fastned upon them both for their joynt deliverance In Mr Goodwins 12. § 2. Chapter he takes into participation with him as is pretended 8. places of Scripture endeavouring by all meanes possible to compell them to speake comfortable words for the reliefe of his fainting and dying cause Whether He hath prevailed with them to the least complyance or whether He will not be found to proclaime in their name what they never once acknowledged unto him will be tryed out in the processe of our consideration of them In the first and second Section he fronts the Discourse intended with an eloquent Oration §. 3. partly concerning the tendency of the Doctrine of the Saints Perseverance which he girds himselfe now more closely to contend withall partly concerning Himselfe his own Ability Industry Skill Diligence and Observation of Doctrines and Persons with his rules in judging of the one the other For the First §. 4. He informes us that his judgement is that many who might have attained a Crowne of Glory by a presumptuous conceit of the Impossibility of their miscarrying are now like to suffer the vengeance of eternall fire men thereby gratifying the flesh with wresting the Scripture to the encouragement thereof That the Proud and Presumptuous conceits of men are like to have no other issue or effect than the betraying of their soules to all manner of Loosenesse and Abomination so exposing them to the vengeance of eternall fire we are well assured therefore knowing the terrour of the Lord do perswade men what we are able to cast downe all high thoughts and imaginations concerning their owne Abilities to doe good to believe to obey the Gospell or to abide in the Faith thereof and to rowle themselves freely fully wholly on the free Grace and faithfulnesse of God in the covenant of Mercy ratifyed in the bloud of his Sonne wherein they shall be assured to find Peace to their soules On this foundation doe we build all our endeavours for the exalting the soveraigne free effectuall grace of God in opposition to the proud and presumptuous conceits of men concerning their own imbred native power in spirituall things an Apprehension whereof we are well assured disposeth the heart into such a frame as God abhorres and prepares the soule to a battle against him in the highest and most abominable Rebellion imaginable I no waies doubt but that the way and meanes whereby innumerable poore creatures have been hardened to their eternall Ruine have had all their springs and fountaines ly in this one wretched reserve of a power in themselves to turne to God and to abide with him That any one by mixing the promises of God with Faith wherein the Lord hath gratiously assured him that seeing he hath no strength in himselfe to continue in his mercy he will preserve and keep him in and through the Sonne of his Love hath ever been or ever can be turned wholly aside to any way or path not acceptable to God or not ending in everlasting peace will never be made good whilest the Gospell of Christ finds honour and credit amongst any of the sonnes of men There may be some indeed who are strangers to the covenant of promise what ever they doe pretend who may turne this Grace of God in the Gospell as also that of the Satisfaction of Christ Redemption by his bloud and Justification by Faith the whole Doctrine of the covenant of Grace in Christ into lasciviousnesse but shall their unbeliefe make the Faith of God of none effect◠shall their wickednesse and Rebellion prejudice the mercy peace and Consolation of the Saints Because the Gospell is to them the savour of Death unto Death may it not be the savour of Life unto Life unto them that doe embrace it What ever then be the disasters of which themselves are the sole cause of men with their presumptuous conceits of the impossibility of miscarrying seeing every presumptuous conceit of what kind soever is a desperate miscarriage their ruine and destruction cannot in the least be ascribed to that Doctrine which calls for Faith in the promises of God a Faith working by Love and decrying all presumptuous conceits whatever A Doctrine without which and the necessary concomitant Doctrines thereof the whole bottome of mens walking with God and of their obedience is nothing but presumption and conceit whereby setting aside the cold sitts they are sometimes cast into by the checks of their consciences they spend their daies in the distemper of a Feaver of Pride and Folly In the insuing Discourse Mr Goodwin informes us of these two things §. 5. First What Rule he proceeds by in judging of the Truth of contrary opinions when as he phraseth it the toung of the Scripture seemes to be cloven about them And Secondly Of his owne Advantages and abilityes to make a right judgment according to that Rule The Rule he attends unto upon the information he hath given us is The Consideration of which of the Opinions that are at any time Rivalls for his judgement and acceptation tend most unto Godlinesse the Gospell being the truth which is according to Godlinesse of his owne advantages and abilityes to make a right judgment according to this rule there are severall heads and springs as his knowledge of the generall course of the Scripture the Experience of his owne heart his long observation of the Spirits and wayes of men but chiefely that light of Reason and Vnderstanding which he hath And by this Rule with these Abilityes proceeding in the examination of the Doctrine of the Saints Perseverance He condemnes it and casts it out as an abominable thing preferring that concerning their finall defection farre above it Some Considerations I shall adde to attend upon his Rule and principles First §. 6. It is most certaine that the Gospell is a Doctrine according unto Godlinesse whose immediate and direct tendency as in the whole frame and course of it so in every particular branch and streame is to promote that Obedience to Go◠in Christ which we call Godlinesse This is the will of God revealed therein even our Sanctification and whatever Doctrine it be that is suited to turne men off from walking with God in that way of Holinesse it carryes its brand in its face whereby every one that finds it may know that it is of the uncleane Spirit the evill one But yet that there may be fearefull and desperate deceits in the hearts of men judging of truths pretending their rise and originall from the Gospell by their suitablenesse to the promotion of Godlinesse and Holinesse hath been before in part declared and the Experience of all Ages doth sufficiently manifest Among all those who professe the name of Christ more or lesse in the world though in under the most Antichristian opposition to him who is there that doth not pretend that this tendency of opinions unto Godlinesse or their disserviceablenesse thereunto hath a great influence into the
with an arguing from inferences not only Questionable but Vnquestionably false yet if his second Demonstration will evince the matter under Debate he may be content to suffer losse in the Hay and Stubble of the first so that the Gold of the following Argument doe abide Now thus he proceedeth in these words And lastly this demonstrates the same thing yet farther If God should Justifie all without exception whom he Calleth and that against all barrs of wickednesse and unbeliefe possible to be layd in his way by those who are Called Then might ungodly and unbelieving Persons inherit the kingdome of God the Reason of the connexion is evident it being a knowne Truth that the Persons Justified are in a condition or present capacity of inheriting the kingdome of God Ans But Carbones pro Thesauro if it be possible this being of the same nature with that which went before is more weake and infirme as Illogicall and Sophisticall as it the whole strength of it lyes in a supposall that those who are so Called as here is intimated in the text called according to the Purpose of God called to answer the designe of God to make them like to Jesus Christ so called as to be hereupon Justified may yet lay such barrs of Wickednesse and Unbeliefe in their owne way when they are so Called as not to be Justified when that Calling of theirs consists in the effectuall removeall of all those barrs of Wickednesse and Vnbeleife which might hinder their free and Gracious Acceptation with God That is that they may be called Effectually and not Effectually A supposall hereof is the strength of that Consideration which yeilded Mr Goodwin this Demonstration His eminent way of Arguing here in will also be farther manifest if you shall consider that the very thing which he pretends to proove is that which he here useth for the medium to proove it not varied in the least Si Pergama dextra c. But Mr Goodwin fore-saw as it was easy for him to doe what would be excepted to this last Argument to wit that the Calling here mentioned effectually removes those barrs of Wickednesse and Vnbeliefe a supposall whereof is all the strength and vigour it hath And in that supposall there is a plaine assuming of the thing in Question and a bare contradiction to that which from the place we proove and confirme Wherefore he answereth sundry things 1. First that Judas Demas Simon Magus were all called and yet layd bars of Wickednesse and Vnbeliefe whereby their Justification was obstructed and to the reply that they were not so Called as those mentioned in the Text not Called according to Gods Purpose with that Calling which flowes from their Predestination to be conformed unto Christ with that Calling which is held out as an effectuall meane to accomplish the End of God in causing all things to worke together for their good and therefore that the strength of this Answer lyes in the interposition of his owne Hypothesis once more his renewed requests for a grant of the thing in question he proceeds to take away this Exception by sundry crosse Assertions and Interrogations Sect. 45. 1. It hath not been prooved saith he by any man nor I believe never will be S r we live not by your Faith that the Calling here spoken of imports any such Act or Worke of God whereby the called are irresistibly necessitated savingly to believe If it import no such thing as this what hinders but that the persons mentioned might have been Called by that very kind of Calling here spoken of It is known what Mr Goodwin ayms at in that Expression iresistibly necessitated savingly to believe we will not contend about words neither of the two first termes mentioned Ans. are either willingly used of us or can be properly used by any in reference to the worke of Conversion or Calling What we own in them relates as to the first terme irresistibly to the Grace of God Calling or Converting and in the latter necessitatingly to the Event of the Call it selfe If by irresistibly you intend the manner of operation of that effectuall Grace of God not which conquers in a reaction which properly may be termed so but which really and therfore certainely for unumquodque quod est dum est necessariò est produces its effect not by forcing the Will but being as intimate to it as it selfe making it willing c. we owne it And if by necessitating they understand only the event of things that is it is of necessity as to to the Event that they shall savingly Believe who are Effectually Called without the least straitning or necessitating their Wills in their Conversion which are still acted sutably to their native Liberty we close with that terme also and affirme that the Calling here mentioned imports such an Act of Gods Grace as whereby they who are Called are effectually and infallibly brought savingly to believe and so consequentially that the persons whose Wickednesse and Unbeliefe abides upon them were never Called with this Calling here contended about They who are not Predestinated a parte antè nor Glorified a parte pòst are not Partakers of this Calling I must adde that as yet I have not met with any proofe of Mr Goodwin's Interpretation nor any Exception against ours that is not resolved into the same principle of Craving the thing in question producing the thing to be prooved as its owne Demonstration And asserting the things prooved against him not to be so because they are not so From the designe and scope of the place the intendment of the Holy Ghost in it the meaning of the words the Relation and Respect wherein the Acts of God mentioned stand one to an other the disappointment of Gods Purpose Decree in case of any interruption of them or non-producing of the effects which lead the subjects of whom they are spoken from one to an other we prove the infallible efficacy of every Act of Gods Grace here mentioned as to their tendency unto the end aymed at these he that is called to believe may infallibly doe so But sayes Mr Goodwin this is otherwise Well let that passe He adds secondly Suppose it be granted that the Calling here spoken of is that kinde of Calling which is alwayes accompanied with a saving Answer of Faith yet neither doth this prove but that even such called ones may obstruct and prevent by Wickednesse and Vnbeliefe their finall Justification and consequently their Glorification If so then that Chaine of Divine Acts or Decrees here framed by the Apostle is not indissolveable in any such sence which imports an Infallibility and universall exertion or execution of the latter whensoever the former hath taken place In this Answer Mr Goodwin denies our conclusion to wit that the Chaine of Divine Acts of Grace in this place is indissolveable which that it is we make out and prove from the words of the Text the Context and scope of
or Context of the place nor of any such evidence for their interest in the businesse in hand that Mr Goodwin durst take them for ingredients in the case under consideration when he himselfe proposed it so that he was inforced to foyst in this counterfeit Case to give some colour to the Interpretation of the words introduced But yet this must not be openly owned but intermixed with other Discourses to lead aside the Understanding of the Reader from bearing in minde the true State of the Case by the Apostle proposed and by himselfe ackowledged So that this Discourse desinit in piscem c. 2. The Case being supposed as above §. 41. I aske whither the Apostle intended a Removeall of the Scruple and Answer to the Objection as far at least as the one was capable of being removed and the other of being answered This I suppose will not be Scrupled or Objected against being indeed fully granted in Stating the Occasion of the words For wee must at least allow the Holy Ghost to speake pertinently to what he doth propose then 3. I further inquire whither any thing what ever be in the least suited to the Removeall of the Scruple and Objection proposed but only the giving of the Scruplers and Objectors the best Assurance that upon solid Grounds and Foundations could be given or they were in truth capeable of that what they feared should not come upon them and that notwithstanding the deviation of others themselves should be preserved and then 4. Seeing that the summe of the sence of the words given by Mr Goodwin amounts to these two Assertions 1. That the Doctrine of the Gospell is True and Permanent 2. That God approoves for the present all who for the present believe supposing that there is nothing in the Gospell teaching the Perseverance of the Saints I aske yet whither there be any thing in this Answer of the Apostle so interpreted able to give the least satisfaction imaginable to the Consciences and Hearts of men making the Objection mentioned For is it not evident notwithstanding any thing here expressed that they and every Believer in the world may Apostatise and fall away into Hell Say the poore Believers Such and such fall away from the Faith Their eminent usefulnesse in their Profession beyond perhaps what we are able to demonstrate of our selves makes us feare that this abominable defection may goe on swallow us up grow upon the Church to a further desolation The answer is however the Gospel is true God bears gracious respects to thē that cleave to him in love whilst they doe so Quaestio est de alliis responsio de cepis Methinks the Apostle might have put them upon these Considerations which Mr Goodwin proposes as of excellent use prevalency against falling away that they put men out of danger of it Cap. 9. rather then have given them an answer not in the least tending to their satisfaction nor any way suited to their fears or inquiries no not as backed with that explanation that they fall away because they degenerate into loose and sinfull courses that is because they fall away A degeneracy into loose and sinfull courses amounts surely to no lesse 5. Againe I would know whether this Foundation of God be an Act of his Will commanding or purposing declarative of our duty or his intention If the first then what Occasion is administred to make mention of it in this place Whether it were called in Question or no and whether the Assertion of it conduces to the solution of the Objection proposed Or is it in any parallell termes expressed in any other place Besides seeing this Foundation of God is in nature antecedent to the Sealing mentioned of Gods knowing them that are his and the Object of the Act of Gods Will be it what it will being the Persons concerning whom that Sealing is whether it can be any thing but some distinguishing Purpose of God concerning those persons in reference to the things spoken of Evident then it is from the words themselves the Occasion of them the designe and scope of the Apostle in the place that the Foundation of God here mentioned is his discriminating Purpose concerning some mens certain preservation unto Salvation which is manifestly confirmed by that Seale of his that he knowes them in a peculiar distinguishing manner A manner of speech and Expression suited directly to what the same Apostle useth in the same case every where as Rom. 8. 28 29 30. Cap. 9. and 11. 11. Eph. 1. 4 5 6. But saith Mr Goodwin this is no more then what the Apostle elsewhere speakes Rom 3. 3. What if some did not believe shall their unbeliefe make the Faith of God of none effect that is shall the Vnbeliefe of men be interpreted as any tolerable Argument or ground to prove that God is unfaithfull or that he hath no other Faith in him then that which sometimes miscarrieth and produceth not that for which it stands ingaged Implying that such an interpretation as this is unreasonable in the highest But truly by the way if it be so I know not who in the lowest can quit Mr Goodwin from unreasonablenesse in the highest for doth he not contend in this whole Discourse that the Faith of God in his Promises for the producing of that for which it stands ingaged as when he saith to Believers he will never leave them nor for sake them doth so depend on the Faith of men as to the Event intended that it is very frequently by their unbeliefe rendred of none Effect Is not this the spirit that animates the whole Religion of the Apostacy of Saints Is it not the great Contest between us whether any unbeliefe of men may interpose to render the Faith of God of none effect as to the producing of the thing he promiseth Tibi quia intristi exedondum est But 2. Let it be granted that these two places of the Apostle are of a parallell signification what will it advantage the Interpretation imposed on us What is the Faith of God here intended And what the unbeliefe mentioned And whereunto tends the Apostles vehement interrogation The great contest in this Epistle concerning the Jewes of whom he peculiarly speaks v. 1 2. was about the Promise of God made to them and his Faithfulnesse therein Evident it was that many of them did not Believe the Gospell as evident that the Promise of God was made peculiarly to them to Abraham and his Seed hence no small peplexity arose about the Reconciliation of these things many perplexed thoughts ensuing on this seeming Contradiction If the Gospell be indeed the way of God what is become of his faithfulnesse in his promises to Abraham and his Seed they rejecting it If the Promises be true and stable what shall we say to the Doctrine of the Gospell which they generally disbelieve and reject In this place the Apostle only rejects the inference that the faithfulnesse of God
the Perseverance of the Saints from the impossibility of finding a subject to be affected with the notion of Apostasie if true Believers be exempted frō it for Hypocrites saith he cannot fall away nor can Believers saith Mr Goodwin but they are Apostates when they fall away that is it is a dead man that dyes or after he is dead he dyes after he is an Apostate he falls away Perhaps it would be worth our serious inquiry to consider how Believers can indeed possibly come to loose the Spirit of Grace which dwells in them with their habit of Faith and Holinesse For our parts we contend that they have an infussed Habit of Grace and that wrought with a mighty Impression upon their Minds and Hearts Faith being of the opperation of God wrought by the exceding greatnesse of his Power as he wrought in Christ when he Raised him from the dead Whether such an Habit can be removed but by that hand that bestowed it and whether it may be made appeare that God will on any occasion so take it away or hath expressed himselfe that he will so deale with any of his Children is I say worthy our inquiry But 2. Secondly he denies the Major Proposition and saith that those who are kept and preserved by Christ may possibly miscarry Boldly ventured what Want is there then or defect in the keeper of Israel that his flock should so miscarry under his hand Is it of Faithfulnesse The Scripture tells us he is a faithfull High-Priest in things pertaining to God Heb. 2. 17. Faithfull to him that appointed him Heb. 3. 2. And that he did the whole will of God Is it of Tendernesse to take care of his poore wandering ones He is otherwise represented unto us Heb. 2. 18. For in that he himselfe hath suffered being tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted and ch 4. 15 16. We have not an High-Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all poynts tempted like unto us yet without sinne Isa. 40. 11 12. It is said of him he shall feed his flock like a sheapheard he gathers the Lambs with his Armes and carries them in his bosome and shall gently lead them that are with young And he quarrells with those sheapheards who manifest not a care and tendernesse like his towards his flock Ezec 34. 4 The diseased have ye not strengthned neither have yee healed that which was sicke neither have yee bound up that which was broken neither have yee brought againe that which was driven away neither have ye sought that which was lost all which he takes upon himselfe to performe v. 15 16. Or is it want of Power All Power is given to him in Heaven and Earth Mat. 28. 8. All things are delivered to him of his Father Mat. 11. 27. He is able to save to the utmost them that come to God by him Heb. 7. 25. If he wants neither Care nor Tendernesse Wisdome nor Watchfullnesse Love nor Ability Will nor Faithfullnesse how comes it to passe that they miscarry and fall away into ruine whom he hath undertaken to keepe David durst fight with a Lyon and a Beare in the defence of his Lambs and Jacob indured Heat and Cold upon the account of Faithfullnesse And shall we think that the Shepheard of Israel from whose being so the Psalmist concludes he shall want nothing Psa 23. 1. who did not only fight for his Flock but layed downe his Life for them will be lesse carefull of his Fathers Sheepe his owne Sheepe which are required also at his hand for his Father knowes them and calles them all by name Yea but saies Mr Goodwin it may be thus §. 46. in case themselves shall not comport with Christ in his Act of Preserving them with their care and diligence in preserving themselves that is Christ will surely keepe them in case they keepe themselves Alas poore Sheepe of God! If this were the case of the Flocks of the Sonnes of men how quickly would they be utterly destroyed Doth the veriest Hierling in the World deale thus with his Sheepe keepe them in case they keepe them selves Nay to what end is his keeping if they keepe themselves◠Christ compares himselfe to the Good Shepheard which seeketh out and fetcheth a wandring Sheepe from the Wildernesse laying him on his shoulders and bringing it home to his Fold How did that poore Sheepe keep it selfe when it ranne among the Ravenous Wolves in the Wildernesse Yet by the Good Shepheard it was preserved This is the Spirit and comforting Genius of this Doctrine Christ keeps us provided we keepe our selves We hoped it had been he who Saved Israel that he gave us his holy Spirit to abide with ns for ever to Seale us up to the day of Redemption that knowing himselfe and telling us that without him we can doe nothing he would not suspend his doing upon our doing so great a thing as preserving our selves For let us see now what it is that is required in us if we shall be preserved by Christ it is to comport with him in his Act of Persevering us and to be diligent to keepe our selves What is this comporting with him in his Act of preserving us Our comporting with Christ in any thing is by our Believing in him and on him that 's our radicall Comportment whence all other closings of Heart in obedience doe flow so then Christ will preserve us in Believing provided we continue to Believe But what need of his help to doe so if antecedently thereunto so we doe Is not this not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not only Unscripturall but also Unreasonable yea absurd and Ludicrous This is the flinty Fountain of all that Abundance of Consolation which Mr Goodwins doctrine doth afford Doubtlesse they must be Wise and Learned men like himselfe who can extract any such thing therefrom Let him goe with it to a poore weake tempted fainting Believer and try what a Comforter he will be thought a Physitian of what value he will be esteemed Let him tell him thou art indeed weake in Faith ready to decay and perish which thou maist doe every day there being neither Purpose nor Promise of God to the contrary great Oppositions and great Temptations hast thou to wrestle withall but yet Christ is loving tender faithfull and in case thou continuest Believing he will take care thou shalt believe That Christ will increase thy Faith and keep it alive by continuall influences as from a Head into its Members preserving thee not only against outward Enimies but the treacheries and deceits and unbeliefe of thine own heart of any such thing I can give thee no account Such Consolation a poore man may have at home at any time Further §. 47. what is that Act of Christ in Preserving them that is to be comported withall Ioh. 1. 16. Wherein doth it consist 1 Cor. 12. 13. Is
