expresse himselfe against any reall efficiency of the Spirit or Grace of God in the hearts or on the wills of men Not to insist upon his darkening the Discourse in hand from his miserable confounding of those tearmes Physicall and Morall formerly discovered I shall as neare as I can close with his aime in it for the more cleare consideration thereof First he tells us That the operation of God on the will of man is in respect of its proceeding from him Physicall but in respest of its nature and substance t is properly Morall But First § 33. if a man should aske Mr Goodwin what he intends by this Operation of God on the will of man to the end intended I feare he would be very hard put to it to instance in any particular It is sufficiently evident he acknowledgeth none in this kind but what consists in the Exhortations of the VVord Secondly having told us before that Physicall is as much as Necessary and Morall as Not-necessary How comes it about that the same operation of God the same Act of his Power is become in severall regards Physicall and Morall That is Necessary and Not-necessary is Mr Goodwin reconciled to the Assertion That the same thing may be said to be Necessary and Not-necessary in sundry respects Thirdly how comes the same Act or Operation in respect of its manner of proceeding from its Agent to be Physicall and in respect of its Substance to be Morall Or is any act Morall in respect of its substance or is its Morality an Adjunct of it in respect of the regard it hath to some Rule farther End It is an easy thing for any to heape up such crude Assertions in the meane time not to know what they say nor whereof they do affirme But the reason why the Acts of God intimated are Morall is because they perswade the Will only or work perswadingly not ravishingly or necessitatingly that is in plain termes There is no operation of the Grace or Spirit of God in the working of any good in the Heart or Wills of men but only what consisteth in perswasion of them thereunto For any reall efficiency as to the communication of strength inworking in us to will and to do t is wholly excluded God only perswades men have the power in themselves and of themselves they do it let the Scripture say what it will to the contrary For those termes of Ravishingly or Necessitatingly which are opposed to this Morall perswasion whereunto the operations of God for the production of any good in us are tied up and confined wee have been now so inured to them that they do not at all startle us When M. Goodwin shall manifest That God cannot by the greatnesse of his power work in us to Will without ravishing our wills if we guesse aright at the intendment of that expression he will advance to a considerable successe in this contest not only against us but God himselfe But an objection presents its selfe to our Author §. 34. which he sees a Necessity to attempt the removall of least an Apprehension of its truth should prove prejudiciall to the receiving of his dictates And this it is That if it be so that God worketh on the will of man by the way of perswasion only he doth no more then the Ministers of the Gospell do who perswade men by the Word to that which is good To this he tells you That it indeed followes that God Ministers work on the Will of man in the same way with the same kind of efficiency but yet in respect of degrees God may perswade more effectually than a Minister That all really efficient §. 35. internall working grace of God was denied by M. Goodwin was before discovered there only t is more plainely asserted All the workings of God on the Wills of men unto good are meerely by perswasion Perswasion we know gives no strength addes no power to him that is perswaded to any thing it only provokes him and irritates him to put forth exert and exercise the power which is in himselfe unto the things whereunto he is perswaded upon the motives grounds of perswasion proposed to him and the whole effect produced on that account is in Solidum to be ascribed to the really efficient cause of it howsoever incited or stirred up whereas then men by Nature are dead blind unbelieving enemies to God he perswades them only to exert the power that is in them thereby to live see believe and be reconciled to him And this is to exalt the free grace of God by Jesus Christ We know full well who have gone before you in these paths but shall heartily pray that none of the Saints of God may follow after you into this contempt of the work of his Grace But Secondly If nothing but Perswasion be allowed to God in the work of mens Conversion § 36. in the carrying on of their obedience to the end Wherein doth the Perswasion of God consist in distinction from the Perswasion used in from the Word by Ministers which it is pretended that it may excell though t is not affirmed that it doth many degrees Let it be considered I say in what Acts of the will or power of God his perswasion so distinct as above mentioned doth consist Let us know what Arguments he useth by what Meanes he applies them how he conveyes them to the Wills of men that are not coincident with those of the Ministry I suppose at last 't will be found that there is no other operation of God in Perswading men as to the ends under consideration but only what lies or consists in the perswading of the Word by the Ministers thereof God looking on without the exerting of any efficacy whatever which is indeed that which is aimed at is really exclusive of the Grace of God from any hand in the Conversion of sinners or Preservation of Believers 3. He doth not indeed assert any such Perswading of God § 37. but only tels you that from what he hath spoken it doth not follow that God doth no more then Ministers in Perswading men And that when two perswade to one and the same Action one may be more effectuall in his perswading than another but that God is so or how he is so or wherein his peculiar perswasions do consist there is not in his discourse the least intimation Fourthly There is in men a different power as to Perswasion some having a faculty that way farre more eminent and effectuall than others according to their skill and proficiency in Oratory and Perswasive Arts this only is ascribed to God that he so excells us as one man excells another But how that Excellency of his is exerted that 's not to be understood But there is proofe tendered you of all this from 1 Cor 3. 9. Where Ministers are said to cooperate with God which they cannot do unlesse it be with the same
that Believers receive the spirit of Adoption to cry Abba Father which being a worke within them cannot be wrought and effected by Adoption it selfe which is an extrinsicall Relation Neither can Adoption and the Spirit of Adoption be conceived to be the same He also farther affirmes it 1 Cor 2. 12. we have received the spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are freely given us of God We have so received him as that he abides with us to teach us to acquaint our hearts with Gods dealing with us bearing witnesse with our spirits to the condition wherein we are in reference to our Favour from God and Acceptation with him and the same he most distinctly asserts Gal. 4. 6. God hath sent forth the spirit of his Sonne into our hearts crying Abba Father The distinct Oeconomy of the Father Sonne and Spirit in the work of Adoption is clearly discovered He is sent sent of God that is the Father That name is Personally to be appropriated when it is distinguished as here from Sonne and Spirit That is the Fathers work that work of his Love he sends him He hath sent him as the spirit of his Sonne procured by him for us promised by him to us proceeding from him as to his personall subsistence and sent by him as to his office of Adoption and Consolation Then whether the Father hath sent the spirit of his Sonne where he is to abide and make his residence is expressed it is into our Hearts saith the Apostle there he dwells and abides And lastly what there he doth is also manifested he setts them on worke in whom he is gives them priviledges for it Ability to it Incouragement in it causing them to cry Abba Father Once and againe to Timothy doth the same Apostle assert the same truth 1 Epist. 3. 14. the good thing committed unto thee keep by the Holy Spirit which dwelleth in us The Lord knowing how much of our Life and Consolation depends on this Truth redoubles his Testimony of it that wee might receive it even wee who are dull and slow of heart to believe the things that are written 3. Whereas some may say §. 3. it cannot be denyed but that the Spirit dwels in Believers but yet this is not personally but only by his Grace though I might reply that this indeed and upon the matter is not to distinguish but to deny what is positively affirmed To say the Spirit dwells in us but not the Person of the Spirit is not to distinguish de modo but to deny the thing it selfe To say the Graces indeed of the Spirit are in us not dwell in us for an Accident is not properly said to dwell in its subject but the Spirit it selfe doth not dwell in us is expressly to cast downe what the word sets up If such distinctions ought to be of force to evade so many positive and plaine Texts of Scripture as have been produced it may well be questioned whether any Truth be capable of proofe from Scripture or no. Yet I say farther to obviate such Objections and to prevent all quarrellings for the future the Scripture it selfe as to this businesse of the Spirits indwelling plainely distinguisheth between the Spirit it selfe and his Graces He is I say distinguished from them and that in respect to his indwelling Rom. 5. 5. The Love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost that is given to us The Holy Ghost is given to us to dwell in us as hath been abundantly declared and shall yet farther be demonstrated Here He is mentioned together with the Love of God and his shedding thereof abroad in our Hearts that is with his Graces is as clearely distinguished and differenced from them as Cause and effect Take the Love of God in either sence that is controverted about this place for our Love to God or a sence of his Love to us and it is an eminent Grace of the Holy Spirit If then by the Holy Ghost given unto us yee understand only the Grace of the Holy Ghost He being said to be given because that is given then this must be the sence of the place The Grace of the Holy Ghost is shed abroad in our Hearts by the Grace of the Holy Ghost that is given to us Farther if by the Holy Ghost be meant only his Grace I require what Grace it is hereby the expression intended Is it the same with that expressed the Love of God This were to confound the efficient cause with its effect Is it any other Grace that doth produce the great worke mentioned Let us know what that Grace is that hath this power energie in its hand of shedding abroad the Love of God in our Hearts So Rom. 8. 11. He shall quicken your mortall bodyes by the Spirit that dwelleth in you This quickning of our mortall bodies is generally confessed to be and the scope of the place inforceth that sence our Spirituall quickning in our mortall bodyes mention being made of our bodyes in Analogie to the body of Christ by his death we have life and quickning Donbtlesse then it is a Grace of the Spirit that is intended Yea the habitual principle of all Graces And this is wrought in us by the Spirit that dwelleth in us There is not any Grace of the Spirit whereby he may dwell in men antecedent to his Quickning of them Spirituall Graces have not their residence in dead soules So that this must be the Spirit himselfe dwelling in us that is here intended and that personally or the sence of the words must be The Grace of quickning our mortall bodyes is wrought in us by the Grace of Quickning our mortall bodyes that dwels in us which is plainely to confound the Cause and Effect Besides it is the same Spirit that raised up Jesus from the dead that is intended which doubtlesse was not any inherent Grace but the Spirit of God himselfe working by the exceding greatnesse of his Power Thus much is hence cleared Antecedent in order of nature to our Quickning there is a Spirit given to us to dwell in us Every efficient Cause hath at least the precedency of its effect No Grace of the Spirit is bestowed on us before our Quickning which is the preparation and fitting of the subject for the receiving of them the planting of the Roote that containes them vertually and brings them forth actually in their order Gal. 5. 22. All Graces whatsoever come under the name of the fruit of the Spirit that is which the Spirit in us brings forth as the Roote doth the fruit which in its sodoing is distinct therefrom Many oher instances might be given but these may suffice 4. There is a Personallity ascribed to the Holy Ghost in his dwelling in us and that in such a way §. 4. as cannot be ascribed to any Created Grace which is but a Quality in a subject and this the Scripture doth three wayes 1. In
