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servation upon Mr. G.'s grounds demonstrated. The means and ways of the

saints' preservation in faith, asserted by Mr. G. at large, examined, weighed,

and found light. The doctrine of the saints' perseverance, and way of

teaching it, cleared from Isa. iv. That chapter opened. The forty-third verse

particularly insisted on and discussed. The whole state and method of the

controversy thence educed..

121

CHAP. II.

The theses proposed for confirmation. The fivefold foundation of the truth

thereof. Of the unchangeableness of the nature of God, and the influence

thereof into the confirmation of the truth in hand. Mal. iii. 3. 6. considered,

explained. James i. 16-18. opened. Rom. xi. 29. explained and vindi-

cated. The conditions on which grace is asserted to be bestowed and con-

tinued, discussed. The vanity of them evinced in sundry instances. Of

vocation, justification, and sanctification. Isa. xl. 27-31. opened and im-

proved to the end aimed at. Also Isa. xliv. 1-8. The sum of the first ar-

gument. Mal. iii. 6. with the whole argument from the immutability of God,

at large vindicated. Falsely proposed by Mr. G. set right and reinforced.

Exceptions removed. Sophistical comparisons exploded. Distinct dispen-

sations, according to distinction of a people. Alteration and change pro-

perly and directly assigned to God, by Mr. G. The theme in question

begged by him. Legal approbation of duties, and conditional acceptation

of persons confounded. As also God's command and purpose. The un-

changeableness of God's decrees granted to be intended in Mal. iii. 6. The

decree directly in that place intended. The decree of sending Christ not

immutable upon Mr. G.'s principles. The close of the vindication of this

first argument.

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CHAP. III.

The immutability of the purposes of God proposed for a second demonstra-

tion of the truth in hand. Somewhat of the nature and properties of the

purposes of God: the object of them. Purposes, how acts of God's under-

standing and will. The only foundation of the futurition of all things. The

purposes of God absolute. Continuance of divine love towards believers pur-

posed. Purposes of God farther considered, and their nature explained.

Their independence and absoluteness evinced. Proved from Isa. xlvi.

9-11. Psal. xxxiii. 9-11. Heb. vi. 17, 18, &c. Those places explained.

The same truth by sundry reasons and arguments farther confirmed. Pur-

poses in God, of the continuance of his love and favour to believers, mani-

fested by an induction of instances out of Scripture: the first from Rom.

viii. 28. proposed; and farther cleared and improved: Mr. G.'s dealing

with our argument from hence, and our exposition of this place, considered.

His exposition of that place proposed and discussed. The design of the

apostle commented on: the fountain of the accomplishments of the good

things mentioned, omitted by Mr. G. In what sense God intends to make

all things work together for good to them that love him. Of God's fore-

knowledge. Of the sense and use of the word #goyvárna, also of scisco, and

γίνωσκω in classical authors. Πρόγνωσις in Scripture, every where taken for

foreknowledge or predetermination, no where for preapprobation. Of pre-

approving, or preapprobation here insisted on by Mr. G.; its inconsistency

with the sense of the apostle's discourse manifested. The progress of Mr.

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G.'s exposition of this place considered. Whether men love God antecedently

to his predestination and their effectual calling: to preordain and to preor-

dinate different. No assurance granted of the consolation professed to be

intended: the great uncertainty of the dependance of the acts of God's

grace mentioned, on one another: the efficacy of every one of them resolved

finally into the wills of men. Whether calling according to God's purpose,

supposeth a saving answer given to that call: the affirmative proved, and ex-

ceptions given thereto removed. What obstructions persons called may lay

in their own way to justification. The iniquity of imposing conditions and

supposals on the purpose of God, not in the least intimated by himself. The

whole acknowledged design of the apostle everted, by the interposition of

cases and conditions by Mr. G. Mr. G.'s first attempt to prove the decrees

of God to be conditional, considered: 1 Sam. ii. 30. to that end produced.

