7. for there is no more Offering for sinne required And on this foundation I may say there doth not remaine any such Guilt to be reckon'd unto Believers as that with regard thereunto God should forsake them utterly and give them over unto everlasting ruine And this is the summe of the Apostles discourse in that Chapter as it lookes upon the matter under present consideration That Sacrifice which so taketh away the Sinnes of them for whom 't is offered as that thereupon they should be perfect or perfectly accquitted of them and have no more conscience which is a judgement of a mans selfe answering to the judgment of God concerning him of sinne so to judge him and condemne him for it as not to have remedy of that Judgement or condemnation provided in that Sacrifice that I say doth so take away the Guilt of sinne as that it shall never separate between God and them for whom and whose sinne it was offered but such was the Sacrifice of Christ Ergo The Reason of the Consequence is cleare from the very forme of the proposition and nothing is assumed but what is the expresse Testimony of the Apostle in that and other places So Daniel 9. 24. §. 6. The designe in the Death of Christ is to finish the Transgression to make an end of Sinne and to make reconciliation for iniquities and to bring in everlasting Righteousnesse Christ makes an end of sinne not that there should be no more sinne in the world for there is yet sinning to the purpose in some respect Heb. 6. 4 5. 10. 28. much more then before his death and there will be so to eternity if those under the ultimate sentence may be thought to sinne but he makes an end of it as to the Controversy and difference about it between God Rom. 5. 10. and them for whom he died and that by making Reconciliation On the part of God attoning him toward us which Attonement we are perswaded to accept Isa. 27. 3 4. 45. 24 25. and by bringing in for us a Righteousnesse which is everlasting and will abide the triall which God will certainly accept Now when God is satisfied for sinne and we are furnished with a Righteousnesse exactly compleat and answering to the utmost of his demand whence can any more contest arise about the guilt of sinne or the obligation of the sinner unto punishment that from the Justice and Law of God doth attend it This also the Apostle urgeth Rom. 8. 34. Who is he that condemneth It is Christ that died He argueth from the death of Christ to the ablation Heb. â— 10. 14 15 16 17 18 or removall of Condemnation for sinne because by his death he hath made an end of sinne as was shewed and brought in everlasting Righteousnesse To suspend the issue of all these transactions between God and the Mediator upon conditions by us to be accomplished not bestowed on us purchased for us and as to their event uncertaine is disadvantagiously to begge the thing in question Now because it appears 1 Cor. 6. 11. that notwithstanding the death of Christ many for whom he died Eph. 2. 11 12 are kept a long season under the guilt of sinne and are all of them borne in a condition of wrath Ephes. 2. 3. I shall crave leave a little to insist on this instance and to shew that notwithstanding the Truth thereof yet the guilt of sinne is so taken away from all those for whom Christ died by his death that it shall never be a cause of everlasting separation between God and them 2 Cor. 5. 18 19 20. In the Obedience and Death of Christ whereby as a compleatly sufficient and efficacious meanes he made way for the Accomplishment of his eternall purposes in such paths of infinite wisdome as brought in all the good he aymed by it in that order which the very frame and nature of things by him appointed required the exaltation of his Glory God is satisfied well pleased and resolved that he will not take his course at Law against those in the behalfe of whom he died Though an Arrest was gone forth against all mankind yet the Lord suspended by his Soveraignty the utmost Execution of it that roome and space might be given according to the Eternall thoughts of his heart for the deliverance of some A reprieve is granted mankinde out of Reasons and for Purposes of his owne After the sentence of Death was denounced against them God being pleased to magnify his Grace according to his Eternall Councell and purpose in Jesus Christ Eph. 1. 6 11. innovates the Law as to the Obligation of it unto punishment on the behalfe of some 2 Tim. 1. 9. by an interposition of the Sonne of his love in such way as to undergoe what was due unto those Heb. 7. 22. 10. 9. on whose behalfe the interposition was made 2 Cor. 5. 21. and by this undertaking of Christ in the very first notion of it as it was satisfactory thus much is done and accomplished First §. 8. the vindictive Justice of God is satisfyed that is whereas such is the naturall Right Gen. 18. 25. Soveraignty and Dominion of God over his Creatures Josh. 24. 19. and such his Essentiall Perfections of Holinesse Psal. 5. 4 5 6. Purity and Righteousnesse that if his Creatures cast off his yoake Hab. 1. 13. and their dependance on him which they do by every sinne Ro. 1. 18 32. what in them lyeth it is then of indispensable necessity that he render unto that sinne 2 Thess. 1. 6. or sinner guilty thereof a meet Recompence of Reward Jesus Christ hath so answered his Righteousnesse Vid. Diat de Just. Div. that without the impairing of his Right or Soveraignty without the least derogation from his Perfections he may receive his sinning Creatures againe to favour It being the Judgment of God that they who commit sinne are worthy of Death Rom. 1. 32. and a Righteous thing with him to render Tribulation to sinners 1 Thess. 1. 6 7. For shall not the Judge of all the world do right Gen. 18. He hath set forth his Sonne to Declare his Righteousnesse for the forgivenesse of sinnes Rom. 3. 24 25. Now for whom Christ dyed he dyed for all their sinnes 1 John 1. 7. The Bloud of Christ cleanseth us from all sinnâ—e The Application of it being commensurate to his intendment in his Oblation not extending it selfe to the actuall effecting of any thing whatever which was not meritoriously procured thereby He loved his Church and gave himselfe for it that he might Sanctify and Cleanse it with the washing of water that he might present it to himselfe a Glorious Church not having spotte or wrincle or any such thing but that it should be Holy and without blame Ephes. 5. 25 26 27. He makes compleate Attonement to the Justice of God on their behalfe so that the very vindictive Justice
ordinary course and walking of a regenerate man that Paul describeth in that place and not his extraordinary falls and failings under great and extraordinary temptations This is evident from the whole manner of his discourse and scope of the place Now ordinarily through the grace of God the Saints doe not doe outwardly and Practically the things they would not that is commit sinne actually as to the outward act but they are ordinarily only swayed to this intanglement by the baits of sinne Secondly It is the sole worke of Indwelling sinne that the Apostle there describeth as it is in its selfe and not as it is advantaged by other Temptations in which it carrieth not Believers out to actuall sinnes as to such accomplishment of them which is their state in respect of great temptations only It is then I say the great burthen of their soules that they have been in their affections at any time dealing with the baits of sinne which causeth them to cry out for helpe and filleth them with a perpetuall selfe-abhorrency and condemnation 3. In such surprisalls of sinne although the Affections may be insnared and the judgement and Conscience by their tumultuating dethroned for a season yet the Will still maketh head against sinne in Believers and crieth out that whether it will or no it is captived and violently overborne calling for reliefe like a man surprized by an enemy There is an active renitency in the Will against the sinne whose bait is exposed to the Soule and wherewith it is inticed allured or intangled when of all the faculties of the Soule if any thing be to be done in any act of sinne in Unregenerate men the will is the ringleader Conscience may grumble and Judgement may plead but the Will runneth headlong to it And thus farre have I by way of digression proceeded in the difference there is betwixt Regenerate and Unregenerate men as to the root and foundation of sinne as also to their ordinary walking what is farther added by the Apostle in the two following degrees in the place mentioned because thence also may some light be obtained to the businesse in hand shall be briefely insisted on The next thing in the Progresse of sinne §. 55. is Lusts conceiving When it hath turned off the heart from its Communion with God or consideration of its duty and intangled or hampered the Affections in delight with the sinfull object proposed prevailing with the soule to dwell with some complacency upon the thoughts of sinne it then falleth to conceiving that is it warmes foments cherisheth thoughts and delights of the sinne entertained untill it so farre prevaile upon the will in them in whose wills there is an opposition unto it that being wearied out with the sollicitations of the flesh it giveth over its power as to its actuall predominant exercise and sensibly dissenteth not from the sinne whereunto it is tempted That this may sometimes befall a Regenerate Person I have granted before and what is the difference herein betwixt them and Unregenerate persons may be collected from what hath been already delivered Of the next step of sinne §. 56. which is its bringing forth or the actuall accomplishment of the sinne so conceived as above expressed there is the same Reason 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it bringeth out of its wombe the Child of sinne which it had conceived it is the actuall perpetration of sinne formerly consented unto that is expressed under this Metaphor I have little to adde upon this head to what was formerly spoken For 1. As they are not the sinnes of daily infirmities that are here intended in the place of the Apostle under consideration but such as lye in an immediate tendency unto Death as to their eminent guilt as also being the fruit of the hearts conception of sinne by fomenting and warming thoughts of sinne with delight untill consent unto it be prevalent in the soule so falls of this nature in the Saints are extraordinary and alway attended with their losse of peace the weakeneng of their Faith wounding of their soules and obnoxiousnesse without Repentance unto death God indeed hath provided better things for them but for themselves they have done their endeavour to destroy their own soules 2. That God never suffereth his Saints to fall thus but it is for the accomplishment of some very glorious end of his in their afflictions trialls patience humiliation which he will bring about These ends of God are many and various I shall not enter into a particular discourse concerning them 3. That an impenitent continuance in and under the guilt of such a sinne is a sore signe of an heart that neither hath nor ever had any true faith In others there is a truth of that of Austin who affirmed that he dared say that it might be good for some to have fallen into some eminent particular sinne for their humiliation and caution all their daies 4. That this frequent conception of sinne and bringing of it forth in persons who have been heightned by conviction to a great regularity of walking and conversation is the means whereby they doe goe forth unto that which is mentioned in the last place which is finishing of sinne that is so to be brought under the power of it as to compleate the whole worke of sinne Now men bring it forth by the temptations and upon the surprisalls forementioned but they that come to finish it or doe the worke of it in them it will bring forth death This I take to be the intendment of that expression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sinne perfected The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is no where used in the New Testament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is not to doe any one act which the Law requireth but to walke studiously and constantly according to the rule thereof and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostle useth it Philip 1. 6. where we translate it as here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To perfect the good worke is to walke in the way of Grace and the Gospell unto the end So to perfect sinne is to fulfill the worke of sinne and to walke in the way of sinne to be under the dominion and reigne of sinne so far as to be carried out in a course of sinning and this is that alone which we exempt Believers from which that they are exempted from unto all that hath formerly been spoken I shall adde the consideration of one place of Scripture being turned aside from my thoughts of handling this at large as the second part of the Doctrine of the Saints Perseverance the former being grown under my hands beyond expectation Now this place is the I Iohn 3. 9. Whatsoever is borne of God doth not commit sinne §. 57. for his seed remaineth in him and he cannot sinne because he is borne of God A place of Scripture that alway hath amazed the adversaries of
Christ thus brake the power of Satan that he shall not lead those alwaies captive at his pleasure nor rule in them as Children of disobedience in the behalfe of whom his power was so broken 1. First He subdues him by taking away all that Right and Title which he had by sinne to rule over them I speake of the Elect of God By the entrance of sinne the Divell entred upon a two fold rule in reference to sinners First A Rule over them with the terrour and dread of death and Hell they are in bondage by reason of death Heb. 2. 14. all their daies Heb 2. 15. And the Divell hath the power of that death upon the World whereunto they are in bondage The death that is in the Curse is put into his hand to manage it to the dread and terrour of sinners and by it he hath alwaies kept many and to this day doth keep innumerable soules in unexpressable bondage putting them upon Barbarous Inhumanities to make Attonement for their sinnes and forcing some to inflict revenge and destruction upon themselves thinking to prevent but really hastening that which they feare As of old this power of his lay at the bottome of all the Abominations Diat de Just. Divin wherewith men provoked God when they thought to Attone him as by burning their Children in the fire and the like Mic. 6. 7 8. So at present is it the principle of all that superstitious Will-worship Levit. 18. 21. and Religious drudgery which is spread over the Antichristian World Deut. 18. 10. 2 yea the inventions of men Kings 21. 6. 23. 10. ignorant of the Righteousnesse of God and convinced of their own insufficiency to performe worke out 2 Chr. 33. 6. and establish a Righteousnesse of their owne Jer. 32. 35. that shall perfectly answer the exact holy demands of the Law as far as to them is discovered to deliver themselves from under this dread of Death wherewith he that hath the power of it terrifies them all their daies are indeed the foundation and spring the summe and substance of all Religions in the World and the darling of all Religious Persons in and with whom Christ is not all and in all And herein have the Papists gon one notable step beyond all their predecessours in superstition and devotion for whereas they universally contented themselves with sacrifices purifications purgations lustrations satisfactions recompenses to be in this life performed these latter more refined sublimated mercuriall wits observing that nothing they could here invent would settle and charme the spirits of men haunted with the dread of death we speake of but that instantly they came againe with the same disquietnesse as formerly renewed mention of sinne upon the insufficiency of the Attonement fixed on for its expiation they found out that noble expedient of the future Purgatory which might maintaine the soules of men in some hopes in this life and secure themselves from the cryes complaints of men against the insufficiency of their Remedy which they doe prescribe 2. As he rules over men by death and hell that followes after so also he rules in men by sinne he ruleth in the children of disobedience Eph. 2. 2. And to this end to secure men to himselfe he being that strong man armed who hath the first possession Math. 12. 39. and labours to keepe what he hath got Mark 3. 27. in peace he sets up strong holds Luk. 11. 21. Imaginations and highthings against God 2. Cor. 4. 5. Now this twofold power of Sathan over men and in men do both arise from sinne whereby men are first cast out of Gods Love and care becoming obnoxious to death And secondly are alienated from God in willing subjection to his Enemy And both these parts and branches of his dominion are in reference unto the Elect cast downe and destroyed and taken away For First §. 17. Christ by his Death Casheires the Title and Claime that Sathan lay'd to the exercise of any such power in reference unto the Elect. When men cast downe any from Rule they may interrupt and put by their exercise of any power but they cannot take away their Title unlesse it be of their owne giving Christ by his Death takes away the very bottome foundation and occasion of the whole power of Sathan Gen. 3. 3. All the power of Sathan in the first sence Deut. 27. 29. consists in death Rom. 5. 12. and those things that either conduce to it or do attende it Heb. 2. 9 10 11 12 13 14 15. Now death entred by sinne and there withall the power of Sathan The Lord Jesus taking away sinne and puting an end thereunto as was manifested the whole Title of Sathan falls and comes to nothing And this was really done in the Crosse Col. 2. 15. its manifestation by the Gospell ensuing thereupon according to the appointment of God Tit. 1. 3. Secondly he takes away the exercise of his power §. 18. and that to the utmost For 1. He bindes him with bonds He binds the strong man Armed Math. 12. 19. And he breaks his head Gen. 3 15. Then leades him captive Psal. 68. 18. Triumphs over him Col. 1. 16. Treads him downe under the feet of his Rom. 16. 20. as the Kings of Canaan were trod downe under the feet of the Children of Israel John 10. 24. then destroyes him Heb. 2. 14. What exercise of power is left to a conquered bound wounded captived triumphed over trodden downe destroyed Caytife Think yee this wretch shall ever wholy prevaile against any one of them for whose sake all this was done to him Neither can this with any colour of reason be said to be done for them or with respect unto them towards whom the power of Sathan remaines entire all their dayes whom he leades captive and rules over at his pleasure untill death take full dominion over them 2. As he destroyes Sathan so he doth his workes For this cause was he manifested even to destroy the workes of the Divell 1 John 3. 8. He doth not only binde the strong man armed Luk. 12. 21. but also he spoiles his Goods Whatsoever is in men that followes from that corrupted principle of nature is reckoned to the worke of Sathan being the issue of his seduction Whatsoever his temptations draw men out unto the Lord Christ came to destroy it all to make an end of it and he will not faile of his end but certainely carry on his undertaking untill he hath utterly destroyed all those workes of Sathan in the hearts of all that are his He redeemes us from our vaine Conversation 2 Pet. 1. 18 19. from the power of our lusts and corruptions leading us out to a vaine Conversation The Apostle tells us Rom. 6. 6. that by his death the old man is crucified and the body of sinne destroyed The craft of sinne the old man and the strength of
