it felf, as well as Glory, and the Con– comitant of it, or the ground Work of it. And this alfo might and doth flow from a relation unto Chri!\, as an Head given by Election, and an Influence from him confidered as luch, and not <inly from him, as fuppofed as a Re– deemer firfi, although to man when faln, he is an Head alfo; and thefe bene– fits are accordingly there difiinguilhed from thofe that Chrifi, fuppofed as a Redeemer, cloth convey; and fevered from thofe other by the Apofile in the fame place, Verj. 7· !11 whom wt havt Redemption through hi4 6/ood, th~ forgivnufl·of fiizs, according to the riches of hi& Grace, And fo on ia calling , us by the Gofpel, Ver[. 8, 9· Wherein ht hath a6ounded towardUf i1t all wif dom and prudence: Haviltg made known unto Uf the m_yjlerr of hi4 will, tiC• eordi11,g to hu good pleafure, which he hodpurpo{ed in himfe!f. Which are manife!\1y the benefits or blellings (as here are called, Ver(. ~.) of the Mean& which fuppofe us !inners , and being finncrs , we are carried througb them unto Glory : But thofe former are benefits of the End, which in that their fulnefs there fpoken of, cake place in the other World , and which we were capable of, being defigned unto without the confideration of being fin– ners, or Chri!\ his being a Redeemer, as might at large be lhown. And as BilhopV a11tnant acknowledgetb, and are accordingly di!\inguilhedfrom what we have by Redemption, we mu!\ not therefore alledge the one of either to exclude the other, but take both in their dilforing rtjpeC!J to either condi– tion of the Ele& fpecilied to unfaln, the one, and of fain, the other, 06je8. ~· And a like unto this Objellion taken from 2 T'heff. 2. q. are thofe other, as that Election is faid to be joyned withGiving us to Chri!l, and that runs as he is a Redeemer and Saviour, to bring us ta Glory; and therefore the whole of Election, both toMeans and End, muft have proceeded only upoo forefight of the Fall. But, The Anjwer is. That Chri!\ himfelf bearetb (as was even now faid) two Relations and Refpects to us; Fir!\, limply of an Head, and that in the lirll place. And then fecondly, of a Saviour, Ephef. 5· 2~. Even aJ Chrijl is the Head of the Church; ond he u the Saviour of the Body, His being aa Head there, is his being an HUf6and to us: And fo the Foundatioa ofthat Re· latioo
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