ThePromifeto whom and when fulfilled. CA r.IV.ß:í6,t7. will or may doe otherwife, ( he affirming that he will doe them himfelfe) is a 109 Do&rine beyond my reach and capacity. 41r His toying , thatin this fence the .---- Promifé wasfulfilled to the People after the Captivity isa laying againíí his own light. He bath told us not long (ince, that it could not be aPromife ofthofe things which were enjoyed before it was ever given,as inour fence they did the Graceof Perfeverance.&c Surely the means he mentioneth(untill at leaf} the coming of Chrif} in the Flefh ) were advanced to a farre higher pitch and eminency on all hands, before theCaptivity,then after : and at the cow. ing ofChrif}, it was eminently fulfilled in our acceptationof it ; unto all to whom it was made. But he adds. 2. That ifit be notfo to beunderfiood, andfo fetid to he fulfilled as above, it is impoffiblefor anyone to affigne how, andwhen thisProraife was fulfilled. For çrfl it was made to the whole People, and thefulfilling ofit to a few, will not con flogthe Truthofit Secondly, The Fla hadno needof it (knowing themfelves tobefo) that theyfhould neverfallaway: fo that this is but to snake voyd theglo rims Promife ofGod. And thirdly, to fay that it was made to the Eleli, is but to begge the thing in queflion. Anf I. As farre as the body ofthePeople was concerned in it, it was, and shall be in the latter daies abfolutely accomplifhed towards them. It was, is &Mall be fulfilled to all to whom it was made, iffo be that God be faithful', and cannot deny himfelfe. 2. It was, it is , and (hall be accomplifhed pro- perly and direly to all the Elea ofthat Nation, to whom it was fo made, as it bathbeen clearedalready fromRom. g. io, 5 t. Where the Apoille exprefly and datâ operâ anfwers theveryObje&ion, that Mr Goodwin makes about the accomplifhing ofthefePromifes, concerning the hardening andreje&ion of thegreatef}part ofthat people, affirming it to confit in this, that theEledion obtained, when the ref} were hardened. Wherein hedid not begge the quefli- on, though hediggednot for it;but anfwered by clear dif}in&ions,asyou may fee Rom.q. 6. Ch. i I. I, 2, 3. 3. Neither doe all the Ele& after their call- ing know themfelves tobe fo,nor have they anyother way tocome acquain- tedwith their Eleaion, but by their faith in the Promifes; nor is it fpoken like one acquainted with the courfeand frame ofGods dealing with his Saints, or with their Spiritsinwalking with God, who fuppofeth the folemne and clear Renovation ofPromifes concerning thefame things, with Explanations and enlargementsofthe Graceofthen) to confirme and ef}ablifh the communion between the one and the other, tobeneedleffe. And who make the promi- fes ofGod void, and ofno effeet?we who profeffcthe Lord to be faithfull in every one ofthem, and that not one Titleof them fhall fall to the ground, or come fhort ofaccomplifhing ? or Mr Goodrein,who reports theGrace men- tionedinthem, for the moll part to come fhort ofproducing the effé&, for which it is bellowed, and the engagements of God in them , to depend fo upon the lubricityofthe wills of men,that moffly they are not made good in the end aimed at,the Lordwill judge. But it is further Argued. 3. That the Scripture many times afferts the futurity, cr coming topale of 4. i7. things, notyet in being not only when the comingof them to pale is certainly - known, but when it it probable upon theaccount of the meanes ufed for the bring- ingthem topale; forGod faith in the Parable , they will reverence my Sonne, Mark.52.6. and yet theevent was contrary. Soupon the executing an offen- der,he faith, the People fhall heart and feare, and doe no more prefumptuoußy, whichyet might not have its effelyon all.So Godfaith, Iwill give them one heart, not out ofany certaintyo fknowledge or determination inhimfelfe , that any fuch heart or wayAmidae1ually begiven them, which would infallibly producethe e f P 3 fe4
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