1 Sam. ii. 30. farther considered, and its unsuitableness to illustrate Rom.

viii. 32, 33. proved: interpretation of Scripture by comparing of places

agreeing neither in design, word, nor matter, rejected. The places insisted

on proved not to be parallel, by sundry particular instances. Some obser-

vations from the words rejected. What act of God intended in those words

to Eli, 'I said indeed :' no purpose or decree of God in them declared. Any

such purpose as to the house of Eli by sundry arguments disproved No

purpose of God in the words insisted on farther manifested. They are ex-

pressive of the promise or law concerning the priesthood, Numb. xxv. 11—

13. More especially relating unto Exod. xxviii. 43. xxix. 9. The import of

that promise, law, or statute, cleared: the example of Jonah's preaching,

and God's commands to Abraham and Pharaoh. The universal dispropor-

tion between the texts compared by Mr. G. both as to matter and expression,

farther manifested. Instances or cases of Saul and Paul to prove conditional

purposes in God considered. Conditional purposes argued from conditional

threatenings: the weakness of that argument, the nature of divine threaten-

ings: what will of God, or what of the will of God, is declared by them: no

proportion between eternal purposes, and temporal threatenings: the issue

of the vindication of our argument from the foregoing exceptions. Mr. G.'s

endeavour to maintain his exposition of the place under consideration: the

text perverted. Several evasions of Mr. G. from the force of this argument

considered. His arguments to prove no certain or infallible connexion be-

tween calling, justification, and glorification, weighed and answered. His

first from the scope of the chapter, and the use of exhortations; the ques-

tion begged. His second from examples of persons called, and not justified:

the question argued, begged; no proof insisted on, but the interposition of

his own hypothesis. How we are called irresistibly, and in what sense.

Whether bars of wickedness and unbelief may be laid in the way of God's

effectual call. Mr. G.'s demur to another consideration of the text, removed.

The argument in hand freed from other objections, and concluded. Jer.

xxxi. 3. explained and improved for the confirmation of the truth under de-

monstration. 2 Tim. ii. 19. opened, and the truth from thence confirmed.

The foregoing exposition and argument vindicated and confirmed. The

same matter at large pursued. John vi. 38-40. explained, and the argu-

ment in hand from thence confirmed. Mr. G.'s exceptions to our argu-

ing from this place removed. The same matter farther pursued. The expo-

sition and argument insisted on fully vindicated and established. Matt.

xxiv. 24, opened and improved. The severals of that text more particularly

handled. Farther observations for the clearing the mind of the Holy Ghost

in this place. The same farther insisted on and vindicated. Mr. G.'s ex-

ceptions at large discussed and removed. Eph. i. 3—5. 2 Thess. ii. 13, 14.

opened. The close of the second argument from the immutability of the

purposes of God..........

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200

CHAP. IV.

An entrance into the consideration of the covenant of grace, and our argument

from thence, for the unchangeableness of the love of God unto believers.

The intendment of the ensuing discourse. Gen. xvii. 3. opened and explained,

with the confirmation of the argument in hand from thence. That argument

vindicated and cleared of objections. Confirmed by some observations.

Jer. xxxii. 38-40. compared with chap. xxxi. 32, 33. The truth under

consideration from thence clearly confirmed. The certainty, immutability,

and infallible accomplishment of all the promises of the new covenant, de-

monstrated. 1. From the removal of all causes of alteration. 2. From the

mediator, and his undertaking therein. 3. From the faithfulness of God.

One instance from the former considerations. The endeavour of Mr. G. to

answer our argument from this place. His observation on and from the text,

considered: 1. This promise not made to the Jews only: 2. Nor to all the

nation of the Jews, proved from Rom. xi. 3. not intending principally their

deliverance from Babylon. His inferences from his former observations

weighed: 1. The promise made to the body of the people of the Jews typi-

cally only: 2. An exposition borrowed of Socinus rejected: 3. The promise

not appropriated to the time of the captivity: and the disadvantage ensuing

to Mr. G.'s cause upon such an exposition. The place insisted on compared

with Ezek. xi. 17-20. That place cleared: a fourth objection answered:

