Owen - Houston-Packer Collection BT768 .O9 1654

The Uncertaintyofthe dependanceof GodsGrace. C AP. 111.4:17,1$. men fo prediofed; which is theufuall Gloffe, that men of this perfwafionput 59 upon AEis i 3.48. Thus farre then we have carried on the fence affixed to thefe words , ifit 4. r 7. may fobe called, which is evidently centradi&ious in it felfe, and in no one particular fuited to the minde of the Holy Ghoft. He proceeds, Togiveyouyet,faith our Apofile, afarther andmore particular Account, howGod in thefecret ofhis Counfell,hath belaid thingsinOrder &c. This expreffion (God bath belaid things inorder to the Salvation ofthere that love him,) is the whole ofthe Affurance here given by the Apoftie, to the Af- fertion formerly layd downe for the Confolationof Believers and this, ac- cording to theAnalogie and Proportion of our Authors Faith, amounts only thus firre: you that Love God, ifyou continue fo todoe , you will fall under his Predefl'ination; and ifyou abide under that, hewill callyou, fo, as that you mayfarther obey him, or you maynot: ifyou doe Obey him, and believeupon his Call (having lov`d himbefore) he will 7usií fy you not withthat Juftifi- cation which is finally ofwhich you may come fhort ;Inkwith initiall Juftifi- cation, which ifyou continue in, and walke up unto, solvite euras when you are dead inyour graves: This is called Gods belaying of things in his feeret Coon/èll, whereby the totali Accomplifhment of the firft ingagement is cut offfrom the Root ofGods Purpofes, and Branches of his effe&uall Grace in the purfuit thereof, and graftedupon thewild olive ofthe Will of man, that never did, nor never will beans any wholfoine fruit of it felfe toEternity. What is afterward added, ofthe Si.2yalificationof thofe whom God Predes'fi- hates, being an intrufionofanother falle Hypothefs , for the Confirmationof anAffertionofthe fame alloy, is not ofmy prefent confideration;But headds= ye are to underhand, that whom he hath Predeflinated, he bath al'ó Called, hath purpofed or Decreed to Call, to the Knowledgeof his Sonne, or his Gofpell, as be- fore &c. Anf. How he hath Predeftinatedthem, is not expreffed; but being fo Pre- deflinated, God purpofesto Call them; that is them , and only them ; for it is an uniforme proceeding of God towardsall, whom he attempts to bring tó himfelfe, which is heredefcribed; That is, whenmen Lovehim, and are ap- provedofhim, and are there-uponPreordinated tö Conformity with Chrier, then heDecrees tocall them, or, as the Calling here mentioned is defcribed, that ye may not miftake, as though any internal] effeêtuall work of Grace were hereby intended, but only an outward morali perfwation, by a Revela- tion ofthe Obje& they fhould imbrace) he gives a more plaine and effeCtuall Difcovery ofChrift to them, then to anyothers. Doubtleffe 'tis evident toe very one, that (betides the great Confufion, whereunto the proceedings of God in bringing finners to himfelfe, or belaying their coining with fouie kind entertainments, are caft into,) the whole work of Salvation is refolved into the WillsofMen, and indeed ofan Fffecluall, operative, Unchangeable. Purpofe ofGod, nothing is left onhis part, but a morali Approbation of what is well done, and a propofing ofother Bearable thingsunto men ; upòn theAccount offormer worthycarriages. And this is no fmall part ofthe in-. tendment ofour Author in this undertaking. That God decrees to call them,andonlythem,who love hirn,and upon that Detir.n -7: accompt are approoved ofhim; when all Faith and Love are the Fruites;of maéursó; that Calling ofhis, is. fach a figment, as i !hall not need to cart away Wordeç Ethet.s. 1,2, in the Confutationof it 3; Yet, leaft any fhould have 'too high thoughts ofthis Grace of Vocation, he §.18: tels them, by the way, that it doth not neceffárilypuppofe afaving Anfwergiven to it by theCalled no whitmore then theCalling mentioned Swat. 20. 21.Alata2 i 2 Fir!

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