Rom:8.28,Confadered and Explaytiedà CA r.l11.5:l4. The Purpofe according towhich thefe perlons are called, is none other then that, which the Apoflle, cap. 9. I r. termes the PurpofeofGod according to Eleltion, cap. r r. 5. The Elation ofGrace, as alfo the fore-Knowledge and Foundation ofGod, aswill in the Progreffeofour Difcourfe be made far- therappeare, althoughI know not, that this is as yetqueftioned; The Im- mutability of this Purpofeof God, cap. 9.11,12. The Apoflle demon - firates from its Independency inany thing in thein,or refpeté ofthem,concer- ningwhom it is, it being Eternall; and exprefly fafegarded again[} apprehen- lions, that might arife;ofany caufall or occafionallinfluence 'from any thing in them given thereunto, they lyingunder this Condition alone untoGod, as Perlons that had doneneithergood nor evil}. And this alto the Apoflle further purfues from theSoveraignity,Abfoluteneffé,and vnchangeablencffe of the Will of God: But thefe things are of another Confideration. Now this Vnchangeable Purpofe and Eletlion being the fountaine, from whence the effe&call Calling ofBelievers doth flow, the prefervationofthein to the End defigned the Glory whereunto they are Chofen, by thofe Asof Grace and Love, whereby they are prepared thereunto, hath coincidenceof Infallibillity,as to the end aymed at,with the Purpofeit felfe5 nor is it lyable to the leaf} exception, but what may be railed from the Mutability and changeableneffe ofGod inhis Purpofes, and Decrees. Hence in the following verfeupon theaccount of the stability, and Immutability of this Purpofeof God,theutmofl, and moli remote Ende in reference to the good thereby defigneduntoBelievers, though having its prefent fubfiftence only in that Purpofe ofGod, and Infalible Concatenation ofmeanes thereunto condu- cing,is mentioned as a thinga&ually acomplifhed, v. 30. Herein alto lyes the Apoflles fecond Evi&ion ofConfolation, formerly layd downe, even in the indiffoluble Concatenation ofthofe A&s of Grace, Love, and Favour,whereby the Perlonsof Gods Purpofe or the remnant, accor- ding to the Eldtionof Grace, {hall be infallibly carried on in their prefent injoyment,and unto the full fruition of the LoveofChrifl. If we may take hits upon his word(and he fpeakes in the name and Authority ofGod) thofe whom he doth fore-Know, or fixes his thoughts peculiarly upon, from Eter- nity, (for the terme theft, is evidently difcruninated: & the Admuff needs be Eternall, which in orderof Nature is previous unto Predeftination, or the appointment to the end by meanes defigned,) thole I fay he Both Prede- finate, and appoint in thelmmutable Purpofe ofhis Will,to be conformed unto the Imageof his Sonne, as in aflli&ions, fo in Grace and Glory; To fancy a fufpenfron,ofthefe Ads ofGrace, (tome whereof are Eternall) upon conditionalls, and they not intimated in the leaf} in the Text, norcon- fiflent with the Nature ofthe things themfeives, or the End intended, calling the Accomplifhmeitt and bringing about of the defignes ofGod Propofed, as his, for our Confolation, upon the certaine lubricity of the Willsof men, and thereupon to propofe an intercifionofthem,as to their Concattenation, and Dependance, that they fhould not have a certaine Influence on the one hand, defending ; nor an Unchangeable dependance, on the other Afcending; may eafily be made appeare, to befo plaine an oppofition to the ayme and defigne oftheApoftle, as tis poflibly capable of But becaufe thefe things are really infi[Fed on by Mr Goodwin. I [hall choofe rather to remove them, as with much Rhetorick, and not without Tome Sophiflry they are by him preffed, then further anticipate them, by arguments of the Text it felfe, oftheir invalidity and nullity. Thedifcuflion ofour Argument from this place of Scripture, he enters up- on Chap. to. se&.42. pag.2o7. and purfuesit, being much intangled with what 55 ß 15.
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