CA 13.111.ß. id. MrG's Expofition ofRom.8.a8, farther Confidered. 58 per acceptation oftheword. Not only the originall fence , and Campo- fitionof the word,but alfo the confiant ufeof it in the Scripture, leads us a- way from theInterpretation herepinned upon it. Further, what is the meaning of Preapprooving? Gods Approovingof any perfon, as to their Perfons, is hisfree and Gracious Acceptation of them in Chrift. His Preapproovingofthem in Anfwer hereunto, muff be his Eternal! Gracious Acceptation ofthem in Chrift But is this Mr Goodwin's intend- ment ? DothGod accept any in Chrift antecedently to their Predeiination, Calling, and7uflißcation (for they are all confequentiall to this a& ofPre- approbation)? This then is that which is affirmed: God approoves andaccepts of men in Chriff; thereupon he Predeffinates Calls, and juflifies them. But what need all thefe, if they be Antecedently accepted ? I fhould have expe- tied, that this fore-Knowledgefhould have been refolved rather into a middle, or ConditionatePrefcience, then into this Preapprobation, but that our Great Mafiers werepleafed(in the placenewlycited)though without anyattempt of proofe,to carry it another way.That God fhould approve of,love,accept perlons antecedently to their Predeftination, Vocation, & Juftification, isdoubtleffe notfuitable to Mr Goowin's Principles. But that they fhould. love God alfo, before they fall under thefeA&s of his Grace , is not only openlycontra- dii`tious to the Truth, but alfo to it felfe. The phrafe here ofLoving God is confeffedly a defcriptionofBelievers:Now to fuppofemen Believers, that is toanfwer theCallofGod,antecedently to his Call, will fcarcebe Calvedfrom a flatcontradi&ion, withany referved Confiderations,that maybe invented: 4, 16. ThisfolidFoundation being laid, he proceeds; 'Theft who thus love him , and he approves ofthem, he Predeffinates to be conformed to the Image of his Sonne. It is true, theApoftle fpeaks of them, and to them that Love the Lord ; but Both not(in the leàfi) fuppofethem,as fuch,to be theObje&softhe Asofhis Soveraigne Grace after mentioned. If God Callnone, but thofe that Love him Antecedently to his Call, that Grace ofhis muti eternally ref} in his own bofome, without the leali exercife of it, towards anyof the SonnesofMen. It is thofe perlons indeed , who in the proceffe of theWork of Gods Grace towards them, are brought to love him, that are thus Predeffinated andCalled: but they are fodealt withall, not upon the Account or Confideration oftheir LoveofGod (which is not only in order confequentiall to fome ofthem, but the proper Effell and produ&of them)but upon the Account ofthe Unchan- geablePurpofe ofGod, appoynting them toSalvation;which I doubt notbut Mr Goodwin f}udioufly and purpofely omitted to infift upon, knowing itsab- folute inconfif}encywith the Conclufion, (and yet notable to wave it, had it been oncebrought under confideration) which from the Wordshe aimeth to extra&. As then, tomake mens Loving ofGod to be antecedent to theGrace ofvocation, is an expreffe contradi&ion in it felfe; fo to make it, or theConfi- derationofit, to be previous unto Predeflination , is an infinuation of a groffe Pelagianßgment,giving rife and fpring toGods Eternal! Ptedef}ination, not in his owneSoveraigne well, but the felfe-differencing Willsof men : La- tet anguis allo in the addinggraffeof that exegetical/ terme , (Preordinated) Predeffinated, that is Preordinated; Though the wordbeing confidered in the Language, whereofit is, Ceemes not togive occafion toany fufpicion , yet the change ofit fromPreordained intoPreordinated, is not to be fuppofed to be for nothing, in him who is expert at thefe Weapons. To ordaine, is either ordinare ut aliquidfiat, or ordinem infallisffatuere; or accordingtofame,fub- jeElum difßonere ad/nem: to Preordaine, is of neceflity , precifely tyedup to the firft fence:to Preordinate,I feare,in Mr Goodwinsfence, isbut toPredifpofe men by fome good inclinations in themfelves: andmen Preordinated, are but men
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