whole Booke of God 2. That it is a case surmised by him suitable to his owne Hypotheses neither true in its selfe nor any way Analogous to that wherewith 't is yoked being indeed a new way and tone of begging the thing in question For instance It supposeth without the least Attempt of proofe 1. Conditionall Decrees or a disjunctive intendment of Events in God it shall come to passe or otherwise 2. A middle science conditionall as the foundation of those disjunctive Decrees with 3. A futurition of things Antecedent to any determining Act of the Will of God and 4. A possibility of frustrating as to Event the Designes and purposes of God and 5. That all medium's of the Accoplishment of any thing are conditions of Gods intentions as to the end he aymes at 6. That God appoints a series of mediums for the compassing of an End and designes them thereunto without any determinate Resolution to bring about that End 7. That the Acts of Gods Grace in their Concatenation mentioned in this place of Rom. 8. are severally Conditionall because he hath invented or faigned some Decrees of God which he sayes are so All which with the inferences from them Mr Goodwin knowes will not advance his Reasonings at all as to our Understandings being fully perswaded that they are all Abominations of no lesse base alloy then the Errour it selfe in whose defence and Patronage they are produced To our Argument then before mentioned §. 35. prooving an equall indissolveablenesse in all the linkes of the Chaine of Divine Graces drawne forth and insisted on from the equall dependance of the designe Purpose of God on the mutuall dependance of each of them on the other for the fullfillng of that Purpose of his and obtaining the End which he professes himselfe to intend this is the summe of Mr Goodwins Answer If I can invent a series of Decrees and a Concatenation of Divine Acts though indeed there be no such thing neither can I give any colour to it without laying downe and taking for granted many false and absurd supposalls and though it be not of the same nature with that here proposed by the Apostle nor any where held out in the Scripture for any such End Purpose as this is neither can I assigne any absolute determinate end in this Series of mine whose Accomplshment God ingages himselfe to bring about as the Case stands in the place of Scripture under Consideration then it is meet and equitable that laying aside all inforcements from the Text Context Nature of God the thing treated on all compelling us to close with another sence and Interpretation that we regulate the minde of the Holy Ghost herein to the Rule proportion and Analogie of the case as formerly proposed This being the summe of that which Mr Goodwin calls his Answer made naked I presume to its shame valeat quantum valere potest I shall only adde that 1. when Mr Goodwin shall make good that order and Series of Decrees here by him mentioned from the Scripture or with solid Reason from the nature of the things themselves suitably to the Properties of him whose they are And 2. Proove that any eternall Decree of God either as to its primitive enacting or temporall Execution is suspended on any thing not only really contingent in it selfe and its owne nature in respect of the immediate fountaine from whence it flowes and nature of its immediate cause but also as to its Event in respect of any Act of the will of God that it may otherwise be and so the accomplishment of that Decree left thereupon uncertaine and God himselfe dubiously conjecturing at the Event for instance whether Christ should Dye or no or any one be saved by him and 3. Clearely evince this notion of the Decrees and Purposes of God that he intends to Create Man and then to give him such advantages which if he will it shall be so with him if otherwise it shall be so To send Christ if men doe so or so or not to send him if they doe otherwise so of the residue of the Decrees mentioned by him and 4. That all events of things whatsoever Spirituall and Temporall have a Conditionall futurition antecedent to any act of the Will of God When I say he shall have proved these and some like things to these we shall further consider what is offered by him yea we will confesse that Hostis habet muros c. Of the many other Testimonies to the purpose in hand §. 36. bearing witnesse to the same Truth some few may yet be singled out and in the next place that of Jeremiah 31. 3. presents it selfe unto tryall and Examination Yea I have loved thee with an everlasting love therefore with loving kindnesse have I drawn thee It is the whole Elec◠Church of the seed of Iacob of whom he speaks the foundation of whose blessednesse is laid in the Eternall Love of God Who the persons are thus beloved and of whom we are to interpret these expressions of Gods good will the Apostle manifests Rom 11. as shall afterwards be more fully discoursed and cleared He tells you it is the Election whom God intends of whom he saies that they obtained the Righteousnesse that is by faith according to the purport of Gods good will towards them though the rest were hardned God who adds daily to his Church such as shall be saved Acts 13. 48. drawing them thereunto upon the account of their being so Elected He calls them also the Remnant according to the Election of Grace and the People whom God did foreknow v 1 2. or from Eternity designed to the participation of the Grace there spoken of as the use of the word hath been evinced to be These are the Thee here designed the portion of Israel after the flesh which the Lord in his Free Grace hath eternally appointed to be his peculiar inheritance which in their severall Generations he drawes to himselfe with Loving Kindnesse And this everlasting Love is not only the fountaine whence actuall Loving Kindnesse in drawing to God or bestowing Faith doth flow as they Believe who are ordained to eternall life but also the sole Cause and Reason upon the account whereof in contra-distinction to the Consideration of any thing in themselves God will exercise Loving Kindnesse towards them for ever That which is everlasting or eternall is also unchangeable Gods everlasting Love is no more liable to mutability then himselfe And it is an alwaies equall Ground and Motive for Kindnesse On what account should God alter in his actuall Kindnesse or favour towards any if that on the account whereof he exercises it will not admit of the least Alteration He that shall give a Condition on which this everlasting Love of God should be suspended and according to the influence whereof upon it it should goe forth in Kindnesse or be interrupted may be allowed to boast of his discovery That of
