A Practical Discourse of Gods Sovereignty, Part 3 · Section 3,4
III. Election is Perſonal. AND IV. It is from Eternity.
Theſe two I put together in proof, becauſe they are frequently joyned in Scripture.
It was not the whole lump of Mankind, that was the Object of Election; Nor was this Election (as ſome ſpeak) a Decree to Elect ſuch as ſhould happen to be thus and ſo qualified: But, Certain Determinate Perſons were Choſen by Name, or ſingled out from among the Reſt, and ordain'd to Eternal life. Our Saviour ſtiles them The Men that were given Him [out] of the World, John 17. 6. And they were Given Him by Name (as well as number) and by thoſe Names He knows them, John 10, 3, and 14. And that this Election was tranſacted from Eternity, is evident, John 17. 23. with ver. 24. Eph. 1. 4. Rev. 13. 8. and Chap. 17. 8. &c.
Theſe may be Argued,
I. From the Example of Chriſt's Election:Arg. 1. It was not a perſon uncertain, that was to be Lord and Chriſt; but, the Second Perſon in Humane Nature: And this Capacity He ſuſtain'd from Everlaſting. Pro. 8. 23. 31.Nor was it Any Body, which He might aſſume,1 Pet. 1. 19, 20. but that very ſame numerical Body, that was prepared for Him; Heb. 10. 5. with Pſal. 40. 7. And this very Perſon He loved before the foundation of the World, John 17. 24.
It is worthy Obſervation, how particular the Decree was, even in things Circumſtantial to our Lord Chriſt; As that He ſhould come of Abraham's Stock, of Judah's Tribe, of David's Lineage, Be conceived in a Virgin, Born at Bethlem, and this, when the Sceptre was departing from Iudah; That He ſhould be Buffeted, Scourged, Spit-upon, hanged on a Tree; His hands and His fect pierced; That gall and vinegar ſhould be given Him to drink; That a bone of Him ſhould not be broken; (even whiles on both ſides of Him, they were) That His Garments ſhould be parted, and lots caſt on His Veſture; As alſo, That He ſhould riſe again the third day, &c. And that theſe were all Decreed, appears by the Propheſies of them; which are the Decree exemplified (or Drawn out of the Regiſter.) As touching His Reſurrection, It is ſaid Expreſly,Pſ 2. 7. I will declare the Decree: And the ſame is as true of all the Reſt.
And if the Election of the Head was Perſonal and from Eternity; why not theirs that ſhould make up His Body, ſince They did as really exiſt Then, as the Humane Nature of Chriſt did? Beſides, it was very agreeable, That He and They ſhould both be appointed together; For, He could not be an Head, but with reſpect to a Body: And that they were expreſly Determin'd of, appears by 139 Pſa. v. 16. In thy book were all my Members written, when as yet there was none of them. If any ſay, That was meant of David's Members? I anſwer, That if God thought the Members of an Earthly body worthy His Regiſtring; He could not be leſs particular and Exact, about the Myſtical Body of His Son: Beſides, David was His Type.
Chriſt alſo was Ordain'd to be a Saviour, and that by His death; 1 Pet. 1. 20.and both from the foundation of the World: It was therefore expedient, Then alſo to be Determined, How many, and who in particular, ſhould have Salvation by Him: He was not To die for Himſelf, but for thoſe, whoſe ſecurity He undertook. Now, it is not a thing proper, to ſpeak of Security or Bail, but with reſpect to a Debtor or Offender; And that Debtor or Offender muſt be known too, and Named; Or elſe, the entring of Bail is an Inſignificant Act; eſpecially, where the Surety hath no debt or default of his own to be charged with. Our Lord and Saviour did not offer Himſelf (if I may ſo ſpeak) for ſome bodie's ſins, but uncertain whoſe: Aaron knew Whoſe Treſpaſſes he offer'd for; Their Names were graven on his breaſt-plate: Not their National Name, (viz. Iſraelite or Believer) but their Perſonal Names, Reuben, Simeon, Levi,—So had our Great High Prieſt, or He could not have made attonement for us: And that place (Rev. 13. 8.) points at the ſame time for both; Thoſe words [From the foundation of the World] do refer as well to the writing of their Names in the Book of life, as to the Lamb's being ſlain. And if it be ſaid, It muſt referr to that as was laſt named; then let ver. 8. of the 17. Chap. ſpeak for it; where, deciphering thoſe who ſhall wonder after the beaſt, he ſayes they are ſuch whoſe Names were not written in the hook of life, from the foundation of the World: what can be more expreſs!