the world not to engage the name of God that God whom he worshiped and Preached in any thing whose truth might in the least be lyable to exception being in the way of declaring a new Doctrine to the world Act. 14. 15. 17. 24. 1 Tim 4. 10. which would have beene everlastingly prejudiced by any misprision of the Faithfulnesse of that God in whose name Authority he preached it The summe of that Doctrine also being the exaltation of that God in opposition to all the pretended Deities of the world He I say boasts himselfe upon the Promises that he had received vers 22 23. that there should be no losse of any mans life among them v. 22. v. 25. he gives the reason of his confident Assertion when all hope was taken away v. 20. I believe God saith he that it shall be even as it was told me His Faith in God was in reference to the event that it should come to passe as it was told him Faith in God Divine Faith can have nothing for its Object that may faile it He doth not say that he believes that God will be Faithfull to his Promise in Generall but also tells them wherein his Faithfulnesse doth consist even in the performance and accomplishment of that which he had promised This he informes the Centurion and the rest in the ship with him and if in the issue it had otherwise fallen out there had not beene any colour of Justifying the Faith of that God he served or his owne truth in being witnesse to him Had any perished those that remained would have argued him of lying Yea but saith he not himself except these abide in the ship ye cannot be saved He did so indeed and thereby declared the necessity of using sutable meanes when Providence affordes them to us for the Accomplishment of appointed determined ends God who Promiseth any thing and affordeth meanes for the attaining of it will direct them to whom those Promises are made to the use of those meanes as he doth the Centurion by Paul It being incumbent in this case on his Holy Majesty upon the account of his engaged Faithfulnesse to save them he will yet have them subservient to his Promise in their endeavours for their owne safety Meanes may be assigned for an End as to their ordinary subserviency thereunto without any suspending of the Event on them as a condition of an uncertaine issue and Accomplishment And therefore that this solemne Promise made unto Paul whose Event and Accomplishment up on the account of his believing God he absolutely believed whose performance he foretold with out the least intimation of any Condition whatever only he bids them not throw away the meanes of their Preservation should depend as to its fulfilling on such a Condition as in respect of the event might not have beene God who made the Promise not making any infallible provision for the Condition and so have beene actually frustrate is an Assertion not only not grounded on these words of Paul setting out the suitable meanes of the providence of God for the accomplishment of an appointed end but also derogatory in the highest to the Glory of the Truth and Faithfulnesse of God himselfe But 3. That Promise saith he of our Saviour to his Disciples Mat. 19. 28. That they who followed him in the Regeneration should sit upon twelve thrones Judging the twelve tribes of Israel Judas being yet one of them was not fulfilled and in case the rest had declined they also with him might have come short of the Promise made unto them Ans. Christ knew what was in man and had no need of any to tell him he knew from the beginning who it was that should betray him and plainely pronounced him to be a Divell He knew he was so that he Believed not that he would continue so Ioh. 6. 64 70 7. 1. he would betray him that his end would be desperate be pronounced a curse upon him as being cursed by David Ps. 109. so many Generations before his coming into the world and is it probable now that he promised this man a Throne for his following him in the Regeneration which is most certaine take it in what sence you will he did never follow him in but only as he gave him his bodily attandance in his going up and downe He was never admitted to be witnesse of his Resurrection the time being not yet come wherein a discovery was to be made of the hypocrisie of Judas that he might have space to carry on the worke which he had to do and the number of those who in a peculiar manner were to beare witnesse to the compleating of the whole worke of Regeneration in the Resurrection of Christ Acts 1. 21. being twelve he who was afterwards admitted into that number being one that now followed him our blessed Saviour telleth them indefinitely to their consolation what will be the Glorious Issue of their following him and bearing witnesse to him in this worke That which is promissory in the wordes is made to them who forsooke all and followed him in the worke mentioned which assuredly he who was alwaies a theife a Divell a covetous person that followed not in the maine of the worke it selfe was none of that Promise being afterwards fulfilled to another then present with Christ. It is granted if the rest of the twelve had fallen away you may suppose of them what you please that they might fall away is to begge that which you cannot prove nor will ever be granted you though you should resolve to starve your selfe if you get it not But this is 4. Confirmed out of Peter Martyr whose Doctrine it is that the Promises of God are wont to be made with a respect unto the present estate and condition of things with men that is they shall be performed unto men abiding under the Qualifications unto which they are made as for example What Promises soever God maketh to Believers with respect had to their Faith or as they are Believers are not to be looked on as performeable or obliging the maker of them unto them in case they shall relapse into their former unbeliefe Ans. It is too well known how and to what end our Author cites Peter Martyr and men of the same judgement with him in this Controversy to how little Advantage to his Cause with discerning men he hath done it In the same place from whence these words are taken the Author distinguisheth of the Promises of God and telleth you that some of them are conditionall which are saith he of a Legall nature which only shew the connexion between the Condition or Qualification they require and the thing they promise thereunto and such are those whereof he speakes but others he tells you are Absolute and Evangelicall not depending on any Condition in us at all and so he tells us out of Chrysostome that this of our Saviour Mat. 19. 28. is of the
for the deterring men from their impious and destructive courses I say God forbid To put it then to an issue God here promiseth that they who here trust in him shall never be remooved What I pray is the Conditiō on which this Promise doth depend It is say they who oppose us in this if they continue trusting in him that is if they be not removed for to trust in him is not to be removed if then they be not removed they shall not be removed and is this the minde of the Holy Ghost Notwithstanding all the Rhetoricke in the world this Promise will stand for the consolation of them that believe as the Mountaines about Jerusalem that shall never be removed In some it is said to be a Promise of abiding in Happinesse §. 15. not in Faith but it plainely appeares to be a Promise of abiding in trusting the Lord which comprehends both our Faith and Happinesse Ob. It is not promised that they who once trust in the Lord shall abide happy though they cease to trust in him Ans. It is a Promise that they shall not cease to trust in him Ob. It is not that they shall be necessitated to abide trusting in him Ans. No but it is that they shall be so far assisted and effectually wrought upon as certainely to do it Ob. It is no more then the Apostle sayes to the Corinthians 2 Cor. 2. 3. which frame towards them he would not continue should they be changed and turned into Idolaters and Blasphemers Ans. First the Promises of God and the affections of men are but ill compared 2. Paul loved the Corinthians whilst they were such as he mentioned God promiseth his Grace to Believers that they may continue such as he loves Ob. All the Promises are made to Qualifications not to Persons Ans. Prove that and 1. Take the case in hand and 2. Cast downe the Church to the ground it having no one Promise on that account made unto it as consisting of Abrahams Seed and so this witnesse also is freed from all exceptions put in against it and appeares with confidence to give in its Testimony to the Vnchangeablenesse of God unto Believers I shall in the next place adjoine another portion of Scripture of the same import with those foregoing §. 16. wherein the truth in hād is no lesse clearly somewhat more pathetically convincingly expressed thē in that last mentioned It is Isa. 54. 7 8 9 10. For a small moment have I forsaken thee but with great Mercies will I gather thee In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment but with everlasting kindnesse will I have Mercy on thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer For this is as the waters of Noah unto me for as I have sworne that the Waters of Noah shall no more cover the Earth so have I sworne that I will not be wrath with thee nor rebuke thee for the Mountaines shall depart and the hils be removed but my Loving-kindnesse shall not depart from thee neither shall the Covenant of my Peace be removed saith the Lord that hath Mercy on thee The place I have mentioned before but only as to one speciall inference from one passage in the words I shall now use the whole for the confirmation of the generall Truth we plead for the words are full plaine suited to the businesse in hand No expressions of our finding out can so fully reach the Truth we assert much lesse so pathetically worke upon the Affections of Believers or so effectually prevaile on their understandings to receive the Truth contained in them as these words of God himselfe given us for those ends are suited to doe Goe to men whose minds in any measure are free from prejudice not forestalled with a contrary perswasion and furnished with evasions for the defence of their opinions and aske whether God doth not in these words directly and positively promise to those to whom he speaketh that he will alwaies continue his kindnesse to them to the end and that for the daies of eternity his Love shall be fixed on them and I no way doubt but they will readily answer It is so indeed it cannot be denied But seeing we have to deale as with our own unbelieving hearts so with men who have turned every stone to prejudge this Testimony of God the words must a little more narrowly be considered and the mind of the Holy Ghost inquired into V. 5. mention is made of the desertion of the Church § 17. by the eclipsing of the beames of Gods countenance and the inflicting of some great affliction for a season in opposition unto which momentary desertions in that and in the beginning of the 8. v. he giveth in Consolation from the Assurance of the great Mercies and Everlasting Kindnesse wherein he abideth to doe them good with everlasting kindnesse will I have mercy on thee I will pardon pitty and heale thee with that mercy which floweth from Love which never had beginning that never shall have ending that cannot be cut off Everlasting Kindnesse Beare with patience your present desertion your present trialls whatever they are that befall you they are but for a season but for a moment and these also consistent with that Mercy Kindnesse which is everlasting and turneth not away If this Mercy and Kindnesse dependeth on any thing in us and is resolved lastly thereunto which may alter and change every moment as our walking with God in its selfe considered not relating to the Unchangeablenesse of his Purpose the efficacy of his promised Grace is apt to doe what opposition can there be betwixt that desertion wherewith they are exercised and the kindnesse wherewith they are embraced as to their continuance As that is said to be for a little while for a moment so this also may be of no longer abode It may possibly be as Jonah's Gourd that grew up in the morning and before night was withered what then shall become of the foundation of that consolation wherewith God here refresheth the soules of his people consisting in the continuance of his kindnesse in an Antithesis to the moment arinesse of their desertion Least that any should call this into Question §. 18. as our unbelieving hearts are very apt and skilfull in putting in pleas against the truth of the Promises of God and their accomplishment towards us v. 9. the Lord farther confirmeth the Assurance formerly given and removeth those objections to which through the Sophistry of Satan and the Sottishnesse of our own hearts it may seem to be lyable This is saith he as the waters of Noah Gods dealing with thē in that mercy which floweth from his everlasting kindnesse is like his dealing with the World in the matter of the waters of Noah or the floud wherewith it was drowned and destroyed when he with his were saved in the Arke He calleth upon his Children to consider his dealings with the World in respect
Judgement Loving-kindnesse and Mercies and Faithfulnesse whose efficacy also in reference unto their abiding with him whom he doth betroth to himselfe he mentioneth in the close of v 20. thou saith he shalt know the Lord. I shall not insist on the particular importance of the severall Expressions whereby the Lord hath set forth himselfe and his goodnesse here unto us It is plaine that they are all mentioned to the same end and purpose namely to give Assurance unto us of the Unchangeablenesse of this worke of his Grace and to prevent the objections which the fears of our unbelieving hearts from the consideration of our weaknesse wayes and walkings temptations trialls and troubles would raise upon it The Lord when he betroths us to himselfe sees and knows what we are what we will be and how we will provoke the eyes of his Glory He sees that if we should be left unto our selves we would utterly cast off all knowledge of him and obedience unto him Wherefore saith he I will betroth thee unto me in Righteousnesse and Judgment allowing full measure for all thy weaknesses that they shall not dissolve that union I intend As if a Prince should goe to take to him in Marriage a poore deformed Beggar who being amazed with his kindnesse and fearing much least he should be mistaken and account her otherwise then indeed shee is which when it is discovered will be her ruine she plainly telleth him she is poore deformed and hath nothing in the World that may answer his expectation and therefore she cannot but feare that when he knoweth her throughly indeed he will utterly cast her off But he thereupon replieth Feare no such thing what I doe I doe in Righteousnesse and Judgement knowingly of thee and thy Condition and so as that I will abide by it Perhaps as some think by this betrothing us in Righteousnesse the Lord may intimate his bestowing upon us Righteousnesse yea his becoming in Jesus Christ our Righteousnesse to supply that utter want Isa. 45. 24. which is in us of that which is acceptable unto him Now because we are not only unmeet to be at first accepted into any such termes of alliance with the Lord but also shall certainly in the carrying of it on behave our selves foolishly and frowardly unanswerable to his loving-kindnesse so that he may justly cast us off for ever he telleth us farther that he betroths us to himselfe in Loving-kindnesse and Mercies knowing that in entring into this alliance with us he maketh worke for his tenderest bowels of Compassion his pitty and pardoning mercy In his continuance in this Relation whatever his Kindnesse Patience and Pardoning mercy can be extended unto that he will accomplish and bring about But will not the Lord when he pardons once and againe at length be waried by our innumerable provocations so as to cast us off for ever No saith he this will I doe in Faithfulnesse He doubleth the expression of his Grace and addeth a Property of his nature that will carry him out to abide by his first Love to the utmost I will saith he even betroth thee unto my selfe in Faithfulnesse His firmenesse constancie and truth in all his waies and promises will he use in this work of his Grace Deut 32. 4. But perhaps notwithstanding all this the heart is not yet quiet yet it feareth it selfe and its own treachery least it should utterly fall off from this gracious Husband wherefore in the close of all God undertaketh for them also that no scruple may remaine why our soules should not be satisfied with the sincere milke that floweth from this breast of Consolation Thou shalt saith he know the Lord This indeed is required that under the Accomplishment of this gracious Promise you know the Lord that is believe and trust and obey the Lord and saith he thou shalt doe it I will by my Grace keep alive in thy heart as a fruit of that Love wherewith I have betrothed thee to my selfe that Knowledge Faith and Obedience which I require of thee This then is some part of that which in this Promise the Lord holdeth out unto us and assureth us of notwithstanding his Rejection of the carnall Jewes yet for his elect both the Jewes and Gentiles he will so take them into a Marriage Covenant with himselfe that he will continue for ever a Husband unto them undertaking also that they shall continue in Faith and Obedience knowing him all their dayes and of all this he effectually assureth them upon the account of his Righteousnesse Judgement Loving-kindnesse Mercy and Faithfulnesse I cannot but adde that if there were no other place of Scripture in the whole Book of God to confirme the Truth we have in hand but only this I should not doubt the Lord assisting to close with it upon the signall Testimony given unto it thereby notwithstanding all the specious Oppositions that are made thereunto For the Close §. 32. I shall a little consider that leane and hungry Exposition of these words which is given in the place before metioned Ch. 11. Sect 8. pag. 229. I will betroth them unto me in Righteousnesse and in Judgement and in Loving-kindnesse and Mercy so the words are expressed in a different Character as the very words of the Promise in the Text. 1. Thee that is the Church is changed into Them that is the Jewes and their Children or carnall seed as a little before was expressed and then that emphaticall expression for ever is quite thrust out of the Text as a stubborne word not to be dealt withall upon any faire termes Let us see then how that which remaineth is treated and turned off I will betroth thee that is I will engage and attempt to insure both them and their affections to mee by all variety of waies and meanes that are proper and likely to bring such a thing to passe But who knoweth not that this is wooing and not betrothing we need not goe farre to find out men learned in the Law to informe us that to try and attempt to get and assure the affections of any one is not a Betrothment This then is the first part of this Exposition I will betroth that is I will wooe and essay attempt and endeavour to get their affections which besides the forementioned absurdity is attended with another sore oversight to wit that God promiseth to doe this very thing in the last words of v. 20. which is affirmed that he doth but attempt to doe To proceed he saith I will doe this 1. By shewing my selfe Just and Righteous unto them in keeping my Promise concerning their deliverance out of captivity at the end of 70 years So then in this new Paraphrase I will Betroth thee that is the Election of Jewes and Gentiles to my selfe for ever in Righteousnesse is I will essay to get their affections by shewing my selfe Righteous in the Promise of bringing the Jewes out of captivity That this Promise is not made
Believers is evident from the Context It is of all that are called according to the Purpose of God sanctifyed and justified the proper description of all and only Believers that the Apostle affirmes these things and to whom he ascribes the condition mentioned Now that this is the state and condition of those persons the Apostle manifesteth from the causes of it viz. the Oblation and Intercession of Christ in their behalfe For those for whom he Died and doth Intercede are on that account exempted from any such charge as might be of prevalency to separate them from God M. Goodwin attempts indeed once more to reinforce the triumphed over Enemies of the Saints §. 7. and to call them once more to make head against the Intercession of Christ but with what ill successe the consideration of what Arguments he useth with them and for them will demonstrate thus then he addresseth himselfe to his taske Ch. 11. Sect 33. pag. 248. I answer It is no where affirmed that Christ Intercedes for the Perseverance of the Saints in their Faith or they who once believed should never cease Believing how sinfull and wicked soever they should prove afterwards But Christ Intercedes for his Saints â—s such and so continuing such that no accusation from any hand whatsoever may be heard against them that no afflictions or sufferings which they meet with in the World may cause any alienation or abatement in the Love of God towards them but that God will protect and preserve them under them and consequently that they may be maintained at an excellent rate of Consolation in every state and condition and against all interposures of any Creature to the contrary This Answer hath long since ceased to be new to us §. 8. It is that indeed which is the shield behinde which Mr Goodwin lyes to avoide the force of all manner of Arguments pointed against himselfe though it be the most weake and frivolous that ever I suppose was used in so weighty a matter It is here cast as he hath many moulds and shapes to cast it in into a denyall of the Assumption of our Syllogisme and a Reason of that deniall First he denies that Christ intercedes for Believers that they may Persevere in their Faith he prayes not for their Perseverance 2. His Reason of this is two fold 1. A supposall that they may prove so wicked as not to continue Believing 2. A description of what Christ Intercedes for in the behalfe of Believers viz. that they may continue in Gods Love if they doe continue to Believe notwithstanding all their affictions Homo homini quid interest Whether men will or no these must passe for Oracular Dictates 1. First for the first Let what hath been spoken already be weighed and see if there be not yet hope left for poore soules that Christ prayes for them that their Faith faile not And by the way who will not embrace this comfortable Doctrine that will assure him in his Agonies Temptations and Failings that all help and supplies are made out to him from and by the Lord Jesus in whom is all his hope and that he receives of his Father upon his Intercession all the fruits of his Death and Bloudshedding in his behalfe But that he should Believe or being tempted should be preserved in Believing of that Christ takes no thought nor did ever intercede with his Father for any such end or purpose Such consolation might befit Jobs friends miserable Comforters Physitians of no value But of this before 2. For that supposall of his of their proving wicked afterwards to an inconsistency with believing it hath often been corrected for a sturdy Begger and sent away grumbling and hungry and were it not for pure necessity would never once be owned any more by its Master Christ Intercedes not for Believers that they may Persevere in the Faith upon such foolish supposalls whose opposite is Continuance in the Faith and so is coincident with the thing it selfe interceded for To Intercede that they may continue Believing is to Intercede that they may never be so wicked as Mr Goodwin supposeth they may be The end of Christs Intercession for the Saints asserted is that they may never wickedly depart from God Doth Mr Goodwin indeed take this to be the tenor of the Doctrine he opposeth and of the Argument which he undertakes to Answer viz. That the Faith of Believers and the continuance of that is interceded for without any reference to the worke of Faith in Gospell Obedience and communion with God in Christ Or if he thinks not so why doth he so often insist on this calumnious evasion 3. In giving the aime of Christ in his Intercession for believers we have this new cogent Argument against our Position Christ Intercedes for the things here by me mentioned therefore he doth not Intercede for the Perseverance of the Saints But why so Is there any inconsistency in these things any repugnancy in termes or contrariety of the things themselves Christ Intercedes that Believers may enjoy the Love of God therefore he doth not Intercede that they may be established in Believing 2. The summe of all that is here ascribed to the Intercession of Christ at the best is that God will confirme and ratify that everlasting Law that Believers continuing so to the end shall be saved which whether it be the summe of Christs Intercession for his Church or no that Church will judge If there be any thing farther or of more importance to them in what is assigned to it by M. Goodwin it is wrapt up in the knot of c. which I am not able to untye 3. Those words of the Apostle who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect do not denote this is that the Intercession of Christ for them that no accusation be admitted against theÌ„ whilst they belive which is no more but the confirmation of that generall Proposition of the Gospell before mentioned But it is the Conclusion which they make upon the Account of the Intercession of Christ in the Application of the Promise of the Gospell to their owne soules Neither is there any more weight in that which followes that there be no abatement or alienation of the Love of God from them upon the account of their sufferings and afflictions which for the most part are for his sake what Saints of God were almost so much as once tempted with a conceit that Gods Love should be abated or alienated from them because they suffered for him And this is the Foundation of that excellent rate of Consolation at which the Saints upon the account of the Intercession of Christ may be maintained Into Afflictions Temptations Tryalls they may fall but if they continue in Faith and Love they shall not be rejected No Creature shall be heard against them that Christ takes care for But for the worst enemies they have their owne Lusts Corruptions and Unbeliefe the fiery Darts of Sathan
