ensuing Treatise and dismisse the Reader from any further Attendance in the Porch or entrance thereof The Title of the book speakes of the Aime and Method of it the Confutation of Mr. Goodwin was but secundarily in my eye and the best way for that I judged to consist in a full Scriptural Confirmation of the Truth he opposed That I cheifly intended and therein I hope the pious Reader may through the Grace of God meet with satisfaction In my undertaking to affirme the Truth of what I assert the Thing it selfe first and then the manifestation of it was in my Consideration for the thing it selfe my arguing hath been to discover the Nature of it it's principles and causes it 's relation to the Good will of the Father the mediations of the Son and dispensation of the Holy Ghost to the Saints thereupon it 's use and tendency in and unto that fellowship with the Father and the Son whereunto we are called and admitted As to the manner of it's Revelation the proper seates of it in the Book of God the occasion of the Delivery thereof in several seasons the Significant Expressions wherein it is set forth and the receiving of it by them to whom it was revealed have been diligently remarked In those parts of the Discourse which tend to the vindication of the Arguments from Scripture whereby the Truth pleaded for is confirmed of the usefulness of the thing it selfe contended about c. I have been I hope Careful to keep my Discourse from degenerating into Jangling and strife of words the usual Issue of Polemical writings being not altogether Ignorant of the devices of Satan and the usual carnal Attendencies of such proceedings The weight of the Truth in hand The Common interest of all the Saints in their walking with God therein sense of my own duty the near approach of the Account which I must make of the ministration to me Committed have given bounds and limits to my whole discourse as to the manner of handling the Truth therein asserted Writing in the Common language of the Nation about the Common possession of the Saints the meanest and weakest as well as the wisest and the most learned labouring in the workes of Christ and his Gospel I durst not hide the understanding of what I aim'd at by mingling the plaine doctrine of the Scripture with Metaphysical Notions expressions of Arts or any pretended ornaments of wit or fancy because I Feare God For the more sublime Consideration of Things and such a way of their Delivery as depending upon the acknowledg'd reception of sundry Arts and sciences which the Generality of Christians neither are nor need to be acquainted withal Scholars may communicate their Thoughts and Apprehensions unto and among Themselves and that upon the stage of the world in that language whereunto they have consented for to that end purpose That I have carefully abstayned from Personal reflections scoffes Undervaluations applications of Stories and old sayings to the provocation of the Spirit of them with whom I have to do I think not at all prayse worthy because that upon a review of some passages in the treatise now irrecoverable I feare I have scarce been so careful as I am sure it was my duty to have been Errata in the Preface Read p. 1. l. 36 it 3 a fine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 3 l. 24 viz 104. 29. an impeca p. 5. 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 6. l. 7. quae 3. Canonical 8 à fine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 7. l. 23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 29. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 8. l. 1. 2. d. that he wrote l. 21. à fine then he addes p. 9. l. 1 5. Genevatismum 18. dele no. 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 10. l. 2. helped p. 11. l. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 14. Vienna and Lyons 17. A Syrian p. 12. l. 6 breakes 10. him in that course of proceeding 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 12. 26 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 30. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 31 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 32. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. ult 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 13. l. 2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 38. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 39. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—3 à fine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 12. à fine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 11 à fine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 8 a fine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 7. â fine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 6. à fine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 14. l. 9. dele l. 3. ext 24. approbation is added 7 à fine spiritu p. 15. l. 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 27. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 16. l. 6. d ab l. 5. à fine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 15. l. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 17. give us Châ—p 20. l. 22. à fine antients seeming to favour them p. 21. l. 7. à fine Episcopal p. 22. l. 22. à fine Archiepiscopal l. ult He be sound CAP. I. 1. The various thoughts of men concerning the Doctrine proposed to consideration 2. The great concernment of it how ever stated on all hands confessed 3. Some speciall causes pressing to the present handling of it 4. The fearfull Back-sliding of many in these daies 5 The great offence given and taken thereby with the provision made for its removeall 6 The nature of that offence and temptation thence arising considered 7 Answer to some Arguings of Mr G. c 9. § 8 9 10 11. from thence against the truth proposed The use of trialls and shakings Grounds of believers assurance that they are so 8. The same farther argued and debated 9 Of the Testimony of a mans owne conscience concerning his uprightnesse and what is required thereunto 10. 1 Ioh 3. 7. considered of the rule of selfe-judging with principles of settlement for true Believers notwithstanding the Apostasies of eminent Professors 2 11. Corrupt teachings rendring the handling of this Doctrine necessary its enemies of old and of late 12 The particular undertaking of Mr G. proposed to consideration 13 An entrance into the stating of the Question 14. 15. The termes of the Question explained of Holinesse in its severall acceptations Created holinesse Originall or Adventitious Compleate or Inchoate Typicall by dedications Reall by purification 16. Holinesse Evangelicall either so indeed or by estimation 17. Reall Holinesse partiall or universall 18 19. The partakers of the first or Temporary Believers not true Believers maintained against Mr G. Ground of judging professors to be true believers 20. Mat. 7. 20. Considered what is the rule of judging men therein given 21 22. What knowledge of the
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
any attaine they shall never faile in or fall from but whether they may or shall attaine it or no here is nothing spoken But here is no notice taken of the maine opposition insisted on by our Saviour between the supplies of the Spirit for life Eternall which faile not nor suffers them to thirst to whom they are given and the supplies of naturall life by Elementary water notwithstanding which they who are made partakers thereof doe in a short season come to a totall want of it againe Instead of Answers to our Argument from this place we meet with nothing but perpetuall diversions from the whole scope and intendment of it and at last are told that the Promise signifies only that men should not want Grace when they come to Heaven 2. To prove that there is no Promise of any abiding spirituall Life here those words they shall never thirst are produced That we shall have our life continued to the full injoyment of it unto eternity because such are the supplies of the Spirit bestowed on us that we shall never thirst is the Argument of our Saviour That there is no such life promised or here to be attained because in it we shall not thirst is Mr Goodwins 3. It is not the intendment of our Saviour to prove that we shall not thirst because we shall have such a life but the quite contrary that we shall have such a life and shall assuredly be preserved because the supplies of the Spirit which he gives will certainly take away the thirst which is so opposite to it as to be destructive of it 4. It is true the Saints notwithstanding this Promise are still liable to Thirst that Thirst intimated Mat. 5.6 after Righteousnesse but not at all to that Thirst which they have a Promise here to be freed from a Thirst of an universall want of that water wherewith they are refreshed and that their freedome from this Thirst is their portion in this life we have the Testimony of Christ himselfe he that believes on mee shall thirst no more Ioh. 6. 35. And the reason of their not Thirsting is the receiving and drinking in that water which Christ gives them which as himselfe saies is his Spirit which they receive who believe on him Ioh. 7. 