The divine will considered in its eternal decrees, and holy execution of them. By…

4. What is the impulsive Cause of Election? I answer, There is no other impulsive Cause but his own good pleasure. It was the saying of Plato, That the first Mover moves himself. God in the volition of himself, doth as it were move himself; ⟨p. 47⟩the divine Essence, as volent, being ravished with it self as infinite Goodness. But in other volitions he moves other things, himself remaining unmoveable. Learned Bradwardine distinguishes the objects of God's Will into Volita priora & posteriora; priora ut Deum esse, posteriora ut Mundum esse: Volita priora sunt aliqua causa divinae volitionis, volita autem posteriora nonsunt causa ejus; Voluntas Dei cst causa omnium posteriorum: si ergo aliquid esset causa Volitionis divinae, illud esset causa sui ipsius. But to speak in particular; the Decree of Election hath no other Cause but the divine pleasure only. This is evident in Scripture; we are predestinated according to the good pleasure of his will, Eph. 1. Ver. 5. To the praise of the glory of his grace, Ver. 6. According to the purpose of him who worketh all things according to the counsel of his own will, Ver. 11. If we ask, why God will call a Church out of the common Mass, Samuel will tell us, It hath pleased the Lord to make him a people, 1 Sam. 12. 22. But if we ask, why it pleased him so to do, Moses will tell us, God loves his people because he loves them, Deut. 7. 8. When God will set forth the Self-beingness of his Essence, he stiles himself ⟨p. 48⟩by that wonderful Name, I am that I am. When he will magnify the Selfmovingness of his Grace, he gives a wonderful Reason, I love because I love. God is an immense Sea of Being and Love; let the Elect vessels sail by the Plerophories of Faith and holy Contemplation, as far as they can, still there will be a boundless Sea of Being and Love before them. He that will presume to spy out the Cause of either of these, must first pass over Immensity, and through Eternity. When Moses desired to see God's Glory, God proclaims the absolute sovereignty of his Will, I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious. Methinks these words, I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, import a perfect Absoluteness and Incausability in Gods Will; even as that Name, I am that I am, imports a perfect absoluteness and Incausability in God's Essence. Some have grounded Election on good Works foreseen;