Rom: ir 29. TheGiftsofGod how notrepented of. C n P. 11. 4: 8,p. men in a ftateofEnmity, to God, andAlienationfrom him, if theymay be pre- 3 5 vailed withall,to continue filch Hill, this gift (hall never be recalled, nor re- pented of. But perhapsfieGift andGrace of SanEfifzcation finds men in a better condi-- f g, tiora, in aftate,wheretn if they abide, then that alfo (hall abide with them for ever. The Scripture abounds in the defcriptionof this flate, that we Shall not need to h efitate about it: Ephefe 2.12. you hathhe quickned, who were dead in trejgaffes andfins: oic!¿ning& renewing Grace isgiven to perfons dead in fins: & is fo farre from depending,as to its Unchangeableneffe,upon their Continu- ance in theState,wherein it finds them, that it confifts in a reali change, and translation ofthem from that State or Condition.The ApoftlePets out this at large, Titus 3.3,4, 5. wee our f lees werefometimesfoolifb c. the Stateofmen, when God beftowes their Gifts upon them, is pofitively expreffed in fundry particulars. v:3. the qualifications on which this Gift or Grace is grafted(of which M: Goodwin (peaks afterwards.) negatively y: 5. it is not of any work that we have done, which is unqueftionably exclufive ofall thofeTioçks of Qtalifications,which are intimated, whereon the Gifts and Graces ofGod Ihouldbegrafted. Thegift it (elfe here beftowed,is the wafting ofRegenerati- on, and renewingo(the Holy Gho {f, faveing in through mercy from the flate and Condition before defcribed. In briefethat the Condition wherein this Grace of God finds the Sonnes ofMen,is a Rateof a Death, 6 Blood,c Darkneffe,4 Blind- a Mat.s.sz; neffe, Enmity, curfe,and Wrath, Difobedience, Rebellion, Impotency, and Vni- Rom.6.t3: verfall Alienation fromGod,is beyond all contradiftion (by 'Teftimonies psen- 6Ézei,1;.e tifully givenout here a little, and there a little, line upon line) manifeftin the Ifa4.4 Scripture. Shall wenow fay,that this Grace ofGod is bellowed onmen up- Job346` on the account ofthefe Qualifications, and continued without revocation on c Ton. 1.51 condition that they abide in thefame State, with the fame alifications? Let Lphet 5.s. col.1.13. then men continue infnne, thatgracemay abound. Luk.4.1E. Is the'cafe anyother as toIuflification?doth not God juflify the ungodly?Ro. d Rom.$: 6 45.are we not infilthyRobes,whenhe comes tocloath us with Robes ofRighte- oufneffe 1 Zech: 3.3. are we not reconciléd to God, whenalienated by wickedCol 1.21.; workes? Col: 3.13. thefe are the Qualifications on which it feemes God,grafts ca14.1;. his Gifts and Graces:.and whofe abode in thePerfons;in whom they are,is the J°h'3.35 condition, whereon the irrevocableneffe of thofeGifts and Graces doesde- pend : Who would have thought,they had been' offuch reckoning and e- fteeme with the Lord? And this,confidering what is learnedly difcourfed elfewheremay fuffice,as to the otherAffertion;that God gives his Gifts and Graces to Qualifications, 1 cot: 4: 7á not toPerfons.Thofekylifacations are either GiftsofGod,or not: ifnit, who made thofe men, in whom they are, differ from others? ifthey are, onwhat 'qualifications, were thofe Rualifacations beffowed? That God freely beftows onPerron, ofhisown good pleafure, not Grafting on&ualiftcations,his Gifts and Graces, we have Teftimonies abundantly futficient to out-ballance M. Goodwins Affertions. Rome 9.18. He hath Mercy, on whom' he will have Mercy: he beftoweshis Mercy and the fruits of it, not on this or that Qualification, but on whom, or what Perfonhewill, and to them it isgiven, faith our Saviour, to know the Myfleries of the Kingdom'of God , but to others it is not given. I feeno flock that his gift is graftedon, but only the Perfons of Gods good will, whomhe graciouslydefignes to aParticipation ofit. Truth is, I knownot any thing moredirectly contradil.ory to thewhole 4. 9, Difcoveryofthe workeofGodsGrace in the Gofpell,then that which iscou- chedin thefe Affertions ofM. Goodwin; neither is it any thing leffe, or more, then that which of oldwas phrafed, The Givingof Grace according tomerit, F '2 afcribing
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