38 39. neither is that Thirst of theirs which doth remaine troublesome as is insinuated it being a grace of the Spirit and so quieting and composing Though they are troubled for the want of that in its fulnesse which they Thirst after yet their Thirst is no way troublesome That then which is farther added by Mr Goodwin is exceeding sophisticall Saith he §. 34. by the way this spirituall thirst which is incident unto the life which is derived from Christ and the waters given by him unto men as 't is enjoyed and possessed by them in this present World is according to the purport of our Saviour's own arguing an Argument that for the present and whilest it is obnoxious to such a thirst it is dissolveable and may faile for in the latter part of the said passage he plainly implies that the eternallnesse of that life which springs from the drinking of this water is the reason or cause why it is exempt from thirst Let the whole passage be read and minded and this will clearly appeare If then the eternality of a life be the cause or reason why t is free from the inconveniency of thirst Evident it is that such a life which is not free from thirst is not during this weaknesse or imperfection of it eternall or Priviledged against dissolution Ans. 1. That we cannot thirst under the enjoyment of the Life promised proves this life not here to be enjoyed is proved because the eternallnesse of this life is the cause of its exemption from Thirst But that the plaine contrary is the intendment of the Holy Ghost I presume is evident to all men The reason of our preservation to Eternall Life and being carried on thereunto is apparently assigned to those supplies of the Spirit whereby our Thirst is taken away The taking away of our Thirst is the certain meanes of our Eternall Life not a consequent of the Eternity of it All the proofe of what is here asserted is Let the whole passage be read and minded in which appeale I dare acquiesce before the judgement seat of any Believer in the World whose concernment this is It is here then supposed that the Eternity of the Life promised is the cause of their not thirsting in whom it is which is besides the Text and that they may thirst againe in the sence spoken of who drink of that water of the Spirit which Christ gives which is contrary unto it and of these two supposalls is this part of this discourse composed The ensuing Discourse rendring a reason upon the account whereof Life may be called eternall though it be interrupted and cut off we shall have farther time God assisting to consider and to declare its utter inconsistency with the intendment of the Holy Ghost in the expressions now before us He addes then in the last place Sect. 12. §. 35. That the intendment of Christ is not that the water he gives shall alway end in the issue of Eternall Life but that it lies in a tendency thereunto Ans. Which upon the matter is all one as if he had said Christ saith indeed that the water which he gives shall spring up unto Everlasting Life and wholly remove that Thirst which is comprehensive of all interveniences that might hinder it as God said to Adam In the day thou eatest of that fruit thou shalt dye but he knew full well that it might otherwise come to passe which whether it doth not amount to a calling of his Truth and credit in his Word and Promises into question deserves as I suppose Mr Goodwins serious consideration To conclude then our Saviour hath assured us that the Living Water wich he gives us shall take away such Thirst all such totall want of Grace and Spirit be it to be brought about not by this or that meanes but by what meanes soever as should cause us to come short of eternall life with himselfe which we shall look upon as a Promise of the Saints Perseverance in Faith notwithstanding all the Exceptions which as yet to the contrary hath been produced Having thus long insisted on this influence of the Mediation of Christ §. 36. into the continuance of the Love and Favour of God unto Believers by procuring the Spirit for them sending him to them to dwell in them and abide with them for ever the most effectuall principle of their continuance with God give me leave farther to confirme the Truth of what hath been spoken by remarking some inferences which the Scripture holds out unto us upon a supposition of those Assertions which we have laid downe concerning the Indwelling of the Spirit and the Assistance which we receive from him on that account all
to deale withall from the place he casteth into this forme He that sinneth not neither can sinne cannot fall away whosoever is borne of God sinneth not neither can sinne Ergo Comming to the consideration of that expression cannot sin he findeth out as he supposeth four severall acceptations in the Scripture of the word cannot giveth us an account of his thoughts upon the consideration of thē that in respect of these sences both Propositions are false Now one of the Propositions being the expresse language literall Expression of the Holy Ghost not varyed in the least there is no way to relieve himselfe from being thought and conceiv'd to give the lye to the Blessed Spirit of God by flatly denying what he peremptorily affirmeth but only by denying the word cannot to be taken in this place in any of the sences before mentioned Doth he then fixe on this course for his own extrication Doth he give in another sence of the word which he accepts and grants that in that sence the affirmation of the Holy Ghost may be true Not in the least Yea plainly for one of the sences he supposeth himself to have found out of the word cannot viz. That it is said of men they cannot do such or such a thing because of their aversenesse and indisposition to it which he exemplifyeth in that of Christ to the Pharisees John 8. 43. He afterwards more than intimateth that this is the sence wherein the words cannot sinne are in this place to be taken Sect. 34. So that he will not allow the Holy Ghost to speake the truth although he take his words in what sence he pleaseth Yea and adding a fifth sence Sect. 31. Which is all it seemeth he could find out for we heare not of any more he denyeth that to be the meaning of the place and so shutteth up the mind of the Holy Ghost into some of those significatiōs wherein if the words be taken he saith they are false The Discourse of Mr Goodwin Sect. 28 29 30. being taken up with the Consideration of the various significations of the word cannot and his inferences thereon taking it in this place this way or that way then it is so or so shewing himselfe very skilfull at fencing warding off the force of our Arguments as perhaps his thoughts of himselfe were upon a review of what he had done we are not concerned in And though it were very easy to mnifest that in the distribution of his instances for the exemplification of the severall significations which in part he feigneth and fastneth upon the words he hath been overtaken with many grosse mistakes some of them occasioned by other corrupt principles than those now under consideration yet none of the sences insisted on by him coming really up to the intendment of the Holy Ghost without any disadvantage to our cause in hand being wholly inconcerned therein we may passe by that whole Harangue That which looketh towards the Argument under Consideration appeareth first in Sect. 31. which he thus proposeth If the said Argument understandeth the Phrase cannot sinne according to the fifth and last import mentioned of the word cannot wherein it soundeth an utter and absolute incapacity and impossibility then in this sence the major Proposition is granted viz. He that doth not nor can sinne cannot fall away from his Faith yet the minor is tardy which saith Whosoeoer is borne of God sinneth not neither can sinne for he that is borne of God is in no such incapacity of sinning of sinning I meane in the sence formerly asserted to the Scripture in hand which amounteth to an absolute impossibility for him so to sin Ans. Because this seemeth to be the sence intended in the Argument and the minor Proposition in this sence to be built upon the Scripture in hand let us consider whether the Reason which is assigned for the said Assertion doth necessarily inforce such a sence thereon What we understand by this Phrase both as to that sinne that is here intended and that impossibility of commiting it or falling into it often in that expression cannot hath been before discovered An impossibility it is of the event from the causes above mentioned that the holy Ghost intendeth An utter and absolute incapacity to sinne on any account we assert not An impossibility of so sinning in respect of the event for the reasons and from the causes above mentioned the holy Ghost averreth In this sence the first Proposition is granted He that doth not commit sin nor can sin cannot fall away from his Faith or cannot utterly loose it The Minor which is the expresse language of the holy Ghost is questioned and found tardy that is as I suppose false and the Reason is added namely that he that is borne of God is in no such incapacity of sinning that is of sinning in that kind of sinning which is here intended which amounteth to an impossibility for him so to sin Not to play fast and