upon the face of the earth It is not of your selves that you are not industriously disturbing your own soules and others with this or that entrenchment upon the doctrine of the Gospel and the free Grace of God in Jesus Christ which not a few pride themselves in with the contempt of all otherwise minded And doth not the present state of things require the full disbursing of all that you have freely received for the glory of him from whom you have received it You are persons who not only as Doctours Teachers in an Vniversity have a large distinct disciplinary knowledge of Divinity but also such as to whom the Son of God is come and hath given an understanding to know him that is true into whose hearts God hath shined to give the light of the knowledge of his glory in the face of Jesus Christ therefore may say what shall we render to the Lord how shall we serve him in any way answerable to the grace we have received I speak not this the Lord knowes it before whom I stand with Reflection on any as though I judged them neglecters of the duty incumbent on them Every one of us must give an account of himselfe to the Lord. The dayly paines labour and travaile of many of you in the work of the Gospel the dilegence and codeavours of others in promoting other useful literature is known unto all Only the considerations of my own present undertaking joyn'd with a sense of mine own insufficiency for this or any other labour of this kind and of your larger furnishments with abilities of all sorts press me to this stirring up of your remembrance to contend for the faith so much opposed and perverted Not that I would press for the needless multiplying of bookes whose plenty is the general customary complaint of all men versed in them unless necessity call thereto Scribimus indocti doctique But that serious thoughts may be continually dwelling in you to lay out your selves to obviate the spreading of any errour what ever or the destruction of any already propagated by such waies and meanes as the providence of God and the circumstances of the matter it selfe shall call you out unto is in the desire of my soule Something you will find in this kind attempted by the weakest of your number in this ensuing Treatise The matter of it I know will have your Approbation and that because it hath his whom you serve For the manner of handling it it is humbly given up to his grace and mercy and freely left to your Christian Judgments The general concernments of this business are so known to all that I shall by no meanes burden you with a repetition of them The attempt made by Mr Goodwin against the truth here asserted was by all men judged so considerable especially the truth opposed having a more practical influence into the walking of the Saints with God then any Other by him assaulted and the defending of it giving more advantage into an inquiry after the mind of God as delivered in innumerable places of Scripture then any of the rest opposed as that a removal of his Exceptions to our Arguments and an Answer to his Objections was judged necessary by all Other reasons manifesting this endeavour to be in order and in season I have further communicated in the entrance of the Treatise it selfe In my addresses to the work I could by no meanes content my selfe with a mere discussing of what was produced by my Adversary For he having kept himselfe for the most part within the compass of the Synodal writings of the Remonstrâ—â—ts which are already most clearly and solidly answered by one especially renowned 〈◊〉 to have tyed my selfe unto a contest with him had been merely actum agere without promoting the cause I had undertaken in the least As I account it by no meanes an ingenuous proceeding for men to beare up their own names by standing upon the shoulders of others to deport themselves Authours when indeed they are 〈◊〉 Collectours and Translatours So I am very remote from being so far in love with this way of handling controversies in Divinity as to think it necessary to multiply books of the same matter without some considerable addition of Light and strength to the Cause whose protection and promotion is undertaken On this consideration besides incident discourses which I hope through the Grace of him that supplyed seed to the sower may be of use and have an encrease amongst the Saints of God I have made it my aime and what therein I have attained is with all submission of mind and judgment cast before the thoughts of men whose senses are exercised to discerne good and evill to place each Argument insisted on upon it's own proper basis and foundation to Resolve every Reason and Medium whereby I have proceeded into it's own principles discovering the fountaine and well-head of all the streames that run in the field of this contest as also to give some clearings and evidence to our Conclusions from the several Texts of Scripture discussed by discovering the Reason of them and intent of God in them Some Arguments there are and sundry Texts of Scripture that are usually produced and urged in the defence of the cause under consideration that I have not insisted on nor vindicated from the exceptions of the Adversaries Not that I judge them indefensible against