w Boo& III. ~ Of Efe{}ion. CHAP. Ill. The lnftnitj of Grace in EleCling us, further evincedby a Comparative made in rejpeCl unto the Perfons Refufed and EleCled, as conjideted in the Common Condition of both, and the Circumfoances which both ftand in. Of their fir# Condition in the pojjibility before the Creati– on, as then view'd by God, reprefented in his Infinite Mind, the Elell were feparated from the others re- \ jeCled. T H I S for the firft Head of comparing the Ads themfelves · my next is aCom~arati~e of the Per!ons EltCftdor paf16y, .;they are confidered tn theu Condlttons or Cucumftances out ofwhich they are chofen or refufed. And for this my Text is 2 Tbtff. 2, 12, 1 ~· That thty a!J mzght 6r dam1ud, who believed not the ruth, 6ut had pleafnrt in VnrighteoufnejJ. But we m·e 6ou11d to give thrmks alwaytoGodfor you, Brethrm, 6elovedofthe Lord; 6ecaufe God bath from the begin111ng chofe" you to Salwtion, through JrmCfijication of tht Spirit, and 6tliif of the Truth, Thofe words [6ut for ycu] are a Difcrimination and Exception of thefe from others, whofe Condition he had declared in the immediate Verfes afore ; Verft ''• 12. in thefe words, And for tbid cauft God fba!J fend thtm flrong dtlujions, that thty fbould 6elitvt a lyt. That they a!J might bt damned,who 6elievedr10t the Truth, but had pleafr<re in Vnrighteoupufs. And that E– lection had put in that [6111] and made the difference: So fiirring them up to thankfulnefs by his own giving thanks on their behal f. 'Tis true, the Condition of rhofe confidered as fain into fin, is the Matter here compared, yet is it in a fpecial manner pitching the Comparifon upon the Condition of Perfons. I therefore take it for a ground work for what concerns a Comparati\·e of Perfons, whether confidered as fain, or without the Fall; No Scripture a.dequately comprehending both : Yet upon occafion of handling the Comparifon about the fiare of man fain, I may extend it to either, and begin it higher with that afore the Fall, which other Scriptures warrant the Truth of, as our Divines have defended it out of Rom. 9· and other pia• ces. , . The !late of Eled and Non-ele~ , afore or without the confideration of the Fall, is tnat of Creatm·e(bip limply and abfolutely confidered,wherein God in and at his Decree for Creation, whilft he was determining to Create, and viewed the whole Crop of them a growing up, but as yet in his purpofe and will to Create them, his gracious good Will did, together with that his Crea– tion Decree, both of thofe he deded, and of all things elfe,put forth that E– leCfio1l purpofe, pre-ordaining them to be the firfi Fruits of his whole Creati· on, fetting them apart for himfelf, and confecrating them unto the highefi Communion with himfelf, and of ultimate Glory above the reil. of their fel– low Creatures: And rhus, but as confidered as Creatures, though in their kind wherein they were to be created--. You have this forefaid Expreffion in the Apofile Jamu , That we mig_ht 6e the fir{/ Fruits of hkCrtatures; and put we all the Particulars that do tctiow together, and the Af!ertionwill come outof them. '• It
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