loose under those ambiguos expressions of incapacity and absolute impossibility the Event is positively denyed upon the account of the prohibiting causes of it and the incapacity asserted relateth not to the internall frame and principle only but respecteth also other Considerations Whether these are such as to beare the weight of this Exposition is that which cometh nextly to be discussed viz. The causes of this state and condition of those who are thus borne of God and the Reasons investing that universall Proposition every one that is borne of God cannot sinne with a necessary truth In the Reasons added of the former affirmation there is an emphaticall distribution of the two parts of the praedicate of the former Proposition by the way of ascending to a more vehement confirmation of them He that is borne of God sinneth not But why so His seed remaineth neither can be sinne why so because he is borne of God It is an expressive pursuit of the same thing and not a redoubling of the Proposition And this contexture of the Words is so emphatically significant that it seemeth strange how any head of opposition can be made against it There is no reason then to resolve the words into two Propositions of distinct consideration each from other it being one and the same thing that the Apostle intendeth to expresse though proceeding to heighten the certainty of the thing in the minds of them to whom he delivered it by the contexture of the words which he maketh use of What is meant or intended by the seed of God we need not dispute the Argument of the Apostle lieth not in the words seed of God nor in the word abideth but in the whole The seed of God abideth and therefore it were to no purpose at all to follow M. Goodwin in his considerations of the word Seed and then of the seed of God and then of the word abideth divided one from another The summe of his long answer is The word Seed doth not
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
is this Because such a signification of it would render the sence altogether inconsistent with the scope of the Apostle which is to exhort Christians unto righteousnesse and Love of the brethren now it is contrary to common sence its selfe to signify unto those whom we perswade to any duty any such thing which imports an absolute certainty or necessity of their doing it whether they take care or use any meanes for the doing of it or no and a cleare case it is that the certainty of a perpetuall remaining of the seed of God in those that are borne of him importeth a like certainty of their perpetuall performance of that duty whereunto they are exhorted Ans. If this be all it might have been spared The Argument consisteth of two parts 1. An aspersion of the infinite wisdome of God with a procedure contrary to all Reason and common sence 2. A begging of the thing in question betwixt its Author and its Adversaries That there is any thing at all in the Text even according to our Interpretation of it that importeth an absolute necessity of mens doing any thing whether they take care to use the meanes of doing it or no the Reader must judge The abiding of the Seed is that we say which shall effectually cause them in whom it is to use the meanes of not sinning that eventually they may not doe so and that a certainty of the use of meanes is imported is no Argument to prove that their necessity of Persevering is proved whether they use meanes yea or no. To take care to use meanes is amongst the meanes appointed to be used and this they shall doe upon the account of the abiding seed That indeed which is opposed is that God cannot promise to worke effectually in us by the use of meanes for the accomplishment of an appointed end but that withall rendreth uselesse and vaine all his exhortations to us to use those meanes This is M. Goodwins Argument from the place it selfe to inforce that improper Acceptation of the word remaineth in us What remaineth of M. Goodwins long discourse upon this Text of Scripture §. 72. is but a fencing with himselfe and raising of Objections and Answering them suitably to his owne principles wherein we are not in the least concerned There is not any thing from the beginning to the end of it that tendeth to impeach our Interpretation of the place or impede the progresse of our Argument but only a flourish set upon his own Exposition which if he were desired to give in briefely and in termes of a plaine downeright significancy I am verily perswaded he would be hardly put to it to let us know what his mind and conceptions of this place of Scripture are But of this subject and in Answer to his Fifth Argument with this Chapter this is the issue CAP. XVI 1. M. G's seaventh Argument about the tendency of the Doctrine of the Saints Aposlas◠as to their consolation proposed 2. Considered what that doctrine offereth for the consolation of the Saints offered the impossibility of its affording the least true consolation manifested 3. The influence of the Doctrine of the Saints Perseverance into their consolation 4. The medium whereby M. G. confirmes his Argument examined what kind of Nurse for the Peace and consolation of the Saints the Doctrine of Apostasy is whether their obedience be farthered by it what are the causes and springs of true consolation 5. M. G. Eight Argument proposed to consideration 6. Answer thereunto the minor Proposition considered the Holy Ghost not afraid of the Saints miscarriages 7. The confirmation of his Minor Proposition proposed and considered 8. The Discourse assigned to the Holy Ghost by M. G. according to our principles 9. Considered 10. Exceptions against it the First 11. The Second 12. The Third 13. The Fourth 14. The Fifth 15. The Sixth 16. The Seaventh 17. The foundation of M.G. Pageant everted 18. The proceedings of the Holy Ghost in exhortations according to our principles 19. Sophismes in the former discourse farther discovered 20. His farther plea in this case proposed 21. Considered 22. The instance of Christ and his obedience considered and vindicated as to the application of it to the businesse in hand 23. M.G. last Argument proposed 24. Examined 25. 1 Ioh 2. 19. explained 26. Vindicated 27. Argument from thence for the Perseverance of the Saints 28. M.G. exceptions thereunto 29. Considered and 30. Removed 31 32 33 34 35 36 37. The same words farther perused 38. M.G. Consent with the Remonstrants manifested by his trascriptions from their Synodalia 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47. Our Argument from 1 Ioh. 2. 19. fully cleared 48. The conclusion of the examination of M. G. Arguments for the Apostasy of the Saints THE seaventh Argument which Mr Goodwin insisteth upon §. 1. in the 36. Section of his 13. Chapter containes one of the greatest Rarities he hath to shew in the whole packe concerning the influence of the Doctrine of the Saints Apostacy into their Consolation in their walking with God an undertaking so uncapable of any Logicall Confirmation as that though Mr Goodwin interweave his Discourse concerning it with a Sillogisme yet he quickly leaves that thorney path and pursues it only with a Rhetoricall flourish of words found out and set in order to deceive At the head then of his Discourse he placeth this Argument as it is called That Doctrine whose genuine and proper tendency is to advance the peace and joy of the Saints in Believing is of a naturall sympathy with the Gospell and upon this account a truth such is the Doctrine which informeth the Saints of a possibility of their totall and finall falling away Ergo. The Proposition of this syllogisme he supposes we will grant §. 2. and not to trouble the Reader with the Qualifications and limitations formerly annexed to that which proposed the furtherance of the obedience of the Saints as a proofe of the truth of any Doctrine for my part I do For the proofe of the Assumption wherein alone Mr Goodwin's interest in this Argument doth lye He referrs us to his 9. Chapter where as he tells us if we may believe him he hath undenyably demonstrated the truth of it But we have considered whatever looks that way in that Chapter and have found it all as Chaffe and stubble before the breath of the Spirit of the Lord in the Word That which lyes upon his shoulders to support A burthen too heavy for him to beare whose demonstration he hath undertaken is that it tends to the Peace Joy Consolation of the Saints of God in their walking with him which arises from and solely depends upon that assurance they have of their eternall fruition of him through Christ to be instructed that indeed they are in themselves weake unable to do any thing as they ought that they have no strength to continue in the Mercy of God but carry about with them