their most cunning or most furious assaults and so slighted what I could not hold for indeed I know not any one Text of scripture commonly used for this end nor any Argument by any sober man framed to the same purpose that is not capable of an easy and faire vindication but meerly because they fell not in regularly in the method I had proposed to my selfe nor would so do unless I had gone forth to the issue of my first intendment and had handled the abode of Believers with God at large from it's principles and causes as I had done that part of our doctrine which concernes the Continuance of the love of God with and unto them which the growth of the Treatise under my hand would not give me leave to do What hath been or may yet further be done by others who have made or shall make it their business to draw the saw of this Controversy to and fro which Mr. Goodwin I hope will give satisfaction as in other things so in the particulars by me omitted As to what I have to speak or at least think it convenient to speak concerning him with whom in this discourse I have much to do and the manner of my dealing with him being a thing of personal Concernment not having any influencing Aspect on the merit of the cause I shall in not many words absolve you of your trouble in the Consideration thereof My Adversary is a person whom his worth paines diligence and opinions and the contests wherein on their account he hath publikely engaged have delivered from
actings are from habits though to the actuall exercise of any Grace within new helpe and assistance is necessary in that continuall dependance are we upon the fountaine Whether it consists in that which is called habituall Grace or the gracious suitablenesse and disposition of the soule unto Spirituall Operations may be doubted The Apostle tells us Christ is our Life Gol. 3 4. When Christ who is our Life shall appeare and Col. 2. 22. Christ Liveth in me Christ liveth in Believers by his Spirit as hath been declared Christ dwelleth in you and his Spirit dwelleth in you are expressions of the same import and signification But 2. God by his Spirit worketh in us both to will and to do of his owne good pleasure All vitall actions are from him it may be said of Graces and Gratious Operations as well as Guifts all these worketh in us that one and selfe same Spirit dividing to every one as he will But this is not now to be insisted on 3. The Spirit as indwelling gives guidance and direction to them in whom he is as to the way wherein they ought to walke Rom 8 14. As many as are lead by the Spirit of God The Spirit leades them in whom it is and v 1. They are said to walke after the Spirit Now there is a twofold Leading Guidance or direction 1. Morall and Extrinsecall the leading of a Rule 2. Internall and Efficient the leading of a Principle Of these the one layes forth the way the other directs and carryes along in it The first is the Word giving us the Direction of a way of a Rule the latter is the Spirit effectually guiding and leading us in all the paths thereof Without this the other direction will be of no saving use It may be line upon line precept upon precept yet men goe backward and are insnared David notwithstanding the Rule of the Word yea the Spirit of Prophecy for the inditing of more of the mind of God for the use of the Church when moved thereunto yet in one Psalme cryes out four times Oh! give me understanding to keepe thy Commandements concluding that hence would be his life that therein it lay Oh give me saith he understanding and I shall live Psal. 119. 144. so Paul bidding Timothy consider the Word of the Scripture that he might know whence it is that this will be of use unto him he addes I pray the Lord give thee understanding in all things 2 Tim 2. 7. How this Understanding is given the same Apostles informes us Eph. 1. 17 18. The God of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of Glory give unto us the Spirit of Wisdome Revelation in the knowledge of him the eyes of our understandings being thereby inlightned It is the Spirit of Wisdome and Revelation the Holy Spirit of God from whom is all Spirituall Wisdome and all Revelation of the will of God 1 Cor. 2. 11. who being given unto us by the God of our Lord Jesus Christ and our God in him inlightens our understandings that we may know c. And on this account is the Sonne of God said to come and give us an Vnderstanding to know him that is true that is himselfe by his Spirit 2 Joh. 5. 20. Now there be two wayes §. 18. whereby the Spirit gives us Guidance to walke according to the Rule of the Word 1. By giving us the knowledge of the will of God in all Wisdome and Spirituall Vnderstanding Col. 1. 9. carrying us on unto all Riches of the full assurance of Vnderstanding to the acknowledgment of God and of the Father and of Christ Cap. 2. 2. This is that Spirituall Habituall Saving Illumination which he gives to the Soules of them to whom he is given He who commanded light to shine out of darkenesse by him shining into their minds to give them the knowledge of his Glory in the face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4. 6. This is else where termed translating from darknesse to light opening blind eyes Col. 1. 