The Doctrine of the Saints Perseverance, Chapter 3 (1 of 2)

The Doctrine of the Saints Perseverance · Chapter 3 (1 of 2)

p. 47CAP. III.

1. The Immutability of the Purposes of God proposed for a second Demonstration of the Truth in hand. 2. Somewhat of the nature and properties of the Purposes of God: The object of them. 3. Purposes how Acts of Gods Understanding & Will. The only foundation of the futurition of all things. 4. The Purposes of God Absolute. Continuance of Divine Love towards Believers purposed. 5. Purposes of God farther considered, and their nature explained 6. Their Independency & absolutenesse evinced. 7, 8. Prooved from Isa: 46. 9, 10, 11. Psal. 33. 9, 10, 11. Heb. 6. 17, 18. &c. those places explained. 9, 10. The same Truth by sundry Reasons and Arguments farther confirmed. 11. Purposes in God, of the continuance of his Love and Favour to Believers, manifested by an Induction of Instances out of Scripture: the first from Rom. 8. 28. proposed. And 12, 13, 14. Farther cleared and improved: M. G. dealing with our Argument from hence, and our Exposition of this place, considered. His exposition of that place proposed and discussed. The designe of the Apostle consented on: the fountain of the Accomplishment of the good things mentioned, omitted by Mr G. In what sense God intends to make all things work together for good to them that Love him. 15. Of Gods fore-knowledge. Of the sense and use of the word foreign, also of Scisco, and foreign in Classicall Authors. foreign in Scripture every where taken for Fore-knowledge or Pre-determination, no where for Pre-approbation, of pre-approving, or Pre-approbation here insisted on by Mr G. its inconsistency with the sense of the Apostles discourse manifested. 16. The progresse of Mr G. exposition of this place considered. Whether men Love God antecedently to his Predestination and their effectuall calling: to preordaine, and to preordinate different. 17. No assurance granted of the consolation professed to be intended: The great uncertainty of the dependance of the Acts of Gods Grace mentioned▪ on one another: the efficacy of every one of them resolved finally into the wills of men. 18. Whether calling according to Gods purpose, supposeth a saving answer given to that call: The affirmative proved, and exceptions given thereto removed. 19. What Obstructions persons called may lay in their owne way to justification. The iniquity of imposing Conditions and supposalls on the Purpose of God, not in the least intimated by himselfe. 20. The whole acknowledged designe of the Apostle everted, by the interposition of Cases and Conditions by M.G. 21. M. G. first attempt to prove the Decrees of God to be conditionall considered: 1 Sam. 2. 3. to that end produced. 22. I Sam. 2. 30. farth…r considered, and its unsutablenesse to illustrate Rom. 8. 32, 33 prooved: interpretation of Scripture by comparing of places agreeing neither in designe, word, nor matter, rejected. The places iusisted on proved not to be parallell, by sundry particular instances. Some observations from the words rejected. 23. What act of God intended in those words to Eli, I said indeed: no purpose or decree of God in them declared. Any such purpose as to the house of Eli by sundry Arguments disproved. 24. No purpose of God in the words insisted on farther manifested. They are expressive of the Promise or Law concerning the Priesthood Numb. 25. 11, 12, 13. 25. More especially relating unto Exod. 28. 43. and Ch. 29. 9. The import of that Promise, Law, or Statute, cleared: the example of Jonas Preaching, and Gods commands to Abraham and Pharaoh. 26. The universall disproportion betweene the Texts compared by Mr G. both as to matter and expression farther manifested. 27. Instances or cases of Saul and Paul to prove conditionall Purposes in God considered. 28. Conditionall purposes argued from conditionall threatnings: the weaknesse of that Argument: the nature of Divine threatnings: what Will of God, or what of the Will of God is declared by them: no proportion between Eternall purpose, sand Temporall threatnings: the issue of the vindication of our Argument from the foregoing exceptions. 29. M.G's indeavour to main…aine his Exposition of the place under consideration: the Text perverted. 30. Severall evasions of M. G. from the force of this Argument considered 31. His Arguments to prove no certain or infallible connexion betweene Calling, Justifification, and Glorification, weighed and answered. His first from the scope of the Chapter, and the use of Exhorrations; the Question begged. 32. His Second from examples of Persons called, and not justified: The Question argued, begged; no proofe insisted on, but the interposition of his own Hypothesis. How we are called irresistibly and in what sense. Whether …arrs of Wickednesse and Unbeliefe may be laid in the way of Gods effectuall call. 33. Mr G. demurre to another consideration of the Text, removed. 34, 35. The Argument in hand freed from other objections and concluded 36. Jer. 31. 3. Explained and improved for the confirmation of the Truth under Demonstration. 37. 2 Tim. 2. 19. opened, and the Truth from thence confirmed. 38. The foregoing Exposition and Argument vindicated and confirmed. 39, 40, 41, 42, 43. The same matter at large pursued 44. loh 6. 38, 39, 40. explained, and the Argument in hand from thence confirmed. 45. M. G. Exceptions to our arguing from this place removed. 16. The same matter farther pursued. 47, 48. The Exposition and Argument insisted on fully vindicated and established. 49. Math. 24. 24. opened and improved. 50. The severalls of that Text more particularly handled. 51. Farther Observations for the clearing the mind of the Holy Ghost in this place, 52. The same farther insisted on and vindicated. 53. M. G. Exceptions at large discussed and removed. 55. Ephes 1. 3, 4, 5. 2 Thess. 2. 13, 14. opened. 56. The close of the second Argument from the Immutability of the Purposes of God.

p. 48HAving cleared the Truth in hand,§. 1. from the Immutability of the Nature of God, which himselfe holds out, as ingaged for us to rest upon, as to the Unchangeable Continuance of his Love unto us; Proceed we now to consider the Stedfastnesse, and Immutability of his Purposes, which he frequently asserts, as another Ground of Assurance to the Saints, of his Safegarding their Glory of free Acceptation, to the end.

I shall not enter upon the consideration of the Nature, §. 2.and Absolutenesse of the Purposes of God, as to an expresse handling of them, but only a little unfold that Property, and Concernement of them, whereon the strength of the inference we aime at, doth in some measure depend. Many needlesse, and curious Questions have been, by the Serpentine witts of men, moved and agitated concerning them: wherein perhaps our Author hath not been outgon by many, as will be judged by those, who have weighed his Discourses concerning them, with his distinctions of Desires, Intentions, Purposes and Decrees in God; But this is not the businesse we have in hand; for what concerneth that, that which ensueth, may suffice; God himselfe being an Infinite Pure Act, those Acts of his Will and Wisdome, which are Eternall and Immanent, are not distinguished from his Nature and Being, but only in respect of the reference and habitude, which they beare unto some thing to be produced outwardly from him. The Objects of them all are such things, as might not be. Gods Purposes are not concerning any thing, that is in it selfe absolutely necessary. He doth not purpose that he will be Wise, Holy, Infinitely Good, Just: all these things, that are of absolute necessity, come not within the compasse of his Purposes. Of things that might not be, are his Decrees and intentions; they are, of all the Products of his Power, all that outwardly he hath done, doth, or will doe to Eternity. All these things to the falling of a haire, or the withering of a Grasse, Mat. 6. 28, 29, 30.Matt 6:28Matt 6:29Matt 6:30hath he determined from of old; now this divine Fore-appoyntment of all things,Luk 12. 6, 7.Luke 12:6Luke 12:7 the Scripture assignes some times to the Knowledge & Vnderstanding, Jon. 4. 6. 7, 8.Jonah 4:6Jonah 4:7Jonah 4:8sometimes to the Will of God, known unto him are all his Works from the beginning of the World, Acts 15. 18. It is that Knowledge, which hath an influence into that most Infinitely wise disposall of them, which is there intimated: and the determination of things to be done is referred to the Counsell of God. Acts 4. 28. which denotes an Act of his Wisdome and Understanding, and yet withall, it is the Counsell of his Will, Eph. 1. 11.

I know that all things originally owe their Futurition to a free act of the Will of God:§. 3. He doth what ever he will and pleaseth. Their Relation thereunto, Isa. 14. 24. 19. 12. 23. 9.Isa 14:24Isa 14:19Isa 14:12Isa 14:23Isa 14:9translates them out of that state of Possibility, and (being Objects of Gods absolute Omnipotency, and infinite simple Intelligence, or Undestanding, whereby he Intuitively beholdeth all things,Jerem. 51. 29.Jer 51:29 that might be produced by the exerting of his infinite Almighty Power) into a state of Futurition, Rom 8. 28. 9. 11, 19.Rom 8:28Rom 8:9Rom 8:11Rom 8:19making them Objects of Gods fore-Knowledge, Ps. 139. 11, 12.Ps 139:11Ps 139:12or Science of Vision as it is called. But yet the Scripture expresseth (as before) that Act of God,Isa. 40. 28.Isa 40:28 whereby he determines the Beings, Issues, Heb. 4. 13.Heb 4:13and Orders of things, to manifest the concurrence of his infinite Wisdome▪ and Vnderstanding in all his Purposes. Further, as to the way of expressing these things to our manner of apprehension, there are held out Intentions, and Purposes of God, distinctly suited to all Beings, Operations, and Events, yet in God himselfe they are not multiplyed. As all things are present to him in one most simple, and single Act of his Understanding, so with one individuall Act of his Will he determines concening all, p. 49but yet in reference to the things, that are disposed of, we may call them the Purposes of God: And these are the Eternall Springs of Gods Actuall Providence which being (Ratio ordinis ad finē ) the disposing of all things to their Ends in an appointed manner and order in exact correspondence unto them; these Purposes themselves must be the Infinitely Wise, Eternall, Immanent Acts of his Will, appointing and determining all Things, Beings, and Opperations, kinds of Beings, manners of Opperations free necessary, contingent as to their Existence, and Event, into an Immediate tendency unto the exaltation of his Glory: Or as the Apostle calles them the Counsell of his Will, according whereunto he effectually worketh all things. Ephes 1. 11.

Our consideration of these Purposes of God being only in reference to the Businesse which we have in hand,§. 4. I shall doe these two things.

1. First manifest, that they are all of them Absolute and Immutable: wherein I shall be briefe, not going out to the Compasse of the Controversy thereabout, as I intimated before. My intendment lyes another way.

2. Secondly shew, that God hath Purposed the continuance of his Love to his Saints, to bring them infallibly to himselfe, and that this Purpose of God in particular, is Vnchangeable; which is the second part of the Foundation of our Abiding with God in the Grace of Acceptation.