hanc haeresin Tychoniâ— quae nostro tempore exorta multum nos ut gratiam dei quâ per dominum nostrum Jesum Christum est adversus eam defenderemus exercuit secundum id quod ait Apostolus oportet haereses esse ut probati manifesti fiunt in nobis multò vigilantiores diligentioresque reddidit ut adverteremus in Scripturis Sanctis quod istum Tychonium minus attentum minusque sine hoste solicitum fugit That also of Hierome in his second Apologie against Ruffinus in reference to a most weighty Article of Christian Religion is known to all fieri potest saith he ut vel simpliciter erraverint vel alio sensu scripserint vel à librariis imperitis corum paulatim scripta corrupta sint vel certe antequam in Alexandria quasi Daemonium meridianum Arius nasceretur innocenter quaedam minus â—ante locuti surt quae non possunt perversorum hominum calumniam declinare And what he spake of the writers before Arius in reference to the person of Christ we may of them before Pelagius in refernce to his Grace Hence Pererius in Rom. c. 8. disput 22 tells us how truly ipse viderit I am not altogether of his mind that for those Authours that lived befofe Austin's time that all the Greek Fathers and a considerable part of the Latine were of opinion that the cause of Predestination was the foresight which God had either of man's good works or of their faith either of which opinions he assures us is manifestly contrary both to the Authority of the Scriptures and particularly to the doctrine of Saint Paul I am not as I said wholy of his mind partly upon the account of the observations made by his fellow Jesuite out of Austin before mentioned partly upon other accounts also Upon these and the like Considerations much I presume to the buisness in hand will not be produced on either side from the Fathers that wrote before the Rise of the Pelagian Heresy And if any one of the parties at this day litigant about the Doctrines of the Grace of God should give that advise that Sisinniuss and Agellius the Novatians somtimes gave as Zozomen reports of them Hist. Eccles lib. 7. cap. 12 to Nectarius by him communicated to the Emperor Theodosius to have the quarrel decided by those that wrote before the Rise of the Controversy as it would be unreasonable in it selfe so I perswade my selfe neither party would accept of the conditions neither had the Catholicks of those dayes got any thing if they had attended to the advise of those Novatians But these few observations premised something as to particular Testimonies may be attended unto That we may proceed in some order not leaving those we have nothing to say to nor are willing to examine whilest they are but thin and come not in troopes unsaluted The first writings that are imposed on us after the Comical Scriptures are the eight books of Clement commonly called the Apostles constitutions being pretended to be written by him at their appointment with the Canons ascribed to the same persons These we shall but salute for besides that they are faintly defended by any of the Papists disavowed and disclaimed as Apocryphal by the most learned of them as Bellarmine de script Eccles. in Clem who approves only of 50. Canons of 85 Baronius An. Dâ—m 102. 14 who addes 30 more and Binius with a little inlargement of Canons in Tit. Can. T. 1. Con. pi 17 and have been throughly disproved and decryed by all Protestant writers that have had any occasion to deale with them their folly and falsity their impostures and triflings have of late been so fully manifested by Dallaeus de pseudepigrapis Apostol that nothing need be added thereunto Of him may Doctor H. H. learne the Truth of that Insinuation of his dissert de Episcop dis 2da cap 6. Sect. 3. Canone Apostolico secundo semper inter genuinos habito but of the confidence of this Author in his Assertions afterwards This indeed insisted on by Daellaus and the Learned Usher in his notes upon Ignatius is childishly ridiculous in them that whereas it is pretended that these constitutions were made at a convention of the Apostles as l. 6. c. 14 they are brought in discoursing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. They they are made to informe ns lib. 2. cap. 57. That the Acts written by Luke and read in the Churches are theirs and the foure books of the Gospel Whereas the story of the death of James here said to be together with the Apostles is related Act. 12 and John by the consent of all wrote not his Gospel untill after the dissoluton of his Associates Also they make Stephen and Paul to be together at the makeing of those constitutions Const lib. 8. cap. 4. whereas the Martyrdome of Stephen was before the convesiron of Paul and yet also mentions the stoning of Stephen lib. 8.46 They tell us whom they apointed Bishops of Hiesalem after the death of James and yet James is one of them who is met together with them l. 7. c. 48 nay mention is made of Cerinthus and that Marke the heritick Menander Basilides and Saturnilus were known and taken notice of by the Apostles who all lived in the second Century abought the Raigne of Hadrian as Eusebius manifesteth and Clem. Alex. Strom. lib. 7. But to leave such huskes as these unto them who loath Manna and will not feed on the bread that our heavenly Father hath so plentifully provided for all that live in his family or any way belong to his house let us look onward to them that follow of whose Truth and Honesty we have more assurance The first Genuine piece that presents it selfe unto us on the Roll of Antiquity is that Epistle of Clemen's which in the name of the Church of Rome he wrote to the divided Church of Corinth which being abundantly testified to of old to the great contentment of the christian world was published here at Oxford some few yeares since A writing full of antient simplicity humility Zeal As to our present business much I confesse cannot be pleaded from hence beyond a negative impeachment of that great and false clamour which our Adversarie have raised of the consent of the primitive Christians with them in their by paths and and waies of errour It is true treating of a Subject diverse from any of those heads of Religion about which our contests are it is not to be expected that he should any where plainly directly evidenty deliver his judgment unto them This therfore I shall only say that in that whole Epistle there is not one word iota or sillable that gives countenance to the tenent of our adversaries in the matter of the Saints perseverance but that on the contrary there are sundry expressions asserting such a foundation of the Doctrine we maintain as will with good strength inferre the Truth of it Pag. 4. Setting
such sinnes and unworthinesse as are inconsistent with the state of Acceptation with God which is the very thing he hath to prove 2. In supposing that if Believers are sealed up infallibly to Redemption the Exhortations to the avoidance of sinnes in themselves and to all that continue in them destructive to Salvation are in vaine which is a figment in a case somewhat alike as to the reason of it rejected by men that knew nothing of the nature of Gods Promises nor his commands nor the Accommodation of them both to the fulfilling in Believers all the good pleasure of his Goodnesse 2. The Assurance the Apostle gives of freedome from the wrath of God is inseparably associated with that Assurance that he gives that we shall not be left in or given up to such waies as wherein that wrath according to the tenure of the Covenant of Grace is not to be avoided From this latter Testimony this Argument also doth flow Those who are sealed of God to the day of Redemption shall certainly be preserved thereunto their preservation being the end and aime of God in his sealing of them Mr Goodwins Answer to this Proposition is that they shall be so preserved in case they fall not into abominable sinnes and practises and so Apostatize from the Faith that is in case they be preserved they shall be preserved but wherein their preservation should consist if not in their effectuall deliverance from such waies and courses is not declared That all Believers are so sealed and to that end as above is the plaine Testimony of the Scripture and therefore our Conclusion is undeniably evinced Thus have we through the Lords assistance freed the triple Testimony of Father Sonne and Spirit given to the Truth under Consideration from all Objections and exceptions put in thereunto so that we hope the mouth of iniquity may be stopt and that the cause of the Truth in hand is secured for ever It is a fearfull thing to contend with God Let God be true and all men lyars CAP. VIII 1. Entrance into the Digression concerning the Indwelling of the Spirit The manner of the ahode of the Spirit with them on whom he is bestowed Grounds of the Demonstratious of the Truth 2. The Indwelling of the Spirit proved from the Promises of it 3. Expresse affirmations of the same Truth Psal. 51. 11. Rom. 8. 9. opened v. 11 15. 1 Cor. 2. 12. Gal. 4. 6. opened 1 Tim. 3. 14. 4. The Spirit in his Indwelling distinguished from all his Graces Evasions removed Rom. 5. 5. Explained The Holy Ghost himselfe not the Grace of the Holy Ghost there intended Rom 8. 11. opened Gal 5. 22. 5. A Personality ascribed to the Spirit in his Indwellings 1 In personall Appellations 1 Ioh. 4. 5. Ioh. 14. 19 17. 2. Personall Operations Rom. 8. 11 15. explained 3. Personall circumstances The Spirit dwells in the Saints as in a Temple 1 Cor. 3. 16. Ch. 6. 9. 6. The Indwelling of the Spirit farther Demonstrated from the signall Effects ascribed in the Scripture to his so doing as 1 Union with Christ. 