122 Of EleGlion. ~only Potentate, the only wife God, who hath Glory, lmmorrality, Majelly llo o KIll. and Dominion, and Power, lhould choofe fo poor comcm:niblc, weak, and ~ foolifl1 a thing as thou art, I Cor. 1. 26, 27. Forye Jreyour C•Uwg, Bntbrm, how th.tt tlot many w1je mm after thejie}h, not mmry mz<~ht)·, 1101 mmry N oble are c,1/led. But God bath cho{nt the foolt}h thmgs of the World, to cpnfo•nd thti-V.{( : And God hqth cho(flt the weak things ofthe World, to conjowuf the thwgs that are might)'• A nd·b.l{e thmgs of the TVortd, rmd thi11gs wh1ch are de(pt(ed, ;,,,th God chofm, ye,,, and thmgs which m·e 11ot, ro bring to 110tl!,ht tbmgs t b,tt m·e, Th,tt uoflejh fhorddGlory bt hu "Prcfence. And as the Emphafis is put upon Chriltschmce, Tht Chrz(/whom God bath chofm; fo it is put upon ours alfo; The Elefl whom God hatb chofm, Mark Il- 20. And thefe two put together. I. Elefl, or Chofen, And then, 2ly. Whom G odCl:oft. And it fpeaks, I, All wonb, Honour, and Excellency : The cho– fen of God mult needs be choice, it makes them fuch. 1{ Elef1, thm precirm.f I Per. 2. So ofChrilt, Then again ofus. Take Gods eminent Saints, wha; is their bighefi Title, and Honour, Udojts the Chojen ofGod, Pfal. w6. 5 , A aroll the Chofmof God, Pfal. I O). 16, Pattl a Cho{m VejJel, Ads 9· I). Teart a Cho{m Gmer.•tion, a Peculiar People, 1 Pet, 2, g. T hat is, Elefl. He bad begun his Epiltle with, To the Etefl,&c. Chap. 1. 2. And that Pbrafe AJ,, iHmp,.,.alntr,,, as tbc reil there mentioned is talcen out ofExodtu 5th. Where 'ris---Apewliar Treajitre to me, (fays God) above afJpeople. lt irn– porrs all that is dear and precious to God. lfaiah45· 4· Si11ce thou wert prr– tiom i1lmyjigbt, thott haJibem Ho11oura6le; that is, fince l have Chofen thee [ and loved thee ] as it follows, and thereby becarnelt precious iomy eyes, that halt been, and art, and !hall be Honourable in mine, fo in all the whole Creations elteem; this did put the precioofnefs. Mens choofings are out of whom they find the choicelt, 1 Chro11, 1 'J· 10, ]oab chofr out flli the chorce of Jfrael ; but Gods choo!ing makes them cnoice. 2. It fpeaks all ble!lednefs and the fulnefs of it. Blt/Jtd is the ~:Nm• whom thott choo['e(/, Pfal. 6). 4· Tea, he is mo(/ blejftd, Pfal. 21, or as the He– brew hath it, fet for blellings fer, a part, and appointed tor lllellings. He b.:th bleJI tU with all Spiritual Blej]iugs ill tbiugs Heavml)•, accordm,{ d4 he h.Jt h cho(m m, &c. 'Tis the Womb, the Treafury Fountain of all Bldft d nefs. l• Let us confider unto .,vhat he hatb coofen t>', unto the nearelt Approacl1 to God, that is, to t:rc higheft Communion with himfelf, and that is foundtd on his choofing us to the nearelt 'Union with himldf: 4· Let us confider the timr fince when he chofe tU ofold; OfOld.tvm from Everla{li11g were Wt Ordai11ed uuto this Salvaltoll : P;~u/datts it from the b.eginning, 2 The(J. 2, q. God hath loved us ever fince he was God, and whillt he is God he will continue to do fo. T he cldeft date of his be ing God is from Everlalting, and of his continuing to be God, is to EvcrlaOing, Pf•l. 90. 2. Btfare the Motmtaius were brought forth, o>· ever tho1J h,td{l formed the Earth mzd the World: Evm from Everla{li11e to Everldjlmg thou art God. And his love to us is as old, 'Jtr. 31. 5· 1havt lovedthee ';;;Jth mz evtr!a{li11g love, And P{r~l. JOl• 1 7· Tbr Mere;· of the Lord isf>'om Ever– ta(/l1~g to Evn·la(/ing. And as it is a love as Ancient as God himfelfis, He b,,th loved thu tverjince be WrJJGod;So it is a love that hath fixedly continued ever fince Eternity,it hath been confiant ever fince the very rime God chofe u•,<ven Th'' which unto the moment ofour being called. This I rake to be the genuine aim of']er. """ dim«<l ll·l· Tbe Lord bath appeared ofoldunto meja)'lllg,yta, I h,JVeloved thet Wtth thi~ Iotcrprc· all Everlrt{lillf!. Love. The rme aim or fenfe ofthat Script.urc_lies in this; It is a ~~;o;,:';n~~~ Dialogue between God and his Church ,God had begun, Ver(e 2, ThusIuth tht on """made Lord, the people which were lrft of' the Sword, fou nd Grace 111 I be Wil!er– thclorepm 11 efs even Ifrael, when I wmt to cattje him to re(/. The Church now in de– ~~~~~~rrfc ' 0 ferti~n, interpofeth her Coinplaint, and Scruple, The Lord bath i11deed Ap- ~~~~';;:~~~~.el~t L()rdbatb appured 11 f old, [ {llying J whereas faying is not in the Htbmt~. And therefore the firfl is the Churche~ Speech, and the ocherGodi Reply. Yidt ] Nnium& Trtmtlliull!. prared
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