meanes that this Originall of all sinne useth for the production of it is also discovered and that is Temptation every mans owne lust tempts him The progresse also it makes in carrying on of sin whereunto it tempts is farther described in the severall parts degrees of it 1. It drawes away and intices the persons towards whom it exerts this efficacy are drawne away or inticed 2. It conceives Lust conceives the subject being prepared answering its drawing away and inticing without more adoe it conceives sinne and then it brings it forth into Action that is either into open perpetration or deliberate determination of its accomplishment and then it finisheth sinne or comes up to the whole worke that sinne tends to Whereuuto is subjoyned the dismall end and issue of this progresse of sinne which is Death Eternall Death is in the wombe of finished sinne and will be brought forth by it This being the progresse of sin from the first Rise which is Lust to the last end which is Death the way and path that the best and most refined Unregenerate men in the world do never throughly forsake though they may sometimes step out of it or be stopt in it a way wherein who ever walkes to the end may be sure to find the end I shall consider the severall particulars laid downe and shew in them all at least the most materiall the difference that is betweene Believers Vnbelievers whilest they do walke or may walke in this path and then manifest where and when all Saints breake out of it forever so that they come not to the close thereof and therein shall give a full Answer unto the whole strength and designe of the Argument in hand which consisteth as was said in a comparison instituted between the sins and demerits of Believers and Unbelievers 1. The Fountaine §. 4. principle cause of all sin whatever in all persons whatever is Lust every ones owne Lust is the cause of his owne sin This is the mother wombe fomes of sin which Paul sayes he had not been acquainted withall but by the Law Rom. 7. 7. Nay I had not knowne sin but by the Law for I had not knowne Lust except the Law had said thou shalt not Covet That which in the entrance he calls sin indefinitely in the close he particularly termes Lust as being the hidden secret cause of all sinne and which once discovered swallowes up the thoughts of all other sin it being altogether in vaine to deale with them or to set a mans selfe in opposition to them whilst this sinfull wombe of them is alive and prevalent this is that which we call Originall sinne as to that part of it which consists in the universall alienation of our hearts from God and unconquerable habituall naturall inclination of them to every thing that is evill for this sinne workes in us all manner of concupiscence Rom. 7. 8. This I say is the wombe cause and principle of sinne both in Believers and Vnbelievers The Roote on which the bitter fruit of it doth grow where ever it is no man ever sinnes but 't is from his owne lust And in this there is an agreement between the sinnes of Believers and others they are all from the same Fountaine yet not such an agreement but that there is a difference herein also for the clearing whereof observe First that by nature this Lust §. 5. which is the principle of sinne is seated in all the facultyes of the Soule receiving divers Appellations according to the variety of the subjects wherein it is and is sometimes exprest in tearmes of Privation Want and Deficiency sometimes by Positive inclination to evill In the Understanding t is Blindnesse Darkenesse Giddinesse Folly Madnesse In the Will Obstinacy and Rebellion In the Heart and Affections Pride Stubbornenesse Hardnesse Sensuality In all Negatively and Privatively Death Positively Lust Corruption Flesh Concupiscence Sinne the Old man and the like There is nothing in the soule of a man that hath the least influence into any Action as Morall but it is wholly possessed with this depraved vicious habit and exerts it selfe alwayes and only in a suitablenesse thereunto Secondly thar this Lust hath so taken possession of men by Nature that in reference to any Spirituall Act or duty they are nothing else but Lust and Flesh §. 6. that which is borne of the flesh is flesh John 3. 6. It is all so it is all Spirituall Flesh That is it is wholly and habitually corrupt as to the doing any thing that is good If any thing in a man might seeme to be exempted it should be his minde the seat of all those things which are commonly called the Relickes of the Image of God but that also is flesh as the Apostle at large Asserts it Rom. 8. and enmity to God Neither is it of any weight which is Objected That there is in Unregerate men the knowledge of the Truth which they retaine in ungodlinesse Rom. 1. 18. Conscience accusing and excusing Rom 2. 14. The knowledge of sinne which is by the Law with sundry other endowments which they say doubtlesse are not flesh I Answer they are all flesh in the sence that the Scripture useth that word The Holy Ghost speakes of nothing in man in reference unto any duty of Obedience unto God but it is either Flesh or Spirit these two comprehend every man in the world every man is either in the flesh or in the Spirit Rom. 8. The utmost improvement of all naturall facultyes whatever the most compleat subjection whereunto they are brought by convictions yet leaves the same impotency in them to Spirituall good as they were borne withall the same habituall inclination to sinne however entangled and hampered from going out to the Actuall perpetrating of it neither are they themselves any thing the better nor hath God any thing of that Glory by them which ariseth from the willing Obedience of his Creatures Thirdly §. 7. it being the state of every mans proper Lust which is the Fountain of all sinne two things will follow First That in whomsoever it is in its compasse and power as above described as ' t is in every unregenerate Man how ever convinc'd of sinne he sinnes with his full and whole consent all that is within him consents to every sinne he commits Unregenerate men sinne with their whole hearts and soules In every act their carnall minds are not will not be subject to the Law of God their wills and all their Affections delight in sinne and this because there is no principle in them that should make any opposition to sinne I meane such a spirituall opposition as would really take off from their full consent It is true Conscience repines witnesses against sinne reprooves rebukes excuses or causes but Conscience is no reall principle of operation but either a Judge of what is done or to be done or a morall inducer to doing or not doing and whatever
having proceeded thus with M. Goodwin that a foundation may be the better laid for the removall of what he farther adds proceed to consider the progresse of sinne and to remarke from thence the difference that is betweene Regenerate and Vnregenerate men in their sinning The second thing proposed in the Apostles discourse of the Rise and progresse of sinne is the generall way that Lust proceedeth in for the bringing of it forth and that is Temptation every one is tempted of his own Lust This is the generall way that Lust proceeds in for the production of actuall sinne It tempts and he in whom it is is tempted There is a Temptation unto sin only and a Temptation unto sin by sin The first is no sinne in him that is so tempted our Saviour was so tempted he was tempted of the Divell Math. 4. 1. % He was in all points tempted like as we are without sin That his temptations were unto sin is apparent from the story of them but the Prince of this world coming had nothing in him John 14. 30. Found nothing in him to Answer and close with his Temptations and therefore though he was tempted yet was he without sin Now though this sort of temptations from Sathan are not Originally our sinnes but his yet there being tinder in our soules that kindles more or lesse in and upon every injection of his fiery darts there being something in us to meet many if not all of his Temptations they prove in some measure in the issue to be ours Indeed Sathan sometimes ventures upon us in things wherein he hath doubtlesse small hope of any concurrence and so seemes rather to aime at our disquiet than our sinnes as in those whom he perplexes with hard and blasphemous thoughts of God a thing so contradictory to the very principles not of Grace only but of that whereby we are men that it is utterly impossible there should be any assent of the soule thereunto to think of God as God is to think of him every thing that is Good Pure Great Excellent incomprehensible in all perfection Now at the same time to have any Apprehensions of a direct contradictory importance the mind of man is not capable Were it not for the unbeliefe causelesse feares and discontentments that in many do insue upon Temptations of this nature which are consequents and not effects of it Sathan might keepe this dart in his owne forge for any mischeife he is like to doe with it The Apostle speakes here of Temptations by sinne as well as unto sinne and these are mens sinnes as well as their Temptations they are Temptations as tending to farther evill they are sinnes as being irregular and devious from the rule Now this tempting of Lust compriseth two things First §. 33. The generall active inclination of the Heart unto sinne though not fixed as unto any particular act or way of sinne the motus primò primi of this you have that Testimony of God concerning man in the state of nature Gen. 6. 5. % Every figment of the thought of his heart is only evill every day the figment or imagination of the thoughts is the very roote of them their generall moulding or active preparing of the mind for the exerting of them so 1 Chrou 28. 9. % God understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts The figment of them The next disposition of the soule unto them and 2 Cron. 29. 19. Keepe this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of their hearts or keep their hearts in a continuall framing posture and condition of such good thoughts This I say is she first way of Lusts Temptation it makes a mint of the heart to frame readily all manner of evill desires and thoughts that they may as our Saviour speakes proceed out of the heart Mat. 15. 19. Their actuall fixing on any object is their proceeding antecedent whereunto they are framed and formed in the heart Lust actually disposeth inclines bends the heart to things suitable to it selfe or the corrupt habituall principle which hath its residence in us Secondly The actuall tumultuating of Lust and working with all its power and policy in stirring up provoking to and drawing out thoughts and contrivances of sin with delight and complacency in inconeiveable variety the severall degrees of its progresse herein being afterwards described In the first of these there is no small difference between Regenerate Vnregenerate persons §. 34. and that in these two things First In its universality In Unregenerate men every figment of their heart is only evill and that every day there is an universality of actings exprest positively exclusively to any actings of another kind every figment of their heart is only evill and of time every day whatever good they seeme to do or do whatever dutyes they performe that in them all which is the proper figment of their heart is only evill On this account take any duty they do any worke they performe and weigh it in the ballance and t' will be found in respect of principles and circumstances or aimes to be wholly evill That indeed there is nothing in it that is acceptable to God their hearts are casting minting and coyning sinne all the day long With Believers 't is not so there is also a good treasure in their hearts from whence they bring out good things there is a good Root in them that beares good fruit though they are or may be overtaken with many sins yea with great sins yet lust doth not tempt thē as it doth unregenerate men with a perpetuall continuall active inclination unto evill even some way or other in all the good they do The Spirit is in them will and doth in what state so ever they are dispose their hearts to Faith Love Meekenesse and actuates those Graces at least in the elicite acts of the will for a good tree will bring forth good fruit never any Believer is or was so deserted of God or did so forsake God as that every figment of his heart should be evill only and that continually That no one act of sinne can possibly expell his habit of Grace hath been formerly shewed neither is he ever cast into such a condition but from the good principle that is in him There is a panting after God longing for his Salvation with more or lesse efficacy the sparke is warme and glowing though under ashes Secondly In respect of power Lust tempts in unregenerate men out an absolute uncontrouleable dominion and that with a morally irresistible efficacy All its dominion as hath been shewed and very much of its strength is lost in Believers this is the intendment of the Apostles discourse Rom. 6. concerning the crucifying of sinne by the death of Christ. The power strength vigour and efficacy of it is so far abated weakned mortified that it cannot so effectually impell unto sin as it doth when 't is in perfect life and strength But you 'l say then
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
of these words he shall dye and he tells you that If the Righteousnesse such men have done shall come into no account that it shall not profit him as to his temporall deliverance then it is impossible it should profit him as to his eternall Salvation But first according to our interpretation of the words there is no necessity incumbent on us to affirme that the persons mentioned shall obtaine Salvation though we say that eternall death is not precisely threatned in the words but yet that a man may not by the just hand of God be punished with temporall death for his faults and iniquityes as Josiah fell by the sword and yet have his righteousnesse reckoned to him as to his great recompence of reward is a strain of doctrine that Mr Goodwin will scarce abide by I dare not say that all who dyed in the wildernesse of the Children of Israel went to Hell and came short of eternall Life and yet they all fell there because of their iniquityes But he adds Sect. 4. Againe that which God here threatneth against that double or twofold iniquity of back-sliding is opposed to that life which is Promised to Repentance and Perseuerance in their well-doing But this Life is confessed by all to be eternall Life therefore the death opposite to it must needs be Eternall or the second death When the Apostle saith the wages of sinne is death but the guift of God is eternall Life through Christ Jesus our Lord. Rom. 6. 23. Is it not evident from the antithesis or opposition in the tendency between the death and life mentioned in it that by that death which he affirmes to be the wages of sinne is meant eternall death how else will the opposition stand Ans. It is true the Life and Death here mentioned the one promised v. 9. the other threatned in those insisted on are opposed and of what nature and kind the one is of the same is the other to be esteemed It is also confessed that the Life Promised in the Covenant of Mercy to Repentance is eternall Life and the wages of sinne mentioned in the Law is Death eternall but that therefore that must be the sence of the words when they are made use of in answer to an Objection expressed in a proverb concerning the Land of Israel and when it was temporall death that was complained of afore in the proverb the Fathers have eaten sower graps and the childrens teeth are set on edge they did not complaine that they were damned for their Fathers sinnes that Mr Goodwin doth not attempt to prove and I do not blame him for his silence therein He sayes yet againe When God in the Scriptures threatens impenitent persons with death for their sinnes doubtlesse he intends and meanes eternall death or that Death which is the wages of sinne Otherwise we have no sufficient ground to believe or thinke that men dying in their sinnes without Repentance shall suffer the vengeance of eternall fire not only a temporall or naturall death which those who are righteous and truly eminent themseves suffer as well as they therefore to say that God threatens impenitent Apostates in the place in hand with a temparall Death only when as elsewhere he threatens impenitency under the lightest guilt of all with eternall death is in effect to represent him as vehement and fore in his diswasives from ordinary and lesser sinnes as indifferent and remisse in disswading from sins of the greatest provocation Ans. The summe of this Reason is if the death there threatned to those men of our present contest be not death eternall we have no sufficient ground to believe that God will inflict any death on impenitent Apostates but only that which is temporall or naturall which others dye as well as they and why so I beseech you is there no other place of Scripture whence it may be evinced that eternall death is the wages of sinne or is every place thereof where death is threatned to sinne so circumstantiated as this place is Is the threatning every where given out upon the like occasion and to be accommodated to the like state of things These Discourses are exceeding loose sophisticall and inconclusive neither is a violent death counted naturall though it be the dissolution of nature Neither is there any thing more added by Mr Goodwin in all his considerations of the words of this passage of the Scriptures than what we have insisted on that he nextly mentioneth that if God here threatneth impenitent siners only with temporall death then why should the most profligate sinners feare any other punishment is of more energie for the confirmation and building up the sence which he imposeth on the words than that which went before they with whom he hath to do will tell him that he doth all along most vainly assume and beg the thing in question viz. That the persons intimated are absolutely impenitent sinners and not so under some considerations only that is that do never recover themselves from their degeneracy from close walking with God nor do the words indeed necessarily import any thing else and for impenitent sinners in generall not those who are only so termed there are testimonyes sufficient in the Scriptures concerning Gods righteous judgment in their eternall condemnation And this is the first testimony produced by Mr G. for the proofe of the Saints Apostacy §. 18. a witnesse which of all others he doth most rely upon and which he bringeth in with the greatest acclamation of successe before the triall imaginable That when he hath brought him forth he giues us no account in the least whence he comes what is his businesse or what he aimes to confirme nor can make good his speaking one word on his behalfe Indeed as the matter is handled I some thing question whether lightly a weaker Argument hath been learned on in a case of so great importance than that which from these words is drawn for the Apostacy of the Saints for as we have not the least attempt made to give us an account of the context scope and intendment of the place by which yet the expressions in the verses insisted on must be regulated no more can any one expression in it be made good to be of that sence and signification which yet alone will or can yeild the least advantage to the cause for whose protection it is so earnestly called upon Now the leaders and Captaines of the forces Mr Goodwin hath mustered in this 12. Chapter being thus discharged the residue or the followers thereof will easily be prevailed with to returne every one to his owne place in peace The next place of Scripture produced to consideration §. 19. Mr Goodwin ushers in Sect. 11. with a description of the Adversaries with whom in this Context he hath to doe and sets them off to publique view with the desireable qualifications of ignorance prejudice and partiality having it seems neither ingenuity enough candidly and fairely
he knoweth it to be but positively to judge and conclude of it accordingly If then it be possible for men by any such fruits workes or expressions to know true Believers the persons we speake of may be known to have been such Though the words of our Saviour principally lye on the other side of the way giving a Rule for a condemnatory Judgment of men Ans. whose evill Fruits declare the Root to be no better wherein we cannot well be deceived the workes of the flesh being manifest and he that worketh wickednesse openly and brings forth the effects of sinne visibly Gal. 2. 19. in a course as a Tree doth its fruit may safely be cōcluded Rom. 6. 16. whatsoever pretence in words he makes to be a false corrupt Hypocrite yet by the way of Analogie and proportion it is a Rule also whereby our Saviour will have us make a Judgement of those Professors and Teachers with whom we have to do as to our Reception and Approbation of them He bids his Disciples tast try the Fruit that such persons beare and acording to that not any specious pretences they make or innocent Appearances which for a season they shew themselves in let their Estimation of them be Yea but sayes Mr Goodwin we doe not only stand bound by the Law of Charity but by the Law of a Righteous and strict Judgment it selfe to judge such persons Believers This distinction between the Law of Charity and the Law of a Righteous Judgment I understand not Though Charity be the principle exerted eminently in such dijudications of men yet doubtlesse it proceeds by the rules of Righteous Judgment When we speake of the Judgment of Charity we intend not a loose conjecture much lesse a Judgment contradistinct from that which is Righteous but a Righteous and strict Judgment according to the exactest rules whatsoever that we have to Judge by free from evill surmises and such like vices of the minde as are opposed to the grace of Love By saying it is of Charity we are not absolved frō the most exact procedure according to the Rules of judging given unto us but only bound up from indulging to any Fnvy Malice or such like works of the flesh which are opposite to Charity in the subject wherein it is Charity in this assertion denotes only a gracious qualification in the subject and not any condescension from the Rule and therefore I something wonder that Mr Goodwin should make a Judgment of Charity as afterwards a meere conjecture and allow beyond it a Righteous and strict Judgement which amounts to knowledg It is true our Saviour tells us §. 21. that by their fruits we shall know them But what knowledge is it that he intendeth is it a certain knowledge by demonstration of it or an infallible assurance by revelation I am confident M. Goodwin will not say it is either of these but only such a perswasion as is the result of our thoughts concerning them upon the profession they make the works they doe upon which we may according to the minde of Christ who bare with them whom he knew to be no Believers having taken on them the profession of the faith know how to demeane our selves towards them so farre we may know them by their fruits and judge of them other knowledge our Saviour intendeth not nor I believe does M. Goodwin pretend unto Now notwithstanding all this even on this account and by this rule it is very possible yea very easy and practically proved true in all places and at all times that we may judge yea so farre know men to be or not to be seducers by their fruits as to be able to order aright our demeanour towards them according to the will of Christ and yet be mistaken though not in the performance of our duty in walking regularly according to the lines drawne out for our paths in the persons concerning whom our judgement is the knowledge of them being neither by demonstration nor from revelation such as cui non potest subesse falsum we may be deceived The Saints then or believers §. 22. of whom alone our discourse is may be briefely delineated by these few considerable concernements of their Saintship 1. That whereas by nature they are children of wrath as well as others and dead in trespasses and sinnes Rom. 8. 28 29. that faith and holinesse which they are in due time invested withall whereby they are made Believers and Saints and distinguished from all others whatever is an effect and fruit of and flowes from God's eternall purpose concerning their salvation or election Act. 13. 4. Eph. 1. 4. 1 Pet. 1. 2 3 4 5. their faith being as to the manner of its bestowing peculiarly of the operation of God and as to its distinction from every other gift that upon any account what ever is so called T it 1 1. in respect of its fountaine termed The faith of Gods elect 2. For the manner of their obtaining of this pretious faith it is by Gods giving to them that holy Spirit of his 2 Pet. 1. 1. Rom. 8. 11. whereby he raised Jesus from the dead to raise them from their death in sinne Eph. 1. 19 20. 2. 1 5 5 8 10. to quicken them unto newnesse of life endowing them with a new life with a Spirituall gracious supernaturall habit spreading it selfe upon their whole soules making them new creatures throughout in respect of parts investing them with an abiding principle Mat. 7. 17. 12. 33. being a naturall genuine fountaine of all those Spirituall acts Galat. 2. 20. 1 Ioh. 5. 12. 2 Cor. 5. 17. 1 Thes. 5. 25. Gal. 5122 23. 1 Ioh. 3. 9. Eph. 2. 10. 1 Pet. 1. 22. Philip. 12. v. 13. workes and duties which he is pleased to worke in them and by them of his own good pleasure 3. That the holy and blessed Spirit which effectually and powerfully workes this change in them Ioh. 4 16 26. 15. 26. 16. 7 8 9. Rom. 8. 10 11. is bestowed upon them as a fruit of the purchase and intercession of Jesus Christ to dwell in them and abide in them for ever upon the account of which inhabitation of the Spirit of Christ in them they have union with him 1 Cor. 6. 19. Rom. 5. 5. 1 Ioh. 4. 4 13. i. e. one and the same spirit dwelling in him the Head and them the Members 2 Tim. 1. 14. 1 Cor. 6. 17. 12. 12 13. Ephes. 4. 4. 4. By all which as to their actuall state and condition they are really changed from a 1 Ioh. 3. 14. Eph. 2. 2. Col. 2. 13. Rom. 6. 11 13. 8. 2 8 9. death to life from b Act. 26. 18. Eph. 5. 8. 1 Thes. 5. 4. Col. 1. 13. 1 Pet. 2. 9. darknesse to light from c Ezek. 36. 25. Zach. 13. 1. Isa. 4. 3 4. Eph. 5. 6. 1 Cor. 6. 11. Tit. 3.