persevere He compares it further with the Grace that Adam received Lib. De Correp Grat Cap. 12 primo itaque homini qui in eo bono quo factus fuerat rectus acceperat posse non Peccare posse non mori posse ipsum Bonum non deserere datum est Adjutorium Perseverantiae non quo fieret ut perseveraret sed sine quo per liberum Arbitrium persever are non possit Nunc verò Sanctis in regnum Dei per gratiam Dei praedestinatis non tantum tale adjutorium Perseverantiae datur sed tale ut iis Perseverantia ipsa donetur non solùm ut sine isto done Perseverantes esse non possint verùm etiam ut per hoc donum non nisi perseverantes sint And a little after ipseitaque dat perseverantiam qui stabilire potens est eos qui stant ut perseverantissimè stent And in the eight Chapter of the same Book expounding that of our Saviour Luke 22 I have prayed for thee that thy faith faile not he manifesteth how upon that account it was impossible that the will of Peter should not actually be established to the end in believing His words are an audebis dicere etiam rogante Christo ne deficeret fides Petri defecturum fuisse si Petrus eam deficere voluisset idque si eam usque in finem perseverare noluisset quasi aliud Petrus ullo modo vellet quà m pro illo Christus rogâsset ut vellet nam quis ignorat tunc fuisse perituram fidem Petri si ea quae fidelis erat voluntas ipsa deficeret permansuram si voluntas eadem permaneret quando ergo oravit ne fides ejus deficeret quid aliud rogavit nisi ut haberet in fide liberrimam fortissimam invictissimam Perseverantissimam voluntatem And in this persuasion he had not only the consent of all the sound and Orthodox Doctours in his time as was before manifested but he is followed also by the School men of all ages and not forsaken by some of the Jesuites themselves as we shall afterwards see when we have added that consideration of the Doctrine of this learned man which hath given occasion to some to pretend his consent in opposition to that which most evidently He not only delivered but confirmed There are in Austine and those that either joyned with him or followed immediately after him notwithstanding the Doctrine formerly insisted on that Actual perseverance is a Gift of God and that it flowes from Predestination as an Effect thereof and is bestowed on all Elect Believers infallibly preserving them unto the end wherein they assert and strongly prove the whole of what we maintaine sundry Expressions commonly urged by the Adversaries of the truth in hand granting many who were Saints believing and Regenerate to fall away and perish for ever I need not instance in any of their sayings to this purpose the Reader knowes where to find them gathered to his hand in Vossius Grotius Mr. Goodwin from them The seeming contradiction that is amongst themselves in the delivery of this doctrine will easily admit of a Reconciliation may they be allowed the common courtesy of being Interpreters of their own meaning What weight in those dayes was layd upon the Participation of the Sacramental figures of Grace and what expressions are commonly used concerning them who had obtained that Priviledge is known to all Hence all baptised persons continuing in the Profession of the Faith and Communion of the Church they called counted esteemed truly regenerate and justified and spake so of them Such as these they constantly affirme might fall away into everlasting destruction but yet what their judgment was concerning their present state indeed even then when they so termed them Regenerate and Believers in respect to the Sacraments of those Graces Austine in sundry places clearly delivers his thoughts to the undeceiving of all that are willing to be free This he especially handles in his book de Correp Grat Cap 9 non erant saith he filii etiam quando erant in professione nomine filiorum ◠non quiae justitiam simulaverunt sed quia in eâ non permanserunt This Righteousness he esteemed not to be meerly feigned and hypocritical but rather such as might truly intitle them to the state and Condition of the Children of God in the sense before expressed And againe isti cùm piè vivunt dicuntur filii Dei sed quoniam victuri sunt impie in eâdem impietate morituri non eos dicit filios Dei prascientia Dei And further in the same chapter sunt rursus quidam qui filii Dei propter susceptam temporalem gratiam dicuntur à nobis nec sunt tamen ` Deo and againe non erant in numero filiorum etiam quando erant in fide filiorum And sicut non verè Discipuli Christi ita nec verè filii Dei fuerunt etiam quando esse videbantur ita vocabantur He concludes Appellamus ergo nos Electos Christi Discipulos Dei filios quos regeneratos that is as to the Sacramental signe of that Grace piè vivere ceruimus sed tunc verò sunt quod appellantur si manserint in eo propter quod sic appellantur Si autem persever antiam non habent id est in eo quod caperunt esse non manent non verè appellantur quod appellantur non sunt As also de Doct Christianâ Lib. 3. C. 32 non est revera Corpus Christi quod non erit cum illo in aeternum And these are the Persons which Austine and those of the same judgment with him do grant that they may fall away such as upon the account of their Baptismal entrance into the Church their Pious devout lives their profession of the faith of the Gospel they called and accounted regenerate believers whom yet they tell you upon a through search into the nature and causes of holyness grace and walking with God that they would be found not to be truly and really in that state and condition that they were esteemed to be in of which they thought this a sufficient Demonstration even because they did not persevere which undeniably on the other hand with the testimonies foregoing and the like inumerable that might be produced evinces that their constant judgment was that all who are truly really and in the sight of God believers ingrafted into Christ and adopted into his family should certainly Persevere and that all the passages usually cited out of this holy and learned man to perswade us that he ever cast an eye towards the Doctrine of the Apostacy of the Saints may particularly be refer'd to this head and manifested that they do not at all concerne those whom he esteemed Saints indeed which is cleere from the consideration of what hath been insisted on Thus far He of whom what were the thoughts of the Church of God in the dayes wherein he lived hath been
5. Heb. 10. 22. universall habituall uncleannesse to holinesse from d Rom. 6. 10. Eph. 2. 12 13 14 15. Col. 1. 21. Heb. 12. 22. a state of enmity stubbornnesse rebellion c. into a state of love obedience delight c. and as to their relative condition whereas they were e Eph. 2. 3. Galat. 3. 13. 4. 4 5 6 7. Rom. 8. 1. 2 Cor. 5. 21. Col. 2. 10. Rom. 5. 1. 8. 32 33. 1 Ioh. 3. 1 2. Ephes. 3. 15. children of wrath under the curse and condemning power of the law they are upon the score of him who was made a curse for them and is made righteousnesse to them accepted justified adopted and admitted into that family of heaven and earth which is called after the name of God These alone are they of whom we treat of whose state and condition Perseverance is an inseparable adjunct wherein and in what particulars they are differenced from and advanced above the most glorious Professors whatever who are lyable and obnoxious to an utter and everlasting separation from God shall be afterwards at large insisted upon And though M. Goodwin hath thought good to affirme that that description which we have Heb 6 of such as is supposed may be Apostates is one of the highest and most eminent that is made of believers in the whole Scripture I shall not doubt but to make it evident that the Excellency of all the expressions there used being extracted and laid together doth yet come short of the meanest and lowest thing that is spoken of those concerning whom we treat as shall be manifest when through Gods assistance we arrive unto that part of this contest That the other terme to wit Perseverance may be more briefely explicated §. 23. I shall take the shortest path For Perseverance in generall he came neere the nature of it who said it was in ratione bene fundatâ stabilis ac perpetua permansio The words and termes whereby it is expressed in Scripture will afterwards fall in to be considered The Holy Ghost restraines not himselfe to any one expression in spirituall things of so great importance but using that variety which may be suited to the instruction supportment and consolation of Believers Rom. 15. 