them did them no good at all And the reason of this sad successe in the Preaching of the Gospell and Declaration of the Promises he gives you in the same words It is that the word was not mixed with Faith in them that heard it It is the mixing of the Promises with Faith that renders them usefull and profitable Now to what ever Faith is required the more firme strong and stable it is the more effectuall and usefull it is That then which is apt to establish Faith to support and strengthen it to preserve it from staggering Rom. 4. 20. that renders the Promise most usefull and effectuall for the Accomplishment of any worke whereunto it is designed Now Faith in the Promises respects the Accomplishment of the things promised as the Apostle tells us in that commended and never enough imitated Example of the Faith of Abraham Rom 4. 19 20 21. Being not weake in Faith he considered not his own body now dead when he was about an hundred years old neither yet the deadnesse of Sarahs wombe he staggered not at the Promise of God through unbeliefe but was strong in Faith giving glory to God being fully perswaded that what he had promised he was able also to performe Laying aside all considerations that might tend to the impairing of his confidence he firmely believed that it should be to him as God had promised That the Doctrine we insisted on is clearly conducing to the establishing of Faith in the Promises cannot tolerably be called into Question Whatsoever is in those Promises whatsoever Considerations or concernements of him whose they are as his Faithfulnesse Unchangeablenesse Omnipotency that are apt to strengthen Faith in them it preserves entire and exalteth It is a wild Assertion which men scarce search their own hearts if indeed men know what belongs to believing in sincerity when they make that the efficacy of the Promises unto our Obedience should arise from hence that the things promised may not be fulfilled and that the weaknesse of Faith as every such supposall doth at least weaken it yea and tends to its subversion should render the Promise usefull which hath no use at all but as it is mixed with Faith For instance those Promises that God will be an All-sufficient God unto us that he will circumcise our Hearts and write his Law in them that we shall feare him is as was manifested before an usefull Meditation for the ingenerating and quickning of Obedience and Holinesse in us That it may be such a meanes it is required that it be mixt with Faith in them that heare it as was declared According as Faith is strong or weake so will its usefulnesse be I aske then whether this be a way proper to set this Promise on worke for the end proposed namely to perswade them that should believe it that all this may be otherwise God may cease to be their God their hearts may not be circumcised nor the Law mentioned written in them Is this the way to strengthen their Faith and to keepe them from staggering Or rather to subvert and cast downe all their confidence to the ground The Doctrine we have under consideration continually sounds in the eares of Believers 1 Cor. 1. 9. that God is faithfull in all his Promises that he can that he will make them good that his own Excellencies his own Perfections require no lesse at his hands And this it doth not on any Grounds that carry any thing with them that may seeme to incline to the least neglect of God or contempt of any Property Excellency or word of his and so be apt to breed presumption and not Faith But on such only as give him the Glory of all that he hath revealed of himselfe unto us and therefore its genuine tendency must be to beget and increase precious saving Faith in the hearts of men which we conceive to lye in a more direct way of efficacy towards Holinesse and Obedience then the ingenerating of servile feares gendering unto bondage can do This then we have obtained first that the Promises peculiarly insisted on are motives to furtherances of Obedience secondly that the way whereby they become so is by being mixed with Faith and the stronger Faith is the more effectuall will the working of those Promises unto Holinesse be thirdly that the Doctrine of the Perserverance of the Saints and stability of God's Love to them giving him the Glory of all his Excellencies which in his Promises are to be considered is suited to the carrying on of Faith in its growth and increase Indeed that which makes our beliefe of the Promises of Faith divine is the rise it hath and the bottome whereinto it is resolved viz. The Excellencies of him who makes the Promises As that he is True Faithfull Alsufficient the Glory of all which is given him in Believing as the Apostle informes us Rom. 4. 20 21. Yea and all this He must be received to be in reference to the accomplishment of his Promises or we Believe them not with divine supernaturall if that terme may be allowed and saving Faith Surely they must needs think us very easie of beliefe and wholly unexperienced of any Communion with God who shall suppose that we will be perswaded that the Doctrine which eminently asserts and ascribes unto God the Glory of all his Attributes which he would have us to eye in his Promises strengthning Faith on that account doth annihilate the Promises in the Word of the Ministry as to their usefulnesse unto our Obedience Let us deale by instance God hath promised to begin and perfect a good worke in us according as this Promise is mixt with Faith so it will be usefull and profitable to us If there be no Faith it will be of no use if little of little if more of more Let a man now be supposed to be wavering about his mixing this Promise with Faith whereupon the issue of its Efficacy and Fruitfulnesse as was said doth depend And let the Doctrine we teach be called in to speake in this Case and let us trye whether what it saies be prejudiciall to establishment of Faith or whether it be not all that lookes towards its Confirmation It saies then unto the soule of a Believer why art thou so cast downe thou poore soule And why are thy thoughts perplexed within thee It is true thou art weake unstable ready to fall away and to perish thy temptations are many great and prevalent and thou hast no strength to stand against the power and multitude of them But looke a little upon him who hath promised that thou shalt never depart from him who hath promised to finish the good worke begun he is Unchangeable in his Purposes Faithfull in his Promises and will put forth the exceeding greatnesse of his power for the Accomplishment of them so that though thou failest he will cause thee to renue thy strength though thou fallest thou shalt not be cast
these persons and their Judgment in the point under debate more afterwards For the thing it selfe last proposed on what foot of account it is placed and on what foundation asserted The Treatise it selfe will discover That the thing aymed at is not to be straightned or restrained to any one peculiar Act of grace will easily appear The main foundation of that which we plead for is The Eternal purpose of God which his owne nature requireth to be absolutely immutable and irreversible The Eternal Act of the will of God designing some to salvation by Christ infallibly to be obtained for the Prayse of the glory of hu grace is The Bottome of the whole Even that foundation which standeth for ever having this seale The Lord knoweth who are his For the Accomplishment of this eternal purpose and for the procurement of all the good things that lye within the compass of it 's in tendment are The Oblation and Intercession the whole mediatory undertaking of Chist taking away sinne bringing in Life and immortality interposed giving further causal influence into the truth contended for In him and for his sake as God graciously powerfully and freely gives his Holy Spirt faith with all the things that accompany salvation unto all them whom he accepts and pardons by his being made sinne â—or them and Righteousness unto them so he takes them therby into an everlasting Covenant that shall not be broken and hath therein given them innumerable promises that he will continue to be their God for ever and preserve them to be and in bâ—ing his people to this end because the principle of Grace and living to him as in them inherent is a thing in i'ts own nature changable and lyable to failing he doth according to his promise and for the Acccomplishment of his purpose dayly make out to them by his Holy Spirit from the great treasury and store-house thereof the Lord Jesus Christ helps and supplies encreasing of faith Love and Holiness recovering them from falls healing their back-slidings strengthening them with all might according to his glorious power unto all patience and long suffering with joyfulness so preserving them by his power through faith unto salvation And in this way of delivering the doctrine contended about it is clearly made out that the disputes mentioned are as needless as groundless so that we shall not need to take them into the state of the controversy in hand though I shall have occasion once more to reflect upon them when I come to the consideration of the doctrine of the School-men in reference to the opinion proposed to debate The mayne of our enquiry is after the Purpose Covenant and promises of God the undertaking of Christ the supplies of Grace promised and bestowed in him on which accounts we doe assert and maintaine That all true Believers who are in being so interested in all those causes of preservation shall infallibly be preserved unto the end in the favour of God and such a course of Gospel obedience as he will accept in Jesus Christ. That as was formerly sayd which at present I ayme at in Reference to this Truth is to declare it's Rise and Progress it 's course and opposition which it hath found in several Ages of the Church with it's state and condition at this day in respect of Acceptance with the people of God It 's rise with all other divine truths it owes only to Revelation from God manifested in the Scriptures of the Old and new Testament some of the most eminent places wherein it is delivered in the old Testament are Gen 3. 17. chap 17. 1. Deut 33. 3. Josh 1. 5. 1 Saw 12. 22. Psal 1. 3. Psal 23. 4 6. Psal 37. 39 40. Psal 52. 8 9. Psal 89. 31 32 33 34 35. Psal 33. 9 10 11. Psal 92. 13. c. Is 27. 3 4. Is 46. 4. Is 59. 21. Is 54 9. 10. Is 4. 4 5. Is 40. 27 28 26 30. Is 43. 1 2. 3 4 5 6 7 8. Jer 3 3 31 32 33 34. Jer 32. 38 39. 40. Ezek 36. 25 26 27. Hosea 2. 19 20. Zach 10. 12. Mal 3. 6 with innumerable other places In the new Testament God hath not left this truth and work of his Grace without witness as in sundry other places so it is testified unto Math 6. 13. Mat 7. 24 25 Mat. 12. 20. Mat 16. 18. Mat 24. 24. Luk 1. 70 71 72 73 74 75. Luk 8. 5 8. Luk 22. 32. Joh 3. 36. Joh. 4. 13 14 16. Joh. 5. 24. Joh 6. 35 36 37 38 39 57. Joh 7. 38. Joh 8. 35 Joh 10. 27 28 29 30. Joh 13. 1. Joh 14 15 16 17. Joh 16. 27 Joh 17. throughout Act 2. 47. Act 13 48. Ro 6. 14. Rom 8. 1 16 17 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 c. 1 Cor 1. 8 9. 1 Cor 10. 13 14. 1 Cor 15. 49 58. 2 Cor 1. 21. Eph 1. 13 14. Eph. 3. 17. Eph 4 30. Eph. 5. 23. Gal 2. 20 Phil 1. 6. Phil 2. 13. 1 Thes 5 24. 2 Tim 4. 17 18. Tit 1.1 Heb 6. 19. Heb 10. 38 39. Heb 12. Heb 9. 14. Heb 13. 5 21. 1 Pet. 1. 2 3 4 5. 1 Joh. 2. 19 24. 1 Joh 3. 9,19 1 Joh. 5. 14 18. Jude 1 Rev 20. 6. So plentifully hath the Lord secured this sacred Truth wherein he hath enwrapped so much if not as in the meanes of conveyance the whole of that peace consolation and Joy which he is willing the heires of promise should receive Whether the faith hereof thus plentifully delivered to the Saints found Acceptance with the primitive Christians to the most of whom it was given not only to believe but also to suffer for Christ to me is unquestionable And I know no better proof of what those first Churches did believe than by shewing what they ought to believe which I shall unquestionably be perswaded they did believe unless most pregnant Testimony be given of their Apostacy That Paul believed it for himselfe and concerning others is evident Ro. 8. 38 39. 1 Cor. 1. 8 9. Phil 1. 6. Heb. 6. 9 10 are sufficient proof of his faith herein That he built up others in the same perswasion to the enjoyment of the same peace and Assurance with himselfe is undenyable And if there be any demonstration to be made of the beliefe of the first Christians of any evidence comparable unto this I shall not deny but that it ought to be attended unto But that we may not seem willing to decline the Consideration of what those who went before us in the several Ages and Generations past apprehended and have by any means communicated unto us of their thoughts about the businesse of our contest having no reason so to be I shall after a little preparation made to that work present the Reader with something of my Observations to that end and purpose Of the Authority of the Ancients in matters of Religion and worship of God of the Right use and
End proposed is resolved ultimately into themselves and their endeavours and not into any purpose or Act of God Such as is the foundation such is the strength of the whole building Inferences can have no more strength then the Principle from whence they are deduced If a man should tell another that if he will goe a Journy of a hundred miles at each twenty miles end he shall meet with such and such refreshments all the consolation he can receive upon the account of refreshment provided for him is proportioned only to the thoughts he hath of his own strength for the performance of that Journy Farther If in such Expressions of the Purposed Workes of God we may put Cases and trust in what supposalls we think good where there is not the least Jot Title or Syllable of them in the Text nor any roome for them without destroying not only the designe and meaning of the place but the very sence of it why may not we doe so in other undertakings of God the certainty of whose Event depends upon his Purpose and Promise only For instance The Resurrection of the Dead may we not say God will raise up the dead in Christ in case there be any necessity that their bodies should be glorified What is it also that remaines of praise to the Glorious grace of God This is all he effects by it in case men obstruct him not in his way it doth good God calls men to Faith and Obedience in case they obstruct not his way it shall doe them good But how doe they obstruct his way By Unbeliefe and Disobedience take them away and Gods calling shall be effectuall to them that is in case they Believe and Obey Gods Calling shall be effectuall to cause them to Believe and Obey The Cases then foisted into the Apostles discourse §. 20. in the close of this Interpretation of the place if I may so call it namely that God will justify the Called in case they obstruct not his way and will glorify them whom he hath justified in case they continue and abide in the state of Justification are First thrust in without Ground Warrant or Colour of Advantage or occasion given by any thing in the Text or Context and Secondly are destructive to the whole designe of the Holy Ghost in the place whereinto they are intruded injurious to the Truth of the Assertion intended to be made good that all things shall work together for Good proposed upon the account of the unchangeable purpose of God and infallible Connexion of the Acts of his Love and Grace in the Pursuit thereof and resolve the promised work and designed event wholly into the uncertaine lubricous wills of men making the Assurance given not only to be lyable to just Exceptions but evidently to faile and be falsified in respect of thousands and Thirdly render the whole dispensation of the Grace of God to Lackey after the Wills of Men and wholly to depend upon them Giving in thereby as was said Innumerable Presumptions that the word for whose Confirmation all these Acts of Gods Grace are mentioned and insisted on shall never be made good nor established Take then in few words the sence and scope of this place as 't is held out in the Exposition given of it by M. Goodwin and wee will then proceed to consider his Confirmations of the said Exposition Oh you that Love God many Afflictions Temptations and Oppositions ye shall meet withall but be of good comfort all shall work together for your Good for God hath appoynted you to be like his Sonne and you may triumph in every Condition on this account for if yee before any Act of his speciall Grace towards you Love him he Approves you and then he Predestinates you what that is I know not then it is in your power to continue to love him or to doe otherwise if ye abide not then ye perish if ye abide he will call you and when he doth so either ye may obey him or ye may not if you doe not all things shall work together for your hurt and ye will be like the Devill if you doe then he will justify you and then if you abide with him as perhaps ye may perhaps ye may not he will finally Justify you and then all shall be well This being the substance of the Interpretation of this place here given let us now consider how 't is confirmed That §. 21. which in his own termes he undertaketh to Demonstrate to vindicate from all Objections in his ensuing Discourse he thus expresseth pag. 209. Sect 43. These Decrees or purposed Acts of God here specified are to be understood in their successive dependencies with such a condition or proviso respectively as those mentioned and not absolutely peremptorily or without Condition Ans. The imposing of Conditions and Provisoes upon the Decrees and Purposes of God of which himselfe gives not the least intimation and the suspending them as to their Execution on those conditions so invented and imposed at the first view reflects so evidently on the Will Wisdome Power Pre-science and Unchangeablenesse of God who hath said his Purposes shall stand and he will doe all his Pleasure especially when the Interruption of them doth frustrate the whole designe and aime of God in the mentioning of those Decrees and Purposes of his that there will be need of Demonstrations written with the Beames of the Sunne to inforce men tender and regardfull of the Honour and Glory of God to close with any in such an undertaking let us then consider what is produced to this end try if it will hold weight in the ballance of the Sanctuary This saith he appears First 1. By the like Phrase or manner of expression frequent in the Scripture elsewhere I meane when such Purposes or Decrees of God the respective Execution whereof are suspended upon such and such conditions are notwithstanding simply and positively without any mention of Condition expressed and asserted Wherefore the Lord God of Israel saith I said indeed that thy House and the House of thy Father shall walke before mee meaning in the Office and Dignity of the Priesthood for ever But now saith the Lord be it farre from me I said indeed that is I verily Purposed or Decreed or I Promised it comes much to one When God made the Promise and so declared his Promise accordingly that Eli and his Fathers house should walke before him for ever he expressed no condition as required to the Execution or performance of it yet here it plainly appears that there was a condition understood In the same kind of Dialect Samuel speaks to Saul Thou hast done foolishly thou hast not kept the Commandment of the Lord thy God for now the Lord had established thy Kingdome upon Israel for ever but now thy Kingdome shall not continue the Lord had established that is he verily purposed or decreed to establish it for ever to wit in case his
the place and adds his reason Because they who are Justified may lay barrs in their way from being finally so or being Glorified That is it is not so because it is not so For the Efficacy of the Grace asserted is for the removeall of the barrs intimated or wherein may its efficacy be supposed to consist especially in its Relation to the end designed And so this place is Answered Saith the Holy Ghost those whom God Justifieth he Glorifies perhaps not saith Mr Goodwin some things may fall in or fall out to hinder this Eligite cui credatis Were I not resolved to abstaine from the Consideration of the Judgements of men when they are Autoritatively interposed in the things of God I could easily manifest the fruitlesnesse of the following endeavour to prove the effectuall Calling of Judas by the Testimony of Chrysostome and Peter Martyr for neither hath the first in the place alleadged any such thing least of all is it included in M. G's Marginall Annotation excluding Compulsion Necessity and Violence from Vocation and the latter in the Section pointed to and that following layes downe principles sufficiently destructive to the whole designe whose management M. Goodwin hath undertaken Neither shall I contest about the imposing on us in this dispute the notion of finall justification distinct from Glorification both name and thing being Forraigne to the Scripture and secretly including yea delivering to the advantage of its Author the whole Doctrine under consideration stated to his hand If there be a Gospell-justification in Sinners or Believers in the blood of Christ not finall or that may be cut off he hath prevailed But Mr Goodwin proceeds to object against himselfe §. 33. Sect 46. But some it may be will farther object against the interpretation given and plead that the Contexture between these two linkes of this Chaine Predestination to a conformity with Christ and Calling is simply and absolutely indissolveable so that whoever is so Predestinated never failes of being called 2. That it is altogether unlikely that in one and the same series of Divine actions there should not be the same fixednesse or certainty of coherence between all the parts The first of these being the bare Thesis which he opposed I know not how it came to be made an Objection I shall only adde to the latter Objection which includes something of Argument that the Efficacy of any one Act of Gods Grace here mentioned as to the end proposed depending wholly on the uninterruptible concatenation of them all and their effectuall prevalency and certainty as to their respective Operation of every one of them being equall to the Accomplishment of the Purpose of God in and by them all and willingly owne it especially finding how little is said and yet how much labour taken to dresse up a pretended Answer unto it Of this there are two parts whereof the first is this I Answer saith he 1. First By a demurre upon the former of these pleas which was that the connexion between the Predestination of God mentioned and his Calling is uninterruptible Somewhat doubtfull to me it is whether a person who by meanes of the Love of God which is in him at present falls under his Decree of Predestination may not possibly before the time appointed by God for his Calling be changed in that his Affection and consequently passe from under that Decree of Predestination and fall under another Decree of God opposite thereunto and so never come to be called Ans. I confesse this demurre outrunnes my understanding Equis albis neither can I by any meanes overtake it to pinne any tollerable sence upon it though I would allow it to be suited only to M. Goodwins principles and calculated for the Meridian of Arminianisme for who I pray are they in any sence in M. Goodwins that doe so love God as to fall under as he speakes that pendulous Decree of Predestination and to whom this promise here is made Are they not Believers Are any others Predestinated in our Authors judgement but those who are actually so is not the Decree of Predestination Gods Decree or Purpose of saving Believers by Jesus Christ Or can any love God to Acceptation without Believing If then they are Believers can they alter that condition before they are Called Wee supposed that Faith had been by hearing and hearing by the word of God Rom. 10. 17. and that it is of necessity in order of nature that Calling should precede Believing What are men called to Is it not to Believe Here is then a new sort of men discovered that believe and fall from Faith Love God and forsake him all antecedently to their Vocation and Calling I am confident that M. Goodwin may be perswaded to withdraw this demurrer or if not that he will be over-ruled in it before the judgement seat of all unprejudiced men It will scarcely as yet passe currantly that men are borne Believers and after such and such a time of their continuance in that estate of beliefe and being Predestinated thereupon God then Calls them Neither doe I understand the meaning of that phrase never come to be called used by Him who maintaines all to be called but this is but a demurrer the Answer followes For the great regard I beare unto the Authors Abilities §. 34. I shall not say that his insuing Discourse doth not deserve to be transcribed and punctually insisted on but this I may say I hope without offence that it is so long tedious so remote from what it pretends unto to wit an Answer to the forementioned Argument that I dare not venture upon the patience of any Reader so farre as to enter into a particular consideration of it The summe of it is that there is no unlikelihood in this that though one part of the Chaine of Divine Graces before mentioned cannot be dissolved nor broken yet another may notwithstanding that a dissolution of any one of them renders the designe of God in them all wholly frustrate and fruitlesse This he proves by proposing a new series of Divine Acts in actuall dependance one upon another some whereof may be uninterruptible but the other not so He that shall but slightly view the Concatenation of Divine Acts here proposed by Mr Goodwin for the illustration of that dependance of them and their Efficacy which we insist upon will quickly finde it lyable to some such small Exceptions as renders it altogether uselesse as to the end proposed As first 1. That the case here proposed and pretended to be parallell to that under our Consideration is a fictitious thing a fained Concatenation of fained Decrees of God being neither in any one place delivered in the Scripture nor to be collected from any or all the Texts in the Bible which course of proceeding if it may be Argumentative in sacred Truths it will be an easie and facile taske to overthrow the most Eminent and clearely delivered Heads of Doctrine in the