on the wills of men M. G. discourse and judgement 24. Considered 25. Effects follow as to their kind their next causes 26. The same Act of the will Physicall and Morall upon severall accounts Those accounts considered 27. God by the reall efficacy of the Spirit produceth in us Acts of the will morally good that confirmed from Scripture 28. Conclusion from thence 29. Of the termes Physicall Morall and necessary and their use in things of the nature under consideration Morall causes of Physicall effects 30. The concurrence of Physicall and Morall causes for producing the same effect the efficacy of Grace and exhortations 31. Physicall and necessary how distinguished Morall and not necessary Confounded by M. G. 32. M. G. farther progresse considered 33. What operation of God on the will of man he allowes All Physicall operation by him excluded 34. M. G's sence of the difference between the working of God and a Minister on the will that it is but graduall 35. Considered and removed All working of God on the will by him confined to perswasion perswasion gives no strength or ability to the person perswaded 36. All immediate acting of God to good in men by M G. utterly excluded 37. Wherein Gods perswading men doth consist according to M. G. 1 Cor. 3. 9. considered 38. Of the concurrence of diverse Agents to the production of the same effect 39. The summe of the 7 Section of Gh. 13. The will how necessitated how free 40. In what seuce M. G. allowes Gods perswasions to be irresistible 41. The dealings of God and men ill compared 42. Pauls exhortation to the use of meanes where the end was certaine Acts 24. câ—dfâ—dered God deals with men as men exhorting them and as corrupted men assisting them 43. Of Promises of Temporall things whether all conditionall 44. What condition in the Promise made to Paul Act. 27. 45. Farther of that Promise its infallibility and meanes of Accomplishment 46. The same considerations farther prosecuted 47. 48. Of Promises of Perseveranâ—e and what relations to performe in conjuction 49. M. G. opposition hereunto 50. Promises and protestations in conjunction 1 Cor. 10. 12 13. discussed An absolute Promise of Perseverance therein evinced 51. Phil. 1. 12 13. to the same purpose considered M. G. Interpretation of that place proposed removed 52. Heb. 6. 4 5 9. to the same purpose insisted on 53. Of the consistency oâ— Threatnings with the Promises of Perseverance 54. M. G. opposition hereunto 55. Considered and removed What Promises of Perseverance are asserted how absolute and infrustable Feare of Hell and punishment twofold The feare intended to be ingenerated by threatnings not inconsistent with the Assurance given by promises 56. Five Considerations about the use of Threatnings the first c. 57. Hipocrites how threatned for Apostasy of the End and Aime of God in Threatnings 58. Of the proper End and Efficacy of Threatnings with reference unto true Believers 59. Feare of Hell and punishment how farre a principle of Obedience in the Saints 60. Of Noahs feare Heb. 11. 7. 61. M. G's farther arguings for the Efficacy of the feare of Hell unto Obedience in the Saints proposed considered removed 62. 1 Ioh. 4. 18. consâ—dered 63. Of the Obedience of Saints to their heavenly Father compared to the obedience of Children to their naturall Parents M. G's monstrous conception about this thing 64. How Feare or Love and in what sence are principles of Obedience That which is done from Feare not done willingly not chearfully 65. How Feare and what feare hath torment 66. Of the nature and use of Promises Close of the Answer to this Argument IT will be needlesse to use many words unto the Discourse of the first Section §. 1. seeing it will not in the least prejudice our Cause in hand to leave Mr Godwin in full possession of all the Glory of the Rethoricke thereof For although I cannot close with him in the Exposition given of that expression 1 Tim. 6. 16. God inhabiteth Light inaccessible some thing in my weake apprehension much more glorious divine being comprised therein then what it is here turned aside unto Neither am I in the least convinced of the truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the former Discourse in the close of the whole asserting a deliverance to be obtained from our thoughts of the Doctrine of the defection of the Saints which he intimateth to be that it is anti-evangelicall tormenting and bringing soules under bondage by a narrow and unprejudicate search into it finding my selfe every day more and more confirmed in thoughts of that kind concerning it by my engagement into such an enquiry which hath been observed in this present Discourse as farre as my weakenesse will permit yet it being not in the least Argumentative but for the whole frame and intendment of it Commune exordium and that which any man of any opinion in the world might make use of I shall not insist upon it His second Section containeth his first Argument §. 2. drawne forth in the defence of his Doctrine of the possibility as he calleth it but indeed what it is we have heard of the defection of Believers Of this I presume he intended no more use but as a forlorne to begin a light Skirmish with his Adversaries ordering it to retreat to his maine Body advancing after or desperately casting it away to abate the Edge of his Combatants Weapons it is so weake and feeble and therefore I shall be very briefe in the consideration of it thus then he proposeth it That Doctrine which rendreth God free from the unrighteousnesse which the Scripture calleth the respecting of persons of men is a Doctrine of perfect consistence with the Scripture and the truth The Doctrine which teacheth the possibility of the Saints declining and this unto death is a Doctrine of this import Ergo. Ans. 1. §. 3. The first proposition must be supposed Vniversall of else the whole will quickly be manifested to be unconclusive If it be only Indefinite and so equivalent as it lieth to a particular the conclusion is from all particulars and of no force as Mr Goodwin well knoweth Take it universally and I say it is evidently false and might easily be disproved by innumerable Instances Not that any errour or falsehood can indeed give God the Glory of any one of his Attributes but that they may be fitted and suited for such a service were not their throates cut and their mouthes stopt by the Lies that are in them which Mr Goodwin's Doctrine is no lesse lyable to then any other and not at all exempted from that Condition by its seeming subserviency unto Gods Aprosopolepsia Doth not the Doctrine of Justification by Workes even in the most rigid sence of it according to the tenor of the old Covenant absolutely render God free from the Unrighteousnesse of Accepting of Persens And yet for all that it hath not one jot the more of Truth in it nor is it the
So that notwithstanding these Exceptions the Exposition of the words is cleare as before given in And yet this is all M. G. produceth as his ground and foundation whereon to stand in denying ths proposition he that is borne of God sinneth not that is falleth not under the power of raigning sinne sinneth not to death as the Children of the wicked one which I shall leave under that consideration wherewith it is educed from the scope of the Text and the paralell place of Chap. 5. 16 17. The truth is there is not much need to contend about this expression M. G. granting that the intendment of it is that such as are borne of God do not walke ordinarily customarily in any wayes of known sin Sect 28. Which as he saith is the import of that Phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the contrary whereof might yet be easily evinced he maketh no trade or occupation of sinning that is he doth not sinne in an inconsistency of communion with God in the Covenant of his Grace Now in this sence he granteth this Proposition he that is borne of God sinneth not i. e. ordinarily or customarily that is so as not to be accepted of God that is no Believer sinneth at such a rate as not to be accepted with God Adde now hereunto the ground reason of this Assertion viz. His being borne of God the abiding of the seed in him we have obtained all that we desire to evince from this place Because such an one is borne of God which is a Reason which holdeth good to Eternity being an act irrevocably past and because the seed abideth in him he cannot sinne ordinarlly or customarily which kind of sinning alone as is supposed can eject the abiding seed that is he sinneth not beyond the rate of sinnes of infirmity nor in any such way as should render him uncapable of communion or acceptance with God The Apostle nextly advanceth farther with his designe and saith He that is borne of God cannot sinne that is That sinne which he sinneth not he cannot sinne §. 64. He cannot fall under the power of raigning sinne unto death I confesse the words can cannot are variously used in the Scriptures some kind of impossibility in one respect or other for things may be in some regard impossible that are not so absolutely it alway denoteth The whole of the variety in this kind may be referred to two heads 1. That which is morally impossible Of that it is said that it cannot be done 2 Cor. 13. 8. Saith Paul we can do nothing against the Truth And Acts 4. 20. Say the Apostles we cannot but speake the things we have seen and heard It was morally impossible that ever any thing should have been done by Paul against the truth or that the Apostles having received the Spirit should not speak what they had seen and heard of Christ. And of many things that are thus morally impossible there are most certaine and determinate causes as to make the thing so impossible as in respect of the event to be absolutely impossible It is morally impossible that the Divell should do that which is Spiritually good and yet absolutely impossible There is more in many a thing that is morally impossible than a meere opposition to Justice as we say Illud possumus quod jure possumus The causes of morall impossibility may be such as to tye up the thing which it relateth unto in an everlasting nonfuâ—urition There is also 2. An impossibility that is Physicall from the nature of the things themselves So Jerem. 13. 23. % Can the Aethyopian change his skin that is He cannot Mat. 7. 18. % A good tree cannot bring forth evill fruit neither can an evill tree bring forth good fruit That is nothing can act contrary to its owne naturall principles And as we shall see afterwards there is of this impossibility in the cannot here mentioned They cannot do it upon the account of the new Spirituall nature wherewith they are indued Now there may be a third kind of impossibility in Spirituall things arising from both these which One hath not ineptly called Ethico-physicall or morally-naturall partaking of the nature of both the other It is morall because it relateth to duty what is to be done or not to be done And it is Physicall because it relateth to a cause or principle that can or cannot produce the effect So our Saviour telleth the Pharisees How can ye being evill speake good things Or ye cannot Mat. 12. 34. % You cannot heare my words John 8. 43. It was morally impossible they should either speake or heare that is either believe or do that which is Spiritually good having no principles that should enable them thereunto having no root that should beare up unto fruit being evill trees in themselves and having a principle a root continually universally uninterruptedly inclining and disposing them an other way to acts of a quite contrary nature Of this kind is that impossibility here intimated The effect denyed is morally impossible upon the account of the internall Physicall cause hindring of it However then the word in the Scripture may be variously taken yet here it is from adjacent circumstances evidently restrained to such a signification as in respect of the event absolutely rejecteth the thing denyed The gradation of the Apostle also leadeth us to it He sinneth not nay he cannot sin He cannot sin riseth in the Assertion of that before expressed He sinneth not which absolutely rejecteth the glosse that some seeke to put upon the words namely that cannot sinne is no more but cannot sinne easily and cannot sinne but as it were with difficulty such is the Antipathy habituall opposition which they have to sinne which Mr Goodwin adhereth unto For besides That this is in it selfe false there being no such Antipathie in any to sinne but that they may easily fall into it yea and with great difficulty and labour do restraine from it as the Apostle argueth at large Rom. 7 So is it also flatly contradictory to the words themselves the Apostle saith He that is borne of God sinneth not cannot sinne He can sinne saith this Glosse though difficultly now he that can sinne difficultly can sinne can sinne and cannot sinne are flatly contradictory He cannot then sinne at all the sinne that is intended in the place of whom it is said he cannot sinne Thus we have cleared the first Proposition in the words both as to the Subject every one that is borne of God and the Predicate sinneth not cannot sinne Which last expression taken in its only proper and most usuall signification denoteth an Impossibility of the event plainely confirmeth in direct termes the position we insist on from the words Mr Goodwin knoweth not well §. 65. If I am able to gather any thing of his thoughts from his expressions to the Argument in hand what to say to this Assertion of the Apostles The Argument he intendeth
