An Analysis to the Seventeenth Article, &c. 175 direct the Church in the right ufe of this Doctrine, and to avert abufes and fcandals. The Loweft and Particular Terms will come to be confidered in their own Places, as they lye in every Paragraph. The firft Paragraph hath two branches; the Definition of Predeftination, and the defcription of the Execution and Manifeftation thereof. The Definition is fet down in these terms; Predeftination to Life is the Everlasting purpose of God, whereby (before the Foundation of the World was laid) he hath conftantly Decreed by his counsel, fecret to us, to deliver from Curfe and Damnation those whom he hath chofen in Chrift out of Mankind; and to bring them by Chrift to everlasting Salvation, as Veffels made to Honour. Here are two things to be confidered; the thing Defined, and the Definition. The thing Defined, is Predeftination to Life; which Term admits, that there is also a Predeftination to Death, or Reprobation, tho' the Article faith nothing exprefly of it; we are not therefore to conclude, that the compofers of it thought that God had Decreed nothing what to do with wicked Men, or had not a purpose to Glorify his Juftice in them, or were hot certain in his Knowledge, who and which they would be: nor may we think that the Church fhunned to touch upon that ftring, as harsh and unpleafant; for the Doctrine of Reprobation rightly understood is as profitable to drive Men from the ways of Wickednefs that lead to Perdition, as the Doctrine of Predeftination is to draw Men into the way of Righteoufnefs: but the reafon why the Article faith nothing directly of Predeftination to Death, or Reprobation, is becaufe it is eafily understood by the contrary, whereof the Article faith fo much. For if Predeftination to Life be the purpose of God to deliver from Curfe; then Predeftination to Death muft must be the purpofe of God not to deliver from Curfe and Damnation thofe whom he hath not found in Christ, but to caft them into everlafting Fire, as Veffels to Dishonour. The Definition followeth; that Predeftination to Life is the everlasting purpose of God, &c. Here I crave leave for clear understanding of it, to lever and put alunder the effential parts of the Definition, from the Adjuncts and ornaments that are annexed to every eff.ntial part, to make every part more compleat, perfect and comely. The fubftance of the Definition is this, Predeftination to Life is the purpose of God to bring to Salvation those whom he hath chofen: which containeth three things; First, an inward act of God, his Purpose; Secondly, an outward act or end purpofed, to bring to Salvation; Thirdly, the Subject upon which his purpose fettled that end, thofe whom he hath chofen: To every one of these there are feveral Adjuncts, making them more full; Of the firft it is faid, that it is an everlasting Putpofe, before the Foundation, &c. that it is a Purpose. whereby he hath Decreed; fo it is a Decree as well as a purpose; that what had been refolved on in it was conftantly fo Decreed; that it was made by his Counsel, and therefore a wife Decree; by his own Counsel, and therefore a free one; that it is fecret to us, ah hidden purpose, nobis quidem occulto, faith the Latin Article; all which inform us of the Nature of this Act of God. The fecond, or end purposed; To bring to Salvation, hath these Adjuncts or Amplifications, 1. The State from whence they are brought, from Curfe and Damnation; To deliver from Curfe 2. The means by whom they fhall both be de-livered from Curfe and Damnation, and brought to Salvation, that is, by Chrift; which is illuftrated by by a fimilitude out of St. Paul, as Veffels made Rom. 9. to Honour. To the Subject upon whom the purpose fettleth the end or thing defigned, the Chofen, it is added, that they were Chofen in Chrift, and that they were chofen out of Mankind. Thus you have the effential parts of the Definition, and the Adjuncts to every part, which I feparate, not as if the Adjuncts might be fpared in the De finition, but only for the clearer contemplation of them being fevered and fingled one from another. But if I take thefe again into confideration, I muft join to every one of the three Principals his acceffories alfo, as I have laid them out. 21. Some may be apt to imagine me obliged to begin with the first thing named in the Definition, The everlasting Purpose of God: but I can give a reafon, why I muft do otherwife; for in the Logical and Grammatical conftruction of the Article, there is here expreffed one higher, prior and eternal act of God, viz. to have Chofen fome out of Mankind in Chrift, before the other act of his purpose or