and blessings come from Christ, in respect that Christ doth by his obedience obtain every good thing, which in time is communicated to us: and we have blessings in Christ, because that in Christ, as in a common storehouse, every thing is first placed, which is to be imparted afterwards to any of us. And thus we are chosen in Christ as in a common person. This grace of election began first at Christ our head, and so descends downwards to us his members; Christ is the first begotten among all his brethren, having the preeminence, or Christ was "the firstborn among many brethren," Rom. 8:29. The first that opened the womb: Christ was sealed and set apart to be the prince of our salvation, before (in order of nature) we are elected. Concerning this election, or predestination of Christ, the apostle puts all out of question, "Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you," 1 Pet. 1:20.

SECT. III. Of the great Treaty in Eternity betwixt God and Christ to

save souls.

Now was it that God the Father called forth his Son to perform the of fice of Mediator, that in him all those that should be saved might be chosen. Concerning this call of God the Father, in a special sort the apostle is clear, "No man taketh this honor unto himself but he that is called of God as was Aaron: so also Christ glorified not himself to be made a high priest, but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to-day have I begotten thee." He called him to this honor, Heb. 5:4,5. Christ thrust not himself into this office, but he came to it by the will of God the Father, and by his appointment, "For it pleased the Father, by him to reconcile all things to himself," Col. 1:19,20, and "him hath God the Father sealed," John 6:27. And why? But the more to assure us of the good will of God to save us, seeing he hath called his Son unto it: for therefore will he accept of all that Christ should do for us, as that which he himself hath or dained.

And now it was that God the Son embraced the call of the Father, and undertook the office of Mediator," Then said I, lo, I come," Heb. 10:7. No question it was truth from everlasting: "The Lord God hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back," Isa. 50:5. And "as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do," John 14:31. No sooner had the Father called, but Christ accepts the office to which he was designed by the Father: this is plain by these words, "Him hath God the Father sealed;" sealed by ordination, and sealed by qualification, and sealed by way of investiture, as public officers are invested in their places by receiving their commissions under seal. And it must needs be so, because whatsoever the Father wills, the Son wills also, "I and my Father are one," saith Christ, John 10:30. How one? Why, one in will, and one in power, and one in nature. 1. One in will, that appears in the words precedent concerning Christ's sheep, "My Father gave them me, and I give unto them eternal life," verses 28,29. They are both agreed to save Christ's sheep; the Father is willing and Christ is willing: look how much the will of the Father is in it, so much the will of the Son is in it," For he and the Father are one." 2. One in power; that appears likewise in the words precedent, Those "sheep shall never perish; (saith Christ) neither shall any pluck them out of my hand: my Father is greater than all, and none is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand," ver. 28,29. Here is first the power of Christ, and all in him engaged for the salvation of his sheep, that if he have any power in him, and be able to

CHAP. I.

LOOKING UNTO JESUS.

do any thing, not one of them shall perish; and he gives the reason of the prevalency of his power from his Father's power, engaged as much as his own in this business; they are alike fast in his hands and in his Father's hands, For he "and the Father are one." 3. One in nature, and of this I suppose are the words more especially understood: the Father and the Son are both of one nature, of one essence, of one being, and this is not only an argument that they did both agree, and were like to agree in that great transaction of saving souls, but that they can never disagree; two that essentially have two wills, though for the present agreeing in one, yet they may come to disagree, and will not the same things, but if essentially they have but one will, it is impossible then but that they ever must agree. So then the Father from everlasting calls the Son to the of fice of Mediator. q. d. "Come, my Son, the Son of my joy, and high delight; my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased; there is a thought in my heart to communicate myself out of this aloneness everlasting into somewhat else; and my thoughts, or purpose, or intention, lies in this or der: First, I intend my own glory, then Christ, then the church, then the world; thus is my providence to dispose every thing so much more principally and timely, by how much it is the more excellent; next to my glory and the manifestation of it, I will have a Christ, and this Christ shall be the chief pattern of the election of grace; and next to Christ the head I intend a body, and this body I will predestinate to be made like, or to be conformed to the image of my Son. And now, behold I call thee to the office of Mediator, thou art my Son; to-day (even in this day of eternity) And as the Father calls, so have I begotten thee; and to-day (even this day of eternity) do I call thee to this honor to be an high priest for ever." the Son from everlasting accepts the office to which he is designed by the Father, q. d. Come, "Is that the voice of my everlasting Father? Why, "lo I come, in the volume of the book it is written of me; to do thy will, O God." This is my mind; yea, and this shall be my mind for ever; when I am incarnate, this shall be my meat to do the will of him that sent Be me to finish his work, Heb. 10:7. Glorious Father, thy will is my will; I seek not mine own will (as if I had a will distinct from thine) but the will of my Father, John 4:34. Now therefore I accept this honor. it to me, or be it with me even as thou pleasest," John 5:30. This call of the Father and answer of the Son is fully confirmed by that saying of Christ, "I was set up from everlasting," Prov. 8:23.

