M'G's Exceptions to God's Unchangeablenefíe removed. CA P.11. 4. 17. think theyhave a folid Pillar, no leffe then anEfí'entiall Property ofthe na- 41 tureofGod to reft upon, they shall finde themfelves leaning on aCloud, or ---- Shadow, or ona broken Reed, that will runne into their hands; infteedof veil- ding them the leaft fupportment. God dealesnot thus with his Saints: His difcoveriesofhimfelfe inChrift,for the Eftablifhment oftheHeartsofhis, are not fuch Flints, as from whencethe moft fkilfull, and exercifedFaith cannot expe& one dropofConfolation. Whatfoeverofhis Name he holds out to the Sonnesof men, it will be aflrong Tower, andplace of Refuge and fafety, to them, that flye unto it Secondly, the Confiderationof that Love in its continuance, wherein the Lord fettles and putsoutof doubt the Smiles of his,bythe ingagement ofhis vnchangeableneJe, or the calling ofthem to the Confideration ofthat Proper- ty in him, from whom that Love doth flow, adds ftrength alfo to theway ofarguing we infift upon. Were the LoveofGod to his nothing :but the de claration ofhis Approbation offuch and fuch things,,annext to theLawand Ruleof Obedience, it might (land firme like aPillar in a River, though the water be not therebycaufed to ftand !till one moment,but only touch it, and fo paffe on, there were Tome colour ofException tobe layd againftit: And this is indeed the .7.1g7or 4 JPP&of Mr Goodwin in this whole Controvert), that he acknowledgeth no other Love of God toBelievers, but what lyes in the outwardApprobation ofwhat is good, and mens doing it: upon which ac- count, there is no more Love inGod to one, then another; to the choi ceft Saint, then to the moll profligateVillain in theworld: nay it is not any Lave at all, properly focalled, being no internall vitall A&ofGods" will, the feat ofhis Love; butan externall Declarationof the iffue ofour Obedience. The declarationofGodsWill,that he approoves Faithand Obedience,is no more Love to Peter, then it is to 7udas. But let now the Love ofGod toBelievers be confidered, as it is in it felfe, asavitals All ofhis will , willing if (I may fo fpeake) good things to them; as the Immanent purpofe ofhis Will,& alto joyned with an Acceptation ofthem in the Effeds ofhis Grace, Favour, and Love in Jefus Chrift, and it will be quickly evidenced, how an Alteration thereinwill entrench uponthe Immutability ofGod, both as tohis Effence and Attributes and Decrees. Having thus reinforced our Argument from this placeofScripture, by re- 4. 57. ftoringunto it thofe confiderations,w hich being its maine ftrength, it was maymed, and deprived of by Mr Goodwin in his propofall thereof, I !hall brieflyconfiderthe Anfwers, that by him are fuggeftedthereunto. Thus then he proceedeth; By the Tenour ofthisArguing it will as well follow that in cafe Godfhouldatany time withdraw his Love, and his Favour from a Nation, or body ofa People, which hefometimesFavoured, or Loved, he fbould be changed: But thatno fuch changeof difpenfation as this towards one, or the famePeopleor Nation, argueth any change at all in God, at leafl anyfuch change, whichhedifclaimeth, as incompetent to him, is evident from thofe inflances withoutnumberrecordedin s'cripture,offuch diferentdifpenfations ofhis,towards fundry Nations, andmore efpecially towardsthe Iewes, to whom[centimes hegives Peace fomtimes confumes themwith Warr;,fometimes he makes them the Head, and sometimes again the Tayle oftheNationsroundabout them. TheLoveand favour ofGod to aNationorPeople, here brought into the An . lifts ofComparifon with the peculiar Love ofGod tohis Saints, which he Secures them of, upon the account ofhis Immutability, is either theoutward Difpenfationof Good things to them, calledhis Love, becaufe it exprefléeth andholdsout a fountaine of Goodneffe, from whenceit flower, or it is an Eternal), a&ofGods will towards them,of the fame nature with the Love G try
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