4. this grace as is that of Faith it selfe in an eminent manner is by him variously expressed 2 Sam. 7. 14 15. To walke in the name of the Lord for ever to walke with Christ as we have received to be confirmed or strengthened in the faith as we have been taught Psal. 1. 3. 23. 6. 37. 24. 52. 10. 89. 31. 125. 1 2. 3 128. 5. to keep the waies of Gods commandements to the end to runne stedfastly the race set before us to rule with God to be faithfull with the Saints to be faithfull to the death to be sound and stedfast in the precepts of God to abide or continue firme with Christ in Christ in the Lord in the word of Christ in the doctrine of Christ in the faith in the love and favour of God in what we have learned and received from the beginning Isa. 46. 4. 54. 10. to endure to persist in the Truth to be rooted in Christ Ierem. 31. 3. 32. 39 40. to retaine or keepe faith and a good conscience to hold fast our confidence and faith to the end Zech. 10. 12. to follow God fully to keep the word of Christs patience Math. 7. 24 25. 12. 20. 16. 18 24. 24. Luk. 8. 5. 22. 23. Ioh. 6. 35 39 56 57. 8. 12. 10. 27 28 29. 14. 16 17. 17. 20 18 28. Rom. 8. 1. 16. 29. 34. 36 37. 1 Cor. 3. 8 9 10 13. 15. 58. to be built upon and in Christ to keep our selves that the wicked one touch us not not to commit sinne to be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation 1 Ioh. 5. 17. 3. 9. to stand fast as mount Syon that can never be removed to stand by faith to stand fast in the faith to stand fast in the Lord to have the good work begun 1 Pet. 1. 5. Rom. 11. 20. 1 Cor. 16. 13. perfected to hold our profession that none take our crowne These I say and the like are some of those expressions whereby the holy Ghost holds forth that doctrine which we have in hand Phil. 4. 1. Phil. 1. 6. Ephes. 1. 13 14. which is usually called the Perseverance of Saints regarding principally their abiding with God through Christ in faith and obedience which yet is but one part of this truth The reasons causes investing this proposition 4. 39. that Saints such as we have described Gal. 2. 20. Phil. 1. 6. shall so Persevere with a necessity of consequence and on which the truth of it doth depend 1 Thes 5. 24. both negatively considered and positively with the limitation of Perseverance 2 Tim. 2. 12. what it directly asserts what not with what failing 1 Pet 1. 2 3 4. backsliding declensions on the one hand and other it is consistent and what is destructive of the nature and being of it 1 Joh. 2. 19 27. c. the difference of it as to being and apprehension in respect the subject in whom it is with the way and manner whereby the causes of this Perseverance have their operation on § 24. and effect in them that persevere not in the least prejudicing their liberty but establishing them in their voluntary obedience will afterwards be fully cleared And hereon depends much of the life and vigor of the Doctrine we have in hand it being oftner in the Scripture held forth in its fountaines and springs and causes then in the thing it selfe as will upon examination appeare As to what is on the other side affirmed §. 25. that Believers may fall totally finally away something may be added to cleare up what is intended thereby to enquire how it may come to passe We doe suppose which the scripture abundantly testifieth that such believers have a Ezek 36. 27. Isa 59. 21. Luk 11. 13. Psal. 51. 11. Rom. 8 9 11 15. 1 Cor 2. 12. Gal 4. 6. 1 Tim 1. 14 Rom 5. 5. Gal 5. 22. Ioh 14. 16 17. Ioh 16. 13. 1 Cor 3. 16. 1 Cor 6. 19. the holy Spirit dwelling in them by his implanting a b Math 12. 33. 2 Cor 5. 17. 2 Pet 1. 4 Gal 5. 22 23 Ephes. 4. 23 24. new holy habit of Grace the enquiry then is how believers may come utterly to loose this holy spirit to be made naked of the habit of Grace or new nature bestowed on them That and that only whereunto this effect is ascribed is sinne Now there are two wayes whereby sinne may be supposed to produce such effects in reference to the Soules of Believers 1. Efficiently by a reaction in the same subject as frequent acts of Vice will
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
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
Truth and Mistery calculated contrived and framed by God with a singular aptnesse and choicenesse of ingredients for the advancement of Godlinesse in the world therefore what particular Doctrine is of the same Spirit tendency and import must needs be a naturall branch thereof and bath perfect accord with it this Proposition then it unquestionable Ans. According to the principles formerly laid downe I have something to say though not to the proposition it selfe § 3. as in the termes it lyeth but only as to the fixednesse and stayednesse of it that it may not be a nose of max to be turned to and fro at every ones pleasure to serve their turnes for what sort of men is there in the world professing the name of Christ that do not lay claime to an intrest in this Proposition for the confirmation of their Opinions It is but as a Common Exordium in Rethoricke a uselesse flourish The Doctrine which is according to Godlinesse that is which the Scripture teacheth to be true and to serve for the promotion of Godlinesse not what Doctrine soever any darke brainesicke Creature doth apprehend so to do in the state and Condition wherein the Saints of God walke with him is a branch of the Gospell I adde in the state and condition wherein we walke with God for in the state of innocency the Doctrine of the Law as a Covenant of Life was of singular aptnesse and usefulnesse to promote Obedience which yet is not therefore any branch or part of the Gospell but opposite to it and destructive of it All the advantage then Mr Goodwin can expect from this Argument to his cause dependeth upon the proofe of the minor Proposition which also must be effected in aswerable proportion to the restrictions and qualifications given to the Major or the whole will be void and of none effect That is he must prove it by the Testimony of God to be according to Godlinesse and not give us in by a pure begging of the thing in Question that it is so in his Apprehesion and according to the principles whereon he doth proceed in the teaching and asserting of Godlinesse Mr Goodwin knowes that there is no lesse difference btween him and us about the nature and causes of Godlinesse then there is aboute the Perseverance of the Saints and therefore his asserting any Doctrine to be suited to the promotion of Godlinesse that Assertion being proportioned to his other Hypothesis of his owne wherein we accord not with him and in particular to his notions of the causes and nature of Godlinesse with which conceptions of his we have no communion it cannot be of any weight with us unlesse he prove his affirmation according to the limitations before expressed Now this he attempteth in the words following What Doctrine saith he can there be more proper and powerfull to promote Godlinesse §. 