By the Purposes of God,§. 5. I meane (as I said before) the Eternall Acts of his Will concerning all things that outwardly are of him, which are the Rule (if I may so speake) of all his following Operations. All externall temporary Products of his Power universally answering those internall Acts of his Will. The Judgment of those who make these Decrees or Purposes of God, (for I shall constantly use these words promiscuously, as being purely of the same import as relating unto God) to be in themselves Essentiall to him, and his very Nature or Understanding and Will may be safely closed withall. They are in God as was sayd, but one: There is not a reall multiplication of any thing but Subsistence in the Deity. To us these lye under a double Consideration. First Simply as they are in God, and so it is impossible they should be differenced from his Infinite Wisdome and Will, whereby he determineth of any thing. Secondly in respect of the Habitude and Relation which they beare to the things Determined, which the Wisdome and Will of God might not have had. In the first sence, as was said, they can be nothing but the very nature of God: The foreign velle of God his Internall willing of any thing that is either Created or Increated; for those Termes distribute the whole nature of beings. Created they are not, for they are Eternall; (that no new immanent Act can possibly be ascribed to God, hath full well of late been demonstrated.) Farther If they are Created, then God willed that they should be Created; for he Created only what he will: If so, was he willing they should be Created or no? If he were, then a progresse will be given infinitely, for the Question will arise up to Eternity. If Increated then doubtlesse they are God himselfe for he onelyonly is so. 'Tis impossible that a Creature should be increated. Againe, Gods very willing of things is the cause of all things, and therefore must needs be Omnipotent, and God himselfe: that Voluntas Dei is Causa rerum, is taken for granted and may be prooved from Psa. 115. 3. Which the Apostle ascribes Omnipotency unto Rom. 9. 19. Who hath resisted his Will? Doubtlesse it is the Property of God alone to be the Cause of all things and to be Almighty in his so being; but hereof at present no more. On this supposall, the Immutability of the Decrees of God, would plainely be coincident with the Immutability of his Nature before handled.

It is then of the Decrees and Purposes of God, with respect to the matter about which they are, whereof I speake, in which regard also they are Absolute p. 50and Immutable, not that they worke any essentiall Change in the Things themselves, concerning which they are, making that to be Immutable from thence, which in its owne Nature is Mutable, but only that themselves as Acts of the Infinite Wisdome and Will of God, are not lyable to, nor suspended on any Condition whatever forreigne to themselves, nor subject to change or Alteration (whence floweth an infallible certainty of actuall Accomplishment in reference to the things Decreed or Purposed, be their owne nature what it will, or their next causes in themselves never so undetermined to their Production) whereof I treat. That the determining Purposes or Decrees of Gods will concerning any thing, or things, by him to be done, or effected, do not depend as to their Accomplishment, on any conditions, that may be supposed in, or about the things themselves, whereof they are, and therefore are Vnchangeable and shall certainely be brought forth unto the appointed Issue,Mat. 11. 25. 1 Cor. 26, 27, 28.Matt 11:25 is that, which we are to prove. Knowing for whose sakes, and for what End this labour was undertaken, I shall choose to lay the whole proofe of this Assertion upon plaine Texts of Scripture,Iam. 2. 5. 2 Tim. 2. 10.Jas 2:52 Tim 2:10 rather then mixe my Discourse with any such Philosophicall Reasonings, as are of little use to the most of them, whose benefit is hereby intended.

Isa. 46: 9, 10, 11. The Holy Ghost speakes expressly to our purpose;§. 7. Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the End from the beginning, and from ancient times, the things that are not yet done, saying my Counsell shall stand, and I will doe all my pleasure, calling a ravenous Bird from the East, the man that executes my counsell from a far Country: Yea I have spoken it, I will also bring it to passe; I have purposed it, I will also doe it. v. 19. The Lord asserts his owne Deity and Eternall Being, in opposition to all false Gods and Idols, whom he threatens to destroy. v. 1. Of this he gives them a threefold Demonstration.

First, from his Patience or fore-Knowledge, there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times, the things that are not yet done; In this am I infinitely discriminated from all the pretended Deityes of the Nations: All things from the Beginning to the End are naked before me, and I have declared them by my Prophets, even things that are future and contingent in themselves; soe are the things that I now speake of, the destruction of Babylon by the Medes & Persians, a thing to be carried on through innumerable contingencies, and yet as I have seen it, so have I told it, and my counsell concerning it shall certainely be executed.

Secondly, by his Power in using what Instruments he pleaseth for the executing of his Purposes and bringing about his own designes; calling a ravenous Bird from the East: One that at first, when he went against Babylon, thought of of nothing lesse, then Executing the Counsell of God, but was wholly bent upon satisfying his owne Rapine and Ambition, not knowing then in the least by whom he was Anoynted & Sanctifyed for the Accomplishment of his Will. All the thoughts of this heart, all his Consultations & Actions, all his Progresses & Diversions, his Successe in his great and dreadfull undertaking to breake in pieces that Hammer of the whole Earth, with all the free deliberations and contingencies, wherwith his long Warre was attended, which were as many, strong, Ierem. 50. 51.Jer 50:51and various, as the nature of things is capable to receive, were not only in every individuall Act,Isa. 44. 25, 26, 27, 28.Isa 44:25Isa 44:26Isa 44:27Isa 44:28 with its minutest circumstances, by him foreseene, and much also fore told, but also managed in the hand of his Power in a regular subservience to that call, Phil. 45. 1, 2, 3, 4.which he so gave that Raveinous Bird, for the Accomplishment of his Purpose and Pleasure.

Thirdly, by the Immutability of his Purposes which can never be frustrated, nor altered; My Counsell shall stand, and I will doe all my Pleasure, I have p. 51Purposed it, and I will also doe it. The Standing, or Fixednesse and Unchangeablenesse of his Counsell he manifests by the accomplishment of the things, which therein he had determined: Neither is there any Salve for his Immutability in his Counsell, should it otherwise fall out. And if we may take his owne Testimony of himselfe, what he Purposeth, that he doth: And in the Actuall fulfilling, and the bringing about of things themselves Purposed, and as Purposed, without any possibility of diversion from the reall and intended, is their Stability, and Unchangeablenesse in them manifested. An Imaginary Immutability in God's Purposes, which may consist and be preserved under their utter Frustration, as to the fulfilling of the things themselves, under which they are, the Scripture knowes not, neither can Reason conceive. Now this Vnchangeablenesse of his Purposes, the Lord brings as one Demonstration of his Deity, and those who make them lyable to Alteration upon any Account, or supposition whatsoever, doe depresse him what in them lyes, into the number of such Dungehill Gods, as he threatens to famish, and destroy.

Psa. 33. 9, 10, 11. He spake and it was done, §. 8.he commanded and it stood fast. The Lord bringeth the Counsell of the Heathen to nought, he maketh the devices of the People of none effect. The Councell of the Lord stands for ever, the thoughts of his Heart to all Generations. The Production and Establishment of all things, in that order wherein they are, are by the Psalmist ascribed to the Will, and power of God: By his Word, and Command, they not only are, but Stand fast;Heb. 1. 3.Heb 1:3 being fixt in that Order by him appointed: both the Making, Fixing, and Sustaining of all things,Revel. 4. 11.Rev 4:11 is by the VVord of his Power. As the first relates to their Being, Act. 17. 28.Acts 17:28which they have from Creation, so the other to the order in subsistence and Operation,Act. 2. 23. 4. 28.Acts 2:23Acts 2:4Acts 2:28 which relates to his Actuall Providence. Herein they Stand fast. Gen. 50. 20.Gen 50:20Themselves with their severall and respective relations, dependencies, Eccles. 3. 11.Eccl 3:11influences, circumstances, suited to that Nature, and Being, which was bestowed on them by his Word in their Creation, are setled in an exact correspondency to his Purposes (of which afterwards) not to be shaken or removed. Men have their Devices and Counsells, also, they are free Agents, and worke by Counsell, and Advice; and therfore God hath not set all things so fast, as to overturne and overbeare them, in their Imaginations, and undertakings. Saith the Psalmist, they Imagine and Devise indeed, but their Counsell is of nought, and their Devices are of none effect, but the Counsell of the Lord &c. The Counsell, & Purposes of the Lord, are set in opposition to the Counsell, and Purposes of men, as to Alteration, Change, and Frustration in respect of the Actuall Accomplishment of the things about which they are. Their Counsells are so, and so: But the Counsell of the Lord shall stand; he that shall cast v. 11. into the 10. and say The Counsell of the Lord that comes to nought, and the thoughts of his heart are of none effect, let him make what pretences he will, or flowrishes that he can, or display what supposalls and conditions he pleaseth, he will scarcely be able to keepe the field against him, who will contend with him about his Prerogative and Glory. And this Antithesis between the Counsells of men, and the Purposes of God upon the Account of Vnchangeablenesse, is againe confirmed Prov. 19. 21. There are many devices in a mans heart, neverthelesse the Counsell of the Lord that shall stand, Isa. 8. 9, 10.Isa 8:9Isa 8:10Herein is the difference betweene the Devices of men, and the Councell of God; men have many Devices to try what they can doe: If one way take not,Iob. 8. 9.Job 8:9 they will attempt an other (hâc non successit, aliâ aggrediemur viâ) and are alwayes disappointed,Iob. 11. 12.Job 11:12 but only in that, wherein they fall in with the Will of God.Eccles. 8. 7. 9. 12.Eccl 8:7Eccl 8:9Eccl 8:12 The Shallownesse of their Vnderstanding, the Shortnesse of their Foresight, the Weakenesse of their Power, the Changeablenesse of their Minds, the Vncertainty p. 52of all the meanes they use, puts them upon many Devices, and often to no purpose. But for him, who is Infinite in Wisdome and Power, to whom all things are present, and to whom nothing can fall out Vnexpected, yea what he hath not himselfe Determined; unto whom all Emergencyes are but the Issue of his owne good Pleasure, who proportions out what efficacy he pleaseth unto the meanes he useth, his Counsells, his Purposes, his Decrees shall stand, being (as Job telles us) as Montaines of Brasse. By this he differenceth himselfe from all others,Isa. 44. 7. 25. 26.Isa 44:7Isa 44:25Isa 44:26 Idols and men, as also by his certaine foreknowledge of what shall come to passe, and be accomplished upon those Purposes of his. Hence the Apostle Heb. 6. 17, 18. acquaints us, that his Promise and his Oath, those two Immutable things, doe but declare (foreign) the Vnchangeablenesse of his Counsell, which God is abundantly willing to manifest, though men are abundantly unwilling to receive it. Job determines this businesse in the 23. Ch. v. 13, 14. He is of one minde, and who can turne him? What his soule desireth, even that he doth; for he performeth the thing, that is appointed for me. Desires are the least and faintest kind of Purposes, in Mr Goodwin's Distinctions. Yet the certaine accomplishment of them, as they are ascribed unto God, is here asserted by the Holy Ghost.

