beConditional!, Confidered. i Sam.z.3o.Produced. CA P 1l1. 9: zF. by the Socinians, viz. Such a ward is inanother place ufed toanother pur- 63 pole, or in another fence, therefore this cannot be theneceffary fence of it in this: yet it is not only confuted over and. over as irrationall , and uncon- eluding, but generally exploded,as an Invention fuited only to(hake. all Cer- tainty whatever in matters ofFaith, and Revelation. Mr Goodwin in his in- fiancegoes not fo farre, (or rather he goes farther, becaufe his infiance goes not fo farre) therebeingno likelineffe, much leffe fàmeneffe of Exprefli- - on it thofe Texts, which he produces to weaken the obvious, and literally expofed fence oftheother inGfied on therewith. To wave the forceofthe in- ference from the words oftheHoly Ghofl, (Teeingnothing in the leaft intima- ted in the place will give in any affifiance thereunto.) Fir(f, r. This Thefts is introduced: The Purpofes, andDecrees ofGod (confeffedly ingaged in the place in hand) are, os to their refgellive Exec,5ions,fíJpendezi on conditions inmen. AnAffertion deflrative to the Power,Goodneffe,Grace, Righteoufneffe, Faithfulneffe, Wifdome, Unchangeablenefle, Providence, andSoveraignty ofGod , as might be demonfirated , did it now lye in our way. Toprove that thismuff needs be fo, and that that Rulemuff take place, in themention that is madeof the Purpofes &DecreesofGod, (Rona. 8. I.) r Sam.2.3o. is produced, being a DenunciationofGods judgments upon the Noufe of Eli, for their unworthywalking in the honour ofthe Prieflhood, whereunto they were by him advanced and called, and which they were intrufiedwithal], expreflèly upon condition oftheir obediences Let us then a little confider theCorrefpondency, that is between the places compared for their mutual' illufiration. I. (Firfi,) in the one, there is expreffe mention ofthe PurpofeofGod, and that his Eternal] Purpofe: in the other, only a Promifeexpresfly Condi- tional' in thegivingofir, amounting to no more then aLaw,without the leaft intimation ofany Purpofeor Decree. . (Secondly,) The one incompaffeth the whole defigneofthe Grace of theGofpell5 the other mentions not any fpeciall Grace at all: 3. (Thirdly,) theone is wholy expreffiveof the Ads ofGod, andhis de- figne therein ; theother declarative of the Duty of man, with the iffue there upon depending. This thenis the firengtbof this Argument. God approo- ving the Obedienceof a man tels him, that upon the Continuance ofthat Obedience inhim,and his,he will continue them an Office in his fen, ice; (a temporal] mercy,whichmight be injoyedwithout the leafs Paving Grace) and which upon his Difobedience,he threatneth to take frohim:(both Promife & threatningbeing declarative ofhis approbationofobedience, & his annexing the Preifihood thereunto in that family)thereforeGod intending the confola- tienof EleaBelievers,affirming that a, ll things'hall work togetherfor theirgood, upon this Account, that he hath Eternally Purpofed to preferve them in his Love, and to bring them to him felfe by filch Effe&uall A&î's ofhis Grace,as whole Immutable dependance one upon the other.& all upon hisowne Pur- pof cannot be interrupted,and therefore fuch,as (hall infallibly produce and workein them alltheobedience,which for the end propofed he requires.His Purpofes I fay thus mentioned, muff be of the fame Import' with thedecla- ration ofhisWill in theother place fpoken of If filch a Confoundingof the Decrees and Denuntiations, Abfolute Purpofes, and Conditional] Promifes, Spiritual'things withTemporall,& the GenerallAdminifiration ofthe Cove- nant of Grace in ChriPc, with Special' Providential] Difpenfations maybe allowed, there is no man needs todefpaire ofprooving any thinghe bath a minde to afferr. 3t ..,110...
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