II. The Deſign of God in the death of Chriſt,Arg. 2. could not otherwiſe be ſecur'd. Had the deſign been, To Purchaſe Salvation for Believers, without aſcertaining the Perſons that ſhould believe; it had been uncertain, Whether any ſhould be ſaved, becauſe uncertain Whether any would believe. If Certain, That ſome would believe; This Certainty muſt be Decreed; (For Nothing future, could be certain Otherwiſe.) And if it was Decreed, That Some ſhould believe; The Individuals of that [Some] muſt be Decreed alſo: For, Faith is the Gift of God; and could not be foreſeen in any, but whom He had Decreed to give it unto. Which laid together are a good demonſtration, That thoſe Chriſt ſhould die for, were as well Pre-ordain'd, as That He ſhould die for them, and that definitely and by Name.
III. It may further be Argued,Arg. 3. from the Fathers preparing a kingdom from the foundation of the World, and Manſions, or Places in it.
To prepare the way of this Argument; Conſider the Punctuality of God's diſpoſements in things of a Lower Moment: He did not Create the Earth in vain; (i. e. To ſtand empty and void, as at its firſt formation) Nor the ſeveral quarters thereof to be Inhabited indefinitely, by ſome Nation or Other, who ſhould happen to get poſſeſſion of them: But He divided to the Nations their inheritance and the bounds of their Habitation: Deut. 32. 8.Mount Seir was given to Eſau, Acts. 17. 26.and Ar to the Children of Lot: Each Nation had its limits ſtaked out,Deut. 2. 5, 9. and this from the dayes of old. And if we may diſtinguiſh of Acts in God, and of Time in Eternity; His Purpoſe to firm and bring forth thoſe Nations, muſt needs be as early, as to Create and furniſh thoſe parts of the World which they ſhould Inhabit.
Now, Earthly Settlements being of trivial Moment to the Heavenly Manſions; it ſeems a good Conſequent, That if yet, particular Nations were fore-appointed for particular Provinces on Earth; Much more ſhould particular Perſons be deſign'd for those particular Manſions in Heaven: And, if either were appointed afore the other; It muſt be the Perſons: For, the Sabbath was made for Man, and not Man for the Sabbath.
The Domeſtiques of God's Houſe or Place of Glory, are a ſacred State and Order of Kings and Prieſts; and Each individual Perſon hath his place or Appartiment ſet out for him. Thoſe Glorious Pallaces were not prepared for Believers indefinitely; but for certain Determinate Perſons particularly; The Twelve Apoſtles ſhall have their Twelve Thrones, and every One his Own: This is evident by our Saviour's anſwer to the Mother of Zebede's children;Math. 20. 23 To ſit on my right hand and on my left, is not Mine to give; but it ſhall he given to them for [whom] it is prepared of my Father: If for Believers indefinitely, why not for theſe two Brethren as ſoon as any other: eſpecially ſince they firſt made requeſt for them? The Truth is, thoſe Places were not now to be diſpoſed of; it was determined, who ſhould have them, long before; even From the foundation of the World. Matt. 25. 35.The ſcope of this Anſwer was not to ſhew, That the places requeſted for, were prepar'd for Believers; (for theſe were Believers who made requeſt for them) but that they were Appointed for Certain particular Perſons, and they muſt have them.
Much might be added, in confirmation of theſe two branches, But, by theſe I hope, it is clear, That Election is Perſonal and from Eternity.