Blessings, and to have [ALL] the good pleasure of the goodness of God fulfilled in and upon them. Those who are blessed with [all] spiritual Blessings, must needs be blessed with Eternal Life; and those in whom the Lord, not onely works all his good pleasure, but fulfilleth a••l the good pleasure of his goodness upon them, they must needs be preserved to his Heavenly Kingdom: But none of the Non-Elect have these things conferred upon them; therefore the Grace bestowed upon the one, doth differ both in nature and degree from the other. Ephes. 1.4, 5 1 Thes. 1.11.
Thirdly, There is a difference as to the management also: The Reprobate is principal for the management of the Grace he receiveth, but Jesus Christ is prin∣cipal for the management of the Grace the Elect receiveth: VVhen I say princi∣pal, I mean chief; for though the Reprobate is to have the greatest hand in the management of what Mercy and Goodness the Lord bestoweth on him, yet not so as that the Lord will not help him at all; nay contrariwise he wi••l, if first the Re∣probate do truly the duty that lieth on him: If thou do well, shalt thou not be acce∣pted? but if not well, behold Sin lieth at the door. Thus it was also with Saul, who was rejected of God upon this account. And I say as to the Elect themselves, though Jesus Christ our blessed Saviour be chief, as to the management of the Grace be∣stowed on his Chosen, yet not so as that he quite excludeth them from striving according to his working which worketh in them mightily: nay contrariwise, if those who in truth are Elect, shall yet he remiss, and do wickedly, they shall feel the stroke of Gods Rod, it may be till their Bones do break: But because the work doth not lie at their door to manage as chief, but at Christs, therefore though he may perform his work with much bitterness and grief to them; yet he being en∣gaged as the Principal, will perform that which concerneth them, even until the day (the coming) of Jesus Christ. Gen. 4.7. 1 Sam. 13.11, 12, 13, 14. & 15 26. Col. 1.29. Psal. 138.8. Phil. 1.6.
Fom what hath been said, there ariseth this Conclusion:
The Elect are always under Eternal Mercy, but those not Elect always under Eternal Justice: For you must consider this, There is eternal Mercy and eternal Ju∣stice, and there is present Mercy and present Justice: So then, for a man to be in a state of Mercy, it may be either a state of Mercy present, or both present and eter∣nal also. And so again for a man to be in a state under Justice, it may be understood either of present Ju••••ice onely, or of both p••esent and eternal also.
That this may yet further be opened, I shall somewhat enlarge.
I begin with present Mercy and present Justice. That which I call present Mer∣cy, is that Faith, Light, Knowledge, and taste of the good VVord of God, that a man may have, and perish. This is called in Scripture, Believing for a while, du∣ring for a while, and rejoycing in the Light for a season. Now I call this Mercy, both because none (as men) can deserve it, and also because the proper end thereof is to do good to those that have it. But I call it present Mercy, because those that are on∣ly blessed with that, may sin it away, and perish; as did some of the Galatians, He∣brews, Alexandrians, with the Asians, and others. But yet observe again, I do not call this present Mercy because God hath determined it shall last but a while abso∣lutely; but because it is possible for man to lose it, yea determined he shall, condi∣tional••y. Heb. 6.4, 5. 2 Pet. 2.20. Mat. 13.22. Luk. 8.13. Joh. 5.35 1 Cor. 12.7. Gal. 5.4. Heb. 12.15, 16. 1 Tim. 1 20. 2 Tim. 2.18. & 1.15. Heb. 12.25.
Again, As to present Justice, it is that which lasteth but a while also: and as pre∣sent Mercy is properly the portion of those left out of Gods Election, so present Justice chiefly hath to do with Gods Beloved; who yet at that time are also under eternal Mercy. This is that Justice that afflicted Job, David, Heman, and the godly, who notwithstanding do infallibly attain, by vertue of this mercy, eternal Life and Glory. I call this Justice, because in some sence God dealeth with his Chil••ren