Owen - Houston-Packer Collection BT768 .O9 1654

CA P.111.4; >I g. No 0bf{rutlions tobe layd in the way ofJùí}ification. 6o I. (Firft) by Mr Goodwin's Confeflion here is as yet no great Advance made toward the proofeof thisAffertion layd downe in the Entrance,andfor the Confirmation whereof this seriesand Concatenation of DivineGraces is infifted on. Though menLove God,arePredeftinatedd and accepted, yet when it comes to Calling, they may flop there and perith everlaftingly: for many are called, butfewarechofen; They are indeed be-layd by a Calling, but they may miffethe placeof its Refidence, or refufe to accept of itsentertainment, and paffe on to ruine. But 2. (Secondly) Theyare focalled, as upon the account thereof to be Juftified For whom he Calls, he uftifies. Tea incaft they obay : But this is the Interpretation ofthe newApofele, not theold; neither bath theText any fuch fuppofition, nor will the Context beare it nor can thedefigne ofthe Apoftle confft with it, nor any more confolation be fqueezedfrom this place upon the accompt ofit, then ofmilk from aflint in the Rocke offtone. Neither 3. (Thirdly) doth the calling here mentioned hold any Analogicwith that of the many that are called, but not chofen, pointedat in the fecond place inftanced in; being indeed the Efelluall,i calling of the few whoare chofen. For as our Saviour inthofe placesofMathew, mentioned two fortsofPerfons, flame that have a generali Call butare not Chofen: and others, that being Chofen,are therforediftinguithed from the former,as to their Vocation; fo Paul here tels yee, that the Calling he infifts on, is the peculiar Call of God according to his Purpofe (the fame Purpofe intimated by our Saviour ) which being inkedofGod to the carrying on and accomplithingofthat Pur-. pofe ofhis, mutt be effe&uall, unleffe he through Mutability and ,.Impotency Come (bort ofaccomplifhing the defigne ofhis Will andWifdome. Neither is this Salved by what followes that it isthe IntentionofGod, to make this callfufcient for the end purpofed: Yea this part oftheWallet ismolt filledwith folly and falfhood. For as generall Purpofes ofgiving meanesfor an End,with an intention to bring that end about, that mayor maynot attaine it;are moft remote from God, and being fuppofed, aredeftiatdtive to all his ltoly and blefled Atributes, and Perfe&ions,as hath been (hewn: So the thing it felfe, offuffcient Grace of Vocation, which is not Effethiall, is a groffefig- ment,not whilft this world.continues, byM. Goodwin to be madeGood: The mole ofhis Arguments being importunate fugeftions ofhis owne falfe Hypo- thefes and Conceptions. But he goes on, ry. The Apofileádvanceth towards hispropofedend,and adds, thofe whom he called, them he alfo yuTtified, or decreed to fuftific, in cafe the calledobllreCt him not in his way, or by their unbeliefe render not themfelvess'ncapableof :a f ifica- tion. An f That exception (in cafe they &Mir:1U himnot) is á Clew, to leadus intoall the corners ofofthis Labyrinth, and akey to ,the whole defigne in hand. Such a fuppofall it is, as not only enervates the whole Ditcourfe ofthe Apoftle, and fruftrats his defigne, but alto opens adoreforthe Qlefrioning of the Accomplifhment ofany rurpofe, or Promifi of God what ever; and in one word, rete is thewhole Efficacyof the Grace of the Gofpell, asa thing ofnought. Whatffrength is there in the Ditcourfe and arguingof the Apo- itle,from thePurpofe and infixing SeriesofGods Grace, to proove that all thingsfbouldwork together fargood to them that Love God, if the whole iffue and Event ofthings mentioned to that end, depend noton the efficacyor effeduall Influences ofthofeAdes ofGod, one upon an other, and all upon tbe:end,theybeing all and every oneofthem, Jointly, and feverally fufpen- tied upon the willsof the Perlons themfelves, concerning whom they are, (which yet hereis-concealed.andintimated in the leaft?) How doth it proove at 4

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