First, In regard of God, his propriety in them. None so fit to take care of the Child as its Father. A brute will venture its self, and encounter with that which is much stronger, in defence of her own; the fearful Hen which hath nothing but flight to secure her self from the Dog, will yet hazard a duel against the Kite, to protect her little Chickens. The blessed Jesus gives this ground why he commends his Church to God, I pray for them, I pray ⟨p. 25⟩not for the World, but for them which thou hast given me out of the World, for they are thine, Joh. 17.9. I pray not for strangers, nor enemies to thee, but for thine own people, thine one family, for them thou hast chosen, called & loved. For they are thine; thy jewels, thy portion, thy temple, thy children. Men in a flame will venture far to secure their own jewels. Naboth would hazard & lose his life, rather then part with his own portion. What cost will some be at, and what care will they take to keep their own houses in good repair? David would have died, that his own Son might have lived. Propriety is a sufficient ground for special protection. God doth by a general providence take care of all his creatures, because of his general propriety in them, because they are his creature. He feeds the young Ravens, and satisfies the hunger of the Sparrows. He is upon this account the preserver of man and beast, but his special providence is exercised about them in whom he hath a special propriety. The Saints are his [Greek or Hebrew], peculiar people, & therefore he hath over them a peculiar protection. Hence his peculiar care is compared to a Bird flying over the Nest, where her young ones are, Isa. 31.5. He abhors him as an infidel, who doth not provide for his own, surely then he will take care of his own himself. Aristotle saith, Propriety is the ground of all the toil and labour in the World. If all things were common, every one would be careless, but because its their own ground, therefore they Dung, and Plough, and Sow it; because it is their own wealth, therefore they work hard to increase it, God hath a propriety in his people, they are his by Election. The new creature was conceived in Gods eternal purpose before he was born; they are his by redemption, ⟨p. 26⟩he paid an infinite price for them; They are his by regeneration, begotten by him, and born of him.
First, In regard of God, his propriety in them. None so fit to take care of the Child as its Father. A brute will venture its self, and encounter with that which is much stronger, in defence of her own; the fearful Hen which hath nothing but flight to secure her self from the Dog, will yet hazard a duel against the Kite, to protect her little Chickens. The blessed Jesus gives this ground why he commends his Chrch to God, I pray for them, I pray ⟨p. 25⟩not for the World, but for them which thou hast given me out of the World, for they are thine, Joh. 17.9. I pray not for strangers, nor enemies to thee, but for thine own people, thine one family, for them thou hast chosen, called & loved. For they are thine; thy jewels, thy portion, thy temple, thy children. Men in a flame will venture far to secure their own jewels. Nabath would hazard & lose his life, rather then part with his own portion. What cost will some be at, and what care will they take to keep their own houses in good repair? David would have died, that his own Son might have lived. Propriety is a sufficient ground for special protection. God doth by a general providence take care of all his creatures, because of his general propriety in them, because they are his creature. He feeds the young Ravens, and satisfies the hunger of the Sparrows. He is upon this account the preserver of man and beast, but his special providence is exercised about them in whom he hath a special propriety. The Saints are his 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, peculiar people, & therefore he hath over them a peculiar protection. Hence his peculiar care is compared to a Bird flying over the Nest, where her young ones are, Isa. 31.5. He abhors him as an infidel, who doth not provide for his own, surely then he will take care of his own himself. Aristotle saith, Propriety is the ground of all the toyl and labor in the World. If all things were common, every one would be careless, but because its their own ground, therefore they Dung, and Plow, and Sow it; because it is their own wealth, therefore they work hard to increase it, God hath a propriety in his people, they are his by Election. The new creature was conceived in Gods eternal purpose before he was born; they are his by redemption, ⟨p. 26⟩he paid an infinite price for them; They are his by regeneration, begotten by him, and born of him.