13. giving light to them that are in darknesse 1 Pet. 2. 9. freeing us from the Condition of naturall men who discerne not the things that are of God Eph. 5. 8. This the Apostle makes his designe to cleare up and manifest 1 Cor. 1. He tells you Luk. 4. 18. the things of the Gospell are the Wisdome of God in a mystery 1 Cor. 2. 14. even the hidden Wisdome which God ordained before the world unto our glory v. 7. And then proves that an acquaintance herewith is not to be attained by any naturall meanes or abilityes whatsoever v 9. Eye hath not seene eare hath not heard nor hath it entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for those that Love him And thence unto the end of the Chapter variously manifests how this is given to Believers and wrought in them by the Spirit alone from whom it is that they know the mind of Christ But saith he God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit for the Spirit searcheth all things even the deepe things of God for who knoweth the things of a man but the spirit of a man who knoweth the things of God but the Spirit of God and we have received the Spirit not of this world but the Spirit which is of God that we may know the things which are freely given us of God The word is as the way whereby we goe yea an externall Light Ps. 119. 119. as a light to our feet and as a Lanthorne to our paths yea as the Sunne in the firmament sending forth its beames of light abundantly But what will this profit if a man have no Eyes in his head There must not only be light in the object and in the medium but in the subject in our Hearts and Minds And this is of the operation of the Spirit of Light and Truth given to us as the Apostle tells us 2 Cor. 3. 18. we all with open face beholding the Glory of God as in a glasse are changed into the same Image from Glory to Glory as by the Spirit of the Lord This is the first way whereby the Holy Spirit dwelling in us gives Guidance and direction fundamentally habitually he enlightens our mindes gives us eyes understandings shines into us translates us from darknesse into marvelous Light whereby alone we are able to see our way to know our paths and to discerne the things of God without this men are blind and see nothing a farre off 2 Pet 2. 9. There are three things §. 19. which men either have or may be made partakers of without this this communication of Light by the Indwelling Spirit 1. They have the Subject of knowledge a naturall faculty of understanding their mindes remaine though depraved destroyed perverted yea so farre that their eye Math. 6. 23. and the light that is in them is darknesse yet the faculty remaine still 2. They may have the
they runne themselves through Was this inded the case with David Solomon Peter and others who totally Apostatized from the Faith But if it be so if they are thus secure whence is it that it doth arise what are the Fountaines Springs and causes of this generall Security Is it from the weakenesse of the Opposition and slightnesse of all Meanes of diversion from walking with God to the End that they meet withall Or is it from the nature of that Faith which they have and Grace wherewith they are indued Or is it that God hath gracionsly undertaken to safegard them and to preserve them in their abiding with him that they shall not fall away Or is it that Christ intercedeth for them that their Faith faile not but be preserved and their Soules with it by the Power of God unto the End Or from what other Principle doth this Security of theirs arise From what Fountain do the streams of their Consolation Flow Where lye the Heads of this Nilus That it is not upon the first account I suppose cannot enter into the Imagination of any person who ever had the least experience of walking with God or doth so much as assent to the letter of the Scripture How are our Enemies there discribed as to their Number Nature Power Policy Subtility Malice Restlessenes and Advantages With what inimaginable and unexpressible variety of Meanes Temptations Baites Allurements Inticements Terrors Threats doe they fight against us Such so many are the enemies that oppose the Saints of God in their abiding with him so Great Effectual the Means weapons wherewith they fight against theÌ„ so unwearied and watchfull are they for the improovement of all Advantages Opportunityes for their ruine that upon the supposall of the Rejection of those Principles and those meanes of of their Preservation which we shall finde Mr Goodwin to attempt they will be found to be so farre from a state of no danger and litle probability of Falling or only under a remote Possibility of so doing that it will appeare utterly imposible for them to hold out and abide unto the end Had the choisest Saint of God with all the Grace that he hath received but one of the many Enemies and that the weakest of all them which oppose every Saint of God even the feeblest to deale withall separated from the Strength of those Principles and Supportments which M r Goodwin seeketh to cast downe let him lye under continuall exhortations to watchfulnesse close walking with God he may as easily move Mountaines with his finger or climbe to Heaven by a Ladder as stand before the strength of that one enemy Adam in Paradise had no Lust within to intice him no World under the Curse to seduce him yet at the first assault of Sathan who then had no part in him he fell quite out of Covenant with God Psal. 30. 