27tü1, E,19, John647,38. Opened. CAP, I1I.4:44; their Foundation. ThePurpofe ofGod is here called his Foundation,becaufe 83 ofits Stability,Abidingneffe,Strength,andVf inbearingup the. whole Fabricke ofthe Salvationof Believers, not in refpe& ofits lying in, or under the Ground, or being madeofwood, or Bone. And in this fence why may it not be faid to be Sealed Spirituali Sealing holds out two things: Confirmation, and Conforming by impreffìon: and in themconfiff the cheife political/ufe of theWord , and thing , not in being aLabel/ annexed to a writing. And why may not aPurpofe be confirmed, or be manifefted tobe firme,as well as a Contra&, or Inftrument in Law ? Having alfo its conforming virtue and Efficacy (which is thenaturalleffe& ofSealing) to implant the Image in the Seale, on thethings impreffed with it, in rendering them,concerningwhom the Purpofe ofGod is,anfwerableto the Image of his Sonne (in whom the Purpofe is made) and that patterne which he bath Chofen them to , andap- pointed them for. What followeth to the end of this Se&ion, is but a new expreon ofwhat Mr Goodwin pretends to be the fence of this place. The FoundationofGod is theGofpell, or the Promife ofGod to fave Believers: the Seale is his takingnotice ofthem to fave them, and to condemne them thatBelieve not: and therefore queftionleffe Believers need not feare that they£hall fall away, though there be not the leaft intimation made of any thing,that (hould give them theleaft comfortable or chearing fecurityofpre- fervation inBelieving: only 'tis faid, he that believethPall befaved,(which yet is not an abfolutePromife of Salvationto Believers ) andhe that believeth not /hallbedamned: which one disjunetive Propofition declarativeofthe con- nexion that is between the Means and the End, Mr Goodwin labours tomake comprehenfiveofall thePurpofes ofGod concerning Believers,it being fuch as wherein no oneperfon in the world, is more concerned then another. If theFoundation herementionedbe only God's Purpofe, (orrather declarati- on) ofhis Will for theSaving ofBelievers, and the Damning ofUnbelievers, what Confolation couldbe from hence adminiflred inparticular unto per- fons laboring under the Scruplementioned formerly, hath not as yet been declared. Let us then proceed to further proofe ofthe Truth inhand, and the vindication offome other places of Scripture whereby it is confir- med. That which !flail next fix upon, is that eminent place of'ioh. 6.37, 38, 0.44- 39, 4o Allthat theFathergiveth me come to me, andhim that cometh to me, Iwill inno wife call out:for Icame downfromHeaven, nor to doe mine own will, but the will ofhim thatfeat me; and this is the Fathers will which hathfeat me, that ofall which hehathgivenme, Ifhould loofe nothing, butfhould raife it upagaineat the laß day, and this is the will ofhim that feat mee, that every one whichfeeth theBonne, andbelievethonhim, may have everlafting life, and iwill raife himupat the lagt day. Our Saviour acquaints us with the defìgne,where- with he came fromheavens it was not to doe hisownewill, that is,to accom- plifh, or bring about, any private purpofesof his owne , dif}in& or different from themofhis Father, as he was Blafpheamoufly charged by the ewes to doe: but he came todoe the will of God, the -Will of him thatfeat him'. The Will ofGod, which Chrift came tofulfill, is fometimes taken for theComman- dement,which he received from the Father, for the Accomplifhmentof his Will. SoHeb. ro.9. Icome to doe thy Will 0God: that is, to fulfill thy Com- mand; as it is expreffed, Pfa.4o. 8. Thy Law is written in my heart; ThyLaw! all that thou requireft at myhand, as Mediator, I am ready to performe.On thisaccount is ChriftPaid to take on him theformeofa Servant Phil.2.7. that ís,tobecome fo indeed in theaffumptionofhis Humanenature,that hemight doe the Will ofhim that fent him. For which R.eafon alto his Father exprefly M 2 caller
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