this promise always fulfilled: the spiritual part of it accomplished during the

captivity: God's intention not frustrated. How far the civil prosperity of

the Jews was concerned in this promise. Promises of spiritual and temporal

things compared. The covenant of grace how far conditional. Mr. G.'s

sense of this place expressed: borrowed from Faustus Socinus: the inconsis-

tency of it with the mind of the Holy Ghost, demonstrated: also with what

himself hath elsewhere delivered, no way suited to the answer of our argu-

ment from the place. The same interpretation farther disproved: an im-

mediate divine efficacy held out in the words: conversion and pardon of sins

promised: differenced from the grace and promises of the old covenant.

Contribution of means put by Mr. G. in the place of effectual operation of

the thing itself, farther disproved. How, when, and to whom this promise

was fulfilled, farther declared: an objection arising upon that consideration

answered. Conjectures ascribed to God by Mr. G. The foundation real of

all divine prediction: the promise utterly enervated, and rendered of none

effect by Mr. G.'s exposition. Its consistency with the prophecies of the re-

jection of the Jews. The close of the argument from the covenant of God. 281

CHAP. V.

Entrance into the argument from the promises of God, with their stability, and

his faithfulness in them. The usual exceptions to this argument. A general

description of gospel promises. Why, and on what account called gospel

promises. The description given, general, not suited to any single promise.

They are free: and that they are so, proved: all flowing from the first great

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promise of giving a Redeemer. How they are discoveries of God's good-

will: how made to sinners: consequential promises made also to believers.

Given in and through Christ, in a covenant of grace. Their certainty upon

the account of the engagement of the truth and faithfulness of God in them:

of the main matter of these promises, Christ and the Spirit. Of particular

promises, all flowing from the same love and grace. Observations of the

promises of God, subservient to the end intended: 1. They are all true and

faithful: the ground of the assertion: 2. Their accomplishment always cer-

tain; not always evident: 3. All conditional promises made good; and

how: 4. The promise of perseverance of two sorts: 5. All promises of our

abiding with God in faith and obedience, absolute. The vanity of imposing

conditions on them, discovered: 6. Promises of God's abiding with us, not

to be separated from promises of our abiding with him: 7. That they do not

properly depend on any condition in believers, demonstrated: instances of

this assertion given: 8. (Making them conditional renders them void, as to

the ends for which they are given:) given to persons, not qualifications.

The argument from the promises of God, stated. Mr. G.'s exceptions against

the first proposition cleared, and his objections answered: the promises of

God always fulfilled: of the promise made to Paul, Acts xxvii. 24, &c. Good

men make good their promises to the utmost of their abilities. The promise

made to Paul absolute, and of infallible accomplishment. Of the promise of

our Saviour to his disciples, Matt. xix. 28. Who intended in that promise:

not Judas: the accomplishment of the promise: the testimony of Peter

Martyr considered: the conclusion of the forementioned objection. The

engagement of the faithfulness of God for the accomplishment of his promise:

1 Cor. i. 9. 1 Thess. v. 23, 24. 2 Thess. iii. 3. The nature of the faithful-

ness of God expressed in the foregoing places, inquired into: perverted by

Mr. G. His notion of the faithfulness of God, weighed and rejected: what

intended in the Scriptures by the faithfulness of God. The close of the con-

firmation of the proposition of the argument proposed from the promises of

God. The assumption thereof vindicated: the sense put upon it by Mr. G.

The question begged...

CHAP. VI.

The former argument confirmed by an induction of particular instances: John

i. 5. opened. The concernment of all believers in that promise, proved by

the apostle; Heb. xiii. 5. The general interest of all believers in all the pro-

mises of God cleared. Objections answered. How Old Testament promises

may be improved. The promise insisted on relates principally to spirituals.

The strength of it to the end intended. 1 Sam. xii. 22. To whom the pro-

mise there is given. The twofold use of this promise: threats to wicked men

of use to the saints: promises to the saints of use to wicked men. Isa. iv.