6 7. I shall give one instance in one of the many enemies §. 35. that fight against the welfare of our soules and ex hoc uno we may guesse at the residue of its companions This is indwelling sinne whose power and policy strength and prevalency neerenesse and trechery the Scripture exceedingly setts out and the Saints daily feele I shall only poynt at some particulars First concerning its Neerenesse to us it is indeed in us and that not as a thing different from us but it cleaveth to all the faculties of our soules it is an Enemy borne with us Psal. 51. 5. bred upâ—with us carried about in our bosomes by nature Math. 5. 29 30. our familiar friend our guide and councellor deare to us as our right eye usefull as our right hand our wisdome strength c. The Apostle 7. Rom. 17 20. calleth it the sinne that dwelleth in us Iam. 3. 15. 6. it hath in us in the faculties of our soules its abode and station It doth not passe by and away but there it dwelles so as that it never goes from home is never out of the way when we have any thing to doe whence v 21. he calls it the evill that is present with him When we goe about any thing that is good or have opportunity for or temptation unto any thing that is evill it is never absent but is ready to pluck us back or to put us on according as it serves its ends it is such an Inmate that we can never be quit of its company and so intimate unto us that it puts forth it selfe in every acting of the ming will or any other faculty of the soule Though men would faine shake it off yet when they would doe good this evill will be present with them Then 2. Secondly Its Vniversality and compasse Act. 26. 18. 2 Cor. 6. 14. Ephes. 5. 8. Isa. 29. 18. 35. 5. 42. 7. It is not straightned in a corner of the soule 't is spread over the whole all the faculties affections and passions of it That which is a Ioh. 5. 6. Math. 6. 23. ch 11. 79. Luk. 11. 34 35 36. borne of the flesh is flesh t is all flesh and nothing but flesh it is Darknesse in the Vnderstanding keeping us at best that we know but in part and are still dull and slow of heart to believe naturally we are all Darknesse Rom. 2. 19. nothing but Darknesse and though the Lord shine into our mind to give us in some measure the knowledge of his Glory in the face of Jesus Christ Col. 1. 13. 1 Pet. 2. 9. yet we are still very darke it is a hard work to bring in a little Light Luk. 4. 8. Eph. 4. 18. Revel 3. 17. upon the soule especially this is seen in particular practicall things though in Generall Math. 23. 16. we have very cleare light and eviction yet when we come to particular Acts of obedience Math. 4. 16. How often doth our light grow dimme and failes us causing us to judge amisse of that which is before us Ioh. 1. 5. 2 Cor. 4. 6. by the rising of that naturall darknesse which is in us It is perversenesse stubbornnesse obstinacy in the Will Luk. 4. 18. Ioh. 8. 34. that carries it with violence to disobedience and sinne It is sensuality upon the Affections Rom. 6. 16. bending them to the things of the World alienating them from God Rom. 7. 18. 8. 7 8. It is slipperinesse in the memory making us like leaking vessells lerem 6. 16. that the things that we heare of the Gospell doe suddainly slip out when as other things abide firme in the Cells and Chambers thereof Gen 6. 5. It is senselesnesse and errour in the Conscience lerem 13. 23. Heb. 2. 1. staving it off from the performance of that duty which in the Name and Authority of God it is to accomplish and in all these is dayly enticing and seducing the heart to Folly conceiving bringing forth sinne Iam. 1. 14 15. 3. Thirdly
new Obedience and there will be the work of that Faith in purifying the Heart and mortifying of the sinnes supposed Farther the way here prescribed and limited to the Lord Jesus how he shall intercede for his and for what viz. not for actuall Perseverance and continuance in the Faith to be wrought in them by the exceeding greatnesse of the power of God but for meanes to inable them to preserve themselves we are perswaded he walkes not in And that much upon this account that the way whereby God begins and carries on Believers in the way of Faith and Obedience is not by such a supply of meanes as leaves them to themselves to work and effect the things for which they are so supplied but he himselfe workes in them to will and to doe of his own good pleasure fulfilling in them all the good pleasure of his Goodnesse and the worke of Faith with power giving them all their sufficiency and preserving them by his power through Faith unto salvation To make Faith and Perseverance therein to follow such a supply of meanes as leaves the production of them to the power of the wills of men so that after God hath done all that on his part is to be done or performed that is quickned them being dead giving them new Hearts Spirtis shone into their mindes to give them the knowledge of his Glory in the Face of his Sonne c. it is yet uncertaine whether â—ver Faith shall be wrought