Were the confirmation of the matter of our present Discourse,§. 9. my designe in hand; I could farther confirme it, by inlarging these ensuing Reasons.

1. First, from the Immutability of God; the least questioning whereof falls foule on all the Perfections of the Divine Nature, which requireth a correspondent affection of all the Internall, and Eternall Acts of his Mind and Will.

2. Secondly, from his Soveraignty, in making and executing all his Purposes; which will not admit of any such mixture of Consults or Cooperations of others, as should render his thoughts lyable to Alteration. Rom. 11. 34, 35, 36. The Lord in his Purposes is considered as the great Former of all things, who having his clay in the hand of his Almighty power, ordaines every parcell to what kind of vessell, and to what use he pleaseth; hence the Apostle concludes the consideration of them, and the distinguishing Grace flowing from them, with that admiration, foreign, Oh the depth! &c.

3. Thirdly, from their Eternity, which exempts them from all shadow of change, and lifts them up above all those sphears, that either from within, and their owne nature, or from without, by the impression of others, are exposed to turning; that which is Eternall, is also Immutable. Acts 15. 18. 1 Cor. 2. 11.

4. Fourthly, from the Absolutenesse, and Independency of his Will, whereof they are the Acts and Emanations, Rom. 9. 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20. whatever hath any influence upon that, as to Move it, Cause it, Change it, must be Before it, Above it, Better then it, as every cause is, then its effect, as such. This Will of his, as was said, is the fountain of all beings, to which free and independent Act all Creatures owe their being and subsistence, their operations and manner thereof, their whole difference from those Worlds of beings, which his Power can produce, but yet shall lye bound up to Eternity, in their nothingnesse and possibility, upon the account of his good Pleasure. Into this doth our Saviour resolve the disposall of himselfe, Math. 26. 42. and of all others, Math: 11. 25, 26, 27. certainly men in their wrangling Disputes and Contests about it, have scarce seriously considered, with whom they have to doe: shall the thing formed say to him, that formed it, why hast thou made nice thus?

5. Fiftly,§. 10. from the Ingagement of his Omnipotency, for the accomplishment of all his Purposes and Designes, as is emphatically expressed, Isa: 14. p. 5324, 25, 26, 27. Surely the Lord of Hosts hath Sworne, saying, surely as I have thought, so shall it come to passe, and as I have purposed, it shall stand, that I will breake the Assyrian in my land: This is the purpose of God, that is purposed upon the whole Earth, and this is the hand, that is stretched out upon all the Nations; for the Lord of Hosts hath purposed, and who shall disanull it? And his hand is stretched out, and who shall turne it back? The Lord doth not only Assert the certain Accomplishment of all his Purposes, but also to prevent, and obviate the Vnbeliefe of them, who were concerned in their fulfilling, he manifests upon what account it is, that they shall certainly be brought to passe; and that is by the stretching out of his hand, or exalting of his mighty Power, for the doeing of it: so that if there be a fayling therein, it must be through the shortnesse of that Hand of his so stretched out, in that it could not reach the end aymed at. A Worme will put forth its Strength for the fullfilling of that, whereunto is is inclined: and the Sonnes of men will draw out all their Power for the compassing of their designes: if there be Wisdome in the laying of them, and foresight of Emergencyes, they alter not, nor turne aside to the right hand, or to the left, in the pursuit of them: And shall the Infinitely Wise, Holy, and Righteous thoughts, and Designes of God, not have his Power engaged for their accomplishment? His Infinite Wisdome, and Understanding are at the foundation of them: they are the Counsells of his Will. Ephes. 7. 11. who hath known his minde (in them?) saith the Apostle, and who hath been his Counsellour? though no creature can see the paths, wherein he walks, nor apprehend the reason of the waies, he is delighted in; yet this he lets us know for the satisfying of our hearts, and teaching of our inquiries, that his owne Infinite Wisdome is in them all: I cannot but feare sometimes, that men have darkned counsell without knowledge in curious contests about the Decrees, & Purposes of God, as though they were to be measured by our rule & line, and as though by searching we could find out the Almighty to Perfection. But he is Wise in heart; he that contendeth with him let him Instruct him. Adde, that this Wisdome in his Counsell is attended with infallible Prescience of all, that will fall in by the way, or in the course of the accomplishment of his Purposes; and you will quickly see, that there can be no possible intervenience upon the account whereof the Lord should not ingage his Almighty Power for their accomplishment; He is of one minde, and who can turne him? he will worke, and who shall let him?

6. Sixtly, by demonstrating the Vnreasonablnesse, Folly, and Impossibility, of suspending the Acts, and Purposes of the Will of God, upon any actings of the Creatures whatsoever: seeing it cannot be done without subjecting Eternity to time, the first Cause to the second, the Creator to the Creature, the Lord to the Servant; disturbing the whole order of Beings and Operations in the world.

7. Seventhly, by the removeall of all Possible, or Imaginary Causes of Alteration and change: which will all be resolved into impotency in one kind, or other. Every Alteration being confessedly an imperfection, it cannot follow but from want and weaknesse, Upon the Issue of which Discourse, if it might be perused, these Corollaries would insue;

1. First, Conditionall Promises, and Threatnings, are not declarative of Gods Purposes concerning Persons, but of his Morall Approbation or Rejection of Things.

2. Secondly, There is a wide difference betweene the Change of what is Conditionally pronounced, as to the things themselves, and the change of what is Determinately willed: the certainty of whose event is proportioned to the Immutable Acts of the Will of God it selfe.

p. 543. Thirdly, That no Purpose of God is Conditionall, though the things themselves, concerning which his Purposes are, are often times conditionalls one of another.

4. Fourthly, That conditionall Purposes concerning Perseverance, are either Impossible, implying contradictions, or Ludicrous, even to an unfitnes for a Stage. But of these and such like, as they occasionally fall in, in the insuing Discourse.

This foundation being laid,§. 11. I come to what was Secondly proposed, namely, to manifest by an Induction of particular Instances, the ingagement of these Absolute and Immutable Purposes of God, as to the Preservation of the Saints in his Favour to the End: and whatsoever is by Mr Goodwin excepted, as to the former Doctrine of the Decrees and Purposes of God, in that part of his Treatise, which falls under our consideration, shall in the vindication of the respective places of Scripture to be insisted on, be discussed.

The First particular Instance, that I shall propose, is, that Eminent place of the Apostle, Rom. 8. 28. where you have the Truth in hand meted out unto us, full measure, shaken together, and running over. It doth not hang by the side of his discourse, nor is left to be gathered, and concluded from other Principles, and Assertions couched therein; but is the maine of the Apostolicall drift, and Designe; it being proposed by him, to make good, upon unquestionable Grounds, the Assurance he gives Believers, That all things work together for Good to them that love God, to them that are Called according to his Purpose: the reason whereof he farther addes in the following words▪ For whom he did fore-know, he also did Predestinate to be conformable to the Image of his Sonne, that he might be the first borne among many Brethren: moreover whom he did Predestinate, them he also called, and whom he called, them he also justified, & whom he justified, them he also Glorified. What the Good aimed at, is, for which all things shall worke together, and wherein it doth consist, he manifests in the Conclusion of the Argument produced to prove his first Assertion v. 35. 36, 37, 38, 39. Who shall separate us from the Love of God in Christ▪ shall tribulation &c. The Good of Believers, of them that love God, consists in the injoyment of Christ, and his Love: saith then the Apostle, God will so certainly order all things, that they shall be preserved in that injoyment of it, whereunto in this life they are already admitted, and borne out through all oppositions, to that perfect fruition thereof, which they ayme at; and this is so unquestionable, that the very things, which seeme to lye in the way of such an Attainment and event, shall work together, through the Wisdome, and Love of God to that end. To make good this Consolation, the Apostle layes downe two Grounds or Principles, from whence the Truth of it doth undeniably follow: the one, taken from the Description of the Persons, concerning whom he makes it; and the other, from the Acts of Gods Grace, and their respective concatenation in reference to those Persons.

The Persons,§. 12. he tells you, are those, who are called according to the Purpose of God: That their calling here mentioned, is the Effectuall call of God, which is answered, by Faith and Obedience, because it consists in the bestowing of them on the Persons so called, taking away the Heart of stone and giving a Heart of flesh, is not only manifest from that place, which afterwards receives in the Golden Chaine of Divine Graces betweene Predestination and Justification, whereby the one hath infallible influencies into the other; but also from that precious description which is given of the same Persons, viz. that they Love God, which certainely is an Issue and fruit of Effectuall Calling, as shall afterwards be further Argued. For to that Issue are things driven in this Controversy, that proofs thereof are become needfull.

p. 55The Purpose according to which these persons are called, is none other then that, which the Apostle, cap. 9. 11. termes the Purpose of God according to Election, cap. 11. 5. The Election of Grace, as also the fore-Knowledge and Foundation of God, as will in the Progresse of our Discourse be made farther appeare, although I know not, that this is as yet questioned; The Immutability of this Purpose of God, cap. 9. 11, 12. The Apostle demonstrates from its Independency in any thing in them, or respect of them, concerning whom it is, it being Eternall, and expresly safegarded against apprehensions, that might arise, of any causall or occasionall influence from any thing in them given thereunto, they lying under this Condition alone unto God, as Persons that had done neither good nor evill. And this also the Apostle further pursues from the Soveraignity, Absolutenesse, and Vnchangeablenesse of the Will of God: But these things are of another Consideration.

Now this Vnchangeable Purpose and Election being the fountaine, from whence the effectuall Calling of Believers doth flow, the preservation of them to the End designed the Glory whereunto they are Chosen, by those Acts of Grace and Love, whereby they are prepared thereunto, hath coincidence of Infallibillity, as to the end aymed at, with the Purpose it selfe; nor is it lyable to the least exception, but what may be raised from the Mutability and Changeablenesse of God in his Purposes, and Decrees. Hence in the following verse upon the account of the Stability, and Immutability of this Purpose of God, the utmost, and most remote Ende in reference to the good thereby designed unto Believers, though having its present subsistence only in that Purpose of God, and Infalible Concatenation of meanes thereunto conducing, is mentioned as a thing actually acomplished, v. 30.

