of God according to Election or the Purpose of his Will in Jesus Christ Rom. 9. 11. which though it comprize his Will of not punishing them in their own persons Joh. 3. 36. that are within the verge of this his Purpose Eph. 2. 3. yet it is not properly an Act of forgivenesse of sinns Rom. 5. 6 8. nor are they pardoned by it Gal. 3. 23. nor is the Law actually innovated 2 Cor. 5 21. or its obligation on them unto punishment dissolved Rom. 3. 23 24 25. nor themselves justified in any sence thereby 2. That interposition of the Lord Christ 2 Cor. 1. 30. whereof we have been treating being a medium indispensably necessary as to satisfaction Math. 17. 5. and freely designed by the will and Wisdome of God for such a procurement of the good things designed in his Eternall Counsell as might advance the Glory of his Grace and make knowne his Righteousnesse also And this being fixed on by God as the only thing by him required that all the Mercies all the Grace of his eternall Purpose might be dispensed in the order by him designed unto them Rom. 5. 9 10. upon the performance of it God resteth as well pleased and they for whom he hath mediated by his Blood 2 Cor. 5. 18 19 21. or for whom he is considered so to have done 1 Pet. 2. 24. are reconciled unto God as to that part of Reconciliation which respects the Love of God as to the dispencing the fruits of it unto them even whilest they are enemies upon the accounts before mentioned 3. Things being thus stated between God 2 Cor. 5. 20. and them Rom 8. 11. for whom Christ dyed on the account of his death God actually absolves them from under that sentence and Curse of the Law by sending the Spirit of his Sonne into their hearts to quicken them and to implant Faith in them Aud in what Act of God to place his actuall absolution of sinners ungodly persons whom Christ dyed for but in this actuall collation of the Spirit and habit of Grace on them I am not as yet satisfyed neither doth this in any measure confound our Justification and Sanctification For nothing hinders but that the same Act as it is of free Grace in opposition to workes or any thing in us may justify us or exert the fruit of his Love which was before purchased by Christ in our Gracious Acceptation notwithstanding all that was against us and also by principling us with Grace for Obedience Sanctify us throughout 4. This being done they with whom God thus Graciously deales receive the Attonement and being Justifyed by Faith have peace with God But this is not the matter or subject of our present Contest This then is the first influence which the Bloodshedding in the death Oblation of Christ hath into the Saints continuance of the Love and Favour of God It taketh away the guilt of sinne that it shall not be such a provocation to the eyes of his Glory his Law being fulfilled and Justice satisfyed as to cause him utterly to turne away his Love from them 2 Cor. 5. 21. And they becoming the Righteousnesse of God in him to all intents and purposes what should separate them from the Love of God Eph. 2. 14 15 He hath made peace in the Blood of the Crosse of his Sonne Rom. 8. 32 33. and will not ingage in enmity against his Elect any more to Eternity But in his owne way and own time as he hath the Soveraignty of all in his hands he will bring them infallibly to the enjoyment of himselfe And thus much by this discourse about the effects of the Death of Christ have we clearely obtained what Christ aymes to accomplish by his Death and what was the designe and intention of the Father that he should accomplish that cannot faile of its issue and appointed event by any interposure whatever That the effectuall removall of every thing that might intercept hinder or turne aside the Love and Favour of God from them for whom he dyed is the designed effect of the death of Christ hath been demonstrated This then in the order wherein it hath seemed good to the infinite Wisdome of God to proceed in dispencing his Grace unto sinners shall certainely be fulfilled and all Believers saved to the utmost I come §. 15. in the second place to demonstrate that as our Saviour secures the stability of the Love of the Saints to God and their abiding with him by taking away and removing what ever might hinder them therein or prevaile upon them utterly and wickedly to depart from him That which meritoriously might cause God to turne from us he utterly destroies and abolishes and that which efficiently might cause us to turne from God that also he destroyes and and removes Now all that is of this kind that workes effectually and powerfully for the alienating of the hearts of Believers from God or keeping men in a state of alienation from him may be referred unto two principles Gen. 3. 17. 1. Sathan himselfe 2. His Workes The world as under the Curse is an instrument in his hand who is called the God thereof to allure 2 Cor. 4. 4. vex and mischiefe us withall neither hath it the least power or efficacy in it selfe Math. 4. 9. but only as 't is managed in the hand of Sathan to turne men from God And yet the Lord Christ hath not let that goe free neither without its deaths wound John 16. 32. but bids his followers be of good comfort for he had overcome the World Gal. 1. 4. that is 1 John 5. 4 5. for them and in their stead so that it should never be used nor heightned in its enmity to a conquest over them I meane a totall and finall Conquest such as might frustrate any intention of God in his undertaking for them It is not our losse of a little bloud but our losse of Life that makes the enemy a Conqueror But now for Satan 1. First he overcomes §. 16. destroyes and breakes him in pieces with his power Heb 2. 14. by death he destroyed him that had the power of death that is the Divell The first thing that was promised of him was That he should breake the head of the Serpent Gen. 3. 15. He doth it also in and for the seed of the Woman all the Elect of God opposed to the seed of the Serpent or Generation of Vipers In pursuit hereof he spoyles Principalities and Powers and makes a shew of them openly triumphing over them in his Crosse Col. 2. 15. In the bloud of his Crosse he conquered and brake the power of the Divell binding that strong man Armed and spoyling his goods making a shew of him and them as great Conquerors were wont to doe with their Captives and their spoyles Now there are two waies whereby the bloud of
only in respect of the free manner of it's carrying on whereby he that wills to persevere may not will so to doe but also in respect of the issue and end it selfe will I doubt not if they are serious in what they pretend find themselves entangled in their undertaking As perseverance is a Grace in the subject on whom it is bestowed so it relates either to the spiritual habit of faith or the principle of new life they have received from God or to the actual performance of those duties wherin they ought to abide In the first sense it consists in the point of being or not being Whilest the habit of faith remaines there is in respect thereof an uninterrupted perseverance in him in whom it is and this we contend for As it respects Actions flowing from that Habit and principle so it expatiates it selfe in a large fieild For as it imports not at all a perpetual performance of such Acts without Intermission which were naturally as well as spiritually impossible whilest we carry about us a body of death so neither doth it necessarily imply a constant tenour of proceeding in the performance of them but is consistent with a change in degrees of performance and in other respects also not now to be insisted on Perseverance in this sense being the uninterrupted continuance of Habitual grace in the hearts of Believers without intercision with such a walking in obedience as God according to the tenour of the new covenant will accept upon the whole of the matter it is in it's own nature as every thing also is that hath not it's being from it's selfe liable and obnoxious to Alteration and therefore must be built and repos'd on that which is in it selfe immutable that it may be rendred on that supposition immutable also Therefore is Perseverance in this sense resolved into that Cause of it before mentioned which to doe is the cheife endeavour of the following Treatise Of the Groundlessness of their opinion who granting final perseverance doe yet plead for the possibility of a final Apostacy and an intercision of faith no more need be spoken but what upon the account last mentioned hath been argued already Some discourses have passed both of old and of late concerning the nature of this perseverance and wherein it doth propperly consist Many affirme it not really to differ from the habit of faith and love it selfe for which Bradwardine earnestly contends Lib. 2. de Cau dei cap. 11. Concluding his disputation that Perseverantia Habitualis est justitia habitualiter preservata preseverantia Actualis est justitiae perseverantia Actualis ipsum verò perseverare est justitiam preservare Whereupon suâ— more he inferres this corollary Quod nomen perseverantiae nullam rem absolutam essentialiter significat sed accidentaliter relativè Charitatem videlicet sive justitiam cum respectu futurae permansionis Continuè usque in finem quod non inprobabiliter posset dici perseverantiam esse ipsam relationem hujus And therefore in the next Chapter to that objection If perseverance be no more but charity or righteousness then every one that hath once obteined these or true grace must also persevere He returnes no Answer at all plainly insinuating his Judgment to be so of which afterwards and therefore he spends his thirteenth Chapter of the same Book to prove that the Holy Spirit is that Auxilium as he called it whereby any persevere And Chap. 1. He resolves all preseveration from noâ— being overcome by Tentation or not being tempted to a prevlencie the same for substance with perseverance into the will and purpose of God Quicunque saith he non Tentatur hoc necessariò est à deo quod non tentatur Sicut 11â— pars 13â— primi probat per 22um primi Deus necessariò â—abet aliquem actum voluntatis circa talâ—m non tentationem non nolutionem quia tunc per decimum primi non tentaretur ergo volutionem qnae per idem decimum ipsum tentari non sinit c. Others render it as a Gift super-added to faith and love of which Judgment Austin seems to have been who is followed by sundry of the School-men with many of the Divines of the reformed Churhes Hence is that Conclusion of Alvarez de Auaeil lib 10. disp 103 secundum fidem Catholicam asserendum est praeter gratiam habitualem virtutes infusas esse necessarium ad perseverandum in bono usque in finem auxilium speciale supernaturale scilicet donum Perseverantiae And of this proposition he saies in hâc omnes Catholici Conveniunt Of the same Judgment was his Master Thomas Lib 3. con Gen cap 155. Where also he gives this Reason of his opinion Illud quod naturâ suâ est variabile ad hoc quòd figatur in uno Indiget auxilio aliciâ—jus moventis immobilis sed liberum Arbitrium etiam existens in gratiâ habituali ad huc manet variabile flexibile à bono in malum ergò ad hoc quod figatur in bono perseveret in illo usque ad finem indiget speciali Dei Auxilio The same Argument having been used before him by Bradwardine though to another purpose viz not to prove perseverance to be a super-added gift to saving grace which as before was observed he denyed but to manifest that it was immediatly and wholy from God His words are lib 2. cap 8. Cocol Sicut secundum primi docet Omne quod est Naturale non est per se tale sed est mutabile in non tale si manere debeat immutatum oportet quòd imitatur continuè alicui per se fixo quare continuè quilibit justus Deo The same School-men also a generation of men exceeding ready to speak of any thing though they know not what they spake nor whereof they affirme go yet farther some of them and will distinguih between the gift of perseverance and the gift confirmation in Grace He before mentioned after a long dispute pag. 104 concludes ex his sequitur differentiam inter donum perseverantiae confirmationis in gratiâ he meanes that which is granted in viâ in hoc consistere quòd donum perseverantiae nullam perfectionem intrinsecam constituit in ipsâ gratiâ habituali quam tamen perfectionem intrinsecam illi tribuit Confirmatio in Gratiâ What this intrinsecal perfection of habitual grace given it by confirmation is he cannot tell for in those who are so confirmed in Grace he asserts only in inpeccability upon supposition and that not alone from their intrinsecal principle as it is with the blessed in heaven but from help and assistance also dayly communicated from without Durandus in 3. d. 3. q. 4 assignes the deliverance from sin which those who are confirmed in grace doe obtaine unto the Holy Ghost so far well but he kicks down his milke by his addition that he doth it only by the removeal of all occasion of sin But of
Learned men in every Age of the communion of the Church of Rome crying out for the Papal definitive Sentence against the Pelagian errours crept into their Church especially hath this out-cry with supplication been renewed by the Dominican Fryars ever since the Jesuites have so cunningly guilded over that Pelagian Poyson set it out as the best most wholsome food for the Holy Mother and her children Yea with such earnestnes hath this been in the last Age pursued by Agents in the Court of Rome that a Congregation de Auxiliis being purposely appointed it was generally supposed one while that they would have prevailed in their suit and have obtained a definitive Sentence on their side against their Adversaries But through the just Vengeance of God upon a pack of bloudy persecuting Idolaters giving them up more and more to the Beliefe of Lyes contrary almost to the expectation of all men This very yeare 1653 Pope Innocent the tenth who now weares the Triple Crowne conjured by the subtilty and dreadful interest of the Jesuites in all nations that as yet wonder after him by a Solemne Bull or Papal Consistorian Determination in the Case of Jansenius Bishop of Ypress hath turned the Scales upon his first Suppliants and Cast the Cause on the Pelagian Side But of that whole business elsewhere I shall not perplex the Reader with the Horrid names of Trombet Holcot Bricot Sychet Tartaret Brulifer nor with their more Horrid termes and expressions Let the one Angelical Doctor answer for the rest of his Companions That this man then one of the great Masters of the Crew abode by the Principles of him before insisted on may quickly be made evident by some few instances clearing his judgment herein This in the first place he every where insists on that no Habitual grace received no improvment that can be made of it by the utmost ability diligence and the most rays'd Considerations of the best of men will cause any one certainly to Persevere without the peculiar preservation of God Of this he gives his Reason Lib. 3. Contrà Gent Ca 155. Illud quod Naturâ sua est Variabile ad hoc quod figatur in uno indiget Auxilio alicujus moventis immobilis sed liberum arbitrium etiam existentis in gratiâ Habituali adhuc manet variabile flexibile à bono in Malum ergo ad hoc quod figatur in bono perseveret in illo usque ad Finem indiget Speciali Dei Auxilio An Argument of the same importance with that mentioned out of Bradwardine which howsoever at first appearance it may seem to lye at the Out-skirts of the Controversy in hand yet indeed is such as being granted hath an influence into the whole as hath been manifested And this the same Authour further Confirmes saith he p p Q 109. A 9. Cùm nullum agens secundum agat nisi in Virtute primi sitque care spiritui perpetuò rebellis non potest Homo licet jam gratiam consecutus per seipsum operari Bonum vitare Peccatum absque novo Auxili◠Dei ipsum moventis dirigentis protegentis quamvis alia Habitualis gratia ad hoc ei necessaria non sit And the Reasons he gives of this conclusion in the body of the Article are considerable This saith he must be so primò quidem ratione generali propter hoc quòd nulla Res creata potest in quemcunque Actum prodire nisi virtute motionis divinae The Pelagian selfe-sufficiency and exemption from dependance in Solidum upon God both providentially and Physically as to operation was not so freely received in the Schooles as afterward Secundò saith he ratione speciali propter Conditionem statûs Humanae Naturae quae quidem licèt per Gratiam sanetur quantum ad mentem remanet tamen in eo Corruptio Infectio quantum ad carnem per quam servit legi peccati ut dicitur Ro 7 Remanet etiam quaedam Ignorantiae obscuritas in intellectu secundùm quam ut etiam dicitur Rom 8. quid eremus sicut oportet nescimus ideo necesse est nobis ut à Deo dirigamur protegamur qui omnia novit omnia Potest And will not this man think you who in his gropings after Light when darkness covered the Face of the Earth and thick darkness was upon the Inhabitants thereof with this his discovery of the impotency of the best of the Saints for Perseverance upon the Account of any Grace received because of the perpetual powerful rebellion of indwelling Lust and Corruption and that all that do persevere are preserved by the power of God unto salvation rise in Judgment against Those who in our Dayes wherin the Sun of Righteousness is risen with healing under his wings do ascribe a sufficiency unto men in themselves upon the bottome of their Rational Considerations to abide with God or Persevere to the end And this assertion of the Angelical Doctour is notably confirmed by Didacus Alvarez in his Vindication of it from the exception of Medina that we make use of habits when we will if men will make use of their Habitual Grace they may persevere without relation to any After Grace of God saith he Respondetur Habitibus quidem Nos uticùm volumus sed ut velimus illis uti praerequiritur Motio Dei efficax praemovens Liberum Arbitrium ut utatur Habitu ad operandum operetur bonum praesertim quando Habitus sunt supernaturales quia cùm pertineant ad superiorem Ordinem habent specialem Rationem propter quam potentia merè naturalis non utitur eisdem Habitibus nisi speciali Dei Auxilio moveatur Alvar de Aux Lib. 10. Disput. 100. Though received Graces are reckoned by him as supernatural Habits yet such as we act not by nor with but from new supplies from God Having layd down this Principle Thomas proceeds to manifest that there is a special Grace of Perseverance bestowed by God on some and that on whomsoever it is bestowed they certainly and infallibly persevere to the end p p Quaest 109 A 10 C and contrà Gent Lib. 3 he proves this Assertion from P 6. 1 Pet 5 10. Psal 16. But to spare the Reader I shall give you this man's judgment together with one of his Followers who hath had the happiness to cleare his Masters minde above any that have undertaken the maintenance of his Doctrine in that part now controverted in the Church of Rome therein I shall manifest what I formerly proposed what Beamings and Irradiations of this Truth do yet glide through that gross darkness which is spread upon the face of the Romish Synagogue referring what I have further to adde on this head to the account which God assisting I shall ere long give of the present Jansenian Controversies in my Considerations on Mr. Biddles Catechismes a taske by authority lately imposed on me This is Didacus Alvarez whose 10th Book de Auxiliis treats peculiarly of
assurance they have that those who are borne of God cannot shall not sinne unto deaths 1 Joh. 3. 9. seeing their own interest in that estate and condition may be clouded at least for a season and their consolation thereupon depending interrupted might occasion thoughts in them of very sad consideration but whilest besides all the beams raies that ever issued from a falling starre all the leaves and blossomes with abortive fruit that ever grew on an unrooted tree all the goodly turrets and ornaments of the fairest house that ever was built on the sand 1 Joh. 5. 7 8. there are moreover three that beare witness in Heaven the Father Sonne and Spirit and three that beare witness on Earth the Water Bloud and Spirit 1 Joh. 2. 20 21 whilst there is a teaching anoynting and assuring earnest a firme sealing to the day of redemption a knowledge that we are passed from death to life 2 Cor. 1. 21 22. the temptation arising from the Apostasie of Hypocrites is neither so potent nor unconquerable 2 Cor. 5. 5. but that by the grace of him through whom we can doe all things Ephes. 1. 14. it may be very well dealt withall Ephes. 4. 30. This I say Rom. 8. 16. supposing the ordinary presence and operation of the spirit of grace in the hearts of believers with such shines of Gods countenance upon them as they usually enjoy Let these be interrupted or turned aside and there is not the least blast or breath that proceeds from the mouth of the weakest enemy Psal 30. 6 7. they have to deale withall but is sufficient to cast them downe from the excellency of their joy and consolation The evidence of this truth is such § 8. that M. Goodwin is forced to say * Verè fidelit uti pro tempore praesenti de fidei conscientiae suae integritate certus esse potest ita de salute sui de salutiferâ Dei erga ipsum benevolentiâ pro illo tempore certus esse potest debet Farre be it from me to deny but that a man may very possibly attaine unto a very strong and potent assurance and that upon grounds every way sufficiently warrantable and good that his faith is sound and saving Cap 9. Sect 9. but unto this concession he puts in a double exception First That there is not one true believer of an hundred yea of many thousands who hath any such assurance of his Faith as is built upon solid and pregnant foundations I must by his leave enter my dissent hereunto and as we have the liberty of our respectiue apprehensions so neither the one nor the other prove any thing in the cause Setting aside causes of desertion great temptations and tryalls I hope through the riches of the grace and tenderness of the love of their father Act. Synod p. 182. decl sent Thes. 7. the condition is otherwise then is apprehended by M. Goodwin with the generality of the Family of God The reasons given by him of his thoughts to the contrary doe not sway me from my hopes or byas my former apprehensions in the least His reasons are First Because though the testimony of a mans heart and conscience touching his uprightness towards God or the soundness of any thing that is saving in him be comfortable and chearing yet seldome are these properties built upon such foundations which are sufficient to warrant them at least upon such whose sufficiency in that kind is duely apprehended For the testimony of the conscience of a man touching any thing which is spiritually and excellently good is of no such value unlesse it be first excellently inlightned with the knowledge nature proprieties and condition of that on which it testifieth and Secondly be in the actuall contemplation consideration or remembrance of what he knoweth in this kind Now very few believers in the World come up to this height and degree First Ans. 1. There is in this reason couched a supposition which if true would be farre more effectuall to shake the confidence and Resolution of beleevers then the most serious consideration of the Apostasies of all professors that ever fell from the glory of their profession from the beginning of the World and that is that there is no other pregnant foundation of Assurance but the testimony of a mans own heart and conscience touching his uprightness towards God and therefore before any can attaine that assurance upon abiding foundations they must be excellently inlightened in the nature properties and condition of that which their consciences testifie unto as true faith and uprightnesse of heart and be cleare in the disputes and Questions about them being in the actuall contemplation of them when they give their Testimony I no way doubt but many thousands of believers 1 Cor. 1. 26. whose apprehensions of the nature properties and conditions of things Jam. 2. 5. as they are in themselves are low weake and confused yet hauing received the Spirit of Adoption bearing witness with their spirits Rom. 8. 16. that they are the Children of God 1 Joh. 5. 10. and having the Testimony in themselves have been taken up into as high a degree of comforting and cheering assurance and that upon the most infallible foundation Imaginable 1 Joh. 5. 6. for the spirit witnesseth because the spirit is truth as ever the most seraphically illuminated person in the World attained unto Yea in the very graces themselves of Faith and uprightnesse of heart there is such a seale and stamp impressing the image of God upon the soule as without any reflex act or actuall contemplation of those graces themselves have an influence into the establishment of the soules of men in whom they are unto a quiet comfortable assured repose of themselves upon the love and faithfulnesse of God neither is the spirituall confidence of the Saints shaken Math. 7. 25. much lesse cast to the ground by their conflicting with feares Math. 16. 18. scruples and doubtfull apprehensions seeing in all these conflicts they have the pledge of the faithfulness of God Psal. 77. 10. that they shall be more then conquerours 1 Cor. 1. 9. Though they are exercised by them 1 Thes. 5. 23 24. they are not dejected with them 1 Cor. 10. 13. nor deprived of that comforting assurance and joy which they have in believing Rom. 8. 37. But yet suppose that this be the condition practically of many Saints of God that they never attaine to the state of the primitive Christians 1 Pet. 1. 8. to whose joy and consolation in believing the Holy Ghost so plentifully witnesseth nor doe live up to that full rate of plenty which their Father hath provided for them in his Family and sworne that he is abundantly willing they should enjoy and make use of Heb. 6. 17 18. what will hence follow as to the businesse in hand I professe