But concerning, the particular passages of these treaties between God and Christ to save souls, I shall show, 1. The Project. 2. The Counsel. 3. The Foreknowledge. 4. The Purpose. 5. The Decree. 6. The Covenant. We shall find all these in our first period, in that eternity be fore all times until the creation.

SECT. IV.

The Project.

THE project to save souls is diversly laid down by dissenting brethren. Some give it in thus, 1. That there should be a Mediator and Redeemer unto mankind, considered as fallen in the state of sin. 2. That all such should be received into favor as shall repent, and believe, and persevere unto the end. 3. That sufficient and necessary means of grace should be offered and administered unto all men without exception. 4. That certain singular persons should be saved, whom God foresaw would repent, and believe, and persevere. This way is justly opposed by others, who deny God's acts in intention to be in the same order as we see them in production. In order of material existing it is granted that Christ is re

vealed, promised, and exhibited after sin, and that we repent, believe, and persevere before we are saved; but in order of God's intention, Christ is before sin, and salvation before repentance, faith, perseverence. The apostle reckoned the order in which things exist thus, 1. The Word. 2. You the Elect. 3. Christ. 4. God, 1 Cor. 3:22,23. But he gives us to understand the order of intention thus; as first, God intends his own glory, then Christ, then the elect, then the world. Certainly it is a hard thing to marshal the eternal emanant acts of the divine understanding, or will it first, second, third, fourth: all God's projects are like himself, who is tota simul et perfecta possessio sui, a whole and perfect possession of himself together and at once; so as in him considered there is no prius nor posterius in any of his acts; but considered in effects, or in respect of us, one thing may be said to be first, second, or third in nature, time, and being, before or after another. And thus in respect to us, we say the end must be in nature before the means to the end; now the permission of the fall, repentance, faith, and perseverence, are used by God as means, to bring some to salvation; God therefore doth first project our salvation, and then the means; and both the end and the means are the product of God's elec tion or predestination. Here then is the project, that God will glorify his grace, and to this end he will predestinate Christ, and in Christ he will choose some of the sons of men to salvation, whom, notwithstanding sin, he will make holy, and without blame before him in love. This project, or plot, or design of God will be further enlarged upon in the next passage, viz. his counsels.

SECT. V. The Counsel.

Or the counsels of God concerning man before all worlds, we read in several texts, Christ was " delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God," Acts 2:23. "For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the gentiles, and the people of Israel were gathered together, for to do whatsoever thy hand and counsel determined before to be done," Acts 4:27, 28. Thus the members of Christ are said to "have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will," Eph. 1:11. Of this counsel of God's will, we know but little now, yet this will be made known when we come to glory; yea, it will be a great part of the glory of heaven for the Lord to make known the counsel of his will; we know his will, but we shall then know the counsel of his will, and praise him to all eternity for it; this shall be the glory of the saints, that they shall see into the counsel of God's will in choosing them and calling them, and passing by others, and letting others go. In the meanwhile thus far we may know, for thus far he hath revealed himself concerning his counsels about man from everlasting.

1. That man should be a reasonable creature, and because that every creature is unavoidably subject to the Creator, (for "he made all things. for himself," Pr. 16:4, and all are to return that glory to him for which he made them,) therefore man should serve him as all other creatures must, only his service should be after a reasonable manner, out of judgement, discretion, and election; hence David is said to have "chosen the way of truth," Ps. 119:30, and Moses to have "chosen the afflictions of God's people, and the reproaches of Christ, before the pleasures of sin or the treasures of Egypt," Heb. 11:25,26. And hence it is that holiness in the hrase of scripture is called judgement, "He shall convince the world of

judgement," John 10:11, and he shall "send forth judgement unto victory," Matth. 12:20. And hence it is that our service is called "a reasonable service," Rom. 12:1. God would not set any such determinating law over the operations of man, as over other creatures, that so he might' truly work out of judgement, and stand or fall by his own election.

2. That if man should deviate from this reasonable service, and break the law which God would give, and which he himself should have an original power to perform, that then he should incur the displeasure of God; and such a curse and such a penalty should be inflicted. And here comes in the fall of man into God's consideration; he looks upon it as a wilful transgression of his law, and by how much the law was more just, and the obedience more easy, by so much he judges the transgression more unreasonable, and the punishment more certain and intolerable.

