The "purpose" according to which these persons are called is none other than that which the apostle, chap. ix. 11, terms the "purpose of God according to election;" the " election of grace," chap. xi. 5 ; as also the knowledge and "foundation of God," 2 Tim. ii. 19; as will in the progress of our discourse be made farther appear, although I know not that this is as yet questioned. The immutability of this purpose of God, chap. ix. 11, 12, the apostle demonatrates from its
III.] THE IMMUTABILITY OF THE DIVINE PURPOSES. 151
independency on any thing in tliem or in respect of tliem concerning whom it is, it being eternal, and expressly safeguarded against appre- hensions that might arise of any causal or occasional influence from any thing in them given therevmto, they lying under this condition alone unto God, as persons that had done neither good nor evil. And this, also, the apostle farther pursues from the sovereignty, absolute- ness, and unchangeableness of the will of God But these things are of another consideration.
Now, this unchangeable purpose and election being the fountain from whence the effectual calling of believers doth flow, the preser- vation of them to the end designed, the glory whereunto they are chosen, by those acts of grace and love whereby they are prepared thereunto, hath coincidence of infallibility as to the end aimed at with the purpose itself, nor is it liable to the least exception but what may be raised from the mutability and changeableness of God in his purposes and decrees. Hence, in the following verse, upon the account of the stability and immutability of this purpose of God, the utmost and most remote end in reference to the good thereby de- signed unto believers, though having its present subsistence only in that purpose of God and infallible concatenation of means thereunto conducing, is mentioned as a thing actually accomplished, Rom. viii. 30.
Herein, also, lies the apostle's second eviction of consolation for- merly laid down, even in the indissoluble concatenation of those acts of grace, love, and favour, whereby the persons of God's pur- pose, or the " remnant according to the election of grace," shall be infallibly carried on in their present enjoyment and unto the full fruition of the love of Christ. If we may take him upon his word (and he speaks in the name and authority of God), those whom he doth foreknow, or fixes his thoughts peculiarly upon from eternity (for the term these is evidently discriminated, and the act must needs be eternal which in order of nature is previous unto predes- tination, or the appointment to the end by means designed), those, I say, he doth predestinate and appoint, in the immutable purpose of his will, to be conformed unto the image of his Son, as in afflic- tions, so in grace and glory.
To fancy a suspension of these acts of grace (some whereof are eternal) upon conditionals, and they not intimated in the least in the text, nor consistent with the nature of the things themselves or the end intended, casting the accomplishment and bringing about of the designs of God, proposed as his for our consolation, upon the certain lubricity of the wills of men, and thereupon to propose an intercision of them as to their concatenation and dependence, that they should not have a certain influence on the one hand descend- ing, nor an unchangeable dependence on the other ascending, may easily be made to appear to be so plain an opposition to the aim and
152 DOCTRINE OF THE SAINTS' PERSEVERANCK [CHAP.
design of the apostle as it is possibly capable of. But because these things are really insisted on by Mr Goodwin, I shall choose rather to remove them, — as with much rhetoric, and not without some so- phistry, they are by him pressed, — than farther anticipate them, by arguments from the text itself, of their invalidity and nullity.
The discussion of our argument from this place of Scripture he enters upon, chap. x. sect. 42, p. 207, and pursues it, being much entangled with what himself is pleased to draw forth as the strength of it, unto sect. 52, p. 219.
Now, though Mr Goodwin hath not at all mentioned any analysis of the place insisted on, for the making out of the truth we believe to be intended in it, nor ever once showed his reader the face of our argument from hence, but only drawn something of it forth in such divided parcels as he apprehended himself able to blur and obscure, yet to make it evident that he hath not prevailed to foil that part of the strength of truth (his adversary) which he voluntarily chose to grapple withal, I shall consider that whole discourse, and manifest the nullity of his exceptions unto this testimony given in by the apostle to the truth we have in hand.
To obtain his end, Mr Goodwin undertaketh these two things: — first, To give in an exposition of the place of Scripture insisted on, " whence no such conclusion as that which he opposeth," saith he, "can be drawn ;" secondly. To give in exceptions to our interpretation of it, and the inferences thereupon by us deduced. The first [is] in these words: —
" For the scope of the apostle, in the sequel of this passage, is clearly this, as the particle ' for' in the beginning of verse 29 plainly showeth, to prove and make good that assertion of his, verse 28, that * all things work together for good to those that love God." To prove this he showeth by what method and degrees of dispensations God will bring it to pass. ' Whom he foreknows,' saith he, that is, pre- approves (the word 'knowledge' frequently in Scripture importing ap- probation), as he must needs do those that love him, ' these he pre- destinates to be conformed to the image of his Son;' and therefore as all things, even his deepest suffermgs, wrought together for good unto him, so must they needs do unto those who are predestinated or pre-ordinated by God to a conformity with him. 'To give you yet,' saith our apostle, * a farther and more particular account how God, in the secret of his counsels, hath laid things in order to the bring:- ing of them unto an actual conformity with the image of his Son, to wit, in glory, whom he predestinated thereunto (who are such as love him, and thereupon are approved by him), you are to under- stand that whom he hath so predestinated he hath also called, — that is, hath purposed or decreed to call to the knowledge of his Son or of his gospel, — that is, to afford a more plain and eftectual discovery