and Decree of God concerning the punishment of wicked and ungodly men is expressed by the Holy Ghost absolutely and certainly without the least mention of any condition of relaxation or reversion yet from other passages of Scripture it is fully evident that this Decree of his is conditionall in such a sence which imports a non-execution of the punishment therein declared upon the repentance of the Persons against whom the Decree is In like manner though the purpose and Decree of God for the justification of those who are called and so for the Glorifying of those that shall be Justified be in the Scripture in hand delivered in an absolute and unconditioned forme of words yet is it no way necessary to supose the most familiar frequent and accustomed expression in Scripture in such cases exempting us from any such necessity that therefore these Decrees must needs bring forth against all possible interveniences whatever so that for example he that is called by the Word and Spirit must needs be Justified whether he truly Believe or no and he that is Justified must needs be Glorified whether he Persevere or no. Ans. 1. That the Threatnings of God are morall Acts not declarative as to Particular Persons of Gods Eternall Purposes but subservient to other ends together with the Law it selfe whereof they are a Portion as the avoyding of that for which men are threatned is knowne They are Appendixes of the Law and in their Relation thereunto declare the Connexion that is betweene Sinne and Pnnishment such Sinnes and such Punishments 2. That the Eternall Purposes of God concerning the workes of his Grace are to be measured by rule and Analogy of his Temporall Threatnings is an Assertion striking at the very Root of the Covenant of Grace and efficacy of the Mediation of the Lord Jesus yea at the very being of Divine Perfections of the nature of God himselfe This there is indeed in all Threatnings declared of the absolute Purpose and Unchangeable Decree of God that all impenitent sinners shall be punished according to what in his Wisdome and Righteousnesse he hath apportioned out unto such deservings and threatneth accordingly In this regard there is no Condition that doth or can in the least import a non-execution of the Punishment Decreed Neither do any of the Texts cited in the Margent of our Author proove any such thing They all indeed positively affirme Faithlesse Impenitent Vnbelievers shall be Destroyed which no supposall whatsoever that takes not away the Subject of the Question and so alters the whole thing in Debate can in the least infringe Such assertions I say are parts of the Law of God revealing his will in Generall to Punish impenitent Unbelievers concerning which his Purpose is absolute Unalterable and Stedfast The conclusion then which Mr Goodwin makes is apparently racked from the words by stretching them upon the unproportioned bed of other Phrases and Expressions wholly Hetcrogeneous to the designe in this place intended Added here are supposed Conditions in generall not once explayned to keepe them from being exposed to that shame that is due unto them when their intrusion without all order or warrant from Heaven shall be manifested only wrapped up in the Clouds of possible Interveniences when the Acts of Gods Grace whereby his Purposes and Decrees are accomplished doe consist in the effectuall removeall of the Interveniences pretended that so the end aimed at in the Uuchangeable Counsell of God may suitably to the determination of his Soveragin Omnipotent Infinite Wise Will be accomplished Neither doth it in the least appeare that any such Calling by the Word and Spirit as may leave the Persons so called in their unbeliefe they being so called in the pursuit of this Purpose of God to give them Faith and make them conformable to Christ may be allowed place or Roome in the Haven of this Text The like may be said of Justification wherein men doe not Persevere Yea these two supposalls are only not an open beging of the thing in Contest but a flat defying of the Apostle as to the validity of his Demonstration That all things shall worke together c. Notwithstanding then any thing that hath been objected to the contrary the Foundation of God mentioned in this place of Scripture stands â—irme and his Eternall Purpose of safegarding the Saints in the Love of Christ untill he bring them to the injoyment of himselfe in Glory stands cleare from the least shaddow of Change or suspension upon any certaine Conditionalls which are confidently but not so much as speciously obtruded upon it The next thing undertaken by Mr Goodwin §. 29. is to vindicate the forementioned Glosses from such oppositions as arise against them from the Context and words themselves with the designe of the Holy Ghost therein These things doth He find his Exposition obnoxious unto The exposition which He pretends to give no strength unto but what is forraigne on all Considerations whatsoever of words and things to the place it selfe This it seemes is to prophesy according to the Analogie of Faith Rom. 12 6. First then Sect. 44. To the Objection that those who are Called are also Justified and shall be Glorified according to the Tenor of the series of the Acts of the Grace of God here layd down he Answereth That where either the one or the other of these Assertions be so or no it must be Judged of by other Scriptures Certain it is by what hath bin argued concerning the frequent usage of the Scripture in point of Expression that it cannot be concluded or determined by the Scripture in hand The Sum of this Answer amounts to thus much Although the sence opposed be cleare in the Letter and Expression of this place of Scripture in the Grammaticall sence and use of the words though it flowes from the whole Context and Answers alone the designe and scope of the place which gives not the least Countenance to the interposing of any such Conditionalls as are framed to force it to speake contrary to what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it holds forth yet the mind of God in the words is not from these things to be concluded on but other significations and sences not of any word here used not from the laying downe of the same Doctrine in other places with the Analogie of the Faith thereof not from the proposing of any designe suitable to this here expressed but places of Scripture agreeing with this neither in Name nor Thing Expression nor Designe Word nor Matter must be found out in the sence and meaning of this place and be from them concluded and our interpretation of this place accordingly regulated Nobis non licet c. neither hath M. Goodwin then produced any place of Scripture nor can he parallel to this so much as in expressioÌ„ though treating of any other subject or matter that will endure to have any fuch sence tyed to it as that which he violently imposeth on this place
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
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
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
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
a man professing the Doctrine of the Gospell that inke should staine paper with such filth cast upon the Spirit and Grace of God The Feare of Hell ere-while was suited to the use of the Flesh but now it seems it serves to keep the Love of God it selfe in order that otherwise would wax wanton fleshly and foolish Foolish Love that will attempt to cast out this tormenting Feare not being able to preserve it selfe from folly without its assistance Sect 15. is spent in an Answer endeavoured to an Objection placed in the beginning of it in these words If it be farther demanded But doth it not argue servility in men to be drawn by the Iron cord of the Feare of Hell to doe what is their duty to doe Or doth any other Service or Obedience become Sonnes and Children but only that which is free and proceedeth from Love Hereunto you have a threefold Answer returned First That God requires that it should be so which is a downeright begging of the Question Secondly He puts a difference between the Obedience of Children to their Parents and of the Saints unto God The discourse whereof discovering some mysteries of the new Doctrine of Grace much pressed and insisted on take as followes There is a very different consideration of the Obedience of Children to their Naturall Parents of the obedience of the Children of God unto their Heavenly Father The Obedience of the former is but by the Inspiration of Nature and is an act not so much raised by Deliberation or flowing from the will by an interposure of judgment and conscience to produce the Election as arising from an innate propension in men accompanying the very constituting principles of their Nature and being Whereas the latter the Obedience of the Children of God is taught by Precepts and the Principle of it I mean that Rationall frame of Heart out of which they subject themselves to God is planted in the soules of men by the ingagement of Reason Judgement and Conscience to consider those grounds arguments and motives by which their Heavenly Father judgeth it meet to work and fashion them unto such a frame So that though the obedience of Naturall Children to their Naturall Parents be the more genuine and commendable when it flowes freely from the pure instinct of Nature and is not drawn from them by feare of punishment yet the Obedience of the Children of God is then most genuine and commendable and like unto it selfe when it is produced and raised in the soule by a joynt influence and contribution not of one or of some but of all those Arguments Reasons Motives Inducements whatsoever and how many soever they be by which their Heavenly Father useth to plant and work it in them for in this case and in this only it hath most of God of the Spirit of God of the Wisdome of God of the Goodnesse of God in and upon this account it is likeliest to be most free uniforme and permanent The summe of this Answer amounts to these three things First that there is an Instinct or inspiration of Nature in Children to yeild Obediedce to their Parents Secondly that there is no such Spirituall Instinct or inclination in the Saints to yeild Obedience to God Thirdly that the Obedience of the Saints ariseth meerely and solley from such Considerations of the Reason of that Obedience which they apprehend in contradiction to any such genuine principles as might incline their hearts thereunto For the first That the obedience of Children to their Parents though it be a prime dictate of the Law of Nature wherewith they are indued proceedeth from a pure Instinct any otherwise than as a principle suiting inclining them to the Acts of that Obedience so as to exclude the promoting and carrying of it on upon the Morall condsideration of Duty Piety c. it is in vaine for Mr Goodwin to goabout to perswade us unlesse he could not only corrode the Word of God where it presseth that Obedience as a Duty but also charme us into beasts of the feild which are acted by such a bruit instinct not to be improved stirred up or drawne forth into exercise by Deliberation or Consideration There is it is true in Children an impresse of the power of the Law of nature suiting them to Obedience which yet in many hath been quite cast out and obliterated being not of the constituting principles of their Nature which whilst they haue their being as such cannot be throwne out of them and carrying them out unto it with Delight Ease and Complacency as habits do to suitable actings but withall that this principle is not regulated and directed as our Obedience to God by a Rule and stirred up to exert it selfe and they in whom it is provoked by Rationall and Conscientious considerations to the performance of their duty in that Obedience is so contrary to the experience I suppose of all sharers with us in our Mortality that it will hardly be admitted into debate But Secondly the worst part of this Story lyes in the middle of it in the exclusion of any such Spirituall principle in Believers as should carry them out unto Obedience at least to any such as is not begotten in their minds by Rationall considerations What ever may be granted of acquired habites of Grace which that the first should be that a Spirituall habit should be acquired by naturall actings is a most ridiculous fiction all infused Habits of Grace that should imprint upon the soule a new naturall inclination to Obedience that should fashion and frame the hearts of men into a state and Condition suited for and carry them out unto Spirituall Obedience are here decryed All it seemes that the Scripture hath told us of our utter Insufficiency Deadnesse Disability indisposednesse to any thing that is good without a new Life and principle all that we have apprehended and Believed concerning the new Heart and Spirit given us the new Nature new Creature divine Nature inward man Grace in the Heart making the Roote good that the Fruit may be so All that the Saints have expressed concerning their Delight in God Love to God upon the account of his writing his Laws in their hearts and Spirits is a meere delusion There is no principle of any Heavenly Spirituall Life no new Nature with its bent and instinct lying towards God and Obedience to him wrought in the Saints or bestowed on them by the Holy Spirit of Grace If this be so we may even fairely shut our Bibles and go learne this new Gospell of such as are able to instruct us therein Wherefore I say Thirdly that as in Children there is an instinct an inclination of nature to induce them and carry them out to Obedience to their naturall Parents which yet is directed regulated provoked and stirred up and they thereby to that Obedince by Motives and Considerations suited to worke upon their Minds and Consciences to prevailewith them thereunto so also
Conscience doth however it tumultuate rebuke chide perswade trouble cry and the like whatever conviction of the guilt of sinne may shew into the judgement yet sinne hath the consent of the whole soule Every thing that hath a reall influence into operation consents thereto originally and radically how ever any principle may be dared by Conscience To take off any thing from full consent there must be something of a spirituall Repugnancy in the mind and will which when Lust is thus enthroned there is not Secondly That sinne reigneth in such persons Many have been the inquiries of Learned men about reigning of sinne As What sinnes may be said to reigne §. 8. and what not Whether sinnes of ignorance may raigne as well as sinnes against knowledge What little sinnes may be said to reigne as well as great Whether frequent relapses into any sinne prove that sinne to be reigning Whether sinne may reigne in a Regenerate person Or whether a Saint may fall into reigning sinne whereabout Divines of great note and name have differed all upon a false bottome and supposall The Scripture gives no ground for any such inquiries or disputes or Cases of Conscience as some men have raised hereupon And indeed I would this were the only instance of mens creating Cases of Conscience and answering them when indeed and in truth there are no such things so insnaring the Consciences of Men and intangling more by their Cases than they deliver by their Resolutions The truth is there is no mention of any reigning sinne or the Reigning of any sinne in the whole Book of God taking sinne for this or that particular sinne But of the Reigne of this Indwelling originall Lust or fountaine of all finne there is frequent mention Whilest that holds its power and universality in the soule and is not restrained nor straitned by the Indwelling spirit of grace with a new vitall principle of no lesse extent and of more power than it be the Actuall sinnes few or more knowne or unknowne little or great all is one sinne reignes and such a person is under the power and dominion of sinne so that in plain termes to have finne reigne is to be unconverted and to have sinne not to reigne is to be converted to have received a new principle of Life from above This is evident from the 5. and 6. Chapter of the Epist. to the Romans the seate of this Doctrine of reigning sinne The opposition insisted on by the Apostle is between the Reigne of Sinne and Grace and in pursuit thereof he manifests how true Believers are tanslated from the one to the other To have sinne reigne is to be in a state of sinne to have Grace reigne is to be in a state of Grace So Chapter 5. 21. % As sinne reigned unto death so Grace reignes through Righteousnesse unto eternall Life by Jesus Christ our Lord The sinne he speakes of is that whereof he treates in all that Chapter the sinne of Nature the Lust wherof we speake this by nature reigneth unto Death but when Grace comes by Jesus Christ the soule is delivered from the power thereof so in the whole 6. Chap. It is our change of state and Condition that the Apostle insists on in our delivery from the reigne of sinne and he tells us this is that that destroyes it our being under Grace v 14. Sinne shall not have dominion over you because you are not under the Law but under Grace Plainely then there are two Lords and Rulers and these are Originall or Indwelling sinne and Grace or the Spirit of it The first Lord the Apostle discovers with his entrance upon his Rule and Dominion Chap. 5. and this all men by nature are under The second he describes Chap. 6. which sets out the Rule reigne of Grace in Believers by Jesus Christ. And then Thirdly the place that both these Lords have in this life in a Believer Cap. 7. This then is the only reigning sin in whomsoever it is in its power compas as it is in all unregenerate men in them in them only doth sin reigne every sin they commit is with full consent as was manifested before in exact willing Obedience to the soveraigne Lord that reignes in them Fourthly §. 9. observe that the Grace new Creature Principle or Spirituall Life that is Given to bestowed on and wrought in all and only Believers be it in the lowest and most remisse degree that can be imagined is yet no lesse universally spread over the whole soule than the contrary habit and principle of Lust and sinne whereof we have spoken In the Understanding it is Light in the Lord in the Will Life in the Affections Love Delight c. those being reconciled who were alienated by wicked workes Where ever there is any thing the least of grace there something of it is in every thing of the soule that is a capable seat for good or evill habits or dispositions He that is in Christ is a new creature 2 Cor 5. 17. not renewed in one or other particular he is a new Creature Fiftly that where ever true Grace is in what degree soever §. 10. there it bears Rule though sinne be in the same subject with it As sinne reignes before grace comes so Grace reignes when it doth once come And the reason is because sinne having the first Rule and Dominion in the heart abiding there there is neither Roome nor place for Grace but what is made by conquest Now who ever enters into a possession by right of Conquest what resistance soever be made if he prevaile to a Conquest he reignes In every regenerate man though Grace be never so weake and Corruption never so strong yet properly the Soveraignty belongs to Grace Having entered upon the soule and all the powers of it by Conquest so long as it abides there it doth reigne So that to say a Regenerate man may fall into reigning sinne as it is commonly exprest though as we have manifested no sinne reignes but the sinne of Nature as no good Act reigneth but the spirit and habit of Grace and yet continue Regenerate is all one as to say he may have and not have true Grace at the same time Now from these considerations §. 11. some farther inferences may be made First That in every regenerate person there are in a spirituall sence two Principles of all his actings Two Wills There is the Will of the Flesh and there is the Will of the Spirit a Regenerate man is spiritually and in Scripture expression two men a new man and an old an inward man and a body of Death and hath two Wills having two Natures not as Naturall faculties but as Morall principles of operation and this keepes all his actions as Morall from being perfect absolute or compleate in any kind He doth good with his whole heart upon the account of sincerity but he doth not good with his whole heart upon the account
their comportments with him in his higher and farther application they become filled with the spirit according to the expression of the Apostle Be ye filled with the spirit i.e. follow the spirit close in his present motions and suggestions within you and you shall be filled with him i.e. ye shall find him moving and assisting you upon all occasions at a higher and more glorious rate Ans. First what this joyning of our Wills of the spirit is was in part manifested before The Will of the spirit is that we be mortified His motions hereunto are his perswasions that we be so To joyne our Wills to his is in our Will to answer the Will of the spirit that is upon the spirits motions we mortify our selves By this also he tells us we draw or obtaine farther strength or assistance from the spirit for that worke which we have done already but how so why he tells you afterward that this is the Law of the Spirit It seems then that by doing one thing we obtaine or procure the assistance of the spirit for another and that by a Law I aske by what Law by the Law of workes by that Law the Apostle tells you that we doe not at all receive the spirit therefore by a parity of Reason we obtaine not any farther supplies from him by that Law By the Law of Faith or Grace that Law knows nothing of such termes as that we should by any acting of ours procure the Holy Spirit of God which he freely bestowes according to the maine tenour of that Law Farther How is this second grace obtained and what is the Law of the Spirit therein is it obtained ex congruo or ex condigno produce the Rule of Gods proceeding with his Saints or any of the sonnes of men in the matter of any gratious behovement of his and you will out-doe what ever your Predecessors whether Pelagians Papists Arminians or Socinians could yet attaine unto Our Lord hath told us that without him we can doe nothing yea all our sufficiency is of God and without him we cannot think a good thought that he workes in us to will and to doe not only beginning but perfecting every good worke fulfilling in us all the good pleasure of his goodnesse and the work of Faith with power ascribing the whole of the great work of Salvation to Himselfe and his Holy Spirit working freely and gratiously as he wills and pleaseth Of this order of his dealing with men that his first or preventing Grace should be free but his subsequent Grace procured by us and bestowed on us according to our working and cooperation with his first grace invented by Pelagius Iulianus and Celastinus and here introduced a new by M. Goodwin he informes us nothing at all In briefe this whole discourse is the meere Pelagian figment wrapt up in generall clowdy expressions with allusions to some Scripture Phrases which prophane as well as erring spirits are prone to concerning the bestowing of the Grace of God according to the differing deportments and deservings of men differencing themselves from others and in comparison of them holding out what they have not received But Secondly §. 21. to Answer the first and gentle motions of the spirit is to be led by him and then we shall be filled by the spirit But how doth M. Goodwin prove that to be led by the spirit is to answer his first gentle motions and thereby to obtaine his farther and more glorious actings and perswasions Is it safe thus to make bold with the word of God or is not this to wrest it as ignorant and unstable men doe unto perdition Saints being led by the spirit of God and walking after the spirit are in Rom 8. expressions of that Effectuall sanctification exerting it selfe in their conversation and walking with God which the spirit of God worketh in them and which is their duty to come up unto in opposition to living or walking after the flesh If this now be attained and the Saints come up unto it antecedently to the subsequent Grace of the Spirit what is that subsequent grace which is so gloriously expressed and wherein doth it consist Neither doth that expression of led by the Spirit hold out the concurrence or comportment of their Wills as it is phrased with the gentle motion of the spirit but the powerfull and effectuall Operation of the spirit as to their Holinesse and walking with God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not they comport or concurre with the Spirit in his motions but by the spirit they are acted and carried out to the things of God Neither hath this any relation to or coherence with that of the Ephesians 5. 18. % Be filled with the spirit neither is there any such intendment in the expression as is here intimated of a promise of receiving more of the spirit on condition of that compliance concurrence and comportance with his motions as is intimated That the spirit is sometimes taken for his Graces sometimes for his Gifts habitually sometimes for his actuall operations is known The Apostle in that place disswading the Ephesians from turning aside to such carnall sinfull Refreshments as men of the world went out unto bids them not be drunke with Wine wherein is excesse but to be filled with the Spirit to take their refreshment in the joyes of the spirit speaking to themselves in Psalmes and Hymnes and spirituall Songs v. 20. Could I once imagine that M. Goodwin had the least thought that indeed there was any thing in the Scripture looking towards his intendment in the producing of it I should farther manifest the mistake thereof To play thus with the word of God is a liberty we dare not make use of yet Thirdly he concludes That the reason why Believers are overcome by the Lustings of the flesh is not because the Spirit is not stronger than the flesh but because men have more will to harken to the Lusts of the Flesh than to the Spirit Fortunam Priami cantabo nobile bellum This is the issue of all the former swelling Discourse mens sinnes are from their owne willes and not because the Spirit is not stronger than the flesh And who ever doubted it the Conclusion you were to prove is That Believers sinne with their whole will and full consent of their wills and that the new principle that is in them doth not cause their wills to decline from acting in sinne to the just efficacy of all their strength and vigour But of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the insinuation in that expression of the Will hearkening to the lusts of the flesh and not the lusting of the Spirit in a sovereigne indifferency to both and a liberty for the performance of either in a way exclusive of good or vicious habituall Principles of operation in the will it selfe I shall not now divert to the consideration of What else remaines in this Section §. 22. either doth not concerne the businesse