Assertion is repeated that God will defend them in Heaven against all opposition Here where their oppositions are innumerable they may shift for themselves but when they come to Heaven where they shall be sure to meet with no opposition at all there the Lord hath engaged his Almighty power for their safety against all that shall arise up against them and this is as is said the naturall and cleare disposition of the Context in this place but Nobis non licet c. There are sundry other texts of Scripture which most clearely and evidently confirme the truth we have in hand which are all well worth our consideration for our consolation and establishment as also something of our labour and diligence to quit them from those glosses and interpretations which turne them aside from their proper intendment that are by some put upon them Amongst which 1 Cor. 1. 8 9. 1. Philip. 6. 1 Thess. 5. 24. Joh. 5. 24. ought to have place But because I will not insist long on any particulars of our Argument from the Promises of God here shall be an end CAP. VII 1. The Consideration of the Oath of God deferred 2. The method first proposed somewhat waved The influence of the mediation of Christ into God's free and unchangeable acceptance of Believers propoâ—ed Reasons of that proposall 3 4. Of the Oblation of Christ. Its influence into the Saints Perseverance All causes of separation between God and Believers taken away thereby Morall and efficient causes thereby removed 5. The guilt of sinne how taken away by the death of Christ Of the Nature of Redemption Conscience of sinne how abolished by the sacrifice of Christ Heb 10. 3 4 14. 6. Dan. 9. 24. opened Rom 2 34. 7. Deliverance from all sinne how by the death of Christ. The Law innovated in respect of the Elect. 8. The vindictive justice of God satisfied by the death of Christ How that is done Wherein satisfaction doth consist Absolute not conditionall 9. The Law how fulfilled in the Death of Christ. 10. The Truth of God thereby accomplished His distributive justice engaged 11. Observations for the clearing of the former assertions Whether any one for whom Christ died may dye in sinne The necessity of Faith and Obedience The Reasons thereof The end of Faith and Holinesse 12. The first Argument for the proofe of the former Assertions concerning the fruit and efficacy of the death of Christ Heb. 9. 14. The second The third The compact between the Father Son about the work of mediation 14. The Fourth Good things bestowed on them for whom Christ died antecedently to any thing spiritually good in them The Spirit so bestowed and Faith it selfe The close of those Arguments 14. Inferences from the foregoing discourse The Efficacy of the death of Christ and the necessity of Faith and Obedience reconciled Sundry considerations unto that end proposed All Spirituall mercies fruits of the death of Christ. 2. All the fruits of Christs death laid up in the hand of Gods Righteousnesse 3. The state of them for whom Christ died not actually changed by his death 4 On what account Believing is necessary 15. Christ secures the stability of the Saints abiding with God What is contrary thereunto how by him removed The World overcome by Christ as mannaged by Sathan in an enmity to the Saints 16. The compleat victory of Christ over the Devill The waies whereby he compleats his conquest The Rule of Sathan in respect of siâ—ners two fold 1. Over them 2. in them 17. The Title of Sathan to a rule over men judged and destroyed by Christ. The exercise of all power taken from him 18. The works of Sathan destroyed by Christ in and for his Elect. 19. The Holy Spirit procured by the death of Christ. 20. The giving of the spirit the great Promise of the New Covenant 21. This farther proved and confirmed 22. The perpetuall Residence of the Holy Spirit with Believers proved by the threefold testimony of Father Sonne and Spirit Isa 59. 21. The Testimony of the Father proposed and vindicated 23. Our Argument from hence farther cleared This Promise Absolute not Conditionall No condition rationally to â—e affixed to it The import of those words â—as for me â— To whom this Promise is made 24. That farther cleared not to all Israel according to the flesh 25. Mr G's Objections answered 26. The Testimony of the Sonne given to the perpetuall abiding of the Spirit with Believers Ioh 14. 16. opened The Promise in those words equally belonging to all Believers 27. Mr G's Objections answered No Promise of the Spirit abiding with Believers on his principle allowed The Promise given to the Apostles personally yet given also to the whole Church Promises made to the Church made to the individualls whereof it is constituted 28. The giving of this Promise to all Believers farther argued from the scope of the place And vindicated from Mr G's exceptions 29. The third Testimony of the Holy Spirit himselfe proposed to consideration His Testimony in sealing particularly considered 2 Cor 1. 22. Ephes 1. 13. 4. 30. Of the nature and use of Sealing amongst men The end aime and use of the sealing of the Holy Ghost 30. Mr G's Objections and Exceptions to our Argument from that sealing of the Spirit considered and removed 31. The â—ame farther carried on c THere remaines nothing for the confirmation of the first branch §. 1. or part of the Truth proposed but only the consideration of the Oath of God which because it ought certainly to be an end of all strife I shall reserve the handling of it to the close of the whole if God be pleased to carry us out thereunto that we may give The Oath of God its due Honour of being the last word in this Contest The order of our method first proposed would here call me to handle our Stedfastnesse with God and the Glory created upon our Grace of Sanctification But because some men may admire and aske whence it is that the Lord will abide so Stedfast in his Love towards Believers as hath been manifested upon severall accounts that he will besides what hath beene said before of his owne Goodnesse and Unchangeablenesse c. I shall now adde that outward consideration which lyes in the Mediation of Christ upon the account whereof he acts his owne Goodnesse and Kindnesse to us with the greatest advantage of Glory ad Honour to himselfe that can be thought upon Only I shall desire the Reader to observe that the Lord Jesus is an undertaker in this businesse of perfecting our Salvation and safegarding our Spirituall Glory not in one regard and respect only There is one part of his Ingagement therein which under the Oath of God is the close of the whole and that is his becoming a surety to us of his Fathers Faithfulnesse towards us and a suerty for us of our Faithfulnesse to him so that upon the whole matter the businesse on each side
of God hath nothing to lay to their charge That which in God maintaines the Quarrell against sinners Is attoned and is no more their Enemy than Mercy it selfe And this not upon condition of Believing to be antecedently accomplished before this be done The Satisfaction of Justice vindictive depends not at all on any thing in us it requires only that there be vindicta noxae and a vindication of the Soveraignty of God over the sinning Creature by the inflictioon of that punishmient which in his Infininite Wisdome and Righteousnesse he hath proportioned unto sinne on a supposition of sinne in such Creatures as being made meet and fit to yeild voluntary Obedience unto God and so standing in a morall subjection to him being their cutting off what lyes in them their dependance on God which that it should be contlnued is as necessary as that God be God or the Lord of all Those Creatutes are upon the account of the Soveraignty Righteousnesse of God whereof we speake indipensably obnoxious unto punishment which is of necessity required unto Gods retaining his Dominion over them By the Death of Christ this Condition is so farre repaired that the dependance and subjection unto God of those for whom he Dyed is made up so farre as to a deliverance of them from a necessity of being obnoxious unto punishment and that compleately without any Abeyance upon conditions in themselves which can have no influence thereunto So that though the proces of the Law sent forth John 3. 36. be not instantly recalled but man is suffered to lye under that arrest for a season Ephes. 2. 3. yet God le ts fall his suit on this account 2. Cor. 5. 18. and will never passe his first sentence Psal. 21. 3 4. from which we are reprieved unto full and finall execution pronouncing himselfe Math. 17. 5. well pleased with his Sonne resting satifyed with his mediatory performances and seeking no farther 2. The Law of God is fulfilled Unlesse this be answered in all concernements of it the Lord would be thought to change his Will to reverse his Word and to blurre the Coppy of his owne Holinesse There is in the whole Law and every parcell of it an eternall indispensable Righteousnesse and Truth arising either from the nature of things themselves concerning which it is or the Relation of one thing unto another That to feare God to Love him to Obey him to doe no wrong are everlastingly indispensablely good necessary is from the nature of the things themselves only with this supposition that God would make Creatures capable of yeilding him such Obedience That that which is good shall be so rewarded that which is evill so punished is also an everlasting truth upon supposition of such actuall performances Whereas then of this Law there are two parts the one Absolute or Preceptive in the Rule and commands thereof The other Conditionall and rewarding in its Promise or condemning in its curse Christ by his death put himselfe in their behalfe for whom he Dyed to speake to that particular under the curse of it Rom. 8. 3. Gal. 3. 13. He Redeemed us from the curse of the Law Kom 10. 3 4. being made a curse for us Gal. 4. 4 5 6. neither is this at all suspended on our Believing The Law doth not threaten a Curse Philipp 3. 9. only if we do not Believe but if we do not all things written therein Deut. 27. 26. whether we believe or not the Law takes no notice as to the Curse that it denounceth If there hath been any sinne that must be executed Gen. 27. 28. And the Law is for the Curse as Isaac for the the great Spirituall Blessing He had but one it hath but one great Curse and that being underrgone by Christ it hath not an other for them in whose stead Christ underwent it 2 Cor. 5. 21. God having made him to be sin for us who knew no sin we become the Righteousnesse of God in him All separation from God is by the Curse of the Law All that is required in it by it is that it be undergone this is done by Christ for all Believers that thereby is taken away which alone can separate them from God or put any distance between them But of this and their subjection to the Curse before their Believing more afterwards 3. The Truth §. 10. or veracity of God was particularly ingaged to see sin punished upon the account of the Promulgatiō of the first expres Sanction of the Law In the day thou eatest Gen. 2. 17. thou shalt dye For the satisfying the ingagement of God's Truth there seem'd to be a tender made in the Sacrifices instituted of old but it was rejected as insufficient to make good that Word of God so eminently given out There was neither any such Relation Union or Conjunction between the sinner and the innocent Creature Sacrificed or any such reall worth in the Sacrifice it selfe as that the Death of the substituted beast might by any meanes be so interpreted as to amount to the accomplishment of the Truth of God Death being once denounced as the reward of sinne Heb. 10. 5 6. Sacrifices and Offerings for sinne thou wouldest not in burnt-Offerings and Sacrifices for sinne thou hadst no pleasure but saith our Saviour Lo I come to do thy will O God v. 7. Will that do it Yea it will assuredly for in the volume of his Booke it is written that he should so do All that God willed to be done for the accomplishment of his Truth was fulfilled by Christ when he came to give up himselfe a sweet smelling Sacrifice Ephes. 5. 2. God then may be true His Truth being salved to the utmost though never any one of them for whom Christ Dyed doe dye But this to the Salvation of Believers is only as removens prohibens 4. The distributive Justice of God is Isa. 53. 10 11. upon this Oblation of Christ ingaged upon the Covenant and compact made with Christ as Mediator to that purpose to bestow on them for whom he Offered and Dyed all the good things which he promised him for them in and upon the account of his undertaking in their behalfe The distributive Justice of God is that perfection of his Nature Gen. 18. 24. whereby he rendreth to every one according to what either his vindictive Justice on the one side Psal. 5. 31 35. 65. 5. 71. 2. 96. 13. 98. 2. 103. 17. 141. 1. 11 or his Uprightnesse and Faithfulnesse on the other do require In rewarding it respects his owne Faithfulnesse in all his ingagements immediately in punishing the demerit of the Creature there being no such naturall connexion and necessary coherence from the nature of the things themselves between Obedience and Reward as there is between Sinne and Punishment Now the Lord having given many eminent and Glorious Promises to his Sonne Jesus Christ Psal. 2. 7
8. 110. 3. 7. 45. 13 14 some wherof we shall mention afterwards concerning his Seed Isa. 49. 5 6 8. 52. 13 14. 53. 11. 59. 20. and Ofspring or those that he committed to his charge to be Redeemed from their sinnes it is incumbent on him in regard of his Righteousnesse to make out all those things in due time unto them And therefore that he might magnify that Righteousnesse Truth of his Joh. 12. 51 52. he hath cast the whole procedure of his Grace into such a way and all the Acts of it into such a dependance upon one another as that the one of them should have infallible influence into the other and the effects of every one of them be rendred indubitably certaine Thus upon the Account of the Death of Christ antecedently to all considerations of Faith Isa 53. 6 or Beliefe in them for whom he Dyed thus much is done Gal. 4. 4 5. for the extinguishing the quarrell about sinne Heb. 10. 5 6 7 8. The vindictive Justice Law and Truth of God are disingaged from pursuing the Sentence of Death and Everlasting Separation from God Rom. 8. 33 34. against them as sinners Neither have they at all any thing to lay to their charge for which they should be cast out of the presence of God Isa. 53. 11 12. Yea the Lord is moreover in his owne Faithfulnesse Righteousnesse Rom. 4. 25. with respect to the Covenant of the Mediator ingaged to doe that which is needfull Phil. 1. 29. to the bringing of them to himselfe After some previous Observations Eph. 1. 3. I shall confirme what hath been spoken by sundry Arguments I say then First that it is a most vaine supposall which some make What if any one of them for whom Christ Dyed should dye in an Unregenerate Condition Would not the Justice and condemning Power of the Law of God notwithstanding the Death of Christ lay hold upon them It is I say a supposall of that which in sensu composito is impossible so in that sence◠however upon other respects it may not to be argued from Joh. 3. 16 17. 7. 33. Christ Dyed that those for whom he Dyed might Live that they might be quickned and borne againe And so they shall 2 Cor. 5. 14 15. in their due season every one undoubtedly be and not any of them dye in their sinnes Secondly that our Affirmation is not in the least lyable to that Exception which usually men insist upon in opposition unto it viz. That if Christ hath so satsfyed Justice and fulfilled the Law in reference to all them for whom he dyed that the sentence of Condemnation should not be issued out against them but they must infallibly be Saved then there is no necessity either that they doe at all Believe or if they do that they live in Holinesse and the avoidance of Sinne Isa. 53. 5 6 11 12. all that being accomplished which by these mediums is sought for Dan. 9. 24. I say our position in it selfe is no way lyable to this Exception For First Rom. 8. 32 33 though the Justice Law Gal. 3. 13. and Truth of God be satisfyed and fulfilled as to their sinnes Heb. 2. 14 15. that he hath not as on that account any thing to lay to their charge Rom 1. 16 17 3. 23 24 25. 4. 16. 9. 31 32. yet this hinders not at all but that God may assigne and ascribe such a way for their coming to him as may be suited to the exalting of his Glory the Honour of Jesus Christ who hath brought all this about and the preparing of the soule of the sinner for the full enjoyment of himselfe Joh. 5. 23. this he hath done by the Law of Faith which gives him the Glory of his Grace Rom. 3. 27. and all his other Attibutes exalts Jesus Christ whom it is his will we should Honour as we Honour himselfe Eph. 1. 6. emptyes the poore sinfull Creature of it selfe Philip. 3. 8 9 10 11. that it may be made meet for the Inheritance of the Saints in Light Secondly This consideration of the Death of Christ Eph. 5. 25 26 27. of his freeing us from condemnation for any Tit. 2. 14. or all of our sinnes is not to be taken apart or separated from the other Gal. 4. 4 5 6. of his procuring the Holy Spirit and Grace for us that we should not commit sinne Joh. 17. 7. being borne of God with all the dispensations of Precepts and Promises Mat. 28. 18 19 20. Exhortations and Threatnings whereby he morally carryes on the worke of his Grace Eph. 4. 12 13 14. in the hearts of his Saints setting us free from the guilt of sinne Rom. 6. 2 3 4 5 6. c. he so farre also sets us free from the Power of sinne that we should be dead to it live no longer in it that it should not raigne in us nor prevaile to turne us utterly from God Thirdly they seeme not much to be acquainted with the nature of Faith Holinesse and Communion with God who suppose the end of them is only for the escapeing of the Wrath that is to come Eph. 4. 22. they are the things 2 Cor. 5. 15. whereby we are daily renewed Rom. 12. 1 2. and changed into the Image of the Glory of God and so not only made usefull 2 Cor. 3. 18. and serviceable to him here but also prepared for the fullnesse of his Likenesse wherewith we shall be satisfyed hereafter Wherefore observe Fourthly that though this complete Attonement be made in the Death of Christ Mat. 20. 5 6. yet it remaines free in the bosome of God when he will begin our Actuall Deliverance from under that arrest of Death that was gone out against us 2 Thess. 1. 11. and how farre in this Life he will carry it towards perfection It is I say in his bosome Joh. 3. 8. when he will bestow his Spirit on us for Regeneration Faith when he will actually absolve us from under the arrest of the Law by the Application of his Mercies in Christ unto us by the Promise of the Gospell how farre he will carry on the worke of our deliverance from sinne 2 Pet. 1. 1. in this Life Only that is done upon the account whereof it is impossible that the quarrell against sinne should be carryed on to the utmost Execution of the sentence denounced towards those sinners for whom Christ dyed which I prove by these following Arguments First §. 12. it is plainely affirmed that Christ by his Death obtained everlasting redemption Heb 9. 12. he obtained everlasting Redemption before his ascending into the most holy place Heb. 1. 3. called elsewhere the purging of our sinnes Now this Redemption as was said the Apostle informes us to consist in the forgivenesse of sinnes
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