4. in the hearts and lives of men then that which on the one hand promiseth a crowne of Blessednesse and eternall Glory to those that live Godlily without declining and on the other hand threatneth the vengeance of Hell fire eternally against those that shall turne aside into profanenesse and not returne by repentance whereas the Doctrine which promiseth and that withall possible certainty and assurance all fulnesse of Blessednesse and Glory to those that shall at any time be Godly though they shall the very next day or hour degenerate and turne loose and profane and continue never so long in such a course is most manifestly destructive to Godlinesse and encouraging above measure unto profanenesse Ans. There are two parts of this Discourse the one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or confirmatory of his owne Thesis §. 5. the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or destructive of that which he opposeth For the first it is upon the matter all that he produceth for the confirmation of his Minor Proposition wherein any singular concernement of his opinion doth lye Now that being in a sould sence the common Inheritance of all that professe the Truth under what deceits or mistakes soever the summe of what is here insisted on is that the Doctrine he maintaineth concerning the possibility of the Saints defection promiseth a crowne to them that continue in Obedience and threatneth vengeance of fire to them that turne to profanenesse which taken as a proofe of his former assertion is lyable to some small exceptions As 1. That this doth not at all prove the Doctrine to be a branch or parcell of the Gospell it being is it standeth severally by it selfe the pure tenor of the Covenant of Workes which we confesse to have been of singular importance for the propagation of Godlinesse Holinesse in them to whom it was given or with whom it was made being given and made for that very end and and purpose but that this alone by its selfe is a peculiar branch or parcell of the Gospell or that it is of such singular importance for the carrying on of Gospell-Obedience as so by it selfe proposed that should here have been proved 2. As it is also a part of the Gospell declaring the Faithfulnesse of God and the End and Issue of the proposall of the Gospell unto men and of their receiving or refusing of it so it is altogether forraigne to the Doctrine of Mr Goodwin under contest he might as well have said that the Doctrine of Apostacy is of singular import for the promotion of Holinesse because the Doctrine of Justification by Faith is so for what force of consequence is betwixt these two that God is a rewarder of them that Obey him and a punisher of them that rebell against him is an incentive to Obedience therefore the Doctrine that true Believers united to Jesus Christ may utterly fall out of the Favour of God and turne from their Obedience and be damned for ever there being no Promise of God for their preservation is also an incentive to Holinesse 3. What virtue soever there may be in this truth for the furtherance and promotion of Holinesse in the world our Doctrine laieth as cleare claime to it as yours that is there is not any thing in the least in it inconsistent therewith all we grant God threateneth the vengeance of Hell fire unto those that turne aside from their profession of Holinesse into profanenesse the Gospell it selfe becoming thereby unto them a savour of death unto death the Lord thereby proclaiming to all the world that the wages of sinne and infidelity is death and that he that believeth not shall be damned but that any thing can hence be inferred for the Apostacie of true Believers or how this assertion cometh to be appropriated to that Doctrine we see not The latter part of this Discourse § 6. whereby its Author aimeth to exclude the Doctrine hitherto asserted by us from any claime laid to usefulnesse for the promotion of Godlinesse is either a mistake of it through ignorance of the opinion he hath undertaken to
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
since discharged from any farther attendance or service in this warfare by Exhortations then are all his Promises of Perseverance in vaine But why so May not God injoyne the use of meanes and promise by them the attainement of the End May he not Promise that to us which he will worke himselfe effectually in us If God effectually worke in us to give us by what meanes so ever a new heart may he not promise to give us a new heart Yea but amongst men this would be incongruous yea ridiculous that a Father should Promise his sonne an inheritance then perswade him to take heed that he may obtaine it But First If this be Incongruous yea ridiculous amongst men in their dealings with one another doth it therefore follow that it must be so as to Gods dealings with men Are his thoughts as our thoughts his wayes as our wayes Is not the wisdome of God foolishnesse with men and theirs much more so with him Are men bound in their dealings with others to consider them not only in their Naturall and Civill relations but as impotent and corrupted men as God in his dealings with them doth Secondly Neither is this course so Ridiculous amongst men as Mr Goodwin imagineth that a Father having promised his sonne an Inheritance and instated it on him or assured it to him should exhort perswade him to be have himselfe worthy of his kindnesse to take heed that he come to the injoyment of the Inheritance which he hath provided for him by the meanes that he hath appointed for the prescription of meanes for the injoyment of the Inheritance must be supposed to go along with the promise assurance is farre from being a course so ridiculous as is pretended Neither Thirdly is this similitude Analogous with that which it is produced to illustrate For 1. A man may know how and when and on what account an Inheritance is setled on him by his Father Of what God promiseth we have Faith only not Knowledge properly so called nor alwaies the Assurance of Faith as to the injoyment of the thing promised but the Adherence of Faith as to the Truth and Faithfulnesse of the Promiser Nor 2. Can a Father worke in his Sonne that Obedience which he requireth of him as He can do who Creates a new heart in us and writes his Law and Feare therein 3. This Absolute ingagement to bestow an Inheritance whether the meanes of obtaining it be used and insisted on or no is a thing most remote from what we ascribe to the Lord in his Promises of Perseverance which are only that Believers shall Persevere by the use of meanes w ch meanes he exhorts them to use yet dealing with them in a Covenant of Grace Mercy entered into upon account of their utter insufficiency in themselves to do the things that are well pleasing to him whereunto they are so exhorted He himselfe effectually and Graciously according to the tenour of that Covenant workes in them what he requires of them bearing them forth in the power of his Grace to the use of the meanes appointed His Sections 8 § 42. 