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
est Cunctis Vigor variarum Illecebris rerum trahitur dispersa voluntas Sponte aliquos vitiis succumbere qui potuissent A Lapsu revocare pedem stabilesque manere As I sayd we have the summe of Mr. Goodwin's Book in this declaration of the Judgment of the Semi-Pelagians so also in particular the state of the Controversy about the perseverance of the Saints as then it was debated I doubt not but the learned Reader will easily perceive it to be no other then that which is now agitated between me Mr. Goodwin The controversy indeed in the matter between Austin and the Pelagians was reduced to 3 heads 1. As to the Foundation of it which Austin concluded to be the decree of Predestination which they denyed the Impulsive Cause of it he proved to be the Free grace of God the measure or quality of that Grace to be such as that whoever received it did persevere it being perseverance which was given both which they denyed about the kind of faith which Temporary professours might have and fall from it which were never elected there was between them no Contest at all Of his Judgment then there were these two main heads which he laboured to confirme That perseverance is a gift of God and that no man either did or could persevere in Faith and obedience upon the strength of any grace received much less of his own Ability stirred up and promoted by such considerations as Mr. Goodwin makes the ground and bottome of the perseverance of all that so do but that the whole was from his Grace Subservient to this he maintained that no one Temptation whatsoever could be overcome but by some Act of Grace and that therfore perseverance must needs be a work thereof it being an abiding in Faith and obedience notwithstanding and against Temptation To this is that of his on Joh Hom. 53 quosdam nimia voluntatis suoe fiducia extulit in superbiam quosdam nimia volunta tis sua diffidentia dejecit in negligentiam Illi dicunt quid rogamus Deum ne vincamur tentatione quod in nostrâ est potestate Isti dicunt at quid conamur bene vivere quod in Dei est Potestate ô Domine ô Pater qui es in Coelis ne nos infer as in quamlibet istarum Tentationum sed libera nos à malo Audiamus Dominum dicentem rogavi pro Te Petre ne fides deficiat tuae ne sic existimemus fidem nostram esse in Libero Arbitrio ut Divino non egeat adjutorio c. That with both of these sorts of men the way and work of the Grace of God is at this day perverted and obscured is so known to all that it needs no Exemplification Some require no more to the Conquest of Temptations but men's own rational consideration of their Eternal state and condition with the tendency of That whereto they are tempted Others turning the Grace of God into wantonness supinely casting away all heedful regard of walking with God being enslaved to their lusts and corruptions under a pretence of God's working all in all The latter denying themselves to be men the former to be men corrupted And in plaine terms the Milevitane Councel tells us si quis finxerit ideò Gratiam esse necessariam ad vitanda peccata quia facit hominem cognoscere peccata discernere inter Peccata non peccata quá Discretione per gratiam habitâ per liberum Arbitrium potest vitare is procùl c. The light of Grace to discerne the state of things the nature of sinne and to consider these aright the Pelagians allowed which is all the Bottome of that perseverance of Saints which we have offered by Mr. Goodwin but upon that supplie of these meanes to abide and persevere in faith to fly and avoid sinne is a thing of our own performance This the Doctors of that Councel Anno 420. condemned as a Pelagian fiction As Prosper also presents it at large C 25 against Cassianus the Semi-Pelagian further cleares confirmes it so Austin againe De Bono Persev c 3 cur ista perseverantia petitur à Deo si non datur à Deo an ista irrisoria Petitio est cum illud ab eo petitur quod scitur non ipsum Dare sed ipso non dante esse in hominis potestate sicùt irrisoria est etiam illa Gratiarum Actio si ex hoc gratiae aguntur Deo quod non donavit ipse nec fecit And the same Argument he useth againe Cap 6 9 much resting on Cyprian's Interpretation of the Lord's Prayer and Cap 26 he further presseth it as to the root and foundation of this Gift of God Si ad Liberum Arbitrium Hominis quod non secundum gratiam sed contra eam defendis pertinere dicis ut perseveret in Bono quisquis vel non perseveret non Deo dante sic perseverat sed humana voluntate faciente One or two instances more in this kind amongst hundreds that offer themselves may suffice De Correptione Gratiâ Cap 14. Apostolus Judas cum dicit ei autem qui potens est c nonne apertissimè ostendit Donum Dei esse Perseverare in Bono usque ad Finem quid enim aliud sonat qui potest conservare nos sine offensione constituere ante conspectum gloriae suoe immaculatos in Laetitiâ nisi Perseverantiam Bonam quis tam insulsè desipiat ut neget Perseverantiam esse Denum Dei cùm dicit Sanctissimus Jeremias timorem meum dabo in corde eorum ut non recedant à me c. I shall adde only that one place more out of the same Book c 59. where both the matter manner of the thing in hand is fully delivered in hoc loco miseriarum ubi tentatio est vita hominum super terram virtus infirmitate perficitur qaoe virtus nisi qui gloriatur ut in domino glorietur per hoc de ipsa perseverantiâ Boni noluit Deus Sanctos suos in viribus suis sed in ipso gloriari qui eis non solùm dat Adjutorium quod Primo homini dedit sine quo non possit persever are si velit sed in iis etiam operatur velle quoniam non perseverabunt nisi possint velint perseverandi eis possibilitas voluntas Divinae Gratiae largitate donatur tantum quippe Spiritu Sancto accenditur voluntas eorum ut ideò possint quia sic volunt ideò sic velint quia Deus operatur ut velint Nam si tantâ infirmitate hujus vitae ipsis relinquetur voluntas sua ut in Adjutorio Dei fine quo perseverare non possent manerent si vellent ne Deus in eis operaretur ut velint inter tot tantas tentationes infirmitate suâ succumberet voluntas ideò persever are non possent quia deficientes infirmitate voluntatis non vellent aut non ita vellent ut
possent Subventum est igitur infirmitati voluntatis humanae ut divinâ gratiâ indeclinabiliter insuper abilitaèr ageretur ideò quamvis infirma non tamen deficiat It is not possible that any one should deliver his sense more clearly to the whole of our present Contest than this holy and learned man hath done in the words now repeated from him A gift of God he asserts it to be and not an Act or course of our own whereto we are prompted by certaine Considerations and assisted with such outward meanes as are also added to us to the real production of that effect by the efficiency of the Grace of God And for the manner of this work it is faith he by the effectual working the Actual will of perseverance in the continuance of our obedience in a Dispensation of Grace different from and beyond what was given to him who had a Power of Persevering if he would but received not the will thereof Now to Adam's Perseverance there was nothing wanting but his wills confirmation in obedience and his Actuall doing so Power he had within and meanes without abundantly sufficient for that end in their kind This then He asserts to be given to the Saints and to be the work of God in them even their Actual Perseverance Without this he also manifesteth that such is the infirmity of our wills and such the Power of our Temptations that what meanes so ever may be supplyed and left to their Power or what man-like rational considerations whatever man may engage his thoughts into that it is impossible any should persevere to the end which Bradwardine more confirmes De Caus Dei Lib 2. Cap. 8. Coroll Omne quod est naturale non est per se Tale si manere debeat immutatum oportet quòd innitatur continuè ali◠ui fixo per se quare quilibet justus Deo And the holy man Austin I meane concludes that this work of God being wrought in a man his will is indeclinably and inseperably fixed so to obedience as not to fall off from God This is the foundation that He layes of the Doctrine of the Perseverance of Saints That it is a Gift of God and that such a Gift as he effectually and Actually works in him on whom he doth bestow it A Foundation that will by no meanes regularly beare the hay stubble wherewith men think to build up a Doctrine of perseverance making it a fruit that may or may not be brought forth from our own use of the meanes allowed for that end purpose And indeed the Asserting of the Perseverance of the Saints in that way is as bad if not a worse and more fearful opposition to and slighting of the Grace of God as the denyal of it in the way they oppose By the latter they oppose the Grace of God by the former set up the Power and strength of their own will Thus far Austin is clearly engaged with us that perseverance is a Gift of God that it is given by him to every one that doth persevere that every one to whom it is given is inseperably confirmed in Grace and shall infallibly persevere to the end In that earnest and long Contest which that learned Doctor insists upon to prove Perseverance to be the Gift of God for which he hath sufficient ground from that of the Apostle 1 Cor 1. 7 8 that ye come behind in no Gift waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus c. two things he especially aimed at first an opposing of such a Perseverance as should not be the fruit work of the Grace of God in us but the work and Effect of our own endeavours upon a supply of such meanes motives perswasions considerations as we are or may be furnished withal Secondly that it is so given and bestowed as that on whomsoever it is bestowed he certainly hath it that is he doth certainly Persevere As it was Heresy to that holy man to deny Perseverance to be the Gift of God so it was ridiculous to him to say that that Gift was given to any and yet that they received it not that is that they might not Persevere Nobis saith he de Cor. Grat C 11. qui Christo insiti sumus talis data est Gratia ut non solùm possimus si velimus sed etiam ut velimus in Christo perseverare And C 12 non solùm ut sine illo dono perseverantes esse non possint verùm etiam ut per hoc Donum non nisi perseverantes sint And that which he addes afterwards is most considerable concluding from that of our Saviour you have not chosen me but I have chosen you and ordained you to beare fruit eis faith he non solùm justitiam verùm etiam in illâ perseverantiam dedisse monstravit Christo enim sic eos ponente ut eant fructum afferant fructus eorum maneat quis audeat dicere forsitan non manebunt Though they dare say so who also dare to to pretend his Authority for what they say how falsly how injustly is evident to all serious observers of his mind and spirit in and about the things of the Grace of God 2 As he mentioned Perseverance to be such a Gift of God as indeclinably wrought in them on whom it was bestowed a will to Persevere and on that account Perseverance it selfe an Assertion as obnoxious to the Calumny and Clamour of the Adversaries of the Doctrine under consideration as any we teach or affirme concerning it so he further constantly taught this Gift and Grace to be a fruit of Predestination or Election and to be bestowed on all and only elected believers so De Predestinatione Sanc C. 17. Haec dona Dei dantur Electis secundum Dei Propositum vocatis in quibus est incipere credere in fide ad hujus vitae exitum perseverare And afterwards C 9◠De bono Persev ex duobus piis of his meaning in that word afterwards cur huic donetur Perseverantia usque in finem illi non donetur inscrutabilia sunt judicia Dei illud tamen fidelibus debet esse certissimum hunc esse ex Praedestinatis illum non esse nam si fuissent ex nobis ait unus Pradestinatorum quiè pectore Domini biberat hoc secretum mansissent utique nobiscum Quae est ista Discretio patent Libri Dei non avertamus aspectum elamat Scriptura Divina adhibeamus auditum non erant ex eis quia non erant secundum propositum vocati non erant in Christo Electi ante mundi constitutionem non erant in eo sortem consecuti non erant Praedestinati secundum Propositum ejus qui omnia operatur And unto these Elect Predestinate Believers he concluded still that Perseverance was so given in and for Christ so proceeding from the immutable will of God wrought by such an efficacy of Grace that it was impossible that they should not
this Subject of Perseverance In the entrance of his disputation he layes down the same Principles with the Former concerning the necessity of the Peculiar Grace of Perseverance to this end that any one may persevere Disput 103. Then Disp 108 He further manifests that this gift or Grace of Perseverance does not depend on any Conditions in us or any Cooperation of our wills His position he layes down in these words Donum perseverantiae in ratione Doni perseverantiae efficacia illius nullo modo dependet effectivè ex libera Cooperatione nostri Arbitrii sed à solo Deo atque ab efficaci absoluto Decreto Voluntatis ejus qui pro suâ misericordiâ tribuit illud Donum cui vult In the further proof of this proposition he manifests by clear Testimonies that the Contrary Doctrine hereunto was that of the Pelagians and Semi-pelagians which Austine opposed in sundry Treatises And in all the Arguments whereby he further confirmes it he still presses the absurdity of making the Promise of God concerning Perseverance Conditional and so suspending it on any thing in and by us to be performed And indeed all the Acts whereby we persevere flowing according to him from the Grace of perseverance it cannot but be absurd to make the Efficient Cause in it's Efficiency and operation to depend upon it's own effect This also is with him Ridiculous that the Grace of perseverance should be given to any and he not persevere or be promised and yet not given yet withal he grants in his following Conclusions that our wills secundarily and in dependency do cooperate in our Perseverance The second Principle this learned School-man insists on is that this gift of perseverance is peculiar to the Elect or praedestinate Disput 104. 1. Con Donum perseverantiae est proprium Praedstinaterum ut nulli alteri conveniat And what he intends by Praedestinati he informes you according to the Judgment of Austin and Thomas Nomine praedestinationis ad Gloriam felùm 〈◊〉 praedestinationem intelligunt Augustinus Thomas quâ Electi ordinantur efficaciter transmittuntur ad vitam aeternam cujus effectus sunt vocatio Justificatio perseverantia in gratiâ usque ad Finem not that or such a Conditional predestination as is pendent in the ayre and expectant of men's good final Deportment but that which is the eternal free fountaine of all that grace whereof in time by Jesus Christ we are made Partakers And in the pursuit of this proposition he further proves at large that the persverance given to the Saints in Christ is not a supplement of Helps and advantages whereby they may preserve it if they will but such as causes them on whom it is bestowed certainly actually so to do and that in it's efficacy and operation it cannot depend on any free cooperation of our wills all the Good Acts tending to our perseverance being fruits of that Grace which is bestowed on us according to the absolute unchangeable Decree of the will of God This indeed is common with this Authour and the Rest of his associates the Dominicans and presâ—â—â— Jansenians in these controversies together with the residue of the Romanists that having their Judgments wrested by the abominable figments of implicite Faith and the efficacy of the Sacraments of the new Testament conveying really exhibiting the grace signified or sealed by them that they are inforced to grant that many may be are Regenerate made True Believers who are not predestinate that these cannot persevere nor shall eventually be saved Certaine it is that there is not any Truth which that Generation of men do receive admit but more or less it suffers in their Hands from that gross ignorance of the free Grace of God in Jesus Crhist the power whereof they are practically under what the poor Vassailes and Slaves will do upon the late Bull of their Holy Father casting them in sundry maine Concernements of their Quarrel with their Adversaries is uncertaine otherwise setting aside some such deviations as the above mentioned whereunto they are enforced by their Ignorance of the Grace and Justification with is in Jesus Christ there is so much of Antient Candid Truth in opposition to the Pelagians and Semi-Pelagians preserved and asserted in the writings of the Dominican Fryers as will rise up as I sayd before in Judgment against those of our Dayes who enjoying greater Light Advantages do yet close in with those and are long since Cursed Enemies of the grace of God To this Dominican I shall only adde the Testimony of two famous Jesuites upon whose understandings the light of this glorious Truth prevailed for an Acknowledgment of it The first of these is Bellarmine whose disputes to this purpose being full and large and the Authour in allmens hands I shall not transcribe his assertions arguments but only referre the Reader to his l. 2. de Grat. l. Ar. Cap. 12. Denique ut multa alia Testimonia c The other is Suarez who delivers his thoughts succinctly upon the whole of this Matter Lib. 11. de perpetuitat vel Amis Grat Cap. 2. Sect. 6. saith he de praedestinatis verum est Infallibiliter quòd gratiam finaliter seu in perpetuum non amittunt unde postquam semel gratiam habuerant ita reguntur proteguntur à Deo ut vel non cadant vel si ceciderint resurgant licèt saepius cadant resurgant tandem aliquando ita resurgunt ut amplius non cadant in which few words he hath briefly comprized the summe of that which is by us contended for It was in my Thoughts in the last place to have added the concurrent witness of all the reformed Churches which that of the most eminent Divines which have written in the defence of their Concessions but this Trouble upon second considerations I shall spare the Reader my selfe for as many other reasons lye against the Prosecuting of this Designe so especially the uselesness of spending-Time and paines for the demonstration of a thing of so evident a truth prevailes with me to desist Notwithstanding the Indeavours of Mr. Goodwin to wrest the words of some of the most antient Writers who laboured in the first Reformation of the Churches I presume no unprejudiced Person in the least measure acquainted with the systeme of that Doctrine which with so much paines diligence piety and Learning they promoted in the world with the clearness of their Judgments in going forth to the utmost compass of their Principles which they received and their constancy to themselves in asserting of the Truthes they embraced owned by their Friends and Adversaries until such time as Mr. Goodwin discovered their selfe Contradictions will scarce be moved once to question their Judgments by the Excerpta of Mr. Goodwin Cap 15 of his Treatise so that of this discourse this is the Issue There remaines only that I give a brief account of some concernments of the
Faith of others is to be obtained 23 What is meant by Perseverance How in Scripture it is expressed 24. The grounds of it pointed at 25 What is intended by falling away whether it be possible the Spirit of Grace may be lost or 26 27 28 The habit of it and how 29 30 The state of the Controversy as laid downe by Mr G. 31 The vanity thereof discovered 32 33 34 His judgement about Believers falling away examined what principles and meanes of Perseverance he grants to them 35 The enemies of our Perseverance Indwelling sin in particular considered 36 No possibility of preservation upon Mr G grounds demonstrated 37 38 39 40 41 42 The meanes and waies of the Saints preservation in Faith asserted by Mr G at large examined weighed found light 43 The Doctrine of the Saints Perseverance way of teaching it cleard from Isa 4 44 45 That Chapter opened 47 48 49 The 43 verse particularly insisted on and discussed 50 The whole state and Method of the Controversy thence educed THe Truth which I have proposed to handle §. 1. and whose defence I have undertaken in the insuing discourse Iud. 3. is commonly called the PERSEVERANCE OF SAINTS 2 Cor. 13. 8. A Doctrine Isai. 4. 5 6. whereof nothing ordinary Low or Common is spoken by any Ierem. 31. 31 32 33 34 35. that have ingaged into the consideration of it To some it is the very Salt of the Covenent of Grace Ier. 32. 39 40 the most distinguishing mercy communicated in the blood of Christ Isa. 59. 21. so enterwoven into Heb. 8. 10 11. and lying at the bottome of all that consolation which God is abundantly willing that all the Heires of the promise should receive That it is utterly impossible it should be safe guarded one moment 1 Cor. 1. 9. without a perswasion of this truth Phil. 1. 6. which seales up all the mercy and grace of the new Covenant Rom. 8. 32 33 34 35. with the unchangeableness and faithfulness of God To others it is no grace of God Pelag. Armin. Socin Papist Thomson de Intercis Justif Diatrib Bertius Apost Sanct. Remon-Coll Hag. Scripta Sinod no part of the purchase of Christ no doctrine of the Gospell no foundation of consolation but an invention of men a delusion of Satan an occasion of dishonour to God disconsolation and perplexity to believers a powerfull temptation unto sinne and wickednesse in all that doe receive it A Doctrine it is also whose right apprehension is on all hands confessed to be of great importance upon the accompt of that effectuall influence which it hath and will have §. 2. into our walking with God which say some is to Love Gen. 17. 1. Humility Thankefulness Feare Fruitfulness To Folly Stubborness Rebellion Psal. 23. 6. Dissolnteness Negligence say others The great confidence expressed by men concerning the evidence and certainty of their severall perswasions Phil. 2. 12 13. whether defending or opposing the Doctrine under consideration Heb. 10. 16 17 18 19 20 21 22. the one part professing the truth thereof to be of equall stability with the promises of God 2 Cor. 7. 1. and most plentifully delivered in the Scripture 2 Pet. 1. 3 4 5 6 7. c. others at least one who is thought to be pars magna of his Companions that if it be asserted in any place of the Scripture it were enough to make wise impartiall men to call the authority thereof into question must needs invite men to turne aside to see about what this earnest contest is quis is est tam potens who dares thus undertake to remove not only antient Landmarkes boundaries of doctrines among the Saints but mountains of brass the hils about Ierusalem which we hoped would stand fast for ever The concernement then of the Glory of God and the Honour of the Lord Iesus Christ with the interest of the soules of the Saints being so wrapt up and that confessedly on all hands in the Doctrine proposed I am not out of hope that the plaine discoursing of it from the word of truth may be as ae word in season like apples of gold in Pictures of silver Moreover §. 3. besides the generall importance of that doctrine in all times and seasons the wretched practizes of many in the daies wherein we live and the industrious attempts of others in their Teachings for the subverting and casting it downe from its excellency and that place which it hath long held in the Churches of Christ and hearts of all the Saints of God have rendred the consideration of it at this time necessary For the First these are daies wherein we have as sad and tremendious examples of Apostacy §. 4. back-sliding and falling from high and glorious pitches in profession as any Age can parallell As many starres cast from heaven As many trees pluckt up by the rootes Revel 12. 4. as many stately buildings by winde raine and storme Jud. 12. cast to the ground as many Sons of perdition discovered as many washed swine returning to their mire Math. 7. 26 27. as many Demases going after the present evill World 2 Thes. 2. 8. and men going out from the Church which were never truly and properly of it 2 Pet. 1. 20 21 22. as many Sonnes of the morning and Children of high illumination gifts setting in darkness 2 Tim. 4. 10. that of all sorts as ever in so short a space of time 1 Joh. 2. 19. since the name of Christ was known upon the Earth What through the deviating of some to the wayes of the World Heb. 6. 4 5. 6. and the Lusts of the flesh what of others to spirituall wickednesses and abominations it is seldome that we see a Professor to hold out in the Glory of his Profession to the end I shall not now discourse of the particular causes hereof with the temptations and advantages of Satan that seem to be peculiar to this season but only thus take notice of the thing it selfe as that which presseth for and rendreth the consideration of the doctrine proposed not only seasonable but necessary That this is a stumbling block in the way of them that seeke to walke with God §. 5. I suppose that none of them will deny It was so of old and it will so continue untill the end And therefore our Saviour predicting and discoursing of the like season Mathew 24. Foretelling that Many should be deceived ver 11. That Iniquity should abound and the love of many wax cold v. 12. that is visibly and scandalously to the contempt and seeming disadvantage of the Gospell adds as a preservative consolation to his own chosen select ones who might be shaken in their comforts confidence to see so many that walked in the House of God and took sweet counsell together with them to fall headlong to
