102 / 504
C
A
p.I
f
.
§:z3.
The
Decree
offending
Ch.
not immut. accordingto
MG.
46
Nation,being
the
maine Body
thereof;threatning
deftru
&ion
to
the latter,but
ingaging
himfelfe
into
a
way
of
Mercy and Love
'towards the
former, bath
been declared.To
affure
the
fait
of
his
Continuance
in
thefe
thoughts,
&
pur-
pofes
of
his
Good
will
towards them, he
minds
thé
of
his
Unchangeablenes
in
all.
fuch
Purpofes,& particularly, incourages
them
to
reft upon
it,in
refpeer
of
his
Love
towards themfelves.
That
God intended
to
adminifter Confolation
to
his Saints
in
the
Expreffion infifted on,is
not, cannot be
denyed; nowwhat
Confolation could redound
to them
in particular from hence,
that
the
whole
Nation
fhould
not utterly be rooted out,
becaufe God
purpofed
to
fend
his
Sonne
to
their Pofterity; notwithftanding this,any individuali Perfon
that
(hall
fly
tothe
Horns
of
thisAltar for
refuge,that
fhall
lay
hold on thisPromife
for
fuccour, may perith everlaftingly.
There
is
fcarce anyplace
of
Scripture
where
there
is
a
more evident
Diftin&ion afferted
between the
Jewes
who
were
fo
outwardly
only; and
in
the
flab,
and thofe who
were
inwardly alfo
and
in
the
Circumcifion
of
the heart, then
in this and
the
following
Chapter:
Their
feverall Portions are alto clearely proportioned
out
to
them
in
fundry
particulars. Even this Promife
of
fending
the
Mtah
refpe
&ed
not
the
whole
Nation, and
doubtlefe
was
only fubfervient
to
the Confolation
of
them, whole
Bleffednefle.
confifted in being
dnguifhed
from
others;
but
let
the
Context
be viewed, and the determination left
to
the
Spirit
of Truth
in
in
the
heart
of
him
that
reads.
4. 23.
Neither doth
it appeare
to
me, how the Decree
of
God
concerning
the
fending
of
his
Sonne
into
the
world,can be afferted
as
abfolutely
Immu-
table,
upon
that
Principle formerly layd downer and
infifted on
by our Au-
thor. He
fends
him into
the World to
Dye,
neither
is
any
concernement
of
his
Mediation
fo
often
affirmed
to
fall
under
the
will
and
Purpofe
of
God
as
sock
prat.
his
Death.But concerning this
MrG.
difputes
out
of
socinur
for
a
poffibility
of
Theol.cap,
io.
a
contrary Event and
that the
whole Councell
of
God
might have been
U-
P'
filled
by
the
Good
will
and intention
of
Chrift, though
a&ually
he had
not
Dyed. If then the
purpofe
ofGod
concerning Chrift,
as
to that great,
and
and eminent
part
of
his
intendment therein,
might have been
1
fruftrat,
and
was
lyable
to alteration,
what Reafon
can
be rendred;wherefore
that
might
not upon
force Confiderations
(which Mr
Goodwin
is
able,if
need were,to
in-
vent)
have been the
Iffue
of
the whole Decree? And what then
becomes
of
the
Collateral)
Confolation,
which from
the
Immutability
of
that
Decree
is
here
afferted.
Now
this being
the
Only
Witneffe, and Teftimony
in
the
firft
part of
our
Scriptural)
Demonftration
of
the
Truth
in
hand,whereunto
any
Exception is
put in,
and
the
Exceptions againft
it being
in
fuch
a
frame
and
compofure,as
rnanifeft
the
whole
to
be a Combination
of
Beggers
and lug
lers,whofe
pleas
are
inconfiftent
with themfelves,
as
it
doth
now appeare
upon
the
Examination
of
them
apart;it
is
evident,that,
as
Mr
Goodwin
bath
little
ground
or
incouragement for
that
Conclufion
he
makes
of
this setlion,fo
that
the light breaking
forth
from
a
Confiellation
of
this,
and
other
Texts
men-
tioned
is fufficient
to
lead
us
into
an
Acknowledgment, and Imbracement
of
the
Truth
contendedfor.
CAP.
III..