7. Union with Christ wherein it consisteth 8. Union with Christ by the Indwelling of the same Spirit in him and us 9. This proved from 1. Scripturall Declarations of it 2 Pet. 1. 4. How we are made partakers of the Divine Nature 10. Union expressed by caring the flesh and drinking the blood of Christ. Ioh. 6. 56. opened 11. The Prayer of our Saviour for the Union of his Disciples Iâ—h 17. 21. The Union of the Persons in the Trinity with themselves 12. 2 Scripturall illustrations for the manifestation of Union 13. The Union of Head and Members what it is and wherein it doth consist 14. Of the Union between Husband and Wife aud our Union with Christ represented thereby 15. Of a Tree and its branches 16. Life and quickning given by the Indwelling Spirit in Quickning Life and sutable operations 17. 2. Direction guidance given by the Indwelling Spirit Guidance or direction twosold 18. The severall waies whereby the Spirit gives guidance and Direction unto them in whom he dwells The first way by giving a new understanding or a new spirituall light upon the understanding 19. What light men may attaine without the particular guidance of the Spirit 20. Saving Embracements of particular Truths from the Spirit 1 Ioh 2. 20 21. 21. The way whereby the Spirit leads Believers into Truth 22. Consequences of the want of this guidance of the Spirit 23. The 3d thing received from the Indwelling Spirit Supportment 24. The way whereby the Spirit gives supportment 25. 1. By bringing to mind the things spoken by Christ for their Consolation Ioh. 14. 16 26. 26. 2. By renewing his Graces in them as to strength The benefits issuing and flowing from thence 27. Bestraint given by the Indwelling Spirit and how 28. The continuance of the Spirit with Believers for the Renewall of Grace proved Ioh. 4. 14. 29. That Promise of our Saviour at large opened 30. The Water there promised is the Spirit The state of them on whom he is bestowed Spirituall thirst twofold Ioh. 65. 13. 1 Pet. 2. 2. 31. The Reasons why men cannot thirst againe who have once dranke of the Spirit explained 32. Mr G's Exceptions considered and removed 33. The same work farther carried on as also 3â— 35 36. The Indwelling of the Spirit in Believers farther demonstrated by the Inferences made from thence 37. The first Our Persons Temples of the Holy Ghost To be disposed of in all waies of Holinesse 38. Wildome to try Spirits 39. The wayes means and helps whereby the Saints discerne between the voyce of Christ and the voyce of Sathan HAving shewed §. 1. that the Holy Spirit is purchased for us by the Oblation of Christ and bestowed on us through his Intercession to abide with us for Ever a Truth confirmed by the unquestionable Testimonies of the Father Sonne and Spirit I shall in the next place I hope to the advantage and satisfaction of the Christian Reader a little turne aside to consider how and in what manner he abideth with them on whom he is bestowed together with some Eminent Acts and Effects of his Grace which he putteth forth and exerteth in them with whom he abideth all tending to their preservation in the Love and Favour of God A Doctrine it is of no small use and importance in our walking with God as we shall find in our pursuit of it And therefore though not appearing so directly Argumentative and immediately subservient to the promotion of the Dispute in hand yet tending to the establishment guidance and consolation of them who doe receive it and to the cherishing increasing and strengthning of the Faith thereof I cannot but conceive it much conducing to the carrying on of the maine Intendment of this whole undertaking I say then upon the purchase made of all Good things for the Elect by Christ the Holy and Blessed Spirit of God is given to
tending to the end and purpose we have in hand As 1. First §. 37. because the Spirit dwells in us we are therefore to consider and dispose of our persons as Temples of the Holy Ghost that is of this Indwelling Spirit the Scripture manifesting hereby that the Doctrine of the Indwelling of the Spirit is not only a Truth but a very usefull Truth being made the Fountaine of and the inforcement unto so great a duty He dwells in us and we are to look well to his habitation our Saviour tells us that when the evill Spirit finds his dwelling swept and garnished Mat. 12.44 he instantly takes possession and brings company with him he will not be absent from it when 't is fitted for his turne In reference to the Saints and their holy Indweller this the Apostle urgeth 1 Cor. 6. 19. Your Bodies are the Temples of the Holy Ghost which dwells in you whence he concludes whose ye are not your owne and therefore ought to glorify God in your Bodies From hence is the strength of his Argument for the avoiding of all uncleannesse v. 16. 17. Know ye not that he who is joyned to an Harlot is one body he who is joyned to the Lord is one spirit flye Fornication know ye not that your Body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost On this account also doth he presse to universall holinesse 1 Cor 3. 16. 17. Know ye not that ye are the Temples of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you if any man desile the Temple of God him shall God destroy for the Temple of God is holy which Temple ye are In v. 12. 13. 14. the Apostle discovers the fruitlesnesse of Building hay and stubble light and unsound Doctrines or practises upon the foundation of Faith in Jesus Christ once laid and tells us that all such things shall burne and suffer losse and put the contrivers and workers of them to no small difficulty in escaping like men when the Garments they are cloathed withall are on fire about them On the account of this sad event of foolish and carelesse walking he presses v. 16 as was said earnestly to universall Holinesse laying downe as the great motive thereunto that which we have insisted on viz. the Indwelling of the Holy Spirit in us know ye not that ye are the Temple of God The Temple wherein God of old did dwell was built with hewen stone Cedar Wood and overlaid with pure Gold and will ye now who are the spirituall Temple of God build up your Soules with hay and stubble Which he furthers by that dreadfull commination taken from the zeale of God for the purity of his Temple so that on each hand he doth presse to the universall close keeping of our Hearts in all Holinesse and purity because of the Indwelling of the Holy Spirit And indeed where ever we are said to be Temples of God or an Habitation for him as it still relates to this cause of the Expression which we now insist upon so there is ever some intimation of Holinesse to be pursued on that account Eph 2. 21. 22. In whom the whole building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy Temple in the Lord in whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit being made an habitation of the Lord by the Spirits Indwelling in us we grow up or thrive in grace into an Holy Temple to the Lord to be a more compleate and well furnished Habitation for him This then is that which I say The Truth of what hath formerly been spoken concerning the manner of the Spirits abode with us being procured for us by Jesus Christ is farther cleared by this inference that the Scripture makes thereof The Saints are exhorted with all diligence to keepe themselves a fit Habitation for him that they may not be uncleane and defiled lodgings for the Spirit of purity and Holinesse This is and this is to be their daily Labour and indeavour that vaine thoughts unruly passions corrupt lusts may not take up any Roome in their bosome that they put not such unwelcome and unsavory inmates upon the Spirit of Grace that sinne may not dwell where God dwells On this ground they may plead with their owne Souls and say Hath the Lord chosen my poore heart for his Habitation Hath he said I delight in it and there will I dwell for ever Hath he forsaken that goodly and stately Materiall Temple whereunto he gave his speciall presence of old to take up his abode in a farre more eminent way in a poore sinfull soule Doth that Holy Spirit which dwells in Jesus Christ who was Holy Blamelesse Vndefiled separate from sinners who did no sinne neithere was guile found in his mouth dwell also in me that am in and of my selfe wholly corrupted and defiled And shall I be so foolish so unthankfull as willingly to defile the Habitation which he hath chosen Shall I suffer vaine Thoughts foolish Lust distempered Affections worldly aimes to put in themselves upon him there He is a Spirit of Grace can he beare a Gracelesse Corruption to be cherished in his Dwelling He is a Spirit of Holynesse and shall I harbour in his Lodging a frame of worldlynesse He is a Spirit of Joy Consolation shall I fill my bosome with foolish feares and devouring Cares Would not this be a griefe unto him Would it not provoke the eyes of his Glory Can he beare it that when he is with me before his face in his presence I should spend my time in giving entertainement to his enemyes He is the high and the Holy one who dwells in Eternity and he hath chosen to inhabit with me also Surely I should be more bruitish then any man should I be carelesse of his Habitation And should not this fill my soule with an Holy scorne and indignation against sinne Shall I debase my soule unto any vile Lust. which hath this exceeding honour to be an Habitation for the Spirit of God Hence upon a view of any defilement of Lust or passion nothing troubles the Saints more nor fills them with more selfe-abhorrence and confusion of face then this that they have rendred their hearts an unsuitable habitation for the Spirit of God This makes David upon his sinne cry so earnestly that the Spirit might not depart from him Psal. 51. being conscious to himselfe that he had exceedingly defiled his dwelling place And were this Consideration alwayes fresh upon the Spirits of the Saints were it more constant in their thoughts it would keepe them more upon their Guard that nothing might breake in to disquiet their gracious Indweller 2. Secondly §. 38. because be the Spirit we have guidance and direction there is Wisdome given unto us and we are called to a holy discerning between the Directions of the Spirit of Grace and the delusions of the Spirit of the World and the seduction of our owne Hearts Christ gives this character of