5. Heb. 10. 22. universall habituall uncleannesse to holinesse from d Rom. 6. 10. Eph. 2. 12 13 14 15. Col. 1. 21. Heb. 12. 22. a state of enmity stubbornnesse rebellion c. into a state of love obedience delight c. and as to their relative condition whereas they were e Eph. 2. 3. Galat. 3. 13. 4. 4 5 6 7. Rom. 8. 1. 2 Cor. 5. 21. Col. 2. 10. Rom. 5. 1. 8. 32 33. 1 Ioh. 3. 1 2. Ephes. 3. 15. children of wrath under the curse and condemning power of the law they are upon the score of him who was made a curse for them and is made righteousnesse to them accepted justified adopted and admitted into that family of heaven and earth which is called after the name of God These alone are they of whom we treat of whose state and condition Perseverance is an inseparable adjunct wherein and in what particulars they are differenced from and advanced above the most glorious Professors whatever who are lyable and obnoxious to an utter and everlasting separation from God shall be afterwards at large insisted upon And though M. Goodwin hath thought good to affirme that that description which we have Heb 6 of such as is supposed may be Apostates is one of the highest and most eminent that is made of believers in the whole Scripture I shall not doubt but to make it evident that the Excellency of all the expressions there used being extracted and laid together doth yet come short of the meanest and lowest thing that is spoken of those concerning whom we treat as shall be manifest when through Gods assistance we arrive unto that part of this contest That the other terme to wit Perseverance may be more briefely explicated §. 23. I shall take the shortest path For Perseverance in generall he came neere the nature of it who said it was in ratione bene fundatâ stabilis ac perpetua permansio The words and termes whereby it is expressed in Scripture will afterwards fall in to be considered The Holy Ghost restraines not himselfe to any one expression in spirituall things of so great importance but using that variety which may be suited to the instruction supportment and consolation of Believers Rom. 15. 4. this grace as is that of Faith it selfe in an eminent manner is by him variously expressed 2 Sam. 7. 14 15. To walke in the name of the Lord for ever to walke with Christ as we have received to be confirmed or strengthened in the faith as we have been taught Psal. 1. 3. 23. 6. 37. 24. 52. 10. 89. 31. 125. 1 2. 3 128. 5. to keep the waies of Gods commandements to the end to runne stedfastly the race set before us to rule with God to be faithfull with the Saints to be faithfull to the death to be sound and stedfast in the precepts of God to abide or continue firme with Christ in Christ in the Lord in the word of Christ in the doctrine of Christ in the faith in the love and favour of God in what we have learned and received from the beginning Isa. 46. 4. 54. 10. to endure to persist in the Truth to be rooted in Christ Ierem. 31. 3. 32. 39 40. to retaine or keepe faith and a good conscience to hold fast our confidence and faith to the end Zech. 10. 12. to follow God fully to keep the word of Christs patience Math. 7. 24 25. 12. 20. 16. 18 24. 24. Luk. 8. 5. 22. 23. Ioh. 6. 35 39 56 57. 8. 12. 10. 27 28 29. 14. 16 17. 17. 20 18 28. Rom. 8. 1. 16. 29. 34. 36 37. 1 Cor. 3. 8 9 10 13. 15. 58. to be built upon and in Christ to keep our selves that the wicked one touch us not not to commit sinne to be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation 1 Ioh. 5. 17. 3. 9. to stand fast as mount Syon that can never be removed to stand by faith to stand fast in the faith to stand fast in the Lord to have the good work begun 1 Pet. 1. 5. Rom. 11. 20. 1 Cor. 16. 13. perfected to hold our profession that none take our crowne These I say and the like are some of those expressions whereby the holy Ghost holds forth that doctrine which we have in hand Phil. 4. 1. Phil. 1. 6. Ephes. 1. 13 14. which is usually called the Perseverance of Saints regarding principally their abiding with God through Christ in faith and obedience which yet is but one part of this truth The reasons causes investing this proposition 4. 39. that Saints such as we have described Gal. 2. 20. Phil. 1. 6. shall so Persevere with a necessity of consequence and on which the truth of it doth depend 1 Thes 5. 24. both negatively considered and positively with the limitation of Perseverance 2 Tim. 2. 12. what it directly asserts what not with what failing 1 Pet 1. 2 3 4. backsliding declensions on the one hand and other it is consistent and what is destructive of the nature and being of it 1 Joh. 2. 19 27. c. the difference of it as to being and apprehension in respect the subject in whom it is with the way and manner whereby the causes of this Perseverance have their operation on § 24. and effect in them that persevere not in the least prejudicing their liberty but establishing them in their voluntary obedience will afterwards be fully cleared And hereon depends much of the life and vigor of the Doctrine we have in hand it being oftner in the Scripture held forth in its fountaines and springs and causes then in the thing it selfe as will upon examination appeare As to what is on the other side affirmed §. 25. that Believers may fall totally finally away something may be added to cleare up what is intended thereby to enquire how it may come to passe We doe suppose which the scripture abundantly testifieth that such believers have a Ezek 36. 27. Isa 59. 21. Luk 11. 13. Psal. 51. 11. Rom. 8 9 11 15. 1 Cor 2. 12. Gal 4. 6. 1 Tim 1. 14 Rom 5. 5. Gal 5. 22. Ioh 14. 16 17. Ioh 16. 13. 1 Cor 3. 16. 1 Cor 6. 19. the holy Spirit dwelling in them by his implanting a b Math 12. 33. 2 Cor 5. 17. 2 Pet 1. 4 Gal 5. 22 23 Ephes. 4. 23 24. new holy habit of Grace the enquiry then is how believers may come utterly to loose this holy spirit to be made naked of the habit of Grace or new nature bestowed on them That and that only whereunto this effect is ascribed is sinne Now there are two wayes whereby sinne may be supposed to produce such effects in reference to the Soules of Believers 1. Efficiently by a reaction in the same subject as frequent acts of Vice will
will destroy them and separate them from God and that by Obedience they shall come to the Greatest Good Imaginable where upon it is in their Power so strongly to incline their hearts unto Obedience that they shall be in no more danger of departing from God then a Wise and Rationall man is of killing or willfully destroying himselfe The first part whereof may be performed by them who are no Saints the latter not by any Saint whatsoever And is not this noble Provision for the Security and Assurance of the Saints enough to make them cast away with speed all their interest in the unchangeable purposes Gracious and Faithfull Promises of God Intercession of Christ Sealing of the Spirit and all those Sandy and triviall supports of their Faith which hitherto they have rejoyced in And what ever experience they have or Testimony from the Word they doe recieve of the Darkenesse and Weakenesse of their Minds the stubbornesse of their Wills with the strong inclinations that are in them to sinne and falling away what ever be their Oppositions from aboue them Ephes. 6. 12. Heb. 12. 1. Rom. 7. 17. about them within them on the right Hand and on the Left that they have to wrestle withall let them give up them selves to the hand of their owne manlike Considerations and weighing of things which will secure them against all danger or Probability of falling away For if they be but capable First of seeing and knowing Secondly of pondering and considering and that rationally it matters not whether these things are Fruits of the Spirit of Grace or no nay 't is cleare they must not be so that such and such evill is to be avoided and that there is so and so Great a Good to be obtained by continuing in obedience they may raise and worke inclinations in themselves answerable in strength vigour and power to any degree of goodnesse which they apprehend in what they see and ponder The whole of the Ample sufficient Meanes §. 40. afforded by God to the Saints to inable them to Persevere branching it selfe into these two heads First The rationall considering what they have to doe Secondly Their vigorous Inclination of their Hearts to act suitably and answerable to their Considerations I shall in a word consider them apart 1. First the Considerations mentioned of Evill to be avoided and Good to be attained I meane that which may put men upon Creating those strong inclinations For such considerations may be without any such Consequence as in her that cryed video meliora proboque deteriora sequor are either Issues and products of mens owne naturall faculties and deduced out of the power of them so that as men they may put themselves upon them at any time or they are Fruits of the Spirit of his Grace who worketh in us to will and to doe of his owne good Pleasure 2 Pet. 1. 3 4. If they be the latter I aske seeing all Grace is of Promise whether hath God promised to give and continue this Grace of selfe-consideration unto Believers or noe If he hath whether absolutely or conditionally If absolutely then he hath promised absolutely to continue some Grace in them which is all we desire If Conditionally then would I know what that Condition is on which God hath promised that Believers shall so consider things mentioned And of the Condition which shall be expressed it may farther be enquired whether it be any Grace of God or only a meer Act of the Rationall Creature as such without any immediate Inworking of the Will and Deed by God Whatsoever is answered the Question will not goe to Rest untill it be granted that either it is a Grace Absolutely promised of God which is all we desire or a pure Act of the Creature contra-distinct thereunto which Answers the first inquiry Let it then be granted that the Considerations intimated are no other but such as a Rationall man who is inlightened to an assent to the Truth of God may so exert and exercise as he pleaseth then is here a Foundation layd of all the Ground of Perseverance that is allowed the Saints in their owne indeavours as men without the Assistance of any Grace of God Now these Considerations be they what they will must needs be beneath one single good thought for as for that we have no sufficiency of our selves yea Vanity and nothing for without Christ we can doe nothing yea evill and displeasing to God 2 Cor. 3. 3. Ioh. 15. 5. Gen. 8. 21. as are all the thoughts and imaginations of our Hearts that are only such I had supposed that no man in the least acquainted with what it is to serve God under Temptations and what the worke of Saving Soules is but had been sufficiently convinced of utter the insufficiency of such Rationall Considerations flowing only from Conviction to be a solid Foundation of abiding with God unto the end If mens Houses of profession are built on such Sands as these we need not wonder to see them so frequently falling to the ground 2. Secondly §. 41. suppose these Considerations to act their parts upon the stage raised for them to the Greatest Applause that can be expected or desired yet that which comes next upon the Theater will I feare foully miscarry and spoyle the whole Plot of the Play That is mens vigorous inclination of their hearts to the good things pondered on to what height they please For besides that 1. First it is liable to the same Examinations that passed upon it's Associate before or an inquiry from whence he comes whether from Heaven or Men upon which I doubt not but he may easily be discovered to be a Vagabond upon the earth to have no Passe from Heaven and so be rendred liable to the Law of God 2. Secondly it would be inquired whether it hath a Consistency with the whole designe of the Apostle Rom. 7. and therefore 3. Thirdly it is utterly denied that Men the Best of Men have in themselves and of themselves arising upon the account of any Considerations whatsoever a Power Ability or Strength vigorously or at all acceptably to God to incline their Hearts to the performance of any thing that is spiritually good or in a Gospell tendency to walking with God All the Promises of God all the Prayers of the Saints all their Experience the whole designe of God in laying up all our stores of Strength and Grace in Christ joyntly cry out against it for a counterfeit pretence In a word that men are able to plant in themselves Inclinations and Dispositions to refraine all manner of Sinne destructive to the safety of their soules fuller of Energie Vigor Life Strength Power then those that are in them to avoid things Apparantly tending to the destruction of their naturall lives is an Assertion as full of Energy Strength and Vigor Life and Poyson for the destruction and eversion of the Grace of God in Christ as any can be
manifest First all the strength §. 15. that Mr Goodwin will allow to this Argument ariseth from a naked consideration of the Immutability of God as 't is an essentiall Property of his nature when our Arguing is from his ingagement to us by and on the account of that Property that God will doe such and such a thing because he is Omnipotent though he shall not at all manifest any purpose of his will to lay forth his Omnipotency for the accomplishment of it is an inference all whose strength is vaine presumption But when God hath ingaged himselfe for the Performance of any thing thence to conclude to the certaine accomplishment of it from his power whereby he is able to doe it is a deduction that Faith will readily close withall So the Apostle assures us of the reimplanting of the Jewes upon this account God saith he is able to plant them in againe having promised so to doe Rom. 11. 23. There are two considerations upon which the Vnchangeablenesse of God hath a more effectuall influence into the continuance of his Love to his Saints then the meere objected thought of it will lead us to an acquaintance withall 1. God Proposeth his Immutability to the Faith of the Saints §. 16. for their establishment consolation in this very case of the stability of his Love unto them we dare not draw conclusions in reference to our selves from any Property of God but only upon the account of the Revelation which he hath made thereof unto us for that end and purpose But this being done we have a sure anchor firme and stedfast to fix us against all blasts of Temptation or opposition whatsoever When God proposes his Immutability or Unchangeablenesse to assure us of the continuance of his Love unto us if we might truly aprehend yea ought so to doe that his Unchangeablenesse may be preserved and himselfe vindicated from the least shadow of Turning though he should change his Mind Thoughts Love Purposes concerning us every day what conclusion for consolation could possibly arise from such Proposalls of Gods Immutability unto us Yea would it not rather appeare to be a way suited to the delusion of poore Soules that when they shall think they have a solid Pillar no lesse then an Essentiall Property of the nature of God to rest upon they shall finde themselves leaning on a Cloud or Shadow or on a broken Reed that will runne into their hands insteed of yeilding them the least supportment God deales not thus with his Saints His discoveries of himselfe in Christ for the Establishment of the Hearts of his are not such Flints as from whence the most skilfull and exercised Faith cannot expect one drop of Consolation Whatsoever of his Name he holds out to the Sonnes of men it will be a strong Tower and place of Refuge and safety to them that flye unto it Secondly the Consideration of that Love in its continuance wherein the Lord settles and puts out of doubt the Soules of his by the ingagement of his Vnchangeablenesse or the calling of them to the Consideration of that Property in him from whom that Love doth flow adds strength also to the way of arguing we insist upon Were the Love of God to his nothing but the declaration of his Approbation of such and such things annext to the Law and Rule of Obedience it might stand firme like a Pillar in a River though the water be not thereby caused to stand still one moment but only touch it and so passe on there were some colour of Exception to be layd against it And this is indeed the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Mr Goodwin in this whole Controversy that he acknowledgeth no other Love of God to Believers but what lyes in the outward Approbation of what is good and mens doing it upon which account there is no more Love in God to one then another to the choicest Saint then to the most profligate Villain in the world nay it is not any Love at all properly so called being no internall vitall Act of Gods will the seat of his Love but an externall Declaration of the issue of our Obedience The declaration of Gods Will that he approoves Faith and Obedience is no more Love to Peter then it is to Judas But let now the Love of God to Believers be considered as it is in it selfe as a vitall Act of his will willing if I may so speake good things to them as the Immanent purpose of his Will also joyned with an Acceptation of them in the Effects of his Grace Favour and Love in Jesus Christ and it will be quickly evidenced how an Alteration therein will entrench upon the Immutability of God both as to his Essence and Attributes and Decrees Having thus reinforced our Argument from this place of Scripture §. 17. by restoring unto it those considerations which being its maine strength it was maymed and deprived of by Mr Goodwin in his proposall thereof I shall briefly consider the Answers that by him are suggested thereunto Thus then he proceedeth By the Tenour of this Arguing it will as well follow that in case God should at any time withdraw his Love and his Favour from a Nation or body of a People which he sometimes Favoured or Loved he should be changed But that no such change of dispensation as this towards one or the same People or Nation argueth any change at all in God at least any such change which he disclaimeth as incompetent to him is evident from those instances without number recorded in Scripture of such different dispensations of his towards sundry Nations and more especially towards the Iewes to whom somtimes he gives Peace somtimes consumes them with Warrs sometimes he makes them the Head and sometimes again the Tayle of the Nations round about them The Love and favour of God to a Nation or People Ans. here brought into the lists of Comparison with the peculiar Love of God to his Saints which he Secures them of upon the account of his Immutability is either the outward Dispensation of Good things to them called his Love because it expresseth and holds out a fountaine of Goodnesse from whence it flowes or it is an Eternall act of Gods will towards them of the same nature with the Love to his owne formerly described If it be taken in the first sence as apparantly it is intended and so made out from the instance of Gods dealing with the Iewes in outward Blessings and Punishments Mr Goodwin doth playnely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fall into a thing quite of another nature insteed of that which was first proposed Amphora cùm caepit Institui cur urceus exit There is a wide difference betweene outward Providentiall Dispensations and Eternall Purposes and acts of Grace and Good will To deale in the instance insisted on by Mr Goodwin there being frequent mention in the Scripture as afterwards shall be fully declared of a difference
hath Relation to the Decrees of God is granted whatever then God Purposeth or Decreeth is put upon a certainty of Accomplishment upon the account of his Unchangeablenesse There may be some use hereafter made of this concession where I suppose the Evasions that will be used about the Objects of those Decrees their Conditionality will scarce wave the force of our Arguing from it For the present though I willingly imbrace the Assertion yet I cannot assent to the Analysis of that place of Scripture which is introduced as the Reason of it The designe of the Lord in that place hath beene before considered That the Consolation here intended is only this that whereas God purposed to send the Lord Christ to the Nation of the Jewes which he would certainly fulfill and accomplish and therefore did not nor could not utterly destroy them will scarcely be evinced to the Judgement of any one who shall consider the businesse in hand with so much liberty of Spirit as to cast an eye upon the Scripture it selfe That after the rehearsall of the great Promise of sending his Sonne into the flesh to that People he distinguisheth them into his Chosen ones and those rejected his Remnant and the refuse of the Nation being the maine Body thereof threatning destruction to the latter but ingaging himselfe into a way of Mercy and Love towards the former hath been declared To assure the last of his Continuance in these thoughts purposes of his Good will towards them he minds thē of his Unchangeablenes in all such Purposes particularly incourages them to rest upon it in respect of his Love towards themselves That God intended to administer Consolation to his Saints in the Expression insisted on is not cannot be denyed now what Consolation could redound to them in particular from hence that the whole Nation should not utterly be rooted out because God purposed to send his Sonne to their Posterity notwithstanding this any individuall Person that shall fly to the Horns of this Altar for refuge that shall lay hold on this Promise for succour may perish everlastingly There is scarce any place of Scripture where there is a more evident Distinction asserted between the Jewes who were so outwardly only and in the flesh and those who were inwardly also and in the Circumcision of the heart then in this and the following Chapter Their severall Portions are also clearely proportioned out to them in sundry particulars Even this Promise of sending the Messiah respected not the whole Nation and doubtlesse was only subservient to the Consolation of them whose Blessednesse consisted in being distinguished from others but let the Context be viewed and the determination left to the Spirit of Truth in in the heart of him that reads Neither doth it appeare to me §. 23. how the Decree of God concerning the sending of his Sonne into the world can be asserted as absolutely Immutable upon that Principle formerly layd downe and insisted on by our Author He sends him into the World to Dye neither is any concernement of his Mediation so often affirmed to fall under the will and Purpose of God as his Death Socin Prael Theol. cap. 10. But concerning this Mr G. disputes out of Socinus for a possibility of a contrary Event and that the whole Councell of God might have been fulfilled by the Good will and intention of Christ §. 8. though actually he had not Dyed If then the purpose of God concerning Christ as to that great and and eminent part of his intendment therein might have been frustrat and was lyable to alteration what Reason can be rendred wherefore that might not upon some Considerations which Mr Goodwin is able if need were to invent have been the Issue of the whole Decree And what then becomes of the Collaterall Consolation which from the Immutability of that Decree is here asserted Now this being the only Witnesse and Testimony in the first part of our Scripturall Demonstration of the Truth in hand whereunto any Exception is put in and the Exceptions against it being in such a frame and composure as manifest the whole to be a Combination of Beggers and Juglers whose pleas are inconsistent with themselves as it doth now appeare upon the Examination of them apart it is evident that as Mr Goodwin hath little ground or incouragement for that Conclusion he makes of this Section so that the light breaking forth from a Constellation of this and other Texts mentioned is sufficient to lead us into an Acknowledgment and Imbracement of the Truth contended for CAP. III. 1. The Immutability of the Purposes of God proposed for a second Demonstration of the Truth in hand 2. Somewhat of the nature and properties of the Purposes of God The object of them 3. Purposes how Acts of Gods Understanding Will The only foundation of the futurition of all things 4. The Purposes of God Absolute Continuance of Divine Love towards Believers purposed 5. Purposes of God farther considered and their nature explained 6. Their Independency absolutenesse evinced 7 8. Prooved from Isa 46. 9 10 11. Psal. 33. 9 10 11. Heb. 6. 17 18. c. those places explained 9 10. The same Truth by sundry Reasons and Arguments farther confirmed 11. Purposes in God of the continuance of his Love and Favour to Believers manifested by an Induction of Instances out of Scripture the first from Rom. 8. 28. proposed And 12 13 14. Farther cleared and improved M. G. dealing with our Argument from hence and our Exposition of this place considered His exposition of that place proposed and discussed The designe of the Apostle consented on the fountain of the Accomplishment of the good things mentioned omitted by Mr G. In what sense God intends to make all things work together for good to them that Love him 15. Of Gods fore-knowledge Of the sense and use of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also of Scisco and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Classicall Authors 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Scripture every where taken for Fore-knowledge or Pre-determination no where for Pre-approbation of pre-approving or Pre-approbation here insisted on by Mr G. its inconsistency with the sense of the Apostles discourse manifested 16. The progresse of Mr G. exposition of this place considered Whether men Love God antecedently to his Predestination and their effectuall calling to preordaine and to preordinate different 17. No assurance granted of the consolation professed to be intended The great uncertainty of the dependance of the Acts of Gods Grace mentioned on one another the efficacy of every one of them resolved finally into the wills of men 18. Whether calling according to Gods purpose supposeth a saving answer given to that call The affirmative proved and exceptions given thereto removed 19. What Obstructions persons called may lay in their owne way to justification The iniquity of imposing Conditions and supposalls on the Purpose of God not in the least intimated by himselfe 20.
