159 / 504
Ezek,11,i7,18,t9,so. Confidered.
CA
r.IVßax.
called
his
making
of,or
entring into Covenant,
needs
no
labour
to
prove.
103
But (faith
he)
§.12.
3.
This
Promife
is
the
faine with
that
of
Fzek.rt.17,t8,19,20.
which
Promife
notwithftanding,
it
is
faid
v.21.
But
as
for
them
whole
heart
walketh
after
the heart
of
their
detef$able
things,
and their
abominations,
I
willrecom-
penfe
their
wages upon
their
heads5
fo that,
notwithffanding
this
Teeming
Pro-
mife
(as
is
pretended) ofPerfeveranceinGrace,they
may
walke
after their
abomi-
nable
things,
for
this threatning intends the
fame
Perfons or
Natieoic(ai'
Calvin
himfelfe
confeffeth
)the
Ifraelites.
"In
f.
I
Grant that
this
is
the
fame
Promife
with the other, how
will
it
ap-
peare
that
this
is
not
a
Promife
of
filch
an enterpofure
of
the
Spirit and
Grace
of
God,
as
(hall
infallibly
produce the
effe&
of
Perfeverance
?
Why?
Becaufe
fonse
are
threatned
for
following the Heart
of
their
abominable things.
Yea
but
how
(hall
it
appear
that
they are
the
fame
Perfons
with them,
to
whom
the
Promife
is
made
?
The
Context
is
plaincly againft
it:
faith he,
i
will
give them a Heart
to
walke
in
my
statutes
and ordinances,
to
doe
them:
but
for
them
that
walke
after their
owne
Hearts,them
I
will deliroy, in
as
cleare
a
di-
ftin
&ion
ofthe
Obje&
ofthe
Promife, and
threatning
as
is
poffible. Saith
Mr
Goodwin,
this
Threatning
concernes
the
fame
Perfons
or Nation;
the
fame
Nation,
but not the
fame Perfons in
that
Nation:
but
Calvin
faith
that
it
concerneth
the
Ifraelites: But Paul
bath told
us,
that
they
are not
all
ifrael
who
are
of
ifrael
,
not
all
Children
of
the Promife,
who are Children
of
the
&íh. And
2.
If
it
doe any way concerne the
Perfons
to
whom
that
Promife
is
given,
it
is
an expreffion
fuited
to the
difpenfation
ofGod,
whereby he
carrieth
Believers on in
the
enjoyment
of
the
good things
he
gives
them in and by
his
Promifes, without
the
leale
predi
&ion
of
any
event , being
only
declarative
of
what the Lord abhorreth, and
the
connexion
that
is
between the
Antece-
dent
and the Confequent
of
the
axiome,
wherein it
is
contained : and
is
farre
from
the nature
of
thofe Promifes,
which hold
out the Purpofe or Intention
of
God, with the
engaging
of
areallefficacy for their
accornplifhment. He
adds.
4.
If
this
be
a
Promife
of
abfolute Perfeverance, no
time nor
feafon
can
be
ima-
gined,
wherein
it
was
fulfilled.
Anf.
At all times
and
feafons
to them,
to
whom it wasmade, according
to
their
concernment
in
it. But
faith he,
i.
It
hath
been
proved
that
it
was
made tothe community
of
the
lewd
Nati-
on,
toward
whom
it
was not
fulfilled,
Anf,
r. It
bath been
faid
indeed, againe and againe,
but
(carte
once
attempted
to
be proved: nor the
Reafoning
of
the
Apoflle
againft force
pre-
tended
proofes
and
Anfwers
to
them, at
all
removed,
2.
It
was fulfilled
to the
Body
ofthat
Nailon,
as
farre
as
it concerned
the
Body
ofthat
Nation, in
their
Typicall
returne
from
their captivity.
But
then,
2.
Ifthis
be
the
fence,it
was
fulfilled in
the
captivity
as well
as
afterward,
for
youfay the Saints alwaies
Perfevere.
Anf.
r. The
Typicall
part
of
it
was
not
then
accompli(hed.
a.
It
is
granted,that
as
to
the
Spirituali
part
ofthe
Covenant
of
Grace,
it
was
at
all
times
fulfil
led
to them,
which
is
now
evidently promifed
to
e-
ftabli(h
them
In
the
Affurance
thereof. Wherefore
it is,
,.
Argued
(Se&.
53.)That
thefe
words,
Twill give them
one
Heart,that
they
fball
not depart
from
me,
may
be
as well
rendred
that
they may
not depart
from
me)
andfo
it
is
faid
in
the
verfe
foregoing,that
they may,
feare
me
for
ever.
Anf,