of God according to Election or the Purpose of his Will in Jesus Christ Rom. 9. 11. which though it comprize his Will of not punishing them in their own persons Joh. 3. 36. that are within the verge of this his Purpose Eph. 2. 3. yet it is not properly an Act of forgivenesse of sinns Rom. 5. 6 8. nor are they pardoned by it Gal. 3. 23. nor is the Law actually innovated 2 Cor. 5 21. or its obligation on them unto punishment dissolved Rom. 3. 23 24 25. nor themselves justified in any sence thereby 2. That interposition of the Lord Christ 2 Cor. 1. 30. whereof we have been treating being a medium indispensably necessary as to satisfaction Math. 17. 5. and freely designed by the will and Wisdome of God for such a procurement of the good things designed in his Eternall Counsell as might advance the Glory of his Grace and make knowne his Righteousnesse also And this being fixed on by God as the only thing by him required that all the Mercies all the Grace of his eternall Purpose might be dispensed in the order by him designed unto them Rom. 5. 9 10. upon the performance of it God resteth as well pleased and they for whom he hath mediated by his Blood 2 Cor. 5. 18 19 21. or for whom he is considered so to have done 1 Pet. 2. 24. are reconciled unto God as to that part of Reconciliation which respects the Love of God as to the dispencing the fruits of it unto them even whilest they are enemies upon the accounts before mentioned 3. Things being thus stated between God 2 Cor. 5. 20. and them Rom 8. 11. for whom Christ dyed on the account of his death God actually absolves them from under that sentence and Curse of the Law by sending the Spirit of his Sonne into their hearts to quicken them and to implant Faith in them Aud in what Act of God to place his actuall absolution of sinners ungodly persons whom Christ dyed for but in this actuall collation of the Spirit and habit of Grace on them I am not as yet satisfyed neither doth this in any measure confound our Justification and Sanctification For nothing hinders but that the same Act as it is of free Grace in opposition to workes or any thing in us may justify us or exert the fruit of his Love which was before purchased by Christ in our Gracious Acceptation notwithstanding all that was against us and also by principling us with Grace for Obedience Sanctify us throughout 4. This being done they with whom God thus Graciously deales receive the Attonement and being Justifyed by Faith have peace with God But this is not the matter or subject of our present Contest This then is the first influence which the Bloodshedding in the death Oblation of Christ hath into the Saints continuance of the Love and Favour of God It taketh away the guilt of sinne that it shall not be such a provocation to the eyes of his Glory his Law being fulfilled and Justice satisfyed as to cause him utterly to turne away his Love from them 2 Cor. 5. 21. And they becoming the Righteousnesse of God in him to all intents and purposes what should separate them from the Love of God Eph. 2. 14 15 He hath made peace in the Blood of the Crosse of his Sonne Rom. 8. 32 33. and will not ingage in enmity against his Elect any more to Eternity But in his owne way and own time as he hath the Soveraignty of all in his hands he will bring them infallibly to the enjoyment of himselfe And thus much by this discourse about the effects of the Death of Christ have we clearely obtained what Christ aymes to accomplish by his Death and what was the designe and intention of the Father that he should accomplish that cannot faile of its issue and appointed event by any interposure whatever That the effectuall removall of every thing that might intercept hinder or turne aside the Love and Favour of God from them for whom he dyed is the designed effect of the death of Christ hath been demonstrated This then in the order wherein it hath seemed good to the infinite Wisdome of God to proceed in dispencing his Grace unto sinners shall certainely be fulfilled and all Believers saved to the utmost I come §. 15. in the second place to demonstrate that as our Saviour secures the stability of the Love of the Saints to God and their abiding with him by taking away and removing what ever might hinder them therein or prevaile upon them utterly and wickedly to depart from him That which meritoriously might cause God to turne from us he utterly destroies and abolishes and that which efficiently might cause us to turne from God that also he destroyes and and removes Now all that is of this kind that workes effectually and powerfully for the alienating of the hearts of Believers from God or keeping men in a state of alienation from him may be referred unto two principles Gen. 3. 17. 1. Sathan himselfe 2. His Workes The world as under the Curse is an instrument in his hand who is called the God thereof to allure 2 Cor. 4. 4. vex and mischiefe us withall neither hath it the least power or efficacy in it selfe Math. 4. 9. but only as 't is managed in the hand of Sathan to turne men from God And yet the Lord Christ hath not let that goe free neither without its deaths wound John 16. 32. but bids his followers be of good comfort for he had overcome the World Gal. 1. 4. that is 1 John 5. 4 5. for them and in their stead so that it should never be used nor heightned in its enmity to a conquest over them I meane a totall and finall Conquest such as might frustrate any intention of God in his undertaking for them It is not our losse of a little bloud but our losse of Life that makes the enemy a Conqueror But now for Satan 1. First he overcomes §. 16. destroyes and breakes him in pieces with his power Heb 2. 14. by death he destroyed him that had the power of death that is the Divell The first thing that was promised of him was That he should breake the head of the Serpent Gen. 3. 15. He doth it also in and for the seed of the Woman all the Elect of God opposed to the seed of the Serpent or Generation of Vipers In pursuit hereof he spoyles Principalities and Powers and makes a shew of them openly triumphing over them in his Crosse Col. 2. 15. In the bloud of his Crosse he conquered and brake the power of the Divell binding that strong man Armed and spoyling his goods making a shew of him and them as great Conquerors were wont to doe with their Captives and their spoyles Now there are two waies whereby the bloud of
sinne the body of it or the ruling of Originall sinne the old man and the full fruit of actuall sinne in the body of it is by the death of Christ crucified and destroyed and in that whole Chapter from our participation in the death of Christ he argues to such an abolition of the Law and Rule of sinne to such a breaking of the power and strength of it that it is impossible that it should any more rule in us or have dominion over us Of the way whereby virtue flowes out from the death of Christ for the killing of sinne I am not now to speake And this is the first way whereby the death of Christ hath an influence into the safegarding of Believers in their continuance of the Love and Favour of God He so takes away the guilt of sinne that it shall never be able utterly to turne the Love of God from them and so takes away the rule of Sathan and power of sinne destroying the one and killing the other that they shall never be able to turne them wholly from God Farther §. 19. to secure their continuance with God he procureth the Holy Spirit for them as was shewed before But because much weight lyes upon this part of our foundation I shall a little farther cleare it up That the Spirit of Grace and Adoption with all those Spirituall Mercyes and operations wherewith he is attended and accompanied is a Promise of the new Covenant doubtlesse is by its own evidence put out of question There is scarce any Promise thereof wherein he is not either clearly expressed or evidently included Yea and often times the whole Covenant is stated in that one Promise of the Spirit the actuall collation and bestowing of all the Mercy thereof being his proper worke and peculiar dispensation for the carrying on the great designe of the Salvation of sinners So Isa. 59. 20. As for me saith God this is my Covenant with them my Spirit that is upon thee and my word which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart from thee This is my Covenant saith God or what in my Covenant I do faithfully ingage to bestow upon you But of this Text and its vindication more afterwardes Many other places not only pregnant of proofe to the same purpose but expressly in termes affirming it might be insisted on Now that this Spirit §. 20. promised in the Covenant of Grace as to the bestowing of him on the elect of God or those for whom Christ dyed is of his purchasing and procurement in his Death is apparent 1. Because he is the Mediator of the Covenant by whose hands and for whose sake all the Mercyes of it are made out to them who are admitted into the bond thereof Gen. 17. 1. Though men are not compleatly stated in the Covenant before their owne Believing Ierem. 31. 32. 32. 38 39 40 which brings in what of their part is stipulated yet the Covenant and Grace of it layes hold of them before even to bestow Faith on them Ezek. 11. 19. 36. 25 26. or they would never Believe for Faith is not of our selves it is the Guift of God God certainely bestowes no such Guifts but from a Covenant Spirituall Graces are not administred soly in a providentiall dispensation Heb. 8. 9 10 11. Faith for the receiving the pardon of sinne is no guift nor product of the Covenant of workes Now as in generall the Mercies of the Covenant are procured by the Mediator of it so this whereof we speake in an especiall manner Heb. 9. 15. For this cause he is the mediator of the New Testament that by meanes of death they which are called might receive the Promise of Eternall Inheritance By his death they for whom he dyed and who thereupon are called Deut 27 29. being delivered from their sinnes which were against the Covenant of workes Gal. 3 12. receive the Promise Rom. 3. 21. or pledge of an Eternall Inheritance What this great Promise here intended is and wherein it doth consist the Holy Ghost declares Acts 2. 23. The Promise which Jesus Christ received of the Father upon his exaltation was that of the Holy Ghost having purchased and procured the bestowing of him by his Death upon his Exaltation the dispensation thereof is committed to him as being part of the Compacte and Covenant which was between his Father and himselfe The grand bottome of his satisfaction merit This is the great Originall radicall Promise of that Eternall Inheritance By the Promised Spirit are wee begotten a new into a hope thereof Rom. 8. 11. made meet for it Col. 1. 12. and sealed up unto it Ephes. 4. 30. Yea do but looke upon the Spirit as promised and yee may conclude him purchased for all the Promises of God are yea and a men in Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 1. 20. They all have their Confirmation Establishment and Accomplishment in by and for Jesus Christ. And if it be granted that any designed appointed Mercy whatever that in Christ the Lord blesseth us withall be procured for us by him in the way of merit being given freely to us through him but reckoned to him of debt it will easily be manifested that the same is the condition of every Mercy whatever promised unto us and given us upon his Mediatory interposition 2. It appears from that peculiar promise § 21. that Christ makes of sending his Holy Spirit unto his owne He tels them indeed once and againe that the Father will send him Ioh. 14. 16 26. As he comes from that originall and Fountaine Love from which also himselfe was sent But withall he assures us that he himselfe will send him Ioh. 15. 26. When the Comforter is come whom I will send unto you from the Father even the Spirit of truth It is true that he is promised here only as a Comforter for the performance of that part of his Office But look upon what account he is sent for any one Act Ioh. 16. 7. or Worke of Grace on that he is sent for all I will send him then saith Christ and that as a fruit of his death as the procurement of his Mediation for that alone he promiseth to bestow on his And in particular he tells us that he receives the spirit from the Father for us upon his Intercession wherein as hath been elsewhere demonstrated he askes no more nor lesse Salus Electorum sanguis Iesu. then what by his death is obtained Iohn 14. 16 17. I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever even the spirit of Truth whom the World cannot receive he tells us v. 13. that whatsoever we aske he will doe it But withall in these verses how he will doe it even by interceding with the Father for it as a fruit of his Bloodshedding and the Promise made to him upon his undertaking to Glorify his Fathers
whole Church be so farre from being saved to the ut most as utterly to be destroyed and consumed 2. Doubtlesse the Intercession of Christ §. 3. must answer the Representation of it which the Apostle so much insists on Heb. 7. 9. Of the Oblation of Christ there were many Types in the Aaronicall Priesthood of the Law Of his Intercession but one principally namely that solemne entrance of the high Priest with Blood and Incense into the Holyest of Holyes in the great Anniversary Sacrifice on the tenth day of the seventh month on the which day also the great Jubilee or Joyfull time of deliverance typifying our deliverance by Christ began Here unto is added the Priesthood of Melchisedec whereof there is mention neither of its beginning nor ending to secure us of the Continuance of our Mediator in the act of his Priesthood for ever Now the end of the high Priests so entring into this Holy place was to carry on the work of Expiation and Attonement to persection and compleat peace with God in the behalfe of them for whom he offered without And therefore the Holy Ghost saith that his entrance with Blood was to offer for himselfe and the Errours of the people Heb. 9. 7. It being but a continuation of his Oblation began without unto a compleat Attonement And therefore there is no reall difference between the efficacy of the death of Christ and that of his Intercession upon the actuall Accomplishment of it It being then the compleate taking away of the sinnes and Errours of the people as to the guilt of them and the Continuance of their peace with God which was intended by the high Priests entrance with blood into the Holyest of Holyes that which answers thereunto or the deliverance of Believers from the whole guilt of sinne and their preservation in the Love and Favour of God is the intendment of Christ in his Intercession Let the Effects and fruits of the Oblation of Christ be bounded and limited to the procuring of a new way of Salvation without purchasing for any one person whatever power and Grace to walke in that way and then exclude his Intercession from any influence into the preservation of them who do enter that way therein and perhaps indifferent men will scarce thinke the Glory and Honour of the Lord Jesus to be of any great regard with us 3. That this is the import of Christs Intercession for Believers §. 4. is evident by that preface which we have thereof John 17. being a manifest declaration on earth of that which Christ lives for ever in Heaven to do This was the Incense wherewith he entred into the Holy place which he now prepared and which was afterwards beaten small in his Agony that it might be ready to make a sweet perfume at his entrance into Heaven as he was sprinkled with his owne Blood That Christ Interceded and for his Elect for whom he dyed that they may believe our Adversaries deny but that he Intercedes for actuall Believers hath not hitherto been questioned What it is which he requests on their behalfe the tenor of that Power of his John 17. will manifest v. 11. saith he Holy Father keepe through thine owne name those whom thou hast given me that they may be one as we are keepe them from sinne and ruine every thing that will hinder them from union with me What is it that our Saviour here prayes for for whō is he so ingaged that it is for Believers as such for whom he puts up these supplications our Adversaryes in the cause in hand do contend That these may be kept through the Power of God unto Unity among themselves which they have by their Union with him is his dying request for them He prayes not for any such onenesse as is consistent with their separation from him and his Fathers Love Where now shall we fix the supposed failure those who effectually and eventually are kept up to Spirituall Union cannot fall out of nor fall of from totally nor finally the Love of God Either Christ is not heard in his request or the Father cannot keepe them by his Power if these thus interceeded for are not preserved Many Temptations many oppositions great Tribulations without strong Corruptions within they must needs meet withall these they have no power in themselves to overcome nor to resist Should they be left to themselves they would never be able to hold out to the end Saith Christ I should loose these poore Sheep for whom I have laid downe my life to bring them unto thee Holy Father do thou therefore keepe and preserve them from all these evills that they may not prevaile over thē And keep thē through thy Nam◠thy Power for we are kept through the Power of God unto Salvation let thy Power be exerted for their preservation And what is too strong for thy Power Who can take them out of thy hand Lay that upon them for their defence shew it out in their behalfe that all their enemies may feele the weight and strength thereof Keepe them through thy Name thy Grace let that be sufficient for them let them have such supplyes of Gospell Grace and pardoning Mercy concerning which I manifested thy Name unto them v. 6. and so revealed thee a Father that they may be incouraged to trust in that Name of thine and to stay themselves upon thee where the failure is doubtlesse is not easy to manifest In the verse following our Saviour addes many motives to make his Intercession prevalent in their behalfe First v. 12. he saith that according to that Commission that he had received he had faithfully preserved them whilst that he was in the world and now being ready to leave them as to his bodily presence he urges the speciall preservation of his Father as needfull that after all the Care and Cost which he had laid out about them they might not utterly perish And then Secondly v. 13. he urges the necessity that they should have some Assurance of it in the midst of all their troubles and tryalls that they may have Consolation upon their confidence in the words which Christ had spoken to them that they should be preserved through all difficulties unto the end And he farther urges Thirdly v. 14. from the certaine Opposition that they should meet withall the world hates them and will without doubt use all wayes and meanes possible for their ruine and destruction giving also the Reason why the world hateth them and will oppose them which is such an one as must needs ingage the Heart and Goodwill of God for their preservation to wit because they receive the Word of his deare Sonne and upon that account left the world separated from it and became its enemyes and shall they now be left to the rage and fury of the world in this condition That be farre from thee Holy Father keepe them Hereupon Fourthly v. 15. he reneweth his prayer in their behalfe
hath abounded that they may live in all filth and folly because God hath promised never to forsake them not turne away his Love from them they doe not looke upon it as an hellish abuse of the Love of God which they labour to crucifie no lesse then any other worke of the flesh whatsoever Presuppose indeed the Saints of God to be Dogges and swine wholly sensuall and unregenerate that is no Saints and our Doctrine to be such that God will Love them and save them continuing in that state wherein they are and you make a bed for Iniquity to stretch it selfe upon But suppose that we teach that the wrath of God will certainly come upon the Children of disobedience that he that Believeth not shall be damned and that God will keepe his owne by his power through Faith unto Salvation and that in and by the use of meanes they shall certainly be preserved to the end and the mouth of iniquity will be stopped 2. They say it takes away that strong curbe and bridle §. 14. which ought to be kept in the mouth of the flesh to keepe it from running headlong into sin and folly namely the feare of Hell and punishment which alone hath an influence upon it to bring it to subjection and under Obedience But now if there be nothing in the world that is of use for the mortification and crucifying of the flesh and the lusts thereof but it receives improvement by this Doctrine this crimination must of necessity vanish into nothing 1. Then it tells that the flesh and all the deeds thereof are to be crucifyed and slaine God having ordained good workes for us to walke in That for the workes of the flesh the wrath of God comes upon the Children of disobedience if any say let us continue in sinne because we are not under the Law or the condemning power of it for sinne but under Grace it cries out God for bid Rom. 6. 15 16. And saith this is Argument enough and Proofe snfficient that sinne shall not have dominion over us because we are not under the Law but under Grace It tells you also that there is a twofold feare of Hell and punishment of sinne First of Anxietie and doubtfullnesse in respect of the end Secondly Of Care and diligence that respecteth the meanes And for the first it saith that this is the portion of very many of the Saints of God of some all their dayes though they are so yet they know not that they are so and therefore are under anxious and doubtfull feares of Hell and Punishment notwithstanding that they are in the armes of their Father from whence indeed they shall not be cast downe as a man bound with chaines on the toppe of a tower he cannot but feare and yet he cannot fall He cannot fall because he is fast bound with strong chaines He cannot but feare because he cannot actually and clearely consider often times the meanes of his preservation And for the latter a feare of the wayes and meanes leading to punishment as such that continues upon all the Saints of God in this life neither is there any thing in this Doctrine that is suited to a removall thereof And this it saies is more much more of use for the mortification of the flesh then the former 2. It sayes that the great and Principall meanes of mortification of the flesh is not feare of Hell and Punishment but the Spirit of Christ as the Apostle tells us Rom. 8. 13. If ye through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the flesh yee shall live It is the Spirit of Christ alone that is able to do this great Worke We know what bondage and Religious drudgery some have put themselves 〈◊〉 upon this account and yet could never in their lives attaine to the mortification of any one sinne It is the Spirit of Christ alone that hath soveraigne power in our soules of killing and making alive As no man quickneth his owne soule so no man upon any Consideration whatsoever or by the power of any threatnings of the Law can kill his own sinne There was never any one sinne truly mortified by the Law or the threatning of it All that the Law can do of it selfe is but to intangle sinne and thereby to irritate provoke it like a Bull in a net or a beast lead to the slaughter It is the Spirit of Christin the Gospell that cuts its throate destroyes it Now this Doctrine was never in the least charged with denying the Spirit of God to Believers which whilst it doth grant maintaine in a way of opposition to that late Opinion which advanceth it selfe against it it maintaines the mortification of the flesh and the lusts thereof upon the only true and unshaken foundations 3. It tells you that the great meanes whereby the Spirit of Christ worketh the mortification of the flesh and the Lusts thereof is the Application of the Crosse of Christ and his Death and Love therein unto the soule and saies that those vaine endeavours which some promote and encourage for the mortification of sinne consisting for the most part in slavish bodily exercises are to be bewayled with teares of bloud as abominations that seduce poore soules from the Crosse of Christ For it saies this work is truly and in an acceptable manner only performed when we are planted into the likenesse of the death of Christ having our old man crucified with him and the body of sinne destroyed Rom. 6. 5 6. and thereupon by Faith reckoning our selves dead unto sinne but alive unto God v. 11. It is done only by knowing the fellowship of the sufferings of Christ and being made conformable to his death Phil. 3. 10. by the Crosse of Christ is the world crucified unto us and we unto the world The Spirit brings home the power of the Crosse of Christ to the soule for the accomplishing of this work and without it it will not be done Moreover it saies that by the way of motive to this duty there is nothing comes with that efficacy upon the soule as the love of Christ in his death as the Apostle assures us 2 Cor. 5. 14. for the Love of Christ constraineth us because we thus judge that if one died for all then were all dead and that he died for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him which died for them and rose againe now it was never laid to the charge of this Doctrine that it took off from the vertue of the Death and Crosse of Christ but rather on the contrary though falsely that it ascribed too much thereunto so that these importune exceptions notwithstanding the Doctrine in hand doth not only maintaine its own innocency as to any tendency unto loosenesse but also manifestly declareth its own usefulnesse to all ends and purposes of Gospell Obedience whatsoever For 3. It stirres up §. 15. provokes and drawes out into action every