of these Absolute and Immutable Purposes of God as to the Preservation of the Saints in his Favour to the End and whatsoever is by Mr Goodwin excepted as to the former Doctrine of the Decrees and Purposes of God in that part of his Treatise which falls under our consideration shall in the vindication of the respective places of Scripture to be insisted on be discussed The First particular Instance that I shall propose is that Eminent place of the Apostle Rom. 8. 28. where you have the Truth in hand meted out unto us full measure shaken together and running over It doth not hang by the side of his discourse nor is left to be gathered and concluded from other Principles and Assertions couched therein but is the maine of the Apostolicall drift and Designe it being proposed by him to make good upon unquestionable Grounds the Assurance he gives Believers That all things work together for Good to them that love God to them that are Called according to his Purpose the reason whereof he farther addes in the following words For whom he did fore-know he also did Predestinate to be conformable to the Image of his Sonne that he might be the first borne among many Brethren moreover whom he did Predestinate them he also called and whom he called them he also justified whom he justified them he also Glorified What the Good aimed at is for which all things shall worke together and wherein it doth consist he manifests in the Conclusion of the Argument produced to prove his first Assertion v. 35. 36 37 38 39. Who shall separate us from the Love of God in Christ shall tribulation c. The Good of Believers of them that love God consists in the injoyment of Christ and his Love saith then the Apostle God will so certainly order all things that they shall be preserved in that injoyment of it whereunto in this life they are already admitted and borne out through all oppositions to that perfect fruition thereof which they ayme at and this is so unquestionable that the very things which seeme to lye in the way of such an Attainment and event shall work together through the Wisdome and Love of God to that end To make good this Consolation the Apostle layes downe two Grounds or Principles from whence the Truth of it doth undeniably follow the one taken from the Description of the Persons concerning whom he makes it and the other from the Acts of Gods Grace and their respective concatenation in reference to those Persons The Persons §. 12. he tells you are those who are called according to the Purpose of God That their calling here mentioned is the Effectuall call of God which is answered by Faith and Obedience because it consists in the bestowing of them on the Persons so called taking away the Heart of stone and giving a Heart of flesh is not only manifest from that place which afterwards receives in the Golden Chaine of Divine Graces betweene Predestination and Justification whereby the one hath infallible influencies into the other but also from that precious description which is given of the same Persons viz. that they Love God which certainely is an Issue and fruit of Effectuall Calling as shall afterwards be further Argued For to that Issue are things driven in this Controversy that proofs thereof are become needfull The Purpose according to which these persons are called is none other then that which the Apostle cap. 9. 11. termes the Purpose of God according to Election cap. 11. 5. The Election of Grace as also the fore-Knowledge and Foundation of God as will in the Progresse of our Discourse be made farther appeare although I know not that this is as yet questioned The Immutability of this Purpose of God cap. 9. 11 12. The Apostle demonstrates from its Independency in any thing in them or respect of them concerning whom it is it being Eternall and expresly safegarded against apprehensions that might arise of any causall or occasionall influence from any thing in them given thereunto they lying under this Condition alone unto God as Persons that had done neither good nor evill And this also the Apostle further pursues from the Soveraignity Absolutenesse and Vnchangeablenesse of the Will of God But these things are of another Consideration Now this Vnchangeable Purpose and Election being the fountaine from whence the effectuall Calling of Believers doth flow the preservation of them to the End designed the Glory whereunto they are Chosen by those Acts of Grace and Love whereby they are prepared thereunto hath coincidence of Infallibillity as to the end aymed at with the Purpose it selfe nor is it lyable to the least exception but what may be raised from the Mutability and Changeablenesse of God in his Purposes and Decrees Hence in the following verse upon the account of the Stability and Immutability of this Purpose of God the utmost and most remote Ende in reference to the good thereby designed unto Believers though having its present subsistence only in that Purpose of God and Infalible Concatenation of meanes thereunto conducing is mentioned as a thing actually acomplished v. 30. Herein also lyes the Apostles second Eviction of Consolation §. 14. formerly layd downe even in the indissoluble Concatenation of those Acts of Grace Love and Favour whereby the Persons of Gods Purpose or the remnant according to the Election of Grace shall be infallibly carried on in their present injoyment and unto the full fruition of the Love of Christ. If we may take him upon his word and he speakes in the name and Authority of God those whom he doth fore-Know or fixes his thoughts peculiarly upon from Eternity for the terme these is evidently discriminated the Act must needs be Eternall which in order of Nature is previous unto Predestination or the appointment to the end by meanes designed those I say he doth Predestinate and appoint in the Immutable Purpose of his Will to be conformed unto the Image of his Sonne as in afflictions so in Grace and Glory To fancy a suspension of these Acts of Grace some whereof are Eternall upon conditionalls and they not intimated in the least in the Text nor consistent with the Nature of the things themselves or the End intended casting the Accomplishment and bringing about of the designes of God Proposed as his for our Consolation upon the certaine lubricity of the Wills of men and thereupon to propose an intercision of them as to their Concattenation and Dependance that they should not have a certaine Influence on the one hand descending nor an Unchangeable dependance on the other Ascending may easily be made appeare to be so plaine an opposition to the ayme and designe of the Apostle as t is possibly capable of But because these things are really insisted on by Mr Goodwin I shall choose rather to remove them as with much Rhetorick and not without some Sophistry they are by him pressed then further anticipate
Scripture the word is sundry times used and still in the sences before mentioned sometimes for a simple fore-knowledge so Paul uses it of the Jewes who knew him before his Conversion Act. 26. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it relates not to what they fore-knew but what they knew before or in former dayes And as the simple verbe as was shewed is often taken for Decerno statuo to decree order or determine so with this composition it seemes most to be restrained to that sence 1 Pet. 1. 20. It is said of Christ that he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was foreknowne or fore ordained before the foundation of the world which is opposed to that which followes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 manifested in the last times for you and relates to the Decree or fore purpose of God concerning the giving of his Sonne Hence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is joyned with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gods Determinate Counsell as a word of the same importance Acts 2. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. If there be any difference the first designing the Wisdome the latter the Will of God in this businesse In the 11. Rom. 2. it hath againe the same signification God hath not cast of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Remnant which among the obstinate and unbelieving Jewes were under his everlasting purpose of Grace In which place causelesly and without any attempt of proofe the Remonstrants wâ—est the word to signify Preapprobation Des. Sent. Art 1. The whole contest and designe of the Apostle the termes of Remnant and Election whereby the same thing is afterward expressed undeniably forcing the proper per acceptation of the word Not only the originall sence and Composition of the word but also the constant use of it in the Scripture leads us away from the Interpretation here pinned upon it Further what is the meaning of Preapprooving Gods Approoving of any Person as to their Persons is his free and Gracious Acceptation of them in Christ. His Preapprooving of them in Answer hereunto must be his Eternall Gracious Acceptation of them in Christ But is this Mr Goodwin's intendment Doth God accept any in Christ antecedently to their Predestination Calling and Justification for they are all consequentiall to this act of Pre-approbation This then is that which is affirmed God approoves and accepts of men in Christ thereupon he Predestinates Calls and Justifies them But what need all these if they be Antecedently accepted I should have expected that this fore-Knowledge should have been resolved rather into a middle or Conditionate Prescience then into this Preapprobation but that our Great Masters were pleased in the place newly cited though without any attempt of proofe to carry it another way That God should approve of love accept persons antecedently to their Predestination Vocation Justification is doubtlesse not suitable to Mr Goowin's Principles But that they should love God also before they fall under these Acts of his Grace is not only openly contradictious to the Truth but also to it selfe The phrase here of Loving God is confessedly a description of Believers Now to suppose men Believers that is to answer the Call of God antecedently to his Call will scarce be salved from a flat contradiction with any reserved Considerations that may be invented This Solid Foundation being laid §. 16. he proceeds Those who thus love him and he approves of them he Predestinates to be conformed to the Image of his Sonne It is true the Apostle speaks of them and to them that Love the Lord but doth not in the least suppose them as such to be the Objects of the Acts of his Soveraigne Grace after mentioned If God Call none but those that Love him Antecedently to his Call that Grace of his must eternally rest in his own bosome without the least exercise of it towards any of the Sonnes of Men. It is those persons indeed who in the processe of the Work of Gods Grace towards them are brought to love him that are thus Predestinated and Called but they are so dealt withall not upon the Account or Consideration of their Love of God which is not only in order consequentiall to some of them but the proper Effect and product of them but upon the Account of the Unchangeable Purpose of God appoynting them to Salvation which I doubt not but Mr Goodwin studiously and purposely omitted to insist upon knowing its absolute inconsistency with the Conclusion and yet not able to wave it had it been once brought under consideration which from the Words he aimeth to extract As then to make mens Loving of God to be antecedent to the Grace of Vocation is an expresse contradiction in it selfe so to make it or the Consideration of it to be previous unto Predestination is an insinuation of a grosse Pelagian figment giving rise and spring to Gods Eternall Predestination not in his owne Soveraigne Will but the selfe-differencing Wills of men Latet anguis also in the adding grasse of that exegeticall terme Preordinated Predestinated that is Preordinated Though the word being considered in the Language whereof it is seemes not to give occasion to any suspicion yet the change of it from Preordained into Preordinated is not to be supposed to be for nothing in him who is expert at these Weapons To ordaine is either ordinare ut aliquid fiat or ordinem in factis statuere or according to some subjectum disponere ad finem to Preordaine is of necessity precisely tyed up to the first sence to Preordinate I feare in Mr Goodwins sence is but to Predispose men by some good inclinations in themselves and men Preordinated are but men so predisposed which is the usuall Glosse that men of this perswasion put upon Acts 13. 48. Thus farre then we have carried on the sence affixed to these words §. 17. if it may so be called which is evidently contradictious in it selfe and in no one particular suited to the minde of the Holy Ghost He proceeds To give you yet saith our Apostle a farther and more particular Account how God in the secret of his Counsell hath belaid things in order c. This expression God hath belaid things in order to the Salvation of them that love him is the whole of the Assurance here given by the Apostle to the Assertion formerly layd downe for the Consolation of Believers and this according to the Analogie and Proportion of our Authors Faith amounts only thus farre you that Love God if you continue so to doe you will fall under his Predestination and if you abide under that he will call you so as that you may farther obey him or you may not if you doe obey him and believe upon his Call having lov'd him before he will Justify you not with that Justification which is finall of which you may come short but with initiall Justification which if you continue in and walke up unto Solvite curas when you are dead in
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
posterity had walked obediently with him Here we have the strength as will be manifest in the progresse of our Discourse of what Mr Goodwin hath §. 22. to make good his former strange Assertion Whether it will amount to a necessary proofe or no may appeare upon these ensuing Considerations 1. First The Reason intimated being taken neither from the Text under debate nor the Context nor any other place where any concernement of the Doctrine therein contained is touched or pointed at there being also no Coincidence of phrase or expression in the one place and the other here compared I cannot but admire by what Rules of Interpretation M. Goodwin doth proceed to make one of these places exegeticall of the other Though this way of Arguing hath been mainly and almost solely insisted on of late by the Socinians viz. Such a word is in another place used to another purpose or in another sence therefore this cannot be the necessary sence of it in this yet it is not only confuted over and over as irrationall and unconcluding but generally exploded as an Invention suited only to shake all Certainty whatever in matters of Faith and Revelation Mr Goodwin in his instance goes not so farre or rather he goes farther because his instance goes not so farre there being no likelinesse much lesse samenesse of Expression in those Texts which he produces to weaken the obvious and literally exposed sence of the other insisted on therewith To wave the force of the inference from the words of the Holy Ghost seeing nothing in the least intimated in the place will give in any assistance thereunto First 1. This Thesis is introduced The Purposes and Decrees of God confessedly ingaged in the place in hand are as to their respective Executions suspended on conditions in men An Assertion destructive to the Power-Goodnesse Grace Righteousnesse Faithfulnesse Wisdome Unchangeablenesse Providence and Soveraignty of God as might be demonstrated did it now lye in our way To prove that this must needs be so and that that Rule must take place in the mention that is made of the Purpose Decrees of God Rom. 8. 1. 1 Sam. 2. 30. is produced being a Denunciation of Gods judgments upon the House of Eli for their unworthy walking in the honour of the Priesthood whereunto they were by him advanced and called and which they were intrusted withall expressely upon condition of their obedience Let us then a little consider the Correspondency that is between the places compared for their mutuall illustration 1. First in the one there is expresse mention of the Purpose of God and that his Eternall Purpose in the other only a Promise expressly Conditionall in the giving of it amounting to no more then a Law without the least intimation of any Purpose or Decree 2. Secondly The one incompasseth the whole designe of the Grace of the Gospell the other mention not any speciall Grace at all 3. Thirdly the one is wholy expressive of the Acts of God and his designe therein the other declarative of the Duty of man with the issue there upon depending This then is the strength of this Argument God approoving the Obedience of a man tels him that upon the Continuance of that Obedience in him and his he will continue them an Office in his service a temporall mercy which might be injoyed without the least saving Grace and which upon his Disobedience he threatneth to take frō him both Promise threatning being declarative of his approbation of obedience his annexing the Preisthood thereunto in that family therefore God intending the consolation of Elect Believers affirming that all things shall work together for their good upon this Account that he hath Eternally Purposed to preserve them in his Love and to bring them to him selfe by such Effectuall Acts of his Grace as whose Immutable dependance one upon the other all upon his owne Purpose cannot be interrupted and therefore such as shall infallibly produce and worke in them all the obedience which for the end proposed he requires His Purposes I say thus mentioned must be of the same Import with the declaration of his Will in the other place spoken of If such a Confounding of the Decrees and Denuntiations Absolute Purposes and Conditionall Promises Spirituall things with Temporall the Generall Administration of the Covenant of Grace in Christ with Speciall Providentiall Dispensations may be allowed there is no man needs to despaire of prooving any thing he hath a minde to assert 3. Thirdly there are two things that Mr Goodwin insists upon to make good his arguing from this place First that these words I said indeed hold out the reall Purpose and Decree of God Secondly that in the Promise mentioned there was no Condition expressed or required to the Execution or Performance of it By the First he intends that God did really Purpose and Decree from Eternity that Eli and his House should hold the Preisthood for ever By the Second that no condition was expressed neither in termes or necessarily implyed in the thing it selfe which is of the same import If neither of these now should prove true what little advance hath M. Goodwin made for the weakning of the plaine intendment of the words in the place under consideration or for the confirmation of his own glosse and interposed conditionals either by this or the following instances that are of the same kind will plainly appeare Now that these words I said indeed are not declarative of an Eternall Decree and Purpose of God concerning the futurition and event of what is asserted to be the object of that Decree the Continuance of the Priesthood in the house of Eli may be evidenced as from the generall nature of the things themselves so from the particular explanation of the Act of God whereunto this expression I said indeed doth relate 1. First §. 23. from the Generall nature of the thing it selfe may this be manifested To what hath been formerly spoken I shall adde only some few Considerations being not willing to insist long on that which is but collaterall to my present designe 1. First then when God Decreed and Purposed this if so be he purposed it as it is said he did he either foresaw what would be the issue of it or he did not If he did not where is his infinite Wisdome Understanding If we may not be allowed to say his fore-knowledge How are all his works known to him from the foundation of the World How doth he declare the End from the Beginning Acts 15. 18. Isa. and the things that are yet to come Distinguishing himselfe from all false gods on this account If he did fore-see the Event that it would not be so Why did he Decree and Purpose it should be so Doth this become the infinite Wisdome of God to Purpose and Decree from all Eternity that that shall come to passe which he knowes will never come to passe Can any such
being made and granted upon the Condition of Obedience which is clearely expressed once againe that the Continuance of it was also suspended on that Condition as to the Glory and beauty of that office the thing principally intended cannot be doubted yea it is sufficiently expressed in the Occasion of the Promise and fountaine thereof But this was not that promise wherein Eli's was particularly concerned Indeed his Posterity was rejected in order to the accomplishment of this Promise the seed of Phinehas returning to their dignity from whence they fell by the interposition of the House of Ithamar That which this Expression here peculiarly relates unto §. 25. is the Declaration of the mind of God concerning the Priesthood of Aaron and his posterity which you have Exodus 28. 43. Exodus 29. 91. where the confirming them in their Office is called a perpetuall Statute or a Law for ever The signification of the terme for ever in the Hebrew especially relating to Legall Institutions is known Their Eternity is long since expired that then which God here Emphatically expresses as an Act of Grace and Favour to the House of Aaron which Eli and his had interest in was that Statute or Law of the Priesthood and his purpose and intention not concerning the Event of things not that it should continue in any one branch of that Family but of his connexing it with their Obedience and Faithfulnesse in that Office It is very frequent with God to expresse his Approbation of our duty under termes holding out the Event that would be the Issue of the duty though it never come to passe and his disapprobation or rejection of the Sonnes of Men under termes that hold out the end of that disobedience though it be prevented or removed In this latter case he commands Jonas to cry yet forty daies and Niniveh shall perish not that he purposed the destruction of Niniveh at that time but only effectually to hold out the end of their sinne that it might be a meanes to turne them from it and to prevent that end which it would otherwise procure His purpose was to prevent at least prorogue the ruine of Niniveh and therefore made use of threatning them with ruine that they might not be ruined To say that God purposed not the execution of his purpose but in such and such cases is a plaine Contradiction The purpose is of Execution and to say he purposed not the Execution of his Purposes is to say plainly he purposed and purposed not or he purposed not what he purposed The examples of Pharaoh and Abraham in the precepts given to them are proefes of the former but I must not insist upon particulars This then is all that here is intended §. 26. God making a Law a Statute about the continuance of the Priesthood in the Family of Aaron affirmes that then he said his House should walke before him for ever that is with Approbation and Acceptation for as to the right of the Priesthood that still continued in the House of Aaron whilest it continued notwithstanding the ejection of Fli and his Now whether there were any conditions in the promise made which is Mr Goodwins second improvement of this instance may appeare from the Consideration of what hath been spoken concerning it It is called a Law and Stâ—â—uâ—e the Act on that Account what ever it were that God here points unto is but a Morall legislative Act and not a Physicall determining Act of the Will of God and being a Law of Priviledge in its own nature it involves a condition which the Acts of Gods Will vitall and eternall wherewith this Law is compared doe openly disavow Let us now see the parallell between the two places insisted on for the Explanation of the former of them which as it will appeare by the sequell is the only Buckler wherewith Mr Goodwin defends his Hypothesis from the irresistible force of the Argument wherewith he hath to doe First the one speakes of things Spirituall the other of Temporall Secondly The one of what what God will doe and the other of what he approves to be done being done Thirdly The one holds out Gods Decree and Purpose concerning Events the other his Law and Statute concerning duties Fourthly The one not capable of interposing Conditionalls without perverting the whole designe of God revealed in that place the other directly including conditions Fifthly The one speaking of things themselves the other only of the manner of a thing Sixtly In the one God holds out what he will doe for the Good of his upon the account of the Efficacy of his Grace In the other what men are to doe if they will be approved of him And how one of these places can be imagined to be suited for the illustration and interpretation of the other which agree neither in name nor thing word nor deed purpose nor designe must be left to the judgements of those who desire to ponder these things and to weigh them in the ballance of the Sanctuary The other instances in the Case of Saul and Paul §. 27. being more heterogeneous to the businesse in hand then that of Eli which went before require not any particular help for the removall of them out of the way Though they are Dead as to the end for which they are produced I presume no true Israelite in the pursuit of that Sheba in the Church the Apostacy of Saints will be retarded in his way by their being cast before them In briefe neither the Connexion of obedience and suted Rewards as in the case of Saul nor the necessity of meanes subservient to the Accomplishment of purposes themselves also falling under that purpose of him who intends the end and the fulfilling of it as in the Case of Paul are of the least force to perswade us that the Eternall Immanent Acts of Gods will which he pursues by the Effectuall irresistible Acts of his Grace so to compasse the end which he hath from everlasting determinately resolved to bring about are suspended upon imaginary Conditions created in the braines of men and notwithstanding their Evident inconsistency with the scope of the Scripture and designe of God therein intruded into such Texts of Scripture as on all hands which will be evident in the sequell of this Discourse are fortified against them Besides in the Case of Paul though the infallibility of the Prediction did not in the least prejudice the Liberty of the Agents who were to be imployed for its accomplishment but left roome for the Exhortation of Paul and the endeavours of the Souldiers yet it cutts off all possibility of a contrary event and all supposall of a disjunctive purpose in God upon the accompt whereof he cannot predict the issue or event of any thing whatsoever But of this more largely afterward But this is farther Argued by Mr Goodwin from the purposes of God in his threatnings §. 28. in these words Most frequently the purpose
