ἀπ᾽ ἀρχῆςthe beginning or the beginning, doth sometimes note the time of the constitution of the Jewish Church, and its policie, presently from the going out of Egypt: as Psal. 74. 2. Remember the Congregation which thou hast purchased קֶוֶםof old. LXX. ἀπ᾽ ἀρχῆς, It signifies also the beginning of the dispensation of the Gospell preached of Christ himselfe: for then a new manner of revelation of the Doctrine of the Gospell was brought in, Luk. 1. 2. Also from the beginning is as much as from the beginning of the world, from the foundation of the world, or at least, little after the beginning of the world, Joh. 8. 44. the devill is said to be a murderer from the beginning, and to sinne from the beginning. 1 Joh. 3. 8. The word beginning absolutely and precisely put, is taken one of these wayes, but with an addition or restraint from the circumstances of the Text, it imports some other beginning, as of the preaching of the Gospell, to this or that place or people, or the like; as Phil. 4. 15. 1 Joh. 2. 7, 8, 23, 24. But this phrase from the beginning never imports from eternity, in any passage of Scripture: and it is somewhat strange to interpret the beginning of duration by eternity, which is essentially and absolutely without beginning of duration. Now when the Apostle saith, God hath chosen the Thessalonians from the beginning, what can we understand thereby, but God hath manifested some outward declaration of their election, according to this famous promise made to Adam and Eve, that the seed of the woman should breake the Serpents head. Some would referre it to the time that the Gospell was preached amongst them, or to the time of their effectuall calling: but the word beginning precisely and absolutely put is never so taken: neither can it be said, that the Thessalonians were chosen as soon as the Gospell was first preached unto them: for it may well be, that it was often preached unto them before they believed: nor from the beginning of their effectuall calling, if (as they would have it) the faithfull persevering, not simply the faithfull, be the object of Gods Election. Of the other Texts alleadged the same may be said, unto which the foresaid answer can in no sort be fitted: so that we may conclude, in all the fore-cited passages there is an apparant allusion to this grand, ancient promise of mercy prclaimed immediately upon the fall, setting forth a manifest difference betwixt the seed of the woman and the seed of the Serpent, according to the election of God. Besides, in these words is implyeda
