Ver.24.. the 17th Chapter of St. JOHN. 6 I Answer; If this were true, there were not fuch a gracious Freedom in Grace. It is true, God forefeeth all things that !hall be, but firft he fore- ordaineth them : Prefái- ence includeth and fuppofeth Preordination; things are not, becaufe they are forefeen; but they are forefeen, becaufe they !hall be : From Prede(lination iffueth Faith, San- &ification, Perfeverance. So that we are not chofen becaufe we are Holy, but to be Holy : Ephed T. 4. According as he bath chofen us in him before the Foundation of fhb World, that we 'boa be holy, and without blame before him in Love. And to be rich in Faith ; James 2. g. Hearken my beloved Brethren, !lath not God chofen the Poor of this World Rich in Faith, and Heirs of the Kingdom, which he bath promifed to them that lave him? As Paul faith of himfelf, I Con 7. 2 S. 1 give my yndgment, as one that hatb obtained Mercy of the Lord to be faithful ; not that God forefaw that he was Co. Our Ordination to Life, is the Caufe of Faith. Ads 13. 48..ßs many as were ordained tc Eternal Life, believed. 2. When we were, We were riot lovely 5 there Was nothing to excite God to (het us Mercy. Our natural Condition is defcribed, Titus 3.3. For we our filtes elfo were fometimes foolifb, difabedient, deceived, f rvïng divers Lulls and Pleafures,, living ix Ma- lice and Envy, elihi, µuv2'5v74 á+V as, hateful, and hating one another. All are abo- minable, and worthy of hatred ; yet one hateth another, as if he were lovely, and the other drily abominable: . There are two Caufes of Self- conceit ; we have not a Spiritual Difcerning, and are partial in out our own Caule, and guilty of Self-love. T. We have nit a Spiritual Difcerning, 5t s -s-sr, we are filthy, deformed, hateful in the Eyes of God, flink in the Noftrils of God. if we fee a deformed Creature, over-, grown with Scurf and Sores, or a ftinking Carkafs, we turn away the Head in great abomination, and cry, Ci filthy ! yet we are all fo before God. A Toad, a (linking Carkafs, cannot be Co loathfotne to us,' is -a Sinner is to God. If a Man had but á Glafs to fee his own natural Face, he would wonder that God ( hould love him. In- deed we have a Glafs, but we havé nöt Eyes. What could God fee in us, to excite him to thew Mercy ? God is not blinded with the vehemence of any Paffion ; yea, the Objelt is uncomely, uncomely to a Spiritual Eye, much more to the Father of Spirits. 2. Self-love blindeth us, µtaints óeMaes. If Men would hold together, and like one another, all would be well; but now we cannot love one another, and live with one another in fafety, we feeai fuch odd Creatures. Fratrum concordia rara eft. We arc hateful Creatures to God, to Angels, to Devils, to our Selves. Object. But fonie are more civil and refined. Anfw. It is true, Natural Corruption doth not break out in all with a like Violences but a benummed Snake, is a Snake; a Sow waffled, is not changed. As when the Li - ver groweth, other parts langiiifh ; one great Luft intercepteth the nourifhrnent°'bf other Corruptions. Objet. But do not fome ufe Free-Will better than others ? Sure God loveth them more. Allis. No, not according to the Works which we have done, bat according to his Mercÿ he faved us, Tit. 3. 5. God's Original Motives to dò good, are from himfelf. VP 5. We are not to meafute God's Love by Temporal Accidents; that which cometh from Eternity, and tendeth to Eternity, that is an evidence of his fpecial Love; EccleC g. 1. No Man knoaveth either Love or Hatred, by all that is before him. The Plea - fares of in are for á Seafon, Heb. r 1.2 5. and Af iliions are for a feafon ; but Spiri- tual Slangs in Heavenly Places, which coin from Heaven, and tend to Heaven, have nò dependance upon this World, whether it hand or no, there evidence the belt Love,God's fpecial Mercy; Why,they weredeviled before ever the Foundations of the World were laid, and it is molt of all (hewed when the World is at an end. There - fare moderate your delires of Earthly Things, which the Apo(lle calls this World's Goods, i John 3. r 7. they are of no ufe in Eternity. And bear Afi &ions with more Patience, you do but lofe a little for the prefent, that you may be fate for ever. Hic are; hic fiat, to in atermsm parcas. OP 6. It preffeth us to get an Interelt in this Eternal Love. How (hall we dif- cern it ? z. By the Scope and Aim of your Lives and Allions. Do you labour for another World ? 2 Cor. 4. 18. While We look not at the things which tire feen, but at the things, tòbicti
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