of the Apostle And of the Sense and Mind of God in this place may not safely be received and closed withall from the proper and ordinary fignification of the word which is always attended unto without the least dispute unlesse the subject matter of any place with the Context enforces to the sense left usuall and naturall with the cleare designe and scope of the Context in all the parts of it universally correspondent unto it selfe I know not how or when or by what Rules we may have the least certainty that wee have attaind the knowledge of the minde of God in any one place of Scripture whatever What he nextly objects to himselfe §. 30. namely that though there be no Condition expressed in the instances by him produced yet there are in parallell places by which they are to be expounded but such conditions as these are not expressed in any place that answers to that which we have in hand it being by himselfe as I conceive invented to turne us aside from the Consideration of the irresistible efficacy of the Argument from this place which use he makes of it in his first answer given to it I owne not and that because I am fully assured that in any promise whatsoever that is indeed Conditionall there is no need to enquire out other Scriptures of the like import to evince it so to be all and every one of them that are such either in expresse termes or in the matter whereof they are or in the Legall manner wherein they are given and enacted doe plainly and undeniably hold out the Conditions enquired after His threefold Answer to this Objection needs not to detaine us Passing on I hope to what is more materiall and weighty He tells us First Sect. 44. that if this be so then it must be tryed out by other Scriptures and not by this which Evasion I can allow our Author to insist on as tending to shift his hands of this place which I am perswaded in the Consideration of it grew heavy on them But I cannot allow it to be a plea in this Contest as not owning the Objection which it pretends to answer The two following Answers being not an actuall doing of any thing but only faire and large promises of what Mr Goodwin will doe about answering other Scriptures and evincing the Conditionalls intimated from such others as he shall produce some doubtlesse will think these promises no payment especially such as having weighed Mony formerly tendred for reall payment have found it too light I shall let them lye in Expectation of their accomplishment Rusticus expectat c. In the meane time till Answers come to hand Mr Goodwin proffers to proove by two Arguments §. 31. one cleare Answer had been more faire that these Acts of God Calling Justification and so the rest have no such Connexion betweene them but that the one of of them may be taken and be put in execution and yet not the other in respect of the same persons His first Reason is this If the Apostle should frame this Series or Chaine of Divine Acts with an intent to shew or teach the uninterruptiblenesse of it in what case or cases soever he should fight against his Generall and maine scope or designe in that part of the chapter which lyeth from v. 17. Which clearely is this to encourage them to constancy and Perseverance in suffering afflictions For to suggest any such thing as that being Called Justified nothing could hinder them from being Glorified were to furnish them with a ground on which to neglect his exhortation for who will be perswaded to suffer Tribulation for the otaining of that which they have sufficient Assurance given that they shall obtaine whether they suffer such things or no therefore certainely the Apostle did not intend here to teach the certainty of Perseverance in those that are Justified Ans. Ans. That this Argument is of such a Composition as not to operate much in the case in hand will easily appeare For 1. First those expressions in what Case or Cases soever are foysted into the sence and sentence of them whom he opposes who affirme the Acts of Gods Grace here mentioned to be effectually and vertually Preventive of those cases and of which might possibly give any Interruption to the Series of them 2. Secondly Whatsoever is here pretended of the maine scope of the Chapter the scope of the place we have under consideration was granted before to be the making Good of that Assertion premised in the Head thereof that all things should work together for good to Believers and that so to make it Good that upon this Demonstration of it they might triumph with Joy and Exultation which it cannot be denied but that this uninterruptible series of Divine Acts not framed by the Apostle but revealed by the Holy Ghost is fitted and suited to doe 3. Thirdly suppose that be the Scope of the foregoing verses What is there in the Theses insisted on and the sence imbraced by us opposite thereunto Why to suggest any such thing to them as that being Called and Justified nothing could possibly interpose to hinder them from being Glorified that is that God by his grace will preserve them from departing wilfully from him and will in Jesus Christ establish his Love to them for ever was to furnish them with a motive to neglect his exhortations yea but this kind of Arguing we call here Petitio principii and it is accounted with us nothing valid The thing in Question is produced as the medium to Argue by We affirme there is no stronger motive possible to incourage them to Perseverance then this proposed It is otherwise saith Mr Goodwin and its being otherwise in his Opinion is the medium whereby he disproves not only that but another Truth which he also opposeth But he adds this Reason for who would be perswaded to suffer c. that is it is impossible for any one industriously and carefully to use the meanes for the Attainment of any End if he hath Assurance of the End by these meanes to be obtained What need Hezekiah make use of food or other meanes of sustaining his life when he was assured that he should live fifteen years The Perseverance of the Saints is not in the Scripture nor by any of those whom Mr Goodwin hath chosen to oppose held out on any such ridiculous termes as whither they use meanes or use them not carry themselves well or wickedly miscarry themselves but is asserted upon the account of Gods effectuall Grace preserving them in the use of the meanes and from all such miscarrages as should make a totall separation betweene God and their soules So that this first Reason is but a plaine begging of those things which to use is owne language he would not digge for But perhaps §. 32. although this first Argument of Mr Goodwin be nothing but an importune suggestion of some Hypothesis of his owne
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
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
whole Booke of God 2. That it is a case surmised by him suitable to his owne Hypotheses neither true in its selfe nor any way Analogous to that wherewith 't is yoked being indeed a new way and tone of begging the thing in question For instance It supposeth without the least Attempt of proofe 1. Conditionall Decrees or a disjunctive intendment of Events in God it shall come to passe or otherwise 2. A middle science conditionall as the foundation of those disjunctive Decrees with 3. A futurition of things Antecedent to any determining Act of the Will of God and 4. A possibility of frustrating as to Event the Designes and purposes of God and 5. That all medium's of the Accoplishment of any thing are conditions of Gods intentions as to the end he aymes at 6. That God appoints a series of mediums for the compassing of an End and designes them thereunto without any determinate Resolution to bring about that End 7. That the Acts of Gods Grace in their Concatenation mentioned in this place of Rom. 8. are severally Conditionall because he hath invented or faigned some Decrees of God which he sayes are so All which with the inferences from them Mr Goodwin knowes will not advance his Reasonings at all as to our Understandings being fully perswaded that they are all Abominations of no lesse base alloy then the Errour it selfe in whose defence and Patronage they are produced To our Argument then before mentioned §. 35. prooving an equall indissolveablenesse in all the linkes of the Chaine of Divine Graces drawne forth and insisted on from the equall dependance of the designe Purpose of God on the mutuall dependance of each of them on the other for the fullfillng of that Purpose of his and obtaining the End which he professes himselfe to intend this is the summe of Mr Goodwins Answer If I can invent a series of Decrees and a Concatenation of Divine Acts though indeed there be no such thing neither can I give any colour to it without laying downe and taking for granted many false and absurd supposalls and though it be not of the same nature with that here proposed by the Apostle nor any where held out in the Scripture for any such End Purpose as this is neither can I assigne any absolute determinate end in this Series of mine whose Accomplshment God ingages himselfe to bring about as the Case stands in the place of Scripture under Consideration then it is meet and equitable that laying aside all inforcements from the Text Context Nature of God the thing treated on all compelling us to close with another sence and Interpretation that we regulate the minde of the Holy Ghost herein to the Rule proportion and Analogie of the case as formerly proposed This being the summe of that which Mr Goodwin calls his Answer made naked I presume to its shame valeat quantum valere potest I shall only adde that 1. when Mr Goodwin shall make good that order and Series of Decrees here by him mentioned from the Scripture or with solid Reason from the nature of the things themselves suitably to the Properties of him whose they are And 2. Proove that any eternall Decree of God either as to its primitive enacting or temporall Execution is suspended on any thing not only really contingent in it selfe and its owne nature in respect of the immediate fountaine from whence it flowes and nature of its immediate cause but also as to its Event in respect of any Act of the will of God that it may otherwise be and so the accomplishment of that Decree left thereupon uncertaine and God himselfe dubiously conjecturing at the Event for instance whether Christ should Dye or no or any one be saved by him and 3. Clearely evince this notion of the Decrees and Purposes of God that he intends to Create Man and then to give him such advantages which if he will it shall be so with him if otherwise it shall be so To send Christ if men doe so or so or not to send him if they doe otherwise so of the residue of the Decrees mentioned by him and 4. That all events of things whatsoever Spirituall and Temporall have a Conditionall futurition antecedent to any act of the Will of God When I say he shall have proved these and some like things to these we shall further consider what is offered by him yea we will confesse that Hostis habet muros c. Of the many other Testimonies to the purpose in hand §. 36. bearing witnesse to the same Truth some few may yet be singled out and in the next place that of Jeremiah 31. 3. presents it selfe unto tryall and Examination Yea I have loved thee with an everlasting love therefore with loving kindnesse have I drawn thee It is the whole Elec◠Church of the seed of Iacob of whom he speaks the foundation of whose blessednesse is laid in the Eternall Love of God Who the persons are thus beloved and of whom we are to interpret these expressions of Gods good will the Apostle manifests Rom 11. as shall afterwards be more fully discoursed and cleared He tells you it is the Election whom God intends of whom he saies that they obtained the Righteousnesse that is by faith according to the purport of Gods good will towards them though the rest were hardned God who adds daily to his Church such as shall be saved Acts 13. 48. drawing them thereunto upon the account of their being so Elected He calls them also the Remnant according to the Election of Grace and the People whom God did foreknow v 1 2. or from Eternity designed to the participation of the Grace there spoken of as the use of the word hath been evinced to be These are the Thee here designed the portion of Israel after the flesh which the Lord in his Free Grace hath eternally appointed to be his peculiar inheritance which in their severall Generations he drawes to himselfe with Loving Kindnesse And this everlasting Love is not only the fountaine whence actuall Loving Kindnesse in drawing to God or bestowing Faith doth flow as they Believe who are ordained to eternall life but also the sole Cause and Reason upon the account whereof in contra-distinction to the Consideration of any thing in themselves God will exercise Loving Kindnesse towards them for ever That which is everlasting or eternall is also unchangeable Gods everlasting Love is no more liable to mutability then himselfe And it is an alwaies equall Ground and Motive for Kindnesse On what account should God alter in his actuall Kindnesse or favour towards any if that on the account whereof he exercises it will not admit of the least Alteration He that shall give a Condition on which this everlasting Love of God should be suspended and according to the influence whereof upon it it should goe forth in Kindnesse or be interrupted may be allowed to boast of his discovery That of
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
say hath Everlastingly Purposed to give and doth actually give his Holy Spirit to Believers to put forth such an exceeding greatnesse of Power as whereby in the use of meanes they shall certainely be preserved to Salvation This God can doe saies our Author This Concession being made by the Remonstrants in their Synodalia Mr Goodwin I presume thought it but duty to be as free as his Predecessors and therefore consented unto it also although it be an axe laid at the root of almost all the Arguments he sets up against the Truth as shall hereafter be farther manifested I draw now to a close of those places §. 55. which among many other omitted tender themselves unto the proofe of the stable unchangeable Purpose of God concerning the safe-garding and preservation of Believers in his Love and unto Salvation I shall mention one or two more and close this second Scripturall Demonstration of the Truth in hand The first is that eminent place of Ephes. 1. 3 4 5. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spirituall blessings in heavenly places in Christ according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the World that we should be holy and without blame before him in Love having Predestinated us unto the adoption of Children by Jesus Christ to himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will verse 3. the Apostle summarily blesseth God for all the spirituall mercies which in Jesus Christ he blesseth his Saints withall of all which v. 4. he discovereth the fountaine and spring which is his free choosing of them before the foundation of the World That an Eternall Act of the Will of God is hereby designed is beyond dispute and it is that foundation of God on which the whole of the building mentioned and pourtraid in the following verse is laid All the Grace and Favour of God towards his Saints in their Justification Adoption and Glory all the fruits of the Spirit which they enjoy in Faith and Sanctification flow from this one fountaine and these the Apostle describes at large in the verses following The ayme of God in this eternall and unchangeable Act of his Will he tells us is that we should be unblameable before him in Love Certainly cursed Apostats backsliders in Heart in whom his soule takes no pleasure are very farre from being unblameable before God in Love Those that are within the compasse of this Purpose of God must be preserved unto that State and Condition which God aimes to bring them unto by all the fruit and issues of that Purpose of his which was pointed at before A Scripture of the like importance unto that before named is 2 Thess. 2. 13 14. God hath from the beginning chosen you to Salvation through Sanctification of the Spirit and beliefe of the Truth whereunto he calls you by our Gospel to the obtaining of the Glory of the Lord Jesus The same fountaine of all spirituall and eternall mercy with that mentioned in the other place is here also expressed and that is Gods choosing of us by an everlasting Act or Designing us to the end intended by a Free Eternall Unchangeable Purpose of his Will Secondly The end aimed at by the Lord in that Purpose is here more clearely set downe in a twofold Expression 1. Of Salvation v 13. He hath chosen us to Salvation that 's the thing which he aimed to accomplish for them and the End he intended to bring them to in his choosing of them and 2 ly v 14. The Glory of the Lord Jesus or the obtaining a portion in that Glory which Christ purchased and procured for them with their being with him to behold his Glory And 3 ly You have the meanes whereby God will certainly bring about and accomplish this his designe and Purpose whereof there are three most eminent Acts expressed 1. Vocation or their calling by the Gospel v 14. 2. Sanctification v 13. through the Sanctification of the Spirit And 3. Justification which they receive by beliefe of the Truth Thus much then is wrapt up in this Text God having in his Unchangeable Purpose fore-appointed his to Salvation and Glory certainly to be obtained through the effectuall working of the Spirit free justification in the Blood of Christ it cannot be but that they shall be preserved unto the enjoyment of what they are so designed unto To summe up what hath been spoken from these Purposes of God § 56. to the Establishment of the Truth we have in hand Those whom God hath purposed by effectuall meanes to preserve to the enjoyment of Eternall Life and Glory in his Favour and Acceptation can never so fall from his Love or be so cast out of his Grace as to come short of the end designed or ever be totally rejected of God The Truth of this proposition depends upon what hath been said and may farther be insisted on concerning the unchangeablenesse and Absolutenesse of the Eternall Purposes of God the Glory whereof men shall never be able Sacrilegiously to robbe him of Thence the Assumption is concerning all true Believers and truly sanctified persons are these Purposes of God that they shall be so preserved to such ends c. as hath been abundantly proved by an induction of particular instances and therefore it is impossible they should ever be so cast out of the Favour of God as not to be infallibly preserved to the End Which is our Second Demonstration of the Truth in hand CAP. IV. 1. An entrance into the Consideration of the Covenant of Grace and our Argument from thence for the Unchangeablenesse of the Love of God unto Believers 2. The intendment of the ensuing discourse 3. Gen. 17. 3. opened and explained with the confirmation of the Argument in hand from thence 4. That Argument vindicated and cleared of Objections 5. Confirmed by some observations 6. Ierem. 32. v. 38 39 40. compared with Cap. 31. v. 32 33. The Truth under consideration from thence clearely confirmed 7. The certainty immutability and infallible accomplishment of all the Promises of the New Covenant demonstrated 1. From the removall of all causes of Alteration 2. From the Mediator and his undertaking therein 3. From the Faithfulnesse of God 8. One instance from the former considerations 9. The indeavour of M. G. to Answer our Argument from this place 10. His observation on from the Text considered 1. This promise not made to the Jewes only 2. Nor to all the Nation of the Jewes proved from Rom. 11 3. not intending principally their deliverance from Babylon 11. His inferences from his former observations weighed 1. The Promise made to the body of the People of the Jewes Typically only 2. An Exposition borrowed of Socinus Rejected 3. The Promise not appropriated to the time of the Captivity and the disadvantage ensuing to M. G. cause upon such an Exposition 12. The place insisted on compared with Ezek. 11. 17 18 19
