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ture, fhall certainly come to pass; therefore God is faid to have done from eternity, what is revealed to us in its appointed time: as the venerable Beza has well obferved on Tit. 1. 2. And let this be faid for those, who understand this giving, of the giving in the decree, and explain that expreffion, before the foundation of the world, fo as to mean the fame thing as from eternity.

which to

XIX. Yet other divines explain it of the giving in fenfe the the promife; on comparing Tit. 1. 2, in hope of eterpromife nal life, which God, that cannot lie, promifed, pò xpow of life may dia, before the world began. Hence we fee, fays a be made celebrated Expofitor of our day, that the promise, made in the beginning of ages, tion of the If. 41. 4, before any age had passed away; and fo when there was no fecular time, or time of this world, when the fecond age was not yet called forth. We fee, I Say, that the promife was faid to be given forth before the world began. Here therefore we do not only underftand a giving by decree, or purpose, but also by promife, that is, by affignation. Which is given unto us, that is, the effect of which grace is affigned to us by promife, which is almoft coeval with this world. These things are much more plaufible than what we just heard from Twifs. Indeed, from that paffage in Titus, it feems that we might conclude, that πρὸ χρόνων αιωνίων, before the world began, neither always, nor neceffarily, denotes abfolute eternity. For, because the Apoftle there treats of the promife, he does not fo comprehend all ages, as to lead us beyond the creation of the world, as Calvin himself has obferved: but he points out the beginning of the firft age, in which the promise of falvation was made to our firft parents immediately upon the fall, which our Dutch commentators have alfo adopted. Whence it appears, that they are guilty of no abfurdity, who fo explain this giving, as to include the promise of grace, made before the flux of any age. And then, in the Apostle's

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Apostle's difcourfe there are thefe, three things propofed in order; firft, the purpose of God, which is the fource of all grace; then the promise made from the remotelt antiquity, which he expreffes by the term, giving; and laftly, the actual beftowing and manifeftation by the glorious coming of our Saviour Jefus Chrift. Nor would I make much oppofition, if any fhould explain the Apostles expreffion in this

manner.

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eternal

XX. But whatever way you interpret, there is a That proftrong argument in the faid paffage of Paul for the mife fupeternity of election. For, if you explain the giving, pofes an of the decree, and fay, that, before the world began purpose. is equivalent to eternity: you will conclude directly: and I think both may be defended. For indeed, the phrafe, before the world began, in its full emphafis, fignifies fo much nor can it be much weakened by Tit. 1.2. For, the fubject is different: in the one place the Apostle speaks of the purpose of God, and of giving from his purpose: In the other, of the promife. But the fame predicate is often to be differently explained, according to the diverfity of the fubjects. For inftance, when Peter fays, Acts 15. 18, known unto God are all his works, an avos, from the beginning of the world vos, doubtlefs fignifies, from eternity. For, if all his works, certainly alfo, that of the firft creation, prior to which was nothing but eternity but when the fame Apoftle, As, 3. 21, fays, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his boly prophets, a avos, fince the world began; he means nothing by these words, but the most ancient times, in which the Prophets exifted. Why therefore may not po po ay be explained one way in 2 Tim. 1. 9. and another Tit. 1. 2. But let us grant, that the Apoftle, by the giving of grace before the world began, understands the promise made in the beginning of the first age; feeing he fays, that the purpose of God was the fource of it, certainly that purpose was prior to the promise. But none, I imagine, will fay,

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2. 13.

that it was made, when God created man: it mutt therefore have been from eternity. According to the eternal purpose, which he propofed in Chrift Jefus our Lord, Eph. 3. 11. That must certainly, be an eternal purpose, fince the effect of it is grace, given before the foundation of the world.