it not in his dayly continuall Communication to them of new supplyes of that Spirituall life whose springs are in him Ephes. 1. 23. 2. 21 22. 4. 15 16. The making out from his owne fulnesse unto them His performing the office of an Head to its Members Gal. 2. 20. and filling those other Relations wherein he stands working in them both to will to doe of his own good pleasure What is it then to comport with this Act Col. 1. 17 18 19. or these Acts of Chist Can any thing reasonable be invented 2. 19. wherein such comportment may be thought to consist but either it will be found coincident with that whereof it is a Condition or appeare to be such as will crush the whole undertaking of Christ for the Preservation of Believers into vanity and nothing Againe hath Christ undertaken to Preserve us against all our Enemies Heb. 7. 15. or some only If some only give us an Account both of them that he doth undertake against that we may know for what to goe to him whereof to complaine and of them that he doth not so undertake to safegard us against them that we may know Ioh. 15. 5. wherein to trust to our selves And let us see the places of Scripture Isai. 30. 1. wherein any Enemies are excepted out of this undertaking of Christ for the safety of his Paul goes far in an enumeration of particulars Rom. 8. If he hath undertaken against them all then let us know whither it be an Enemy that keeps us from this Comportment with Christ or a Freind If it be an Enemy as surely every thing in us that moves us to depart from the living God is hath Christ undertaken against it or no If not how hath he undertaken against them all If he hath how is it that it prevailes Yea but be undertakes this in case we comport with him that is he undertakes to overcome such an Enemy in case there be no such Enemy In case we be not turned aside from comporting with him he will destroy that Enimy that turnes us aside from comporting with him Egregiam verò laudem spolia ampla Or on the otherside if our Enemyes prevaile not against us he hath faithfully undertaken that they shall not prevaile against us Yea but saith Mr Goodwin No Scripture prooves that those whom Christ preserves must by any compulsory necessitating Power use their diligence in preserving them selves And who I pray ever said they did Compulsory Actings of Grace are your own figment so are all such necessitating Acts which procceed any further then only as to the infallibillity of the Event aymed at God doth not compell the Wills of men Ioh. 8. 33. when he workes in them to will Christ doth not compell men to Care and Dilligence Rom. 6. 18. when he workes in them Holy Care and Diligence Luk. 17. 5. when the Disciples prayed Lord increase our Faith they did not pray that they might be compelled to Believe Col. 1. 11 12. Gods working in them that Believe according to the exceeding greatnesse of his Power strengthning them with all might according to his Glorious Power unto all patience and long-suffering with Joyfullnesse very farre from any Compulsion or necessitation inconsistent with the most absolute freedome Ephes. 2. 8. that a Creature is capable of He that workes Faith in Believers can continue it and increase it in them without Compulsion And this is the summe of Mr Goodwins Answer to an Argument that notwithstanding all which he hath spoken hath yet strength enough left to cast his whole building downe to the ground What he further speakes to the particular place which gave occasion to this Discourse may breifely be considered 1. He speakes something to v. 37. which I insisted not on §. 48. As to the purpose in hand he tells you that Christ will in no wise cast out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 him that is coming but yet he that is coming on his way may turne back and never come fully up to him Ans. But if this be not Huckstering of the Word of God 2 Cor. 2. 17. I know not what is The words before in the same verse are All that the Father giveth me shall come to me Saith Mr Goodwin they may come but halfe way and so turne back againe not coming fully home to him Saith Christ they shall come to mee Saith Mr Goodwin they may perhaps come but halfe way Nunc satis est dixisse ego mira poemata pango But why so Why 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is coming a coming it seemes in fieri but not in facto esse that is it denotes a tract of time whilest the man is travelling his journey As though believing were a successive motion as to the Act of laying hold on Christ. But is he that is on his way that Christ receiveth a Believer or not Hath he Faith or not If he hath no Faith the Faith whereof we speake how can he be said to be coming seeing the wrath of God abideth on him If he hath Faith Ioh. 3. 36. how is it that he is not come to Christ Hath any one true Faith at a distance from him God gives another Testimony Ioh. 1. 11 12. But saith he there is nothing in the words that they are under no possibility of falling away who come to Christ. But 1. there is in those that follow that as to the event they are under an impossibility of so doing in respect of the Will and Purpose of God which sufficeth me as shall be made to appeare 2. That Emphaticall expression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will in no wise cast them out expresses so much Care and Tendernesse in Christ towards them that we are very apt to hope and believe that he will not loose them any more but that he will not only not cast them out but also according to his Fathers appointment that he will keep them and preserve them in safety untill he bring them to glory as is fully asserted v. 39 40. as hath been declared Againe Mr Goodwin tells you it is not spoken of loosing Believers by defection of Faith but by Death And to assure Believers of this Christ tells them It is his Fathers Will that he should raise them up at the last day Besides if any be lost by defection from Faith this cannot be imputed to Christ who did his Fathers pleasure to the utmost for their preservation but to themselves Ans. For the perverting of v. 37. the beginning of it was left out and for the accomplishing of the like designes upon v. 39. 40 which farther clears the mind and intendment of Christ in the words is omitted He tells you Math 4. 6. that it is the Will of the Father that every one that comes to him that is that Believes on him have Everlasting life What is Everlasting life in the Gospell is well known from Ioh
saies Mr G. But are these places parallell Are all places where the same phrase is used alwaies to be expounded in the same sence The termes here if it be possible respect not the futurition of the thing but the uncertainty to Paul of its possibility or impossibility the uncertainty I say of Paul in his conjecture whether he should get to Jerusalem by such a time or no of which he was ignorant Did our Saviour here conjecture about a thing whereof he was ignorant whether it would come to passe or no We say not then that in this place where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is expressive of the uncertainty of him that attempts any thing of its Event that it affirmes an impossibility of it and so to insinuate that Paul made all hast to doe that which he knew was impossible for him to doe but that the words are used in these two places in distinct sences according to the inclosure that is made of them by others But saith Mr Goodwin to say that Paul might be Ignorant whether his being at Jerusalem by Pentecost might be possible or no and that he only resolved to make tryall of the truth herein to the utmost is to asperse this great Apostle with a ridiculous imputation of Ignorance And why so I pray you It is true he was a great Apostle indeed But it was no part of his Apostolicall furnishment to know in what space of time he might make a Sea-voyage Had Mr Goodwin ever been at Sea he would not have thought it ridiculous Ignorance for a man to be uncertain in what space of time he might saile from Miletus to Ptolemais Paul had a short time to finish this voyage in He was at Philippi at the dayes of Vnleavened Bread and afterwards v. 6. thence he was five daies sailing to Troas v 6. and there he abode seven daies more it may well be supposed that it cost him not lesse thâ—n seven daies more to come to Miletus v 13 14 15. how long he tarried there is uncertaine Evident however it is that there was a very small space of time left to get to Jerusalem by Pentecost Paul was one that had met not only with Calmes and contrary Windes 2 Cor. 11. 25. but Shipwrack also so that he might well doubt whether it were possible for him to make his voyage in that space of time he had designed to doe it in and this surely without the least disparagement to his Apostolicall knowledge and wisdome In briefe when this phrase relates to the Cares and desires of men and unto any thing of their Ignorance of the Issue it may designe the uncertainty of the event as in this place and that of Rom. 12. 18. But when it poynts at the event it selfe it peremptorily designes its accomplishment or not according to the tendency of the Expression which affirmes or denies Notwithstanding then all Evasions the simple direct and proper sence of our Saviours words who is setting forth and aggravating the prevalency of seducers in evill times by him then foretold is that it shall be such and so great as that if it were not impossible upon the account of their Election they should prevaile against the very Elect themselves But 6. Suppose it be granted that the words referre to the endeavours of the seducers in this place yet they must needs deny their prevalency as to the end aimed at It is asserted either to be possible §. 54. that the Elect should be so seduced or not If not we have what we aime at If it be possible and so here asserted the totall of this Expression of our Saviour will be resolved into a Conclusion certainly most remote from his intendment If it be possible that the Elect may be seduced then shall they be seduced but it is possible say our Adversaries therefore they shall be seduced Neither doth that which Mr Goodwin urgeth Sect. 12. out of the Synodalia before mentioned pag. 314 315. at all prove that the words denote only a difficulty of the thing aimed at with Relation to the earnest endeavours of seducers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth indeed intimate their endeavours but withall their fruitlesnesse as to the event 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not referred as in the Example of Paul to the thoughts of their minds but to the successe foretold by Christ. That Emphaticall Diacriticall Expression in the description of them against whom their Attempts are even the very Elect argues their exemption And if by Elect are meant simply and only Believers as such how comes this Emphaticall Expression and description of them to be used when they alone and no other can be seduced for those who seeme to Believe only cannot be said to fall from the Faith say our Adversaries It is true the Professors of Christianity adhered of old under many trialls for the greater part with eminent Constancy to their Profession yet is not any thing eminently herein held out in that saying which Mr Goodwin calls Proverbial in Galen he speaking of the followers of Moses the same as of the followers of Christ. What else followes in Mr Goodwin from the same Authors is nothing but the pressing of I think one of the most absurd Arguments that ever Learned Men made use of in any Controversy and yet such as it is wee shall meet with it over and over as we have done often already before we arrive at the end of this discourse and therefore to avoid tediousnesse I shall not here insist upon it With its mention it shall be passed by It is concerning the uselesnesse of meanes and Exhortations unto the use of them if the End to be attained by them be irrevocably determined although those Exhortations are part of the meanes appointed for the Accomplishment of the end so designed I shall not as I said in this place insist upon it One thing only I shall observe in Sect. 17. he grants that God is able to determine the Wills of the Elect to the use of meanes proper and sufficient to prevent their being deceived by this determining the Wills of the Elect to the use of proper meanes the Efficacy of Grace in and with Believers to a certaine preservation of them to the end is intended It is the thing he opposeth as we are informed in the next words he hath no where declared himselfe willing or resolved to doe it That by this one Assertion Mr Goodwin hath absolved our Doctrine from all the absurd Consequences and Guilt of I know not what Abominations which in various Criminations he hath charged upon it is evident upon the first view and Consideration All that we affirme God to doe Mr Goodwin grants that he can doe Now if God should doe all he is able there would no Absurdity or evill that is truly so follow What he can doe that he can Decree to doe and this is the summe of our Doctrine which he hath chosen to oppose God wee
an interest in the good of them all that being only represented variously for the advantage of them that believe My designe is Gal. 16. 17. to describe the generall intention of God in all Gospell Promises whereby they being equally Spirited Eph. 2. 12. Heb. 6. 17. become as one and concerning these I say 1. That they are free and Gracious as to the rise §. 5. and fountain of them They are given unto us Tit. 1. 2. meerely through the good will and pleasure of God That which is of Promise 2 Pet. 1. 3 4. is every where opposed to that which is of doubt or that which is any way deserved or procured by us Gal. 3. 18. If the inheritance be of the Law which includes all that in us is desireable acceptable and deserving it is no more of Promise that is free and of meere Grace He that can find out any Reason or cause without God himselfe why he should promise any good things whatever to Sinners as all are are shut up under sinne till the Promise came Mat. 20. 15. Gal. 3. 22. may be allowed to Glory in the invention which he hath found out A well conditioned Nature necessitating him to a velleity of doing good and yeelding reliefe to them that are in misery though justly receiving the due reward of their deeds which even among the Sonnes of men is a vertue dwelling upon the confines of vice for their recovery is by some imposed on him But that this is not the fountaine and rise of his Promises needs no other evidence but the light of this Consideration That which is naturall is necessary and universall Promises are distinguishing as to them in misery at least they are given to men and not to fallen Angells But may not God doe what he will with his own Farther Jesus Christ is himselfe in the Promise he is the great originall matter and subject of the Promises and the giving of him was doubtlesse of free Grace and Mercy so Iohn 3. 16. God so Loved the World that he gave his only begotten Sonne and Rom 5. 8. God commendeth his Love towards us in that whilest we were Sinners Christ died for us and in the first of Ioh 4. 10. Herein is Love Mat. 11. 26. not that we Loved God but that he Loved us and sent his Sonne to be a Propitiation for us All is laid upon the account of Love and free Grace I confesse there are following Promises given out for the orderly carrying on of the persons to whom the maine originall fundamentall Promises are made unto the end designed for them that seeme to have Qualifications and Conditions in them but yet even those are all to be resolved into the Primitive grant of Mercy That which promiseth Life upon believing being of use to stirre men up unto and carry them on in Faith and Obedience must yet as to the pure nature of the Promise be resolved into that which freely is promised viz. Christ himselfe and with him both Faith and Life Believing and Salvation As in your Automata there is one originall spring or wheele that giveeth motion to sundry lesser and subordinate movers that are carried on with great variety sometimes with a seeming contrariety one to another but all regularly answering and being subservient to the impression of the first mover The first great Promise of Christ Gen. 3. 15. 16 and all good things in him is that which Spirits and principles all other Promises whatsoever Gen. 49. 10. Isa. 9. 6. and howsoever they may seem to move upon conditionall termes 2 Cor. 1. 20. yet they are all to be resolved into that absolute and free Originall Spring Hence that great Grant of Gospell Mercy is called the Gift by him Rom 5. 16 17. yea all the Promises of the Law as to their Originall Emanation from God and the constitution of the reward in them ingaged to be bestowed for the services required are free and Gracious There is not any naturall indispensable connexion between Obedience and Reward Diatr de Iust. Div. as there is between Sinne and Punishment as I have elsewhere at large Disputed and Proved 2. I call them Discoveries and Manifestations of Gods Good-will and Love §. 6. which is the prime and sole cause of all the good things which are wrapped up and contained in them Of this Good-will of God the Promises which he hath given are the sole discoveries We doe not in this Discourse take Promises meerely for what God hath said he Will doe in termes expresly but for every Assertion of his Good will and Kindnesse to us in Christ all which was first held out under a word of Promise Gen 3. 15. And this the Apostle inferres in Tit. 1. 2 3. In hope of eternall life which God that cannot lye promised before the◠World beganne but hath in due time manifested his Word through Preaching or discovered or made known that good will of his by the Promises in Preaching of the Gospell And to this extent of significancy is that Promise in the Scripture both name and thing in very many places stretched out Every thing whatever that is manifestative of Grace and good will to Sinners is of the Promise though it be not cast into a Promissory forme of expression Yea whereas strictly a Promise respecteth that which is either only future and not of present existence or the continuance of that which is yet even expressions of things formerly done and of a present performance some Individuals to the end of the World being to be made a new partakers of the Grace good will and Mercy in them doe belong to the Promise also in that Acceptation of it which the Holy Ghost in many places leads unto and which we now insist upon Mica 7. 17 18 19. 3. I say they are made unto sinners and that as sinners under no other Qualification whatever it being by the Mercy of the Promise alone that any men are relieved out of that condition of being sinners and morally nothing else Were not the Promises originally made to sinners Ephes. 2. 12. there would never any one be found in any other state or Condition Rom. 3. 19. I know there are Promises made to Believers Gal. 3. 22. even such as are unchangeable and shall beare them into the bosome of God but I say these are all consequentiall and upon supposition of the first and great Promise whereby Christ himselfe and Faith for his sake is bestowed on them This runs through them all as the very tenor of them Ioh. 3. 16. Rom. 8. 32. and method of God in them do manifest as we shall see afterwards So the Apostle Gal. 3. 22 The Scripture hath concluded all under sinne 1 Cor 1. 30. that the Promise by Faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that Believe Phil. 1. 29. All are shut up under sinne Ephes. 1. 3. untill
discovering that fallacy therein by a distinction They are not saith he all Israel that are of Israel v. 7 8. As if he had said there is a twofold Israel an Israel after the flesh onely and an Israel after the flesh and Spirit also Unto these latter were the Promises made and therefore they who looke on the former only thinke it faileth whereas indeed it holdeth its full accomplishment So he disputes againe Cap. 11. 7. I say then we may be in the darke as to many Circumstances of the fulfilling of Promises when yet they have received a most exact accomplishment 3. All the Conditionall Promises of God are exactly true and shall be most faithfully made good by accomplishment as to that wherein their being as Promises doth consist as farre as they are declarative of Gods Purpose and intendment This is that which as I said before some object Many of the Promises of God are Conditionall and their truth must needs depend upon the Accomplishment of the Condition mentioned in them if that be not fulfilled then they also must faile and be of none effect I say then that even the Conditionall Promises of God are Absolutely made good The truth of any Promise consists in this that that whereof it speakes answers the Affirmation it selfe For instance He that believeth shall be saved This Promise doth not Primarily affirme that any one shall be saved and notwithstanding it no one might so be but only this it affirmes that there is an infallible connexion betweene Faith and Salvation and therein is the Promise most true whither any one believe or no. Breifely Conditionall Promises are either simply declarative of the Will of God in fixing an exact correspondency betweene a Condition mentioned and required in them and the thing promised by them in which case they have an Unchangeable infallible verity in themselves as there is in all the Promises of the Morall Law to this day for he that keeps the Commandements shall live or they are also the discoveries of the Goodwill of God his intendments and Purposes that whereof they make mention being not the Condition whereon his Purposes are suspended but the way and meanes whereby the thing promised is to be accomplished and in the latter Acceptation alone are they in the businesse in hand our concernment 4. §. 10. That the Promises concerning Perseverance as hath been often intimated are of two sorts The first of the Continuance of the Favour of God to us which respects our Justification The other of the continuance of our Obedience unto God which respects our Sanctification Let us consider both of them and begin with the latter 1. Of them I say then they are all Absolute not one of them Conditionall so as to be suspended as to their accomplishment on any Conditions nor can be The Truth of God in them hath not its efficiency and Accomplishment by establishing the relation that is between one thing and another or the connexion that is betweene duty and reward as it is in Conditionall Promises that are purely and meerely so but inforceth the exact fulfilling of the thing promised and that with respect unto and for the preservation of the Glory of that Excellency of God He cannot lye Let it be considered what that Condition or those Conditions be or may be on which Promises of this nature should be suspended and the Truth of the former Assertions will evidently appeare That God hath Promised unto Believers that they shall for ever abide with him in the Obedience of the Covenant unto the End shall afterwards be proved by a cloud of Witnesses What now is the Condition whereon this Promise doth depend It is saies Mr Goodwin That they performe their duty that they suffer not themselves to be seduced nor willingly cast of the yoake of Christ But what doth this amount unto Is it not thus much if they abide with God for if they performe their Duty and not suffer themselves to be seduced nor willingly depart from God they abide with him God hath promised that they shall abide with him Upon Condition they abide with him he hath promised they shall egregiā verò laudem Can any thing more ridiculous be invented If men abide with God what need they any Promise that they shall so do The whole virtue of the Promise depends on that condition that condition conteineth all that is promised neither is it possible that any thing can be invented to be supplyed as the condition or conditions of these Promises but it will quickly appeare upon consideration that how ever it may be differently phrased yet indeed it is coincident with the matter of the Promise it selfe That condition or those conditions must consist in some Act Acts Way or Course of acceptable Obedience in them to whom the Promises are made This the nature of the thing it selfe requireth Now every such Act way or course is the matter of the Promise even universall Obedience Now if one man should promise another that he should at such a time and place be supplyed with an hundred pounds to pay his Debts on condition that he came and brought the Monies himselfe ought he to be esteemed to have a mind to relieve the poore man or to mock him To affirme that when God promiseth to write his Law in our Hearts to put his Feare in our inward parts to Create in us a New Heart to circumcise our Hearts that we may feare him alwaies to give us his Spirit to abide with us for ever to preserve us by his Power so that we shall never leave him nor forsake him shall live to him and sinne shall not have dominion over us c. he doth it upon condition that we write his Law in our hearts Circumcise them continue to feare Him abide with Him not forsake him c. is to make him to mock and deride at their misery whose reliefe he so seriously pretendeth What ever Promises then of this kind Promises of working Obedience in us for our abiding with him shall be produced they will be found to be Absolute independent on any condition whatever their Truth no waies to be maintained but in and by their Accomplishment 2. For those of the first sort §. 10. which I shall now handle farther to cleare the foundation of their ensuing Application I shall propose only some few things unto consideration As 1. That they are not to be taken or looked upon as to their use for Argument in the present Controversy separated and divided from those other Promises formerly insisted on which assure Believers that they shall alwaies abide with God as to their Obedience all hope that any have to prevaile against them is by dividing of them It is a very vaine supposall and foundation of sand which our Adversaries build their inferences upon which they make against the Doctrine of the Saints Perseverance viz. the Impossibility that God should continue his Love
of the floud I have sworne saith he that is I have entred into a covenant to that end which was wont to be confirmed with an Oath and God being absolutely faithfull in his covenant is said to sweare thereunto though there be no expresse mention of any such oath that the World should no more be so drowned as then it was now saith God see my Faithfulnesse herein it hath never been drowned since nor ever shall be with equall Faithfulnesse have I engaged even in Covenant that that kindnesse which I mentioned to thee shall alwaies be continued so that I will not be wroth to rebuke thee that is so as utterly to cast thee off as the World was when it was drowned But some may say before the floud the Earth was filled with violence and sinne and should it be so againe would it not bring another floud upon it Hath he said he will not drowne it notwithstanding any interposall of sinne wickednesse or rebellion whatever Yea saith he such is my Covenant I took notice in my first engagement therein that the Imagination of mans heart would be evill from his youth Gen 8. 21. and yet I entred into that solemne Covenant so that this exemption of the World from an universall deluge is not an Appendix to the obedience of the World which hath been upon some accounts more wicked since then before as in the crucifying of Christ the Lord of Glory and in rejecting of him being preached unto them but it solely leaneth upon my Faithfulnesse in keeping Covenant and my Truth in the accomplishment of the Oath that I have solemnely entred into So is my kindnesse to you I have made expresse provision for your sinnes and failings therein such I will preserve you from as are inconsistent with my kindnesse to you and such will I pardon as you are overtaken withall When you see an universall deluge covering the face of the Earth that is God unfaithfull to his Oath and Covenant then and not till then suppose that his kindnesse can be turned from Believers Something is excepted against this Testimony §. 19. Ch 11. Sect 4 Pag 227. but of so little importance that it is scarce worth while to turne aside to the consideration of it The summe is that this place speaketh only of Gods Faithfulnesse in his Covenant but that this should be the Tenor of the Covenant that they who once truly believed should by God infallibly and by a strong hand against all interposalls of sinne wickednesse or rebellion be preserved in such a Faith is not by any word syllable or Iota intimated Ans. This is that which is repeated usque ad nauseam and were it not for variety of expressions wherewith some men doe abound to adorne it it would appeare extreame beggerly and over-worne but a sorry shift as they say is better then none or doubtlesse in this place it had not been made use of For 1. This Testimony is not called forth to speake immediately to the continuance of Believers in their Faith but to the continuance and unchangeablenesse of the Love of God to them and consequentially only to their preservation in Faith upon that account 2. It is not only assumed at a cheap and very low rate or price but clearly gratis supposed that Believers may make such interposalls of Sinne Wickednesse and Rebellion in their walking with God as should be inconsistent with the continuance of his Favour and Kindnesse to them according to the tenor of the Covenant of Grace His Kindnesse and Favour being to us things extrinsecall our sinnes are not opposed unto them really and directly as though they might effectually infringe an Act of the Will of God but only meritoriously now when God saith that he will continue his kindnesse to us for ever notwithstanding the demerit of Sinne as is plainly intimated in that Allusion to the Waters of Noah for any one to say that they may fall into such Sinnes and Rebellions as that He cannot but turne his Kindnesse from them is a bold attempt for the violation of his Goodnesse and Faithfulnesse and a plaine begging of the thing in Question Certainly it is not a pious labour to thrust with violence such supposalls into the Promises of God as will stoppe those breasts from giving out any consolation when no place or roome for them doth at all appeare there being not one word syllable Iota or tittle of any such supposalls in them 3. The Exposition and Glosse that is given of these words namely that upon conditon of their Faithfulnesse and Obedience which notwithstanding any thing in this or any other Promise they may turne away from he will engage himselfe to be a God to them is such as no Saint of God without the helpe of Satan and his owne unbeliefe could affixe to the place neither will that at all assist which 4. Is affirmed namely that in all Covenants and his Promise holdeth out a Covenant there must be a condition on both sides For we willingly grant that in this Covenant of Grace God doth promise something to us and requireth something of us and that these two have mutuall dependance one upon another But we also affirme that in the very Covenant it selfe God hath graciously promised to worke effectually in us those things which he requireth of us and that therein it mainly differeth from the Covenant of Works which he hath abolished But such a Covenant as wherein God should Promise to be a God unto us upon a condition by us and in our own strength to be fulfilled and on the same account continued in unto the end we acknowledge not nor can whilest our hearts have any sence of the Love of the Father the Bloud of the Sonne of the Grace of the Holy Spirit the fountaines thereof Notwithstanding then any thing that hath been drawn forth in opposition to it Faith may triumph from the Love of God in Christ held out in this Promise to the full assurance of an everlasting Acceptance with him for God also willing yet more abundantly to give in consolation in this place to the heirs of the Promis assureth the stability of his Love and kindnesse to them by another allusion v. 10. The Mountaines saith he shall depart and the hills be removed but my kindnesse shall not depart from thee neither shall the Covenant of my Peace be removed saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee He biddeth them consider the mountaines and hilles and suppose that they may be removed and depart suppose that the most unlikely things in the World shall come to passe whose accomplishment none can judge possible while the World endureth yet my kindnesse to thee is such as shall not fall within those supposalls which concerne things of such an impossibility I am exceeding conscious that all Paraphrasing or Exposition of the words that may be used for their Accommodation to the Truth we plead for doth but darken and Eclipse the Light and Glory