Herein also lyes the Apostles second Eviction of Consolation, §. 14.formerly layd downe, even in the indissoluble Concatenation of those Acts of Grace, Love, and Favour, whereby the Persons of Gods Purpose, or the remnant, according to the Election of Grace, shall be infallibly carried on in their present injoyment, and unto the full fruition of the Love of Christ. If we may take him upon his word (and he speakes in the name and Authority of God) those whom he doth fore-Know, or fixes his thoughts peculiarly upon, from Eternity, (for the terme these, is evidently discriminated: & the Act must needs be Eternall, which in order of Nature is previous unto Predestination, or the appointment to the end by meanes designed,) those I say he doth Predestinate, and appoint in the Immutable Purpose of his Will, to be conformed unto the Image of his Sonne, as in afflictions, so in Grace and Glory;

To fancy a suspension of these Acts of Grace, (some whereof are Eternall) upon conditionalls, and they not intimated in the least in the Text, nor consistent with the Nature of the things themselves, or the End intended, casting the Accomplishment and bringing about of the designes of God Proposed, as his, for our Consolation, upon the certaine lubricity of the Wills of men, and thereupon to propose an intercision of them, as to their Concattenation, and Dependance, that they should not have a certaine Influence on the one hand, descending; nor an Unchangeable dependance, on the other Ascending; may easily be made appeare, to be so plaine an opposition to the ayme and designe of the Apostle, as tis possibly capable of; But because these things are really insisted on by Mr Goodwin. I shall choose rather to remove them, as with much Rhetorick, and not without some Sophistry they are by him pressed, then further anticipate them, by arguments of the Text it selfe, of their invalidity and nullity.

The discussion of our Argument from this place of Scripture, he enters upon Chap. 10. Sect. 42. pag. 207. and pursues it, being much in angled with p. 56what himselfe is pleased to draw forth as the strength of it, unto Sect. 52. pag. 219.

Now though Mr Goodwin hath not at all mentioned any Analysis of the place insisted on, for the making out of the Truth we believe to be intended in it, nor ever once shewed his Reader the face of our Argument from hence, but only drawn something of it forth, in such divided parcells, as he apprehended himselfe able to blurre and obscure; yet to make it evident, that he hath not prevailed to foyle that part of the strength of Truth (his Adversary) which he voluntarily chose to grapple withall, I shall consider that whole discourse, and manifest the nullity of his Exceptions unto this Testimony given in by the Apostle to the Truth we have in hand.

To obtaine his end,§. 16. Mr Goodwin undertaketh these two things,

1. First, to give in an Exposition of the place of Scripture insisted on, whence no such conclusion as that, which he opposeth (saith he) can be drawne.

2. Secondly, to give in Exceptions to our Interpretation of it, and the Inferences thereupon by us deduced. The first in these words.

For the scope of the Apostle, in the sequell of this passage, is clearely this, as the particle for in the beginning of vers. 29. plainly sheweth, to prove and make good that Assertion of his v. 28. that all things work together for Good, to those that love God: to prove this, he sheweth by what Method, and degrees of Dispensations God will bring it so to passe. Whom he fore-knowes (saith he) that is, pre-approves, (the word Knowledge frequently in Scripture importing Approbation) as he must needs doe those that love him, these he Predestinates to be conformed to the Image of his Sonne: and therefore as all things, even his deepest sufferings, wrought together for Good unto him; so must they needs doe unto those, who are Predestinated, or Preordinated by God to a Conformity with him; To give you yet, saith our Apostle, a farther and more particular account, how God in the secret of his Counsells, hath laid things in order to the bringing of them unto an actuall conformity with the Image of his Sonne, to wit, in Glory, whom he Predestinated thereunto, (who are such as love him, and thereupon are approved by him) you are to understand, that whom he hath so Predestinated, he hath also Called, (that is) hath Purposed or Decreed to Call to the knowledge of his Sonne, or of his Gospell, (that is) to afford a more plaine and effectuall discovery of him unto them, then unto others, whom he hath not so Predestinated: By the way, this Call doth not necessarily suppose a Saving Answer given unto it by the Called, no whit more, then the Calling mentioned Mat. 20. 16. Mat: 22. 14. It only supposeth a reall purpose on Gods part, to make it very sufficient to procure such an Answer to it, from those that are Called: The Apostle advanceth toward his proposed end, and addeth: Those whom he Calls, them he also Justified (that is) according to our last expesition of the word Called, he hath Purposed or Decreed to Justify: to wit, in case the Called obstruct him not in his way, or by their unbeliefe render not themselves uncapable of Justification: The clause following is likewise to be understood with the like proviso as this; Whom he hath Justified, them he also Glorified, that is, hath Purposed or Decreed to save, in case they retaine the Grace of Justification, confirmed upon them to the end.

First:§. 17. Let it be granted, that the designe of the Apostle is to make good that Assertion,Ans. All things shall work together for Good, to them that love God, and the Consolation for Believers, which thence he holds forth unto them; yet he doth not only shew by what Method, Degrees, or Stepps, God will bring it to passe, but also, as the Fountaine of all that ensues, layes downe the unalterable Purpose of God concerning that End, which is attended in, and accomplisht by all those Stepps or Degrees of his effectuall Grace after mentioned; p. 57This Mr Goodwin passeth over, as not to be wrested into any tolerable conformity with that sence (if there be any sence in the whole of what he insists upon for the sence of this place) which he intends to rack and presse the words unto. To save stumbling at the Threshold, (which is malum omen) he leaps at once over the consideration of this Purpose and Designe of God, as aiming at a certain end, without the least touch upon it. Farther that God will bring it to passe, that all things shall work together for Good to them that love him, is not intended by Mr Goodwin, as though it should infallibly be so indeed, but only that God will so way-lay them, with some Advantages, that it may be so, as well as otherwise. What Consolation Believers may receive from this whole Discourse of the Apostle, intended properly to administer it unto them, as it lies under the Glosse ensuing, shall be discovered in our following Consideration of it: Thus then he makes it out.

Whom he fore-Knowes,§. 15. that is Preapprooves (the word Knowledge in Scripture frequently importing Approbation) as he mmst needs doe those that Love him, them he Predestinates.

1. (First) that to Know is sometimes taken in Scripture for to Approove, Ans.may be granted: But that the word here used must therefore signifie to Preapproove, is an assertion, which I dare not pretend to so much foreknowledge as to think that any one besides himselfe will approove. Mr Goodwin (I doubt not) knowes full well that Prepositions in Greeke Compositions doe often restraine simple verbs formerly at liberty for other uses, to one precise signification. The word foreign in its constant sence in other Authors is praescio or predecerno; foreign it selfe for to determine or decree: so is scisco among the Latins, the ancient word,Plaut. in Curcul. to know. So he in Plautus, Rogitationes plurimas propter vos populus scivit, Cic. pro Flacco. … 2. de Legi….quas vos rogatas rumpitis. And no thing more frequent in Cicero Quae scisceret plebs, aut quae populus juberet &c. and againe Quod multa perniciosè, multa pestiferè sciscuntur in populis: and,Pro Plan…io. Plancus primus legem scivit de Publicanis: Plutarchus in Alcibiad.In like manner is foreign frequently used foreign they determined not to doe that thing:Lucian in Prometh. foreign, sayes he in Lucian. He hath determined unrighteous things against me. Hence foreign is often taken for a Decree, or an established purpose as Budaeus manifesteth out of Plutarch: In Scripture, the word is sundry times used, and still in the sences before mentioned: sometimes for a simple fore-knowledge; so Paul uses it, of the Jewes, who knew him before his Conversion: Act. 26. 5. foreign, it relates not to what they fore-knew, but what they knew before, or in former dayes. And as the simple verbe (as was shewed) is often taken, for Decerno, statuo, to decree, order, or determine, so with this composition it seemes most to be restrained to that sence. 1 Pet. 1. 20. It is said of Christ that he was foreign, he was foreknowne, or fore ordained before the foundation of the world; which is opposed to that which followes foreign ▪ manifested in the last times for you, and relates to the Decree or fore purpose of God, concerning the giving of his Sonne. Hence foreign is joyned with foreign, Gods Determinate Counsell, as a word of the same importance. Acts 2. 23. foreign &c. If there be any difference, the first designing the Wisdome, the latter the Will of God in this businesse: In the 11. Rom. 2. it hath againe the same signification, God hath not cast of foreign or the Remnant which among the obstinate and unbelieving Jewes, were under his everlasting purpose of Grace: In which place causelesly, and without any attempt of proofe the Remonstrants w…est the word to signify Preapprobation: Des. Sent. Art. 1. The whole contest and designe of the Apostle, the termes of Remnant and Election, whereby the same thing is afterward expressed, undeniably forcing the proper p. 58per acceptation of the word. Not only the originall sence, and Composition of the word, but also the constant use of it in the Scripture, leads us away from the Interpretation here pinned upon it.

Further, what is the meaning of Preapprooving? Gods Approoving of any Person, as to their Persons, is his free and Gracious Acceptation of them in Christ. His Preapprooving of them in Answer hereunto, must be his Eternall Gracious Acceptation of them in Christ; But is this Mr Goodwin's intendment? Doth God accept any in Christ antecedently to their Predestination, Calling, and Justification (for they are all consequentiall to this act of Preapprobation)? This then is that which is affirmed: God approoves and accepts of men in Christ; thereupon he Predestinates, Calls, and Justifies them. But what need all these, if they be Antecedently accepted? I should have expected, that this fore-Knowledge should have been resolved rather into a middle, or Conditionate Prescience, then into this Preapprobation, but that our Great Masters were pleased (in the place newly cited) though without any attempt of proofe, to carry it another way. That God should approve of, love, accept persons antecedently to their Predestination, Vocation, & Justification, is doubtlesse not suitable to Mr Goowin's Principles. But that they should love God also, before they fall under these Acts of his Grace, is not only openly contradictious to the Truth, but also to it selfe. The phrase here of Loving God is confessedly a description of Believers: Now to suppose men Believers, that is to answer the Call of God, antecedently to his Call, will scarce be salved from a flat contradiction, with any reserved Considerations, that may be invented.

