Ill,] THE IMMUTABILITY OF THE DIVINE PURPOSES. 153
of him unto tliem than unto others whom he hath not so predesti- nated.' By the way, this call doth not necessarily suppose a saving answer given unto it by the called, no whit more than the calling mentioned, Matt. xx. 16, xxii. 14. It only supposeth a real purpose on God's part to make it very sufficient to procure such an answer to it from those that are called. The apostle advanceth towards his proposed end, and addeth, 'Those whom he called, them he also justi- fied;' that is, according to our last exposition of the word ' called,' he hath purposed or decreed to justify, — to wit, in case the called obstruct him not in his way, or by their unbehef render not them- selves incapable of justification. The clause following is likewise to be understood with the like proviso as this: ' Whom he hath justi- fied, them he also glorified;' that is, hath purposed or decreed to save, in case they retain the grace of justification, confirmed upon them to the end."
Ans. First, let it be granted that the design of the apostle is to make good that assertion, " All things work together for good to them that love God," and the consolation for believers which thence he holds forth unto them ; yet he doth not only show by what method, degrees, or steps, God will bring it to pass, but also, as the fountain of all that ensues, lays down the unalterable purpose of God concerning that end, which is intended in and accomplished by all those steps or degrees of his effectual grace after mentioned. This Mr Goodwin passeth over, as not to be wrested into any tolerable conformity with that sense (if there be any sense in the whole of what he insists upon for the sense of this place) which he intends to rack and press the words unto. To save stumbling at the threshold (which is malum omen), he leaps at once over the consideration of this purpose and design of God, as aiming at a certain end, without the least touch upon it. Farther, that God will bring it to pass that all things shall work together for good to them that love him, is not intended by Mr Goodwin as though it should infallibly be so indeed, but only that God will so way-lay them with some advan- tages that it may be so, as well as otherwise. What consolation be- lievers may receive from this whole discourse of the apostle, intended properly to administer it unto them, as it lies under the gloss ensu- ing, shall be discovered in our following consideration of it. Thus, then, he makes it out: —
"Whom he foreknows, that is, pre-approves (the word 'knowledge' in Scripture frequently importing approbation), as he must needs do those that love him, them he predestinates."
Ans. First, That to "know" is sometimes taken in Scripture for to approve may be granted; but that the word here used must therefore signify to pre-approve is an assertion which I dare not pre- tend to so much foreknowledge as to think that any one besides
154! DOCTRINE OF THE SAINTS' PERSEVERANCE. [CHAP.
himself will approve. Mr Goodwin, I doubt not, knows full well that prepositions in Greek composition do often restrain simple verbs, formerly at liberty for other uses, to one precise signification. The word vpoyivuiSKM, in its constant sense in other authors, is "prse- scio" or " proedecerno ; " yivuaxoj itself, "to determine or decree;" so is "scisco" among the Latins, the ancient word " to know,'' So he in Plautus : " Rogitationes plurimas propter vos populus scivit, quas vos rogatas rumpitis."^ And nothing more frequent in Cicero, " Qua3 scisceret plebs, aut quae populus juberet," etc. ; and again, " Quod multa pemiciose, multa pestifere sciscuntur in populus;" and, " Plancus primus legem scivit de publicanis."'" In like manner is yivuaxM frequently used : "Eyvuffncv touto fM^ iroiuv' — " They determined not to do that thing." ^ " A5/xa s'yvwxg inpi h[Mo\J c Zihg, says he in Lucian ; — " He hath determined unrighteous things against rae."^ Hence yvu)[ir^ is often taken for a decree, or an established purpose, as Budseus manifesteth out of Plutarch. In Scripture the word is sun- dry times used, and still in the sense before mentioned; sometimes for a simple foreknowledge. So Paul uses it of the Jews who knew him before his conversion: Acts xxvi. 5, Ufoyivojcr-ovTig in avudsv. It relates not to what they foreknew, but what they knew before, or in former days. And as the simple verb, as was showed, is often taken for " decerno, statue," '' to decree, order, or determine," so with this composition it seems most to be restrained to that sense, 1 Pet. i. 20, it is said of Christ that he was vpoi'yvMtsiJ.svog Tpo ■A.araCoXijg x6(r/j,ov, — he was "foreknown," or "fore-ordained, before the foundation of the world;" which is opposed to that which follows, (pavspudsig dh lir id-xja.- Tuv Tuv ^povuv di' iz/ifij, — "manifested in the last times for you," — a.nd relates to the decree or fore-purpose of God concerning the giving of his Son. Hence vpoyme/g is joined with upK^fisvp j3ovX}i, God's " de- terminate counsel," as a word of the same importance : Acts ii. 23, ToZtov ds upiaiMivri ^ovKfj xai irpoyvi^eu, etc, : if there be any difference, the first designing the wisdom, the latter the will, of God in this business. In Rom. xi. 2 it hath again the same signification : " God hath not cast off rhv Xahv a\jTotj ov 'ffposyvu," or the remnant which among the obstinate and unbelieving Jews were under his everlast- ing purpose of grace; in which place, causelessly and without any attempt of proof, the Remonstrants wrest the word to signify pre-ap- probation, Dec. Sent, art. 1, the whole context and design of the apostle, the terms " remnant" and " election," whereby the same thing is afterward expressed, undeniably forcing the proper accepta- tion of the word. Not only the original sense and composition of the word, but also the constant use of it in the Scripture, leads us away from the interpretation here pinned upon it,