9 containe an endeavour for the taking off an Instance usually given of pressing to the use of meanes where the end is infallibly promised to be accomplished and brought about in and by the use of those meanes And this is in the passage of Paul Acts 27. whereof something formerly hath ben spoken Paul receives a Promise from God That none of the lives of the persons with him in the ship should perish this he declares to his company and how deeply he was concerned in the accomplishment of the Promise and his prediction thereupon upon the account of the undertaking wherein against almost all the World he was then ingaged the cause for which he was committed to their company and custody was formerly declared Notwithstanding this he afterwards exhorts them directs to the use of all meanes imaginable that were suitable for the fulfilling of the Promise he had the Prediction he had made Evident it is then that there is no Inconsistency nor any thing unbecoming any perfection in God in that compliance of Promises Exhortations which we insist upon He having directed Paul to walk in that very way and path God we say in the Covenant of Grace hath promised that his Saints shall never leave him nor forsake him that he will abide in unchangeable constancy to be their God that he will preserve them and keep them in his hand unto the Kingdome of his Sonne in glory saving his Redeemed ones with an everlasting Salvation to the accomplishment of the End Promised which he will upon the account of his Truth and Faithfulnesse bring about by Meanes suitable unto and instituted by him for that end In the compassing and effecting of this great work God dealeth with men under a twofold consideration First As Rationall creatures So he discovers to them the end promised with its Excellency Lovelinesse and Satisfaction thereby stirring up in them desires after it as that eminent proportioned good which they in the utmost issue of their thoughts and desires aime at Farther on the fore mentioned account that they are Rationall Creatures endued with a rationall Appetite or Will for the choosing of that which is good and an Vnderstanding to judge of it of the meanes for the attainment of the end God reveales to them the meanes conducing to the end proposing them to them to be chosen and embraced and closed withall for the compassing of the end proposed And that they may be yet dealt withall agreeably to their Nature and those principles in them which they are created withall that God might have glory by their acting suitably to such a Nature such principles He exhorts and provokes them to choose those waies meanes which he hath so allotted as before mentioned for the end aimed at And that they should be thus dealt withall their very Naturall condition of being free intellectuall Agents doth require Secondly As Sinners or Agents disenabled in themselves for the work prescribed to them and required of them for the attaining of the end they aime at namely in Spirituall things And on that account he puts forth towards them and in them the Efficacy of his Power for the immediate and speciall working of those things in them and by them and which as Rationall Creatures bound unto an orderly obedience they are Pressed and Exhorted unto To manifest the inconsistency of such a procedure and the unanswerablenesse of it to the infinite Wisdome of God though the Scripture expresly deliver it in innumerable places as hath been shewen is that which by Mr Goodwin is in this discourse attempted His particular endeavour in the place under Consideration is to manifest that when God promiseth to bring about effect any thing infallibly by the use of meanes 't is in vaine altogether that any Exhortation should be
we are disenabled from persuing the Comparison instituted The one part being not to be considered or at least not being considerable The time when first Head was made against the Truth we professe and Criminations like those managed by Mr Goodwin hatched and contrived to Assault it withall was when it had been eminently delivered to the Saints of this Nation and all the Churches of Christ by Reinolds Whitakers Greenham and others like to them their fellow labourers in the Lords Vineyard The poore weake Wormes of this present Generation who imbrace the same Doctrine with these men of name are thought to be free some of them at least from being destroyed by the poysonous and pernicious embracing of it by their owne weakenesse and disability to discerne the naturall genuine Consequences and Tendency in the progresse of that which in the Roote and Foundation they imbrace Their ignorance of their owne Doctrine in its compas Extent is the Mother of that Devotion which in them is nourished thereby So our great Masters tell us against whose Kingly Authority in these things there is no rising up For the Persons formerly named the like reliefe cannot be supposed He that shall provide an Apology for them Affirming that they understood not the state nature consequences and tendences of the Doctrines they received defended preached contended for will scarce be able by any following defensative to vindicate his owne credit for so doing In the lives then and the Ministry of those men and such as those if any where are the fruits of this Doctrine to be seene If it corrupted not their lives nor weakned their Ministry if it turned not them aside from the pathes of Gospell Obedience nor weakened their hands in the Dispensation of the Word in the Promises Threatnings and Exhortations thereof to the Conversion of soules and building up of those who by their Ministry were called in their most holy Faith it cannot but be a strong presumption that there is no such venomous infectious quality in this Doctrine as of late some Chimicall Divines pretend themselves to be able to extract out of it Now what I pray were these men What were their Lives What was their Ministry All those who now oppose Mr Goodwin's Doctrine do it either out of Ignorance or to Comply with Greatnesse and men in Authority thereby to make up themselves in their Ambitious and worldly aymes and to prevaile themselves upon the opinion of men for what cause else in the world can be imagined why they should so ingage what though they really believed the whole fabricke of his Doctrine wherein he hath departed from the Faith he once as they say professed to be a lye A lye of dangerous and pernitious Consequence to the soules of men a lye derogatory to the Glory of God the efficacy of Grace the merit of the Death of Christ and the honour of the Gospell and full of disconsolation to poore soule◠being in and under Temptation What though they suppose it secretly to undermine the maine fundamentals of the Covenant of Grace and covertly to substitute another Covenant in the Roome thereof what though they have observed that the Doctrine they have received was Imbraced Preached prized by all those great and blessed soules which in the last Generation God magnified with the conversion of so many thousands in this Nation given into their Ministry whilst they spent their dayes under continuall Aflictions persecutions what though they have the generall known consent of all the Reformed Churches beyond the Seas with them in their zeale for the Doctrine under consideration What though under these the like apprehensions they profes in the presence of God his holy Angels and men that the eternall Interest of the precious soules of men is more valuable to them ten thousand times than their owne lives and that that is the sole Reason of their opposition to M. 