Owen - Houston-Packer Collection BT768 .O9 1654

CA P. I 11.4:55 Ephef:t.3,4,5, 2 Thep 2.2 i)14. Opened. 94. the Arguments he fetsup again1t the Truth, as (hall hereafter befarther ma- nifefted. $.55. I draw now toa doleofthofe places,which (amongmanyother omitted) tender then-delves unto the proofe of the {table, unchangeable Purpofe of God, concerning the fafe-garding and prefervation ofBelievers in his Love, and unto Salvation. I (hàll mention one or two more, andclofe this fecond Scriptural] Demonftrationofthe Truth in hand. The firft is that eminent placeofEpheft. 3,4, 5. Bleffed be theGod andFather of our Lord jefur Chrifl, who bath bleffed uswith allfpirituallbiefsings in heavenly places inChrift, accor- ding as he hath chofen we in him, before the foundation of the World, that we fhouldbeholy, andwithout blame before him in Love 3 having Predeftinated tta unto the adoptionof Children by jefita Chrift to himfelfe , according to the good pleafure ofhis will: verfe 3. theApoftle fummarily blefl`eth God for all the fpirituall mercies, which in Jefus Chrift heble{feth his Saintswithall s ofall which v.4. he difcovereth the fountaine and fpring, which is his free choofing ofthem before thefoundation oftheworlds That anEternal] A&of the Will of God is hereby defigned, is beyond difoute: and it is that foundationofGod; onwhich the wholeofthe buildingmentioned and pourtraid in the following verfe is laid. All the Grace and Favour of God towards his Saints, in their Juftification,Adoption, and GIory, all the fruits of theSpirit, which they en- joy in Faith and San&ification, flowfrom this onefountaine: and thefe theA- poftledefcribesat largein the verfes following. The aymeof God in this e- ternall and UnchangeableA&of his Will (he tells us) is , that we thould be unblameable before him in Love. Certainly curled Apoftats, backtliders in Heart, in whom his foule takes nopleafure, are very farre frombeing unblame- able before God in Love. Thofe that are within the compaffeof this Purpofe ofGod, Muff be prefervedunto that State and Condition, which God aimes to bring themunto, by all the fruit and iffues of that Purpofe ofhis, which was pointed at before. A Scriptureof the like importanceunto that before named , is 2 Theff.' 2. 13,14. God bathfrom the beginning chofenyou to Salva- lion, through Saniiftcation ofthe Spirit, and beliefe ofthe Truth ,whereunto he callsyou byourGo(pel,to the obtainingof the Glory ofthe Lord jefus s The fame fountaine ofall fpirituall and eternaIl mercy, with that mentioned in the o- ther place, is here alfo expreffed, and that is Gods choofing of us by an ever- failingA&, orDefigning usto the end intended, by aFree, Eternal], Unchan- geable Purpofeofhis Will. Secondly, Theend aimed át by the Lord in that Purpofe, is here more clearely let downe, in a twofold Expre{fion. 1. Of Salvationv:13. He hath chofen us to Salvation: that's the thing which he aimed to accomplifh for them, and the Endhe intended tobring them to, in his choofing ofthem, and 21Y V: 1.1.-The Glory o f the Lord jefus: or the obtaininga portion in that Gic- ry,which Chrift purchafed and procured for them, with their being with hiwt to beholdhis Glory. And 3'Y You have the meanes , whereby. God will cer- tainly bring about, and accomplith this his degne and Purpofe, whereof there are three molt eminent A&s expreffed. i. Vocation, or their callingby theGofpe! v: t4. 2. Sanctification v:13. (through the Sanctification ofthe spi- rit.) And 3. juflification , which they receive by beliefe of the Truth. Thus much then is wrapt up in this Texts God having in his Unchangeable Purpofe fore -appointed his toSalvation and Glory, certainlyto be obtained through theeffe&uall working ofthe Spirit, & free juffification in theBloodof Chill, it cannot be, but that they {hall be preferved unto the enjoyment of what they are fo defigned unto. 56. To fumme up what bathbeen fpoken from thefe Purpofes ofGod, to the

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