thing that is free noble ingenuous filiall and of an heavenly descent in the Saints of God thus 1. It strengthens their Faith in God and in Jesus Christ which is the bottome of all acceptable Obedience whatsoever All that which proceedeth from any other Roote being but a product of labouring in the fire which in the end will consume both Root and Branch That which prevailes upon and drawes out the soule to Faith and believing I meane as it is peculiar to the Gospell and Justifying that is as it is in God as a Father and in the Lord Christ as a Mediator is the discovery of the good will of God to the soule in Christ and his designe to advance his Glory thereby I speake not of the formall cause of Faith in generall but the peculiar motive to Faith and Believing in the sence before mentioned So our Saviour giving the command in generall to his Disciples Ioh. 14 1. ye believe in God believe also in mee in the whole ensuing Chapter provokes them to it with gratious discoveries of the good will of God his Fathers and his own good will towards them And indeed propose what other considerations ye will provoke the soule by all the feare and dread of Hell and the most dismall representation of the wrath to come untill it be convinced of this it will never take one steppe towards God in Christ Now our Adversaries themselves being Judges the Doctrine we have had under consideration abounds above all others with the discoveries of the good will and kindnesse of God to poore sinners yea the great crime that is laid to the charge of it is that it extends it too farre it doth not only assert that God freely beginnes the good worke in them but that he will also powerfully perfect it to the day of Jesus Christ It assures the soules of the poore Saints of God that he who lookt upon them in their bloud and said unto them Live when no eye pittied them who quickned them when they were dead in trespasses and in sinnes begetting them of his own will by the word of Truth that they should be a kind of first fruits to himselfe wasting them in the bloud of his Sonne and delivering them from the old Tyrant Satan that he will not now leave them to themselves and to the Counsell of their own hands to stand or fall according as they shall of themselves and by themselves be able to withstand opposition and seduction but that he will keep them in his own hand giving them such constant supplies of his Grace and Spirit as that in the use of meanes they shall waite upon him to the end And that howsoever or whensoever by the power of Temptation and surprisalls of corruptions they are carried aside from him he will heale their back-slidings and receive them freely and though they change every day yet he changeth not and therefore they are not consumed And hereby I say it confirmes and strengthens their Faith in God as a Father in Jesus Christ taking everlasting care of them 2. Of their Love there is the same reason Gods love to us is of his free Grace he loves us because so it seemes good to him Our Love to him is purely ingenerated by his Love to us and carried on and increased by farther Revelations of his desireablenesse and excellency to our soules Herein is Love not that we loved God but that he loved us first There is no Creature in the least guilty of sinne that can put forth any acceptable Act of Love towards God but what is purely drawn out upon the Apprehension of his Love and lovelinesse in his Grace and mercy A man I confesse may love God when he hath no sence of his Love to him in particular but it must all be built upon an apprehension of his Love to sinners though he may come short in the Application it is the terrour of the Lord that causes us to perswade others but it is the Love of Christ that constraineth us to live to him Shee loved much to whom much was forgiven Looke then the more abundant discoveries are made of the lovelinesse and desirablenesse in the riches of his Grace the more effectuall is the sole and only motive we have to love him with that fiâ—iall chast Holy Love that he requires For the Love of God to his Saints our Doctrine of their Perseverance sets it forth with the greatest Advantage for the indearement of their soules to draw out their streames of Love to God especially doth it give it its Glory in three things 1. In its freedome It setts forth the Love of God to his Saints as that which they have no way in the least deserved as hath been manifested from Isa. 48. 8 9 11. chap. 54. 9 10. As he first loved them not because they were better then others being by nature Children of wrath and lying in their Blood when he said to them Live quickning them when they were dead in trespasses and sinnes So he doth not continue his love to them nor purpose so to do because he fore sees that they will so so walke with him in Holinesse uprightnesse for he â—oresees no such thing in them but what he himselfe purposeth effectually to worke upon the account of his loving them but he resolves to do it meerely upon the account of his owne Grace He neither resolves to continue his Love to them on Condition that they be so and so holy at randome and with uncertainty of the Event but freely that they may and shall be so Eph. 1. 4. And this is the Glory of Love the most Orient pearl in the Crowne of it 'T is not mercenary nor selfe-ended nor deserved but as a Spring and fountaine freely vents and powers out it selfe upon its owne account And what ingenuous truly noble Heavenly descended heart can hold out against the power of this Love It is effectually constraining to all manner of sutable returnes let the soule but put it selfe in to the actuall Contemplation of the Love of God as it lyes represented in this property of it every way free undeserved the great Love of God to a poore worme a sinner a nothing and it cannot but be wrought to a serious Admiration of it delight in it and be pained and straitned untill it make some suitable Returnes of Love and Obedience unto God If not it may well doubt it never tasted of that Love or enjoyed any fruits of it 2. It gives the Love of God the Glory of its Constancy and Unchangeablenesse This is another Starre of an eminent Magnitude in the Heaven of Love It is not a fading a wavering an altering thing but abides for ever God rests in his Love Zeph. 3. 17. It is a great thing indeed to apprehend that the great God should fixe his Love upon a poore Creature But adde hereunto that he may love them one day and hate them the next embrace them
forbearance of the allowance of temporall things from them to whom he Preached which was due to him by all right whereby any claime in any kind whatever may be pursued together with the expresse institution of the Lord Jesus Christ by him before laid downe In this course he behaved himselfe with wisdome zeale and diligence having many glorious aimes in his eye as also being full of a sence of the duty incumbent on him v. 6. to whose performance he was constrained by the Law of Jesus Christ as he also here expresses Among other things that provoked him to and supported him in his hard labour and travaile was the Love he bare to the Gospell and that he might have with others fellowship in the propagation and declaration of the glorious message thereof This is his intendment v. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. For the Gospells sake or the love he bare to it he desired with others to be partaker of it that is of the excellent worke of preaching of it for of the benefit of the Gospell he might have bin partaker with other Believers though he had never bin set a part to its promulgation In his whole Discourse he still speaks accommodately to his businesse in hand for the describing of his worke of Apostleship in preaching the glorious Gospell of Jesus Christ and as to the end of this worke he acquaints us that there was proposed before him the incorruptible Crown of his Masters approbation upon his lawfull running and striving in the way of the ministry whereto he was called the peculiar Glory of them whom he is pleased to imploy in this service and though the cause of his fighting at that rate as he did was not wholly the feare of non approbation in that worke a necessity of duty being incumbent on him which he was to discharge yet he that knowes how to value the crowne of approbation from Christ the holy Angels and the Church of having Faithfully discharged the office of a Steward in dispensing the things of God will think it sufficiently effectuall to stirre up any one to the utmost expence of Love paines and diligence that he may not come short of it And of Mr Goodwins proofe this is the issue His next is from Heb. 6. 