words the case is undoubtedly concluded in them This then we shall consider and therefore must look a little back into the generall designe of the whole Chapter for the evasion of Qualifications will not here serve God betrotheth Persons not Qualifications There are two parts of the Ch 1. §. 21. That from the beginning to v. 4. containeth a most fearfull and dreadfull commination and threatning of the Judgments of the Lord against the whole Church and Common-wealth of the Jewes for their Apostasy Idolatry and Rebellion against him It is not an affliction or a triall or some lesser desolation that God here threatneth them withall but utter destruction and rejection as to all Church and Politicall State He will leave them neither substance nor ornament State nor Worship describing the condition which came upon them at their Rejection of the Lord Jesus Christ left they must be as in the day that God first looked on them poore naked in their bloud unpittied formed neither into Church State nor Commonwealth so will I make them saith the Lord And this dispensation of God the Prophet expresseth with great dread and terrour to the end of the 13. verse 2. The second part of the Chapter is taken up and spent §. 23. from the 14. verse to the end in heavenly and gracious Promises of the conversion of the true Israelites the seed according to the Promise of God of the Renovation of the Covenant with them and blessing them with all spirituall blessings in Jesus Christ unto the end And hereof there are these foure parts 1. An heavenly Promise of their Conversion by the Gospell which he demonstrateth and setteth out by comparing the Spirituall deliverance therein to the deliverance which they had by an high hand from Aegypt v. 14. and 15. 2. The delivery of them so converted from Idolatry False-worship and all those waies whereby God was provoked to cast off their Fore-fathers attended by their obedience in close walking with God for ever 3. The quietnesse and peace which they shall enjoy being called and purged from their sinnes before mentioned which the Lord expresseth by his making a Covenant with the whole Creation in their behalfe v. 18. 4. A discovery of the fountaine of the mercies before mentioned with those also which afterwards are insisted on to wit the Everlasting Covenant of Grace through which God will with all Faithfulnesse and Mercy take them to himselfe v. 19 20. to the end Before we farther open these particulars §. 24. some Objections must be removed that are laid to prevent the inference intended from these words Ch 11. Sect 8. pag. 229. It is first objected 1. The Promise of the Betrothing here specified is made unto the entire body and Nation of the Jewes as well unbelievers as Believers as appeareth by the carriage of the Chapter throughout Ans. The carriage of the Chapter throughout is a weake proofe of this Assertion no doubt fixed on for want of particular instances to give any light unto it neither doth the carriage of the Chapter throughout intimate any such thing in the least but expressely manifesteth the contrary It is universall desolation and utter Rejection that is assigned as the portion of unbelievers as such all along this Chapter This Promise is made to them whom God allureth into the Wildernesse and there speaketh comfortably to them which what it doth import shall be afterwards considered Yea and which is more the words of v. 23. which runne on in the same tenor with the Promises particularly insisted on and beyond all exception are spoken to and of the same persons are applied by the Apostle Paul not to the whole Nation of the Jews Idolaters and Unbelievers but to them that were brought in unto the Lord Christ and obtained the Righteousnesse of Faith when the rest were hardened Rom. 9. 26. From v. 24. to the 30. the Apostle by sundry instances from the Scripture of the Old Testament manifesteth that it was a Remnant of Israel according to the election of Grace to whom the Promise was made To us whom God hath called not to the Jewes only but also to the Gentiles For so saith he it is in Hosea instancing in the passage we insist on I will call them my people which were not my people and her beloved which was not beloved and it shall come to passe that in the place where it was said unto them You are not my people there shall they be called the Children of the Living God Which he farther confirmeth firmeth by a Testimony out of Isaiah 10. 22 23. manifesting that it is but a Remnant that are intended Wherefore it is objected 2. That the Promise is conditionall and the performance of it of the Mrceies mentioned in it suspended upon the repentance of that people especially of their Idolatry to the true and pure worship of God as appeareth v. 14 16 17. which plainly sheweth that it was made as well nay rather to those that were wicked and Idolatrous amongst this People then unto others as being held forth unto them chiefly for this end to wooe them away from their Idols unto God Ans. I hope the people of God will more stedfastly abide by their interest in the sweetnesse usefulnesse and consolation of this Promise then to throw it away upon such slight and Atheologicall flourishes For 1. Is there any title Iota or word in the whole Text to intimate that this Promise is conditionall and dependeth on the peoples forsaking their Idolatry The 14 16 17. verses are urged for proofe thereof God indeed in those verses doth graciously promise that from the Riches of the same Grace whence he freely saith that he will Betroth them to himselfe that he will convert them and turne them away from their Idolatry and all their sinnes but that that should be required of them as a condition whereon God will enter into Covenant with them there is nothing in the whole Context from v. 14. and downewards that intimateth it in the least or will endure to be wrested to any such sence it holding out severall distinct Acts of the same free Grace of his unto his People 2. That this is a Promise of entring into Covenant with them cannot be denied Now that God should require their Repentance as an antecedaneous previous qualification to his receiving them into Covenant and yet in the Covenant undertake to give them that Repentance as he doth in promising them to take away their hearts of stone and give them new hearts of flesh is a direct Contradiction sit only for a part of that Divinity which is in the whole an expresse contradiction to the Word and mind of God 3. Neither can it be supposed as a conditionall Promise held out to them as a motive to work them from their Idolatry when antecedentaly thereunto God hath expressely promised to doe that for them v. 16 17. with as high an hand and efficacy of Grace
to the body of the Jewes returning out of Captivity was before demonstrated The Righteousnesse here mentioned is that which God will and doth exercise in this very Act of Betrothing and not any other act of it which he will make use of to that purpose God engageth to betroth them to himselfe in Righteousnesse using and exercising his Righteousnesse in that very Act of his Love and Grace to them and this is now given in an alluring them to love him by appearing Righteous in bringing them out of Captivity The like interpretation is given of the other expressions following §. 33. Judgement It is saith he by punishing and judging their enemies and destroying them that led them into captivity and held them in bondage and subjection and Loving-kindnesse is his giving them corne wine oyle peace and plenty and Mercy in pardoning of daily sins and insirmities and Faithfulnesse is he knoweth not what This is made the summe of all God by doing them good with outward mercies and pardoing some sins and infirmities will morally try to get their affections to himselfe Virgula Pictoris 1. It is not an Expression of Gods attempting to get their Love but of the establishing and confirming of his own 2. That God should morally try and essay to doe and effect or bring about any thing which yet he doth not will not or cannot compasse and effect is not to be ascribed to him without casting the greatest reproach of Impotency Ignorance Changeablenesse upon him imaginable 3. God promising to Betroth us to himselfe fixing his love on us that we shall know him so fixing our hearts on him to say that this holdeth out only the use of some outward meanes unto us enervateth the whole Covenant of his Grace wrapt up in these Expressions so that all things considered it is not a little strange to me that any sober learned man should ever be tempted so to wrest and corrupt by wrested and forced Gsosses the plaine words of Scripture wherein whatever is pretended he cannot have the least countenance of any Expositor of note that went before him Although we are not to be pressed with the name of Tarnovius a Lutheran a professed Adversary in this cause yet let his Exposition of that place under consideration be consulted with and it will plainely appeare that it abideth not in any compliance with that which is here by our Author imposed on us The Promises we have under consideration §. 34. looking immediately and directly only to one part of that Doctrine whose defence we have undertaken to wit the Constancy and Unchangeablenesse of the Grace of Justification or God's abiding with his Saints as to his free acceptance of them and love unto them unto the end I shall not insist on many more particulars The 10. §. 35. Iohn 27 28 29. closeth this Discourse My sheepe heare my voice and I know them and I give unto them Eternall Life and they shall never perish neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand my Father which gave me them is greater then all and no man is able to pluck them out of my Fathers hand In the verse foregoing our Saviour renders a reason why the Pharisees notwithstanding all his Preaching to them and the Miracles he wrought among them yet believed not when sundry others to whom the same dispensation of outward meanes was afforded did heare his voice and did yeild obedience thereunto and this he telleth us was because they were not of his sheepe such as were given him of his Father and for whom as the good Shepheard he lay'd downe his life v. 14 15. upon the close of this discourse he describeth the present Condition of his Sheepe their Preservation in that Condition from the power of himselfe and his Father engagedthere unto He layeth their abiding him as his Sheepe upon the Omnipotence of God which upon account of the constancie of his Love towards them he will exercise and exert as need shall be in their behalfe There are many emphaticall expressions both of their continuance in the Obedience of Faith and of his undertaking for their Preservation therein The latter I at present only intend Saith he 1. I know them 2. I give them Eternall Life 3. They shall never perish 4. No man shall plucke them out of my hand 5. My Father is Omnipotent and hath a Soveraignty over all and he taketh care of them and none shall take them out of his hand It is not easy to cast these words into any other form of arguing then that wherein they lye without loosing much of that convincing Evidence that is in them this you may take for the summe of their influence into the Truth in hand Those whom Christ so owneth as to take upon him to give them Eternall Life and by his Power and the Power of his Father to preserve them thereunto which power shall not nor possibly can be prevailed against so that the end aimed at to be accomplished therein should not be brought about those shall certainely be kept for ever in the Favour and Love of God they shall never be turned from him Such is the case of all Believers for they are all the Sheep of Christ they all heare his voice and follow him Some few things to wrest this Gracious assurance given Believers of the everlasting good will of God Christ unto them §. 36. by Mr Goodwin Cap. 10. Sect. 37. Page 203. are attempted 1. He granteth that there is an engagement of the mighty power of God for the safegarding of the Saints as such or remaining such against all adverse power what ever But no where for the compelling or necessitating of them to persevere and continue such is there any thing in the Scripture Ans. The sum is if they will continue Saints God will take care that notwithstanding all opposition they shall be Saints still Very well if they will be so they shall be so But that they shall continue to be so that is not promised The termes of Compelling or Necessitating are cast in meerly to throe dirt upon the Truth least the beauty shining forth too brightly there might have bin danger that the very Exceptor himselfe could not have born it We say not that God by his Power compelleth men to persevere that is maketh them doe it whether they will or no. Perseverance being an habitual Grace in their wills it is a grosse contradiction once to imagine that men should be compelled thereunto But this we say that by the Almighty Power of his Spirit and Grace he confirmeth his Saints in a voluntary abiding with him all their dayes Having made them a willing People in the day of the Power of Christ towards them he preserveth them unto the end Neither are they wrapt up by the power of God into such a necessity of Perseverance as should obstruct the liberty of their Obedience The necessity that regardeth them in that Condition respecting
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
own thoughts but what may oppose ours that is the plaine and obvious sence of the words that he is concerned to make use of It being not the sence of the place but an escaping our Argument from it that lies in his designe he cares not how many contrary and inconsistent Interpretations he gives of it haec non successit aliâ aggrediemur viâ The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 denotes as is confessed the intention of Christ in sending the Spirit that is that he intends to send him to Believers so as that he should abide with them for ever Now besides the impossibility in generall that the intention of God or of the Lord Christ as God and man should be frustrate whence in particular should it come to passe he should faile in this his intention I will send ye the holy spirit to abide with you for ever that is I intend to send you the Holy Spirit that he may abide with you for ever what now should hinder this Why it is given them upon condition that they be true to their own interest and take care to retaine him what is that I pray Why that they continue in Faith Obedience Repentance and close walking with God but to what end is it that he is promised unto them Is it not to teach them to worke in them Faith Obedience Repentance and close walking with God to Sanctifie them throughout and preserve them blamelesse to the end making them meet for the inheritance with the Saints in Light In case they Obey Believe c. the Holy Ghost is promised unto them to abide with them to cause them to Obey Believe Repent c. 4. The Intention of Christ for the sending of the Spirit and his abiding for ever with them to whom he is sent is but one and the same And if any frustration of his intention do fall out it may most probably interpose as to his sending of the Spirit not as to the Spirits continuance with them to whom he is sent which is asserted absolutely upon the account of his sending him He sends him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his abode is the end of his sending which if he be sent shall be obtained Upon the whole doubtlesse it will be found that the Doctrine of Perseverance findes so much for its establishment in this place of Scripture and Promise of our Saviour that by no Art or cunning it will be prevailed withall to let goe its interest therein And though many attempts be made to turne and wrest this Testimony of our Saviour severall wayes and those contrary too and inconsistent with one another yet it abides to looke straight forwards to the proofe and confirmation of the Truth that lyes not only in the wombe and sence of it but in the very mouth and literall expression of it also I suppose it is evident to all that Mr Goodwin knowes not what to say to it nor what sence to fixe upon At first it is made to the Apostles not all Believers then when this will not serve the turne there being a Concession in that Interpretation destructive to his whole cause then it is made as a Priviledge to the Church not to any individuall Persons but yet for feare that this priviledge must be vested in some individualls it is denyed that it is made to any but only is a Promise of the Spirits abode in the world with the Word but perhaps some thoughts coming upon him that this will no way suit the scope of the place nor be suited to the intēdmēt of Christ it is lastly added that let it be made to whom it will it is conditionall though there be not the least intimation of any condition in the Text or Context and that by him assigned be coincident with the thing it selfe promised But hereof so farre And so our second Testimony the Testimony of the Sonne abides still by the Truth for the confirmation whereof it is produced and in the mouth of these two witnesses the abiding of the Spirit with Believers to the end is established Adde here unto thirdly the Testimony of the third that beares witnesse in Heaven §. 29. and who also comes neere and beares witnesse to this Truth in the hearts of Believers even of the Spirit it selfe and so I shall leave it sealed under the Testimony of the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost As the other two gave in their Testimony in a word of Promise so the Spirit doth in a reall worke of Performance wherein as he beares a distinct Testimony of his owne the Saints having a peculiar Communion and fellowship with him therein so he is as the common seale of Father and Sonne set unto that Truth which by their Testimony they have confirmed There are indeed sundry things whereby he confirmes and establisheth the Saints in the Assurance of his abode with them for ever I shall at present mention that one eminent worke of his which being given unto them he doth accomplish to this very end and purpose and that is his Sealing of them to the day of Redemption A worke it is often in the Scripture mentioned and still upon the account of assuring the Salvation of Believers 2 Cor. 1. 22. by whom also ye are sealed Having mentioned the Certainty Unchangeablenesse and efficacy of all the Promises of God in Christ and the end to be accomplished and brought about by them namely the Glory of God in Believers v. 20. all the Promises of God are yea and Amen in him to the Glory of God by us the Apostle acquaints the Saints with one Foundation of the security of their interest in those Promises whereby the end mentioned the Glory of God by them should be accomplished This he ascribes to the efficacy of the Spirit bestowed on them in sundry workes of his Grace which he reckoneth v. 21 22. Among them this is one that he seales them As to the nature of this sealing and what that Act of the Spirit of Grace is that is so called I shall not now insist upon it The end and use of Sealing is more aimed at in this expression then the nature of it what it imports then wherein it consists Being a terme forensicall and translated from the use and practice of men in their Civill Transactions the use and end of it may easily from the originall rise thereof be demonstrated Sealing amongst men hath a two fold use First to give secrecy and security in things that are under present consideration to the things sealed And this is the First use of Sealing by a seale set upon the thing sealed Of this kind of sealing chiefely have we that long Discourse of Salmasius in the vindication of his Jus Atticum against the Animadversions of Heraldus And 2 ly to give an assurance or faith for what is by them that seale to be done In the first sence are things sealed up in Baggs and in Treasuries that they may be kept safe none daring to
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
such sinnes and unworthinesse as are inconsistent with the state of Acceptation with God which is the very thing he hath to prove 2. In supposing that if Believers are sealed up infallibly to Redemption the Exhortations to the avoidance of sinnes in themselves and to all that continue in them destructive to Salvation are in vaine which is a figment in a case somewhat alike as to the reason of it rejected by men that knew nothing of the nature of Gods Promises nor his commands nor the Accommodation of them both to the fulfilling in Believers all the good pleasure of his Goodnesse 2. The Assurance the Apostle gives of freedome from the wrath of God is inseparably associated with that Assurance that he gives that we shall not be left in or given up to such waies as wherein that wrath according to the tenure of the Covenant of Grace is not to be avoided From this latter Testimony this Argument also doth flow Those who are sealed of God to the day of Redemption shall certainly be preserved thereunto their preservation being the end and aime of God in his sealing of them Mr Goodwins Answer to this Proposition is that they shall be so preserved in case they fall not into abominable sinnes and practises and so Apostatize from the Faith that is in case they be preserved they shall be preserved but wherein their preservation should consist if not in their effectuall deliverance from such waies and courses is not declared That all Believers are so sealed and to that end as above is the plaine Testimony of the Scripture and therefore our Conclusion is undeniably evinced Thus have we through the Lords assistance freed the triple Testimony of Father Sonne and Spirit given to the Truth under Consideration from all Objections and exceptions put in thereunto so that we hope the mouth of iniquity may be stopt and that the cause of the Truth in hand is secured for ever It is a fearfull thing to contend with God Let God be true and all men lyars CAP. VIII 1. Entrance into the Digression concerning the Indwelling of the Spirit The manner of the ahode of the Spirit with them on whom he is bestowed Grounds of the Demonstratious of the Truth 2. The Indwelling of the Spirit proved from the Promises of it 3. Expresse affirmations of the same Truth Psal. 51. 11. Rom. 8. 9. opened v. 11 15. 1 Cor. 2. 12. Gal. 4. 6. opened 1 Tim. 3. 14. 4. The Spirit in his Indwelling distinguished from all his Graces Evasions removed Rom. 5. 5. Explained The Holy Ghost himselfe not the Grace of the Holy Ghost there intended Rom 8. 11. opened Gal 5. 22. 5. A Personality ascribed to the Spirit in his Indwellings 1 In personall Appellations 1 Ioh. 4. 5. Ioh. 14. 19 17. 2. Personall Operations Rom. 8. 11 15. explained 3. Personall circumstances The Spirit dwells in the Saints as in a Temple 1 Cor. 3. 16. Ch. 6. 9. 6. The Indwelling of the Spirit farther Demonstrated from the signall Effects ascribed in the Scripture to his so doing as 1 Union with Christ. 7. Union with Christ wherein it consisteth 8. Union with Christ by the Indwelling of the same Spirit in him and us 9. This proved from 1. Scripturall Declarations of it 2 Pet. 1. 4. How we are made partakers of the Divine Nature 10. Union expressed by caring the flesh and drinking the blood of Christ. Ioh. 6. 56. opened 11. The Prayer of our Saviour for the Union of his Disciples Iâ—h 17. 21. The Union of the Persons in the Trinity with themselves 12. 2 Scripturall illustrations for the manifestation of Union 13. The Union of Head and Members what it is and wherein it doth consist 14. Of the Union between Husband and Wife aud our Union with Christ represented thereby 15. Of a Tree and its branches 16. Life and quickning given by the Indwelling Spirit in Quickning Life and sutable operations 17. 2. Direction guidance given by the Indwelling Spirit Guidance or direction twosold 18. The severall waies whereby the Spirit gives guidance and Direction unto them in whom he dwells The first way by giving a new understanding or a new spirituall light upon the understanding 19. What light men may attaine without the particular guidance of the Spirit 20. Saving Embracements of particular Truths from the Spirit 1 Ioh 2. 20 21. 21. The way whereby the Spirit leads Believers into Truth 22. Consequences of the want of this guidance of the Spirit 23. The 3d thing received from the Indwelling Spirit Supportment 24. The way whereby the Spirit gives supportment 25. 1. By bringing to mind the things spoken by Christ for their Consolation Ioh. 14. 16 26. 26. 2. By renewing his Graces in them as to strength The benefits issuing and flowing from thence 27. Bestraint given by the Indwelling Spirit and how 28. The continuance of the Spirit with Believers for the Renewall of Grace proved Ioh. 4. 14. 29. That Promise of our Saviour at large opened 30. The Water there promised is the Spirit The state of them on whom he is bestowed Spirituall thirst twofold Ioh. 65. 13. 1 Pet. 2. 2. 31. The Reasons why men cannot thirst againe who have once dranke of the Spirit explained 32. Mr G's Exceptions considered and removed 33. The same work farther carried on as also 3â— 35 36. The Indwelling of the Spirit in Believers farther demonstrated by the Inferences made from thence 37. The first Our Persons Temples of the Holy Ghost To be disposed of in all waies of Holinesse 38. Wildome to try Spirits 39. The wayes means and helps whereby the Saints discerne between the voyce of Christ and the voyce of Sathan HAving shewed §. 1. that the Holy Spirit is purchased for us by the Oblation of Christ and bestowed on us through his Intercession to abide with us for Ever a Truth confirmed by the unquestionable Testimonies of the Father Sonne and Spirit I shall in the next place I hope to the advantage and satisfaction of the Christian Reader a little turne aside to consider how and in what manner he abideth with them on whom he is bestowed together with some Eminent Acts and Effects of his Grace which he putteth forth and exerteth in them with whom he abideth all tending to their preservation in the Love and Favour of God A Doctrine it is of no small use and importance in our walking with God as we shall find in our pursuit of it And therefore though not appearing so directly Argumentative and immediately subservient to the promotion of the Dispute in hand yet tending to the establishment guidance and consolation of them who doe receive it and to the cherishing increasing and strengthning of the Faith thereof I cannot but conceive it much conducing to the carrying on of the maine Intendment of this whole undertaking I say then upon the purchase made of all Good things for the Elect by Christ the Holy and Blessed Spirit of God is given to
