Of ElefJion. And his faying, Father, I tbatJk thee, f§c, mufi be underflood, in fuch a~ fenfc as the Apoille ufeth, Rom. 16. 17. God 6e tbmzked, .)'' were the J'er- Chap. 2, va 11 ts of (i11, What doth he thank God fimply that they had been fuch? No, ~ but that wlaich follows mufi be taken In, vzz. 6ut ye have o6e_,.ed from the heart t!>c. which e)(preifeth their Converlion. So as that they had been the Srrv~nls of lin, is brought within thofe Thanks, not !imply, but by way of comparifon, to exroll the more the Mercy of their being now the avow.ed Servants of God, which this former co"ntrary Condi1ion, did !et'out the Grace and wonder of. And thus here in Chrifi's Speech the like Intention holds. Now what affected Chrifi's heart to provoke him to fo high a thankfulnefs on our behalf, ought to affelt ours unto the fame end , and fo much the more, as it is our perfonal interefi which this concerns. .Thus far in General, that it is our Duty to compare the difference ofthefe two Procedures of God to the Sons of Men, to the end to blefs and magnifie the Lord the more for his fpeciallove to us, I come particularly to infiitute the Comparative it felf, that is, to enlarge upon the Particulars of it. All which Particulars I lhall reduce to two Heads. f'~tfi, That infinite Difpanty that is between 1hofe two Ads themfelvrs, of Election , and the Grounds thereof in roe H~art of God, and t he I!fue · thereof, and the AO!: of rejetlion of others in the grounds •nd ilfue thereof, feuing both in view together,by ivhich the tnnfcendency of ElectingLove will the more appear. Secondly, AComparative made in refped: unto the Perfons Refufed and£. lected, as confidered in the common Condition of bNh, and the Circum!lan– ces which both fiand in , and that he lhould, VIewed in the fame circumflan– ces and condition,choofe thee and not others,which will alfo wonderfully M•g· nifie the electing Love unto us. And for the feveral of thefe you may take two texts as infiances of fuch a czmparifon. 1. The([ ) , g. For Godbath not ap– poimedus to wrath, but to obtazn Salvat•on by our Lor.d Jr(us Cbrzfl. The matter of this comparative are the two Atls them fe lves, and although brought in there as mottves to us, unto obed1ence, yet alfo they fervc as well to us to be matter of· thankfulnefs, tb:zt God h.u b >Jot ordained us to wr.tth; In the connexion of the words immediately afore, they iollow· as the object ot the hope every Chrifiian hath. God bath "ot ordrJined them to wrrJth, 6ut, (!)c. And in faying, hath not appointed us to wrath, he fiirs them up to reflect upon what he hath done to others, and fuppofcth fuch an Ordination of Gods ~:;;;j;r;,:., to have been towards others. in;ram,affirma2ly. f'or theSecond comparifon of perfons you have, 2, Thrff. 2. IJ· Bttt we~:,·;;./;~;,:: are botmdto:z.zve thanks always to God for you, Brethren, belovrd of the bos 0 ,., pof•it Lord; becattfe God bathfrom the begzmzing cho(m you to Satvattoll, through •di,.m. C•)c· ftmchfication of the SJ>mt, mtd beliefofthe tmth.. "" This you fee comes tn a more exprefs way provokmg unto thankfulnefs, and thofe words [But for you f!1c.] do as exprefly referr unto what the lot of others was , whofe fa~e he had particular!Y deciphered in the Verfe before, V"f 11, 12. Andfor this caufeGodfoal/ fmd th<m f/rong ddtt(ioiZ, that they /boutd -:."''t be!irveaiye: Tbattluy a/Jmigbtbe dam11ed who belteved not the tpah 6nt bad pleafi<re i11 U1lrigbteouf11efs, , , t, f'orthe comparative between the Ads themfclves. It is not unknown that in Election, there is difcerned by Divines, Two eminent Parts, as fome call them; or Gradtu , or D egrees of proceeding therein , as others; feve· rallujltmts, the School-men call them. And it is alfo acknowledged by them t hat there are_Two eminent Parts of what is rearmed Reprobatio11, oppolite· ly accompanymg thofe Two of Election, as dark Shadows do lightfome Bodies. f'or EJeC!ion ACls are the fir([ and primary in order of Nature, and Repro– bation .AC!s do follow or Anfwer thereto, as thofe words fpeaking ofElection, the re{I were 6/mded, Rom. 11. 7. does lhew. Gods firft Ad: (which his l'eart is upon) is his choice; and tilofe left out therein are called the re(/: As when the cho1ce of fome are fir([ culled out of an heap, thofe that remain are the Reft. The
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