4 5 6 7. with Chap. 10. 26 27. which he brings in attended with the ensuing Discourse §. 26. Sect. 18. The next passage we shall insist npon to evince the possibility of a finall defection in the Saints openeth it selfe in these words For it is impossible for those who were once enlightned and have tasted of the Heavenly guift and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost and have tasted of the good Word of God and the powers of the world to come if they shall fall away to renew them againe nnto repentance seeing they crucify to themselves the sonne of God afresh and put him to an open shame For the earth which drinketh in the raine that cometh oft upon it and bringeth forth herbes meet for them by whom it is dressed receiveth blessing from God But that which beareth thornes and briers is rejected and is nigh unto cursing whose end is to be burned Answerable hereunto is another in the same Epistle For if wee sin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more Sacrifice for sinnes but a certaine fearefull looking for of Judgement and fiery indignation which shall devour the Adversaryes He that despised Moses Law dyed without mercy under two or three witnesses Of how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall he be thought worthy who hath troden under foot the Son of God and hath counted the Bloud of the Covenant where with he was Sanctifyed an unholy thing and hath done despight unto the Spirit of Grace Evident it is that in these two passages the Holy Ghost after a serious manner with a very pathetique moving straine of Speech and discourse scarce the like to be found in all the Scriptures admonisheth those who are at present true Believers to take heed of relapsing into the wayes of their former ignorance impiety This caveat or admonition he presseth by an argument of this import that in case they shall thus relapse there will be very little or no hope at all of their recovery or returne to the Estate of Faith and Grace wherein now they stand Before the faces of such sayings and passages as these rightly understood and duely considered there is no standing for that Doctrine which denies a possibility either of a totall or finall defection of the Saints But this light also is darkened in the Heavens by the interposition of the vailes of these two exceptions 1. That the Apostle in the said passages affirmes nothing positively concerning the falling away of those he speakes of but only conditionally and upon supposition 2. That he doth not speake of true and sound Believers but of Hypocrites and such who had Faith only in shew not in substance The former of these exceptions hath been already nonsuited and that by some of the ablest Patrons themselves of the cause of Perseverance where we were taught from a pen of that Learning that such conditionall sayings upon which Admonitions Promises or Threatnings are built doe at least suppose something impossible however by vertue of their Tenor and forme they suppose nothing in being But 2. As to the places in hand there is not any Hypotheticall signe or conditionall Particle to be found in either of them as they come from the Holy Ghost and are carried in the Originall Those two Iffs appearing in the English Translation the one in the former place the other in the latter shew it may be the Translators inclination to the cause but not their faithfulnesse in their engagement an infirmiâ—y whereunto they were very subject as we shall have occasion to take notice of the second time ere long in another instance of the like partiality But the Tenor of both the passages in hand is so ordered by the Apostle that he plainly declares how great and fearfull the danger is or will be when Believers doe or shall fall away not if or in case they shall fall away Ans. Of the two Answers which as himselfe signifyeth are usually given to the objections from these places of Scripture that Mr Goodwin doth not fairely acquit his hands of either will quickly appeare 1. To the first that the forme of speech used by the Apostle in both places is conditionall whence there is no arguing to the event without begging the thing in question or supposall that the condition in all respects may be fulfilled where it requires only to the coÌ„stitution of it as a condition in the place of arguing wherein it is used that it be possible in some only he opposeth That some of them who have wrote for the Doctrine of the Saints Perseverance have disclaimed the use of it as to its application to the place in Ezechiel
with whom we walke and towards whom it is required we beare Love without dissimulation Rom. 12. 18. towards such as shew us their Faith by their workes Our rule of walking from the principle of Love and Charity is layd downe in 1 Cor. 13. And if all that any man knowes at this day professours in this world should turne Apostates save only one and he had reckoned that one and them that are Apostatized before their Apostasy of the same ranke of Believers and had no evill thoughts of that one above the rest he was bound without any evill surmises to believe all things and to hope all things and not to let goe his sincere Love towards that one imbracing of him delighting in him holding cōmunion with him to his lives end without suspicion of Hypocrisy or other hard thoughts of him unles he also should degenerate 'T is said Joh. 2. 23. That many believed on Christ because of the profession of Faith that they made Ioh. 6. 34. They pray earnestly to be fed with the bread of Life So that they were accounted among his Disciples v. 60. yet upon a temptation they left our Saviour walked no more with him v. 66. Now notwithstanding the profession of these men our Saviour plainely sayes that they believed not v. 64. They falling thus away who had professed to believe and were accounted as Believers so called and named among the Disciples of Christ and Christ declaring on the account of their Apostacy that indeed they did never believe how was it that the remaining Twelve had not hard thoughts and jealousyes one of another especially considering that there was one Hypocrite still left among them whether they had true Faith or no◠seeing our Saviour had declared that those who so fell off as those before mentioned had none Doubtlesse they were instructed to walke by a better and streighter Rule than that Mr Goodwin here assignes to Believers Let him who will or can fall away whilst we are taught of God to love one another and are acted by the principle of Love which thinkes no evill and do contend against evill surmizes as the workes of the flesh There is not any thing in the least attending the discovery of one mans Hypocrisy to worke us to a perswasion that another not in any thing discovered is so also that because we see some goodly house fall under stormes and temptations to the ground and so manifest it selfe to have been built on the sand that therefore we must conclude that those which stand are not built upon the Rocke is not suited to any principle or Rule that our Master hath given us to walke by in order to the exercise of that Love which he calleth for in us towards one another Secondly §. 25. I say this way of proceeding in our thoughts and judgements doth the Holy Ghost lead us to 1 Iohn 2. 19. The Apostle giving an account of some who had formerly walked with him in the profession of the Faith and of the fellowship which they had with the Father and Sonne fell away from Christ into an opposition against him so farre as to deserve the title of Antichrists having not only forsaken the Gospell but making it also their businesse to oppose it and to seduce others from the simplicity of the same These he informes the scattered Believers of the Jewes were Apostates having formerly walked with them but deserted their fellowship and thereby manifested themselves never to have been true Believers nor ever indeed to have had fellowship with the Father and the Sonne no more than they of whom our Saviour spake in the place before mentioned And yet doubtlesse the Apostle may not be supposed to lay a foundation for jealousyes evill suspicions and surmises among Believers though he plainely and evidently affirme that those who fall away were never true Believers and that if they had been so they would have continued in their Faith and fellowship with the people of God They went ous from us saith he but they were not of us for if they had been of us they would no doubt have continued with us but they went out that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us A passage by the way clearely confirming the maine of the Doctrine we have hitherto insisted on §. 