B. I have said enough to this already; 1. Do you think that men are good before they are elected? when they are not men? You do not certainly. 2. Do you think that God fore-seeth any good in men, when he willeth to them their first good? no doubt you do not. 3. Do you think that God fore-seeth in men any second, third, or following degrees of goodness, before he intend to give it them? what need he purpose to give it them, if he fore-see that they will have it without his Gift? 4. Do you think that God fore-seeth any power to do good in men, but what he intendeth to give them? or any good act, but what proceedeth from that power which he giveth them, and from his concourse, or co-operating influx? I dare say that you do not. 5. And do you think that we imagine that God giveth, or purposeth to give, any following mercy to him ⟨p. 18⟩that hath not the necessary antecedent mercy? As to glorify any that is not justified, or to justify any that is not called. 6. You see then that it's necessary, if you will quarrel, that you distinguish of Election as before said. Though Gods Will in it self, as was now said, have no proper suspending condition; yet, 1. The effects of Gods Will have. 2. And the Objects of Gods Will have their necessary qualifications. 3. And some of Gods Volitions are thence extrinsically denominated conditional.
Now, 1. God giveth Salvation to no Unbeliever, but on condition of Faith. And God actually glorifieth none but penitent persevering Believers: And both these he accordingly decreed or willeth. And can you say then that Election hath no respect to the persons goodness. It hath not only respect to the good intended him, but to that good which is a necessary qualification found in him; that is, necessary to the benefit to which he is elected. God decreeth to give glory to none but persevering Saints, nor perseverance to none but the Holy, nor justification to none but Believers.
But I will confess to you, that we hold, 1. That God absolutely willed to give Christ and the New Covenant to the World; 2. That he absolutely willeth or decreeth to give the Gospel and common Grace in a greater degree, to many a one that is no more worthy of it than others that are past by, and to give it to none but the unworthy. 3.
B. I have said enough to this already; 1. Do you think that men are good before they are elected? when they are not men? You do not certainly. 2. Do you think that God fore-seeth any good in men, when he willeth to them their first good? no doubt you do not. 3. Do you think that God fore-seeth in men any second, third, or following degrees of goodness, before he intend to give it them? what need he purpose to give it them, if he fore-see that they will have it without his Gift? 4. Do you think that God fore-seeth any power to do good in men, but what he intendeth to give them? or any good act, but what proceedeth from that power which he giveth them, and from his concourse, or co-operating influx? I dare say that you do not. 5. And do you think that we imagine that God giveth, or purposeth to give, any following mercy to him ⟨p. 18⟩that hath not the necessary antecedent mercy? As to glorifie any that is not justified, or to justifie any that is not called. 6. You see then that it's necessary, if you will quarrel, that you distinguish of Election as before said. Though Gods Will in it self, as was now said, have no proper suspending condition; yet, 1. The effects of Gods Will have. 2. And the Objects of Gods Will have their necessary qualifications. 3. And some of Gods Volitions are thence extrinsically denominated conditional.
Now, 1. God giveth Salvation to no Unbeliever, but on condition of Faith. And God actually glorifieth none but penitent persevering Believers: And both these he accordingly decreed or willeth. And can you say then that Election hath no respect to the persons goodness. It hath not only respect to the good intended him, but to that good which is a necessary qualification found in him; that is, necessary to the benefit to which he is elected. God decreeth to give glory to none but persevering Saints, nor perseverance to none but the Holy, nor justification to none but Believers.
But I will confess to you, that we hold, 1. That God absolutely willed to give Christ and the New Covenant to the World; 2. That he absolutely willeth or decreeth to give the Gospel and common Grace in a greater degree, to many a one that is no more worthy of it than others that are past by, and to give it to none but the unworthy. 3.