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
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
breake open their seales In the Latter are all promissory ingagements confirmed established and made unalterable wherein men either in conditionall compacts or Testamentary dispositions doe oblige themselves These are the Sigilla appensa that are yet in use in all Deeds Enfeofements and the like Instruments in Law And with men if this be done their engagements are accounted inviolable And because all men have not that Truth Faithfulnesse and Honesty as to make good even their sealed engagements the whole Race of man-kind hath consented unto the establishment of Lawes and Governors amongst others to this end that all men may be compelled to stand to their sealed Promises hence whatsoever the nature of it be and in what particular soever it doth consist the end and use of this worke in this speciall Acceptation is taken evidently in the latter sence from its use amongst men Expressed it is upon the mention of the Promises 2 Cor 1. 20. To secure Believers of their certaine and infallible accomplishment unto them the Apostle tells them of this sealing of the Spirit whereby the Promises are irrevocably confirmed unto them to whom they are made as is the case among the Sonnes of men sutably Ephes. 1. 13. he saith they are sealed by the Holy spirit of Promise Heb. 9. 14. that is that is promised unto us and who confirmes to us all the Promises of God That the other end of security also safety and preservation is designed therein secondarily appears from the appointed season whereunto this sealing shall be effectuall it is to the day of Redemption Eph 4. 30. untill the Saints are brought to the enjoyment of the full whole and compleat purchase made for them by Christ when he obtained for them eternall Redemption And this is a reall Testimony which the Holy Spirit gives to his owne abiding with the Saints for ever The worke he accomplisheth in them and upon them is on set purpose designed to assure them hereof and to confirme them in the Faith of it Unto an Argument from this sealing of the spirit thus proposed § 30. Those who are sealed shall certainly be saved Mr Goodwin excepts sundry things Ch. 11. Sect. 42. Pag. 255 256 257. which because they are applied to blurre that interpretation of the words of the Holy Ghost which I have insisted on I shall briefely remove out of the way that they may be no farther offensive to the meanest sealed one He answers then first by distinguishing the Major Proposition thus They who are sealed shall certainly be saved with such a sealing which is unchangeable by any intervenience whatsoever as of sinne and Apostasy so that they cannot loose their Faith but if the sealing be only such the continuance whereof depends on the Faith of the sealed and consequently may be reversed or with-drawne it no way proves that all they who are partakers of it must of necessity retaine their Faith therefore saith he 2 ly We Answer farther that the sealing with the spirit spoken of is the Latter kind of sealing not the former i.e. which depends upon the Faith of those that are sealed as in the beginning or first impression of it so in the duration or continuance of it and consequently there is none other certainty of its continuance but only the continuance of the said Faith which being uncertaine the sealing depending on it must needs be uncertaine also That the sealing mentioned depends upon the Faith of the sealed is evident because t is said in whom also after yee believed yee were Sealed with the spirit of Promise Ans. I dare say there is no honest man that would take it well at the hand of Mr Goodwin or any else that should attempt by distinctions or any other way to alleviate or take off the credit of his Truth and Honesty in the performance of all those things whereunto and for the confirmation whereof he hath set his Seal What acceptation an like attempt in reference to the spirit of God is like to find with him he may doe well to consider In the meane time he prevailes not with us to discredit this worke of his Grace in the least For 1. First This supposall of such interveniencies of sinne and wickednesse in the Saints as are inconsistent with the life of Faith and the favour of God as also of Apostasy are but a poore meane insinuation for the begging of the thing in Question which will never be granted of any such termes An interveniency of Apostasy that is defection from the Faith is not handsomely supposed whilest men continue in the Faith 2. That which is given for the confirmation of their Faith and on set purpose to adde continuance to it as this is cannot depend on the condition of the continuance of their Faith The Holy Ghost seales them to the day of Redemption confirming and establishing thereby an infallible continuance of their Faith but it seemes upon condition of their continuance in the Faith Cui fini Of what hitherto is said this is the summe If they who are sealed Apostatize into sinne and wickednesse they shall not be saved notwithstanding that they have been sealed and this must passe for an answer to our Argument proving that they cannot so apostatise because they are Sealed on purpose to preserve and secure them from that Condition Men need not goe farre to seeke for Answers to any Argument if such as these pure beggings of the thing in Question and argued will suffice 3. Neither doth the begining or first impression of the sealing depend upon their Faith any otherwise but as Believers are the subject of it which is not to have any kind of dependance upon it either as to its nature or use Neither doth that place of the Apostle Fph. 1. 13. After ye Believed ye were sealed prove any such thing unlesse this generall axiome be first established that all things which in order of nature are before and after have the Connexion of Cause and effect or at least of Condition and Event between them It proves indeed that their Believing is in order of nature antecedent to their sealing respecting the use of it here mentioned but this proves not at all that Faith is the condition of sealing the bestowing of Faith and the grant of this seale to establish it being both acts depending meerely solely distinctly on the free Grace of God in Christ Though Faith in order of nature goe before Hope yet is no Hope bestowed on men on the condition of Believing The truth is both Faith Sealing all other spirituall Mercyes as to the Goodwill of God bestowing them are at once granted us in Jesus Christ but as to our reception of them the actuall instating of our soules in the enjoyment of them or rather as to the exerting of themselves in us they have that order which either the nature of the things themselves requires or the soveraigne Will of God hath alotted to them neither
doth sealing bespeake any Grace in us but a peculiar improvement of the Grace bestowed on us So that 4. We refuse the Answer suggested by Mr Goodwin That Sealing depends that is in his sence upon Believing as to the first grant of it but not as to the continuance therof and reject his supposall of one that hath truly Blieved making shipwrack of his Faith as to importune a crye or begging of that which it is evident cannot be proved I shall adde only that Mr Goodwin granting here the continvance of Faith to be a thing uncertaine which is a word to expresse a very weak probability of a thing is much fallen off from his former confident expression of the only remote possibility of Believers falling away That their falling away should be scarsly possible and yet their continuance in the Faith very uncertaine is somewhat uncouth But this is the foundation of that great Consolation which Mr Goodwins Doctrine is so pregnant and teeming withall that it even grones to be delivered Their continuance in Believing is uncertaine therefore they must needs rejoyce and be filled with Consolation But he Answers farther 1. I Answer farther by way of exception that the Sealing we speake of is neither granted by God unto Believers themselves upon any such termes that upon no occasion or occasions whatsoever §. 31. as of the greatest and most horrid sins commited and long continued in by them or the like it should never be interrupted or defaced for this is contrary to many plaine Texts of Scripture and particularly uuto all those where either Apostates from God or evill doers and workers of iniquity are threatned with the losse of Gods Favour and of the inheritance of Life such as Heb. 10. c. Ans. 1. It is the intent and purpose of God that the Sealing of Believers shall abide with them for ever whence comes it to passe that his Purposes doe not stand and that he doth not fulfill his pleasure It is not that he changeth but that men are changed that is the beginning of the change is not in him Occasion of it is administred unto him by men When his Sealing is removed from Believers doth God still purpose that it shall continue with them or no If he doth then he puposeth that shall be which is not which it is his will shall not be and he continues in his vaine Purpose to Eternity Or if he ceases to purpose how is it that he is not changed Such things speake a change in the sonnes of men and we thought had been incompatible with the Perfection of the Divine Nature even that he should Will Purpose one thing at one time and another yea the cleane contrary at another Yea but the Reason of it is because the men concerning whom his Purposes are do change This salves not the Immutability of God Though he doth not change from any new consideration in himselfe and from himselfe yet he doth from obstructions in his way and to his thoughts in the Creatures yea insteed of salving his Vnchangeablenesse this is destructive to his Omnipotency 2. This whole Answer is a supposall that God may alter his Purposes of confirming men in Grace if they be not confirmed in Grace or that though Gods Purpose be to seale them to the day of Redemption yet they may not continue nor be preserved thereunto and then Gods Purpose of their continuance ceaseth also This is 3. More evident in his second Answer by way of exception which is made up of these two parts First a begging of the maine and upon the matter only thing in question by supposing that Believers may fall into the most horrible sinnes and continue in them to the end so proving with greate Evidence and perspicuity that Believers may fall away because they may fall away And 2. A suggestion of his owne Judgement to the contrary And his supposall that it is confirmed by some Texts of Scripture which God assisting shall be delivered from this Imputation hereafter And these two do make up so cleare an Answer to the Argument in hand that a man knowes not well what to reply let us take it for granted that Believers may fall away and how shall we prevent Mr Goodwin from proving it But he adds farther Believers are said to be sealed by the Holy Spirit of God against or untill or for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the day of Redemption because that Holinesse which is wrought in them by the Spirit of God qualifies them puts them into a present and actuall Capacity of partaking in that Joy and Glory which the Great day of the full Redemption of the Saints that is of those who lived and dyed and shall be found such shall bring with it and it is called the Earnest of their Inheritance Ans. How 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comes to be against or for or to denote the matter spoken of and what all this is to the purpose in hand he shewes not The ayme of him the words are spoken of and the uninterrupted continuance of the worke mentioned to the end expressed seemes rather to be intended in the whole Coherence of the words Neither is the use of Sealing to prepare any thing for such a time but to secure and preserve it thereunto He that hath a Conveyance Sealed unto him is not only capacitated for the present to receive the estate conveyed but is principally assured of a Right Title for a continued enjoyment of it not to be reversed It is not the nature of this worke of the Holy Ghost wherein it is coincident which other acts of his Grace but the particular use of it as it is a Sealing and Gods intendment by it to confirme us to the day of Redemption that comes under our Consideration If it were a season to inquire wherein it consists I suppose we should scarce close with Mr Goodwin's description of it viz. That it is a quallifying of men and putting them in an actuall capacity to partake of Joy c. He is the first I know of that gave this description of it and probably the last that will do so Of the Earnest of the Spirit in its propper place What he addes in the last place namely §. 32. if the Apostles intent had been to informe the Ephesians that the gift of the Holy Spirit which they had received from God was the earnest of their inheritance upon such termes that no unworthinesse or wickednesse whatsoever on their parts could ever hinder the actuall collation of this inheritance upon them he had plainly prevaricated with that most serious Admonition wherein he addresses himselfe to them afterwards For this ye know that no Whore-monger c. hath any inheritance in the Kingdome of Christ This I say is of the same alloy with what went before For 1. Here is the same begging of the Question as before and that upon a twofold account 1. In supposing that Believers may fall into
personall Appellations 2. In personall Operations 3. Personall Circumstances 1. First there are ascribed to the indwelling Spirit in his indwelling Personal Appellations He that is in you is greater then he that is in the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that is in you is a personall Denomination which cannot be used of any Grace or gratious habit whatsoever so John 14 16 17. He shall abide with you he dwelleth with you shall be in you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 John 16. 13. But when the Spirit of Truth is come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His Person is as signally designed and expressed as in any place of Scripture to what intent or purpose soever mentioned Neither is it possible to apprehend that the Scripture would so often so expressly affirme the same thing in plaine proper words if they were not to be taken in the sence which they hold out The maine Emphasis of the Expression lyes upon the Termes that are of a personall designation and to evade the force of them by the fore mentioned distinction which they seeme signally to obviate and prevent is to say what we please so we may oppose what pleases us not 2. Personall Operations such acts and actings as are proper to a person only are ascribed to the Spirit in his indwelling That place mentioned before Rom. 8. 11. is cleare hereunto But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you he who raised Christ from the dead shall quicken your mortall bodyes by his Spirit which dwélteh in you or by his indwelling Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To quicken our mortall bodyes is a Personall acting such as cannot be wrought but by an Almighty Agent And this is ascribed to the Spirit as inhabiting whch is in order of nature antecedent to his quickning of us as was manifested And the same is asserted v. 15. The Spirit beareth witnesse with our spirits that we are the Sonnes of God That Spirit that dwells in us beares witnesse in us a distinct Witnesse by himselfe distinguished from the Testimony of our owne spirit here mentioned is either an Act of our naturall Spirits or Gracious fruit of the Spirit of God in our hearts If the first what makes it in the things of God Is any Testimony of our naturall spirits of any value to assure us that we are the Children of God If the latter then is there here an immediate operation of the Spirit dwelling in our hearts in witnesse-bearing distinct from all the fruits of Grace whatever And on this account it is that whereas 1 Epistle of John 5. 7 8. the Father Sonne and Spirit are said to beare witnesse in Heaven the Spirit is moreover peculiarly said to beare witnesse in the Earth together with the Blood and Water 3. There are such Circumstances ascribed to him in his indwelling as are proper only to that which is a Person I will instance only in one his dwelling in the Saints as in a Temple 1 Cor. 3. 16. Yee are the Temple of God and his Spirit dwelleth in you that is as in a Temple so plainely chap. 6. 19. Your body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you which you have of God giving us both the distinction of the Person of the Spirit from the other Persons he is given us of God and his residence with us being so given he is in us as also the manner of his in-being as in a Temple Nothing can make a place a Temple but the Relation it hath unto a Deity Graces that are but Qualifications of and Qualities in a Subject cannot be said to dwell in a Temple This the Spirit doth and therefore as a voluntary Agent in an habitation not as a necessary or naturall principle in a subject and though every act of his be Omnipotent intensively being the act of an Omnipotent Agent yet he worketh not in the acts extensively to the utmost of his Omnipotency he exerteth and puts forth his Power and brings forth his Grace in the hearts of them with whom he dwells as he pleaseth to one he comunicates more Grace to another lesse yea he gives more strength to one and the same person at one time and in one condition 1 Cor. 12. then another dividing to every one as he will and if this peculiar manner of his personall presence with his Saints distinct from his Ubiquity or Omnipresence may not be believed because not well by reason conceived we shall lay a Foundation for the questioning principles of Faith which as yet we are not fallen out withall And this is our first manifestation of the Truth concerning the Indwelling of the Spirit in the Saints from the Scripture The second will be from the signall Issues and benefits which are asserted to arise from this indwelling of the Spirit in them of which I shall give sundry instances 1. The first signall Issue and Effect which is ascribed to this Indwelling of the Spirit §. 6. is Union not a Personall Union with himselfe which is impossible He doth not assume our natures and so prevent our Personality which would make us one Person with him but dwells in our Persons keeping his owne and leaving us our Personality infinitely distinct But it is a spirituall Union the great Union mentioned so often in the Gospell that is the sole fountain of our Blessednesse our Union with the Lord Christ which we have thereby Many thoughts of heart there have been about this Union §. 7. what it is wherein it doth consist the causes manner and Effects of it The Scripture expresses it to be very Eminent neere durable setting it out for the most part by similitudes and Metaphoricall Illustrations to lead poore weak Creatures into some usefull needfull acquaintance with that Mystery whose depths in this life they shall never fathome That many in the dayes wherein we live have miscarried in their conceptions of it is evident some to make out their Imaginary Union have destroyed the person of Christ and fancying a way of uniting man to God by him have left him to be neither God nor Man Others have destroyed the Person of Believers affirming that in their Union with Christ they loose their own Personality that is cease to be Men or at least these or these Individuall men I intend not now to handle it at large but only and that I hope without offence to give in my thoughts concerning it as farre as it receiveth light from and relateth unto what hath been before delivered concerning the Indwelling of the Spirit and that without the least contending about other wayes of Expression I say then §. 3. this is that which gives us Union with Christ and that wherein it consists even that the one and selfe-same Spirit dwells in him and us The first saving Elapse from God upon the Hearts of the Elect is the Holy Spirit Their quickning is every where ascribed to the Spirit that is
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
downe He hath undertaken to worke and who shall let him The Councell of his heart as to the fulfilling of it doth not depend on any thing in us what sinne thou art overtaken withall he will pardon and will effectually supply thee with his Spirit thatâ— thou shalt not fall into or continue in such sinnes as would cut off thy Communion with him And doth not this mixe the forementioned Promises with Faith and so render it effectuall to the carrying on of the worke of Love and Obedience as was mentioned And as this Doctrine is suited to the establishment of the soule in Believing and to the stirring of men up to mixe the the Promises with Faith so there is not any thing that is or canbe thought more effectuall to the weakening impairing and shattering of the Faith of the Saints then that which is contrary thereunto as shall afterwards be more fully manifested Tell a soule that God will write his Law in him and put his feare in his inward partes that he shall never depart from him what can ye pitch upon possibly to unsettle him as to a perswasion of the Accomplishment of this Promise and that it shall be so indeed as God hath spoken but only this according as thou behavest thy selfe which is left unto thee so shall this be made good or come short of accomplishment If thou continue to walke with God which that thou shalt do he doth not promise but upon Condition thou walke with him it shall be well and if thou turne aside which thou mayst do notwithstanding any thing here spoken or intimated then the word spoken shall be of none effect the Promise shall not be fulfilled towards thee I know not what the most malicious Devill in Hell if they have degrees of malice can invent more suitable to weaken the Faith of men as to the accomplishment of Gods Promise then by affirming that it doth not depend upon his Truth and Faithfulnesse but solely on their good behaviour which he doth not effectually provide that it shall be such as is required thereunto God himselfe hath long since determined this difference might he be attended unto What hath been spoken of the Promises of the first sort might also be manifested concerning those of the second And the like might also be cleared up in reference to those other weapons of Ministers warfare in casting downe the strong holds of sinne in the hearts of men to wit Exhortations and Threatnings But because Mr Goodwin hath taken great paines both in the generall to prove the unsuitablenesse of our Doctrine to the promotion of Obedience and an Holy Conversation and in particular its inconsistency with the Exhortations and Threatnings of the Word managed by the Ordinances of the Ministry What is needfull farther to be added to the purpose in hand will fall in with our vindication rescuing of the Truth from the false criminations wherewith it is assaulted and reproached as to this particular And therefore I shall immediately addresse myselfe to the Consideration of his long Indictment and charge against the Doctrine of the Perseverance of the Saints as to this very thing CAP. XI 1. The Entrance into an Answer to Mr G's Arguments against the Doctrine of the Saints Perseverance His sixt Argument about the usefulnesse of the Doctrine under consideration to the worke of the Ministry proposed 2. His prâ—ofe of the minor Proposition 3. Considered and Answered Many pretenders to promote Godlinesse by false Doctrines M. G.'s common interest in this Argument 4. His proofes of the usefulnesse of his Doctrine unto the promotion of Godlinesse 5. Considered and Answered The inconsequence of his Arguing discovered 6. The Doctrine by him opposed mistaken ignorantly or wilfully 7. Objections proposed by Mr G. to himselfe to be Answered 8. The Objection as proposed disowned Certainty of the Love of God in what sence a motive to Obedience 9. The Doctrine of Apostasy denies the unchangeablenesse of Gods Love to Believers placeth Qualifications in the Roome of persons 10. How the Doctrine of Perseverance promiseth the continuance of the Love of God to Believers 11. Certainty of Reward incouraging to regular Actions Promises made to Persons qualified not suspended upon those Qualifications Meanes appointed of God for the accomplishment of a determined end certaine 12. Meanes not alwaies conditions 13 M. G's strange inference concerning the Scripture 14. Considered The word of God by him undervalued and subjected to the judgement of vaine men as to its Truth and Authority 15. The pretended reason of the former proceeding discussed The Scripture the sole judge of what is to be ascribed to God and believed concerning him 16. The Doctrine of the Saints Perseverance falsely imposed on and vindicated 17. Mr G's next Objection made to himselfe against his Doctrine its unseasonablenesse as to the Argument in hand demonstrated 18. No Assurance of the Love of God not Peace left the Saints by the Doctrine of Apostasy The ground of Peace and Assurance by it taken away 19. Ground of Pauls Consolation 1 Cor. 9. 27. the meaning of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 20. Another Plea against the Doctrine attempted to be proved by M. G. That attempt considered Not the weaknesse of the Flesh naturally but the strength of Lust spiritually pretended 21. The cause of Sinne in the Saints farther discussed 22. The Power ascribed by M. G. to men for the strengthning and making willing the Spirit in them considered 23. The Aptnesse of the Saints to performe what and whence The opposition they have in them thereunto 24. Gospell Obedience how easy 25. The Conclusion 26. Answer to Chap. 13. of his Book proposed THE Argument §. 1. wherein Mr Goodwin exposeth the Doctrine under contest to the triall concerning its usefulnesse as to the promotion of Godlinesse in the hearts and wayes of them by whom it is received he thus proposeth Cap. 13. Sect. 32. Pag. 333. That Doctrine which is according to Godlinesse and whose naturall and proper tendencie is to promote Godlinesse in the hearts and lives of men is Evangelicall and of unquestionable comportance with the Truth such is the Doctrine which teacheth the possibility of the Saints declining both totally and finally Ergo Of this Argument he goeth about to establish the respective propositions §. 2. so as to make them serviceable to the enforcement of the Conclusion he aimeth at for the exaltation of the Helena whereon he is enamored and for the major Proposition about which rightly understood we are remote from contesting with him or any else and will willingly and cheerefully at any time drive the cause in difference to Issue upon the singular Testimony of the Truth wrapped up in it he thus conâ—irmeth it The Reason of the major Proposition though the truth of it needeth no light but its owne to be seen by is because the Gospell it selfe is a Doctrine which is according unto Godlinesse a ministry of Godlinesse is a Doctrine