inconsistency found therein let the Scriptures vindicate and plead for themselves Secondly For the close of this Discourse of our Author charging this course of proceedure with folly viz. To give admonition to the use of meanes when the end is certainely determined to issue upon the use of those meanes he must first evince it as to the application of it to the businesse in hand before I can close with him in the managing thereof for the present I rather think the folly of this charge as far as it lookes towards the Doctrine under consideration to arise from other things As First An Impertinent comparison instituted between God and man in their Admonitions and dealings with men as though nothing might beseeme him in Spirituall things of eternall concernement but what is squared to the rules of our proceedings one towards another in things Naturall or Civill And Secondly A false supposall that the end is promised and assured to any without or besides the use of meanes or walking according to the rules precepts and instructions given for that purpose or for Attainement of the end so promised Now what folly there is to charge men to use meanes for the attaining of an end when they are although Exhorted also Assured that in their so doing they shall attaine the end aimed at is yet under contest And may passe for the present with those other Ridiculous supposalls formerly mentioned But Mr Goodwin proceedes farther in the vindication of this Argument Sect. 38. §. 20. And whereas saith he they still plead or pretend rather that such admonitions as these lately specifyed may well stand with an unconditioned Promise of Perseverance we have formerly shewed that they are not able to make good this plea nor to give any reasonable account of it whereas they adde that their sence and opinion is not that t is a thing absolutely or every way impossible for true Believers to fall away totally or finally from their Faith but that they willingly grant that true Believers what through their owne weakenesse and what through the subtile baites and temptations of Sathan may so fall away I Answer But this is but a fig-leafe sought out to cover the nakednesse of their Opinion which hath no strength at all nor weight in it For what though it were in a thousand other respects never so possible for true Believers to perish yet if it be altogether impossible in such a respect which over rules all those others and which will of necessity must hinder the comming of it to passe all those other notwithstanding 't is to be judged simply and absolutely impossible and all those respects wereby t is pretended possible are not to be brought into account in such a case Ans. §. 21. Whether we are able to make good our plea concerning the consistency of Admonitions with the Promises of Perseverance Mr Goodwin is not the sole Judge Neither do either we or our plea stand or fall at his Arbitrement What hath been lately spoken for the reinforcement of that plea against his Exceptions he may if he please take time to consider Secondly For what is now added in this place as a part of that plea of ours as t is here proposed we owne not We doenot grant that true Believers may fall away on any account whatever totally and finally if the expression may fall away relate to the issue and event We say indeed that by the temptations of Sathan Believers may be prevailed against to the committing of many sins the root whereof is in themselves whilst the lust remaines in them which tempteth and insnareth them whereby God may be dishononred and their own Consciences wounded which is a sufficient ground and bottome for all the Admonitions that are given them to beware of his deceits to strengthen themselves against his assaults to be built upon though through the Grace Faithfulnesse of God and his goodwill manifested and secured unto them in his Covenant and Promises he can never totally prevaile against them We say moreover that 't is not from Believers themselves nor any thing in them nor frō any Faith that they have received that they cannot so fall finally away there being in them a pronenes to sin the seed of all sin still remaining yea a root of bitternes ready to spring up trouble them but from those outward principles of the Will Purposes Covenant Promises of God which we have formerly insisted on Farther that there is no need of granting any such possibility taking that terme as relating to the issue and event and not the internall principle of operation in men to manifest the Harmony that is between the Admonitions under consideration and the Promises we have insisted on it being sufficiently evinced on other considerations So that Mr Goodwins ensuing Discourse concerning Absolute Impossibility is not at all related to any thing that we have asserted Thirdly Neither yet doth the Reason by Mr Goodwin produced in any measure convince what he intends though we be not concerned therein He will not easily perswade us that that which is possible in any respect much lesse in many and impossible only in one is alwayes to be judged Simply and Absolutely impossible much lesse are we concerned in it who say that Simply and Absolutely the falling away of Believers is Possible namely as the terme possible relates to the principle of operation in them But in some respects only it is impossible that is not of it selfe but in respect of the externall prohibiting cause It was Absolutely and simply possible that the bones of our Saviour should have been broken in the nature of the thing it selfe impossible in respect of the decree of God So are a thousand things Absolutely possible in their owne nature as to the power of the causes whereby they might be produced but impossible in respect of some externall prohibiting cause Absolutely possible in respect of their proper cause and principle impossible in respect of the event upon the the account of some externall prohibiting cause as was shewed So 't is in the businesse in hand We assert not any possibility in respect of the event As though in the issue it might so come to passe that Believers should fall totally and finally from God which is the thing we oppose but it grant in respect of the causes of such apostacy with reference to the nature of the thing it selfe Though how the possibility might be reduced into act Mr Goodwin cannot declare As for the close of this Section concerning the Absolute Peremptory irresistible decrce of Perseverance which he ascribes to us as our assertion when he shall have convinced us of the Conditionall Non-peremptory reversible decree of God which he endeavours to introduce in the place thereof he may here more of us in the meane time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Section 39. §. 22. 40. he seekes to alleviate the instance commonly given of our Saviour Christ who
THE DOCTRINE OF THE SAINTS PERSEVERANCE Explained and Confirmed OR The certain Permanency of their 1. Acceptation with GOD 2. Sanctification from GOD. MANIFESTED PROVED FROM The 1. ETERNALL PRINCIPLES 2. EFFECTUALL CAUSES 3. EXTERNALL MEANES Thereof IN 1. The IMMUTABILITY of the 1. Nature 2. Decrees 3. Covenant and 4. Promises Of GOD. 2. The OBLATION and INTERCESSION Of JESUS CHRIST 3. The 1. Promises 2. Exhortations 3. Threats Of the GOSPELL Improved in its Genuine Tendency to Obedience and Consolation AND VINDICATED In a Full Answer to the Discourse of M r JOHN GOODWIN against it in his Book Entituled Redemption Redeemed With some DIGRESSIONS Concerning 1. The Immediate effects of the Death of Christ. 2. Personall Indwelling of the Spirit 3. Union with Christ. 4. Nature of Gospell promises c. ALSO A PREFACE Manifesting the Judgement of the Antients concerning the Truth contended for with a Discourse touching the Epistles of IGNATIUS The EPISCOPACY in them Asserted and some Animadversions on D r H H his Dissertations on that Subject By JOHN OWEN Servant of Jesus Christ in the Worke of the Gospell OXFORD Printed by LEON LICHFIELD Printer to the University for Tho. 〈◊〉 ANNO DOM 1654. TO HIS HIGHNESSE OLIVER LORD PROTECTOR OF THE COMMON-WEALTH OF England Scotland and Ireland with the Dominions thereof SIR THE Wise man tells us that no man knoweth Love or hatred by all that is before him The great variety wherein God dispenseth outward things in the World with the many changes and alterations which according to the counsell of his will he continually workes in the dispensations of them will not allow them nakedly in themselves to be evidences of the fountaine from whence they flow Seeing also that the want or abundance of them may equally by the Goodnesse and Wisdome of Cod be ordered and cast into an usefull subserviency to a Good infinitely transcending what is or may be contained in them there is no necessity that in the distribution of them God should walke according to any constant uniforme Law of procedure all the various alterations about them answering one eternall purpose for a determinate end Of Spirituall good things there is another Reason and Condition for as they are in themselves Fruits Evidences and Pledges of an Eternall unchangeable love so the want of them in their whole kind being not capable of a tendency to a greater Good than they are the Dispensation of them doth so farre answer the eternall spring and Fountaine from whence it floweth as in respect of its substance and being not to be obnoxious to any alteration This is that which in the ensuing Treatise is contended for In the middest of all the changes and mutations which the infinitely wise providence of God doth daily effect in the greater and lesser things of this World as to the communication of his love in Jesus Christ and the mercifull gratious distributions of the unsearcheable Riches of his Grace and the hid Treasures thereof purchased by his bloud he knows no repentance Of both these you have had full experience And though your concernement in the former hath been as eminent as that of any person whatever in these latter Ages of the World yet your Interest in and acquaintance with the latter is as of incomparable more importance in it selfe so answerably of more value and esteem unto you A sence of the excellency and sweetnesse of unchangeable love emplying it selfe in the Golden oyle of distinguishing spirituall Mercies is one letter of that new name which none can read but he that hath it The Series and Chaine of eminent providences whereby you have been carried on and protected in all the hazardous worke of your Generation which your God hath called you unto is evident to all Of your preservation by the power of God through Faith in a course of Gospell Obedience upon the account of the immutability of the Love and Infallibility of the Promises of God which are yea and Amen in Jesus Christ your own soule is only possessed with the experience Therein is that abiding joy that secret refreshment which the world cannot give That you and all the Saints of God may yet enjoy that Peace Consolation which is in believing that the eternall Love of God is immutable that he is faithfull in his Promises that his Covenant ratified in the death of his Sonne is unchangeable that the fruits of the purchase of Christ shall be certainly bestowed on all them for whom he died and that every one who is really interested in these things shall be kept unto salvation is the ayme of my present plea and Contest That I have taken upon me to present my weake endeavours in this cause of God to your Highnesse is so farre forth from my perswasion of your Interest in the Truth contended for and then which you have none so excellent or worthy that without it no other considerations whatever either of that Dignity and Power whereunto of God you are called nor of your peculiar regard to that Society of men whereof I am an unworthy Member nor any other personall Respects whatever could have prevailed with or emboldened me thereunto Sancta sanctis The things I treat of are such as sometimes none of the Princes of this World knew and as yet few of them are acquainted with Blessed are they who have their portion in them When the urgency of your High and important Affaires wherein so many Nations are concerned will lend you so much leasure as to take a view of what is here tendred the knowledge which you have of mee will deliver you from a Temptation of charging any weaknesse you may meet withall upon the Doctrine which I assert and maintaine And so that may ruune and be glorified whatever become of the nothing that I have done in the defence thereof I shall be abundantly satisfied That is the Sheild which being safe I can with contentment see these papers dye Unto your Highnesse I have not any thing more to adde nor for you greater thing to pray than that you may be established in the Assurance and sence of that unchangeable Love and free acceptance in Christ which I contend for and that therein you may be preserved to the Glory of God the Advancement of the Gospell and the Reall Advantage of these Nations Your Highnesse Most Humble And most Faithfull Servant IOHN OWEN THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY To the Right worshipful His Reverend learned and worthy freinds and Brethren the Heads and Governours of the Colledges and Halls in the University of OXFORD SIRS THe dedication of Bookes to the names of men worthy and of esteem in their generation takes sanctuary in so Catholick and Antient prescription that to use any defensative about my walking in the same path cannot but forfeit the loss of somewhat more then the paines that would be spent therein Now although in addresses of this kind men usually prevaile themselves of the occasion to deliver
Distinctions Yet the certaine accomplishment of them as they are ascribed unto God is here asserted by the Holy Ghost Were the confirmation of the matter of our present Discourse §. 9. my designe in hand I could farther confirme it by inlarging these ensuing Reasons 1. First from the Immutability of God the least questioning whereof falls foule on all the Perfections of the Divine Nature which requireth a correspondent affection of all the Internall and Eternall Acts of his Mind and Will 2. Secondly from his Soveraignty in making and executing all his Purposes which will not admit of any such mixture of Consults or Cooperations of others as should render his thoughts lyable to Alteration Rom. 11. 34 35 36. The Lord in his Purposes is considered as the great Former of all things who having his clay in the hand of his Almighty power ordaines every parcell to what kind of vessell and to what use he pleaseth hence the Apostle concludes the consideration of them and the distinguishing Grace flowing from them with that admiration 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oh the depth c. 3. Thirdly from their Eternity which exempts them from all shadow of change and lifts them up above all those sphears that either from within and their owne nature or from without by the impression of others are exposed to turning that which is Eternall is also Immutable Acts 15. 18. 1 Cor. 2. 11. 4. Fourthly from the Absolutenesse and Independency of his Will whereof they are the Acts and Emanations Rom. 9. 15 16 17 18 19 20. whatever hath any influence upon that as to Move it Cause it Change it must be Before it Above it Better then it as every cause is then its effect as such This Will of his as was said is the fountain of all beings to which free and independent Act all Creatures owe their being and subsistence their operations and manner thereof their whole difference from those Worlds of beings which his Power can produce but yet shall lye bound up to Eternity in their nothingnesse and possibility upon the account of his good Pleasure Into this doth our Saviour resolve the disposall of himselfe Math. 26. 42. and of all others Math 11. 25 26 27. certainly men in their wrangling Disputes and Contests about it have scarce seriously considered with whom they have to doe shall the thing formed say to him that formed it why hast thou made nice thus 5. Fiftly §. 