C Ap.I f . §:z3. The DecreeoffendingCh. not immut. accordingtoMG. 46 Nation,being themaine Body thereof;threatning deftru&ion to the latter,but ingaging himfelfe into a wayof Mercy and Love 'towards theformer, bath been declared.To affure the fait of hisContinuance in thefe thoughts, &pur- pofes ofhis Goodwill towards them, heminds thé ofhis Unchangeablenes in all. fuchPurpofes,& particularly, incouragesthem toreft upon it,in refpeer of his Love towards themfelves.That God intended toadminifter Confolation tohis Saints in the Expreffion infifted on,isnot, cannot bedenyed; nowwhat Confolation could redound to them in particular from hence, that thewhole Nation fhouldnot utterly be rooted out, becaufe Godpurpofed to fend his Sonne to their Pofterity; notwithftanding this,any individuali Perfon that (hall fly totheHorns ofthisAltar for refuge,that fhall layhold on thisPromife for fuccour, may perith everlaftingly. There is fcarce anyplaceofScripture where there is a more evident Diftin&ion afferted between the Jewes who were fooutwardlyonly; and in the flab, and thofe who were inwardly alfo and in theCircumcifionof the heart, then in this and the followingChapter: Theirfeverall 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 doubtlefewas only fubfervient to the Confolationof them, whole Bleffednefle. confifted in being dnguifhed from others; but letthe Context be viewed, and the determination left to theSpirit of Truth in in the heart ofhim that reads. 4. 23. Neither doth it appeareto me, how the Decree of God concerning the fendingofhis Sonne into the world,can be afferted as abfolutely Immu- table, upon that Principle formerly layd downer andinfifted onby our Au- thor. He fendshim into the World toDye, neither is any concernement of hisMediation fo often affirmed to fall under thewill and PurpofeofGod as sock prat. hisDeath.But concerning thisMrG. difputes out ofsocinur for a poffibility of Theol.cap, io. a contrary Event and that the whole Councell ofGodmight have beenU- P' filledby the Goodwill and intentionofChrift, though a&ually he hadnot Dyed. If then the purpofe ofGod concerning Chrift, as to that great, and and eminent part ofhis intendment therein, might have been 1 fruftrat, and was lyable to alteration, what Reafon canbe rendred;wherefore that might not upon force Confiderations (which Mr Goodwin is able,ifneed were,to in- vent) have been the Iffue ofthe whole Decree? And what then becomes of theCollateral) Confolation, which from the Immutabilityof that Decree is here afferted. Now this being the Only Witneffe, and Teftimony in the firft part ofour Scriptural) Demonftrationofthe Truth in hand,whereunto any Exception is put in, and the Exceptions againft it being in fuch a frameand compofure,as rnanifeft the wholeto be a Combinationof Beggers and lug lers,whofepleas are inconfiftent with themfelves, as it doth now appeare upon the Examination ofthem apart;it is evident,that, as Mr Goodwin bath little groundorincouragement for that Conclufionhe makesofthis setlion,fo that the light breaking forth froma Confiellation ofthis, andother Texts men- tioned is fufficient to lead usinto an Acknowledgment, and Imbracement ofthe Truth contendedfor. CAP. III..
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