Decree, to deliver from Curfe, and to bring to Salvation those whom he hath Chofen: for though in truth both thefe be Coeternal, yet in order of nature, after our manner of Understanding, and by the words of our Article, one is before the other; choofing in Christ, before purpose to bring to Salvation: for the purpofe is to bring to Salvation thofe whom he hath chofen, faith our Article; which is agreeable to the words of St. Paul, that Purpose is Rom, g. according to Election: but that which is according 11. to another, is after that according to which it is framed. So if we fhall place things according to due order, and of order is our Principal enquiry, Predeftination to Life may be thus defined; God's choofing of fome in Chrift out of Mankind before the foundations of the World were laid, and his everlasting Purpose Purpofe to deliver them from Curfe, and to bring them to everlasting Salvation, by the jame Chrift, in whom they were chofen. And I appeal to any reasonable Man, whether this change doth offer any violence, or wrong to the words of the Article. Now in good time cometh this Term, Chofen in Chrift, firft to be examined, as that wherein lyeth the iffue of this controverfy, whether Chrift was confidered in the very act of Choofing his Elect? And full well did the Article keep the words of the Apostle, that whofoever hath the Apostle, if that were not enough, he may be fure he hath the Article alfo for him. Let us try out therefore the Eph. 1. 3. meaning of the words of the Apoftle: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who non λo-bath Bleffed us with all Spiritual Bieffings in heavenly places in Chrift: according as he hath chofen us in him before the foundation of the World, that we Should be holy, and without blame before him in 4. για πνευ мостьий Love. us. To take from Arminius the envy of his interpretation, hear what St. Chryfoftom long ago wrote upon this place; That which he, the Apostle, faith, is of the fame import, as if he should have faid; by whom he Bleffed us, by the fame he hath also Chofen And a little after, what is the meaning of, he hath Chofen us in him? According to Faith to be had in him; this he did before we came into being, or rather before the foundations of the World were laid. The Commentary afcribed to St. Ambrofe thus writeth upon the Epiftle to the Ephefians; "accord. ❝ing as he hath chofen us in him: God foreknow ing all things, knew who would believe in Chrift, Rom. 8. as the fame Apostle faith in the Epistle to the Ro"mans; whom he foreknew, he hath alfo called, -9.24.not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles. 29. So in the opinion of these Fathers, as Purpose is according to Election, fo Election is according to Fore Foreknowledge of Chrift and Faith in him. And this was the common fentiment of the Fathers before St. Auguftine, although they were not ignorant of the Grace of God, nor of the Superiority and Power of it, over all the infirmity and unworthinefs of Man. But to let pass Authorities, confider we, Secondly, the Text it felf; God, faith the Apoftle, hath bleffed us with all Spiritual bleffings by Chrift; but that Election is a Spiritual bleffing, not only our Article confeffeth, when it faith, they that are endued with fo excellent a benefit of God, &c. but also the Apostle, who maketh it the Prime, the Pattern, and the leading Bleffing, by faying; he hath Blessed us with all fpiritual Blef fings, according as he hath chofen us in him: fo that this is the chief and exemplary Bleffing, to be Chofen in Chrift; as to be juftified in Chrift,to be Sanctified and Glorified are following Bleffings imitating the first. And if we were Elected without refpect to Chrift, then have we one fpiritual Bleffing, and not the meanest, but the first and the greateft, and not from, or by Chrift; contrary to the Apoftle, faying, God hath Bleffed us with every Spiritual Bleffing, in Chrift. Chrift is therefore not only the Head of the Elect, but also the fountain and foundation of Election: God not chufing Chrift for an Head, until he knew his Members, and together with him choofing them: elfe this great Grace and Benefit of Election fhall flow out of fome other fountain than Christ. We may obferve that whereas fome interpret these words, he hath Chofen us in Christ, by, he hath appointed us to Salvation to be obtained in, or by Chrift: applying Chrift to our obtaining Salvation by him, and not to our Election and Choofing; our Article despiseth this interpretation, when it plainly fevers these two, and preferveth them both diftinct, to choose in Chrift, and to bring to Salvation by Chrift; fo that Z 2 Chrift |