10. from the Ingagement of his Omnipotency for the accomplishment of all his Purposes and Designes as is emphatically expressed Isa 14. 24 25 26 27. Surely the Lord of Hosts hath Sworne saying surely as I have thought so shall it come to passe and as I have purposed it shall stand that I will breake the Assyrian in my land This is the purpose of God that is purposed upon the whole Earth and this is the hand that is stretched out upon all the Nations for the Lord of Hosts hath purposed and who shall disanull it And his hand is stretched out and who shall turne it back The Lord doth not only Assert the certain Accomplishment of all his Purposes but also to prevent and obviate the Vnbeliefe of them who were concerned in their fulfilling he manifests upon what account it is that they shall certainly be brought to passe and that is by the stretching out of his hand or exalting of his mighty Power for the doeing of it so that if there be a fayling therein it must be through the shortnesse of that Hand of his so stretched out in that it could not reach the end aymed at A Worme will put forth its Strength for the fullfilling of that whereunto is is inclined and the Sonnes of men will draw out all their Power for the compassing of their designes if there be Wisdome in the laying of them and foresight of Emergencyes they alter not nor turne aside to the right hand or to the left in the pursuit of them And shall the Infinitely Wise Holy and Righteous thoughts and Designes of God not have his Power engaged for their accomplishment His Infinite Wisdome and Understanding are at the foundation of them they are the Counsells of his Will Ephes. 7. 11. who hath known his minde in them saith the Apostle and who hath been his Counsellour though no creature can see the paths wherein he walks nor apprehend the reason of the waies he is delighted in yet this he lets us know for the satisfying of our hearts and teaching of our inquiries that his owne Infinite Wisdome is in them all I cannot but feare sometimes that men have darkned counsell without knowledge in curious contests about the Decrees Purposes of God as though they were to be measured by our rule line and as though by searching we could find out the Almighty to Perfection But he is Wise in heart he that contendeth with him let him Instruct him Adde that this Wisdome in his Counsell is attended with infallible Prescience of all that will fall in by the way or in the course of the accomplishment of his Purposes and you will quickly see that there can be no possible intervenience upon the account whereof the Lord should not ingage his Almighty Power for their accomplishment He is of one minde and who can turne him he will worke and who shall let him 6. Sixtly by demonstrating the Vnreasonablnesse Folly and Impossibility of suspending the Acts and Purposes of the Will of God upon any actings of the Creatures whatsoever seeing it cannot be done without subjecting Eternity to time the first Cause to the second the Creator to the Creature the Lord to the Servant disturbing the whole order of Beings and Operations in the world 7. Seventhly by the removeall of all Possible or Imaginary Causes of Alteration and change which will all be resolved into impotency in one kind or other Every Alteration being confessedly an imperfection it cannot follow but from want and weaknesse Upon the Issue of which Discourse if it might be perused these Corollaries would insue 1. First Conditionall Promises and Threatnings are not declarative of Gods Purposes concerning Persons but of his Morall Approbation or Rejection of Things 2. Secondly There is a wide difference betweene the Change of what is Conditionally pronounced as to the things themselves and the change of what is Determinately willed the certainty of whose event is proportioned to the Immutable Acts of the Will of God it selfe 3. Thirdly That no Purpose of God is Conditionall though the things themselves concerning which his Purposes are are often times conditionalls one of another 4. Fourthly That conditionall Purposes concerning Perseverance are either Impossible implying contradictions or Ludicrous even to an unfitnes for a Stage But of these and such like as they occasionally fall in in the insuing Discourse This foundation being laid §. 11. I come to what was Secondly proposed namely to manifest by an Induction of particular Instances the ingagement
antecedently to all the Grace which he worketh in us whether the Spirit be bestowed on men on the account of Christ's undertaking for them none can question but they must withall deny him to be the Mediator of the new Covenant The Spirit of Grace is the principall Promise thereof Isa. 59. 20 21. We are blessed with all Spirituall Blessings in Christ Ephes. 1. 3. Surely the holy Spirit himselfe so often Promised to us of God is a Spirituall Blessing God's bestowing Faith on us is antecedent to our Believing this also is given upon the account of Christ. Phil. 1. 29. It is given to us on the behalfe of Christ to Believe on him If then God for Christs sake antecedently to any thing that is good that is not enmity to him that is not iniquity in men do bestow on them all that ever is good in them as to the root principle of it surely his quarrell against their sins is put to an Issue Thence Christ being said to make Reconciliation for the sins of the people Heb. 2. 17. God as one pacifyed and attoned thereupon is said to be in him reconciling the world unto himselfe 2 Cor. Eph. 2. 13 24 5. 19. And in the dispensation of the Gospell he is still set forth as one carrying on that peace whose foundation is laid in the blood of his Sonne by the Attonement of his Justice and we are said to accept or receive the Attonement Rom. 5. 10. We receive it by Faith it being accepted by him Thus his death and Oblation is said to be a Sacrifice of a sweet smelling savour Eph. 5. 2. that wherein God is abundantly delighted wherewith his soule is fully satisfyed so that as when he smelt a sweet savour from the Sacrifice of Noah Gen. 8. 21. he sware he would curse the Earth no more smelling this sweet savour of the Oblation of Christ on the account of them for whom it was Offered John 17. 19. he will not execute the Curse on them whereof they were guilty Rom. 5. 10. I might also insist on those Testimonies for the further proofe of the former Assertion Rom. 6. 6. where an immediate efficacy for the taking away of sinne 2 Cor. 5. 21. is ascribed to the death of Christ Eph. 5. 25. 26 But what hath been spoken may at present suffice Titus 2. 14. The Premises considered § 14. some Light may be brought forth to discover the various mistakes of men Heb. 9. 14. about the effects of the Death of Christ Heb. 10. 14. as to the taking away of sinne 1 Pet. 2. 24. if that were now the matter before us Some having truly fixed their thoughts on the efficacy of the death of Christ 1 Joh. 1. 7. for Abolition of sin Revel 1. 5 6 doe give their Lusts and darknesse leave to make wretched inferences thereupō as that therefore because we are so compleatly justified accepted before without our believing or the consideration of any thing what ever in us that therefore sinne is nothing nor at all to be accounted of And though they say we must not sinne that Grace may abound yet too many by wofull experience have discovered what such corrupt Conclusions have tended unto Others againe fixing themselves on the necessity of Obedience and the concurrence of actuall Faith to the compleating of justification in the soule of the sinner with a no lesse dangerous reflection upon the Truth do suspend the efficacy of the death of Christ upon our believing which gives life vigour virtue unto it as they say is the sole originally discriminating cause of all the benefits we receive thereby without the antecedent accomplishment of that condition in us or our Actuall believing it is not say they nor will be usefull yea that the intention of God is to bestow upon us the fruits and effects of the death of Christ upon condition we do Believe which that we shall is no part of his purchase and which we can of our selves performe say some of them others not Doubtlesse these things are not being rightly stated in the least inconsistent Christ may have his due and we bound to the performance of our duty which might be cleared by an enlargement of the ensuing Considerations 1. First That all good things that are spirituall whatsoever that are wrought either for men or in them are fruits of the death of Christ. They have nothing of themselves but nakednesse bloud and sinne guilt and impenitency so that it is of indispensable necessity that God should shew them favour antecedently to any Act of their Believing on him Faith is given for Christs sake as was observed 2. Secondly That all the Effects and Fruits of the death of Christ antecedent to our Believing are deposited in the hand of the Righteousnesse and Faithfulnesse of God 1 Tim. 2. 5 6. to whom as a ransome Heb. 2. 17. it was paid as an Attonement it was offered before whom as a price and purchase it was laid downe It is all left in the hands of Gods Faithfulnesse 2 Cor. 5. 18 19. Righteousnesse Mercy and Grace to be made out effectually to them 1 Cor. 6. 19 20. for whom he died in the appointed time or season So that 3. Thirdly The state or condition of those for whom Christ died is not actually and really changed by his death Eph. 2. 1 2 3 4 5. in its selfe but they lye under the curse whilest they are in the state of nature unregenerate and all effects of sinne whatever John 3. 36. That which is procured for them is left in the hand of the Father They are not in the least intrusted with it untill the Appointed time do come 4 Fourthly That Faith and Beliefe are necessary not to adde any thing to compleat the procurement of forgivenesse of sins any or all but only to the Actuall receiving of it when upon the account of the death of Christ it pleaseth God in the Promise of the Gospell to hold it out and impart it unto the soule thereby compleating Covenant-justification And thus the whole businesse of Salvation may be resolved into the mediation of Christ and yet men carried on under an orderly dispensation of Law and Gospell into the enjoyment of it Acts 13. 38 39. Of the whole these degrees are considerable 1 Gods eternall purpose of saving some Rom. 5. 10. in and by the mediation of Christ Joh. 3. 16 that mediation of Christ being interposed between the purpose of God Rom. 5. 7 8. and the accomplishment of the thing purposed 1 Joh. 4. 10. as the fruit and effect of the one Heb. 2. 17. 9. 14. the meritorious procuring cause of the other This Act of the Will of God Eph. 1. 4 5. 6 7 8 9. c. the Scripture knowes by no other name then that of Election or Predestination or the Purpose
whole Church be so farre from being saved to the ut most as utterly to be destroyed and consumed 2. Doubtlesse the Intercession of Christ §. 3. must answer the Representation of it which the Apostle so much insists on Heb. 7. 9. Of the Oblation of Christ there were many Types in the Aaronicall Priesthood of the Law Of his Intercession but one principally namely that solemne entrance of the high Priest with Blood and Incense into the Holyest of Holyes in the great Anniversary Sacrifice on the tenth day of the seventh month on the which day also the great Jubilee or Joyfull time of deliverance typifying our deliverance by Christ began Here unto is added the Priesthood of Melchisedec whereof there is mention neither of its beginning nor ending to secure us of the Continuance of our Mediator in the act of his Priesthood for ever Now the end of the high Priests so entring into this Holy place was to carry on the work of Expiation and Attonement to persection and compleat peace with God in the behalfe of them for whom he offered without And therefore the Holy Ghost saith that his entrance with Blood was to offer for himselfe and the Errours of the people Heb. 9. 7. It being but a continuation of his Oblation began without unto a compleat Attonement And therefore there is no reall difference between the efficacy of the death of Christ and that of his Intercession upon the actuall Accomplishment of it It being then the compleate taking away of the sinnes and Errours of the people as to the guilt of them and the Continuance of their peace with God which was intended by the high Priests entrance with blood into the Holyest of Holyes that which answers thereunto or the deliverance of Believers from the whole guilt of sinne and their preservation in the Love and Favour of God is the intendment of Christ in his Intercession Let the Effects and fruits of the Oblation of Christ be bounded and limited to the procuring of a new way of Salvation without purchasing for any one person whatever power and Grace to walke in that way and then exclude his Intercession from any influence into the preservation of them who do enter that way therein and perhaps indifferent men will scarce thinke the Glory and Honour of the Lord Jesus to be of any great regard with us 3. That this is the import of Christs Intercession for Believers §. 