This Solid Foundation being laid,§. 16. he proceeds; Those who thus love him, and he approves of them, he Predestinates to be conformed to the Image of his Sonne. It is true, the Apostle speaks of them, and to them that Love the Lord; but doth not (in the least) suppose them, as such, to be the Objects of the Acts of his Soveraigne Grace after mentioned. If God Call none, but those that Love him Antecedently to his Call, that Grace of his must eternally rest in his own bosome, without the least exercise of it, towards any of the Sonnes of Men. It is those persons indeed, who in the processe of the Work of Gods Grace towards them, are brought to love him, that are thus Predestinated and Called: but they are so dealt withall, not upon the Account or Consideration of their Love of God (which is not only in order consequentiall to some of them, but the proper Effect and product of them) but upon the Account of the Unchangeable Purpose of God, appoynting them to Salvation; which I doubt not but Mr Goodwin studiously and purposely omitted to insist upon, knowing its absolute inconsistency with the Conclusion, (and yet not able to wave it, had it been once brought under consideration) which from the Words he aimeth to extract. As then, to make mens Loving of God to be antecedent to the Grace of Vocation, is an expresse contradiction in it selfe; so to make it, or the Consideration of it, to be previous unto Predestination, is an insinuation of a grosse Pelagian figment, giving rise and spring to Gods Eternall Predestination, not in his owne Soveraigne Will, but the selfe-differencing Wills of men: Latet anguis also in the adding grasse of that exegeticall terme, (Preordinated) Predestinated, that is Preordinated; Though the word being considered in the Language, whereof it is, seemes not to give occasion to any suspicion, yet the change of it from Preordained into Preordinated, is not to be supposed to be for nothing, in him who is expert at these Weapons. To ordaine, is either ordinare ut aliquid fiat, or ordinem in factis statuere; or according to some, subjectum disponere ad finem: to Preordaine, is of necessity, precisely tyed up to the first sence: to Preordinate, I feare, in Mr Goodwins sence, is but to Predispose men by some good inclinations in themselves: and men Preordinated, are but p. 59men so predisposed; which is the usuall Glosse, that men of this perswasion put upon Acts 13. 48.

Thus farre then we have carried on the sence affixed to these words,§. 17. if it may so be called, which is evidently contradictious in it selfe, and in no one particular suited to the minde of the Holy Ghost.

He proceeds, To give you yet, saith our Apostle, a farther and more particular Account, how God in the secret of his Counsell, hath belaid things in order &c.

This expression (God hath belaid things in order to the Salvation of them that love him,) is the whole of the Assurance here given by the Apostle, to the Assertion formerly layd downe for the Consolation of Believers: and this, according to the Analogie and Proportion of our Authors Faith, amounts only thus farre: you that Love God, if you continue so to doe, you will fall under his Predestination; and if you abide under that, he will call you, so as that you may farther obey him, or you may not: if you doe obey him, and believe upon his Call (having lov'd him before) he will Justify you; not with that Justification which is finall, of which you may come short; but with initiall Justification, which if you continue in, and walke up unto, Solvite curas when you are dead in your graves: This is called Gods belaying of things in his secret Counsell, whereby the totall Accomplishment of the first ingagement is cut off from the Root of Gods Purposes, and Branches of his effectuall Grace in the pursuit thereof, and grafted upon the wild Olive of the Will of man, that never did, nor never will beare any wholsome fruit of it selfe to Eternity. What is afterward added, of the Qualification of those whom God Predestinates, being an intrusion of another false Hypothesis, for the Confirmation of an Assertion of the same alloy, is not of my present consideration; But he adds: ye are to understand, that whom he hath Predestinated, he hath also Called, hath purposed or Decreed to Call, to the Knowledge of his Sonne, or his Gospell, as before &c.

Ans. How he hath Predestinated them, is not expressed; but being so Predestinated, God purposes to Call them; that is them, and only them; for it is an uniforme proceeding of God towards all, whom he attempts to bring to himselfe, which is here described; That is, when men Love him, and are approved of him, and are there-upon Preordinated to Conformity with Christ, then he Decrees to call them, or, as the Calling here mentioned is described, (that ye may not mistake, as though any internall effectuall work of Grace were hereby intended, but only an outward morall perswasion, by a Revelation of the Object they should imbrace) he gives a more plaine and effectuall Discovery of Christ to them, then to any others. Doubtlesse 'tis evident to every one, that (besides the great Confusion, whereunto the proceedings of God in bringing sinners to himselfe, or belaying, their coming with some kind entertainments, are cast into,) the whole work of Salvation is resolved into the Wills of Men, and insteed of an Effectuall, Operative, Unchangeable Purpose of God, nothing is left on his part, but a morall Approbation of what is well done, and a proposing of other desirable things unto men, upon the Account of former worthy carriages. And this is no small part of the intendment of our Author in this undertaking.

That God decrees to call them,Deut. 7. 7.Deut 7:7 and only them, who love him,Ezek. 16. 6.Ezek 16:6 and upon that accompt are approved of him,Math 11. 26.Matt 11:26 when all Faith and Love are the Fruites of that Calling of his, is such a figment,Ephes. 2. 1, 2. 3.Eph 2:1Eph 2:2Eph 2:3 as I shall not need to cast away wordes in the Confutation of it.

Yet,§. 18. least any should have too high thoughts of this Grace of Vocation, he tels them by the way, that it doth not necessarily suppose a saving Answer given to it by the called no whit more then the Calling mentioned Mat. 20. 21. Mat. 22. 14.

p. 601. (First) by Mr Goodwin's Confession here is as yet no great Advance made toward the proofe of the Assertion layd downe in the Entrance, and for the Confirmation whereof this Series, and Concatenation of Divine Graces is insisted on. Though men Love God, are Predestinated, and accepted, yet when it comes to Calling, they may stop there and perish everlastingly: for many are called, but few are chosen; They are indeed be-layd by a Calling, but they may misse the place of its Residence, or refuse to accept of its entertainment, and passe on to ruine. But

2. (Secondly) They are so called, as upon the account thereof to be Justified For whom he Calls, he Justifies. Yea in case they obay: But this is the Interpretation of the new Apostle, not the old; neither hath the Text any such supposition, nor will the Context beare it, nor can the designe of the Apostle consist with it, nor any more consolation be squeezed from this place upon the accompt of it, then of milk from a flint in the Rocke of stone. Neither

3. (Thirdly) doth the calling here mentioned, hold any Analogie with that of the many that are called, but not chosen, pointed at in the second place instanced in; being indeed the Effectuall, calling of the few who are chosen. For as our Saviour in those places of Mathew, mentioned two sorts of Persons, some that have a generall Call but are not Chosen: and others, that being Chosen, are therfore distinguished from the former, as to their Vocation; so Paul here tels yee, that the Calling he insists on, is the peculiar Call of God according to his Purpose (the same Purpose intimated by our Saviour) which being suited of God to the carrying on and accomplishing of that Purpose of his, must be effectuall, unlesse he through Mutability, and Impotency come short of accomplishing the designe of his Will and Wisdome.

Neither is this Salved by what followes that it is the Intention of God, to make this call sufficient for the end purposed: Yea this part of the Wallet is most filled with folly and falshood. For as generall Purposes of giving meanes for an End, with an intention to bring that end about, that may or may not attaine it, are most remote from God, and being supposed, are destructive to all his holy and blessed Atributes, and Perfections, as hath been shewn: So the thing it selfe, of sufficient Grace of Vocation, which is not Effectuall, is a grosse figment, not whilst this world continues, by M. Goodwin to be made Good: The most of his Arguments being importunate sugestions of his owne false Hypotheses and Conceptions. But he goes on,

The Apostle advanceth towards his proposed end,§. 19. and adds, those whom he called, them he also Justified, or decreed to Justifie, in case the called obstruct him not in his way, or by their unbeliefe render not themselves uncapable of Justification.

Ans. That exception (in case they obstruct him not) is a Clew, to lead us into all the corners of of this Labyrinth, and a key to the whole designe in hand. Such a supposall it is, as not only enervates the whole Discourse of the Apostle, and frustrats his designe, but also opens a dore for the Questioning of the Accomplishment of any Purpose, or Promise of God what ever; and in one word, rejects the whole Efficacy of the Grace of the Gospell, as a thing of nought. What strength is there in the Discourse and arguing of the Apostle from the Purpose, and insuing Series of Gods Grace, to proove that all things Should work together for good to them that Love God, if the whole issue and Event of things mentioned to that end, depend not on the efficacy or effectuall Influences of those Acts of God, one upon an other, and all upon the end; they being all and every one of them, Jointly, and severally suspended upon the wills of the Persons themselves, concerning whom they are, (which yet here is concealed and intimated in the least?) How doth it proove p. 61at all, that they shall never be separated from the Love of Christ, that they shall be made conformable to him in Glory, notwithstanding all opposition, upon the account of the dispensation of Gods Eternall and Actuall Love towards them, when the whole of their usefulnesse to the End proposed, is resolved ultimately into themselves and their endeavours; and not into any purpose or Act of God? Such as is the foundation, such is the strength of the whole building. Inferences can have no more strength, then the Principle from whence they are deduced; If a man should tell another, that if he will goe a Journy of a hundred miles, at each twenty miles end, he shall meet with such and such refreshments: all the consolation he can receive upon the account of refreshment provided for him, is proportioned only to the thoughts he hath of his own strength for the performance of that Journy.

Farther, If in such Expressions of the Purposed Workes of God, we may put Cases, and trust in what supposalls we think good, where there is not the least Jot, Title, or Syllable of them in the Text, nor any roome for them, without destroying, not only the designe and meaning of the place, but the very sence of it; why may not we doe so in other undertakings of God, the certainty of whose Event, depends upon his Purpose and Promise only? For instance, The Resurrection of the Dead; may we not say God will raise up the dead in Christ, in case there be any necessity that their bodies should be glorified? What is it also that remaines of praise to the Glorious grace of God? This is all he effects by it: in case men obstruct him not in his way, it doth good. God calls men to Faith and Obedience: in case they obstruct not his way, it shall doe them good; But how doe they obstruct his way? By Unbeliefe, and Disobedience: take them away, and Gods calling shall be effectuall to them: that is, in case they Believe and Obey, Gods Calling shall be effectuall to cause them to Believe and Obey.