〈◊〉 in his attempts against the Doctrine they have so received and imbraced yet it is meet for us to Judge and for all to whom evill surmises are not esteemed to be among the workes of the flesh that all their opposition is nothing but a cōplyance with and pursuit of those worldly low and wretched aimes that they are filled withall But as to those Persons before mentioned what shall we say Their Piety Literature Zeale Diligence Industry Labour with successe in the worke of the Ministry and that under manifold discouragements are so renowned in the world that how or wherewith they shall be shifted of from being considerable in their Testimony I cannot imagine If ever Persons in these latter Ages had written upon their breasts Holynesse to the Lord If ever any bare about a conformity to the Death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ they may put in for an eminent esteeme and name among them will doubtlesse be found at last to be of the thirty if they attaine not to the first Ranke of the Worthyes of Christ in these ends of the world How is it that they were not retarded in the course of their Gospell Obedience by their entertainement of this wretched Doctrine of the Saints Perseverance But what though they kept themselves Personally from the pollution of it yet possibly their Ministry was defiled and rendered uselesse by it And who I pray is it that in this Generation can so support himselfe with successe in the Ministry as to rise up with this accusation against them Many thousands who were their Crowne their Glory and Rejoycing in Christ are fallen a sleepe and some Continue to this day Of the Reasons given by Mr Goodwin why all the Zealous Fruitfull Faithfull Preachers of former dayes imbraced this Doctrine we shall instantly undertake the Consideration In the meane time this seems strange that God should magnify and make famous the Ministry of so many throughout the world and give in that visible blessing to their Labours therein which hath filled this Island with such an increase of Children to Sion as that she hath not lengthned the cords of her Tabernacle to such an extent and compasse in any proportionable spot of earth under Heaven if any one eminent part of their Doctrine and that whereon they lay'd great weight in their Ministry which they pressed with as much fervency and contention of Spirit as any head of the like importance should indeed be so apparently destructive of Holinesse and of such a direct and irresistible efficiency to render uselesse that great Ordinance of the Ministry committed to them as this is clamoured to be What will be the successe of them in their Ministry who shall undertake to deny and oppose it I hope the People of God in this Nation will not have many Instances to Judge by The best conjecture we can for the present make of what will be hereafter must be taken from what hath already come to passe and the best guesse of what events will be are to be raised from
from you so that you also having my Law written in your hearts shall never utterly and wickedly depart from me And for such sinnes and follies as you shall be overtaken withall I will graciously heale your backslidings and receive you freely This is the Language of the Doctrine we maintaine which is not we full well know obnoxious to any Exceptions or Consequences what ever but such as bold and prejudiced men for the countenance of their vaine conceits and opinions will venture at any time to impose and fasten on the most pretious Truths of the Gospell That God should say to Believers as is imposed on him fall into what sinnes they will or abominations they can yet he will have them believe that by an irresistible hand he will necessitate them to Persevere that is in and under their Apostacy which is evidently implyed in their falling into sinnes and abominations in the manner insisted on is a ridiculous fiction to the imagination whereof the least colour is not supplied by the Doctrine intended to be â—raduced thereby Secondly §. 4. for the ensuing Exhortations Promises and Threatnings as farre as they are really Evangelicall whose use and tendency is argued to be inconsistent with the Doctrine before proposed I have formerly manifested What is their proper use and efficacy in respect of Believers and their consistency with the truth we maintaine apprehended as it is indeed and not visarded with ugly and dreadfull appearances will I presume scarcely be called in question by any who having received a Kingdome that cannot he shaken doe know what it is to serve God acceptably with reverence and Godly feare It is true they are made unto and have their use in reference unto them that Believe and shall Persevere therein but they are not given unto them as men assured of their Perseverance but as men called to the use of meanes for the establishing of their soules in the wayes of obedience They are not in the method of the Gospell irrationally happed on such intimations of unchangeable Love or proposed under such wild Conditionalls and Suppositions as here by our Author but annexed to the Appointment of those wayes of Grace and Peace which God calls his Saints unto being suited to worke upon the new nature wherewith they are indued as spreading it selfe over all the facultyes of their Rationall Soules wherein are Principles fit to be excited to Operation by Exhortations and Promises Thirdly §. 5. all that is indeed Argumentative in this Discourse is built on this Foundation that a Spirituall Assurance of attaining the end by the use of meanes is discouraging and disswasive to the use of those meanes A Proposition so uncouth in it selfe so contradictory to the experience of all the Saints of God so derogatory to the Glory and Honour of Jesus Christ himselfe who in all his Obedience had doubtles an Assurance of the end of it all as any thing that can well fall into the imaginations of the Hearts of men Might not the Devill have thus replyed upon our Saviour when he tempted him to turne Stones into Bread cast himselfe from a pinacle of the Temple received Answer that man lives not by Bread alone but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God but alas thou Jesus the Sonne of the Living God that art perswaded thou art so and that God will preserve thee whether thou usest any meanes or no that thou shalt never be starved for want of Bread nor hurt thy selfe by any fall whatever thou clost the Angells having charge that no evill shall come nigh thee nor thy foot be hurt against a stone thou maist now cast thy selfe headlong from the Temple to manifest thy Assurance of the Love and Faithfullnesse of God with his Promises to thee If our Saviour thought it sufficient to stop the mouth of the Devill to manifest from Scripture that notwithstanding the Assurance from God that any one hath of the end yet he is to use the meanes tending thereunto a neglect whereof is a sinfull tempting of God we shall not need to goe farther for an Answer to the same kind of Objections in the mouth of any Adversary whatever His 19 th Section containeth his fourth Argument §. 6. in these words If there be no possibility of the Saints falling away finally then is their Persevering uncapable of reward from God But their finall Perseverance is not uncapable of reward from God Ergo The minor Proposition I presume containes nothing but what is the sence of those who deny the conclusion or how ever it containes nothing but what is the expresse sence of the Lord Christ where he saith that he that endureth to the end the same shall be saved Therefore I suppose we shall bee excused from farther proofe of this without any prejudice to the cause in hand Ans. I grant Eternall Life may be called the Reward of Perseverance in the sence that the Scripture useth that word applyed to the matter in hand It is afterward neither procured by properly and Morally as the deserving cause nor proportioned unto the obedience of them by whom it is attained a Reward it is that withall is the free gift of God and an Inheritance purchased by Jesus Christ a Reward of Bounty and not of Iustice in respect of them upon whom it is bestowed but only of faithfulnesse in reference to the promise of it A Reward by being a gratious incouragement as the end of our obedience not as the procurement or desert of it so we grant it a Reward of Perseverance though those words of our Saviour he that endureth to the end the same shall be saved expressed a consequence of things only and not a connexion of causality of the one upon the other of the foundation of this discourse concerning a possibility of declining immediate consideration shall be had He proceeds then The consequence of the Major Proposition §. 