Uer.6. the 17th Chapter of St. J O H N. 77 eth abomination, or maketh a lie : but they which are written in the Lamb's Book of Life ei /M, where the words are not exceptive; for then it would follow, that force which work Abomination, fhould enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but adverCttive, thefe (hall not enter, but others (hall enter. So, Mat. 12.4. It war not lawful fir bins to eat, neither for thefe which were with him, but only for the Priefts : ei µr, it is not exceptive, as if the Priefts were of David& Company. 2. What was this Charge ? It will be opened, by confidering, What the Father pro- poled concerning the E1ed, and what the Sonundertook. (t.) What the Father propofed. The words of Heaven are óígge rec ¡blsaiu, unutterable words,wbich it is not lawful for a Man to utter,2 Cora 2.4. Thofe fecret ways of Difcourfe and Communication between the Father and the Son, are to be adored with reverence and deep filence, were it not thatthe Spitit of God 'hath -put them into fuck Forms as are futable to thofe Tranfadiotts and Intercòurfes which are between Man and Man. It is ufual in Scripture, to put the Paflages between God and Chant into Speeches. Pfal. 4o. 6, 7, 8. Sacrifice and Offering thou didfl not dekre, wise Ears haft thou opened Burnt - Offering and Sin- Offring haft thon not required. -Then Pei I, Lo, I come : In the Polttme of the Book it is written of me. I delight to do thy Will, 0 my God : yea, thy Law is within my Heart. Pfal. 2.8..,'ík of me, and I will give thee the Heathen for thy Inheritance, and the utmoß parts of the Earth for thy. Poffon. Pfal. tto. r. The Lord fold Onto my Lord, Sit thou at my right' Hand, until I make thine Enemies thy Footool. The Father came to Chrift, and did, as it were, fay to him Son ! I am loth that all Mankind fhould be loft, and left under Condemnation ; there are fore whom I have chofen to be Veffels and Receptacles of my Mercy and - Goottnefs ;. and becaufe I am refolved that my Juflice (hall be no lofer, you muff take a Body and die for them, and afterward you mutt fee that they be converted to Grace, juftified,.fandified, guided to Glory, and that not one of them fhould mifcarry ; for I will take an account of you at the laic Day. It is eafy to prove all thefe things out of Scripture. That there are a certain definite Number : See 2 Tim. 2. 19. The Foundation of the Lord ftandeth fire, having this Seal, The Lord knoweth thole that are his. There is no Lottery nor Uncertainty in the Divine Decrees, the Number is hated, fealed, none can add to it, or detract any one Perron, that Chrift received a Command to lay down his Life for : John so. 18. This Commandment have I received of my Father; for them only I lay downmy Life, viz, for my Sheep. That Chrift is to fee them converted to Grace: John 6: 37. All that the Father giveth me, fhall come to me; and him that cometh to me, I will in no wife caft out. And without 6f-carrying, guided to Glory. John so. 28, 29. I give unto them Eternal. Life, and they fia!l never perifh, neither (bat! any Pluck them eut of my Hand. My Father which gave them me, is greater than all: and none is able to pluck them out of- my Father's Hand. That Chrift is to give an Account of Bodies and Souls: John 6.39. rind this is the Father's Will that hath lent me, that of all which be bath given me, I fiould !ale nothing, but fhould rail it up again at the laf¡t Day. Which accordingly he doth : Heb. 2. 13. `Behold, I, and the Children- which God bath given nie. (2.) What Chrift undertook. The whole Propofal of the Father : Pfal. 40.8. Lo, 1 come to dothy Will, 0 God ! Chrift confented to all the Articles of the Eternal Cove- nants not only to take a Body to die, but to take a particular Charge of all the Elect ; as Judah interpofed for Benjamin, to doth Chrift for the Souls committed to him. - Gen. 43.9. /mill be Surety for him ; of my Hand (halt thou require him : if I bring him not to thee, and fit him fafe -in thy prefence, let me bear the blame for ever. So doth Chrih fay concerning all the Perlons that fall under his Cl*rge : If I do not fee thetiì converted, juftified, fans%fied, conducted to Glory, count me an unfaithful Undertaker, and let me bear the blame for ever. 3. The Ground of this Charge. Why the Father doth not rave them by his own Power, but committed them to the Son ? I Anfwer, 1. Partly in Majefly, God would not pats out Grace, but by a Media- tor: and therefore when he was refolved, that he would not lore the whole Race of Mankind, but repair his Image in Come of them, and had feleâed whom he pleated out of the Mats; yet in Majehy, he would not immediately communicate Grace to them, but by Chrift. There is a difference between Man in Innocency, and Man fallen. Man in Innocency had immediate Communion with Cod, God was prefent with his Image ;
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