Verf. i, the Epiflle to the Romans. jeverlafting, and embracing them in his nor defiroy us, fnce he loved fo longs 42a love, as his owne,whom he will fave by Chrift. T = M. What doeirines arife front thefe words? S i L. Thefe two : Firit, we are to learne that the firft and higheft caufe of mansele&ion and falvation, is the eternal' love, will, or good pleafure of God, as may appeare out of Matti). i L. z 6. Rem, n. 8. Ephef. I. 5. RMm. 27.28. Rom. 9. z f,i 8. For, what can God have out of himfelfe, to goe and be before himfelfe? andwho hash given God firit? Rom. i,.35. T , M. What 74íe of this point ? S r L. Finii, it confutes the errour of fuch as will have the bare prefcience of God to be the caufe of elation and fal- vation : this was Chryfoflomes errour, who held that as God forefaw men would beleeve and live well, fo he chofe them; alfo Ambrofewas of this minde, fo expounding Romans 9. 15. and Au- guffine attributed ele &ion to forefeen faith, which errour he retra &ed after Pelagius, andhis followers did erre in this matter gray. T z M. Hat is this errour confuted? S I L. Firfi, becaufe the bare fore - fight of God is not the caufe of the ex- iftence of any thing ; for he knew be- fore thofe things, which thail not be, as thofe which tall be. Secondly, Jacob was loved and chofen of God, ere ever he had done any good thing, from Gods purpofe, not from his bare prefcience, Rom. 9.11. Thirdly, feeing all men were to be alike corrupt through finne, there was no good thing he could forefee in any ; therefore all men should have been reprobate, if his bare foresight had been the ground and cause. LaftIy, the Scripture exprefly denieth that mans worthinefsis any caufe of mans ele &ion, Dent. 7.7. See the place. T t M. What oilier thing learm we; film the former doctrine ? S s t. That we do owe all thankes and praife to Gods free love, for ele- &ing, calling, and Caving us. Thirdly, here is matter of comfort, by affitring us that now we are, God will not refufe before we were. And laftíy, here is an exhortation to love all the children of God, fincetheyare everlaflingly brio- ved of God ; this is caufefufficïent to make us take heed how we hate any up- on whom God eternally hath iet his love, and to repent of our unkindnefft s towards them. T i M.What other doeirine ari feth from the beginning of this fecond ver /e ? S r L. That fuch as God forefaw, and! Geás tove ele&ed before all worlds, cannot po ffibly 1 remit ;°d perifh. The words of our Text do fully ; fie: cief e®q avouch this truth, God calls not off his c°naanm people whom he knew before;again it is I Proolès written, Mat. 24. 24. that it is not polli -1 m ble the ele& should perifh,and Roni.8.3 o. Scripture; The predeflinate lhall be glorified : an lastly, Chrift hath prayed for all th ¡ ele &, that they may have his glory /i heaven, John 17. 24. Reafon alto confir- meth this truth, for the love of 'God is immutable, therefore they cannot perilh whom he.oves;for then fhould God al- ter and be changeable, if the ele& could fall from Gods love and be Reprobates; but becanfe God changes not,, he that is once loved of God, is ever loved , and therefore cannot be condemned in hell. Hence is the ele &ion and forek nowledg of God, compared unto a Peale and foundation, which beares things of greatftablenefe, i Tim. 5. 17. Moun- taines of braffe are not fo flrong,as Gods loving purpofe and decree is. I am not as men that I fhould repent, nor as fonnes of men shall should lie : again, I am Jehovah, I change not. T 1 M. What profit of this Doctrine? S I L. It confuteth the errour of fuck as fay the ele& may lofe Gods love by their owne fault ; this is to make God unable, variable, and the Scriptures false. Secondly, it teacheth the effete of the ele& to be molt fiable and per- manent, not in refpe& of their owne linen gth,but of Gods love and counfell. Thirdly, it contforteth the poore affli- &ed coufciences ofGodschildren,againff the fear of damnation: fuch as oncehave perceived their own ele &ion, may be affured of it for ever. Fourthly, it is a pre- 0 r....o_ _
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