it being laid upon the proofe of the Minor Proposition formerly denied here laid downe It will easily be granted that it was incumbent on him to make sure worke here and not to leave any thing liable to any just Exception An errour or a mistake in the foundation is not easily recoverable All that is afterwards heaped up beareth it selfe on a supposition of the Truth of what is here delivered If this faile in the least we may spare our Labour as to any farther consideration of what followeth Now the maine of the proofe here insisted on lieth in the Declaration of that which he calleth the Common Doctrine of Perseverance and concerning this he informeth his Reader 1. That it commandeth all Saints to he fully perswaded and that with the gseatest and most indubitable certainty of Faith that there is an absolute and utter impossibility either of a totall or finall defection of their Faith Ans. 1. What is the intendment of these Aggravating expressions of fully perswaded greatest and most indubitable certainty of Faith I know not Will it please you if it should require them to be perswaded but not fully perswaded Believe it but with little and dubitable cetainty of Faith or uncertainty rather Full perswasion greatest certainty without doubting or staggering are all of their perfections of Faith and of the Saints in believing which without doubt they are in all that they are to Believe to presse after so that all this is no more but that this Doctrine requireth men to believe what it affirmeth God to have promised It requireth men to mixe the Promises of God with Faith Crimen in auditum But though the manner of Believing which it requireth be not blameable yet the thing which it proposeth to be believed is false What is that That there is an Absolute or utter impossibility either of a totall or finall defection of the Faith of true Believers It s requiring this to be Believed is the bottome also corner stone of Mr Goodwin's insuing Argument if it doth not do this he hath nothing in this place to say to it Let him then produce any one that ever wrote in the defence of it that hath in Termes or by just consequence delivered any such thing and on Herbam there shall be an end of this dispute I presume Mr Goodwin knoweth what is meant by an absolute and utter impossibility An absolute Repugnancy unto being in the nature of the things themselves concerning which any Affirmation is and not any externall or forraigne consideration doth entitle any thing to an absolute utter Impossibility did ever any one affirme that in the nature of the thing it selfe the defection of the S t s is absolutely impossible Is it not by them that believe the Perseverance of the S t s constantly affirmed that in themselves they are apt yea prone to fall away and their Faith to decay and dye which in it selfe possibly may be done though Mr Goodw cannot tolerably shew how The whole cerrainty of their continuance in and of the preservation of their Faith depends meerely on supposition of something that is extrinsecall in respect of them and of their state which as to their Condition might or might not be Farther the Perseverance of the Saints is by the same persons constantly affirmed to be carryed on to be perfected in and by the use of meanes It is their keeping by the power of God through Faith unto Salvation And can then an absolute impossibility of their defection be asserted or only that which is so upon supposition viz. of the Purpose of God c. There was no Absolute Impossibility that the bones of Christ should not be broken they being in themselves as lyable to be broken as his flesh to be pierced yet in respect of the event it was impossible they should be so I cannot well imagine that Mr Grodwin is not fully perswaded with the greatest and most indubit able certainty that a Perswasion in things of this kind will admit that the Common Doctrine of Perseverance doth not require Saints to believe that there is an absolute impossibility of their defection but only that God hath promised to Preserve them from that which in themselves and in respect of any thing in them they are obnoxious unto in and by the use of meanes suited and appointed by him to the carrying on of that worke and compassing of the end proposed But yet it pleaseth him here to make shew of a contrary Apprehension and to shew his confidence therein he aggravates it with this annexed supposition and case It doth so saith he though they should fall into 10000 enormous and most abominable sinnes and lye wallowing in them like Swine in the mire yet that they shall remaine all the while in an estate of Grace Ans. Truly this is such an enormous and abominable Calumny §. 11. that I cannot but admire how any sober and Rationall man durst venture upon the owning of it The question now is what Faith the Doctrine insisted on ingenerates in particular persons that should enervate and make void the Exhortations c. of the Ministry Now though the Doctrine should teach this Indefinitely that though men did sinne so and so as is here exprest yet they should be kept in a state of Grace as is mentioned which yet is lowdly and palpably false as hath been declared yet that it doth require particular men to Believe for themselves and in reference to the Guidance of their owne Wayes that they may lye and wallow in their sinne like swine in the mire and yet continue in a state of Grace and Acceptation with God is so notoriously contrary to the whole tenour of the Doctrine the genius and nature of it with all the Arguments whereby it is asserted and maintained that if conscience had but in the least been advised with all in this contest this charge had been without doubt omitted All that is produced for the confirmation of this strange imposition on the perswasion under consideration is his owne Testimony that makes the charge that it is the knowne voice of the common Doctrine of Perseverance and that being said is laid as a Foundation of all that followes The whole Discourse still relating to a supposition that this is the Doctrine which it opposeth from the very next words to the end Nor is there the least farther attempt for the confirmation of this grand Assertion But is this the knowne voice of our Doctrine of Perseverance Who ever heard it but Mr G. and men of the like prejudicate Spirits aganist the Truth The worst that can be charged with looking this way is its asserting the promised efficacy of the Grace of God for the preserving of Believers by the use of meanes from such wallowing in abominable sinnes as is supposed that it affirmes they may be exposed unto In briefe it saies not First That all Believers are certaine of their Perseverance Nor Secondly That
Thus then we clearely see that the former of the two Consequents mentioned cannot stand God doth not by his Spirit irresistibly draw or move the wills of the S t s to do things which are necessary for the procuring their Perseverance immediately or withont the instrumentall interposure of the said Exhortations Ans. First §. 21. the intendment of this as also of some following Sections is to prove and manifest that the use of Exhortations cannot consist with the efficacy of Internall Grace and the worke of the Spirit in producing and effecting those Graces in us which in those Exhortations we are provoked and stirred up unto A very sad undertaking truely to my apprehension for w eh the Church of God will scarce ever returne thankes to them that shall ingage in it He was of an other minde who cryed Da Domine qvod jubes jube quod vis yea the Holy Ghost hath in innumerable places of Scripture exprest himselfe of another mind promising to worke effectually in us what he requires earnestly of us by the one manifesting the efficacy of his Grace by the other the exigeney of the Duty which is incumbent upon us Nay never any Saint of God once pray'd in his life seeking any thing at the hand of God but was of another mind if he understood his owne supplications To what is here urged against this Catholicke Faith of Believers I say That Exhortations are the meanes of Perseverance in as much as by them in their place and kinde and with them the Spirit of God effectually workes this Peseverance or the matter of it in the Saints Those cloudy expressions of irresistibly and unfrustrably we owne no farther then as they denote the certainty of the event and not the manner of the Spirits operation which also they do very unhandsomely We leave out then in the proposall of our Judgement about the use of Exhortations which Mr Goodwin opposeth those tearmes and adde in their Roome by and by with those Exhortations which he omitts He saith then This cannot be proved because the Saints live and dye often times in opposition and disobedience unto these Exhortations But Obedience is twofold First as to the generall frame of the heart Obedience in the habit and so 't is false that the Saints live at any time in an ordinary course much lesse dye in opposition to those Exhortations the Law of God being written in their hearts and they delighting in it in their inward man they abide therein the fruit of Obedience for the most part being brought forth by them And this sufficeth as to their Perseverance Secondly It regardeth particular acts of Obedience and in respect of them we all say that yet they all sinne Optimus ille est qui minimis urgetur but this prejndiceth not their Perseverance nor the generall end of the Exhortations afforded them for that purpose But he adds Secondly If God by his Spirit irresistibly drawes his Saints to persevere ut supra But this is sorry Sophistry which may be felt as they say through a paire of mittins For First who saies that God workes by force immediately upon the wills of men Or who makes force and power to be tearmes equivalent Or that God cannot put forth the exceeding greatnesse of his power in them that believe but he must force or compell their wills or that he can not work in us to will and to do of his owne goodpleasure immediately working in and with our wills but he must so force them Secondly whence ariseth the disjunctive force of this Argument Either by immedate actings upon their wills or he makes use of those Exhortations As though the one way were exclusive of the other and that the Scripture did not abundantly and plentifully ascribe both these unto God both that he exhorts us to know him love him believe in him and gives us an understanding and an heart so to do working Faith and Love in us by the exceeding efficacy of his power and Spirit I say then that God workes immediately by his Spirit in and on the wills of his Saints that is he puts forth a reall Physicall power that is not contained in those exhortations though he doth it by and in and with them The impotency that is in us to do good is not amisse termed Ethico-physica both Naturall and Morall and the Applications of God to the soule in their doing good are both Really and Physically efficient and Morall also the one consisting in the efficacy of his Spirit the other lying in the exhortations of the Word yet so as that the efficacy of the Spirit is exerted by and with the Morall efficacy of the Word his workes being but Grace or the Law in the heart the Word being the Law written so that all the ensuing Reasonings are bottomed upon things Male divisa that stand in a sweet harmony and compliance with each other But Mr Goodwin tells you That if God worke by his Spirit his Grace immediately on the wills of men to cause them to persevere then are Exhortations no meanes of their Perseverance Why so I pray It seemes we must have no internall effectuall Grace from God or no outward Exhortations of the Word But he tells you it must be so because If the will be Physically and Irresistibly acted and drawne by God to do such and such things it needeth no adition of Morall meanes such are Exhortations thereunto That is if the will be effectually inclined to the wayes of God by his Grace there is then no need of the Exhortations of the Word But yet First the Spirit of God though he have an immediate efficacy of his owne by with those Exhortations yet by those Exhortations he also inclines the will as he workes on the will as Corrupt impotent by his Grace so he workes on the will as the will or as such a faculty is apt to be wrought upon by a mediation of the understanding by Exhortations Secondly to say Obedience would have been produced and wrought had there been no Exhortations is not required of us what efficacy soever we ascribe to Grace unlesse we also deny Exhortations to be appointed of God and to be used by the Spirit of God for the producing of that Obedience Neither Thirdly doth God worke upon the will as a distinct faculty alone of it selfe without suiting his operations to the other faculties of the soule Nor is Grace to be wrought or carryed on in us meerely as we have Wills but as we have Understandings also whereby the Exhortations he is pleased to use may be conveyed to the will and affect it in their kind in a word this is but repeating what was said before If there be any effectuall Grace there is no use of Exhortations If exhortations be the meanes of continuing or increaseing Grace what need the efficacy of Grace or immediate actings of the Spirit working in us to will and to do of Gods
That is they cannot-have any goodnesse in them beyond that which is entitative And so farre are we now arrived All efficacious working of the Spirit of God on us must be excluded or all we do is good for nothing Away with all Promises all Prayers yea the whole Covenant of Grace they serve for no other end but to keepe us from doing good Let us heare the Scripture speake a little in this cause Deut. 30. 6. The Lord thy God will circumcise thy heart and the heart of thy seed to Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soule that thou maist live Jere. 31. 33. the 32. 39. This shall be the Covenant that I will make with the House of Israel after those dayes saith the Lord I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their Hearts and will be their God and they shall be my people Chap. 32. 39. I will give them one heart and one way that they may feare me for ever for the good of them and their Children after them Ezek. 36. 26. A new heart also will I give you and a new Spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and I will give you an heart of flesh and I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walke in my statutes and ye shall keepe my Judgements and do them Act. 16. 14. God opened the heart of Lydia that shee attended to the things spoken of Paul Phil. 1. 29. It is given to you in the behalfe of Christ not only to Believe on him but also to suffer for his sake and Chap. 2. 13. For it is God which worke the in you both to will and to do of his owne good pleasure as also Ephs. 1. 19. That ye may know what is the exceeding greatnesse of his power to us ward who Believe according to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead and 2 Thess. 1. 11. We pray alwayes for you that our God would fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodnesse the worke of Faith with power So also in 2 Cor. 5. 17. If any man be in Christ he is a new Creature for Ephes. 2. 4 5. God who is rich in Mercy for his great Love wherewith he Loved us even when we were dead in sinnes hath quickned us together with Christ Causing us Chap 4. 24. to put on that new man which after God is Created in Righteousnesse and true Holinesse with the like Assertions John 3. 3 James 1. 18. 1 Pet. 1. 23. John 5. 21. 2 Cor. 3. 5. c What may be thought of these and the like expressions §. 28. Do they hold out any reall effectuall internall Worke of the Spirit and Grace of God distinct from Morall perswasions or do they not If they do how comes any thing so wrought in us by us to be Morally good If they do not we may bid farewell unto all Renewing Regenerating Assisting Effectuall Grace of God That God then by his Spirit and Grace cannot enable us to act Morally and according to a Rule is not yet proved VVhat followes Saith he So farre as Exhortatious are meanes to produce these Acts §. 29. they must be Morall for Morall causes are not capable of producing Naturall or Physicall effects But if Mr Goodwin think that in this Controversy Physicall and Necessary as applyed to effects are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he is heavenly wide Physicall denotes only their being Necessary a manner of being as to some of them which have Physically a beeing The tearme Naturall is ambiguous and sometimes used in the one sence sometimes in the other sometimes it denotes that which is only sometimes that which is in such a kind By a Physicall effect we understand an Effect with respect to t is reall existency as by a Morall effect an effect in respect of its Regularity And now why may not a Morall cause have an influence in its owne kind to the production of a Physicall effect I meane an influence suited to its owne Nature and manner of operation by the way of motive and perswasion What would you think of him that should perswade you to lift your hand above your head to try how high you could reach or whether your Arme were not out of joynt Secondly §. 30. It hath been sufficiently shewed before that with these Exhortations which worke as appointed meanes Morally God exerteth an effectuall power for the reall production of that wherento the Exhortation tends dealing thus with our whole soules suitably to the Nature of all their faculties as every one of them is fitted and suited to be wrought upon for the accomplishment of the End he aimes at and in the manner that he intends Briefely to every Act of the VVill as an act in genere entis there is required a really operative and Physicall concurence of the Providentiall power of God in its owne order as the first Cause To every Act as good or gracious the operative concurrence and influence of the Spirit of Grace which yet hinders not but that by Exhortations men may be provoked and stirred up to the performance of Acts as such and to the performance of them as good and gracious This being not the direct Controversy in hand §. 31. I do but touch upon it Concerning that which followes I should perhaps say we have found Anguem in herba but being so toothlesse and stinglesse as it is to any that in the least attend to it it may be only tearmed the padde in the straw Physicall and Morall are taken to be tearmes it seemes Equipollent to Necessary and Not-necessary which is such a wresting of the tearmes themselves and their knowne use as men shall not likely meet withall Hence is it that Acts Physicall and Necessary are the same Every Act of the most free agent under Heaven yea in Heaven or Earth is in its owne Nature and Being Physicall Acts also are Morall i. e. good or evill consequently in order of Nature to their existence of which Necessary or Not-necessary are the Adjunct manner in reference to the Rule or Law whereunto their conformity is required How Morall and Not-necessary come to be tearmes of the same import Mr Goodwin will declare perhaps heareafter when he shall have leisure to teach as much new Philosophy as he hath already done Divinity In the meane time we deny that any influence from God on the wills of men doth make any Act of them Necessary as to the manner of its production And so this first Argument for the Inconsistency of the use of Exhortations with the reall efficiency of the Grace and Spirit of God is concluded That which followes in this Section to the end §. 32. is a pretended Answer to an Objection of our Authors owne framing being only introduced to give farther Advantage to
we are disenabled from persuing the Comparison instituted The one part being not to be considered or at least not being considerable The time when first Head was made against the Truth we professe and Criminations like those managed by Mr Goodwin hatched and contrived to Assault it withall was when it had been eminently delivered to the Saints of this Nation and all the Churches of Christ by Reinolds Whitakers Greenham and others like to them their fellow labourers in the Lords Vineyard The poore weake Wormes of this present Generation who imbrace the same Doctrine with these men of name are thought to be free some of them at least from being destroyed by the poysonous and pernicious embracing of it by their owne weakenesse and disability to discerne the naturall genuine Consequences and Tendency in the progresse of that which in the Roote and Foundation they imbrace Their ignorance of their owne Doctrine in its compas Extent is the Mother of that Devotion which in them is nourished thereby So our great Masters tell us against whose Kingly Authority in these things there is no rising up For the Persons formerly named the like reliefe cannot be supposed He that shall provide an Apology for them Affirming that they understood not the state nature consequences and tendences of the Doctrines they received defended preached contended for will scarce be able by any following defensative to vindicate his owne credit for so doing In the lives then and the Ministry of those men and such as those if any where are the fruits of this Doctrine to be seene If it corrupted not their lives nor weakned their Ministry if it turned not them aside from the pathes of Gospell Obedience nor weakened their hands in the Dispensation of the Word in the Promises Threatnings and Exhortations thereof to the Conversion of soules and building up of those who by their Ministry were called in their most holy Faith it cannot but be a strong presumption that there is no such venomous infectious quality in this Doctrine as of late some Chimicall Divines pretend themselves to be able to extract out of it Now what I pray were these men What were their Lives What was their Ministry All those who now oppose Mr Goodwin's Doctrine do it either out of Ignorance or to Comply with Greatnesse and men in Authority thereby to make up themselves in their Ambitious and worldly aymes and to prevaile themselves upon the opinion of men for what cause else in the world can be imagined why they should so ingage what though they really believed the whole fabricke of his Doctrine wherein he hath departed from the Faith he once as they say professed to be a lye A lye of dangerous and pernitious Consequence to the soules of men a lye derogatory to the Glory of God the efficacy of Grace the merit of the Death of Christ and the honour of the Gospell and full of disconsolation to poore soule◠being in and under Temptation What though they suppose it secretly to undermine the maine fundamentals of the Covenant of Grace and covertly to substitute another Covenant in the Roome thereof what though they have observed that the Doctrine they have received was Imbraced Preached prized by all those great and blessed soules which in the last Generation God magnified with the conversion of so many thousands in this Nation given into their Ministry whilst they spent their dayes under continuall Aflictions persecutions what though they have the generall known consent of all the Reformed Churches beyond the Seas with them in their zeale for the Doctrine under consideration What though under these the like apprehensions they profes in the presence of God his holy Angels and men that the eternall Interest of the precious soules of men is more valuable to them ten thousand times than their owne lives and that that is the sole Reason of their opposition to M. 〈◊〉 in his attempts against the Doctrine they have so received and imbraced yet it is meet for us to Judge and for all to whom evill surmises are not esteemed to be among the workes of the flesh that all their opposition is nothing but a cōplyance with and pursuit of those worldly low and wretched aimes that they are filled withall But as to those Persons before mentioned what shall we say Their Piety Literature Zeale Diligence Industry Labour with successe in the worke of the Ministry and that under manifold discouragements are so renowned in the world that how or wherewith they shall be shifted of from being considerable in their Testimony I cannot imagine If ever Persons in these latter Ages had written upon their breasts Holynesse to the Lord If ever any bare about a conformity to the Death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ they may put in for an eminent esteeme and name among them will doubtlesse be found at last to be of the thirty if they attaine not to the first Ranke of the Worthyes of Christ in these ends of the world How is it that they were not retarded in the course of their Gospell Obedience by their entertainement of this wretched Doctrine of the Saints Perseverance But what though they kept themselves Personally from the pollution of it yet possibly their Ministry was defiled and rendered uselesse by it And who I pray is it that in this Generation can so support himselfe with successe in the Ministry as to rise up with this accusation against them Many thousands who were their Crowne their Glory and Rejoycing in Christ are fallen a sleepe and some Continue to this day Of the Reasons given by Mr Goodwin why all the Zealous Fruitfull Faithfull Preachers of former dayes imbraced this Doctrine we shall instantly undertake the Consideration In the meane time this seems strange that God should magnify and make famous the Ministry of so many throughout the world and give in that visible blessing to their Labours therein which hath filled this Island with such an increase of Children to Sion as that she hath not lengthned the cords of her Tabernacle to such an extent and compasse in any proportionable spot of earth under Heaven if any one eminent part of their Doctrine and that whereon they lay'd great weight in their Ministry which they pressed with as much fervency and contention of Spirit as any head of the like importance should indeed be so apparently destructive of Holinesse and of such a direct and irresistible efficiency to render uselesse that great Ordinance of the Ministry committed to them as this is clamoured to be What will be the successe of them in their Ministry who shall undertake to deny and oppose it I hope the People of God in this Nation will not have many Instances to Judge by The best conjecture we can for the present make of what will be hereafter must be taken from what hath already come to passe and the best guesse of what events will be are to be raised from