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XXI. Let us add another paffage of Paul, which, of election we think, is a teftimony to the eternity of election; establish- namely, 2 Theff. 2. 13, but we are bound to give thanks 2 Theff. always to God for you, brethren, beloved of the Lord, because God bath an axis from the beginning chofen you to falvation. The Apostle diftinguishes that election, of which he speaks from the call by the Gofpel, v. 14. And therefore, with great propriety, we understand it of the election of counfel and purpose. This, he fays, was aw' a'ex from the beginning, that is, from eternity. For that phrase is often taken in that fenfe: thus what John 1. 1, fays in his Gofpel, axñ ñv in the beginning was, in 1 John, 1. 1, he fays, 'a' appñs was from the beginning. But to have been already in the beginning, fignifies to be from eternity. For, what was already wa, 'up, in the beginning, when all things were made, must have been selfexiftent, and from eternity. But, left any fhould cavil, that the new world of grace was here intended, John fpeaks of the beginning of things made, because he fpeaks of the existence of him, by whom the world was made, and that very world, which knew him not, v. 10. By comparing the alledged paffages, it appears, that in the beginning and from the beginning, are equivalent terms. We have this fenfe more clearly, Mich. 5. 2. Where the Prophet defcribes at leaft a. twofold going forth of the Meffiab: the one from Bethlehem which is after the flesh, and relates to his being born of the Virgin Mary: the other, which is after the Spirit, and is expreffive of his eternal generation; of which laft he fays,

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by whose goings forth have been from of old, from

everlasting. Which the Septuagent tranflate, à todos 'αυτό απ' αρχῆς, ἐξ ἡμερῶν αἰῶνος. and his goings forth from the beginning, from everlasting. What can be more evident, than that as there denotes eternity? The fon of Sirach alfo Eclefiafticus 24. 9, may fhew us, in what sense the Hellenists were wont to use this expreffion, when he joins as fynonymous, pasūros and 'a' 'aps. As then, the Apoftle fpeaks of the election of purpose, as distinct from that of execution, which is made by effectual calling, and fince a ps fignifies eternity, we very properly infer the eternity of election.

fured.

XXII. Here again Twifs comes in our way, who Twifs aconfidently affirms, that there is no place in all the gain cen Scripture, where this word, fignifies eternity: nay, he thinks it may be put out of all controverfy, that it never is, or can be, so used in the sacred writings, according to right reafon, 1, c. p. 60. And he applies the election, mentioned here, to fome external declaration of internal election, and thinks, the Apostle alludes to that remarkable promise made to Adam after the fall, of the feed of the woman bruifing the ferpent's head. For, fays he, God himself has pointed out, in that place, a remarkable difference between the elect and the reprobate: and I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy feed and her feed, &c. p. 63. I cannot but wonder at the confidence of this very learned perfon. It is, indeed true, that, from the beginning, does not always in Scripture denote eternity; as John 8. 44, and 1 John 3. 8, where the fignification is to be determined by the subject treated of. But from the places above quoted it is plain, that fometimes it can admit of no other fenfe. And I hope, the learned perfon did not defire to wreft out of our hands thofe paffages, by which all our divines have, fo happily, defended the eternity of the logos, or word, against the Socinians. I would rather believe, that he did not attend to the places we have mentioned. Befides, I

could

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could, with he would fhew where, in the facred writings, the firft promise of grace is called election ; which, I imagine, he will never be able to do: we are not to forge fignifications. Moreover, tho' in that promise there is fome general indication of a difference made between the elect and reprobate; yet it is not credible, the Apostle here had any eye to that; who gives thanks to God, not because he chose fome men; but moft efpecially, because he chose the Theffalonians. But the election of the Theffalonians cannot be inferred from that general declaration of God, the truth of which might have remained, tho none of those, who then dwelt at Theffalonica, had been chofen. We therefore conclude, that the received explication of divines is perfectly wellgrounded.

The ex- XXIII. There is another learned perfon, who afpofition of ferts, that this place of Paul is to be understood of that beginning in which God began to make the Gentiles. perfon ex- beirs of falvation feeing the Theffalonians were almoft amined. among the first of thefe, they are faid to be chofen, sepa

learned

rated from the beginning. Or alfo the beginning of the
Gospel may be understood, of which Mark 1. 1, Phil. 4.
15; or of the falvation, which was preached by Jefus,
Heb. 3•
He hath chofen you from the beginning.
That is, from the beginning of preaching the Gospel,
and of Salvation manifested and proclaimed But even
these things are not fatisfactory: for, ift, We have
fhewn, that Paul treats here of election in purpose,
or intention, and not in execution. 2dly, It is,
indeed true, that the term, beginning, ought to
be explained, in a way fuitable to the fubject it
treats of; but I do not think, that, from the beginning,
abfolutely taken does, any where, fignify the be-
ginning of the Gofpel preached, much lefs the be-
ginning of the inheritance of the Gentiles; nor do
the places alledged prove it. 3dly, Nor does it
agree with hiftory, that the Theffalonians were the
firft-fruits of the Gentiles brought to the inheritance

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