one altogether lovely As exceeding desireable in the work of his Oblation lovely and amiable in the work of his Intercession as hath been manifested 1. It imports him as one who in his death hath made an end of the Controversy between God and our soules Dan. 9. 39. Becoming our peace Eph. 2. 14. having obtained for us Eternall Redemption That he hath not suffered all that sorrow anguish paine torment dereliction whereunto for our sakes he was given up and willingly exposed himselfe for an uncertaine end not fighting in his death as one beating the ayre nor leaving his worke in the dust to be trampled on or taken up as it seemes good to us in our polluted darke dead estate of nature But hath filled it with such immortall seed that of it selfe by it selfe and its own unconquerable Efficacy it hath sprung up to the bringing forth of that whole fruit intended in it and the accomplishment of all the ends aimed at by it That is that it shall certainely and infallibly bring all those to God for whom he offered by Sanctifying Justifying and preserving them through the Communication of his owne Spirit and Grace to them for that end and purpose All his Promises being yea and Amen in him confirmed by his death 2 Cor. 1. 20. Heb. 10. 12 13 14 15 16. Some of those who indeed abuse the Truth we have insisted on pretend to grant That by his death he made satisfaction for sinne but only on condition that men believe on him and continue so doing That they shall so believe and so continue though he is said to be the Captaine of our Salvation and the Author and finisher of our Faith though it be given unto us for his sake to believe on him and we are blessed with all spirituall blessings in heavenly places in him that he takes no care about beyond the generall administration of outward meanes He neither procured any such thing by his Oblation nor doth intercede for it these things are left unto men to be educed drawne forth and exercised by virtue of sundry considerations that they may take upon themselves Never doubtlesse did men take more paines to staine the beauty and comelinesse of our dying Saviour 2. For his Intercession the Doctrine hitherto insisted on renders him therein exceeding lovely and desireable It tells you that he doth pray the Father and thereupon sends us the Comforter the Holy Spirit for all the gratious acts and works ends and purposes before mentioned with innumerable other priviledges that the Saints by him are made partakers of and that to abide with us for ever never to leave us nor forsake us That he continually appears in the presence of God for us interceding that our Faith may not faile pleading for us in and under all our decayes making out to us sutable supplies in all our Distresses Temptations Tryalls Troubles taking care that no Temptation befall us but that a way also of escape be given to us together with it It tells us his Eye even now he is in glory is still upon us seeing our wants taking notice of our weaknesse and providing for us as his only concernment in the World that we be not lost That he hath not left one jot of that kindnesse which he bare to his flock his Lambs his little ones But pursues with all his strength and all the interest he hath in Heaven the worke of their Salvation which he came from his Fathers bosome to enter on and returned to him againe to carry it on unto perfection That as the High Priest of old he beares our names in his breast and on his shoulders continually before his Father So that in all our falls and failings when wee are in our selves helpelesse and hopelesse when there is nothing in us nor about us that can doe us any good or yeeld us any help or Consolation yet on this account we may say the Lord is our Shepheard we shall lack nothing He hath undertaken for us and will beare us in his Armes untill he bring us to the bosome of his Father Now whether such cosiderations as these of the Oblation and Intercession of Christ doe not fill his Love in them with a more constraining efficacy and more draw out the hearts of the Saints unto Faith and Love then any instruction can doe informing men of the uselesnesse of the one or other of these eminent Acts of his Mediation for any of the ends and Purposes mentioned let Believers judge That which men repose upon in their greatest necessities and for the things of the greatest concernement thereof they have the greatest valuation and the thoughts of it are most fixed in their minds What is there of so great concernement in this World unto the Saints as their abiding with God unto the end How many how great urging pressing are the difficulties dangers troubles they meet withall in their so doing What then they have most frequent recourse unto and what they rest most upon under their pressures in the things of that concernement before mentioned that will deserve the name of their Treasure where their hearts will and ought to be Now if this setting aside as things of no Consideration in such a case the Purposes Covenant and Promises of God the Oblation and Intercession of the Lord Christ be mens own rationall Abilities to consider what is for their good and what will be hurtfull and destructive to them what can hinder but that men will yea and that they often should spend the flower and best of their Affections upon and about themselves and their own Wisdome in and for their preservation That doubtlesse will take up their hearts and thoughts so that there will be very little roome left for the entertainement of the Lord Jesus Christ with any regard or respect on this account If that then may passe which was formerly laid downe namely that the Doctrines and things which are Apt and suted to the ingenerating quickning increasing and building up of Faith and Love towards God and our Lord Jesus Christ are the most eminent Gospell motives to spirituall acceptable Obedience as it is an unquestionable Truth and certainty doubtlesse that Doctrine which represents the Father Sonne so rich in mercy so loving lovely to the soule as that doth which we insist upon must needs have a most effectuall influence into that Obedience 4. The Doctrine insisted on §. 18. hath an effectuall influence into the Obedience of the Saints upon the account of giving it its proper place and setting it aright upon its basis carrying it on in due order It neither puts upon it the fetters of the Law nor turnes it loose from the Holy and righteous Rule of it Let men be as industrious as can be imagined in the performance of all commanded duties yet if they doe it on legall motives and for legall ends all their performances are vitiated and all their duties rejected This the Apostle
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
lesse Anti-evangelicall This foundation then being removed what ever is built upon it mole ruit su◠Neither is it in any measure restored or laid a new by the reason of it given by Mr G. viz. That the Scripture affirmeth in sundry places that God is no accepter of persons for he that shall hence conclude that what ever Doctrine affirmeth directly or by consequence that God is no Aceepter of persons what ever other abomination it is evidently deeming with all is yet true and according to the minde of God shall have leave notwithstanding the antiquated Statute of our Vniversity against it to goe and reade Logicke at Stamford On this account do but provide that a Doctrine be not gnilty of any one crime and you may conclude that it is guilty of none For instance That Doctrine which impeacheth not the Omnipresence of the Diety is true according to the Scripture for the Scripture aboundeth with cleare Testimonyes of the Presence of God in all places Now the Doctrine of the Vbiquity of the humane nature of Christ doth no way impeach the omnipresence of the Diety therefore it is true and according to Scripture I might supersede all further considerations of this Argument having rendered it altogether uselesse and unserviceable in this warfare by breaking its right legge or rather cruteh whereon it leaned but something also may be added to the Minor because of its reflection in the close of its proofe upon the Doctrine we maintaine intimating an inconsistency of it with that Excellency of God spoken of namely that he is no Accepter of Persons Prosopolepsia §. 4. or Accepting of Persons is an evill in Judgment when he who is to determine in causes of righteousnesse hath respect to personall things that concerue not the merit of the Cause in hand and judgeth accordingly This properly can have no place in God as to any bestowing of free Grace Mercy or Pardon There is Roome made for it only when the things that are bestowed or wrought by it are such as in Justice are due it being an Iniquity solely and directly opposed to distributive Justice Exod. 23. 2 3 6 7 8 9. that rendreth to every one according to what is Righteous and due Iob. 31. 34. That with God there be no Accepting of Persons there is no more required but this that he appoint and determine equall Punishments to equall faults and give equall Rewards to equall deservings If he will dispose of his pardoning Mercy and free Grace to some in Christ not to others who shall say unto him what dost thou May he not do what he will with his owne So he giveth a peny to him that laboureth all day he maygive a peny also to him that worketh but one houre Now suppose that Mr G's Doctrine render God free from this or rather chargeth him not with it yet if withall it calleth his Truth Righteousnesse Faithfulnesse Oath and Immutabillity into question shall it passe for a Truth or be embraced ever the sooner But the sting of this Argument lieth in the Taile §. 5. or close of it in the Reflection insisted on upon the common Doctrine of Perseverance as it is called viz. that it teacheth God to be an accepter of Persons This is Mr Goodwin's way of Arguing all along When at any time he hath proposed a proofe of the Doctrine he goeth about to establish finding that as somthing heavy worke to lye upon his hand and not much to be said in the case he instantly turneth about and falleth upon his Adversaries in declaiming against whom he hath a rich and overflowing Veine There is scarce any one of his Arguments in the pursuit and improvement whereof one fourth part of it is spoken to that head where in he is engaged But wherein is the Common Doctrine of Perseverance guilty of this great crime §. 6. It teacheth that He that believeth shall be saved and he that believeth not shall be damned It teacheth that God hath allotted equall punishments to equall Transgressions and appointed equall Rewards to equall wayes of Obedience That the Wages of every sinne is death and that every sinner must dye unlesse it be those concerning whom God himselfe saith Deliver them I have found a Ransome Job 33. 24. that he is a like displeased with sinne in whomsoever it is and that in a peculiar and eminent manner when it is found in his owne Indeed if this be to impute Acceptation of Persons to God to say that he hath Mercy on whom he will have Mercy and whom he will he hardeneth that he is tender to his owne as a Father to his only Child that serveth him and will recover them being faithfull in his Promises from their sinnes and heale their backeslidings though he suffer others to lye wallowing in their rebellions and pollutions all their dayes that he will not give pardon to any finner but upon Faith and Repentance but will give Faith and Repentance to those whom he hath chosen and given unto Jesus Christ to be saved If this I say be acceptance of Persons our Doctrine owneth the imputation of ascribing it to God and glorieth in it we being ascertained that God taketh all this to himselfe clearely and plentifully in the Word of Truth The summe of what our Author gives in §. 7. to make good his charge upon the common Doctrine of Perseverance is That it affirmeth that though Saints and Believers fall into the same sinnes of Adultery and Idolatry and the like with other men yet they are not dealt withall as other men but continued in the Love and Favour of God To wave the consideration of the false impositions by the way on the Doctrine opposed as that is that it teacheth the Saints to fall into and to continue in them to the significancy of that expression never so long under Abominations and to joyne Issue upon the whole of the matter I say 1. That in and with this Doctrine and in perfect Harmony and Consistency therewith Rom. 1. 32. we maintaine that the judgement of God is the same in respect of every sinne in whomsoever it is and that he that doth it on that account is worthy of death and 2. That the sentence of the Law is the same towards all cursing every one that continueth not in all things written in the Book thereof Deut. 27. 26. to doe them 3. That in and under the Gospell wherein a remedy is provided in reference to the rigour and severity of both the former Apprehensions yet the Judge of all dealeth with all men equally according to the tenor of it He that Believeth shall be Saved and he that Believeth not shall be damned Men in the same condition shall have the same recompence of reward But you will say Doe not the same sinnes put men into the same condition and deserve the same punishment in one as in another Ans. 1. They doe deserve the same punishment God
is equally provoked and had not Christ answered for the sinnes of Believers they could not they should not have escaped the wrath due to them 2. That the same sinnes doe not argue men alwaies under the Gospell to be in the same Condition as shall be afterwards fully manifested for 1. They doe not find them in the same state some are in a state of Death and sinne others of Life and Grace being translated from the one to the other having a Title to the Promise of Mercy in Christ. 2. And chiefly as there is a twofold justification of the Person and of the Fact and the one may be without the other so there is a twofold condemnation or dis-approbation of the Fact and of the Person As to the particular dis-approbation of God in respect of any sinfnll Act it is the same in reference unto all Persons Believers and Unbelievers As to their Persons there are in the Gospell other ingredients to the judgement of them beside particular Facts or Acts in answer to the Law or the rule of Righteousnesse viz. Faith and Repentance which alter the case of the Person even before the judgement seat of God To suppose the Saints to fall into the same sinnes with other men in the same manner and to continue in them without Faith and Repentance is to begge the thing in Question Suppose them to have what we affirme God hath promised those conditions of Evangelicall mercie and M. Goodwin himselfe will grant it no acceptance of Persons to deale otherwise with them then with others who have committed like sinnes with them in whom those conditions are not wrought or found that is he that Believeth shall be Saved he that Believeth not shall be Damned This is all we say in this thing but of the difference between Believers and unbelievers in their sining we shall speake afterwards at large to the full removall of this and another Objection For the present this shall suffice though Believers fall or may fall into the same sinnes with other men yet they fall not into them in the same manner with them and they have a reliefe provided to prevent the deadly malignity of sinne which those who believe not have no interest in no right unto Mr Goodwins second Argument is §. 8. that which of all others in this case hee seemeth to lay most weight upon and which he pursueth at large in 17 Pages and as many Sections treating in it concerning the Ministry of the Gospell and the usefulnesse of the Exhortations Threatnings and Promises thereof For an entrance into the consideration of it I must needs say Non venit ex pharetris ista sagitta tuis For besides that M. Goodwin hath taken very little paines in the improvement of it considering how it was provided to his hand by the Remonstrants at the Synod of Dort and that which he hath done farther consisting in a meere uselesse and needlesse stuffing of it with sundry Notions taken out of their first Argument and fifth De modo conversionis of the manner of the Spirits operation in and upon the Soule in its first conversion to God it was the old song of the Pelagians and Semi-Pelagians in their dealing with Austine Fulgentius Hilarius Prosper by them at large confuted renewed by Castallio and Erasmus against Luther after it had been sifted and rejected by the more learned Schoolemen in former ages What ever it be and how ever it is now come to hand being taught to speake out Language and that in the best fashion the consideration of it must not be declined And thus it is proposed If the common Doctrine of Perseverance rendreth the Ministry of the Gospell §. 9. so farre as it concerneth the Perseverance of the Saints vaine impertinent and void then is it not a Doctrine of God but of men and consequently that which opposeth it is the truth But certaine it is that the said Doctrine is of this unchristian tendency and import Ergo. The first part of the consequent of the Major is granted The Work of the Ministry being for the edification of the body of Christ and the perfecting of the Saints Ephes. 4. 12 13. that which frustrateth the End whereunto of Christ himselfe it is designed can be no Truth of his Of the farther inference That the Doctrine which opposeth it or is set up in opposition to it is the Truth more will be spoken afterwards For the present I cannot but insist upon the former observation That notwithstanding Mr Goodwins pretence of proving and arguing for the Doctrine he maintaines yet upon the matter he hath not any thing to say in the carrying on of that designe but instantly falls to his old work of raising Objections in their very setting up prepared to be cast downe for the most part which with all his might he laboureth to remove The stresse of the whole as farre as we are concerned in it lieth on the Minor which is thus farther attempted to be made good The Minor Proposition is Demonstrated thus The Doctrine which rendreth the Labour and Faithfulnesse of a Minister in pressing such Exhortations Threatnings and Promises which tend to the preservation of the Saints in Faith and holinesse to the end uselesse rendreth the Ministry of the Gospell as farre as it concerneth the encouragement or inabling of the Saints to Persevere needlesse and vaine but guilty of such a tendency as this is the commonly received Doctrine of Perseverance Ergo. Ans. This labour might have been saved and both these Syllogismes very easily reduced to one but then another seeming Argument as we shall find afterwards insisted on would have been prevented Our trade in such cases as this is by weight and not by number the Minor then is still to be confirmed which he laboureth thus to doe The common Doctrine of Perseverance requireth and commandeth all Saints or true Believers to be fully perswaded and this with the greatest and most indubitable certainty of Faith that there is an absolute and utter impossibility either of a totall or finall defection of their faith that though they should fall into ten thousand enormous and most abominable sinnes and lyewallowing in them like a swine in the mire yet they should remaine all the while in an estate of Grace and that God will by a strong hand of irresistible grace bring them off from their sinnes by Repentance before they dye but the Doctrine which requireth and commandeth all this and much more of like import to be confidently believed by true Believers rendreth the pressing of all Exhortations Threatning Promises upon them in order to prevaile with them or make them carefull to Persevere bootlesse and unnecessary Ergo. Ans. 1. §. 10. What weight M. Goodwin with all those with whom as to his undertaking under consideration He is in fellowship doth lay upon this Argument is known to all The whole foundation of what is afterwards at large insisted on for the establishment of