4. is evident by that preface which we have thereof John 17. being a manifest declaration on earth of that which Christ lives for ever in Heaven to do This was the Incense wherewith he entred into the Holy place which he now prepared and which was afterwards beaten small in his Agony that it might be ready to make a sweet perfume at his entrance into Heaven as he was sprinkled with his owne Blood That Christ Interceded and for his Elect for whom he dyed that they may believe our Adversaries deny but that he Intercedes for actuall Believers hath not hitherto been questioned What it is which he requests on their behalfe the tenor of that Power of his John 17. will manifest v. 11. saith he Holy Father keepe through thine owne name those whom thou hast given me that they may be one as we are keepe them from sinne and ruine every thing that will hinder them from union with me What is it that our Saviour here prayes for for whō is he so ingaged that it is for Believers as such for whom he puts up these supplications our Adversaryes in the cause in hand do contend That these may be kept through the Power of God unto Unity among themselves which they have by their Union with him is his dying request for them He prayes not for any such onenesse as is consistent with their separation from him and his Fathers Love Where now shall we fix the supposed failure those who effectually and eventually are kept up to Spirituall Union cannot fall out of nor fall of from totally nor finally the Love of God Either Christ is not heard in his request or the Father cannot keepe them by his Power if these thus interceeded for are not preserved Many Temptations many oppositions great Tribulations without strong Corruptions within they must needs meet withall these they have no power in themselves to overcome nor to resist Should they be left to themselves they would never be able to hold out to the end Saith Christ I should loose these poore Sheep for whom I have laid downe my life to bring them unto thee Holy Father do thou therefore keepe and preserve them from all these evills that they may not prevaile over thē And keep thē through thy Nam◠thy Power for we are kept through the Power of God unto Salvation let thy Power be exerted for their preservation And what is too strong for thy Power Who can take them out of thy hand Lay that upon them for their defence shew it out in their behalfe that all their enemies may feele the weight and strength thereof Keepe them through thy Name thy Grace let that be sufficient for them let them have such supplyes of Gospell Grace and pardoning Mercy concerning which I manifested thy Name unto them v. 6. and so revealed thee a Father that they may be incouraged to trust in that Name of thine and to stay themselves upon thee where the failure is doubtlesse is not easy to manifest In the verse following our Saviour addes many motives to make his Intercession prevalent in their behalfe First v. 12. he saith that according to that Commission that he had received he had faithfully preserved them whilst that he was in the world and now being ready to leave them as to his bodily presence he urges the speciall preservation of his Father as needfull that after all the Care and Cost which he had laid out about them they might not utterly perish And then Secondly v. 13. he urges the necessity that they should have some Assurance of it in the midst of all their troubles and tryalls that they may have Consolation upon their confidence in the words which Christ had spoken to them that they should be preserved through all difficulties unto the end And he farther urges Thirdly v. 14. from the certaine Opposition that they should meet withall the world hates them and will without doubt use all wayes and meanes possible for their ruine and destruction giving also the Reason why the world hateth them and will oppose them which is such an one as must needs ingage the Heart and Goodwill of God for their preservation to wit because they receive the Word of his deare Sonne and upon that account left the world separated from it and became its enemyes and shall they now be left to the rage and fury of the world in this condition That be farre from thee Holy Father keepe them Hereupon Fourthly v. 15. he reneweth his prayer in their behalfe
downe He hath undertaken to worke and who shall let him The Councell of his heart as to the fulfilling of it doth not depend on any thing in us what sinne thou art overtaken withall he will pardon and will effectually supply thee with his Spirit thatâ— thou shalt not fall into or continue in such sinnes as would cut off thy Communion with him And doth not this mixe the forementioned Promises with Faith and so render it effectuall to the carrying on of the worke of Love and Obedience as was mentioned And as this Doctrine is suited to the establishment of the soule in Believing and to the stirring of men up to mixe the the Promises with Faith so there is not any thing that is or canbe thought more effectuall to the weakening impairing and shattering of the Faith of the Saints then that which is contrary thereunto as shall afterwards be more fully manifested Tell a soule that God will write his Law in him and put his feare in his inward partes that he shall never depart from him what can ye pitch upon possibly to unsettle him as to a perswasion of the Accomplishment of this Promise and that it shall be so indeed as God hath spoken but only this according as thou behavest thy selfe which is left unto thee so shall this be made good or come short of accomplishment If thou continue to walke with God which that thou shalt do he doth not promise but upon Condition thou walke with him it shall be well and if thou turne aside which thou mayst do notwithstanding any thing here spoken or intimated then the word spoken shall be of none effect the Promise shall not be fulfilled towards thee I know not what the most malicious Devill in Hell if they have degrees of malice can invent more suitable to weaken the Faith of men as to the accomplishment of Gods Promise then by affirming that it doth not depend upon his Truth and Faithfulnesse but solely on their good behaviour which he doth not effectually provide that it shall be such as is required thereunto God himselfe hath long since determined this difference might he be attended unto What hath been spoken of the Promises of the first sort might also be manifested concerning those of the second And the like might also be cleared up in reference to those other weapons of Ministers warfare in casting downe the strong holds of sinne in the hearts of men to wit Exhortations and Threatnings But because Mr Goodwin hath taken great paines both in the generall to prove the unsuitablenesse of our Doctrine to the promotion of Obedience and an Holy Conversation and in particular its inconsistency with the Exhortations and Threatnings of the Word managed by the Ordinances of the Ministry What is needfull farther to be added to the purpose in hand will fall in with our vindication rescuing of the Truth from the false criminations wherewith it is assaulted and reproached as to this particular And therefore I shall immediately addresse myselfe to the Consideration of his long Indictment and charge against the Doctrine of the Perseverance of the Saints as to this very thing CAP. XI 1. The Entrance into an Answer to Mr G's Arguments against the Doctrine of the Saints Perseverance His sixt Argument about the usefulnesse of the Doctrine under consideration to the worke of the Ministry proposed 2. His prâ—ofe of the minor Proposition 3. Considered and Answered Many pretenders to promote Godlinesse by false Doctrines M. G.'s common interest in this Argument 4. His proofes of the usefulnesse of his Doctrine unto the promotion of Godlinesse 5. Considered and Answered The inconsequence of his Arguing discovered 6. The Doctrine by him opposed mistaken ignorantly or wilfully 7. Objections proposed by Mr G. to himselfe to be Answered 8. The Objection as proposed disowned Certainty of the Love of God in what sence a motive to Obedience 9. The Doctrine of Apostasy denies the unchangeablenesse of Gods Love to Believers placeth Qualifications in the Roome of persons 10. How the Doctrine of Perseverance promiseth the continuance of the Love of God to Believers 11. Certainty of Reward incouraging to regular Actions Promises made to Persons qualified not suspended upon those Qualifications Meanes appointed of God for the accomplishment of a determined end certaine 12. Meanes not alwaies conditions 13 M. G's strange inference concerning the Scripture 14. Considered The word of God by him undervalued and subjected to the judgement of vaine men as to its Truth and Authority 15. The pretended reason of the former proceeding discussed The Scripture the sole judge of what is to be ascribed to God and believed concerning him 16. The Doctrine of the Saints Perseverance falsely imposed on and vindicated 17. Mr G's next Objection made to himselfe against his Doctrine its unseasonablenesse as to the Argument in hand demonstrated 18. No Assurance of the Love of God not Peace left the Saints by the Doctrine of Apostasy The ground of Peace and Assurance by it taken away 19. Ground of Pauls Consolation 1 Cor. 9. 27. the meaning of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 20. Another Plea against the Doctrine attempted to be proved by M. G. That attempt considered Not the weaknesse of the Flesh naturally but the strength of Lust spiritually pretended 21. The cause of Sinne in the Saints farther discussed 22. The Power ascribed by M. G. to men for the strengthning and making willing the Spirit in them considered 23. The Aptnesse of the Saints to performe what and whence The opposition they have in them thereunto 24. Gospell Obedience how easy 25. The Conclusion 26. Answer to Chap. 13. of his Book proposed THE Argument §. 1. wherein Mr Goodwin exposeth the Doctrine under contest to the triall concerning its usefulnesse as to the promotion of Godlinesse in the hearts and wayes of them by whom it is received he thus proposeth Cap. 13. Sect. 32. Pag. 333. That Doctrine which is according to Godlinesse and whose naturall and proper tendencie is to promote Godlinesse in the hearts and lives of men is Evangelicall and of unquestionable comportance with the Truth such is the Doctrine which teacheth the possibility of the Saints declining both totally and finally Ergo Of this Argument he goeth about to establish the respective propositions §. 2. so as to make them serviceable to the enforcement of the Conclusion he aimeth at for the exaltation of the Helena whereon he is enamored and for the major Proposition about which rightly understood we are remote from contesting with him or any else and will willingly and cheerefully at any time drive the cause in difference to Issue upon the singular Testimony of the Truth wrapped up in it he thus conâ—irmeth it The Reason of the major Proposition though the truth of it needeth no light but its owne to be seen by is because the Gospell it selfe is a Doctrine which is according unto Godlinesse a ministry of Godlinesse is a Doctrine
degrees than the other may have a peculiar Act or method of perswading above the other That which is now undertaken to be proved is §. 24. That God doth not make use of Exhortations as meanes for the establishing of the Saints in believing and confirming their Perseverance This is that which by us is assigned unto them and this all that the Nature of them doth require that they should be used unto the certainty of the event whereunto they are applied depending not on their Nature as such meanes but on the purpose of God to use them for that end which he hath designed and promised to bring about and accomplish Before he ventures on any opposition to the intendment of this Assertion he phraseth it so as either to render it unintelligible to himselfe and others or if any thing be signified by the expressions he useth to divert it wholly from the mind of them and their sence with whom he hath to doe Who ever said that God by Exhortations doth influence the Wills of men upon such termes as to make them Infrustrably and necessitatingly willing to Persevere Or can he tell us what 's the meaning of those termes Infrustrably Necessitatingly willing to Persevere Though t is easy to guesse at what he here intends yet t is farre above my shallow capacity to reach the sence of these expressions How any of these termes relating to the event and issue of things and in what sence they may be used I have often shewed As relating either to the manner of Gods operation in and upon the Will or the Wills elicitation of its own act any farther then by relation to that Axiome Vnumquodque quod est dum est necesse est they expresse neither our sence nor any bodies else that I know That which I shall make bold to take up for M. Goodwins intendment is That God doth not by Exhortations effectually cause the Saints to Persevere To be willing to Persevere is to Persevere to be Necessitatingly willing is I know not what Now if such an efficacy be ascribed to Exhortations as teaches the certainty of the effect so that the certainty of the effect as to the event should be asserted to depend on them as such meanes this is nothing to us we ascribe an efficacy to them in proprio genere but the certainty of that event to whose production they concurre we affirme as hath been abundantly declared to depend on other causes But the proofe of what is here Asserted outrunnes for uncouth strangenesse §. 25. the Assertion it selfe equis albis as they say For saith he if this be so that is as you have heard above how neither he nor wee know then the same Act of the Will should be both Physicall and Morall And First Why so Because Physicall Morall meanes are used for the producing of it as though sundry causes of severall kinds might not concurre to produce one uniforme effect farre enough from a necessity of receiving so much as a Denomination from each of them In the concurrence of severall causes whereof some may be Free and Contingent others Naturall and Necessary the Effect Absolutely followes its next and immediate cause alone God causes the Sunne to shine freely yet is the shining of the Sunne a necessary Effect of the Sunne and not any way free or contingent God determined the peircing of Christs side and so as to the event made it necessary but yet was the doing of it in then that did it free as to the manner of its doing no way necessary But Secondly §. 