7. stands firme upon this foundation No act of the Creature whereunto it is necessitated or which it cannot possibly decline or but doe is by any Law of God or rule of Iustice rewardable therefore if the Saints be necessitated by God to Persevere finally so that he leaves unto them no possibility of declining finally their finall Perseverance is not according to any Law of God or man nor indeed to any principles of Reason or Equity capable of reward no whit more than actions meerely naturall are Nay of the two there seems be more reason why acts meerely naturall as for example Eating Drinking Breathing Sleeping should be rewarded in as much as these flow in a way of necessity yet from an inward principle and connaturall to the Agent than such actions whereunto the agent is constrain'd necessitated determined by a principle of power from without and which is not intrinsecall to it And this is the strength of the Argument which will quickly appeare to be very weakenesse For First the efficacy of
as to quicken them 2. Eph. 11 And they to be borne of him as they are quickned or raised from the dead Two things are intimated in this Expression 1. A new principle habit or Spirituall Life which such persons have hence they are said to be borne as they who are borne in the world are partakers of a vitall principle that is the foundation of all their actions so have they here a new Life a new vitall principle by their being borne are they made partakers of it 2. The divine originall of that principle or life is from God They have the principle of Life immediately frō him therefore are said to be borne of God both these considerations are here used as descriptions of the Subject in the close of the Reason of the Proposition they are insisted on as the cause of that Effect of not sinning he sinneth not because he is borne of God both the nature of the principle it selfe which in it selfe is abiding and the rise or originall that it hath from God have an influence into that causality that is ascribed to it but about this there can be no great contest 2. Secondly That which is affirmed of every such person § 61. is that he committeth not sinne That this Expression is to be attended with its restrictions and limitations is evident from that contrariety wherein in its whole latitude it standeth to sundry other Testimonyes in the Booke of God yea in this very Epistle There is none that doth good and sinneth not saith Solomon 1 Kings 8. and In many things we sinne all saith James in the 3. James 4. And this Apostle putteth all out of question by convincing the best of Saints that have communion with the Father and Sonne that by saying we have no sinne by a denyall of it we involve our selves in the guilt of it If we we Apostles we who have fellowship with the Father and the Sonne say we have no sinne we deceive our selves 1 John 1. 8. doth not commit sinne then cannot be taken absolutely for doth not sin at all There is a Synechdoche in the words and they must be restrained to some kind of sinne or to some manner or degree in or of sinning Some say he doth not cannot sinne is they doe not commit sinne with delight not deliberately and with their full and whole will without reluctancy and opposition in their wills unto sinne which reluctancy is at a vast distance from the reluctancy that is raised in wicked men from the convictions of their Concience and judgement which sence is canvassed by M. Goodwin to no advantage at all Sect. 25. For in the way and manner formerly explained this may well take place Committeth not sinne then is doth not so commit sinne as that sinne should raigne in him spoken of and prevaile with him to death There is an Emphasis and intention in the words Committeth not sin that is doth not so commit it as to be given up to the power of it he doth not commit sinne in such a way as to be separated from communion with God thereby which is only done when sinne taketh the Rule or raigne in any Person This Exposition M. Goodwin saith §. 62. if it can be made to stand upright will beare the weight of the whole cause depending alone but as it is it argueth weaknesse to determine for our own sence in a Controversy or Question without giving a very substantiall Reason for the Exposition I doubt if M. Goodwins discourses in this Treatise were to be tried by this Rule a man might upon very substantiall grounds reasons call many of his assertions into Controversy because he addeth that such is his hard hap he can meet with no reasons at all I must needs question whether he made any dilligent search or no to this purpose shall supply him with one or two that lye hard at hand This then to be the intendment of the words is evident 1. From the scope of the place and aime of the Apostle therein This is to distinguish as was said betwixt the Children of God and of the Divell The children of the Divell commit sinne v. 8. He that committeth sinne is of the Divell as he giveth an instance of one that did so sin v. 12. Cain saith he was of the Divell he was of that wicked one and he committeth sinne How did Cain commit sinne impenitently to death that is the committing of sinne which is ascribed to them that are of the Devill of the wicked one Now saith he whosoever is borne of God doth not commit sinne that is he doth not so commit sinne as the Children of the Divell that wicked one do He sinnes not to death with impenitency 2. The same Apostle doth most eminently cleare his own intendment in this expression Chap 5. v 17 18. of this Epistle All unrighteousnesse is sinne there is a sinne not unto death we know that whosoever is borne of God sinneth not but he that is begotten of God keepeth himselfe and that wicked one toucheth him not That expression v. 18. Sineth not standeth in opposition to the sinne mentioned v. 17. Sinne unto death there is a sinne unto death but he that is borne of God sinneth not unto death So that both the context and the Exposition of the words given in a parrallell place affordeth us the sence insisted on Three reasons are tendred by Mr Goodwin against this exposition §. 63. and many more saith he are at hand which it seemes he is willing to spare for another season Of those that he is pleased to use I have already considered that which is of the chiefest importance being taken from the scope of the place It hath been already declared not only that the sence by him urged is not suitable to the intendment of the Holy Ghost and that M. G. is not a little mistaken in his Analysis of the Chapter but that the exposition insisted on by us is from thence inforced 1. His other reasons are First That the Grammar or letter of the Phrase breatheth not the least aire of such a sence Ans. That the Expression is Synecdochicall was before affirmed what it importeth under the power of that figure is the Grammaticall sence of the words To the Grammaticall regularity and signification of them doth their figurativenesse belong Let the words be restrained as the figure requireth and the sence is most proper as was signifyed 2. But Secondly saith he The Phrase of committing sinne is no where in the Scripture found in such a sence as to sinne with finall impenitency or to sinne to death Ans. The contrary hath been demonstrated The same phrase necessarily importeth no lesse v. 8. of this Chapter and an equivalent expression beyond all contradiction intending the same Chap 5. 17 18. Besides a Phrase may be so circumstantiated as to be in one only place restrained to a sence which it doth not elsewhere necessarily import