in their Soules or no or rather whether men so supplied with means will Believe and Persevere or no is an Assertion that will never be proved to Eternity nor whilest Truth is Truth it is capable of proofe The granting of such meanes and such a presence of his Spirit that men may be inabled to worke for themselves is an expression exceedingly unsuited to all the Promises of the new Covenant what ever either of the Spirit of Grace or the meanes of it is given out to Believers Christ intercedes that his Father would keepe them not that they should keepe themselves he was too well acquainted with our frame and our temptations to desire we might be our own keepers God forbid we should be left to our owne preservation to the hand of our owne counsell and power though compassed with all the supposed sufficient meanes that may be not eventually effectually God creates a defence upon our Glory and doth not leave it to our owne safegarding Our salvation is not in our own custody That the Father doth not keepe us or preserve us that the Sonne doth not Intercede that we may be so preserved that the Spirit doth not make us meete for and keepe us unto the Inheritance of the Saints in Light but that in the use of meanes we are as Adam was our own keepers are some of the Principles of that new way of administring consolation to Believers which Mr Goodwin hath found out This then is the utmost which Mr Goodwin will allow to be for disputation sake not that he really believes it granted that Christ intercedes for his Saints as to their continuance and preservation in that condition viz. That God would give them such meanes as they may use or not use at their liberty which may be effectuall or not effectuall as their own wils shall choose to make use of them which he also takes for granted to be common to all the World and not to be peculiar unto Believers But it is farther argued If Christ should simply and absolutely Intercede that no sinne or wickednesse whatsoever may destroy the Faith of any true Believer and consequently deprive him of Salvation should he not hereby become that which the Apostle rejects with indignation as altogether unworthy of him I meane a Minister of sinne Is therefore Christ the Minister of sinne God forbid or whereby or wherein can it lightly be imagined that Christ should become a minister of sinne rather then by interceding with his Father that such and such men how vile and abominable soever they shall become may yet be precious in his sight and receive a Crowne of Righteousnesse from his hand Or doth not such an Intercession as some men put upon him as they who make him to Intercede simply and absolutely for the Perseverance of Believers in their Faith amount to an Intercession of every whit as vile and unworthy Import as this Ans That this is the tenor of Christs Intercession with his Father for men let them become as vile as they will how vile and abominable soever yet that they may be still precious in his sight and that he would give them a Crowne of Righteousnesse M. Goodwin knoweth full well not to be the Doctrine of them he opposeth If he shall otherwise affirme it will be incumbent on him to produce some one Author that hath wrote about this Doctrine in what language soever and so stated it If he be ignorant that this is not their Doctrine he ought not to have ingaged into an opposition thereof if he argue that it is otherwise this procedure is unworthy of him That Christ Intercedes for his Saints that they may be kept from all such sinnes as would separate them from the Love and Favour of his Father for which there is no Remedy provided in the Covenant of Grace and that their Faith may not faile or perish under such sinnes as they may through Temptation fall into is the Doctrine which he opposeth or at least ought to oppose to make good his undertaking Now if this be so then saith he is Christ the minister of sinne why so He sees and foretells that Peter should deny him thrice yet he prayes that Peters Faith may not faile under that sinne and wickednesse is he therefore a minister of sinne because he Intercedes that his Saints may not be given up to the power of sinne nor every time they are assaulted lye conquered by sinne is he therefore a minister of sinne or rather a deliverer from sinne That very thing which M. Goodwin affirmes would make him a minister of sinne he affirmes himselfe to do in the case of Peter how he will free himselfe from this charge and imputation ipse viderit 2. What it is to Intercede simply and absolutely for Believers that they may continue believing we are not so cleare in Christ Intercedes that they may be preserved by the power of his Father in and through the use of those meanes which he graciously affords them and the Powerfull presence of the Spirit of God with them therein and that not on any such absurd and foolish conditions that they may be so preserved by his Father provided they preserve themselves and continue Believers on condition they continue to believe and if this be of a vile and unworthy import the Gospell is so too and one of the most eminent Graces that is inwrapped in the New Covenant is so too What there is farther in M. Goodwin Sect. 34. Pag. 249