26. suppose the same act of the will should be said to be both Physicall and Morall upon severall accounts And what if every Act of the will in and about things good or bad be so And it be utterly impossible it should be otherwise Yea But then the same Act should be specifically distinguished in and from it selfe Yea but who told you so The tearmes of Physicall and Morall as related to the Acts of the will are very farre from constituting different kinds or species of Acts being only severall Denominations of the same individuall acts upon severall regards and accounts The acts of the will as they flow from that Naturall faculty or are elicited thereby are all Physicall but as they relate to a Law whence they are good or evill they are Morall the one tearme expresseth their beeing the other their regularity and conformity to some Rule whereunto their Agents are obliged Quid dignum tanto If by Physicall and Morall Mr Goodwin intends Necessary and Free being the first that ever abused those words and in that abuse of them not consistent with himselfe affirming afterwards the act of a Ministers preaching as proceeding from his Abilityes of Understanding and speaking to be Physicall or Naturall which yet he will not averre to be Necessary but Free he should have told us so and then though we would not grant that the same Act may not in severall respects be both Necessary Free the latter in respect of the manner of its performanee and nature of its imediate cause the former in respect of the Event the determination of its first Causes yet its consequent is so palpably false as to the advancing of his former Assertion that t' would have been directly denyed without any farther trouble But he adds §. 27. It must needs be Physicall because it is produced by the Physicall working of the Spirit of God which being a Physicall Action cannot produce a Morall effect Ans. By Physicall Operation of God on and with the will we understand only that which is really and effectually so as different from that which is only Morall and by way of motive and perswasion Now this we say is twofold The first consisting in the Concourse of God as the first cause and Author of all Beeings to the producing of every entity such as the acts of the wills of men are this in such a way as is not only consistent with the Liberty of the VVill in all its Acts and Actings whatever but also as is the Foundation of all the Liberty that the will hath in its actings And in respect of this Influence of God the effect produced is only Phisicall or Naturall having such a being as is proper to it as also t is in respect of the will it selfe and its concurrence in operation The other is that which Mr Goodwin here calls The irresistible force or power of the Spirit destinguishing the efficacy of the Spirit and Grace of God in their working in us to will and to do producing those effects as they are good and Gracious in reference to their Rise End and Rule whereunto they are related This then is that which by Mr Goodwin is here asserted That if there be such an effectuall reall working of the Spirit and Grace of God in us to the producing of any act of the VVills of men they cannot be Morall
That is they cannot-have any goodnesse in them beyond that which is entitative And so farre are we now arrived All efficacious working of the Spirit of God on us must be excluded or all we do is good for nothing Away with all Promises all Prayers yea the whole Covenant of Grace they serve for no other end but to keepe us from doing good Let us heare the Scripture speake a little in this cause Deut. 30. 6. The Lord thy God will circumcise thy heart and the heart of thy seed to Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soule that thou maist live Jere. 31. 33. the 32. 39. This shall be the Covenant that I will make with the House of Israel after those dayes saith the Lord I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their Hearts and will be their God and they shall be my people Chap. 32. 39. I will give them one heart and one way that they may feare me for ever for the good of them and their Children after them Ezek. 36. 26. A new heart also will I give you and a new Spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and I will give you an heart of flesh and I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walke in my statutes and ye shall keepe my Judgements and do them Act. 16. 14. God opened the heart of Lydia that shee attended to the things spoken of Paul Phil. 1. 29. It is given to you in the behalfe of Christ not only to Believe on him but also to suffer for his sake and Chap. 2. 13. For it is God which worke the in you both to will and to do of his owne good pleasure as also Ephs. 1. 19. That ye may know what is the exceeding greatnesse of his power to us ward who Believe according to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead and 2 Thess. 1. 11. We pray alwayes for you that our God would fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodnesse the worke of Faith with power So also in 2 Cor. 5. 17. If any man be in Christ he is a new Creature for Ephes. 2. 4 5. God who is rich in Mercy for his great Love wherewith he Loved us even when we were dead in sinnes hath quickned us together with Christ Causing us Chap 4. 24. to put on that new man which after God is Created in Righteousnesse and true Holinesse with the like Assertions John 3. 3 James 1. 18. 1 Pet. 1. 23. John 5. 21. 2 Cor. 3. 5. c What may be thought of these and the like expressions §. 28. Do they hold out any reall effectuall internall Worke of the Spirit and Grace of God distinct from Morall perswasions or do they not If they do how comes any thing so wrought in us by us to be Morally good If they do not we may bid farewell unto all Renewing Regenerating Assisting Effectuall Grace of God That God then by his Spirit and Grace cannot enable us to act Morally and according to a Rule is not yet proved VVhat followes Saith he So farre as Exhortatious are meanes to produce these Acts §. 29. they must be Morall for Morall causes are not capable of producing Naturall or Physicall effects But if Mr Goodwin think that in this Controversy Physicall and Necessary as applyed to effects are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he is heavenly wide Physicall denotes only their being Necessary a manner of being as to some of them which have Physically a beeing The tearme Naturall is ambiguous and sometimes used in the one sence sometimes in the other sometimes it denotes that which is only sometimes that which is in such a kind By a Physicall effect we understand an Effect with respect to t is reall existency as by a Morall effect an effect in respect of its Regularity And now why may not a Morall cause have an influence in its owne kind to the production of a Physicall effect I meane an influence suited to its owne Nature and manner of operation by the way of motive and perswasion What would you think of him that should perswade you to lift your hand above your head to try how high you could reach or whether your Arme were not out of joynt Secondly §. 30. It hath been sufficiently shewed before that with these Exhortations which worke as appointed meanes Morally God exerteth an effectuall power for the reall production of that wherento the Exhortation tends dealing thus with our whole soules suitably to the Nature of all their faculties as every one of them is fitted and suited to be wrought upon for the accomplishment of the End he aimes at and in the manner that he intends Briefely to every Act of the VVill as an act in genere entis there is required a really operative and Physicall concurence of the Providentiall power of God in its owne order as the first Cause To every Act as good or gracious the operative concurrence and influence of the Spirit of Grace which yet hinders not but that by Exhortations men may be provoked and stirred up to the performance of Acts as such and to the performance of them as good and gracious This being not the direct Controversy in hand §. 31. I do but touch upon it Concerning that which followes I should perhaps say we have found Anguem in herba but being so toothlesse and stinglesse as it is to any that in the least attend to it it may be only tearmed the padde in the straw Physicall and Morall are taken to be tearmes it seemes Equipollent to Necessary and Not-necessary which is such a wresting of the tearmes themselves and their knowne use as men shall not likely meet withall Hence is it that Acts Physicall and Necessary are the same Every Act of the most free agent under Heaven yea in Heaven or Earth is in its owne Nature and Being Physicall Acts also are Morall i. e. good or evill consequently in order of Nature to their existence of which Necessary or Not-necessary are the Adjunct manner in reference to the Rule or Law whereunto their conformity is required How Morall and Not-necessary come to be tearmes of the same import Mr Goodwin will declare perhaps heareafter when he shall have leisure to teach as much new Philosophy as he hath already done Divinity In the meane time we deny that any influence from God on the wills of men doth make any Act of them Necessary as to the manner of its production And so this first Argument for the Inconsistency of the use of Exhortations with the reall efficiency of the Grace and Spirit of God is concluded That which followes in this Section to the end §. 32. is a pretended Answer to an Objection of our Authors owne framing being only introduced to give farther Advantage to
the consideration of what hath been from a like disposition of Causes to an Answerablenesse of Events What Mr Goodwin hath to plead in this Case he insists on §. 4. Chap. 9. Sect. 24 25 26 27. Pag. 167 168 169 170 171 172. The summe and aime of his Discourse is to Apologize for his Doctrine against sundry Objections which in the Observations of men it is lyable and obnoxious unto Now these are such as whatever the Issue of their Consideration prove doubtlesse it can be of no Advantage unto his Cause that his Doctrine is so readily exposed to them The first of these is §. 5. that the Doctrine he Opposeth and in Opposition whereunto that is set up which he so industriously asserts hath generally been received and imbraced by men eminent in Piety and Godlinesse famous on that account in their Generations with the generality of the People of God with them And this is attended with that which naturally insues thereon viz. The Scandalousnesse of the most of them yea of them all of this Nation is it spoken who have formerly asserted the Doctrine which Mr Goodwin hath lately espoused Whereunto in the third place an Observation is subjoyned of the Ordinary defection of men to loose and unsavory practises after they have once drunke in the principles of that opinion which he now so industriously mixeth and tempereth for them It is usually said there is no smoake but where there is some fire It would be strange if such Observations as these should be readily and generally made by men concerning the Doctrine under Contest unlesse there were some evident occasion Administred by it thereuto And I must needs say that if they prove True and hold under Examination they will become as urging a prejudice as can lightly be laid against any cause in Religion whatsoever The Gospell being a Doctrine according unto Godlinesse severall perswasions pretending to be parts and portions thereof if one shall be found to be the constant Faith and profession of those who also have the life and power of Godlinesse in them the other to be maintained by evill men aud seducers who upon their receiving it doe also wax worse and worse it is no small advantage to the first in its plea for admittance to the right and title of a truth of the Gospell To Evade this charge Mr Goodwin premises this in Generall §. 6. The experience Asserted in the Objection is not so unquestionable in point of Truth But that if the Asserters were put home upon the proofe they would I seare doubtlesse he rather hopes it accompt more in presumption than in reasonablenes of Argument For if Persons of the one judgement of the other were duly compared together I verily believe there would be found every whit as full a proportion of men truly Conscientious and Religious amongst those whose judgements stand and have stood for a possibility of falling away As on the other side but through a foolish and unsavoury kind of partiality we are apt on all hands according to the Proverb to account our own Geese for Swannes and other mens Swannes Geese Certaine I am that if the writings of men of the one judgement and of the other be compared together and an estimate made from thence of the Religion Worth and Holinesse of the Authors respectively Those who oppose the common Doctrine of Perseverance doe account it no Robbery to make themselves every way equall in this honour with their opposers The truth is If it be lawfull for me to utter what I really apprehend and judge in the case I doe not find that spirit of holinesse to breath with that Authority height or Excellency of power in the writings of the latter which I am very sensible of in the writings of the former These call for Righteousnesse Holinesse and all manner of Christian conversation with every whit as high a hand as the other and adde nothing to check obstruct or infeeble the Authority of their demands in this kind when as the other though they before many times in their exhortations and conjurements unto holinesse yet other while render both these and themselves in them contemptible by avouching such principles which cut the very sinews and strength of such their exhortations and fully ballance all the weight of those motives by which they seek to bind them upon the Consciences of men And for men truly holy and Conscientious doubtlesse the Primitive Christians for three hundred years together and upwards next after the times of the Apostles will fully ballance with an abundant surplusage both for numbers and truth of Godlinesse All those in the Reformed Churches who since Calvins daies have adhered to the common Doctrine of Perseverance And that the Churches of Christ more generally during the said space of three hundred years and more held a possibility of a totall and finall defection even in true and soun◠Believers is so cleare from the Records yet extant of those times that it cannot be denied Ans. To let passe M. Goodwins Proverb with its Applycation it being very facile to returne it to its Author there being nothing in the World by him proposed to induce us to such an estimation of his associates in the work of teaching the Doctrine of the Saints Apostasy and their labours therein or any other undertaking of theirs as he labours to beget in guilding over their Worth and Writings but only his own judgment an overweening of their Geese for Swans Let us see what is offered by him to evince the Experience Asserted not to be so unquestionable as is pretended He offers First his own Affirmation That if an estimate may be made of mens Worth and Holinesse by their writings Those who oppose the Doctrine of the Saints Perseverance will be found in the promotion of Holinesse and the practice of it to out goe their Adversaries Their writings he tells us breath forth a spirit of holinesse such as he cannot find in the writings of others But first for this you have only M. Goodwins naked single Testimony And that opposed to the common experience of the people of God What weight this is like to beare with men the event will shew It is a hard thing for one man upon his bare word to undertake to perswade a multitude that what their eyes see and their eares heare is not so M. Goodwin had need have Pythagorean Disciples for the imbracing of these dictates of his The experience of Thousands is placed to confirme the observation insisted on saith M. Goodwin It is not so they are in my judgement all deceived But Secondly § 7. who are they in whose writings Mr Goodwin hath found such a Spirit of Holinesse breathing with Authority as is not to be found out nor perceived in the writings of them that assert the Doctrine of the Perseverance of the Saints Calvin Zanchius Beza c. and to confine our selves home Reynolds Whitaker Perkins Greenham