Perseverance which are given to the Saints yet many there are who are not enabled all their dayes to mix them with Faith although their interest portion lyes in them no lesse than theirs who through Grace attaine the greatest Assurance and on that account do never all their dayes get free from some bondage by reason of the Feare of Death and destruction And in respect of such as these the Comminations and threatnings insisted on may have much of that End accomplished which by Mr Goodwin is assigned to them not that such a frame is directly aimed at in them Christ dying to deliver them who by reason of Death were in bondage all their dayes from that bondage which the Feare of Death for since doth keepe the soules of men in and under but that it followes and will follow upon their darkenesse and weaknesse of Faith Secondly that the Promises of Perseverance being of the effecting and accomplishment of it by and in the use of meanes do not nor will give deliverance to them to whom they are made from feare of death and Hell but only whilst they conscientiously use the meanes appointed for them to walke in so that upon their deflexion from the Rule which is attended with Mercy and Peace the threatnings of God to sinne and sinners to Apostacy and Apostates do lay hold on them in their full force and efficacy especially to the ingene rating in them a Terrour of the Lord as the Apostle speakes an abhorrency of their wayes a loathing of them as not good that would cause them to fall into the hands of the Living God So that all Mr Goodwin's Arguings not being levied against the certaintey of Perseverrance but mens Certainty that they shall Persevere which some never attaine unto some loose either in whole or in part oftentimes are not to the businesse in hand Thirdly that eternall death and destruction is not the only subject of God's Threatnings nor all the evill that they may have a feare of whom he deals withall by them Desertion Rejection Rebukes sharpe and keene arrowes blowes of Gods hand Temporall death it selfe with the like are also threatned yea and so often in an eminent and dreadfull manner have been inflicted that though they might be supposed to have alwayes some comfortable Assurance of Deliverance from the wrath that is to come yet the Threatnings of God may be suited to beget in them this feare of evill to such an heigth as may make their bowels to flow like water rottemesse to enter into their bones and all their joynts to tremble Fourthly that the end of the Threatnings of God being to discouer to men the connexion that is by his Appointment between the sinnes exagitated and the punishment threatend whence the Feare mentioned doth consequently insue they may obtaine their full primary effect though that Feare be not ingenerated If they be prevailed on by any other Considerations so that the sinne be avoided Fiftly that when The Saints do walke orderly regularly and closely with God in the use of meanes by him appointed and so doing from the Promises of Perseverance do receive a comfortable Assurance that they shall be kept by the power of God through Faith unto Salvation the begetting in them of Feares of Death and Hell is neither usefull in it selfe nor are they intended of God to be their portion But if at any time they turne aside from the holy Commandement and thereby faile of the perswasion of their Perseverance as their Faith will be by such meanes impaired though the certainty of the thing it selfe be no lesse infallible than formerly yet by the Threatnings of God to them it may be needfull to rouze them by the terrours of the Lord in them from the Condition whereinto they have cast themselves I doubt not but that from the light of these and the like Considerations which might farther be insisted on it will appeare that there may be and is an harmonious consistency between the Promises and Threatnings of the Scripture notwithstanding the mist that is raised in a long and tedious Discourse to interrput the evidence thereof In the 13 Section §. 57. under pretence of Answering an Objection a long Discourse is drawen forth farther to varnish over what was before spoken Nothing of importance to my best observation being added It may be reduced to these foure heads First an Assertion hat the Threats against Apostacy do not belong to Hypocrites that is to them that are not really Regenerate let their profession be what it will for Hypocrites ought not to Persevere in the way wherein they are to the end and therefore there is no danger of their falling away from it Which is a Ridiculous peice of Sophistry For though they may not be exhorted to continue in their Hypocrisy which corrupts and vitiates their profession yet they may in their profession which in it selfe is good And though there is no danger of leaving their Hypocrisy yet there is of their waxing worse and worse by falling from the beginnings of Grace which they have received the profession which they have made and the Regular Conversation which they have entred upon So that notwithstanding any thing sayd to the contrary the comminations under consideration may principally belong to some kind of professours who notwithstanding all their guifts and common Graces which they have received yet in a large sence may be termed Hypocrites as they are opposed to them who have received the Spirit with true and saving Grace Secondly he saies It is evident that they belong unto true Believers from Heb. 6. 4 5 6 and 9. and Heb. 10. 26 27 and 29. but if there were no better evidence of the concernment of true Believers in the threatnings made to Apostacy than what can be drawne from the places mentioned I dare undertake that Mr Goodwin shall never prove any such concernment of theirs therein whilst his eyes are open but about this I shall not at present contend Thirdly he tells us That the end and aime of God in these threatnings is the good of Believers Of which as farre as they are concerned in them I much lesse doubt than I do of the clearenesse of the proofe of this Assertion from Psal. 85. 8. I will heare what God the Lord will speake for he will speake peace to his people and to his S t s but let them not turne againe to folly A place that I presume was hooked in here violently for want of a fitter opportunity to wrest it with a by interpretation because it lookes so hardly on the Doctrine which our Author hath undertaken to defend But let this passe also His fourth Assertion which he pursues at large or rather with many words is That these Threatnings have no tendency to the good of Believers but only by begetting in them a feare of Hell and Destruction which that they ought to do is strongly proved from Luke 12. 4 5. Where we are
the tendernesse of the heart of Josiah under the preaching of the Law mentioned in the second place and therefore I shall not need to call it into Examination But it is added farther Sect. 14. p. 314. The present state and frame of the hearts and soules of the Saints duly considered § 61. which are made up as well of flesh and corruption as of Spirit and Grace the former having need of bridles for restraint as well as the latter of spurres for quickning evident it is that Arguments or motives drawne from feare of punishment are as necessary and proper for them in respect of the one as incitements from Love in respect of the other A whip for the Horse saies Solomon a bridle for the Asse and a rod for the Fooles backe The flesh even in the wisest of men is a foole and would be unruly without a rod ever and a non shaken over it nor should God have made such gracious bountifull and effectuall provision for the Perseverance of the Saints as now he hath done had he not ingaged as well the passion of Feare within them as of Love to be their guardian keeper 'T is true perfect love casteth out Feare but who amongst the Saints themselves can say either that his heart is cleane or his Love perfect Perfect Love casteth out flesh as well as Feare yea true Love untill flesh be cast out preserveth feare for its Assistant and fellow helper the flesh would soone make Love a wanton and intice her unto folly did not feare dissolve the inchantment and protect her Chastity Of this last Division of the 34. Section there are two parts The first Confirmative of what was spoken before concerning the usefullnesse of the Feare of Hell punishment for the furthering of the Saints Obedience The other Responsatory to what is urged to the contrary from 1 John 4. 18. Perfect Love casteth out Feare For the first it is granted that there are those two contrary principles of Flesh and Spirit Corruption and Grace in the hearts of all even even the best and most eminent Saints whilst they continue here below But that these two should be principles acting themselves in their Obedience the one moved incited and stirred up by Love the other from the Feare whereof we are speaking is a Fleshly Darke Anti-evangelicall conceit That the principle in Believers which the Scripture calls Flesh Corruption needs incitement to Obedience or is to be incited there unto as is affirmed is no lesse corrupt than what was before mentioned Looke whatsoever Influence Flesh or Corruption hath into any of our Obedience so far that Obedience is vitiated corrupted rendered uncleane and unacceptable before God The Flesh is to be crucified slaine destroyed not stirred up and provoked to Obedience being indeed Disobedience in the Abstract enmity to God You may as well perswade darkenesse to shine as the Flesh to Obâ—y It is not a foole as that Allusion bespeakes it from Prov. 26. 3. that would ever and anon be unruly were not a rod shaken over him but it is folly it selfe that is not to be cur'd but kill'd not stirred up but mortifyed How that is to be done hath been formerly at large declared It is by the Spirits bringing the Crosse and power of the death of Christ into the heart of the sinner and not by any consideration of Hell and punishment that we can take upon our selves which never did nor never will fortify any sinne to the end of the world that this worke is to be wrought Secondly that which is added of God's bountifull provision for the Perseverance of the Saints by ingaging the passion of Feare as well as Love is of no better a frame or Constitution than that which went before That our gratious Father hath made fuller larger and more certaine provision for our Perseverance than any can be afforded by the ingaging of our passions by consideration of punishment or reward I hope hath been sufficiently demonstrated And if Mr Goodwin intend no more by his Love and Feare of God than the ingaging of those naturall passions in us by the consâ—derations intimated I shall not be Rivall with him in his Perswasion The Love we intend is a Fruit of the Spirit of God in us and the Feare contended about of the Spirit of Bondage which though it be not pressed on us as our duty yet we hope that bountifull provision is made for our Perseverance as shall effectually support and preserve us to the end Blessed be his name his Saints have many better Guardians and keepers then a bondage frame of Spirit upon the account of the wrath to come from whence they are delivered by Christ They are in his own hand and in the hand of his Sonne and are kept through Faith by his power to Salvation If this be the end of Mr Goodwin's Preaching the threatnings of God at any time viz. that the naturall passion of Feare being stirred up with the apprehensions of Hell the Flesh that is in Man may be incited to obedience I hope he hath not many consenting with him in the same intendment Thirdly To an Objection framed from 1 Ioh 4. 18. That perfect Love casts out feare §. 62. First That it may be so but whose Love is perfect Secondly That Love cherisheth Feare untill the Flesh be quite cast out Thirdly That the Flesh would make Love wanton and intice it to folly did not Feare dissolve the inchantment But First Though Love be not perfect to all degrees of Perfection here yet it may have yea it hath in the Saints the perfection of Uprightnesse and Sincerity which is all that is here intended and all that is required to it for the casting out of that Tormenting Feare of which the Apostle speaks Feare saith he hath torment And if our Love cannot amount to that perfection as to cast it out it being only to be cast out thereby it is impossible we should ever be freed from Torment all our daies or be fill'd with joy Consolation in believing which would frustrate the glorious designe of God which he hath sworne himselfe willing to pursue Heb 6. 13. and the great End of the death of Christ which he hath perfectly accomplished Heb 2. 15. Secondly It is true there is a Feare that Love cherisheth the Feare that God hath promised in the Covenant of Grace to preserve in our hearts all our daies But to say it cherisheth the Feare we speake of and which the Holy Ghost in this place intendeth is expressely to make the Holy Ghost a lyar and 〈◊〉 contradict him to his face Thirdly What Love in us is that that the Flesh can or may intice to follyâ— Are the fruits of the Spirit of God Graces of his own working and creating in us of such a Temper and Constitution as that they may be inticed to uncleannesse and folly And is it possible that such a thought should enter into the heart of
Believers sinne only out of infirmity 37. Whether Believers may sinne our of Malice and with deliberation 38. Of the stare of Believers who upon their sinne may be excommunicated 39. 40. Whether the Body of Christ may be disâ—â—embred What body of Christ it is that is intended 41. Mr G. thoughts to this purpose examined 42 M. G. discourse of the way whereby Christ keeps or may keep his members examined 43. Members of Christ cannot become members of Satan 1 Cor. 6. 15. considered 44. of the sence and use of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 45. Christ takes Members out of the power of Satan gives up none to him 46. Repetition of Regeneration asserted by the Doctrine of Apostasy 47. The Repetition disproved 48. M.G. notion of Regeneration examined at large and rebuked 49. Relation between God and his Children indissoluble 50. The farther progresse of Lust for the production of sinne it draws oft and entangles drawing away what it is 51. The distance between Regenerate and unregenerate persons in their being drawn away by Lust. 52. Farther description of him who is drawn away by Lust and of the difference formerly mentioned 53. Of Lusts enticing 54. How farre this may be fall regenerate men To do sinne Rom. 7. what it intendeth 55. Lusts conceiving wherein it consists 56. Of the bringing forth of sinne and how farre the Saints of God may proceed therein 57. 1 Ioh. 3. 9. opened the scope of the place discovered 58. Vindicated 59. The words farther opened The proposition in the words universall inferences from thence 〈◊〉 60. The subject of that Proposition considered every one that is borne of God what is affirmed of them what meant by committing of sinne 61. M. G. opposition to the sence of that expression given Reasons for the confirmation of it 62. M. G. Reasons against it proposed and considered 63. The farther Exposition of the word carried on How he that is borne of God cannot sinne severall kinds of impossibility 64. M. G. attempt to Answer the Argument from this place 65. Particularly examined 66. The Reasons of the Proposition in the Text considered of the seed of God abideth the nature of that seed what it is wherein it consists 6â— Of the abiding of this seed 68. Of the latter part of the Apostles Reason he is borne of God our Argument from the words 69. M. G. indeavour to evade that Argument his exposition of the words removed 70. Farther of the meaning of the word abideth 71. The Close MR Goodwin's Fift Argument for the Saints Apostacy §. 1. is taken from the Consideration of the sinnes which they have fallen into or possibly may so do and it is thus proposed Sect. 20. They who are in a capacity or possibility of perpetrating the workes of the flesh are in a possibility of perishing and consequently in a possibility of falling away and that finally from the Grace and favour of God in case they be in an estate of this Grace and Favour at the present But the Saints or true Believers are in a possibility of perpetrating the workes of the flesh and therefore also they are in a possibility of perishing and so of falling away from the Grace and Favour of God wherein at present they stand The Major Proposition of this Argument to wit They who are in a possibility of perpetrating or customarily acting the workes of the Flesh are in a possibility of perishing is clearely proved from all such Scriptures which exclude all workers of iniquity and fulfillers of the Lusts of the flesh from the Kingdome of God of which sort are many Of the which saith the Apostle speaking of the Lusts of the flesh Adultery Fornication c. I tell you as I have also told you in times past that they who do such things shall not inherit the Kingdome of God so againe For this ye know that no Whoremonger or uncleane person nor Covetous man who is an Idolator hath any Inheritance of the Kingdome of Christ and of God Let no man deceive you with vaine words for because of these things cometh the wrath of Cod upon the Children of disobedience yet againe know ye not that the nnrighteous shall never inherit the Kingdome of God Be not deceived neither Fornicators nor Idolaters shall inherit the Kingdome of God from such passages as these which are very frequent in the Scriptures it is as cleare as the light of the Sunne at noone-day That they who may possibly commit such sinnes as those specified Adultery Fornication Idolatry may as possibly perish and be for ever excluded the Kingdom of God Ans. §. 2. Because of all Arguments whatever used against the Truth we assert this seemes to me to weare the best colours on its back and to have its face best painted viz. with that plea of the Inconsistency of sinne with the Favour and acceptation of God seeming to have a tendency to caution Believers in their wayes and walkings to be more carefull in watching against Temptations I shall more largely insist on what the Lord hath been pleased to reveale concerning the sinnes failings of such as he is yet pleased to accept in a covenant of Mercy whom though he chastens and sorely rebukes yet he gives not their Soules over unto death nor takes his Loving kindnesse from them forever now because the inside strength of this Objection consists in a comparison instituted between the sinnes of Believers and the sinnes of unregenerate Persons which being laid in the ballance are found of equall burdensomenes unto God therefore are in expectance of a like Reward from him I shall in the first place before I come in particular to answer the Argument proposed manifest the difference that is between Regenerate persons and Unregenerate in their sinning and consequently also between their sinnes wherein such principles shall be layd downe and proved as may with an easy Application remove all that is added in the farther carrying on and endeavoured vindication of the Argument in hand A foundation of this discourse we have laid in Iames. 1. 14. 15. § 3. Put every man is tempted saith the Holy Ghost when he is drawn away of his own Lust and enticed Then when Lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sinne and sinne when it is finished bringeth forth death The Holy-Ghost discovers the fountain of all sinne and pursues it in the streames of it into the dead sea whereinto it falls All sinne whatever is from temptation that which tempts to sinne is the cause of it and that which tempts to all sinne is the cause of all sinne This Fountaine of sinne is here Discovered the principle proper criminall cause of sinne in the beginning of the 14. verse The Adversative but is exclusive of any other faulty cause of sinne that should principally fall under our Consideration especially of God of whom mention was made immediately before now this is affirmed to be every mans lust The generall way and
