146 / 504
C
A
p.111.§,51.
Farther Obfervations
from Mat.24.i4.
yo
then
is
that,which
is
here
affirmed;
God
having
chofen fome,
or
Eleiled them
to
Life,
according
to
the
purpofe
which
he
purpofed
in
himfelfe,
and
faith being
Ephdi.g.
befrowed on
them,
they believing on
the account
of
their
being
ordained
to
e.
Att.13.48.
ternall
life,
it
is
impo
161e
they
(
hould be feduced,
fo
as
to
be thrown
downe
from
that
(late and Condition
ofAcceptance with
God, (for the
fubfrance
of
it,)
wherein
they ftand.
4.5
I.
Some few
Obfervations
will
further
cleare
the
minde
of
the Holy
Ghofr,
and obviate
the
exceptions
that
are put
in
againft our receiving the
words
in
their
plaine, proper, obvious
fignification;
Obferve then.
I.
Upon the intimation
of
the Great
Power and Prevalency
ofSeducers,
our
Saviour adds this
as
a
matter
of
greate Confolation to
True
and
Sound
Believers,
that
notwithfranding all this
all
their attempts
however advanta-
ged
by force or fubtility,yet they
(hall
be preferved: This the
whole Context
inforceth
us
to
receive, and our Adverfaries
to
confeffe,
that
at
leaft
a
great
difficulty
of
their
fedú&ion
is
intimated.
And
it arifes
with no
leffe
Evidence,
that
this
difficulty
is
diftinguifhing, in
refpe&
ofthe
Perfons expofed
to
fe-
duítion;
that
fome
are
Ele&,
who fhould
be
feduced ,
if
it
were
poffible:
o-
thers not,
that
may and
(hall
be
prevailed
againft.
2,
The
Bottome
of
the
Confolation
in
the
freedome
of
the
Perfons
here
fpoken
of;
from falling
under
the prevailing Power ofSeducers,
confifts
in
this,that
they are
the
Elett
of
God;
fuch
as in
a perfonall
Confideration are
Chofen
of
God from all Eternity,
to
be kept and preferved
by
his Poii'er
to
Salvation,
notwithfranding
any Interveniences
or Oppofitions,whichhe
will
fuffer
to
lye in
their
way. But
(faith Mr
Goodwin) Theft men
,
at
leali
before
their
Calling, are as
lyableto
be
deceivedorfeduced
as
other men: this
is
their
owne
Confeffon,
and Paulfaies, that
they
were
fomtimes
deceived. Titus
3.3.
Anf. An
Exception doubtleffe unworthy him
that
makes
it,who,
had
he
not
refolved
to
fay
all,that
ever
had
been
Paid
by any,
to
the
bufineffe
in
hand,
would
fcarcely
(I
prefume)
have made
ufe
thereof;
The
fedu
&ion
of
perfons
is
not;oppofed
to
their
Election,
but
their
Believing.
Mention
is
made
of
their
Eletiion,to diftinguifh them from
thofeother
Profeffors, which fhould
be
feduced: and
to
difcover
the
Foundation
of
their ¡lability under their
try
-
alls,but
it-
is
of
them
as Believers(in
which confideration
the
Attempts
of
fedu-
cers are
advanced againft
them)that
he
fpeakes.
It
is
not the
(educing
of
the
Elell,
as
Elet1;
but
of
Believers,who
are
Elect,
and becaufethey areEle&ed,
that
is
denyed.
3.
That it
is a
fedu&ion
unto
a
totall
and
finali
departure
from
Ch
rift
and
Faith
in
him, whofe impoflibility, in
refpe&
of
the
Ele&ion,
is
here af-
ferted
But
(faith
Mr
Goodwin
Cap.
ro.Se&.
a
6.pag.
i
8
a.)
7his
is
to
prefume
not
to Argue,
or
Believe:
for
there is not the lealf Ground
in
the word,
whereon to
build
fuch an Interpretation. But
the
Truth
is,
without
any
prefumption,
or
much
labour
for proofe,
the
falfity
of
this Exception
will
quickly appeare
to
any one
that
(hall
but
view
theContext.It
is
evidently
fuch
a
feduttion,as
they
are
expofed
unto,
and
fall
under,
who
indure not
unto the end,
that
they may be
Saved, v. 13. And
they, who are excepted upon
the
account mentioned, are
oppofed
to them,
who being feduced, and their
Love being
made cold,
and
their
Iniquityes abounding, perifh
everlaftingly.
v.
11,12.
4,
It
is
then
-a
deniall
of
their being call
out
by the power offeducers,
from
their
frate, and condition
of
Believing,
and
Acceptation with God,
wherein
they
ftand,that our
Saviour here affertsand
gives
out
to
their
confo-
lation:
they
(hall
not
befeduced,
that
is,
drawne offrom
that
flate,wherein
they
are,
to
a
frate
ofUnregeneracy,
Infidelity, and
Enmity
to
God,
fo
that
as