342 An Expofition upon ha gp naan as a more fruitful land, it was be- and perfeverance in grace, and finally cause he was merciful! to them ; now glorifying them in heaven, Rom. 8:33, certainly God is merciful! to his peo- 39, 40. Joh.3.27. Rotn.5.5 pie no otherwife then for Chrifts take, T 1 m. But if we were alwayes loved o f in.whom he is well pleafed, Mat. 3.1 y. God, how were we then his enemies ? Therefore upon the promife ofChrift, S i L. We were enemies because of depends all external hidings given to fin,which God extreamly hateth, but the faithful before the coming of !loved becaufe of eleaion and' mer- -Chrift. Secondly, the poffeffìon of the land ofCanaan was not Imply promi- fed and given tqacob and his posterity, but as a type,figure and fign,of the hea- venly inheritance, Heb. 11. 13, 14i 55. Therefore doth Paul prove the eleaion of Jacob to eternal lite by the enjoying ofthat land,and the reprobation ofE- fan, by thruffing him and his posterity out of it. Then thefe temporal things wereeffets and signs of Gods love and hatred. T r m. But that was fpokenofthe pofleri ty of Jacob and. Elan, how well Both it agree unto their perfens ? S I L. Itagreeth unto both, though principally unto Jacob and Efau,as the two Authors, yet fo as that fume of E- I fans pofterity might be Paved, and of Jacobs pofterity force might be dam- ned, without any impeachment unto this truth; namely, that God chufeth unto falvation molt freely whomfoever heeleteth. T r m. Now interpret thewords, and tell us what it is to love ?" Sr L. To love, is to will unto one the greateft good, even eternal falvati- on, and all things which bring thither. T t m. What things do ye confider in Gods love? $ f i Firft,purpefe. Secondly,ma- nifeftation. A s in our love to others, first we with them good whom we love, and then we do them good : as in the example of Parents, friends, jhusbands, &c. So it is in God; he purpofeth all good to his children, chafing them from everlasting tobe Paved by Chrift, and afterwards when they come into the world,he makes known his love by their effetual calling, fan&ifying, and renewing their hearts, ingendering in them a Rudy ofgood works, freng- thening them to an upright obedience, cy. Though he out of his purpofe de- creed the chiefeff good to his children, yet while they flick and remain in their naturali corruption being out of Chrift, they were children of wrath; enemies,ungodly, &c. Ephèf. 2.5,2,3. T i m.What is our inflruitien from heneel S i L. That our falvation and all Dutirine. that appertaineth toit,fpringeth -alto- leofn. gether from Gods eternal! love: The reafons hereof be: firft,becaufe God be- ing nioft free,would not fetch thecaufe of our falvation from any other thing then from himfelf. Secondly, becaufe there can no higher,or former caufe of mans good be given then Gods good pleafure. Thirdly," to beat down the pride of mans heart, that he might not glory in his own merits,but render the whole praife of his falvation,andwhat- foever belongs thereto to the free love of God in Chrift. T i M. But though God were not moved to chufe us for any works in our fives, yet was he flirted thereunto far No Sons fake. S 1 L. Not fo neither,but contrarily the love of God did move him both to purpofe and to give Chrift for our Sa- viour, and therefore could not be the impulfive cause to Gods love, to the which it is fubordinate, and not fupe- rfor. Indeed ¡inners having offended God,are received to favour for Chrifts fake,(fo they beleeve and repent:) but thajis, becaufe God out of his love had decreed fuch a means of our recovery. T t m. What ufe of this ? S 1 L. It teacheth a difference be- tween Gods love and our love, his waies and our waies , for we are not bound to love or to chufe any person but in refpe& of his worth: even in our enemies we are to esteem Gods creati- on and adoption in them,as grounds of our love:but with God there is no fuch matter,
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