26. And therefore I shall turne aside before I come to the close of this Chapter having this occasion administred to vindicate it from the exceptions Mr Goodwin gives in against the Testimony it beares in this case The Argument that it readily furnisheth us withall is of this import § 27. If all they who fall away totally from the fellowship and society of the Church and Saints of God what ever their profession were before that Apostasy were never true Believers and are thereby manifested never to have been so then those who are true Believers cannot fall away But the First is true therefore the latter The words are so disposed as to be cast into an Hypotheticall Proposition which virtually includes a doubleArgument as every discrete Axiome doth 't is not thus therefore thus If true Believers might so depart and Apostatise as those here mentioned no unquestionable proofe could be drawne from such Apostacy that men were never true Believers which yet is plainely insisted on in the Text. M. Goodwin Cap. §. 28. 10. Sect. 21 22 23 24. Pag. 189 190 191 192. gathers up sundry Exceptions from the Remonstrants which as they also did he opposeth to this Interpretation of the words and the Inferences from them insisted on I shall briefely consider and remove them in that order as by him they are laid downe He saith First This Inference presumeth many things for which neither it nor any the Authors of it will ever be able to give any good security of proofe As First That this phrase they were not of us imports that they were never true Believers this certainly can never be proved because there is another sence and this every whit as proper to the words and more commodious for the Context and scope of the place which may be given of them as we shall see anon Ans. §. 29. That there is not any thing presumed for the eduction of the Inference proposed but what is either directly exprest or evidently included in the words of the Text will appeare in the farther consideration of what M. Goodwin hath to offer to the contrary That expression they were not of us imports evidently that they were not of them in the fellowship and communion which he was now exhorting Believers to continue and abide in He tells them at the head of this Discourse Cap. 1. 3. that the end of his writing to them was to draw them into and keep them in communion with himselfe and the Saints with him which Communion or Fellowship he tells them they had with the Father and the Sonne But as for the Persons of whom
in these words he is speaking to them describing them by their former and present condition with the causes of it he tells them that though they abode with them for a season yet they were never of them as to the Communion and fellowship they had with the Father and Sonne and so were never true Members of the Church The only reason M. Goodwin gives to Invalidate this sence of the Words is that he is able to give another meaning of them in his own judgement more proper to the words and more commodious to the scope of the place which whether it have any more efficacy to take in the force and evidence of the Interpretation given lying plaine and cleare in the first view of the words and Context than it hath to evade the eduction of any Truth whatever from any place of Scripture whatever seeing some or other suppose themselves able to give another sence of the words let the Reader judge But he adds Secondly §. 30. That this Expression they were of us signifies that they were true Believers is presumed of the uncertainty of this supposition we shall saith he give the like account Ans. When we come to take M. Goodwin's farther Account we shall be able I make no doubt to reckon with him and to discharge his Bill In the meane time we say that supposition if they had been of us whence our Inference is made evidently includes a fellowship and communion with the Apostle true Believers in their fellowship with God which is asserted as a certain Foundation of mens abiding in the communion of the Saints But saies he Thirdly §. 31. t is supposed that these words they went out from us signifie their finall defection or abdication of the Apostles communion or their totall and finall renunciation of Christ his Church and Gospell This supposition hath no bottome at all or colour for it Ans. Divide not the words from their coherence and the intendment of the place and the signification denyed is too evident and cleare for any one with the least colour of Reason to rise up against it They went out so out from the communion of the Church as to become Anti-Christs opposers of Christ and seducers from him and certainly in so doing did totally desert the Communion of the Apostle renounce the Lord Christ as by him Preacht and forsooke utterly both Church and Gospell as to any fellowship with the one or the other And we know full well what is the bottome of this and the like Assertions that such and such things have no bottome at all which never yet failed M. Goodwin at his need Fourthly saith he §. 32. 'T is supposed that this clause they would no doubt have continued with us signifies they would have continued in the same Faith wherein we Persevere and continue nor is there saith he any competent Reason to inforce this sence of those words because neither doth the Grammaticall tenour of them require it and much lesse the scope of the passage Ans. The Fellowship John invited Believers unto and to continue in as hath been often observed with him and the Saints with him was that which they held with the Father and the Sonne to continue with them therein in the Litterall Grammaticall sence of the words is to continue in the Faith It being Faith whereby they have that fellowship or Communion this also is evident from the scope of the whole passage and is here only impotently denied But saith he Fiftly The said Inference supposeth that John certainly knew that all those who for the present remained in his communion were true Believers for if they were not true believers they that were gone out from them in the sence contended for might be said to be of them that is persons of the same condition with them But how improbable this is I meane that John should infallibly know that all those who as yet continued with them were true Believers I referre to consideration Ans. Had M. Goodwin a little poised this passage before he took it up perhaps he would have cast it away as an uselesse trifle But his masters having insisted on it perhaps he thought it not meet to question their judgements in least for feare of being at liberty to deale so with them in matters of greater importance I say then that there is not the least coulour for any such supposall from the inference we make from the text nor is there any thing of that nature intimated or suggested in the words or Argument from them the body of them whom the Apostates forsooke were true Believers and their abiding in the fellowship of the Saints was a manifestation of it sufficient for them to be owned as such which the others manifested themselves never to have been by their Apostacy But saith he Sixtly §. 33. The inference under contest yet farther supposeth that John certainely knew that they who were now gon out from them neither were now nor ever before true Believers yea and that he certainely knew this by their departure or going out from them Ans. This is the very thing that the Apostle affirmes that he certainely knew those Apostates never to have been true Believers and that by their Apostacy or falling totally from the Gospell becomming seducers and opposers of Christ Let him argue it out with the Holy Ghost if he can whose plaine and cleare expression this is and that confirmed by the insuing Argument of the Perseverance of them who were true Believers and whose fellowship is with the Saints in their communion with the Father and the Sonne Wherefore saith he Lastly it presumeth yet farther that all true Believers do alwayes abide in the externall communion of the Church §. 34. and that when men do not so abide they plainly declare herein that they never were true Believers which is not only a manifest untruth but expressly contrary to the Doctrine it selfe of those men who assert the inference for they teach as we heard before that a true Believer may fall so foulely and so farre that the Church according to the command of Christ may be constrained to testify that shee cannot tolerate them in her externall communion nor that ever they shall have any part or portion in the Kingdome of Christ unlesse they repent Doubtlesse to be cast out of the Church according to the institution and command of Christ who commands no such thing but upon very heinous and high unchristian misdemeanours is of every whit as sad importance as a voluntary desertion of the Churches communion can be for a season Ans. It supposeth that no true Believers fall so off from the Church as to become Antichrist's opposers of Christ and the Church so as to deny that Christ is come in the flesh which was the great busines of the Antichrists in those dayes T is true and granted by us that a true Believer may forsake the outward communion of some particular Church