127 / 504
Connexion
ofthe
Atis
of
God's Grace, Anfwered.
C
A
P.M.
4: 32.
ter,
the
fcope
of
the place,we have
under
confederation
,
was
granted
before,
71
to
be the making Good
of
that Afertion
prernifed in
the
Head thereof,
that
all
thingsfhould
work
together
for
good
to
Believers,
and
that
fa
to
make
it
Good,
that
upon this
Demonftration
of
it,
they might triumph
with
Joy
and
Exultation
:
which
it cannot be denied,
but that
this
uninterruptible feries
of
Divine
A&s,
(not
framed by the
Apoftle,
but)
revealed
by
the
Holy Ghoft,
is
fitted
and fuited
to
doe.
Thirdly,
fuppofe
that
be the
Scope
of
the foregoing
verfes
5
What
is
there
in
the
7hefesinfifted
on,
and
the
fence
imbraced
by us, oppofite
there
-
untoWhy
to
fuggeft any fuch
thing
to
them
as,
that
being
called,and
7u
i-lifi=
ed, nothing
could
pobly
interpof
to
hinder
them
from
being Glorified,
(
that
is
that
God by
his
grace will preferve them from
departing
wilfully
from
him,
and
will in Jefus
Chrift
eftabliih
his
Love
to them
for
ever)
was to
furnifh them
with
a
motive
to neglect
his
exhortations: yea
but
this
kind
of
Arguing
we
call
here
Petitio
principii,and it
is
accounted with
us
nothing
valid ;
The
thing
in
Qeftion,is
produced
as
the
medium
to
Argue by.
We
affirme
there
is
no
ftronger
motive
poffible
to
incourage them
to
Perfeverance,
then
this
propo-
fed.
It
is
otherwife,faith Mr
Goodwin;
and
its
being otherwife
in his
Opinion,
is
the
medium
whereby he difproves
not
only
that,but
another
Truth
,
which
he
allo oppofeth. But
he adds
this
Reafon,
for
who
would
be
perfwaded
to
fuf
fer &c.
that
is,
it
is
impoffible for any one induftriouíly and carefully
to
ufe
the
meanes for
the Attainment
of
any End ,
if
he
hath Afurance
of
the End
by thefe
meanes
to
be obtained.
What
need
Hezekiah
make
ufe
of
food,
or other
meanes
of
fuftaining his life,
when he
was
afured
that
he lhould live
fifteen
years ?
The
Perfeverance
of
the
Saints
is
not
in
the
Scripture
,
nor
by
any
ofthofe,whom
Mr
Goodwin
bath
chofen
to
oppofe, held
out
on any
fuch ridiculous termes,
as
whither
they
ufe
means,
or ufe
them not; carry
themfelves
well,or wickedly
mifcarry themfelves:
but
is
alerted
upon
the
ac-
count
of
Gods efe&uall Grace, preferving them in
the
ufe
ofthe
meanes,
and
from all
fuch
milcarrages,
as
fhould make
a
totali
feparation
betweene
God and
th
it
foules.
So
that
this
firft
Reafon
is
but
a
plaine
begging
of
thefe
things,which(to
ufe
is
owne language) he would
not
digge
for.
But perhaps,alrhough
this firft
Argument
of
Mr
Goodwin
be nothing
but
an
4,
31,
importune
fuggeftion
of
force
Hypothefis
of
his
own
e,
with
an
arguing from
inferences,not only
R_iteflionable
but
Vnqueflionably
falfe
;yet
if
his
fecond
De-
monstration will evince
the matter
under
Debate,
he may be
content
to
fuf-
fer
lofe
in
the
Hay
and
stubble
of
the
firft, fo
that
the Gold
of
the
following
Argument doe
abide.
Now thus heproceedeth
in
thefe words.
And
lailly this
deinonfirates the
fame thing yetfarther.
If-Godfhould
Ju.i-fifie
all
without
excep-
tion
whom
he
Calleth, and
that againS all
barrs
ofwickedneffe
and
unbeliefe,
poffble
to be
layd in
his
way
by'thofe,
who
are
Called;
Then
might un-
godly
and
unbelieving
Perforas
inherit
the
kingdom
of
God:
thei;lì.eafon
of
the
con-
nexion
is
evident:
it
being
a
knowneTruth,that the
Perfoeis7uflinied
are
in
a
con-
dition
or
prefent
capacity
of
inheriting
the kingdome ofGod.
Anf: But
Carbones
pro
Thefauro,
if
it
bepofible
this
(being
of
the
fame
nature with
that
which went
before)
is
more weake and infirme,
as
Illogi
call
and
sophiftirall
as
it; the
whole
ftrength
of
it
lyes in
a
fuppofall,
that thole
who are
fo Called,
as here
is
intimated
in
the text
called according
to
the
Pur-
pofeofGod,
called
to
anfwer
the
defigne
of
God
to
make them
like
to
Jefus
Chrift,
fo
called
as
to
behereupon
Juftified, may
yet
lay fuch
barrsof
Wick-
edneffe, and
Unbeliefe
in
their ovine way, when they are
fo
Called,
as
not
to
be
Juítified5
when
that
Calling
of
theirs
confifts
in
the
efe&uall removeall
of
all
thofebarn
ofWickednefe
andVnbeleife,which might hinder
their free
and Gracious Acceptation
with God.
That
is
,
that
they may
be
called Effe-
tiitsall