sort of men mentioned and knowes the constant Doctrine to this day of the Churches which they planted and watered or ever did heare of the latter will entertaine this Assertion of Mr Goodwins with any thing but Admiration upon what grounds he should make it And Secondly Himselfe discovering in part on what account he doth it namely because of their Exhortations to watchfulnesse carefulnesse and close walking with God with their denuntiations of threatnings to them that abide not in the Faith which he fancyes to be inconsistent with the Doctrine of Perseverance so as by him opposed which inconsistency we have long since fully manifested to be the issue offspring of his owne imagination begotten of it by the cunning Sophystry of his Pelagian Friends I know not why I should farther insist upon the wiping away of this Reproach cast upon those Blessed Soules whom God so magnified in the worke of the Gospell of his Sonne in their Generation I remember Navaret a Dominican Fryer upon his Observation of the subtiltyes of the Jesuits to wrest many sayings of the Ancients in favour of their Opinions in those Doctrines wherein those two Orders are at variance Affirmes That he was afraid that when he was dead although he had written disputed so much against them they would produce him for a Testimony and Witnesse on their side What he feared concerning himselfe Mr Goodwin hath attempted concerning many more worthy Persons cutting off sentences from what goes before and followes after restrayning generall expressions imposing his owne Hypothesis on his Reader in making application of what he quotes out of any Author he hath spent one whole Chapter to perswade the world that men of as great Abilityes Judgments as any in the world since the Apostles fell a sleepe have usually exprest themselves in a direct contradiction to what they are eminently and notoriously knowne as their professed deliberate Judgments to have maintained Secondly He farther informes us § 11. how this Doctrine of the Perseverance of the Saints came to be so generally entertained by the Godly Zealous Able Ministers of this Nation that when we see how they fell into it their Testimony given thereto may be of the lesse validity withus This he telleth you was the Permission of M. Perkins his Judgment to be overruled by the Texts of Scripture commonly insisted on for the proofe of this Doctrine the great worth of the Person commended therefore the worth of the Opinion he verily believeth as men were then induced to receive this Opinion sâ— to a relinquishment of it they went nothing but the countenance and Authorty of soâ— Person of popular acceptance to go before them And the Reason he giveth of this his Faith is the Observation of the Principles they usually hold forth especially in the Applicatory part of their Sermons Ans. What § 12. and who they were who are thus represented by Mr Goodwin in their receiving and imbracing of that Doctrine which with the great travell of their Soules all their dayes they Preached and pressed to and upon others is knowne to all The Persons I named before one of them only excepted with all those eminent burning and shining Lights which for so many yeares have laboured with Renowne and successe to the astonishment of the world in the Preaching of the Gospell in this Nation are the men intended Doubtlesse such thoughts have not in former dayes been entertained of them however the contemplation of any mans owne ability may now raise him to contempt of them M. Perkins received this Doctrine and therefore all the Godly Ministers of this Nation did so to If any one of the like esteeme with him did fall off from it Now whom they should obtaine to lead them of equall reputation and acceptance with him who hath in vaine attempted it I know not they would quickly follow not like Shepheards but Sheep into an opposition thereunto Those who have not very slight thoughts of theÌ„ which doubtlesse they that are fallen a sleep did not deserve will scarcely suppose that they entertained a Truth of so great importance as this upon so easie tearmes as these insinuated or that they would have parted with it at so cheape a rate Farther §. 13. why the Ministers of England should be thought to entertaine this Doctrine meerely upon the Authority and countenance of Mr Perkins given thereunto when the universality of the Teachers of all other Reformed Churches of the same confession in other things with them did also embrace the same Doctrine and do continue in profession of it to this day what reason can be assigned Had there been a particular inducement to the Ministers of England for the receiving of it which was altogether forraigne unto them who as to our Nation are forraigners whence is it that there should be such a a coincidence of their Judgments with them therein Or why may not ours be thought to take it upon the same account with them upon whose Judgements understandings the Authority of Mr Perkins cannot be supposed to have any influence Is M. G. the only Person who in this Nation hath impartially weighed all things of concernement to the refusing or imbracing any matters or Doctrines in Religion Have no other in the sincerity of their hearts sâ—earched the Scriptures earnestly begged the guidance of the Spirit according to that incouraging Promise left by their Master that they should receive him so doing The good Lord take away from us all high thoughts of our selves and all contempt of them that professe the Feare of the Lord with whom we have to do For the Reason of Mr Goodwin's Faith in this thing concerning the readinesse of the Godly Ministers of this Nation to Apostatize from the Doctrine of the Saints Perseverance namely their manifesting themselves to be possessed of many Principles of a contrary tendency unto it in the applicatory parts of their Sermons the vanity of it hath been long since discovered so that there is no farther need to lay open the unreasonablenesse thereof M. Goodwin mistrusting his ability to perswade men §. 14. that the Persons of whom he hath discoursed were not cleare in their Judgments as to an opposition to that Doctrine which he positively owneth and zealously contendeth for and knowing that it cannot be denyed but that they were men of eminency for Godlinesse and close walking in Communion with God all their dayes Yet he excepteth as his last refuge That it cannot be manifested that this Opinion had the least influence in their pious conversation which is wholly to be ascribed to other commendable Principles that they embraced This indeed may be said of any part of the Doctrine whatsoever that they received some of them suffered for Atheists may say it of the whole profession of Christianity ascribe the goodnes of the lives of the best of them that professe it to some other principles common to them with the residue
of the consistency of Effectuall Grace and Gospell Exhortations A Third Argument is proposed Sect. 18. Cap. 13. in these words §. 1. That Doctrine which representeth God as weake Incongruous and In coherent with himselfe in his applications unto men is not from God and consequently that which contradicteth it must needs be the truth but the Doctrine of Perseverance opposed by us putteth this great dishonour upon God representeth him weake Incongruous c. Ergo. For the proofe of the Minor Proposition to make good the charge in it exhibited against the Doctrine of Perseverance there is a Drammaticall scheme induced to whose framing and Application M. Goodwin contributed no more but the paines of a Translator taking it from the Anti-Synod p. 276. 277. in these words You that truly Believe in my Sonne and have beene once made partakers of my Holy Spirit and therefore are fully perswaded assured from my will and command given unto you in that behalfe yea according to the infallible word of Truth which you have from me that you cannot possibly no not by all the most horrid sinns and abominable practices that you shall or can commit fall away either totally or finally from your Faith for in the midst of your foulest actions courses there remaines a seed in you which is sufficient to make you true Believers to preserve you from falling away finally that it is impossible you should dye in your sinnes you that know are assured that I will by an irresistible hand worke Perseverance in you consequently that you are out of all danger of condemnation and that Heaven and Salvation belong unto you and are as good as yours already so that nothing but giving of thankes appertaines to you which also you know that I will do what you will in the meane time necessitate you unto you I say that are fully and throughly perswaded and possessed with the truth of all these things I earnestly charge admonish exhort and beseech that yee take heed to your selves that yee countinue in the Faith that there be not at any time an evill heart of unbeliefe in any to depart from the Living God that you fall not from your owne stedfastnesse yea I declare and professe unto you that if you shall draw back my soule shall have no pleasure in you that if you shall deny me I will deny you that if you be againe overcome of the lusts of the world and be intangled here with that your latter end shall be worse than your beginning that if you shall turne away all your former Righteousnes shall not be remembred but you shall dye in your sinnes and suffer the veugeance of Eternall fire On the other hand if you shall continue to the end my Promise is that you shall be Saved therefore strive to enter in at the straite gate quit your selves like men labour for the meat that indureth unto Everlasting Life and be not sloathfull but followers of them who through Faith and Patience inherit the Promises He that shall duly weigh and consider what a sencelesse and indeed ridiculous incongruity there is between these Exhortations Adjurations Threatnings and latter Promises and those Declarations Applications and former Promises doubtlesse will confesse that either the one or the other of them are not from God or according to the mind of God Ans. §. 2. The incongruity of this fiction with the Doctrine it is framed against is so easily manifested that it will not much concerne us to consider the incongruity that the severall parts of it have one with an other For First the whole Foundation of this fanatick Fabrick is ridiculous in it selfe and ridiculously imposed on the Doctrine of Perseverance For whereas it sayes not that all Saints have any comfortable Assurance of their Perseverance and so may by all Gospell wayes whatever by Promises and Threatnings be stirred up to the use of those meanes whereby Perseverance is wrought and Assurance obtain'd so it saies that no one Saint in the world ever had can have or was taught to expect his Perseverance or the least sence or Assurance of it under such an uncouth supposition as falling into continuing in sins Abominations the Promises they have to assure thē of their inseparable abode with God to the end are that he will write his Law in their hearts put his Feare in their inward parts that they shall never depart from him and they shall be kept up thereto by the use of meanes suitable as appointed of God for the attaining of the end proposed being kept by the power of God but throngh Faith unto Salvation God doth not call nor doth the Doct of Perseverance of the Saints or of the stability and Unchangeablenesse of his Promises in Christ to Believers assert it any to Believe that they shall never fall away from him what sinnes and Rebellions so ever they fall into neither hath he promised any such things unto thē but only that he will through his Grace preserve them in the use of meanes from such Rebellions as are inconsistent with his Love and free acceptation through Christ according to the Tenor of the Covenant of Grace so that instead of the first part of this fiction whose inconsistency with the latter is after Argued let this acording to the Analogy of our Doctrine be instituted You that truly Believe in my Sonne Jesus Christ § 3. and are made partakers of my Holy Spirit who being heirs of the Promises and so have a Right to that abundant Consolation that Joy in believing which I am willing all of you should receive I know your Feares doubts perplexityes and Temptations your failings sinnes and back-slidings and what sad thoughts on the account of the evill of your owne hearts and wayes you are exposed to as that you shall never abide nor be able to continue with me and in my Love to the end let the feeble knees be strengthned and the hands that hang downe be lifted up behold I have ordained goodworkes for you to walke in as the way wherein you are to walke for the attainement of the end of your Faith the Salvation of your soules And to quicken you and stirre you up hereunto I have provided and established Effectuall Ordinances revealed in the Word of my Grace whereunto you are to attend and in the use of them according to my mind to grow up into Holinesse in all manner of holy conversation Watching Fighting Resisting Contending with and against all the Spirituall Enemy's of your soules And as for me this is my Covenant with you that my Spirit which gives Efficacy to all the meanes Ordinances and Advantages of Gospell Obedience which I have afforded unto you by whom I will fulfill in you all the good-pleasure of my Goodnesse and the worke of Faith with Power so making you meet for the Inheritance of the Saints in Light and Preserving you to my Heavenly Kingdome shall never depart
condition They are no lesse obnoxious to that death from whence our Regeneration is a delivery by the bestowing of a new Spirituall life than a sinner of an hundred yeares old A returning to this condition it seemes is Regeneration Quantum est in rebus inane Thirdly The qualifications of Infants not Regenerated are meerely negative and that in respect of the acts of sinne not the habituall seed and root of them for in them dwells no good that in respect of these qualifications of Innocency that are in them by nature Antecedent to any Regeneration all which are resolved into a Naturall impotency of perpetrating sinne they are accepted in Grace and favour with God had been another new notion had not Pelagius and Socinus before you fallen upon it without Faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11. 6. And his wrath abides on them that Believe not Iohn 3. 36. That Infants have or may have Faith and not be regenerated will scarcely be granted by them who believe the Spirit of Christ to cause Regeneration where he is bestowed Tit. 3. 5. And all Faith to be the Fruit of that Spirit Gal 5. 26 27. Farther for the qualifications of Infants by Nature how are they brought cleane from that which is uncleane Are they not conceived in sinne and brought forth in iniquity Or was that Davids hard case alone If they are borne of the flesh and are flesh if they are uncleane how come they to be in that estate upon the account of their Qualifications accepted in the Love and favour of him who is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity If this be the Doctrine of Regeneration that M. G. preaches I desire the Lord to blesse them that belong unto him in a deliverance from attending thereunto Of the Effects of the death of Christ in respect of all children I shall not now treat That they should be saved by Christ not washed in his Bloud not sanctifyed by his Spirit which to be is to be Regenerate is another new notion of the new Gospell The Countenance which Mr Goodwin would begge to his Doctrine from that of our Saviour to his Disciples Except ye be turned and become as little Children ye cannot enter into the Kingdome of God reproving their ambition and worldly thoughts from which they were to be weaned that they might befit for that Gospell state imployment whereunto he called them wherein they were to serve him does no more advantage him nor the cause he hath undertaken than that other caution of our Saviour to the same persons to be wise asserpents innocent as Doves would do him that should undertake to prove that Christians ought to become pigeons or snakes Thus much then we have learned of the mind of M. G. by this digression 1. That no children are Regenerate 2. That they are all accepted with God through Christ upon the account of the good Qualifications that are in them 3. That Regeneration is a mans returing to the state wherein he is borne And having taken out this Lesson which we shall never learne by heart whilst we live we may now proceed I shall only adde to the maine of the businesse in hand §. 49. that so long as a man is a child of God he cannot he need not to repeat his Regeneration But that one who hath been the child of God should cease to be the child of God is somewhat strange How can that be done amongst men that he should cease to be such a mans sonne who was his sonne Those things that stand in Relation upon any thing that is past and therefore irrevocable cannot have their beings continued and their Relation dissolved it is impossible but that cause and effect must be related one to another such is the relation between Father and Sonne The foundation of it is an act past and irrevocable and therefore the Relation it selfe is indissoluble Is it not so with God and his Children when they once stand in that Relation it cannot be dissolved But of these things hitherto To proceed with that place of Scripture which I laid as the foundation of this discourse §. 50. The generall way of Lusts dealing with the soule the bringing forth of sinne whereof there are two acts expressed v. 14. the one of drawing away the other inticing is to be insisted on Upon the first the person tempted is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 drawn off or drawne away and upon the second he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inticed or intangled The First stirring of sinne is to draw away the soule from what it ought to be fixed upon by its rising up irregularly to some delightfull object For a man to be drawne away by his lust is to have his Lust drawne out to some object suited to it wherein it delighteth Now this drawing away denoteth two things 1. The turning of the soule from the actuall rectitude of its frame towards God Though the soule cannot alwayes be in actuall Exercise of Grace towards God yet it ought alwayes to be in an immediate readinesse to any Spirituall duty upon the account whereof when occasion is administred it doth as naturally goe forth to God as a vessell full of water floweth forth when vent is given unto it Hence we are commanded to pray alwayes Our Saviour giveth a Parable to instruct his Disciples that they ought to pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 18. 1. And we are commanded to pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without ceasing or intermission 1 â—hess 5. 17. Which the same Apostle in an other place calleth praying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in every place namely as occasion is administred It is not the perpetuall exercise of this duty as the Iewes some of them have ridiculously interpreted the first Psalme of reading the Law day and night which would shut out and cut off all other dutyes not only of mens Callings and Employments as to this Life but all other dutyes of the wayes worship of God whatever But it is only the readinesse and promptitude of the heart in its constant frame to that necessary duty that is required Now he who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by lust is drawne off from this frame that is he is interrupted in it by his lust diverting unto some sinfull object And as to this particular there is a great difference betwixt the sinning of Believers and those who arise not beyond that height which the power of Conviction beareth them oftentimes up unto For 1. The maine of a true Believers watching in his whole life § 51. and in the course of his walking with God is directed against this off-drawing from that habituall frame of his heart by lust and sinne His great businesse is as the Apostle telleth us to take the whole armour of God to him that sinne if it be possible may make no approach to his soule Eph. 6. 13. It is to keepe up their spirits to a hate of
use of Admonitions and Exhortations to them in that condition hath been already declared for the present I shall only adde That let their finall Apostasy in respect of the Event be never so impossible yet in the state and condition wherein they are and from the things which they are exercised about with the Principles on which they proceed and the wayes whereby they are led on considerations enough may be raised to set forth those Exhortations Admonitions and Encouragements appointed by the Holy Ghost to be used and insisted on in the Administration of the Word in the Beauty and splendor of infinite Wisdome Love and Kindnesse The glory of God being so eminently concerned as it is in the Obedience and fruitfulnesse of the Saints the honour of the Lord Jesus in this World with the advancement and propagation of the Gospell in like manner relating there unto Their own peace lying so much as it doth upon their close walking with God the spirit being so grieved by their falling into sinne as he is God so dishonoured and themselves exposed to such fearfull desertions darknesse trouble sorrow and disquietments as they are upon their being overcome by the temptations of Satan and prevailed upon to turne aside into waies and sinnes short of totall Apostasy and it being the purpose of the Lord to lead them on in obedience in wayes suitable to that nature he created them withall and that New nature wherewith he hath endued them both apt to be wrought upon by Motives Exhortations and Perswasions without any such supposall as that of finall Apostasy There is a sufficient bottome and foundation of exalting the motives and admonitions insisted on to the possession of that Glory of Wisdome and Goodnesse which is their due But M. Goodwin having borrowed another Pageant from the Remonstrants had a great mind to shew it to the World in its English dresse and therefore introduces the Holy Ghost thus speaking in the Admonitions above pointed at Suppose we then the Holy-Ghost should speake thus unto the Saints §. 8. Oh yee that truly Believe who by vertue of the promises of that God that cannot lye are fully perswaded and possest that ye shall be kept by God by his irresistible Grace in true Faith untill Death so that though Satan should set all his witts on worke and by all his stratagems snares and cunning devices seek to destroy you yea though he should entice you away from God by the allurements of the World and entangle you with them againe yea and should cause you to runne and rush headlong against the Light of your own Consciences into all manner of horrid sinnes yet shall all his attempts and assaults upon you in every kind be in vain you shall be in never the more danger or possibility of perishing Vnto you I say attend and consider how sore and dangerous a contest you are like to be ingaged in for you are to wrestle not against Flesh and Bloud but against Principalities and Powers the governors of this World and spirituall wickednesses against that old Serpent the Divell the great red Dragon who was a murtherer from the beginning and who still goes about like a roaring Lyon seeking whom he may devoure Who will set himselfe with all his might to thrust you headlong into all manner of sinnes and so to separate 'tweene you and your God for ever And truly I am afraid least as the Serpent by his subtilty deceived Eve so your minds should be corrupted from the Simplicity which is in Jesus Christ least the tempter should any way tempt you and my labour about you be in vaine Therefore Watch Pray Resist him stedfast in the Faith Take unto you the whole armour of God that you may be able to resist in an evill day and having done all things stand fast Stand having your loines girt with the girdle of truth and the brestplate of Righteousnesse upon you Would such an Oration or speech as this be any way worthy the Infinite wisedome of the Holy Ghost Or is it not the part of a very weake and simple person to admonish a man and that in a most serious and solemne manner of a danger threatning him or hanging over his head and withall to instruct him with great variety of direction and caution how to escape this danger when as both himselfe knows and the person admonished knowes likewise that it is a thing altogether impossible that ever the danger should befall him or the evill against which he is so solemnely cautioned come upon him Therefore those who make the Holy Ghost to have part and fellowship in such weaknesse as this are most insufferably injurious unto him Ans. To support the Stage for to act this part of the pageant in hand upon §. 9. there are many supposalls fixed by our Author that are to beare up the weight of the whole which upon tryall will appeare to arrant false pretences painted anticks that have not the least strength or efficacy for the end and purpose whereunto they are applied First §. 10. 'T is supposed that the end of all these admonitions is meerely and solely to prevent the Saints from finall Apostasy and that they are to beware of the wiles and assaults of Satan only least he prevaile over them to cause them to depart utterly from God That this is supposed in this discourse is evident because upon the granting of a promise that they shall not be so prevailed against they are judged all uselesse and ridiculous Now who knows not but that Satan may winnow and in some measure prevaile against the Saints to the Dishonour of God the Reproach of the Gospell Grieving of the Spirit and Scandall of the Church although they fall not totally and finally from God And that many of those Admonitions tend to the preservation of Believers from such falls and failings is more evident than to need any Demonstration by consideration of the particular instances Secondly §. 11. It supposeth as is exprest that Believers may fall into all manner of horrid sinnes and Abominations which is the thing in Question and by us punctually denied What ever their surprizalls may be yet there are sinnes which they cannot fall into and the great abomination of every sinne that 't is committed with the whole heart and with full consent they are not at all exposed or liable unto as hath been proved Thirdly § 12. That there is an inconsistency between Promises and Precepts in reference to the same Object that God should promise to worke any thing effectually in us and yet require it of us is thought ridiculous and on this account the great folly here imputed to the discourse framed for the Holy Ghost is proposed to consist in this that God should exhort us to watch against the assaults of the Divell and yet promise that by his Grace he will effectually work in us for us the very same thing A supposall destructive to