profes the promotion of those principles so that they are mutuall producers or advantagers one of another This is all at present that was aimed at in the charge upon Mr Goodwin's Doctrine which he undertakes to wave It was generally embraced at its first broaching in our world by men only of a loose scandalous Conversation supersticious in their wayes of worship and enimies of the power of Godlinesse which being confessed for the Argument from thence valeat quantum valere potest But M. Goodwin giveth us two Reasons §. 18. why this Doctrine of his was so gladly received and zealously asserted by that Generation of men The first which he telleth you is plaine and easy to be given in is this Being professed enemies to the most Religious and Zealous Preachers and Ministers of the I and with their adherents whom they termed Puritans whom they both hated and feared as a generation of men by whom rather than any other they apprehended themselves in danger of being dethroned Nec eos fefellit Opinio Vpon this ground they judged it a very materiall point of their interest to oppose and keepe vnder this faction as they termed them In order thereunto they studied and cast about how to weaken their intrest and repute with the generality of the people or at least with all those that were intelligent and in that respect considerable to this end wisely considering that nothing was like to prejudice them more in their esteeme with most men than to detect them of errour and unsoundnesse in their Doctrine and perceiving withall as with halfe an eye they might being so fully disengaged as they were from all high thoughts of those that held them that they were not in any Doctrine besides which they were generally knowne to hold and teach more obnoxious to such a detection than in those which they held taught in opposition to the Remonstrants hereupon they politickly fell to professe and teach Remonstrantisme that so they might have the more frequent occasion and opportunity to lay open the Puritan Doctrine before the people and to shew the inconsistency of it with the Scriptures as also with many of the most manifest principles as well of Reason as Religion besides Ans. That this is a most vaine and groundlesse conjecture §. 19. I presume any one that will but cast back his thoughts upon the posture of Affaires during the reigne of that Generation of men and a little consider the wayes and meanes whereby they were through the righteous Hand of God reduced to that condition and state wherein they now are will quickly determine The truth is they were so far from advantaging themselves against their Adversaryes and prevailing upon them in the esteeme of the most rationall and knowing men in the Nation by their entertaining the Arminian Doctrine that utterly on the other side they dishonoured their cause of Ceremonys discipline conformity which with succes they had so long carryed on with the Generality of the Nation exposed themselves to the power of the people of the Land in Parliament frō whence as to all other differences they were sheltered by an appearance of Legall Constitutions so that after some forward Person of that faction the most contemptible indeed as to any reall worth one or two individualls only excepted of the whole tribe had upon the grounds forementioned taken up made profession of the Opinions and Doctrine we are speaking of they fell daily before their Adversaries as to the esteeme of all or at least the greatest part of those who cordially throughly adhered to them as to the discipline and Worship then established Certainely the Prelaticall party themselves will not say they prevailed on that hand as to any ends and purposes for the establishment of their interest or making good their ground against their opposers Nay the most sober and Learned of that sort of men do to this day ascribe in no small measure the downefall of the whole fabricke whereof they were parts and members to the precipitating rashnesse and folly of some few in advancing and pressing the Arminian errours that they themselves were given up unto As for the zealous and Godly Ministers of the Nation usually termed Puritans who are here acknowledged by Mr Goodwin to have all generally opposed the Doctrine he striveth to build up though they had in many Parliaments wherein the most intelligent and rationall men of the Nation are usually convened made by their friends sundry attempts for their reliefe against the Persecutions of the other as is evidenced by their Peritians and Addresses still on Record yet were never able to attaine the least redresse of their grievances nor to get one step of ground against their Adversaries untill the Advantage of their Arminianisme was administred unto them on which by severall degrees they prevailed themselves in the issue to the utter breaking of the Yoke of their Taske-masters It is true He who takes the crafty in their owne imaginations and mixeth the councell of the Wise with madnesse and folly causing them to erre in their wayes as a drunken man in his vomit doth oftentimes turne the devices of men upon their owne heads and make those things subservient to their ruine which they fixed upon as the most expedient mediums for their establishment and continuance such perhaps was the case with them in their Canonicall Oath attempted to be imposed in one of their last Convocations But that the taking up and asserting of the Arminian Doctrine was a designe of that party of men to get upon the Judgements Affections of the people and to expose the Puritanicall Preachers to their contempt and reproach is an imaginatiō that cannot likely fall upon any one who had his eyes open in the dayes wherein those things were publikely acted on the stage of this Nation For that insinuation in the close of Mr Goodwin's Discourse concerning the Advantages given that sort of men by the inconsistency of the Doctrine of the Puritans which they opposed with the Principles of Religion and Reason I shall only say that it being once more through the Providence of God called forth to a publicke debate it neither standeth nor falleth to the Judgement of any single man muchlesse of one who is professedly ingaged in an opposition thereunto Another Reason of the same evidence with the former §. 20. is tendred in these words It is generally known that the Cathedrall generation of men throughout Christendome were generally great admirers of the old Learning as some call it I meane the Writing and Tenents of the Fathers and of Austine more especially and that they frequently made Shield and Buckler of their Authority to defend themselves against the Pens and Opinions of later Writers whom their manner was according to the exigency of their interest at least as they conceived to slight and vilify in comparison of the other Now the judgments of the Fathers more generally and of
from Heaven of the will of God of God As to its principle to be not of flesh or bloud or of the will of man or of any thing done by us but of the seed of God incorruptible seed seed that abideth in respect of its duration to be eternall and that it may so be to be safeguarded being hid in God with Christ. In this place Receiving this Life from God is placed as the cause and cannot sinne as the effect He cannot sinne for or because he is borne of God The connexion that is between this cause and effect or wherein the causality of Being borne of God to a not sinning doth consist needs not be inquired into That it hath such a causality the holy Ghost hath asserted and our Argument resteth thereon If that be the nature of Regeneration or being borne of God that it doth exclude Apostacy then he that is Regenerate or borne of God as every Believer is cannot so sinne as to Apostatize or fall totally from God But that such is the nature of Regeneration whereby any one is borne of God the holy Ghost here declareth For he denyeth Apostacy upon the account of Regeneration He cannot sinne because he is borne of God which is that which we intended to demonstrate from this text of Scripture To evade the force of this Argument §. 69. M. Goodwin as hath been declared undertaketh to give an Exposition of this place of Scripture turning every stone and labouring to wrest every word in it The severall significations of the words in other places are set out and suppositions made of taking them this way or that way but in what sence the scope of the matter treated on the most usuall known common acceptations call for their Vse in this place nothing is spoken neither is any cleare Answer once attempted to be given to the words of the Text speaking out and home to the conclusion we intend or to the Argument thence deduced What I can gather up from Sect. 31. and forwards that may obstruct the thoughts of any in closing with the Interpretation given I shall consider and remove out of the way 1. Then he giveth you this Interpretation of these words sineth not or cannot sinne Every one that hath been borne of God sinneth not i. e. Whosoever hath by the Word and Spirit of God been made partaker of the Divine nature so as to resemble God in the frame and constitution of his heart and soule doth not under such a frame or change of heart as this make a trade or practice of sinning or walking in any course of inordinatenesse in the world Yea saith he in the latter Proposition every such person doth not only or simply refraine sinning in such a sence but he cannot sin i. e. He hath a strong and potent disposition in him which carryeth him an other way for he hath a strong Antipathy or aversenesse of heart and soule against all sinne especially all such kind of sinning Ans. 1. What is meant by being borne of God the way whereby any come so to be the Vniversality of the expression requiring a necessary cause of its verity with the like attendencies of the Proposition have been before declared 2. What M. Goodwin intendeth by such a frame and constitution of spirit and soule as may resemble God with his deniall of the bestowing on us from God a vitall principle of Grace wherein the Renovation in us of his image should consist hath in part also been already discovered will yet farther be so in our consideration of his rare notion of Regeneration its consisting in a mans returnall to the innocent and harmelesse estate wherein he was borne 3. That sinneth not is sinneth not that sinne or so sinneth not as to break his Relation to God as a child hath been already also manifested and the Reader is not to be burthened with Repetition 4. In the interpretation given of the latter phrase he cannot sinne I cannot so sinne against the light of the Text as to joyne with M. Goodwin in it It is not the Antipathie of his heart to sinne but the Course of his walking with God in respect of sinne that the Apostle treateth on His internall principaling against sinne he hath from being borne of God and the abiding of his seed in him of which this that he cannot sinne is asserted as the effect He cannot sinne that is he cannot so sinne upon the account of his being borne of God Thence indeed he hath not only a potent disposition another way and Antipathie to evill but a vitall principle with an everlasting enmity and repugnancy to and inconsistency with any such sin or sinning as is intimated and that he cannot sinne is the consequent and effect thereof and is so affirmed to be by the Holy Ghost Nextly §. 70. M. Goodwin giveth you the Reason of this Assertion used by the Apostle why such an one as of whom he speaketh sinneth not and cannot sinne Now the Reason saith the Apostle why such a person committeth not sinne in the sence explained is because his seed the seed of God by whom of which he was borne of him remaineth in him i. e. is or hath an actuall and present being or residence in him and that in this place it doth not signify any perpetuall abiding or any abiding in relation to the future is evident because the abiding of the seed here spoken of is given as the Reason why he that is borne of God doth not commit sinne i. e. doth not frequently walke in any course of known sinne now nothing in respect of any future permanency or continuance of being can be looked upon as the cause of an effect but only in respect of the present being or residence of it The Reason why the soule moveth to day is not because it will move or act the body to morrow or because it is in the body to day upon such termes that it will be in it to morrow also much lesse because it is an immortall substance but simply because it is now or this day in the body So the Reason why Angels at this day do the will of God is not because they have such a principle of holinesse or Obedience in them which they cannot put off or loose to eternity but because of such a principle as we speake of residing in them at present therefore when John assigneth the remaining of the seed of God in him that is borne of him for the reason why he doth not commit sinne certaine it is that by this remaining of the seed he meaneth nothing else but the present residence or abode thereof in this Person and if his intent had been either to assert or imply a perpetuall residence of this seed in him that is borne of God it had been much more proper for him to have saved it for a reason of the latter proposition he that is borne of God cannot sinne then to have subjoyned it
