3o A DISPLAY f damned, as to thofè that are raved ; falvatiou under the condition of faith in Chrift, was alfo propofed to them, but was `Judas andall his company elefted ? Bow came they then to be reduced and per (h? That any of God's elea go to hell, is asyet afirange affection i a chrifliauity ; notwithftanding this decree, none may believe, or all that do nayfall away, and fo noneat all be raved, which is a ftrange kind of predeftination ; or allmay believe, continue in faith, and be fared ; which were a more ftrange kind of eleftion. Wepoor fouls thought hitherto, that we might have believed accordingunto fctipture, that Tome by this pnrpofe were in a peculiar manner made the father's (Thine they mere) and by him given unto Chrifi, that he might bringthem untoglory, and that thefe men were fo certain and unchangeablea number, that not only God knoweth them as being his, but alta that Chrifi calleth them all by name, John. x. 3. and looketh, that none taketh them out ofhis hand : we never imagined before, that Chrifi bath been the mediatour of an uncertain covenant, becanfe there are no certain perforas covenanted withal, but fuchas may or may not Fulfil the condition : wealways thought, that fonte had. -been feparated before' by God's pnrpofe front the ref} oftheperifhing world, that Chrifi might laydown his life for Isis friends, for his fheep, for them that were given him ofhis hither ; but now it fhould fain he was ordained to be a king, when it was altogether uncertain whether he Should ever have any f,bjefts, tobe a head without a body, or to fuels a Church whole colleftion and continuance depends wholly and folely on thewill of men. Thefe are doctrines that I believe fearchers ofthe fcrip, eure, had fcarce ever been acquainted withal, had they not lighted on fah expofitors, as teach, (a) that the only caufe why Gad 4:veth, or chufeth any perfn, is, betafe the bonefly, faith and piety, wherewith, according to God's command and his own duty, he is endued, are acceptable to God : which though we grant it true of God's confequent, or approving love , yet furely there is a divine love, wherewith he looks upon us otherwife, whenhe gives usunto Chrifi : elfe, either our giving unto Chrifi is not out of love, or we are pious, juft, and faithful, beforewe come unto (rim, that is, we have no need of him at.all ; againft either way, though we mayblot there teftimonies out ofour hearts, yet theywill fiend f}ijl recorded in holy fcripture, viz. that God fó laved us when we were his enemies, Rom. v. 8. fevers, ver. t n. ofnofivength, that be font his only begotten fon to die, that wefhauld not perifh but have life everlaffing, John. iii. 16. but ofthis enough. . (q..) Another thing that the Article afferteth according to the Scripture, is, that there isno other caufe of oar eleltion, but God's awn comp!, it recounteth no motives in us, nothing impelling the will of God to choefe fameout ofmany, rejefting others, but his owndecree, that is, his abfolute will and good pleafure ; fo that as there is no caufe in any thing wihout himfelf, why he would create the world or cleli any at all, for he doth all thefe things for himfelf; for the praifeofhis own glory, fó there is no caufe in fingular elated perforas, why God fbould choofe them, rather thanothers; he looked upon all mankind in the fame condition, veiled with the fame qualifications, or ra- ther without any at all, for it is the children not yet barn, before they do either good or evil, that are chafen or rejelted, his free grace embracing the one, and paffìn over the other ; yet here we muff obferve, that although God freely without any defect of theirs choofeth fomemess tobe partakers bothofthe end and the aeuas, yet he befiow- eth faith or the means on none, but for themerit of Chrift : neither do any attain the end or falvation, but by their own faith through that righteouf:elsof his: the free grace ofGod notwithftanding- choofrng `Jacob, when Efau is rejefted, the only antece- dent caufe of ally difference between the eleft and reprobates, remaineth firm and un- Soaken ; and furely urlefs men were refolved to truf} wholly to their own bottoms, to take nothing gratis at the hands of God, they would not endeavour to rob him ofhis glory : of having mercy on whom he will have mercy, of loving uswithout our defect, before theworld began. If we mutt claim an intereft mobtaining the temporal alts of his favour, by our own endeavours yet oh ! letus giant him the glory of being good untous, only for his own fake; when we were in his hand as the clay in the bandof the potter, what made this pieceof clay fit for comely fervice, and not aveffel wherein there is no pleafure, but the power, and will of the framer? It is enough, yea, too much for them to repine and fay, Why haft thou made us thus, whoare veffels fitted for wrath? Letnot themwho areprepared for honour, exalt themfelves againfi him, (a)Ra dileEtionis eft, e .sS, fides, vllpietas, qua es officia prefcsiptm Dei iCfira eo grata StRem pay. ante
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