Ver. a, o. the 8th Chapter to t he 1i01A oc; [wS. h and Cored by faith in Chrift ; now this raketh an ab'ol.,:e conneinon bet weep faith a' d falvation 5 now the cleft, till they arc called and do believe,know nothing of this, but 'tis their duty to fulfil the condition. 4. The greatne,i of our obligation to God. Here are the Leveret (Lips and degrees where- by his eternal love de1eudeth to his chofen, or the feveral acts and ef&fts by which he bringeth them totheír purpofed bleffednefs,aud do all infer a new obligationt -hat he. w.t pb_af d tochufe us who were equally involved in mifery with others, and cdl us with an holy calling, pa(íiag by thoufands and ten thoufauds, in outward refpeEts much before us and juftifie us freely by his grace, forgiving, us fo many offences, and beftowed noon us the gift of the fanetifying fpirit by which we are regenerated and fitted fer ever;aliing glory 5 fee here the great love of God : Gods love- in tiese cannot be valued enough, but Gods love before all time fhould never be forgotten by you ; there 'you have the rt e and fountain' of all the benefits done unto us; this was ancient love, before we or the world had a being g'twas the defign God travelled with from all eternity ; and who are we, that the thoughts of God fhould Co long be taken up about us ? 'rts love mltnaged with wifdom andcounfel, hisheart is fet upon it to do us good ; chore benefits carne not by chance, but were fore- laved, and foreordained by God 5 if one do us a kindnefs that lyeth in his way, and when opportunity doth fairly invite him, he is friendly. to us; but when he ftudieth to do us good, we know his heart is towards u, : God fees ad his WiIdom and Grace awork ; this was a fea(l long in preparing, that it might be the more full and ample, and all things be ready if we be ready ; and our remedy at hand, before our mifery took effe615 this is a diftingui(hing love, differencing us from others all along, by chufing, calling, juftífying, glorifying, that one fhould be taken, and the oilier left. which are fp ci legt undslof comfort and patience under the cro ewhat glorified beall fal a Chri(lian in this world,God bath predeflinated and tingled us to ùe object, of his grace, and iafiruments of his glory in this world, and to beconf rmed to the image of his Son, o.2g And we can fare no worfe than Chrifi did and that the Lord fhould rill us in due time out of the corrupt and miferable (tate of mankind to the Faith of Chrift, and :hall not we fuff r for it ? And then ju(tif e us, and free us from the curie of the law, and abfolve us from the guilt and eternal puni(hment of all our fins, and moderate the temporal punifbment of them, furely the crofs may be the better born ; find then a life b 'gun which .(ball not be quenched : Bleffed is that foul, who bath tbefe privi_ ledges. 6: See the may bow we get afrrance of Gods love and our own/aívatian. We know the purpofes cf Gods grace by the ef!ee4s, by which he witnefieth his love to his elc f enes 5 by vocationour predeftination is manife(ted, by jnOification we fee] the comfort of it; fo climb up to glory by degrees. Thole whom God bath predelinated from all eternity, and will glorifie in the world to come, he Coda powerfully call. The Scripture prornifeth Salvation not to the named,but defcribed perlons5 here then is-your way cf procedure: Would you know your ele &ion of God ? Are you called, fanûified, brought home to God ? Begin to live in the fpirit. 2. U S E, Do not know thefe things in vain, nor reflex upon them meetly to fatnf curia tty, or to lyrep up a barren fpecvlrtive difpute, but to cherifh the love of God, Halmefo, Patience, and become more feriortr in the wor!<of falvation. What effects have you of this Predeftination ? T. Love to God. From ever:ailing to everlafting he is God, Pfal. g0. 2. Pfd. res. 07. And from everlafting to everlafting his mercy is to them that fear him. We fee his love in his purpofes and performances; the one before the World began, the other when the world (hall have an end 5 and lò two eternities meet together; etetn.,l glory arifing from purpofes ofeternal Grace ; fo that whether we look backward or forward, you fee the everlafting love of God : Oh then ! Let God be yours fielt and lait; let the everlafting purpofes of his Grace be your confiint admiration and the everlafting frui- tion of God in glory be your fined end, which is always in your eye ; and let the fade of the one, and the hope of the other quicken all your duties. Gods mercy you fee from all eternity it began, and to eternity it coñtinueth 5 we adjourn, and put off God, as if we had not finned enough, and dilhonoured his name enough ; hereafter will be time enough to return to our duty. if we begin never fo loon, God hath been aforé- hand
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