ARMINIANISM. 23 mutt infallibly be performed : but the objeaof his revealedwill, is that only nvhich is morally good (1 £peak of it inafmuch as it approveth or commardeth) agreeing to the law and the Golpel ; and that confidered only inafmuch as ic is good; for whether it be ever a&wally performed, or no, is accidental to theobje& ofGod's revealedwill Now of there two differences, the firft is perpetual, in regard oftheir fevers f a£{., but not the latter, they are fòmetimes coincident in regard of their obje&s : fòri.u- ftaa.ce, God commardeth us to believe, herehis revealed will is, that we fhould withal) he intendeth we Shall do fò, and therefore ingenerateth frith in our hearts that we may believe : here his fecret and revealed will are coincident, the former bring his precept; that we fhould believe, the latter his purpoli that we fhall believe in this cafe, I fay, the obje& of theone, and the other, is the fame, even what we ought to do, andwhat he will do. And this inafmuch, as be bathwrought all oar works in se If iah xxvi. r z. they are our own works, which he worksin us : his all in us, aud.by ús, is oftentimes our duty towards him : he commands us by ,his revealed will to walk in his ftatutes, and keep his laws, upon this, he alfo promifeth that he will fo effe& all things, that of fume this Thal! be performed, Eyck. xxavi. 26, zl. A new heart. elfe mil! Jgiveyou, and anew fpirit will I put mirhin you, and I mill take aw. y the flogheart out ofyour flßr, and I willgiveyou an heart f ffjlr : andI will -pot my fpirit withinyou, and eaufe' you to walk in my flaturea, and you fball keep y judgments and do them. So that the fell fame obedience of the people of God, is here the obje& of his will, taken ineither acceptation : and yet the precept of God is not here, as force learned men fappofe, declarative of God's intention, for then, it midi be fo to all, to whom it is given, which evidently it is not, for many are commanded to believe, on whom Godnever be- ftoweth faith : it is £till to be looked upon, asa mcer declaration of our duty, its clofing with God's intention, being accidental unto it. There is a wide difference betwixt, do fuch a thing, and you £hall do it : if God's command to ludo tobelieve, imported as much as, it is my purpofe, and intention that 'Judas fire)l believe, it muff needs coutradi& that will of God, whereby he determined that yudaa for his infidelity Mould go to his own place.: precepts are m all obedience of us tobeperformed, but do not figniäe his will, that we flea!! a£tually fulfil his commands. Abraham was not bound to believe it was God's intention that Ifáac fhould be facrificed, but that it was his duty ; there was no obligation on Pharaoh to think, it wasGod's purpofe thepeople Ihould depart, at the fief{ fummon, hehad nothing todo with that : -bút there was one, to believe that if hewould pleafe God, he muff let them go. Hence diversthings of good ufe in there controverfies may be coile&ed. r.) That God may command manythings by his word, which he never decreed that they fhould a&uallybeperformed: becaufe, in fuch things, hiswords are not a réve lation of lais.eternal decree and purpofe ; but only a declaration of lome thing where- withhe is well pleafed, be it by us performed or no; in the forecited cafe, he command- ed Pharaoh, to lethis people go, and plagued him for refuficg to obey his command; hence we may notcollet, that God intended the obedience and converfion ofPharaoh by this his precept, but was fruftratedofhis intention.: For the rcripture is evident and clear, thatGod purpofed by his di ['obedience toaccomplifir an end far different, evena manifeftationof his glory by his punifhment ; but only that obedience unto his coin mends is pleating unto him, as r Sam. xv. zz. z.). That the will of God, to whirls our obedience is required, is the revealed will of God, contained in his word, whofe compliance with his decree is filch, that hence we learn three things tending to the execution of it. (s. That it is the condition ofthe wordof God, and thedifpenfetion thereof, in- ltantly toperfwade to faith and obedience. . (z. That it is our duty by all means to afpire to the performanceof all things by it enjoined, and our fault ifwe donot. (3. That God by theremeans will accomplish his eternal decree of raving hiselet, andthat he willeth the falvation of others, inafmuch as he calleth them unto the per- formance of the condition thereof. How our obedience is fo to be regulated by this revealedwill of God, that we may fin, either by omilliorr, againft its precepts, or coin- miflìon, againft its prohibition t although by our fo omitting, or committing of any thing, the fecretwill or purpofe of God be fulfilled. Had Abraham difobeyed God's precept, when hewas commanded to facrifice his Yon Ifaac, thoueh God's will had been accomplifhed thereby, who never intended it, yet Abraham Irad grievouliy finned againft the revealed will of God, the rule of his duty : the holinefsof our a&ion confifleth
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