A golden mine opened, or, The glory of God's rich grace displayed in the…

Unto these Testimonies I shall add one or two more; as that of Paul, touching the Saints at Thessalonica; Knowing, Brethren beloved, your Election: For our Gospel came not to you in Word only, but ¹also in Power, and in the Holy Ghost, &c. By the evident Operations of God's Spirit, the Apostle knew they were elected: We cannot know our Election, but by special Vocation, or as it is manifest in the Fruits and Effects of it. There is a Knowledge of Things, (as our Annotators note on this place) à priori, when we argue from the Cause to the Effect: So à posteriori, when we argue from the Effect to the Cause. Now what is Election, but a choosing some out of others? Thus the Angels that stand were ²elected, and the rest were left to the Power they had, or passed by, or reprobated. Peter also confirms the Doctrine of personal Election, ⟨p. 174⟩calling the Persons to whom he wrote his Epistle, Elect according to ³the foreknowledge of God, or his Eternal Purpose; and therefore were separated unto God by special Grace, or effectual Calling; through sanctification of the Spirit to Obedience, &c. The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, are concerned in our Salvation; the Father elects, this is principally ascribed to the first Person in the Godhead; the Son purchaseth, he redeems; and the Holy Spirit renews, calls, and sanctifies. Now the Purchase of the Son extends no further than the Election of the Father; nor the Sanctification of the Spirit, further than the Purchase or Redemption of the Son: Sanctification here, takes in the whole Work of the Holy Spirit in Regeneration and actual Holiness, to the final sitting and making the Soul meet for the Eternal Inheritance.

Unto these Testimonies I shall add one or two more; as that of Paul, touching the Saints at Thessalonica; Knowing, Brethren beloved, your Election: For our Gospel came not to you in VVord only, but ¹also in Power, and in the Holy Ghost, &c. By the evident Operations of God's Spirit, the Apostle knew they were elected: We cannot know our Election, but by special Vocation, or as it is manifest in the Fruits and Effects of it. There is a Knowledg of Things, (as our Annotators note on this place) à priori, when we argue from the Cause to the Effect: So à posteriori, when we argue from the Effect to the Cause. Now what is Election, but a chusing some out of others? Thus the Angels that stand were