~ BooK IV. '-"A.) Of EleCiion. I divided this firfi Head, into TwoPropofitioiiS, 1. That the very Grace, and love he lhews us, was placed upon our Per– fans, as we wereconfidered in Chrifi: God did neverloveusoutofhim, yea and all bis love is through him. I grant, that Chrifi confidered as Mrdiator' or God-m,m, was not tbe Motive that fwayed God, why he chofe thefe, and thefe Perfons, and not others. In that refpectit is,that Chrifi fays, thine thry were. Yet I fay, that God no fooner thought of choofing, and loving any fo, but that th~ love 10 foltdo, he refol:'cd to convey upon them, was in Chrifi. He had Ctmfi not only as Medtator, m hts eye, in whom he chafe usthen· or that Chrifr asMediator,was confidered at,and with the.Election,and "'in w'ho~ we were chofen, fo as we were not confidered out of !urn, when chofen; which is exprefs, r Ephef. Verf 4, 5, and 6. According 114 he bath choj(n ItS;, him /;efore the{otmdation ofthe world, tbat wejhouM /;e holy, and witbout blam; /;efore him it~ love: h,JV111g Pruejlinated us 11nto the adoptiotJ of children /;y Je{its Chrif/J to him[elj. accordmg to tbegood pleafim of bi& Wtlt: to th; prat{t ofthegloryo{h" grace, wberrm be bath made us accepted i11 lht belov– ed, We were not only Elected, mm Chrijlo, together with Chrifi, but ill Chrifio, in Chril1, when Elected. And not only the benefits wbich we by Election were Prcddlinated unto, but Electicn it felf, as a di11inct benefit is made one of the firl1 ofblefl'ings, whicl1 in Chri!t, Verj. 3. we are blelfed wi'th– al. He h,llh 6/e.!Jtd us wtth all blr./]i1tgs zn Chrijl, accordi11g 114 be hatbcho– .fm 11s, Verj. 4· But I would fay farther, that the love·, or grace, which io Electing.,was the fountain of all rhofe benefits, was in, and With the love, he loved Chrifr withal : He being the Btloved, in whom God gracioufly accepts or loves us, Verf. 6. Which I Jarther make out thus. Chril1 being hi; mrural Son, he loves him indeed immediately for himfelf. and chofe him limply for himfelf: who is therefore 11iled by God the Father i~ n way ofSingularity, both mzne Elef], and alfom whommy Soul delightnh ( Ifaiah4 2. r.) That is,. Dehghteth. in him for h1mfelf; for though rh~ Man Jtjur, by Perfonal Umon became hts natural Son, and fo beloved for him– felf, yet that this man lhould Lavc this D•gniry, was from Gods having E– lected him, and thereunto that Speech in Ijatah, is Tnterpreted by God him– felf tromHeaven. Matt, J· •7· Thu u my BelovedJ'o11 in whom I am welt pleafed. Which two, both ot his ElefJed, and Btloved, Chril1 ham a re- · fpect unto, in citing that place of lfaia'h, Mat. 12. 18. Bebold my Strvant whom I bave cho{en, my Beloved, i11 wbom I am we/Jplta(ed, And then God himfelfagain, Mat.17. 5· in repeating his former words, adds, bear b1m, which was, as ifhe had fa1d, with him my Soul is pleafed, as my Son in himfelf– but in 'you, only through him, and that he was only Elected for himfelt; fo; God to delight in, and who became the immediate receptacle ofall the Love of God; and we but Elected in him,becaufe beloved in him; and fo he was both Caput ele{]ia~ti&, the head of Election, andCap11t dileCliotJu, the head ofbeing beloved. And it is certain, that he that is the one, is, and mu11 be the other; he that is head, or firl1 receptacle of all Gods love for himfelf, muft needs be the head ofEiecting, or ofthe E!tating the whole ol Gods love upon others. And truly, if we farther confider the infinite dil1ance, that is between God and meer fingle Creatures, that are but nothing , they were not meet, and fit matches (in themfelves) or Objects, for his fo immediate Love, as with, and by Election, is befiowed on them, and is as the Original ofall the benefits and purpofcs ofGnd therein. Nor perhaps could the Creature have born the weight offuch an one, tingly tbemfelves alone, (no 11ot the .A11gtls) immedi– ately, as they cannot bear his wrath; and therefore it was tranfmitted through his firl1 Beloved, who was able. Hence therefore, God met thofe that were to be meer Creatures, half the way ; and defcended, and camedow~ into the Man .7efiM, who by Pcrfonal Union, was made more than aCreature; and then God could pour out his love in the fulnefs ofit, on us, But the chiefof the teafon, lies in this, that God, ofwhom were all things elfe, and in his Counfels
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