The Cases then foisted into the Apostles discourse,§. 20. in the close of this Interpretation of the place (if I may so call it) namely, that God will justify the Called, in case they obstruct not his way; and will glorify them whom he hath justified, in case they continue and abide in the state of Justification, are First, thrust in without Ground, Warrant, or Colour of Advantage, or occasion given by any thing in the Text, or Context: and, Secondly, are destructive to the whole designe of the Holy Ghost in the place whereinto they are intruded: injurious to the Truth of the Assertion intended to be made good, that all things shall work together for Good, proposed upon the account of the unchangeable purpose of God, and infallible Connexion of the Acts of his Love and Grace in the Pursuit thereof: and resolve the promised work and designed event, wholly into the uncertaine lubricous wills of men, making the Assurance given, not only to be lyable to just Exceptions, but evidently to faile, and be falsified in respect of thousands: and, Thirdly, render the whole dispensation of the Grace of God to Lackey after the Wills of Men, and wholly to depend upon them, Giving in thereby (as was said) Innumerable Presumptions, that the word, for whose Confirmation all these Acts of Gods Grace are mentioned and insisted on, shall never be made good nor established.

Take then in few words the sence and scope of this place, as 'tis held out in the Exposition given of it by M. Goodwin, and wee will then proceed to consider his Confirmations of the said Exposition; Oh you that Love God, many Afflictions, Temptations, and Oppositions ye shall meet withall, but be of good comfort, all shall work together for your Good, for God hath appoynted you to be like his Sonne, and you may triumph in every Condition on this account; for if yee before any Act of his speciall Grace towards you, Love him, he Approves you, and then p. 62he Predestinates you: (what that is I know not) then it is in your power to continue to love him, or to doe otherwise: if ye abide not, then ye perish; if ye abide, he will call you: and when he doth so, either ye may obey him, or ye may not; if you doe not, all things shall work together for your hurt, and ye will be like the Devill: if you doe, then he will justify you, and then if you abide with him, as perhaps ye may, perhaps ye may not, he will finally Justify you; and then all shall be well. This being the substance of the Interpretation of this place here given, let us now consider how 'tis confirmed.

That,§. 21. which in his own termes he undertaketh to Demonstrate, & to vindicate from all Objections in his ensuing Discourse, he thus expresseth, pag. 209. Sect: 43. These Decrees or purposed Acts of God here specified, are to be understood in their successive dependencies, with such a condition or proviso respectively, as those mentioned; and not absolutely, peremptorily, or without Condition.

Ans. The imposing of Conditions and Provisoes, upon the Decrees and Purposes of God, of which himselfe gives not the least intimation, and the suspending them, as to their Execution, on those conditions so invented and imposed, at the first view reflects so evidently on the Will, Wisdome, Power, Pre-science, and Unchangeablenesse of God, who hath said, his Purposes shall stand, and he will doe all his Pleasure, especially when the Interruption of them doth frustrate the whole designe and aime of God in the mentioning of those Decrees and Purposes of his; that there will be need of Demonstrations written with the Beames of the Sunne, to inforce men, tender, and regardfull of the Honour and Glory of God, to close with any in such an undertaking; let us then consider what is produced to this end, & try if it will hold weight in the ballance of the Sanctuary. This, saith he, appears, First,

1. By the like Phrase or manner of expression, frequent in the Scripture elsewhere. I meane, when such Purposes or Decrees of God, the respective Execution whereof, are suspended upon such and such conditions, are notwithstanding simply and positively, without any mention of Condition, expressed and asserted. Wherefore the Lord God of Israel saith; I said indeed that thy House, and the House of thy Father shall walke before mee, (meaning in the Office and Dignity of the Priesthood) for ever. But now saith the Lord, be it farre from me; I said indeed, that is, I verily Purposed or Decreed, or I Promised; it comes much to one; When God made the Promise and so declared his Promise accordingly, that Eli and his Fathers house should walke before him for ever, he expressed no condition, as required to the Execution or performance of it, yet here it plainly appears, that there was a condition understood; In the same kind of Dialect Samuel speaks to Saul; Thou hast done foolishly, thou hast not kept the Commandment of the Lord thy God; for now the Lord had established thy Kingdome upon Israel for ever; but now thy Kingdome shall not continue: the Lord had established, that is, he verily purposed, or decreed to establish it for ever, to wit, in case his posterity had walked obediently with him.

Here we have the strength (as will be manifest in the progresse of our Discourse) of what Mr Goodwin hath,§. 22. to make good his former strange Assertion; Whether it will amount to a necessary proofe or no, may appeare upon these ensuing Considerations.

1. First: The Reason intimated, being taken neither from the Text under debate, nor the Context, nor any other place, where any concernement of the Doctrine therein contained, is touched, or pointed at, there being also no Coincidence of phrase or expression in the one place and the other here compared: I cannot but admire by what Rules of Interpretation M. Goodwin doth proceed, to make one of these places exegeticall of the other. Though this way of Arguing hath been mainly, and almost solely insisted on of late, p. 63by the Socinians, viz. Such a word is in another place used to another purpose, or in another sence, therefore this cannot be the necessary sence of it in this: yet it is not only confuted over and over, as irrationall, and unconcluding, but generally exploded, as an Invention suited only to shake all Certainty whatever in matters of Faith, and Revelation. Mr Goodwin in his instance goes not so farre, (or rather he goes farther, because his instance goes not so farre) there being no likelinesse, much lesse samenesse of Expression in those Texts, which he produces to weaken the obvious, and literally exposed sence of the other insisted on therewith. To wave the force of the inference from the words of the Holy Ghost, (seeing nothing in the least intimated in the place will give in any assistance thereunto.) First,

1. This Thesis is introduced. The Purposes, and Decrees of God (confessedly ingaged in the place in hand) are, as to their respective Executions, suspended on conditions in men. An Assertion destructive to the Power-Goodnesse, Grace, Righteousnesse, Faithfulnesse, Wisdome, Unchangeablenesse, Providence, and Soveraignty of God, as might be demonstrated, did it now lye in our way. To prove that this must needs be so, and that that Rule must take place, in the mention that is made of the Purpose & Decrees of God, (Rom. 8. 1.) 1 Sam. 2. 30. is produced, being a Denunciation of Gods judgments upon the House of Eli, for their unworthy walking in the honour of the Priesthood, whereunto they were by him advanced and called, and which they were intrusted withall, expressely upon condition of their obedience; Let us then a little consider the Correspondency, that is between the places compared for their mutuall illustration.

1. (First,) in the one, there is expresse mention of the Purpose of God, and that his Eternall Purpose: in the other, only a Promise expressly Conditionall in the giving, of it, amounting to no more then a Law, without the least intimation of any Purpose or Decree.

2. (Secondly,) The one incompasseth the whole designe of the Grace of the Gospell; the other mention not any speciall Grace at all.

3. (Thirdly,) the one is wholy expressive of the Acts of God, and his designe therein; the other declarative of the Duty of man, with the issue there upon depending. This then is the strength of this Argument. God approoving the Obedience of a man tels him, that upon the Continuance of that Obedience in him, and his, he will continue them an Office in his service; (a temporall mercy, which might be injoyed without the least saving Grace) and which upon his Disobedience, he threatneth to take frō him: (both Promise & threatning being declarative of his approbation of obedience, & his annexing the Preisthood thereunto, in that family) therefore God intending the consolation of Elect Believers, affirming that all things shall work together for their good, upon this Account, that he hath Eternally Purposed to preserve them in his Love, and to bring them to him selfe by such Effectuall Acts of his Grace, as whose Immutable dependance one upon the other, & all upon his owne Purpose cannot be interrupted, and therefore such, as shall infallibly produce and worke in them all the obedience, which for the end proposed he requires. His Purposes I say thus mentioned, must be of the same Import with the declaration of his Will in the other place spoken of; If such a Confounding of the Decrees and Denuntiations, Absolute Purposes, and Conditionall Promises, Spirituall things with Temporall, & the Generall Administration of the Covenant of Grace in Christ, with Speciall Providentiall Dispensations may be allowed, there is no man needs to despaire of prooving any thing he hath a minde to assert.

p. 643. (Thirdly) there are two things, that Mr Goodwin insists upon to make good his arguing from this place.

First, that these words (I said indeed) hold out the reall Purpose and Decree of God.

Secondly, that in the Promise mentioned, there was no Condition expressed, or required to the Execution, or Performance of it.

By the First he intends, that God did really Purpose and Decree from Eternity, that Eli and his House should hold the Preisthood for ever: By the Second, that no condition was expressed, neither in termes, or necessarily implyed in the thing it selfe, which is of the same import.

If neither of these now should prove true, what little advance hath M. Goodwin made for the weakning of the plaine intendment of the words in the place under consideration, or for the confirmation of his own glosse and interposed conditionals, either by this, or the following instances, that are of the same kind will plainly appeare. Now that these words (I said indeed) are not declarative of an Eternall Decree and Purpose of God, concerning the futurition and event of what is asserted to be the object of that Decree, the Continuance of the Priesthood in the house of Eli, may be evidenced, as from the generall nature of the things themselves, so from the particular explanation of the Act of God, whereunto this expression (I said indeed) doth relate.

1. First,§. 23. from the Generall nature of the thing it selfe, may this be manifested. To what hath been formerly spoken, I shall adde only some few Considerations, being not willing to insist long, on that which is but collaterall to my present designe.

1. First then, when God Decreed and Purposed this, (if so be he purposed it, as it is said he did) he either foresaw what would be the issue of it, or he did not? If he did not? where is his infinite Wisdome & Understanding? If we may not be allowed to say his fore-knowledge? How are all his works known to him from the foundation of the World? How doth he declare the End from the Beginning, Acts 15. 18. Isa.Acts 15:18and the things that are yet to come? Distinguishing himselfe from all false gods on this account? If he did fore-see the Event, that it would not be so; Why did he Decree and Purpose it should be so? Doth this become the infinite Wisdome of God to Purpose and Decree from all Eternity, that that shall come to passe, which he knowes will never come to passe? Can any such Resolution fall upon the Sonnes of men, to whom God is pleased to continue the use of that little sparke of Reason, wherewith they are indued? If you say, God purposed it should continue, in case their disobedience hindered it not; I aske againe, did God fore-see the Disobedience that would so hinder it, or did he not? If he did not, the same difficulties will arise which formerly I mentioned. If he did, then God decreed and purposed that the Priesthood should continue in the House of Eli, if they kept themselves from that disobedience, which he saw and knew full well they would runne into. (Cui sint?)