guidance of their judgement in the receiving or rejecting of them On the account of its destructivenesse to Godlinesse and obedience do the Socinians reject the Satisfaction and merit of Christ and on the account of conducingnesse thereunto do the Papists assert and build up the Doctrines of their owne merits Penance Satisfaction and the like On that principle did they seeme to be acted who pressed Legall Judaicall suppositions with a shew of wisdome or will worship and humility and neglecting the body Col. 2. 23. Neither did they faile of their plea concerning promotion of Godlinesse in the Worship of God who reviled rejected and persecuted the Ordinances of Christ in this Generation to set up their own Abominations in the Roome Yea it is generally the first word wherewith every Abomination opens its mouth in the world though the men of those Abominations do rather suppose this pretence of Godlinesse to be serviceable for the promotion of their opinions than their opinions any way really usefull to the promotiō of godlines Neither need we go far to enquire after the Reasons of mens miscarriages pretending to judge of Truth according to this Rule seeing they ly at hand are exposed to the view of all for besides that very many of the pretenders to this plea may be justly suspected to be men of corrupt minds dealing falsely treacherously with their own soules the truth the pretence of furthering Holinesse being one of the cunning sleights wherewith they ly in wait to deceive which may justly be suspected of them who together with this plea and whilst they make it are apparently themselves loose and remote from the power of a Gospell conversation as the case hath been with not a few of the most eminent assertors of Arminianisme How few are there in the world who have indeed a true notion and Apprehension of the nature of Holinesse in its whole compasse and extent as in the Fountaine Causes Rise and Use and end thereof And if men know not indeed what holinesse is how shall they judge what Doctrine or Opinion is conducing to the furtherance thereof or is obstructive to it Give me a man who is perswaded that he hath power in himselfe being by the discovery of a Rule directed thereinto to yeild that obedience to God which he doth require who supposeth that threats of hell destructiō are the greatest most powerfull effectuall motive unto that obedience that the Spirit Grace of God to worke create a new heart in him as a suitable principle of all holly actings are not purchased nor procured for him by the Bloud of Christ nor is there any holinesse wrought in him by the Almighty efficacy of that Spirit and Grace he having a sufficiency in himselfe for those things that there is not a reall Physicall concurrence of the Grace of God for the production of every good act whatever and that he is Justifyed upon the account of any act or part of his Obedience or the whole and I shall not be much moved or shaken with the Judgement of that man concerning the serviceablenesse suitablenesse of any Doctrine or Doctrines to the furtherance of Godlinesse and Holinesse There are also many different opinions about the nature of Godlinesse what it is and wherein it doth consist I desire to be informed how a man may be directed in his Examination of those opinions supposing him in a streight and exigency of thoughts between them in considering which of them is best suited to the promotion of Godlinesse I do not intend in the least to derogate from the certaine and undoubted truth of what was premised at the beginning of this Discourse viz. That every Gospell Rule whatever is certainly conducing to the furtherance of Gospell Obedience in them that receive it in the Love and power thereof Every errour being in its utmost Activity especially in corrupting the principles of it obstructive thereunto much les do we in any measure decline the tryall of the Doctrine which I assert in opposition to the Apostacy of the Saints by this touch-stone of its usefulnesse to Holinesse having formerly manifested its eminent Activity and efficacy in that service and the utter aversenesse of its corrivall to lend any assistance thereunto But yet I say in an inquiry after and dijudication of truth whatever I have been or may be streightned between different perswasions I have and shall rather close in the practice of Holinesse in prayer Faith and waiting upon God to search the Scripture to attend wholly to that Rule having plentifull promises for guidance and direction than to weigh in any Rationall consideration of my owue what is conducing to Holinesse what not especially in many truths which have their usefullnesse in this service as is the case of most Gospell Ordinances and institutions of Worship not from the connexion of things but the meere will of the appointer Of those Doctrines I confesse which following on to know the Lord we know from his Word to be from him and in which doing the will of Christ are revealed to us to be his will a peculiar valuation is to be set on the head of them which appeare to be peculiarly and eminently serviceable to the promotion and furthering our Obedience as also that all opinions what ever that are in the least seducers from the power truth and Spirituality of obedience are not of God are eo nomine to be rejected yet having a more sure rule to attend unto I dare not make my apprehensions concerning the tendency of Doctrines any Rule if God hath not so spoken of them for the judging of their truth or false-hood if my thoughts are not shut up and determined by the power of the Word The next proposall made by M. Goodwin §. 7. is of the advantages he hath to judge of Truths which he hath done unto plenary satisfaction according to the Rule now considered The first thing he offereth to induce us to close with him in his judgement of Opinions is the knowledge he hath of the generall course of the Scripture what is intended by the generall course of the Scripture well I know not so am not able to judg of M. Goodwins knowledge thereof by any thing exposed to publique view If by the generall course of the Scriptures the matter of them is intended the importance of the expression seems to be coincident with the Analogy or proportion of Faith a safe rule of Prophesy but what ever M. Goodwins knowledge may be of this I am not perfectly satisfied that he hath kept close unto it in many Doctrines of his Book entituled Redemption Redeemed and so the weight of his skill in judging of truths on this foundation will not ballance what I have to lay against it for the inducement of other thoughts than those of closeing with him The course of the Scripture cannot import the manner of the expressions therein used in that there
from any Love of God whether it be from the common Love of God to man as men and if so why are not all men endowed with those qualifications If from his peculiar Love how come they to be the effects and causes of the same thing Or whether indeed this assertion be not destructive to the whole Covenant of Grace and the effectuall dispensations of it in the bloud of Christ And to his second Testimony I shall adde no more The third place insisted on is that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 9. 27. Hence he thus argueth §. 21. If Paul after his conversion unto Christ was in a possibility of being or becoming a Reprobate or cast away then may true Believers fall away both totally and finally for finally ever includes totally But the Antecedent is true Paul after his conversion was in the possibility mentioned ergo the Major Proposition I presume will passe without controle Ans. That Mr Goodwin is not able to make good eitheir of the Propositions in this syllogisme will evidently appeare in the conclusion of our examination of what he drawes forth new and old to that purpose of the Major he gives you only this account It will passe I presume with out controulc but by his favour unlesse cleared from ambiguity of expressions and fallacy it is not like to obtaine so faire a passage as is presumed and fancyed Though the terme of possibility in the supposition and may be in the inference seeme to be equipollent yet to render them of the same significancy as to the Argument in hand they must both be used in the same respect but if a possibility of being a reprobate that is one rejected of God by a metonymy of the effect be ascribed to Paul in respect of himselfe and the infirmity of his owne will as to abiding with God in which case alone there is any appearance of truth in the Assumption of this supposition and the terme of may be in respect of Believers falling totally finally away respects the event purpose decrees or Promise of God concerning it in which sence alone it is any step to the purpose in hand I deny the inference and thereby at the very entrance give checke and controule to Mr Goodwin's procedure That which is possible to come to passe that terme possible affecting the end or comming to passe must be every way and in all respects possible this is the intendment of the inference That which is possible in respect of some certaine causes or principles the termes of possibility affecting the thing it selfe whereof it is spoken in its next causes may be impossible on another account in this sence only is there any colour of truth contained in the supposition so that the Major Proposition of this Syllogisme is laid up and secured for doing any farther service in this case The Minor is §. 22. But Paul after his conversion was in a possibility of becoming a Reprobate or cast-away Ans. He was not in respect of the event upon the account of the purpose and promises of God of him and to him made in Christ though any such possibility may be affirmed of him in respect of himselfe and his own will not confirmed in Grace unto an impossibility of swerving Now this Proposition he thus farther attempts syllogistically to confirme That which Paul was very sollicitous industrious to prevent he was in a possibility of suffering or being made But Paul was very sollicitous and industrious to prevent his being made a cast-way as the Scripture in hand plainely avoucheth he kept under his body and brought it in subjection in order to prevent his becoming a cast-away Ergo He was in danger or possibility of being made a cast-away The reason of the consequence in the Major Proposition is because no man of understanding will be sollicitous to prevent or hinder the coming to passe of such a thing the comming to passe whereof he knowes to be impossible Ans. Once more The major is questioned Paul might and ought to labour in the use of meanes for the preventing of that which in respect of himselfe he might possibly run into God having appointed those meanes to be used for the prevention of the end feared and avoided although in respect of some other preventing cause it was impossible he should so do He who complained that in him that is in his flesh dwelleth no good that he had a law in his members leading him captive to the Law of sinne and sinne working in him all manner of concupisence for whose prevention from running out into a course of sinning God hath appointed meanes to be used might use those meanes for that end notwithstanding that God had immutably Purposed and Faithfully Promised that in the use of those meanes he should attaine the end aymed at And the Reason Mr Goodwin gives for the confirmation of the consequence is no other but that which we have so often exploded viz. That a man need not ought not to use meanes for attaining of any end though appointed and instituted of God for that end and purpose if so be the end for which they are ordained shall certainely and infallibly be compassed and accomplished by them Our Saviour Christ thought meet to use the ordinary wayes for the preservation of his life notwithstanding the Promise of keeping him by the Angels and Hezechiah neglected not the meanes of Life notwithstanding the infallible promise of Living so long which he had received Paul was carefull in the use of meanes to prevent that which inhimselfe it was possible for him to runne into though he had or might have assurance that through the faithfulnesse and power of God in the use of those meanes as an antecedent of the consequent though not the conditions of the event he should be preserved certainely and infallibly from what he was so in himselfe apt unto So that whatever be the peculiar intendment of the Apostle in this place taking the terme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the largest sence possible and in a significancy of the greatest compasse yet nothing will regularly be inferred thence to the least prejudice of the Doctrine I have undertaken to maintaine And this may suffice as to the utmost of what Mr Goodwins Argument from this place doth reach unto §. 23. There is another and that a more proper sence of the place and accommodated to the context and scope of the Apostle wherewith the Doctrine indeavoured to be confirmed from hence hath not the least pretence of communication And this ariseth as was before manifested from the scope of the place with the proper native signification of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here translated a cast-away The businesse that the Apostle hath in hand from v. 15. of the chapter and which he presses to the end is a relation of his own principles wayes and deportment in the great worke of the preaching of the Gospell to him committed in the