C.x.g.8,9.Doéì.of StS Perfev. its ufefulnefle to promote Gofpell.Obedience. 250 which is fpoken thereunto, tendeth to the further clearingofwhat former- ly bath beenevidenced, concerning the fuitablenefle oftheDot`trine conten. ded for, unto the promotion of Holinefle, I (hall fartherconfider what he draweth forth on this occafion. Seer. 33. hegiveth us an Obje&ion;and a foure fold anfwer theruutopag. 333, 334, 335. That whichhe calleth anObjeëtion helaieth downe in thefe words. Ifit beohjetled andfaid:yea but Afuranceof the VnchangeableneffeofGod's Love towards him,that is Godly,is both amore effectcall &perfwading motive un- to Godlineffè, andmore encouraging to a perfevering in Godlinefe, then a doubt- fulneffé, or uncertainty, whetherGodwill be confiant in his Afeóíion, tafilch a manor no; Certainty of reward is more encouraging nnto aEÏion, then uncer- tainty. S Anf. Ifany one hath been fo weake, as tomake ufe ofthis plea in behalfe 55. ofthat Do&rine it feemeth to defend, (which I fcarcely believe) it will I doubt not,be aneafie tafke toundertake,that he(hall be no moreadmitted,or entertained as an Advocate in this caufe; Theaffurance ofthe Llnchangea- blenes ofGodsLove to them that areGodly,is but one part of the.Do&rine in hand,& that fuch,as may perhaps be cbmon to it with that wch is brought in. to competitionwth it:It is theAffuranceoftheLlnchangeablenes of GodsLove toa man,tokeepe himup toGodlines,topreferve him in that ftate&Condtti- on ofHolines to the end,& ofthe certainty of the continuanceof Loveof God unto him, on that account & in that way,that is that great Gofpell mo- tive toObedience,wherein, asits peculiar, our Do&rine glorieth, as hath for- merlybeen manifeled. Perhaps Mr Goodwin doth not think, that any man is bound to lay more blocks in his owne way, then he judgeth himfelfewell ableto remove: and.therefore . he framed that Obje&ion fo, that he might be fore to returneat leaft a fpecious anfwer thereunto, and this he attempt- eth accordingly, and telleth us in hisfirft Paragraph three things. 4.9. 1. That the- Doólrine teaching the Saints defellion, cloth alto maintain the Vnehangeablenefe of the Love ofGod, to them that are Godly; Anf But what Love (I prayyou) is that,which, when it might prevent it, will yet fuffer thofe Godlyones, to become fuck ungodly Villaines and wretches, as that it (hall be utterly impofiible for the Lord to continue his Love to them? Is the Love you mention indeed aLove to their Perfons, or only an Approbation oftheir Duties aidQualifications If the Firft, whence is it that God ceafeth at any time to love them ? Doth he change, and alter hisLove like the Sonnes ofMen? Why, they change, therefore he changeth allo; That God changeth not, and thereforewe, who are fift4grtó ange, are yet prefervedfrom being conftined ,' we have heard; But that upon the change that is inmen, God alfo fhould change, we are yet tobe inftru&ed; and the Immutability ofGod, bath taken greater hold upon ourunderftan- dings, and inour hearts, then that we fhouldeafily receive any thing fo dia- metricallyoppofrtethereunto; Ifthe Love mentionedbe only an Approbati- on oftheQialifications that are in them,andoftheDuties that theydoe per- forme, then is it nomore a Love to them,-Or to theirperlons, then it is to the perlons ofthe moft profligatewretches that live. Theobjet is Duty, folely where ever it may be found, and not any perfon at all ; for it is an A& of Godsapproving, notpurpofng, or determining Will. This is not our fence of thecontinuance oftheLove ofGod, to them that are Godly; fo that there is no companion betwixt theDo&rines undercornea', asto the Afferting ofthe LoveofGod to Belieidrs, or to them that areGodly; Wherefore hefaith, 4' 1O' 2. . That the Dotirinehe oppofeth, PromifethGods Love, and the unchangea- ble continuanceofit untomen, though they change to Praphanenefe; Though this
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