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
fastned upon them both for their joynt deliverance In Mr Goodwins 12. § 2. Chapter he takes into participation with him as is pretended 8. places of Scripture endeavouring by all meanes possible to compell them to speake comfortable words for the reliefe of his fainting and dying cause Whether He hath prevailed with them to the least complyance or whether He will not be found to proclaime in their name what they never once acknowledged unto him will be tryed out in the processe of our consideration of them In the first and second Section he fronts the Discourse intended with an eloquent Oration §. 3. partly concerning the tendency of the Doctrine of the Saints Perseverance which he girds himselfe now more closely to contend withall partly concerning Himselfe his own Ability Industry Skill Diligence and Observation of Doctrines and Persons with his rules in judging of the one the other For the First §. 4. He informes us that his judgement is that many who might have attained a Crowne of Glory by a presumptuous conceit of the Impossibility of their miscarrying are now like to suffer the vengeance of eternall fire men thereby gratifying the flesh with wresting the Scripture to the encouragement thereof That the Proud and Presumptuous conceits of men are like to have no other issue or effect than the betraying of their soules to all manner of Loosenesse and Abomination so exposing them to the vengeance of eternall fire we are well assured therefore knowing the terrour of the Lord do perswade men what we are able to cast downe all high thoughts and imaginations concerning their owne Abilities to doe good to believe to obey the Gospell or to abide in the Faith thereof and to rowle themselves freely fully wholly on the free Grace and faithfulnesse of God in the covenant of Mercy ratifyed in the bloud of his Sonne wherein they shall be assured to find Peace to their soules On this foundation doe we build all our endeavours for the exalting the soveraigne free effectuall grace of God in opposition to the proud and presumptuous conceits of men concerning their own imbred native power in spirituall things an Apprehension whereof we are well assured disposeth the heart into such a frame as God abhorres and prepares the soule to a battle against him in the highest and most abominable Rebellion imaginable I no waies doubt but that the way and meanes whereby innumerable poore creatures have been hardened to their eternall Ruine have had all their springs and fountaines ly in this one wretched reserve of a power in themselves to turne to God and to abide with him That any one by mixing the promises of God with Faith wherein the Lord hath gratiously assured him that seeing he hath no strength in himselfe to continue in his mercy he will preserve and keep him in and through the Sonne of his Love hath ever been or ever can be turned wholly aside to any way or path not acceptable to God or not ending in everlasting peace will never be made good whilest the Gospell of Christ finds honour and credit amongst any of the sonnes of men There may be some indeed who are strangers to the covenant of promise what ever they doe pretend who may turne this Grace of God in the Gospell as also that of the Satisfaction of Christ Redemption by his bloud and Justification by Faith the whole Doctrine of the covenant of Grace in Christ into lasciviousnesse but shall their unbeliefe make the Faith of God of none effect◠shall their wickednesse and Rebellion prejudice the mercy peace and Consolation of the Saints Because the Gospell is to them the savour of Death unto Death may it not be the savour of Life unto Life unto them that doe embrace it What ever then be the disasters of which themselves are the sole cause of men with their presumptuous conceits of the impossibility of miscarrying seeing every presumptuous conceit of what kind soever is a desperate miscarriage their ruine and destruction cannot in the least be ascribed to that Doctrine which calls for Faith in the promises of God a Faith working by Love and decrying all presumptuous conceits whatever A Doctrine without which and the necessary concomitant Doctrines thereof the whole bottome of mens walking with God and of their obedience is nothing but presumption and conceit whereby setting aside the cold sitts they are sometimes cast into by the checks of their consciences they spend their daies in the distemper of a Feaver of Pride and Folly In the insuing Discourse Mr Goodwin informes us of these two things §. 5. First What Rule he proceeds by in judging of the Truth of contrary opinions when as he phraseth it the toung of the Scripture seemes to be cloven about them And Secondly Of his owne Advantages and abilityes to make a right judgment according to that Rule The Rule he attends unto upon the information he hath given us is The Consideration of which of the Opinions that are at any time Rivalls for his judgement and acceptation tend most unto Godlinesse the Gospell being the truth which is according to Godlinesse of his owne advantages and abilityes to make a right judgment according to this rule there are severall heads and springs as his knowledge of the generall course of the Scripture the Experience of his owne heart his long observation of the Spirits and wayes of men but chiefely that light of Reason and Vnderstanding which he hath And by this Rule with these Abilityes proceeding in the examination of the Doctrine of the Saints Perseverance He condemnes it and casts it out as an abominable thing preferring that concerning their finall defection farre above it Some Considerations I shall adde to attend upon his Rule and principles First §. 6. It is most certaine that the Gospell is a Doctrine according unto Godlinesse whose immediate and direct tendency as in the whole frame and course of it so in every particular branch and streame is to promote that Obedience to Go◠in Christ which we call Godlinesse This is the will of God revealed therein even our Sanctification and whatever Doctrine it be that is suited to turne men off from walking with God in that way of Holinesse it carryes its brand in its face whereby every one that finds it may know that it is of the uncleane Spirit the evill one But yet that there may be fearefull and desperate deceits in the hearts of men judging of truths pretending their rise and originall from the Gospell by their suitablenesse to the promotion of Godlinesse and Holinesse hath been before in part declared and the Experience of all Ages doth sufficiently manifest Among all those who professe the name of Christ more or lesse in the world though in under the most Antichristian opposition to him who is there that doth not pretend that this tendency of opinions unto Godlinesse or their disserviceablenesse thereunto hath a great influence into the