2. Secondly, if God did thus Purpose and Decree, he was able to bring it about, and accomplish his designe by waies agreeable to his Goodnesse, Wisdome, and Righteousnesse, or he was not. If he was not, where is his Omnipotency, who is not able to fullfill his Righteous Designes and Purposes, in waye, corresponding to that state of Agents & things, which he hath allotted them? How can it be said of him, he will worke, and none shall let him? That God ingageth his Power, for the Accomplishment of his Purposes was shewed before; If he were able to accomplish it, why did he not doe it, but suffer himselfe to be frustrated of his end? Is it suitable to the Soveraigne Will and Wisdome of God, eternally to purpose and Decree that, which by meanes p. 65agreeable to his Holinesse and Goodnesse, he is able to bring to passe, and yet not to doe it, but to faile and come short of his Holy and Gracious intendment.

3. Thirdly, the Obedience of the House of Eli, on which the Accomplishment of the pretended Decree is suspended, was such, as either they were able of themselves to performe, or they were not? To say they were, is to exclude the necessary Assistance of the Grace of God, which Mr Goodwin hath not in termes declared himselfe to doe, not are we as yet arrived at that height, though a considerable progresse hath been made. If they were not able to doe it, without the Assistance of the Spirit, and Concurrence of the Grace of God: did the Lord purpose to give them that Assistance, working in them both to will, and to doe of his own good pleasure? or did he not? If he did so purpose, why did the not doe it? If he did not purpose to doe it, to what end did he Decree, that that should come to passe, which he knew could not come to passe, without his doing that, which he was resolved never to doe? It is all one, as if a man knew that another were shut up in a prison, from whence it was impossible that any body, but himselfe, should deliver him; and should Resolve, and Purpose to give the poore prisoner an hundred pound, so that he would come out of prison to him, and resolve withall never to bring him out.

4. Fourthly, God from Eternity fore-saw, that the Priesthood should not be continued to the House of Eli: therefore he did not from Eternity Purpose and Decree, that it should. To know that a thing shall not be, and to determine that it shall be, is a foreign, rather beseeming an halfe frantik Creature, then the infinitely Wise Creator. Againe, upon what account did God Foresee, that it should not be so? Can the futurition of Contingent Events be resolved in the Issue into any thing but Gods Soveraigne Determination? God therefore did not Determine and Purpose, that it should be so; because he Determined, and Purposed, that it should not be so. Whatsoever he doth in time, that he purposed, to doe from Eternity; Now in time he remooved the Priesthood from the House of Eli, therefore he Eternally Purposed, and Determined so to do; which surely leaves no place for a contrary Purpose, and Decree, (not so much as Conditionall) that it should so continue for ever. The truth is, the mystery of this Abomination lyes in those things, which lye not in my way now to handle. A disjunctive Decree, a middle Science, Creature Dependency are Father, Mother, and Nurse of the Assertion wee oppose, whose monstrous Deformity, and desperate Rebellion against the Propertyes of God, I may (the Lord assisting) hereafter more fully Demonstrate.

But you will say;§. 24. doth not the Lord planely hold out a Purpose, and Decree in these words, I said in deed? Did he say it? Will you assigne Hypocrisy to him, and doubling with the sonnes of men?

I say then secondly; that the expression here used holds out no intention nor Purpose of God, (as to the Futurition and Event of the thing it selfe) that the Priesthood should continue in the House of Eli, but only his Purpose and Intention that Obedience and the Priesthood should goe together. There is a Connexion of things, not an Intendment or Purpose of Events, in the words intimated. The latter cannot be ascribed to God, without the charge of as formall Mutability as the poorest Creature is liable to. Mr Goodwin indeed tells yee, Sect. 43. pag. 209. That the Purpose of God it selfe considered, as an act, or conception of the minde of God, dependeth not on any Condition what soever, and all Gods Purposes, and Decrees without exception, are in such respect absolute, and independent: How weake and unable this is to p. 66free the Lord from a charge of Changeablenesse upon his supposalls, needs little paines to demonstrate. The Conceptions of the minds of the Sonnes of men & their Purposes, as such, are as absolutely free & inconditionall, as the nature of a Creature will admit: only the Execution of our Purposes and resolves is suspended upon the Intervention of other things, which render them all Conditionall; And this it seemes is the state with God himselfe; although in the Scripture he most frequently distinguisheth himselfe from the Sonnes of men, on this acompt, that they purpose at the greatest rate of uncertainty imaginable, as to the accomplishment of their thoughts, and therefore are frequently disappointed; but his Purposes and his Counsells stand for ever. so Psa. 33. 10, 11. The expression then here (I said) relates plainly to the in vestiture of Aaron and his seed in the Priesthood. There was a twofold ingagement made to the House of Aaron about that office: one in Generall to him and his Sonnes: the other in Particular, to Phinehas and his Posterity. The latter to Phinehas is farre more expressive and significant, then the other; you have it Numb. 25. 11, 12, 13. Phinehas the Sonne of Fleazar, the Sonne of Aaron the Priest, hath turned my Wrath away from the Children of Israel, while he was Zealous for my sake among them, that I consumed not the Children of Israel in my Jealousy: wherefore say I, Behold, I give unto him my Covenant of peace, and he shall have it, and his seed after him, even the Covenant of an everlasting Priesthood, because he was Zealous for God, and made an Attonement for the Children of Israel. Here is a Promise indeed, and no Condition in termes expressed: But yet being made and granted upon the Condition of Obedience, which is clearely expressed once & againe, that the Continuance of it was also suspended on that Condition, (as to the Glory and beauty of that office, the thing principally intended) cannot be doubted; yea it is sufficiently expressed in the Occasion of the Promise, and fountaine thereof. But this was not that promise, wherein Eli's was particularly concerned. Indeed his Posterity was rejected in order to the accomplishment of this Promise, the seed of Phinehas returning to their dignity from whence they fell, by the interposition of the House of Ithamar.

That which this Expression here peculiarly relates unto,§. 25. is the Declaration of the mind of God, concerning the Priesthood of Aaron and his posterity, which you have Exodus 28. 43. Exodus 29. 91. where the confirming them in their Office is called a perpetuall Statute, or a Law for ever; The signification of the terme for ever, in the Hebrew especially, relating to Legall Institutions, is known. Their Eternity is long since expired; that then which God here Emphatically expresses, as an Act of Grace and Favour to the House of Aaron, which Eli and his had interest in, was that Statute or Law of the Priesthood: and his purpose and intention (not concerning the Event of things, not that it should continue in any one branch of that Family, but) of his connexing it with their Obedience and Faithfulnesse in that Office. It is very frequent with God to expresse his Approbation of our duty, under termes holding out the Event, that would be the Issue of the duty, though it never come to passe: and his disapprobation or rejection of the Sonnes of Men, under termes that hold out the end of that disobedience, though it be prevented, or removed. In this latter case, he commands Jonas to cry, yet forty daies and Niniveh shall perish; not that he purposed the destruction of Niniveh at that time, but only effectually to hold out the end of their sinne, that it might be a meanes to turne them from it, and to prevent that end, which it would otherwise procure. His purpose was to prevent, at least prorogue the ruine of Niniveh, and therefore made use of threatning them with ruine, that they might not be ruined. To say that God purposed not the execution of his purpose, but in such p. 67and such cases, is a plaine Contradiction. The purpose is of Execution, and to say, he purposed not the Execution of his Purposes, is to say plainly, he purposed and purposed not, or he purposed not what he purposed. The examples of Pharaoh and Abraham, in the precepts given to them, are proefes of the former: but I must not insist upon particulars.

This then is all that here is intended.§. 26. God making a Law, a Statute about the continuance of the Priesthood in the Family of Aaron, affirmes, that then he said his House should walke before him for ever, that is, with Approbation and Acceptation: for as to the right of the Priesthood, that still continued in the House of Aaron, whilest it continued, notwithstanding the ejection of Fli and his. Now whether there were any conditions in the promise made, which is Mr Goodwins second improvement of this instance, may appeare from the Consideration of what hath been spoken concerning it. It is called a Law, and St…u…e, the Act: on that Account, what ever it were, that God here points unto, is but a Morall legislative Act, and not a Physicall determining Act of the Will of God; and being a Law of Priviledge in its own nature, it involves a condition, which the Acts of Gods Will vitall and eternall, wherewith this Law is compared, doe openly disavow.

Let us now see the parallell between the two places insisted on, for the Explanation of the former of them, which as it will appeare by the sequell, is the only Buckler, wherewith Mr Goodwin defends his Hypothesis, from the irresistible force of the Argument, wherewith he hath to doe. First, the one speakes of things Spirituall, the other of Temporall. Secondly, The one of what what God will doe, and the other of what he approves to be done, being done. Thirdly, The one holds out Gods Decree and Purpose concerning Events, the other his Law and Statute concerning duties. Fourthly, The one not capable of interposing Conditionalls, without perverting the whole designe of God revealed in that place; the other directly including conditions. Fifthly, The one speaking of things themselves; the other only of the manner of a thing. Sixtly, In the one, God holds out what he will doe for the Good of his, upon the account of the Efficacy of his Grace; In the other, what men are to doe, if they will be approved of him. And how one of these places can be imagined to be suited for the illustration and interpretation of the other, which agree neither in name, nor thing, word, nor deed, purpose, nor designe, must be left to the judgements of those, who desire to ponder these things, and to weigh them in the ballance of the Sanctuary.

The other instances in the Case of Saul and Paul, §. 27.being more heterogeneous to the businesse in hand, then that of Eli which went before, require not any particular help for the removall of them out of the way. Though they are Dead, as to the end for which they are produced, I presume no true Israelite in the pursuit of that Sheba in the Church, the Apostacy of Saints, will be retarded in his way, by their being cast before them. In briefe, neither the Connexion of obedience, and suted Rewards, as in the case of Saul; nor the necessity of meanes subservient to the Accomplishment of purposes themselves also falling under that purpose of him, who intends the end, and the fulfilling of it, as in the Case of Paul, are of the least force to perswade us, that the Eternall Immanent Acts of Gods will, which he pursues by the Effectuall irresistible Acts of his Grace, so to compasse the end, which he hath from everlasting determinately resolved to bring about, are suspended upon imaginary Conditions, created in the braines of men, and (notwithstanding their Evident inconsistency with the scope of the Scripture, and designe of God therein) intruded into such Texts of Scripture, as on all hands, (which will be evident in the sequell of this Discourse) are fortified against them.

p. 68Besides, in the Case of Paul, though the infallibility of the Prediction did not in the least prejudice the Liberty of the Agents, who were to be imployed for its accomplishment, but left roome for the Exhortation of Paul, and the endeavours of the Souldiers, yet it cutts off all possibility of a contrary event and all supposall of a disjunctive purpose in God, upon the accompt whereof he cannot predict the issue, or event of any thing whatsoever. But of this more largely afterward.

