Goodwin - BX9315 G6 v2

86 OfEMJion. ~ ihould it be uncouth to any that the two Acts of Election, viz. To the end ~ and to tht mums, which thofe other two acts of Reprobation, do accompany and anfwer to, (as the dark lhadows to light bbdies ) ihould be conlidered not diflinct only in themfelves, but diflinguifhed alfob~ this, that the one is traof.. acted in the Dtvme Wtll, and Underflandmg, Without refpect had umoSio or the Fall, and that the other ihould refpect the forelight of th~ Fall. ObjeEf. >· AA other farther Objection may be againfl the partition ofGods Decrees, as fuited to the end, and the means, and fo againfl that Decree ofour Elechon in Chri!t as an Head, withbut confideration ofthe Fall confidered. Thatthis is to make two Elections, that fir!t to the tndto be inGompleat with· out the other to the mea11s to compleat it. Whereas it is an error our Divines find fault with in the Armi11ians, to make Decrees incompleat; and then af" terward compleat; yea, whereas God Decrees all Vnico A Efu, A 11 [w. r. The Armi11ians indeed are jufily charged with incomp!eat De– crees of Election, their fenfe therein being, that then only when a man fir£!: believes God cloth Elect him in C hrifl to Salvat 1on, and that that Act is alfo fuf· pended, and in that fenfe 'tis an incompleat Decree; becaufe that man thus Be– liev.ing, may fall away, and therefor.e Election with them is not compleated unul a man cloth d1e, and the man IS 10und to believe at death : Now this kind of incompleat, and cornpleat Election, and in this fenfe, we utterly deny. · ;~::,;g,:~'" A1l[w. 2, Thefe two acts of Ordaining unto the .end,.and the mM11s1 as I " " Grad'" have flared them, are but two Gradus or degrees m this Decree, as in re– ~\~:Jf:f"· fl'etl: to the thing~ Decreed, and t~at of the Decree to the md. Vt!ut lni• Th<ol.didalt. tmm propo/itt 'Det, but as the begmmng or entrance of Gods purpofes, and p. ao6. fo both not to be uoder!tood as of two Acts ofDecrees, though for our under– ;:.o~~;~~m flanding we are inforced thus to fpeak. initjumfr,pa(i~ •• l!ti. Ibid. A.1(w. ~· T hat God confidering and viewing all at once unfallen, and fallen, V nico imuitu, with one Ml ofhis Divine Omnifcieoce ; yet conligned; or defigned in two d1ffering refpects, of what himfelfcomprehended in one Act,as unto two feveral Objects which he D ecreed,as namely, that Decree to the end, or to glory to refpect man limply confidered ; that !tare or conliderati– on beO: fuiting, and being more correfpondent unto that fort of Decree, but rhat to fhew his Grace, the more he defigned him withal to thefe means of R.edemption, (!>c, fpecified upon the intuition of the Fall; forthey only do fuppofe the Fall. Like as in the Act ofGods ju!tifying of us, he firfl juflifit:d us when we had been afore, and until th<:n utterly ungodly : And he with· a! worketh SaOCI:ification, and Godlinefs in the heart, which is really a new condition, differing from that !tate afore; And yet when we are rhus made godly, yet !\ill his At!: of juflifying of us, is terminated upon us, conlidered by him as ungodly, fo R om, 4 ) · B ttt to him that worketh 11ot, 6t<t 6e!it· vetb him tb,Jt juflijieth the tmgodty , bi; f aith u cottllted for righteotJjiJe[s. And his proof for this is, the ln!tance of Alw ah1ms being ju!\ified many years after he was Godly by Sanctification : W hereupon God when he juflified him, mu!t needsbe fuppofed to have had afore him, and in his eye, both that AbrahMtl was now a godly man, and yet he was, becaufe he had been once an uogodly Perfen. He terminates or pitches his juflifying him in the act thereofupon him confulered as ungodly. Thus in like manner, although God had mans pure Eflate, and his corrupt Eflate, both in his view afore him ; yet he chafe to terminate his Election to glory upon the pure Eflate, as wel l as upon him conlidered in his fallen Eflate , and as to be redeemed out ofir. So

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=