Ver,11. the 17th Chapter of St. JO H N. '55 Charafter 5 Theft which thou -haft given me 5 not only to fpecify the Perfons, but to de- clare the ground of Audience 5 keep them, becarrfe they are thofe which thou haft given me. Therefore in following of it, I fhafl nfe this method. L I (hall more largely explain the Manner of God's Grant and Donation tg Chrift. II. I thall thew you how it is a Ground of Ellablilhment and Confolation. Ill. I (hall enforce all by Application. I. To open the Nature of the Grant, let us again refunte the DiftinElion of giving; by way of Reward and Charge. Thefe two anfwer to one another, as Work and Wages. Chrift taketh upon himfelf a Charge of Souls; and all his Reward is, that he may have an Intereft in them. Let us begin with the Charge 5 the Work firft, and then the Wages. t. They are given to him by way of Charge. What his Charge was, will be opened, by confidering, What the Father propofed concerning the Elea.; and how the Son undertook it. (t.) What the Father propofed. The words of Heaven are, «QQs'm gñlstu'rtt, 2 Cor. 12.4. Words which it is not lawful for a Man to alter. Thofe fecret ways of Difcourfe and Communication between the Father and the Son, are to be adored with Reverence; and deep Silence 5 were it not that the Spirit of God bath put them into fuch Forms as are tunable to the Tranfa&ions and Intercourfe which pats between Man and Man. It is ufual in Scripture to put the Paffages, which concern God and Chritt,into Speeches. Pfal. ¢o. 6, 7, 8. Sacrifice and Offering thou didit not defier, mine Ears haft thou opened `Burnt-Ofering and Sin.Ofjering haft thou not required. Then I fold, Le, I come : in the Volume of the Book it is written of me. I delight to do thy Will, O my God : yea, thy Law is within my Heart. Pfa1.2.8. Ask of me, and I will give thee the Heathen for thine Inheritance, and the uttermofi parts of the Earth for thy PoJgon. Pfal. t r©. a. The Lord fold unto my Lord, Sit than at my right Hand, until I make thine Enemies thy Foot- feel. The Father came to Chriff, and did, as it were, fay to him, Son ! I am loth that all Mankind Ihould be loft, and left under Condemnation 5 there are forme whom I have chofen to be Veffels and Receptacles of my Mercy and Goodnefs 5 and besaufe I am refolved that my Juftice Should be no Infer, you mutt take a Eddy, and die for them; and afterwards you mull fee that they be converted to Grace, juftified, fancli- fied, guided to Glory 5 and that not one of them doth mifcarry, for 1 will take an ac= count from you of them. It were eafy to prove all there things out of Scripture, to wit, That there are a certain definite Number, whom God chufeth to be Veffels of Mercy. 2 Tim. 2. 19. The Foundation of the Lord ftandeth fire, having this Seal, Ì e Lord knoweth theft that arahit. There is no Lottery nor Uncertainty in the Divine Decrees 5 the Number is Rated and fealed, none can add to it nor detract, or take away any one Perron. And that Chrift received a Command to lay down his Life for them, and for them only t John to. 15. I lay down my Life for my Sheep: And, Very: z8. This Commandment have I received of my Father. The Defcription is a Limitation; it is for his Sheep. God would have none of Chtifs Blood to run wafle. That he is to do this, that the Honour of Juffice may be falved, and fo Mercy have the freer courir. Rota. 3.25, 26. Whom God hatb fit forth to be a Propitiation, through Faith in his Blood, to declare hit Rigbteoufnefs for the remigion of Sins that are ?aft, through the forbearance of God. To declare, I fay, his Righeeoufnefs 5 that be may be jttft, and the Jut r¡er of him which believeth ìn jefats. The Son was not only to life Intreaty, but to make Satisfaction i not that God by any Neceflity of Nature required it, the exercife of JuRice is free, and falleth under no Laws : but it was sooft convenient to preferve a due fenfe and apprehenfion of the Godhead. That Chrift was to fee them convey ted, it was theexprels Will of God. John 6. 38, 39. For I canoe down from Heaven, net to do mine own Will, but the Will of him that lint me. And this is the Father's Will that bath fine me, that of all which he bath given, I fbould lofe nothing, bat fhould raife them up again at the loft Day 5 and by converfion, to be poffeffed of all the Privileges of the Gofpel 5 and without mifcarrying, to be guided unto Glory. John so.28, 29. I give limo throb Eternal Lift, and they Pill never perift, neither flail any Man pluck them oat of my Hand. My Father that gave Am me, is giver than all: and no Man is able to pluck them oat of my Father's Hand : they are One, and alt by joint Power, Vvv 2 and
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