3. That sin should not pass unrevenged; and that for these reasons, 1. Because of God's infinite hatred thereof, "He is of purer eyes than to behold evil, he cannot look on iniquity," Hab. 1:13. It provokes a nauseousness and abhorrency in him;" for all these are things that I hate, saith the Lord,they are a trouble unto me, I am weary to bear them," Zech. 8: 17. 2. Because of his truth he hath said, "In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die," or, " thou shalt dying die," Gen. 2:17, die temporally, and die eternally; and surely God will in no wise abolish his law, "One jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law till all be fulfilled," Matth. 5:18. 3. Because of his terror and fearful majesty, for God will have men always to tremble before him, and by his terror to be persuaded from sinning, "Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men," 2. Cor. 5:11. "Fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell," Matth. 10:28, and "let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably, with reverence and godly fear, for our God is a consuming fire," Heb. 12:28,29. Upon these reasons God is resolved sin shall not pass unrevenged, lest thereby his justice should be securely abused, his hatred against sin the less declared, his truth questioned, and his dreadful majesty by men neglected.

4. That every man, notwithstanding sin, should not be utterly destroyed: and that for these reasons. 1. Because of that infinite delight which the Lord hath in mercy. Why? this delight is it that so disposeth him to pardon abundantly, and to exercise loving-kindness on the sons of men; "Who is a God like unto thee, that pardonest iniquity and passest by the transgression of the remnant of thy heritage? Thou retainest not thine anger for ever, because thou delightest in mercy," Psal: 103:8. And, "I am the Lord which exercise loving-kindness, judgment and righteousness in the earth, for in these things I delight, saith the Lord," Jer. 9:24. 2. Because of that delight which God hath to be actively glorified by his creatures' voluntary service and subjection; "Herein is my Father glorified, if ye bear much fruit," John 15:8. And, "I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that he turn from his way and live," Ezek. 33:11. He delighteth most in unbloody conquests, when by his patience, and goodness, and forbearance, he subdueth the hearts, affections, and consciences of men unto himself! he esteemeth himself more glorified in the services, than in the sufferings of men, and therefore in this eternity he resolves not to destroy all men, lest there should be no religion upon the earth. When the angels fell, they fell not all, many were still left to glo. rify him actively in their service to him, but when Adam fell, all mankind fell in him; so that there was no tree in this paradise left to bring forth any fruit unto God: and this is most certain that God would rather have

his trees for fruit than for fuel; hence he resolves that mankind, notwithstanding sin, should not be utterly destroyed.

Hereupon the Trinity calls a council, and the question is, "What is to be done with poor man?" The learned here frame a kind of conflict in God's holy attributes, and, by a liberty which the Holy Ghost from the language of holy scripture doth allow them, they speak of God after the manner of men, as if he were reduced unto some straits and difficulties, by the cross demands of his several attributes. Justice calls upon him for the condemnation of a sinful, and therefore worthily accursed creature; which demand is seconded by his truth, to make good that threatening, "In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die the death:" mercy on the other side pleads for favor, and compassion towards man, wofully seduced, and overthrown by Satan, and this plea is seconded by love and goodness, and the like attributes; at last, when the business comes to a determination, wisdom finds out a way, which the angels of heaven gaze on with admiration and astonishment, how to reconcile these different pleas of his attributes together. A Jesus is resolved on; one of the same blessed Trinity, who by his Father's ordination, his own voluntary susception, and the holy Spirit's sanctification, should be fitted for the business. To this purpose this Jesus should be both a surety and a head over sinful men; a surety to pay men's debts unto God, and a head to restore God's image unto man; and thus in him "mercy and truth have met together, righteous and peace have kissed each other," Psal. 85:10. This is the great mystery of the gospel; this is that which the angels (as I tell you) pry into; nay, this is that which the angels and saints too shall admire, and bless God for to all eternity; this is that which set the infinite wisdom of God on work from all eternity. If all the angels in heaven, and all the men in the world, had been put to it to find out a way to answer this question, "How shall sin be pardoned, the sinner reconciled, and God glorify his justice?" they could never have done it; this cost God dear, it cost him the heart-blood of his own Son, and that is a sure sign that God's heart was much in it, and indeed we are not Christians, until in some measure we see and have our hearts taken with the glory of God in this mystery. O the wonder of heaven and earth! here is the case, man is fallen through sin, and ever since the fall, man and sin are as inseparably joined together as fire and heat; yet God will have mercy on the man, and he will take vengeance on the sin; the eternal wisdom of God hath found out a way to translate this man's sins on another person who is able to bear them, and to interest this man's person in another's righteousness, which is able to cover him: so that now all is one in regard of man, as if the law had been utterly abrogated; and all is one too in regard of God, as if the creature had been utterly condemned. And all this is done in our Jesus; on him was executed the curse of the law, by him was fulfilled the righteousness of the law, for him was remitted the sin of man, and through him were all things made new again. The world was in Christ as in its surety, making satisfaction to the justice of God; and God was in Christ as in his ambassador, reconciling the world unto himself again, (O bathos!) "O the depths of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out" Rom. 11:33. You have seen the project, and the councils of God for man's salvation, before all worlds; it is but dimly "For who hath known the mind of the Lord? Or who hath been his counsellor?" Rom. 11:34.