Conscience doth however it tumultuate rebuke chide perswade trouble cry and the like whatever conviction of the guilt of sinne may shew into the judgement yet sinne hath the consent of the whole soule Every thing that hath a reall influence into operation consents thereto originally and radically how ever any principle may be dared by Conscience To take off any thing from full consent there must be something of a spirituall Repugnancy in the mind and will which when Lust is thus enthroned there is not Secondly That sinne reigneth in such persons Many have been the inquiries of Learned men about reigning of sinne As What sinnes may be said to reigne §. 8. and what not Whether sinnes of ignorance may raigne as well as sinnes against knowledge What little sinnes may be said to reigne as well as great Whether frequent relapses into any sinne prove that sinne to be reigning Whether sinne may reigne in a Regenerate person Or whether a Saint may fall into reigning sinne whereabout Divines of great note and name have differed all upon a false bottome and supposall The Scripture gives no ground for any such inquiries or disputes or Cases of Conscience as some men have raised hereupon And indeed I would this were the only instance of mens creating Cases of Conscience and answering them when indeed and in truth there are no such things so insnaring the Consciences of Men and intangling more by their Cases than they deliver by their Resolutions The truth is there is no mention of any reigning sinne or the Reigning of any sinne in the whole Book of God taking sinne for this or that particular sinne But of the Reigne of this Indwelling originall Lust or fountaine of all finne there is frequent mention Whilest that holds its power and universality in the soule and is not restrained nor straitned by the Indwelling spirit of grace with a new vitall principle of no lesse extent and of more power than it be the Actuall sinnes few or more knowne or unknowne little or great all is one sinne reignes and such a person is under the power and dominion of sinne so that in plain termes to have finne reigne is to be unconverted and to have sinne not to reigne is to be converted to have received a new principle of Life from above This is evident from the 5. and 6. Chapter of the Epist. to the Romans the seate of this Doctrine of reigning sinne The opposition insisted on by the Apostle is between the Reigne of Sinne and Grace and in pursuit thereof he manifests how true Believers are tanslated from the one to the other To have sinne reigne is to be in a state of sinne to have Grace reigne is to be in a state of Grace So Chapter 5. 21. % As sinne reigned unto death so Grace reignes through Righteousnesse unto eternall Life by Jesus Christ our Lord The sinne he speakes of is that whereof he treates in all that Chapter the sinne of Nature the Lust wherof we speake this by nature reigneth unto Death but when Grace comes by Jesus Christ the soule is delivered from the power thereof so in the whole 6. Chap. It is our change of state and Condition that the Apostle insists on in our delivery from the reigne of sinne and he tells us this is that that destroyes it our being under Grace v 14. Sinne shall not have dominion over you because you are not under the Law but under Grace Plainely then there are two Lords and Rulers and these are Originall or Indwelling sinne and Grace or the Spirit of it The first Lord the Apostle discovers with his entrance upon his Rule and Dominion Chap. 5. and this all men by nature are under The second he describes Chap. 6. which sets out the Rule reigne of Grace in Believers by Jesus Christ. And then Thirdly the place that both these Lords have in this life in a Believer Cap. 7. This then is the only reigning sin in whomsoever it is in its power compas as it is in all unregenerate men in them in them only doth sin reigne every sin they commit is with full consent as was manifested before in exact willing Obedience to the soveraigne Lord that reignes in them Fourthly §. 9. observe that the Grace new Creature Principle or Spirituall Life that is Given to bestowed on and wrought in all and only Believers be it in the lowest and most remisse degree that can be imagined is yet no lesse universally spread over the whole soule than the contrary habit and principle of Lust and sinne whereof we have spoken In the Understanding it is Light in the Lord in the Will Life in the Affections Love Delight c. those being reconciled who were alienated by wicked workes Where ever there is any thing the least of grace there something of it is in every thing of the soule that is a capable seat for good or evill habits or dispositions He that is in Christ is a new creature 2 Cor 5. 17. not renewed in one or other particular he is a new Creature Fiftly that where ever true Grace is in what degree soever §. 10. there it bears Rule though sinne be in the same subject with it As sinne reignes before grace comes so Grace reignes when it doth once come And the reason is because sinne having the first Rule and Dominion in the heart abiding there there is neither Roome nor place for Grace but what is made by conquest Now who ever enters into a possession by right of Conquest what resistance soever be made if he prevaile to a Conquest he reignes In every regenerate man though Grace be never so weake and Corruption never so strong yet properly the Soveraignty belongs to Grace Having entered upon the soule and all the powers of it by Conquest so long as it abides there it doth reigne So that to say a Regenerate man may fall into reigning sinne as it is commonly exprest though as we have manifested no sinne reignes but the sinne of Nature as no good Act reigneth but the spirit and habit of Grace and yet continue Regenerate is all one as to say he may have and not have true Grace at the same time Now from these considerations §. 11. some farther inferences may be made First That in every regenerate person there are in a spirituall sence two Principles of all his actings Two Wills There is the Will of the Flesh and there is the Will of the Spirit a Regenerate man is spiritually and in Scripture expression two men a new man and an old an inward man and a body of Death and hath two Wills having two Natures not as Naturall faculties but as Morall principles of operation and this keepes all his actions as Morall from being perfect absolute or compleate in any kind He doth good with his whole heart upon the account of sincerity but he doth not good with his whole heart upon the account
whoredome and Adultery and make themselves members of another far different relation viz. of those harlots with whom they will fully commit sinne and consequently in such a sence of the Divell Ans. First for the sence of that place of the Apostle 1 Cor. 6. 15. As farre as it relates to the merit of the cause in hand I shall have occasion to speake unto it at large hereafter so shall not anticipate my selfe or Reader For the present I deny that there is the least mention made of any interchange of members between Christ and the Devill much lesse of any such thing as frequent and ordinary 'T is true the Apostle sayes that he that is joyned to an harlot makes his members the members of an harlot and on that consideration and conclusion with part of the dignity of Believers whose persons are all the members of Christ perswades them from the sinne of Fornication That they may so much as fall into that sinne he doth not here intimate That men not only in respect of themselves and their principles of sinne and pronenesse unto it within with the prevalency of Temptations but also eventually notwithstanding any regard or respect to other externall prohibiting causes may fall into all the sinnes from which they are dehorted Mr Goodwin hath not proved as yet nor shall I live to see him do it Secondly for a man to make himselfe the member of an harlot is no more but to commit Fornication which whether it be Mr Goodwin's Judgement or no that none can fall into or be surprised with but he is ipso facto cut of from the Body of Christ thereby I know not Taking in the consideration of what was spoken before concerning the manner of Regenerate persons sinning with what shall be farther argued I must professe I dare not say so In the meane time it is punctually denied that Believers can fall into or live in a course of Whoredome and Adultery and without such a course they cease not according to M. Goodwin's sence of these words to be members of Christ nor doe they otherwise become members of the Divell There is nothing here then that intimates such an interchange in the least Thirdly for M. Goodwins criticisme upon the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is hardly worth taking notice of For First If by taking there be meant taking away the sence must be that they are first taken away from being members of Christ the word expressing a time past in that tendency and then made members of an Harlot which First is not suited to the mind of M. Goodwin who endeavours to prove their ceasing to be members of Christ by becoming members of an Harlot the efficient cause of their ceasing to be joyned to Christ consisting in their being joyned with an Harlot And Secondly destroyes the whole scope of the Apostles reasoning in the place from the great unworthinesse of such a way or practice as making the members of Christ to be the members of an Harlot because none should so be made but those who had first creased to be members of Christ and so his Assertion instead of an effectuall perswasive should upon the matter be entangled in a contradiction to it selfe And Secondly §. 44. as there is nothing in the place to inforce that sence of the word so there is nothing in the word to impose that sence upon the place When our Saviour speaks to his Disciples Luke 9. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he doth not bid them take nothing away for their journey but take nothing with them And so Marke 6. 6. Where his command is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in that of Math 4. 6. When the Divell urged to our Saviour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he did not intimate that the Angells should take him away in their hands but support him from hurt when Jesus Ioh 11 41. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he did not take away his eyes out of his head and cast them upward no more then the Angell did his hand when 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rev 10. 5. or the Apostles their voyce when 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 4. 24. Nor doth Christ command us to take away his yoake in that heavenly word of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Math 11. 29. so that here is little help left to this sence imposed on the place under consideration from the importance of the word so consequently not the least countenance given to that horrible interchange of members between Christ and the Divell which is asserted as an usuall and frequent thing What he addeth in the close of the Section §. 45. is no lesse considerable than the beginning of it for saith he if it be no dishonour to Christ to take in such as have been members of the Divell why should it be any disparagement to him to reject such who by their wicked and abominable wayes render themselves unworthy of such a Relation Ans. Believers hold not their Relation to Christ upon any worthinesse that is in themselves for it but upon the account meerely of Grace according to the tenour of the Covenant of Mercy That they may fall into such wicked and abominable waies as shall render them altogether unmeet for that Relation according to the Law of it is that great Argument call'd petitio principii which Mr Goodwin hath used in this case an hundred times But the comparison instituted in the first words is admirable Confest it is that 't is no dishonour to Jesus Christ yea that 't is his great honour seeing he came to destroy the workes of the Devill to bind the strong man to spoyle his goods to destroy him that had the power of death and to deliver them who by reason of death were in bondage all their dayes to deliver his people from their sinnes washing them in his bloud and to make them a peculiar people unto himselfe zealous of good workes that 't is no dishonour I say for him to translate them from the power of Sathan into his own Kingdome making them meet for the Inheritance of the Saints in Light by redeeming them from their vaine Conversation to do according as he intended and to take his own given him of his Father out of the hands of the Tyrant which held them under bondage Therefore having undertaken to keep them and preserve them having so overcome Sathan in them for them by them broken the head of the Serpent 't is no dishonour for him to loose ground given for his Inheritance with his subjects members brethren children bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh into the hand of the Devill againe what fort is so strong as to hold out against such a battery If it be no honour for Christ to bind Sathan and to spoile his goods then 't is no dishonour for him to be bound by Sathan and to have his goods spoiled Another burthen upon the shoulders of Mr Goodwin's Doctrine §. 46.
whereof he labours to deliver it is the great Absurdity of the Repetition of Regeneration whereof there is no mention at all in the Scripture and which yet must be Asserted by him unlesse he will affirme all that fall away at any time irrecoverably to perish which howsoever he waves at present were with much more probability according to his owne principles to be maintained than what he insisteth on But this repetition of Regeneration saith he is not unworthy God and for men a blessed and happy accommodation whether it be unworthy God or no the Scripture and the nature of the thing will declare The Accomodation that it seemes to afford unto men being a plaine incouragement to sinne at the highest rate imaginable will perhaps not be found so Happy and Blessed unto them With great noise and clamour hath a charge been managed against the Doctrine of the Saints Perseverance upon the account of its giving supportment to the thoughts of men in and under the wayes of sinne whether Truth and Righteousnesse have been regarded in that charge hath been considered Doubtlesse it were a matter of no difficulty clearely to evince that this Doctrine of the Repetition of Regeneration is of the very same tendency and import which is falsly and injuriously charged upon that of the Perseverance of the Saints The worst that a man thinks he can do by any act of sin is but to sin himselfe quite out of the favour of God into a state of death and desert of wrath He can no farther injure his soule than to cast it into the condition of men by nature Tell this man now whom you suppose to be under the temptation to sinne at least that he hath in him that great foole the flesh which longs for Blessed Accommodations to its selfe whilest it makes provision to fulfill its lusts that if he should so do this is an ordinary thing for men to do and yet to be renewed againe and to have a Second Regeneration do you not incourage him to venture boldly to satisfy his sinfull desires having such a reliefe against the worst that his thoughts and feares can suggest to him But whatever it be in respect of God or men yet that so it may be Mr Goodwin proves from Heb. 6. 6. Where 't is said that 't is impossible to renew some to repentance wherefore some may be renewed and in Jude 12. Men are said to be twice dead therefore they may live twice Spiritually The first proofe seemes somewhat uncouth The persons spoken of in that place are in M. G. judgement Believers there is no place of Scripture wherein he more tryumphs in his endeavoured confirmation of his Thesis The Holy Ghost says expresly of thē that 't is impossible to renew thē therefore says M.G. 't is possible what is of emphasis in the Argument mentioned ariseth frō two things 1. That they are true Believers of which afterwards 2. That they fall totally away This then is the importance of M. Goodwins plea from this place If true believers fall totally away it is impossible they should be renewed to Repentance therefore if true Believers fall totally away it is possible they should be renewed to and by Repentance that there is a falling away and a renewing againe by Repentance of the same persons we grant That falling away is partiall only which is incident unto true Believers who when God heales their backslidings are renewed by Repentance To be renewed also by Repentance is taken either for the renovation of our Natures and our change as unto state and condition and so it is the same with Regeneration and not to be repeated or for a Recovery by Repentance in respect of personall failings so it is the daily worke of our lives Jude saies some are twice dead that is utterly so an hyperbolicall expression to aggravate their condition Those to whom the Gospell is a favour of Death unto Death may well be said to be twice dead unto the Death that they are involved in and are obnoxious to by nature they adde a second death or rather seale up their soules under the power and misery of the other by contempt of the means of Life and recovery therefore Regeneration may be reiterated Quod erat Demonstrandum Much of the Section that remains is taken up in declaring in many words without the least attempt of proofe that 't is agreeable to the honour of God to renew men totally fallen away that is when those who have been quickned by him washt in the bloud of his Sonne made partakers of the Divine nature imbrac'd in the armes of his Love shall despise all this dis-faith themselves reject the Lord and his Love trample on the bloud of the Convenant kill their soules by depriving them of spirituall life proclaime to all the world their dislike of him and his Covenant of Grace yet though he hath not any where revealed that he will permit any one so to doe or that he will accept of them againe upon their so doing yet M. Goodwin affirming that for him so to doe is agreeable to his Holinesse and Righteousnesse 't is fit that those who conceive themselves bound to believe what ever he saies should think so too for my part I am at liberty I should not farther pursue this discourse nor insist on this digression but that M. Goodwin hath taken advantage by the mention of Regeneration to deliver some rare notions of the nature of it which deserve a little our farther taking notice of for which end doubtlesse he published them To make way then for his intendment he informes us Sect 29. That Regeneration it selfe according to the Grammaticall and proper signification of the word imports a reiteration or repetition of some generation or other it cannot import a Repetition of the naturall all Generation of men the sence of Nicodemus in this poynt was Orthodox who judged such a thing impossible therefore it must import a repetition of a spirituall generation unlesse we shall say which I think is the road opinion that it signifies only the spirituall generation with a kind of reflection upon and unto the birth Naturall Ans. First That the Grammaticall sence of the word imports a Reiteration of some generation is only said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath other signification in composition besides the intimating of a reiteration of the same thing either in specie or individually the same againe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 would seeme rather to inforce such an Interpretation than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which yet it doth not It is spoken of that which hath no birth properly at all as Philo de Mundo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of it selfe is only through 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hom. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 through a wooddy Countrey 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Resurrection doth not import againe after another rising before but a restauration from a lost state so is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used Math 19. 28. to
every evill way and to delight in God continually and because they cannot attaine in this life unto perfection they cry out of the power of sin leading them captives to the Law thereof They would have their wills dead to sinne wholly dead and have trouble that they are not so as to the generall frame of of their spirits how oft so ever they be drawne off For other persons they have truly no such frame at all whatever they may be cut into the likenesse of by the sharpnesse of Scripturall convictions that come upon them and therefore they watch not as to the keeping of it The deeper you dive into them the more neere you come to their hearts the worse they are their very inward parts is wickednesse I speak now of the ordinary frame of the one and other This drawing of by sinne in Believers is by the power of sinne in opposition to their Will Their wills lye against it to the utmost thev would not as was shewed be so drawne off But as for the others as hath been shewen however their minds may be inlightned and their consciences awakned and their Affections corrected and restrained their wills are wholly dead in sinne Secondly when a man is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or drawne away there are stricken out between the lust and the pleasing object some glances of the heart with thoughts of sinne When lust hath gon thus farre if a violent temptation fall in the person to whom it doth so befall may be carryed or rather hurried out and surprized into no small advance towards the perpetration of sinne without the least delight in the sinne or consent of the will unto it if he be a godly man So was it in the case of David in the cutting of the lap of the garment of Saul Lust stirred in him drew him off from his frame of dependance on God and by the advantage of Sauls presence stirred up thoughts of selfe-security and advantage in him which carryed him almost to the very act of sinne before he recovered himselfe Then I say is a man drawn away not only in respect to the Terme from whence but also of that whereunto when the thoughts of the object presented as suitable to lust are cast in though immediately rejected This I intend by this acting of sinne Which although it be our sinne as having its rise and spring in us and is continually to be lamented yet when it is not accompaned with any delight of the Heart or consent of the Will but the thought of it is like a piece of fiery iron cast into water which maketh a sudden commotion or noise but yet is suddenly quenched it is that which regenerate men are may be subject to which also keepeth them humble all their dayes There is more in this drawing away than a single thought or apprehension of evill amounts to which may be without the least sinne To know evill is not evill but yet is short of the soules consent unto it The second way wherein lust proceedeth in tempting is by inticing the soule § 53. he who is so dealt withallby it is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be inticed There is something more in this than in being only drawn away The word here used is twice mentioned in the 2 Epistle of Peter 2 chapter Once it is rendred to beguile 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 14. And in the other alluring v. 18. It commeth as is commonly known from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a bait which is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deceit because the end of a bait is to deceive to catch by deceiving Thence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to intice to allure to intangle as men do fishes and birds with baits That which by this expression the Holy Ghost intendeth is the prevalency of Lust in drawing the soule unto that which is by the Casuists termed Delectatio morosa a secret delight in the evill abiding some space upon it So that it would do that which it is tempted and inticed unto were it not forbidden as the fish liketh the bait well enough but is affraid of the Hooke The soule for a season is captivd to like the sinne and so is under the power of it but is affraid of the guilt It sticketh only at this how shall it do this great thing and sinne against the Lord. Now though the mind never frame any intention of fulfilling the evill wherewith the soule is thus intangled or of committing that sinne whereunto it is allured and inticed yet the affections having been cast into the mould of sin for a season conformed unto it by delight which is the conformity of the affections to the thing delighted in This is an high degree of sin and that because it is directly contrary to that death unto sin and the crucifying of the flesh and the lusts thereof which we are continually called unto It is in a sence a making provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof provision is made though the flesh be not suffered to feed thereon but only delight it selfe with beholding of it I shall not deny but this also may befall a true Believer §. 54. it being chiefely implyed in Rom. 7. But yet with wide difference from the condition of other persons in their being under the power of the deceits and beguilements of sin For first this neither doth nor can grow to be the habituall frame of their hearts because as the Apostle telleth us they are dead to sinne and cannot live any longer therein Rom. 6. 2. And their old man is crucified with Christ that the body of sinne might be destroyed v. 6. Now though a man should abstâ—ine from all actuall sinnes or open committing of sinne all his dayes yet if he have any habituall delight in sinne and defileth his soule with delightfull contemplations of sinne he liveth to sinne and not to God which a Believer cannot do for he is not under the Law but under Grace To abide in this state is to weare the garment spotted with the flesh But now take another Person however heightned and wrought up by convictions unlesse it be when Conscience is stirred up and some affrightment is put upon him he can as his leisure affords give his heart the swing in inordinate affections or what else pleaseth suiteth his state condition temper and the like 2. A Believer is exceedingly troubled upon the account of his being at any time led captive to the power of sinne in this kind and the review of the frame of his spirit wherein his affections were by delight conformed to any sinne is a matter of sore trouble and deep humiliation to him I am of Austins mind De Nup-Concupis Cap. 8 that it is this perpetrating of sinne and not the actuall committing of it which the Apostle complaineth of Rom. 7. Two things perswade me hereunto First That it is the