with whom we walke and towards whom it is required we beare Love without dissimulation Rom. 12. 18. towards such as shew us their Faith by their workes Our rule of walking from the principle of Love and Charity is layd downe in 1 Cor. 13. And if all that any man knowes at this day professours in this world should turne Apostates save only one and he had reckoned that one and them that are Apostatized before their Apostasy of the same ranke of Believers and had no evill thoughts of that one above the rest he was bound without any evill surmises to believe all things and to hope all things and not to let goe his sincere Love towards that one imbracing of him delighting in him holding cōmunion with him to his lives end without suspicion of Hypocrisy or other hard thoughts of him unles he also should degenerate 'T is said Joh. 2. 23. That many believed on Christ because of the profession of Faith that they made Ioh. 6. 34. They pray earnestly to be fed with the bread of Life So that they were accounted among his Disciples v. 60. yet upon a temptation they left our Saviour walked no more with him v. 66. Now notwithstanding the profession of these men our Saviour plainely sayes that they believed not v. 64. They falling thus away who had professed to believe and were accounted as Believers so called and named among the Disciples of Christ and Christ declaring on the account of their Apostacy that indeed they did never believe how was it that the remaining Twelve had not hard thoughts and jealousyes one of another especially considering that there was one Hypocrite still left among them whether they had true Faith or no◠seeing our Saviour had declared that those who so fell off as those before mentioned had none Doubtlesse they were instructed to walke by a better and streighter Rule than that Mr Goodwin here assignes to Believers Let him who will or can fall away whilst we are taught of God to love one another and are acted by the principle of Love which thinkes no evill and do contend against evill surmizes as the workes of the flesh There is not any thing in the least attending the discovery of one mans Hypocrisy to worke us to a perswasion that another not in any thing discovered is so also that because we see some goodly house fall under stormes and temptations to the ground and so manifest it selfe to have been built on the sand that therefore we must conclude that those which stand are not built upon the Rocke is not suited to any principle or Rule that our Master hath given us to walke by in order to the exercise of that Love which he calleth for in us towards one another Secondly §. 25. I say this way of proceeding in our thoughts and judgements doth the Holy Ghost lead us to 1 Iohn 2. 19. The Apostle giving an account of some who had formerly walked with him in the profession of the Faith and of the fellowship which they had with the Father and Sonne fell away from Christ into an opposition against him so farre as to deserve the title of Antichrists having not only forsaken the Gospell but making it also their businesse to oppose it and to seduce others from the simplicity of the same These he informes the scattered Believers of the Jewes were Apostates having formerly walked with them but deserted their fellowship and thereby manifested themselves never to have been true Believers nor ever indeed to have had fellowship with the Father and the Sonne no more than they of whom our Saviour spake in the place before mentioned And yet doubtlesse the Apostle may not be supposed to lay a foundation for jealousyes evill suspicions and surmises among Believers though he plainely and evidently affirme that those who fall away were never true Believers and that if they had been so they would have continued in their Faith and fellowship with the people of God They went ous from us saith he but they were not of us for if they had been of us they would no doubt have continued with us but they went out that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us A passage by the way clearely confirming the maine of the Doctrine we have hitherto insisted on §. 26. And therefore I shall turne aside before I come to the close of this Chapter having this occasion administred to vindicate it from the exceptions Mr Goodwin gives in against the Testimony it beares in this case The Argument that it readily furnisheth us withall is of this import § 27. If all they who fall away totally from the fellowship and society of the Church and Saints of God what ever their profession were before that Apostasy were never true Believers and are thereby manifested never to have been so then those who are true Believers cannot fall away But the First is true therefore the latter The words are so disposed as to be cast into an Hypotheticall Proposition which virtually includes a doubleArgument as every discrete Axiome doth 't is not thus therefore thus If true Believers might so depart and Apostatise as those here mentioned no unquestionable proofe could be drawne from such Apostacy that men were never true Believers which yet is plainely insisted on in the Text. M. Goodwin Cap. §. 28. 10. Sect. 21 22 23 24. Pag. 189 190 191 192. gathers up sundry Exceptions from the Remonstrants which as they also did he opposeth to this Interpretation of the words and the Inferences from them insisted on I shall briefely consider and remove them in that order as by him they are laid downe He saith First This Inference presumeth many things for which neither it nor any the Authors of it will ever be able to give any good security of proofe As First That this phrase they were not of us imports that they were never true Believers this certainly can never be proved because there is another sence and this every whit as proper to the words and more commodious for the Context and scope of the place which may be given of them as we shall see anon Ans. §. 29. That there is not any thing presumed for the eduction of the Inference proposed but what is either directly exprest or evidently included in the words of the Text will appeare in the farther consideration of what M. Goodwin hath to offer to the contrary That expression they were not of us imports evidently that they were not of them in the fellowship and communion which he was now exhorting Believers to continue and abide in He tells them at the head of this Discourse Cap. 1. 3. that the end of his writing to them was to draw them into and keep them in communion with himselfe and the Saints with him which Communion or Fellowship he tells them they had with the Father and the Sonne But as for the Persons of whom
Believers Againe if true Believers shall live and continue to the saving of their soules in opposition to them that fall away to perdition then they shall certainly persevere in their Faith for these two are but one the same but that true Believers shall live believe to the saving of their soules in opposition to them that draw back or subduct themselves to perdition is the assertion of the Holy Ghost Ergo I presume by this time Mr Goodwin is plainly convinced that indeed he had as good yea and much better for the Advantage of his cause in hand have let his witnesse have abode in quietnesse and not entreated him so severely to denounce judgment against that Doctrine which he seekes by him to confirme Sect. 32. §. 41. the parable of the stony ground Mat. 13. 20 21. comes next to consideration the words chosen to be insisted on are in the verses mentioned but he that received the seed into stony places is he that heareth the Word anon with joy receiveth it yet hath be not root in himselfe but dureth for a while c. That by the stony ground is meant true Believers is that which Mr Goodwin undertakes to prove but how in his whole Discourse I professe I perceive not I must take leave to professe that I cannot finde any thing looking like a prâ—â—fe or Argument to evince it from the beginning to the end of this Discourse though something be offered to take off the arguments that are used to prove it to be otherwise doth Mr Goodwin think that men will easily Believe that Faith which hath neither root fruit nor continuance to be true and saving Faith doubtlesse they might have very low apprehensions of saving faith union with Christ justification sanctification adoption c. wherewith it is attended who can once entertaine any such imagination that which is tendered to induce us to such a perswasion may briefly be considered Saith he Sect. 32. §. 42. Now those signified by the stony ground he expressely calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. Persons who continue for a time or a season i.e. as Luke explaineth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who believe for a season so that those who only for a time believe and afterward make defection from Christ and from the Gospell are neverthelesse numbred and ranked by him amongst Believers The words in Luke are very particular They on the Rock are they which when they heare receive the word with joy and those have no root which for a while Believe and in time of temptation fall away From whence it appeares that the hearers here described are not compared to the Rock or stony ground for the hardnesse of their hearts for as much as they are said to receive the word with joy which argues an ingenuity and teachablenesse of spirit in them and is elsewhere viz. Acts 2. 41. taken knowledge of by the Holy Ghost as an Index or signe of a true Believer but for such a Property Disposition or Temper as this viz. not to give or afford the word so received a radication in their hearts and soules so intimous serious and solid which should be sufficient to maintaine their beliefe of it and good affections to it against all such occurrences in the World which may oppose or attempt either the one or the other Ans. 1. The first Reason intimated is that they are said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a terme given them plainly to distinguish them from true Believers men that make a profession for a season expressly opposed to them who receive the word in good and honest hearts if the word had denoted any excellency any thing that was good in them then there had been some pretence to have insisted on it to prove them true Believers But to demonstrate the truth of their Faith from their Hypocrisy and their excellencies from that which expressely denotes their unworthinesse is a strange way of arguing They are persons saith our Saviour that make profession for a little while and then decay not like them who receive the Word in good and honest soules therefore saith M.G. they are true believers but 2. In Luke they are said to Believe for a season Mr Goodwin is not now to learne how often in the Scripture they are said to believe who only professe the Faith of the Gospell though the root of the matter be not in them that of John 2. 23 24 25. may suffice for undenyable instance or John 6. 64. may farther expound it their believing for a season is but the lifelesse worthlesse fruitlesse profession for a season as their destruction from the good ground doth manifest But 3. They are said to receive the word with joy which argues ingenuity and tractablenesse of spirit in them No more than in Herod who heard the Word gladly or in the Jewes when the preaching of Ezechiel was pleasant or desirable to them or those described Isai. 58. 2. % who sought God dayly and delighted to know his wayes in the middest of the abominable practices From the similitude it selfe He yet farther attempts this uncouth Assertion But as the blade which springs from one and the same kind of seed as suppose from Wheat or any other graine though sown in different yea or contrary soyles is yet of the same species or kind the nature of the soyle not changing the specified nature of the seed that is sowne in it and God giving to every seed it s owne body of what temper so ever the ground is where it is sown in like manner that Faith which springs from the same seed of the Gospell must needs be of one and the same nature and kind though this seed be sowne in the hearts of never so differing a constitution and frame the temper of the heart be it what it will be not being able specifically to alter either the Gospell or the naturall fruit issuing from it And as a blade or eare of Wheate though it be blasted before the Harvest is not hereby proved not to have been a true blade or eare of wheate before it was blasted in like manner the withering or decay of any mans faith by what meanes or occasion soever before his death doth not prove it to have been a false counterfeit or Hypocriticall Faith or a Faith of any other kind than that which is true reall and permanent unto the end Ans. 1. It hath been formerly observed that sâ—militudes are not argumentative beyond the extent of that particular wherein their nature as such doth consist The intendment of Christ in this Parable is to manifest that many heare the word in vaine and bring forth no fruit of it at all of these one sort is compared to stony ground that brings forth a blade but no fruit no fruit is no spirit though there be a blade or no blade the difference between the ones receiving of seed and the others manifested by our Saviour in this Parable is
the Promise of Salvation by Jesus Christ and Faith in him cometh in for their deliverance The Promise is given to them as shut up under sinne which they receive by mixing it with Faith And Rom 3. 23. 24. All have sinned and come short of the Glory of God being justified freely by his Grace through the Redemption that is in Christ. Their condition is a condition of sinne and falling short of the glory of God when the Promise for Justification is given unto them and finds them Thence the Lord tells us Isai 54. 8 9. that this Promise of mercy is like that which he made about the waters of Noah Gen 5. 21 22 where is mentioned no condition at all of it but only the sinnes of men And in that state unquestionably was Adam when the first Promise was given unto him To say then that Gospell Promises are made to men in such conditions and are to be made good only upon the account of mens abiding in the condition wherein they are when the Promise is made to them is to say Ephes. 2. 4 5 8. that for men to leave the state of sinne is the way to frustrate all the Promises of God All deliverance from a state of sinne is by Grace all Grace is of Promise under that condition then of sinne doth the Promise find men and from thence relieve them 4. I say §. 7. these Discoveries of Gods good Will are made through Christ as the only medium of their Accomplishment 2 Cor. 1. 20. and only procuring cause of the good things that flowing from the good will of God are enwrapped and tendred in them And they are said to be in Christ as 1. The great Messenger of the Covenant as in him who comes from the Father because God hath confirmed and ratified them all in him not in themselves but unto us He hath in him and by him given Faith and Assurance of them all unto us declaring and confirming his good Will and Love to us by him He reveals the Father as a Father from his own Bosome Ioh 1. 18. declaring his name or Grace unto his Ioh 17 3. 2 Cor. 1. 20. In whom all the Promises of God are yea and in him amen to the Glory of God by us Ioh 17. 3. In him and by his Mediation they have all their Confirmation Establishment and unchangeablenesse unto us And 2. Because he hath undertaken to be Surety of that Covenant whereof they are the Promises Heb 7. 24. He is the Surety of the Covenant that is one who hath undertaken both on the part of God and ours what ever is needfull for confirmation thereof 3. Because that himselfe is the great Subject of all these Promises and in him it being of his own Purchase and procuring he having obtained Eternall Redemption for us Heb 9. John 1. 16. there is treasured up all the fulnesse of those Mercies Col. 1. 18 19. which in them God hath graciously engaged himselfe to bestow cap. 2 10. c. they being all annexed to him as the portion he brings with him to the Soule Rom. 8. 32. Then I say 5. That they are discoveries of Gods good will in a Covenant of Grace they are indeed the Branches Streames and manifesting conveyances of the Grace of that Covenant and of the Good Will of God putting it selfe forth therein Hence the Apostle mentions the Covenant of Promise Ephes 2. 12. either for the Promises of the Covenant or its manifestation as I said before Indeed as to the Subject-Matter and eminently the Promise is but one as the Covenant is no more but both come under a plurall Expression because they have been variously delivered and renewed upon severall occasions So the Covenant of Grace is said to be established upon these Promises Heb 8. 6. that is the Grace and Mercy of the Covenant and the usefulnesse of it to the Ends of a Covenant to keep God and man together in Peace and Agreement is laid upon these Promises to be by them confirmed and established unto us God having by them revealed his Good Will unto us with an attendency of stipulation of duty Their use for the begetting and continuing Communion betweene God and us with the concomitancy of precepts places them in the capacity of a Covenant And then 6. I mentioned the foundation of the Certainty and Vnchangeablenesse of these Promises with our Assurance of their Accomplishment The Engagements and Undertakings of God upon his Truth and Faithfulnesse is the stock and unmoveable foundation of this respect of them Therefore speaking of them the Holy Ghost often backs them with that Property of God He cannot lye so Heb 6. 17. 18. God willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of Promise the immutability of his Councell confirmed it by an Oath that by two immutable things wherein it was not possible for God to lye c. So Tit 1. 2. God which cannot lye hath promised us eternall life There is no one makes a solemne Promise but as it ought to proceed from him in sincerity and Truth so he engageth his Truth and Faithfulnesse in all the credit of them for the Accomplishment thereof what lyeth in him And on this account doth David so often appeale unto Psal. 31. 1. 5. 14. and call upon the Righteousnesse of God as to the fulfilling of his Promises Isa 45. 19. 2 Pet 1. 1. and the word which he caused him to put his trust in It is because of his engagement of his Truth and Faithfulnesse whence it becometh a righteous thing with him to performe what he hath spoken How farre this Respect of the Promises extends and wherein it is capable of a dispensation is the summe of our present Controversy but of this afterwards Then 7. A briefe description of the Matter of these Promises and what God freely engageth himselfe unto in them was insisted on Of this of the Promises in this regard there is one maine Fountaine or Spring whereof there are two everlasting Streames whence Thousands of refreshing Rivolets doe flow The originall Fountaine and spring of all good unto us both in respect of its being and manifestation is that He will be our God Gen 17. 1 2. I am Almighty God walke before me and be thou perfect and I will make my Covenant So every where as the bottome of his dealing with us in Covenant Ierem 31. 33. I will be their God Hos 2. 23. and they shall be my People Isai 54. 5. And in very many other places Now that he may thus be our God two things are required 1. That all Breaches and Differences between him and us be removed perfect Peace and Agreement made and we rendred acceptable and well pleasing in his sight These are the termes whereon they stand to whom he is a God in Covenant For the Accomplishment of this is the first maine streame that floweth from the former Fountaine namely the
is no possibility for them to fall into yea and this known unto themselves Therefore this testimony for confirmation of the Doctrine we maintaine is like a King upon his Throne against whom there is no rising up Ans. What small cause Mr Goodwin hath to quarrell with Beza §. 39. or other Translatours and with how little advantage to his cause this Text is produced shall out of hand be made appeare 1. The words as they cry are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the foregoing part of the chapter the Apostle had treated of two sorts of persons 1. Such as so forsake the Assemblies of the Saints withdrew from the Church and Ordinances of Christ and so by degrees fell off with a totall and everlasting backsliding of these the Apostle speakes describing their wayes and end from v. 25. unto v. 32. thence forward 2. He speaks to them and of them who abode in their persecutions and under all their afflictions to hold fast their confidence which he also farther exhorts them to that by patient abiding in well doing they might receive the reward concerning these both having told them of the unshaken Kingdome of Christ that should be brought in notwithstanding the Apostasy of many of whose iniquity God would take vengeance on he laies downe that eminent promise of the Gospell the just by Faith shall live wordes often used to expresse the state condition of Believers of those who are truly and unfainedly so the Lord being faithfull in his promise the justified person shall live or obtaine life everlasting It is the promise of eternall life that is here given them as that which they had not as yet received but in patience they were to waite to receive after they had done the whole will of God that any of these should so draw back as that the Lords soule should have no pleasure in them is directly contrary to the promise here made of their living The particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the next words is plainly adversative and exceptive as it is very many times in the New Testament and that as to the Persons of whom he is speaking at 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the period is full the description of the state of the just by Faith is compleated and in the next words the state of backsliders is entred upon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 referring to them whom by their Apostasy and subduction of themselves from Christian assemblies he had before described there is an elleipsis in the words to be supplied but some indefinite terme to give them the sence intended this Beza and our translators have done by that excepted against causelessely by M.G. for if a Translator may make the Text speake â—ignificantly in the language whereunto he translates it the introduction of such supplements is allowed him 2. The following expression puts it out of all question that this was the intendment of the Apostle for he expressely makes mention and that in reference to what was spoken before of two sorts of people to whom his former expressions are respectively to be accommodated the words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as above M. Goodwin to make us believe that he took notice of these words hath this passage of them as it is also expounded in the words immediately following but we are not of them who draw back to perdition but c. but what I pray is expounded in these words that drawers back shall be destroyed this is all he takes notice of in them Evidently the words are an application of the former assertions unto severall persons there are saies he some who are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and some that are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those saith he who are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they shall be destroyed those who are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they shall live Evidently and beyond all contradiction assigning his former assertions of the just shall live by Faith and if any man shall draw back to severall persons by a distribution of their lot and portions to them in v. 28. he layes downe in These the state and condition of believers and backsliders in v 29. he makes application of the position he laid downe to himselfe and them 1. negatively that they were not of the former sort of them that draw back c. 2. Positively that they were of the rest of them that believed and those expressions v. 29. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doe undeniably affirme two sorts of persons in both places to be spoken of that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 can by no meanes be referred to our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which would entermixe them whom the Apostle as to their present state and future condition held out in a contradistinction one to the other unto the end All that ensues in M. Goodwins discourse being built upon this sandy foundation that it is the Believer of whom God affirmes that he shall live by Faith who is supposed to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contrary to the expresse assertion of the Apostle it needs no farther consideration although he is not able to manifest any strength in conclusion drawn from suppositions of events which may be possible in one sence and in another impossible But before we passe further §. 40. may not this witnesse which Mr Goodwin hath attempted in vaine to suborne to appeare and speake in his cause be demanded what he can speake or what he knowes of the truth of that which he is produced to oppose This then it confesseth and denyeth not at first word that of professours there are two sorts some are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of such as doe or may draw back unto perdition some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which believe to the saving of the soule and that in opposition to the others Also that those who withdraw are not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not true Believers nor ever were notwithstanding all their profession and what their guifts and attainments in and under their profession So that the Testimony produced keepeth still its place and is as a King upon his Throne against whom there is no rising up but yet speaks quite contrary clearly evidently distinctly to what is pretended both on the one hand the other is our thesis undeniably confirmed in this place of the Apostle If all those who fall away to perdition were never truly nor really of the Faith then those who are of the Faith caÌ„not fall away but they who fall away to perdition were never truly nor really of the Faith or true Believers Ergo. The reason of the consequent of the first proposition is evident for their not being of the Faith is plainly included as the Reason of their Apostacy their being of the Faith intimated as that which would have preserved them from such defection the Minor is the Apostles we are not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of them that draw back but of them that believe which plainely distinguisheth them that draw back from