2—4. Psal. lxxxix. 30—37. opened. A condition of backsliding supposed

in believers: yet they not rejected. God's abiding with his saints, upon the

account of his, 1. Faithfulness, 2. Loving-kindness, 3. Covenant, 4. Pro-

mise, 5. Oath. The intendment of the words insisted on, from 1 Sam. xii.

22. Isa. xxvii. 2-4. Zeph. iii. 17. illustrated. The intendment of those

words, I will not forsake thee.' The reason of the promise, and means pro-

mised therein: no cause in them, to whom the promise is made. Ezek.

xxxvi. 31. Isa. lxiii. 22--25. opened; also Isa. lvii. 17. The cause in God

himself only. The name of God, what it imports: his all-sufficiency engaged

therein, and his goodness. The rise and fountain of all God's goodness to

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Of the general

his people, in his own good pleasure: the sum of our argument from this

place of Scripture. Psal. xxiii. 4. 6. opened: the psalmist's use of assurance

of perseverance. Inferences from the last use. 2 Tim. iv. 18. opened: all

believers in the same condition, as to perseverance, with David and Paul.

The second inference from the place insisted on. Assurance a motive to obe-

dience, and is the end that God intends to promote thereby. Psal. cxxv. 12.

explained. Psal. xxxvii. 28. Deut. xxxiii. 3. Inferences from that place of

the psalmist perpetual preservation in the condition of saints promised to

believers. Mr. G.'s objections and exceptions to our exposition and argu-

ment from this place, removed. Promises made originally to persons, not

qualifications: not the same reason of promises to the church, and of threaten-

ings to sinners. Other objections removed. Isa. liv. 7--9. The mind of

the Lord in the promises mentioned in that place opened. The exposition

given on that place and arguments from thence vindicated. Directions for

the right improvement of promises. Hos. ii. 19, 20. opened.

design of that chapter: the first part of the total rejection of the church and

political state of the Jews. The second, of promises to the remnant, accord-

ing to the election of grace. Of this four particulars: 1. Of conversion;

. ver. 14, 15. 2. Of obedience and forsaking all false worship: 3. Of peace

and quietness: ver. 18. 4. Discovering the fountain of all the mercies.

Some objections removed. To whom this promise is made. The promise

farther opened: the persons to whom it is made. Ver. 14. of that chapter

opened. The wilderness condition whereunto men are allured by the gospel,

what it imports: 1. Separation: 2. Entanglement. God's dealing with a

soul in its wilderness condition. Promises given to persons in that condition.

The sum of the foregoing promises: the persons to whom they are made far-

ther described. The nature of the main promise itself considered. Of the

main covenant between God and his saints. The properties of God engaged

for the accomplishment of this promise. Mr. G.'s exposition of this place

considered, and confuted. John x. 27--29. opened; vindicated...

CHAP. VII.

The consideration of the oath of God deferred. The method first proposed

somewhat waved. The influence of the mediation of Christ into God's free

and unchangeable acceptance of believers proposed. Reasons of that pro-

posal. Of the oblation of Christ. Its influence into the saints' perseverance.

All causes of separation between God and believers, taken away thereby.

Moral and efficient causes thereby removed. The guilt of sin; how taken

away by the death of Christ. Of the nature of redemption. Conscience of

sin; how abolished by the sacrifice of Christ; Heb. x. 3, 4. 14. Dan. ix. 24.

opened; Rom. ii. 34. Deliverance from all sin; how by the death of Christ.

The law innovated in respect of the elect. The vindictive justice of God

satisfied by the death of Christ; how that is done. Wherein satisfaction doth

consist. Absolute, not conditional. The law; how fulfilled in the death of

Christ. The truth of God thereby accomplished; his distributive justice en-

gaged. Observations for the clearing of the former assertions. Whether

any one, for whom Christ died, may die in sin. The necessity of faith and

obedience. The reasons thereof. The end of faith and holiness. The first

argument for the proof of the former assertions concerning the fruit and effi-

cacy of the death of Christ; Heb. ix. 14. The second. The third. The

compact between the Father and Son about the work of mediation. The

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