So that notwithstanding these Exceptions the Exposition of the words is cleare as before given in And yet this is all M. G. produceth as his ground and foundation whereon to stand in denying ths proposition he that is borne of God sinneth not that is falleth not under the power of raigning sinne sinneth not to death as the Children of the wicked one which I shall leave under that consideration wherewith it is educed from the scope of the Text and the paralell place of Chap. 5. 16 17. The truth is there is not much need to contend about this expression M. G. granting that the intendment of it is that such as are borne of God do not walke ordinarily customarily in any wayes of known sin Sect 28. Which as he saith is the import of that Phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the contrary whereof might yet be easily evinced he maketh no trade or occupation of sinning that is he doth not sinne in an inconsistency of communion with God in the Covenant of his Grace Now in this sence he granteth this Proposition he that is borne of God sinneth not i. e. ordinarily or customarily that is so as not to be accepted of God that is no Believer sinneth at such a rate as not to be accepted with God Adde now hereunto the ground reason of this Assertion viz. His being borne of God the abiding of the seed in him we have obtained all that we desire to evince from this place Because such an one is borne of God which is a Reason which holdeth good to Eternity being an act irrevocably past and because the seed abideth in him he cannot sinne ordinarlly or customarily which kind of sinning alone as is supposed can eject the abiding seed that is he sinneth not beyond the rate of sinnes of infirmity nor in any such way as should render him uncapable of communion or acceptance with God The Apostle nextly advanceth farther with his designe and saith He that is borne of God cannot sinne that is That sinne which he sinneth not he cannot sinne §. 64. He cannot fall under the power of raigning sinne unto death I confesse the words can cannot are variously used in the Scriptures some kind of impossibility in one respect or other for things may be in some regard impossible that are not so absolutely it alway denoteth The whole of the variety in this kind may be referred to two heads 1. That which is morally impossible Of that it is said that it cannot be done 2 Cor. 13. 8. Saith Paul we can do nothing against the Truth And Acts 4. 20. Say the Apostles we cannot but speake the things we have seen and heard It was morally impossible that ever any thing should have been done by Paul against the truth or that the Apostles having received the Spirit should not speak what they had seen and heard of Christ. And of many things that are thus morally impossible there are most certaine and determinate causes as to make the thing so impossible as in respect of the event to be absolutely impossible It is morally impossible that the Divell should do that which is Spiritually good and yet absolutely impossible There is more in many a thing that is morally impossible than a meere opposition to Justice as we say Illud possumus quod jure possumus The causes of morall impossibility may be such as to tye up the thing which it relateth unto in an everlasting nonfuâ—urition There is also 2. An impossibility that is Physicall from the nature of the things themselves So Jerem. 13. 23. % Can the Aethyopian change his skin that is He cannot Mat. 7. 18. % A good tree cannot bring forth evill fruit neither can an evill tree bring forth good fruit That is nothing can act contrary to its owne naturall principles And as we shall see afterwards there is of this impossibility in the cannot here mentioned They cannot do it upon the account of the new Spirituall nature wherewith they are indued Now there may be a third kind of impossibility in Spirituall things arising from both these which One hath not ineptly called Ethico-physicall or morally-naturall partaking of the nature of both the other It is morall because it relateth to duty what is to be done or not to be done And it is Physicall because it relateth to a cause or principle that can or cannot produce the effect So our Saviour telleth the Pharisees How can ye being evill speake good things Or ye cannot Mat. 12. 34. % You cannot heare my words John 8. 43. It was morally impossible they should either speake or heare that is either believe or do that which is Spiritually good having no principles that should enable them thereunto having no root that should beare up unto fruit being evill trees in themselves and having a principle a root continually universally uninterruptedly inclining and disposing them an other way to acts of a quite contrary nature Of this kind is that impossibility here intimated The effect denyed is morally impossible upon the account of the internall Physicall cause hindring of it However then the word in the Scripture may be variously taken yet here it is from adjacent circumstances evidently restrained to such a signification as in respect of the event absolutely rejecteth the thing denyed The gradation of the Apostle also leadeth us to it He sinneth not nay he cannot sin He cannot sin riseth in the Assertion of that before expressed He sinneth not which absolutely rejecteth the glosse that some seeke to put upon the words namely that cannot sinne is no more but cannot sinne easily and cannot sinne but as it were with difficulty such is the Antipathy habituall opposition which they have to sinne which Mr Goodwin adhereth unto For besides That this is in it selfe false there being no such Antipathie in any to sinne but that they may easily fall into it yea and with great difficulty and labour do restraine from it as the Apostle argueth at large Rom. 7 So is it also flatly contradictory to the words themselves the Apostle saith He that is borne of God sinneth not cannot sinne He can sinne saith this Glosse though difficultly now he that can sinne difficultly can sinne can sinne and cannot sinne are flatly contradictory He cannot then sinne at all the sinne that is intended in the place of whom it is said he cannot sinne Thus we have cleared the first Proposition in the words both as to the Subject every one that is borne of God and the Predicate sinneth not cannot sinne Which last expression taken in its only proper and most usuall signification denoteth an Impossibility of the event plainely confirmeth in direct termes the position we insist on from the words Mr Goodwin knoweth not well §. 65. If I am able to gather any thing of his thoughts from his expressions to the Argument in hand what to say to this Assertion of the Apostles The Argument he intendeth
a body of death and that they are continually exposed to a world of Temptations whereby many strong men fall down thrust through and are slaine every day and that in this condition there is no consideration of the Immutability or Vnchangeablenesse of God that may secure them of the continuance of his Love to them no eternall purpose of his that he will preserve them keepe them through his power no Promise of not leaving them or of giving them such supplyes of his Spirit and Grace that they shall never forsake nor leave him nothing in the Covenant or Oath of God whereby it is confirmed to Assure them of an Abiding and a not-to-be destroyed communion with him that Christ by his death and oblation hath not so taken away the guilt of their sins nor laid such a sure foundation for the destruction of the power of them as that they shall not arise either way to their ruine That he intercedes not for their Preservation in Faith and Holinesse upon the account of which state and condition of things many of the most eminent Saints that ever served God in this world have utterly fallen out of his Love and Favour and have been cast out of covenant from whence though perhaps some few have been recovered yet for the greatest part of them have perished everlastingly as is the state in reference unto many in every Generation only such may do well to consider what a fearefull desperate issue their Apostacy will have if they should so fall and what an eminent reward with what Glory is proposed to them if they persevere That I say the instruction of the Saints in this Doctrine is a singular meanes of promoting their Consolation and establishing their peace is that which doubtlesse with undervaluing thoughts of all with whom he hath to do he hath undertaken to prove I doubt not but that Mr Goodwin thought sometimes of the good old Rule sumite materiam vestris qui scribitis aequam viribus versare di◠quid ferre recusent quid veleant humori Selfe-confidence is hereby setled and fixed with considerations though M. G. in the close of this Section tels us That sundry Godly and seriously Religious persons when they heard this Doctrine published which he now asserts with their wbole hearts blessed God for it Yet truly I cannot but question whether yea I must positively deny that ever any Saint of God received Consolation by the doctrine of the Saints Apostacy a lye exceedingly unsuited to the production of any such effect any further than that all Errour whatsoever is apt to defile and cauterise the Conscience so deceiving it with sencelessenesse for peace Perhaps some of Mr Goodwin's hearers who either were so ignorant or so negligent as not to be acquainted with this Doctrine before in the attempts made for that the propagation of it by the latter broode of Prelats and Arminians amongst us upon his delivery of it with inticing words of humane wisedome helped on by the venerable esteeme they have of his transcendent parts and abilityes through the cunning of Sathan improving the itching after new Doctrines which is fallen upon the minds and spirits of many professours in this age have rejoyced under the shadow of this bramble set up to rule in their Congregation And according as is the constant manner of all in our dayes that are insnared with any errour be it never so pernitious have blessed God for it professing they never found rest nor peace before yet I no way question for such as feare the Lord and are yet bowed downe under the weight and carryed away with the strength of Mr Goodwin's Rethoricke for a season will quickly finde a fire proceeding out of that newly enthroned Doctrine preying upon and consuming all their Joy Peace and Consolation or which I rather hope a fire proceeding out of their Faith the Faith once delivered to the Saints to the utter confusion consumption of this bramble scratching errour in the meane time if the eminent appearance of many thousands of the Saints of God in this Nation whereof many are fallen asleepe and many continue to this day testifying and bearing witnesse to the Joy Consolation they have found that upon Spirituall demonstrative grounds in being cast into the mould of the Doctrine of the Saints Perseverance for many dayes be of no weight with Mr Goodwin I know not why his single Testimony which yet as to the matter of fact I no way question concerning some few Persons by himselfe seduced into a perswasion of their Apostacy blessing God for the discovery made to them the constant Practise of all persons in their first intanglement in the foulest and grossest errours whatever should sway us much to any good liking of it The influence of the Doctrine of the Saints Perseverance §. 3. into their consolation hath been sufficiently already evinced when we manifested the support of their Faith and Love the conquest of their feare and troubles thereby so that I shall not need farther to insist thereon It was in my thoughts indeed to have handled the nature of Gospell Consolation that which God is so abundantly willing the heires of promise should receive at large both as to the nature and Causes of it the meanes of its preservation The oppositions that lye against it and by all the Considerations of it to have manifested That it is utterly impossible to keep it alive one moment in the heart of a Believer without the contribution of supportment it receives from the Doctrine in hand And that those who refuse to receive it as usually delivered indeed have none nor can have any drop of it but what is instilled into them from and by the power and efficacy which secretly in and upon their hearts that truth hath which in words they oppose all their peace and comfort being indeed absolutely proportioned to that which the Doctrine of the Saints perseverance tends to confirme and to nothing else But this Discourse growing under my hands beyond all thought or expectation I shall now only keep close to the removall of the Exceptions made against it and hasten to a close I must not leave this Argument §. 4. without taking notice of the Medium whereby M. Goodwin supposeth himselfe to have confirmed the truth of the assumption laid downe at the entrance or to have manifested the good complexion as he phrases it of that nurse he hath provided for the Consolation of the Saints a Nurse with breasts of flint and a heart of Iron hath this Cruell man provided for them a Nurse whom God will never admit into his family nor ever expose his childrens lives to any such Wolfe or Tygre as will certainly starve them if not devoure them Rather a curst yea an accursed step-dame than a nurse who when the children aske for bread gives them a stone and when they begge for fish gives them a Scorpion A false and treacherous hireling doing
the Jewes peculiarly and suited to the peculiar state and condition wherein they were do not concerne the People of God in generall And why may not the same be the condition of Threatnings given out upon a parralell account Compedes quas fecit ipse ut ferat aequum est 2. That it is the determination and stating of a particular Controversy between God and the people of the Jewes suited to a peculiar dispensation of his Providence towards them which is here proposed is evident from the occasion of the words lay'd downe v. 2 3. What mean ye c. that use this proverb concerning the Land of Israel saying the Fathers have eaten sower Grapes and the Childrens teeth are set on edge As I live saith the Lord c. It is the use of a Proverb concerning the Land of Israel that God is descrying and disproving the truth of the Proverb it selfe under consideration and that this should be the standard and Rule of Gods proceeding with his people in the Covenant of mercy no man that seemes to have either understanding judgement or conscience can reasonably imagine 3. That it is not the nature and tenour of the Covenant of Grace and Gods dealing with his chosen secret ones his Saints true Believers as to their eternall condition which in these words is intended but the manifestation of the Righteousnesse of God in dealing with that people of the Jewes in a peculiar dispensation of his providence towards the body of that people and the Nation in generall appeares farther from the occasion of the words and the provocation given the Lord to make use of these expressions unto them The proverbe that God cuts out of their lips and mouthes by the sword of his Righteousnesse in these words was concerning the Land of Israel Used perhaps mostly by them in captivity but it was concerning the Land of Israel not concerning the Eternall state and condition of the Saints of God but concerning the Land of Israel v. 2. God had of old given that Land to that people by Promise and continued them in it for many Generations untill at length for their wickednesse ' Idolatry Abomination and obstinacy in their evill wayes he caused them to be carryed captive unto Rabylon In that Captivity the Lord revenged upon them not only the sinnes of the present Generation but as he told them also those of their fore-Fathers especially the Abomination Cruelty Idolatry exercised in the dayes of Manasseh taking this season for his worke of vengeance in the Generations following who also so farre walked in the steps of their fore-Fathers as to Justify all Gods proceedings against them Being wasted and removed from their owne Land by the Righteous Judgement of God they considered the Land of Israel that was Promised to them though upon their good behaviour therein and how instead of a plentifull enjoyment of all things in peace and quietnesse therein there were now a small remnant in captivity the rest the farre greatest part being destroyed by the sword and famine in that Land In this state and condition being as all other of their frame and principle prone to justify themselves they had hatched a proverb among themselves concerning the Land of Israel promised to them excedingly opprobrious and reproachfull to the Justice of God in his dealings with them The summe of the intendment of this saying that was growne rise amongst them was that for the sinne of their fore-Fathers many yea the greatest part of them was slain in the Land of Israel and the rest carried from it into bondage and captivity To vindicate the Righteousnesse and equity of his wayes the impartiallity of his Judgements the Lord recounts to them by his Prophet many of their sinnes whereof themselves with their Fathers were guilty in the Land of their nativity and for which he had brought all that calamity and desolation upon them whereof they did complaine confirming under many supposalls of rising and falling that principle of rising and falling that principle he layd downe in the entrance of his dealings with them that every one of them suffered for his own iniquity whatever they suffered whether death or other banishment and not for the sinnes of their fore Fathers Whatever influence they might have upon the procuring of the generall vengeance that overtooke the whole Nation in the midst of their iniquity This being the aime scope and tendency of the place the import of the words and tenour of Gods intendment in them I cannot but wouder how any man of understanding and Conscience can once imagine that God hath given any Testimony to the possibilty of falling out of Covenant with him of those whom he hath taken â—igh to himselfe through the Bloud of his Sonne in the Everlasting bond thereof As though it were any thing of his dealing with the Saints in reference to their Spirituall and Eternall Condition that the Lord here reveales his will about being only the tenour of his dealings with the House of Israel in reference to the Land of Canaan 4. This is farther manifest in that principle Rule of Gods proceedings in the matter laid down v. 4. which is not only a line from but also directly opposite unto that which is the principle in the Covenant of Grace The soule that sinneth he shall dye That soule and person and not another when in that Covenant of Grace he sets forth his Sonne to be a propitiation through faith in his Bloud giving him up to death for all causing the just to dye for the unjust the soule that never sinned for the soules that had sinned that they might go free And I would faine know on what solid grounds an answer may be given to the Socinians triumphing in the 4. v. against the satisfaction of Christ nolesse than Mr Goodwin in the 24 25. against the Perseverance of the Saints If you do not manifest the whole tendency of this place to be accommodated to Gods providentiall dispensation of temporall Judgements and Mercyes in respect of that people and the Covenant whereby they held the Land of Canaan and not at all to respect the generall dispensation of his Righteousnesse and Grace in the Bloud of Christ. So that 5. The whole purport and intendment of the Scripture under consideration is only to manifest the tenour of Gods Righteous proceeding with the people of Israel in respect of his dispensation towards them in reference to the Land of Canaan convicing them of their own abominations confuting the profane proverb invened and reared up in the reproach of his Righteousnesse beating them from the vaine pretence of being punished for their Fathers sins and the conceit of their owne Righteousnesse which that people was perpetually puffed up with all He letts them know that his dealing with them and his wayes towards them were equall and righteous in that there was none of them but was punished for his owne sinne and though some of them might have made some