But this is farther Argued by Mr Goodwin, from the purposes of God in his threatnings, §. 28.in these words. Most frequently the purpose and Decree of God, concerning the punishment of wicked and ungodly men, is expressed by the Holy Ghost, absolutely and certainly, without the least mention of any condition, of relaxation or reversion: yet from other passages of Scripture it is fully evident, that this Decree of his is conditionall, in such a sence, which imports a non-execution of the punishment therein declared, upon the repentance of the Persons, against whom the Decree is. In like manner though the purpose and Decree of God, for the justification of those who are called, (and so for the Glorifying of those that shall be Justified) be (in the Scripture in hand) delivered in an absolute and unconditioned forme of words; yet is it no way necessary to supose, (the most familiar frequent, and accustomed expression in Scripture in such cases, exempting us from any such necessity) that therefore these Decrees must needs bring forth against all possible interveniences whatever; so that (for example) he that is called by the Word and Spirit, must needs be Justified, whether he truly Believe or no; and he that is Justified must needs be Glorified, whether he Persevere or no.

Ans. 1. That the Threatnings of God are morall Acts, not declarative, as to Particular Persons, of Gods Eternall Purposes, but subservient to other ends together with the Law it selfe, whereof they are a Portion; (as the avoyding of that for which men are threatned) is knowne. They are Appendixes of the Law, and in their Relation thereunto, declare the Connexion, that is betweene Sinne and Pnnishment, such Sinnes and such Punishments.

2. That the Eternall Purposes of God concerning the workes of his Grace, are to be measured by rule and Analogy of his Temporall Threatnings, is an Assertion striking at the very Root of the Covenant of Grace, and efficacy of the Mediation of the Lord Jesus, yea at the very being of Divine Perfections of the nature of God himselfe. This there is indeed in all Threatnings declared of the absolute Purpose, and Unchangeable Decree of God, that all impenitent sinners shall be punished, according to what in his Wisdome, and Righteousnesse he hath apportioned out unto such deservings, and threatneth accordingly. In this regard there is no Condition, that doth, or can (in the least) import a non-execution of the Punishment Decreed; Neither do any of the Texts cited in the Margent of our Author, proove any such thing. They all indeed positively affirme, Faithlesse, Impenitent Vnbelievers shall be Destroyed, which no supposall whatsoever, that takes not away the Subject of the Question, (and so alters the whole thing in Debate) can in the least infringe. Such assertions (I say) are parts of the Law of God revealing his will in Generall, to Punish impenitent Unbelievers, concerning which his Purpose is absolute, Unalterable, and Stedfast.

The conclusion then, which Mr Goodwin makes, is apparently racked from the words, by stretching them upon the unproportioned bed of other Phrases, and Expressions wholly Hetcrogeneous to the designe in this place intended, Added here are supposed Conditions in generall, not once explayned to keepe them from being exposed to that shame that is due unto them, when their (intrusion without all order or warrant from Heaven) shall be manifested; only wrapped up in the Clouds of possible Interveniences, when the p. 69Acts of Gods Grace, whereby his Purposes, and Decrees are accomplished, doe consist in the effectuall removeall of the Interveniences pretended, that so the end aimed at in the Uuchangeable Counsell of God, may (suitably to the determination of his Soveragin, Omnipotent, Infinite, Wise Will) be accomplished. Neither doth it in the least appeare, that any such Calling by the Word and Spirit, as may leave the Persons so called in their unbeliefe, (they being so called in the pursuit of this Purpose of God, to give them Faith, and make them conformable to Christ) may be allowed place, or Roome in the Haven of this Text: The like may be said of Justification, wherein men doe not Persevere. Yea these two supposalls are only not an open beging of the thing in Contest, but a flat defying of the Apostle as to the validity of his Demonstration, That all things shall worke together &c.

Notwithstanding then any thing that hath been objected to the contrary, the Foundation of God mentioned in this place of Scripture stands …irme, and his Eternall Purpose of safegarding the Saints in the Love of Christ, untill he bring them to the injoyment of himselfe in Glory, stands cleare from the least shaddow of Change, or suspension upon any certaine Conditionalls, which are confidently (but not so much as speciously) obtruded upon it.

The next thing undertaken by Mr Goodwin, §. 29.is to vindicate the forementioned Glosses from such oppositions, as arise against them from the Context, and words themselves, with the designe of the Holy Ghost therein: These things doth He find his Exposition obnoxious unto. The exposition which He pretends to give no strength unto, but what is forraigne on all Considerations whatsoever of words and things, to the place it selfe: This, it seemes, is to prophesy according to the Analogie of Faith.Rom. 12: 6.Rom 12:6

First then Sect. 44. To the Objection, that those who are Called are also Justified, and shall be Glorified, according to the Tenor of the series of the Acts of the Grace of God here layd down, he Answereth, That where either the one, or the other of these Assertions, be so or no, it must be Judged of by other Scriptures; Certain it is by what hath bin argued concerning the frequent usage of the Scripture in point of Expression, that it cannot be concluded or determined by the Scripture in hand. The Sum of this Answer amounts to thus much: Although the sence opposed be cleare in the Letter, and Expression of this place of Scripture, in the Grammaticall sence, and use of the words; though it flowes from the whole Context, and Answers (alone) the designe, and scope of the place, which gives not the least Countenance to the interposing of any such Conditionalls, as are framed, to force it to speake contrary to what (foreign) it holds forth: yet the mind of God in the words, is not from these things to be concluded on; but other significations and sences, not of any word here used, not from the laying downe of the same Doctrine in other places with the Analogie of the Faith thereof, not from the proposing of any designe suitable to this here expressed, but places of Scripture agreeing with this, neither in Name, nor Thing, Expression, nor Designe, Word, nor Matter, must be found out in the sence and meaning of this place, and be from them concluded, and our interpretation of this place accordingly regulated. Nobis non licet &c. neither hath M. Goodwin then produced any place of Scripture, nor can he parallel to this so much as in expressiō, though treating of any other subject or matter, that will endure to have any fuch sence tyed to it, as that which he violently imposeth on this place of the Apostle. And of the Sense, and Mind of God in this place, may not safely be received and closed withall, from the proper and ordinary fignification of the word (which is always attended unto without the least dispute, unlesse the subject matter of any place, with the Context enforces to the sense left usuall and naturall) with the cleare designe and scope of the p. 70Context in all the parts of it, universally correspondent unto it selfe; I know not how, or when, or by what Rules we may have the least certainty, that wee have attaind the knowledge of the minde of God in any one place of Scripture whatever.

What he nextly objects to himselfe,§. 30. namely that, though there be no Condition expressed, in the instances by him produced, yet there are in parallell places, by which they are to be expounded, (but such conditions as these, are not expressed in any place, that answers to that which we have in hand) it being by himselfe, (as I conceive) invented to turne us aside from the Consideration of the irresistible efficacy of the Argument from this place, (which use he makes of it in his first answer given to it) I owne not: and that because I am fully assured, that in any promise whatsoever, that is indeed Conditionall, there is no need to enquire out other Scriptures of the like import, to evince it so to be; all and every one of them that are such, either in expresse termes, or in the matter whereof they are, or in the Legall manner wherein they are given and enacted, doe plainly and undeniably hold out the Conditions enquired after. His threefold Answer to this Objection, needs not to detaine us: Passing on (I hope) to what is more materiall and weighty; He tells us First (Sect. 44.) that if this be so, then it must be tryed out by other Scriptures, and not by this: which Evasion I can allow our Author to insist on, as tending to shift his hands of this place, which I am perswaded in the Consideration of it, grew heavy on them. But I cannot allow it to be a plea in this Contest, as not owning the Objection which it pretends to answer. The two following Answers, being not an actuall doing of any thing, but only faire and large promises of what Mr Goodwin will doe, about answering other Scriptures, and evincing the Conditionalls intimated from such others, as he shall produce; (some, doubtlesse will think these promises no payment, especially such as having weighed Mony formerly tendred for reall payment, have found it too light) I shall let them lye in Expectation of their accomplishment. Rusticus expectat &c.

In the meane time, (till Answers come to hand) Mr Goodwin proffers to proove by two Arguments,§. 31. (one cleare Answer had been more faire) that these Acts of God, Calling, Justification, and so the rest, have no such Connexion betweene them, but that the one of of them may be taken, and be put in execution, and yet not the other, in respect of the same persons.

His first Reason is this: If the Apostle should frame this Series or Chaine of Divine Acts, with an intent to shew or teach the uninterruptiblenesse of it, in what case, or cases soever, he should fight against his Generall, and maine scope or designe in that part of the chapter, which lyeth from v. 17. Which clearely is this, to encourage them to constancy, and Perseverance in suffering afflictions. For to suggest any such thing, as that being Called & Justified, nothing could hinder them from being Glorified, were to furnish them with a ground, on which to neglect his exhortation; for who will be perswaded to suffer Tribulation for the otaining of that, which they have sufficient Assurance given, that they shall obtaine, whether they suffer such things or no: therefore certainely the Apostle did not intend here to teach the certainty of Perseverance in those that are Justified.

Ans. Ans.That this Argument is of such a Composition as not to operate much in the case in hand, will easily appeare; For

1. First, those expressions [in what Case or Cases soever] are foysted into the sence, and sentence of them, whom he opposes; who affirme the Acts of Gods Grace here mentioned to be effectually, and vertually Preventive of those cases, and of which might possibly give any Interruption to the Series of them.

2. Secondly, Whatsoever is here pretended of the maine scope of the Chapter, p. 71the scope of the place, we have under consideration, was granted before, to be the making Good of that Assertion premised in the Head thereof, that all things should work together for good to Believers, and that so to make it Good, that upon this Demonstration of it, they might triumph with Joy and Exultation: which it cannot be denied, but that this uninterruptible series of Divine Acts, (not framed by the Apostle, but) revealed by the Holy Ghost, is fitted and suited to doe.