thing that is free noble ingenuous filiall and of an heavenly descent in the Saints of God thus 1. It strengthens their Faith in God and in Jesus Christ which is the bottome of all acceptable Obedience whatsoever All that which proceedeth from any other Roote being but a product of labouring in the fire which in the end will consume both Root and Branch That which prevailes upon and drawes out the soule to Faith and believing I meane as it is peculiar to the Gospell and Justifying that is as it is in God as a Father and in the Lord Christ as a Mediator is the discovery of the good will of God to the soule in Christ and his designe to advance his Glory thereby I speake not of the formall cause of Faith in generall but the peculiar motive to Faith and Believing in the sence before mentioned So our Saviour giving the command in generall to his Disciples Ioh. 14 1. ye believe in God believe also in mee in the whole ensuing Chapter provokes them to it with gratious discoveries of the good will of God his Fathers and his own good will towards them And indeed propose what other considerations ye will provoke the soule by all the feare and dread of Hell and the most dismall representation of the wrath to come untill it be convinced of this it will never take one steppe towards God in Christ Now our Adversaries themselves being Judges the Doctrine we have had under consideration abounds above all others with the discoveries of the good will and kindnesse of God to poore sinners yea the great crime that is laid to the charge of it is that it extends it too farre it doth not only assert that God freely beginnes the good worke in them but that he will also powerfully perfect it to the day of Jesus Christ It assures the soules of the poore Saints of God that he who lookt upon them in their bloud and said unto them Live when no eye pittied them who quickned them when they were dead in trespasses and in sinnes begetting them of his own will by the word of Truth that they should be a kind of first fruits to himselfe wasting them in the bloud of his Sonne and delivering them from the old Tyrant Satan that he will not now leave them to themselves and to the Counsell of their own hands to stand or fall according as they shall of themselves and by themselves be able to withstand opposition and seduction but that he will keep them in his own hand giving them such constant supplies of his Grace and Spirit as that in the use of meanes they shall waite upon him to the end And that howsoever or whensoever by the power of Temptation and surprisalls of corruptions they are carried aside from him he will heale their back-slidings and receive them freely and though they change every day yet he changeth not and therefore they are not consumed And hereby I say it confirmes and strengthens their Faith in God as a Father in Jesus Christ taking everlasting care of them 2. Of their Love there is the same reason Gods love to us is of his free Grace he loves us because so it seemes good to him Our Love to him is purely ingenerated by his Love to us and carried on and increased by farther Revelations of his desireablenesse and excellency to our soules Herein is Love not that we loved God but that he loved us first There is no Creature in the least guilty of sinne that can put forth any acceptable Act of Love towards God but what is purely drawn out upon the Apprehension of his Love and lovelinesse in his Grace and mercy A man I confesse may love God when he hath no sence of his Love to him in particular but it must all be built upon an apprehension of his Love to sinners though he may come short in the Application it is the terrour of the Lord that causes us to perswade others but it is the Love of Christ that constraineth us to live to him Shee loved much to whom much was forgiven Looke then the more abundant discoveries are made of the lovelinesse and desirablenesse in the riches of his Grace the more effectuall is the sole and only motive we have to love him with that fiâ—iall chast Holy Love that he requires For the Love of God to his Saints our Doctrine of their Perseverance sets it forth with the greatest Advantage for the indearement of their soules to draw out their streames of Love to God especially doth it give it its Glory in three things 1. In its freedome It setts forth the Love of God to his Saints as that which they have no way in the least deserved as hath been manifested from Isa. 48. 8 9 11. chap. 54. 9 10. As he first loved them not because they were better then others being by nature Children of wrath and lying in their Blood when he said to them Live quickning them when they were dead in trespasses and sinnes So he doth not continue his love to them nor purpose so to do because he fore sees that they will so so walke with him in Holinesse uprightnesse for he â—oresees no such thing in them but what he himselfe purposeth effectually to worke upon the account of his loving them but he resolves to do it meerely upon the account of his owne Grace He neither resolves to continue his Love to them on Condition that they be so and so holy at randome and with uncertainty of the Event but freely that they may and shall be so Eph. 1. 4. And this is the Glory of Love the most Orient pearl in the Crowne of it 'T is not mercenary nor selfe-ended nor deserved but as a Spring and fountaine freely vents and powers out it selfe upon its owne account And what ingenuous truly noble Heavenly descended heart can hold out against the power of this Love It is effectually constraining to all manner of sutable returnes let the soule but put it selfe in to the actuall Contemplation of the Love of God as it lyes represented in this property of it every way free undeserved the great Love of God to a poore worme a sinner a nothing and it cannot but be wrought to a serious Admiration of it delight in it and be pained and straitned untill it make some suitable Returnes of Love and Obedience unto God If not it may well doubt it never tasted of that Love or enjoyed any fruits of it 2. It gives the Love of God the Glory of its Constancy and Unchangeablenesse This is another Starre of an eminent Magnitude in the Heaven of Love It is not a fading a wavering an altering thing but abides for ever God rests in his Love Zeph. 3. 17. It is a great thing indeed to apprehend that the great God should fixe his Love upon a poore Creature But adde hereunto that he may love them one day and hate them the next embrace them
thereof We are not as yet of that minde And yet 2. We do not lay the only motive unto obedience tendered by the Doctrine we contest for on the certainty of reward which it asserteth which yet is such that without it all other must needs be of little purpose but it hath also other advantagious influences into the promotion of Holinesse which in part have been insisted on 3. It seemeth we say that God promiseth a Reward to them that shall not runne a Race because we maintaine that he promiseth it to none but those who do runne in a Race promising withall to give them strength power and will that they may do so to the end 2. For the close which amounteth to this That the certainty of reward when it is uncertaine for so it is made to be when it is suspended on Actions that are uncertain is more encouraging to Action then certainty of reward not so suspended I shall adde only because I know not indeed how this discourse hangeth on the businesse under Consideration that we neither suspend the certainty of Reward upon our Actions in the sence intimated neither do we say that it is assured to men whether they act or no but say that the Reward which is of Grace through the Unchangeable Love of God shall be given to them that act in Holinesse through the same Love shall all Believers be kept to such an acting of Holinesse as God thinketh good to carry them out unto for the fulfilling of all the good pleasure of his Goodnesse in them and making them meet for the inheritance of his Saints in Light We do not think mediums designed of God for the Accomplishment of any End are such that conditions of the End that it is suspended on them in uncertainty in respect of the Issue before its accomplishment Neither do we grant or can it be proved that God assigneth any medium for the accomplishment of a determinate End such as we have proved the Salvation of all Believres to be and leave it in such a Condition as that not only it shall be effected produced suitably to the nature of the immediate cause of which it is whether free necessary or contingent but also shall be so farre uncertaine as that it may or may not be wrought and accomplished The former part of this third Paragraph is but a Repetition of an Assertion §. 12. which upon the Credit of his own single Testimony we have had often tendered viz. That an Assurance given him that is Godly of the Love of God not depending on any thing in him which it is uncertain whether he will performe or no is no motive to men to continue in the wayes of Holinesse This as I said before I cannot close withall That that which is a motive to Faith and Love and eminently suited to the stirring of them up and setting them on worke is also a motive to the Obedience which is called Love and Obedience of Faith hath been declared If there be any thing of the new and Heavenly nature in the soule any Quality or disposition of a Child therein what can be more effectuall to promote or advance the Feare Honour and Reverence of God in it then an Assurance of his Spirit to continue and preserve them in those wayes which are well pleasing unto him It is confessed that in many Promises of Acceptation here and Reward hereafter the things and duties that are the meanes and wayes of enjoying the one and attaining the other are mentioned not as conditions of the Grace and Love of God to them to whom the Promises are made as though they should depend on any thing of their uncertaine accomplishment as hath been declared but only as the meanes and wayes which God hath appointed for men to use and walke in unto those ends and which he hath absolutely promised to worke in them and to continue to them 4. The close of this Paragraph in the fourth place §. 13. deserveth a little more cleare consideration it containing an Assertion which some would not believe when it was told them and hath stumbled not a few at the repetition of it Thus then he proceedeth Besides whether any such Assurance of the unchangeablenesse of the Love of God towards him that is godly as the Objection speaketh of can be effectually and upon sufficient grounds cleared and proved is very questionable yea I conceive there is more reason to judge otherwise then so Yea that which is more I verily believe that in case any such Assurance of the unchangeablenesse of Gods Love were to be found in or could regularly be deduced from the Scriptures it were a just ground to any intelligent and considering man to question their Authority and whether they were from God or no For that a God infinitely righteous and holy should irreversibly as sure the immortall undefiled inheritance of his Grace Favour unto any Creature whatsoever so that though this creature should prove never so abominable in his sight never so outragiously and desperately wicked and prohane he should not be at liberty to with-hold his inheritance from him is a saying doubtlesse too hard for any man who rightly understandeth and considereth the nature of God to beare Ans. §. 14. The Love mentioned in the foregoing Objection is that which God beareth to them that are godly in Jesus Christ exerting it selfe partly in his Gracious acceptation of their Persons in the Sonne of his Love partly in giving to them of his Holy Spirit and Grace so that they shall never depart utterly and wickedly from him and forsake him or reject him from being their God Whether an assurance of this Love may on good grounds be given to Believers hath been already considered and the Affirmative I hope in some good measure confirmed The farther Demonstration of it awaiting its proper season which the will of God shall give unto it This Mr Goodwin saith to him is questionable yea I suppose it is with him out of question that it cannot be else surely he would not have taken so much paines in labouring to disprove it And that this us his resolved judgement he manifesteth in the next words I verily believe that in case any such assurance were to be found in c. That is Si Deus homini non placuerit Deus non erit What more contemptible could the Pagans of old have spoken of their dunghill Deities with their Amphibolous Oracles were it not fitter language for the Indian Conjurers who beat and afflict their hellish Gods if they answer not according to their desires The whole Authority of God and of his Word in the Scriptures is here cast downe before the consideration of an intelligent man forsooth or a vaine man that would be wise but is like the wild Asses colt and this intelligent man it seemes may contend to reject the Word of God and yet be accounted most wise Of old the Prophet thought
of the weakenes of Grace rather then of the flesh which yet it is not able to do for if there be no Promise to the contrary why may not the principle which carrieth men forth to lesser carry them also forth to greater more provoking sinnes what boundaries will you prescribe unto these sinnes of infirmitie The pretension from the strength of the flesh yea from the weakenesse of it holdeth good against the Saints establishment in Peace and Assurance upon the account of their being destitute of any Promise of preservation by God 2. If the Saints be willing saith he to strengthen the Spirit in them §. 22. and make him willing proportionably to the meanes prescribed and vouchsafed unto them by God for such a purpose this will fully ballance the weakenesse of the flesh prevent the miscarriages breaking out hereof This I say then saith the Apostle walke in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh and againe If you be lead by the Spirit you are not under the Law and consequently are in no danger of loosing the Favour of God or of perishing for such sinnes which under the conduct of the Spirit you are subject unto Ans. But that all now must be taken in good part and nothing called strange or uncouth since we have passed the pikes in the last Section I should somewat admire at the Doctrine of this Paragraph For 1. Here is a willing in reference to a great Spirituall duty supposed in men antecedent to any Assistance of him who worketh to will and to do of his owne good pleasure What he worketh he worketh by the Spirit But this is a willing in us distinct from and antecedent to the appearing of the Spirit for the strengthning thereof 2. That whereas we have hitherto imagined that the Spirit strengthneth the Saints and that their supportment had been from him as we partly also before declared at least we did our minde to be so perswaded it seemeth they strengthen the Spirit in them and not he them How or by what meanes or by what principles in them it is that so they do is not declared Besides what is here intended by the Spirit is not manifested If it be the Holy and Blessed Spirit of God be hath no need of our strengthning he is able of himselfe to make us meet for the Inheritance of the Saints in Light If it be the gracious principles that are bestowed upon the Saints that are intended the new Creature the inwardman called the Spirit in the Scripture in opposition to the flesh if our strengthning this Spirit be any thing but the acting of the Graces intended thereby in us I know not what you meane Especially in what is or consists their acting to make the Spirit willing proportionably to the meanes we do receive am I to seeke to say that we receave outward meanes of God for so they must be being distinguished from the Spirit and thereupon of our selves do make the Spirit willing and strengthen him to the performance of God surely holdes out a very sufficient power in Spirituall things inbred in us and abiding with us whereof there is not the least Line or appearance in the whole Booke of God nor in any Author urged by Mr Goodwin to give countenance to his perswasion neither 2. Is the summe of all this Answer any other but this If we are willing will prevent all miscarriages from the weakenesse of the flesh we may But how we become willing so to do and what Assurance we have that we shall be so willing seeing all in us by nature John 3. 6. as to any Spirituall duty is flesh is not intimated in the least This is strenuously supposed all along that to be willing unto spirituall good in a spirituall manner is wholly in our owne power and an easie thing it is no doubt The plea in hand is that such is the strength of indwelling sinne in the best of the Saints and so easily doth it beset them that if they have not some Promise of God to assure them that they shall have constant supply of Grace from him and by his power be preserved it is impossible but that they must be filled with perplexing feares that they shall not hold out in giving him willing Obedience to the end Their Will being in an especiall manner entangled with the power of sinne It is answered If men be but willing c. they need not feare this or any such issue i. e. If they do the thing which they feare and have reasons inviucible to feare that they shall not they need not feare but that they shall do it which is nothing but a most absurd begging of the thing in Question Nether is there any thiug in the Scripture that will give a passe to this Begger or shelter him from due correction The Apostle indeed saith that If we walke in the Spirit we shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh And good Reason there is for it for as he told us these are contrary to one an â—ther and opposite to one another bring forth such divers contrary fruits in them in whom they are that if we walk in the one we shall not fullfill the lusts of the other But what assurance have we that we shall walke in the Spirit if it be not hence that God hath promised that his Spirit shall never depart from us And if we are lead by the Spirit we are not under the Law Which by the way letteth us see that the Spirit leadeth us that is maketh us willing and strengtheneth us not we him But on what account shall or dare any man promise to himselfe that the Spirit will continue so to do if God hath not promised that he shall so do Or if his leading of us be only on condition that we be willing to be lead how shall we be in the least assertained supposing us in any measure acquainted with the power of indwelling sinne that we shall be alway so willing let then this passe with what was said before as nothing to the thing in hand 3. It is answered then 3 ly and lastly there is no such aptnesse or pronenesse unto sinne §. 23. sinnes I meane of a disinheriting import in Saints or true Believers as is pretended But on the contrary a strong propension or inclination unto Righteousnesse raigneth in them we heard formerly from the Apostle 1 John 3. 9. That he that is borne of God cannot sinne and also from the 1 John 5. 3. From these suppositions with many other of like import it is evident that there is a pregnant strong over powring propension in all true Believers to walke Holily and to live Righteously so that to refraine sinning in the kind intended is no such great mastery no such matter of difficulty unto such men and that when they are overcome and fall into sinne it is through a meere voluntary neglect and thus
good pleasure what validity there is in these inferences will be easily discerned God worketh Grace in men as men and as men impotent and corrupted by sinne As men he workes upon them by meanes suited to their Rationall being by Precepts and exhortations but as men impotent and corrupt by sinne they stand in need of his effectuall power to worke that in them which he requireth of them Of the termes wherewith his arguing in this case is clowded and darkened enough hath been remarked already His second Argument to this purpose §. 22. viz. That the Inclination of the will to good and to persevere in a Saint must be after his being made a Saint is as weake and no lesse Sophysticall than the former That inclination is radically wrought in every Believer at his Conversion the Spirit being bestowed on him which shall abide with him for ever and the Seed of God laid in his heart that shall remaine and never utterly faile with an habituall inclination to the exercise of all those Graces wherein their persevering doth consist Actually this is wrought in them according to the particular dutyes and actings of Grace that are reqnired of them which they are carryed forth unto by the daily influence of Life Power and Grace which they receive from Christ their head without whom they can do nothing Neither is the third Exception of any more validity being only a Repetition of what was spoken before rendred something more impedite darke and intricate by the termes of Physically Irresistibly and Necessitated which how farre and wherein we doe allow hath been frequently declared The summe of what is spoken amounts to this Gods reall worke in and upon the Soule by his Spirit and Grace is inconsistent with the exhortations to Obedience which we have before disproved and do reject it as an Assertion destructive to all the efficacy of the Grace of God and the whole worke of it upon the Soules of Men. What his Fourth Argument also is but a Repetition of the same things before crudely Asserted in other termes let them apprehend that can If God worke Faith and Love in the hearts of his Saints and support them in them to the end what place is left for Exhortations I say their own proper place the place of meanes of meanes appoynted by God to stirre up his to Perseverance and which himselfe makes by his Spirit and the immediate efficacy thereof effectuall to that end and purpose And I know no use of that Query Are exhortations effectuall to perswade men to Persevere after the end being built only on his false Hypothesis and begging of the thing in Question viz. That if God worke Faith and Love and continuance of them in our hearts effectually by his Grace there is no need no use of exhortations though God so work them by and with those exhortations And this is his first Attempt upon the first member of the Division made by him selfe wherein what successe he hath obtained is left to the judgement of the Reader And but that I shall not having now the part of one that Answers incumbent on mee turne aside unto the proofe of things denied I should easily confirme what hath been given in for the removall of his Objections from the Testimony of God by innumerable places of Scripture He proceeds then Sect. 6. and saies §. 23. Secondly Neither can the latter of the said consequences stand God doth not make use of the said Exhortations to influence or effect the Wills of the Saints upon any such termes as hereby to make them Infallibly Infrustrably Necessitatingly willing to Persevere or to do the things upon which Perseverance dependeth For first If so then one and the same act of the Will should be both Physicall and Morall and so be specifically distinguished in and from it selfe for so farre as t is produced by the irresistible force or power of the Spirit of God it must needs be Physicall the said irresistible working of the Spirit being a Physicall action and so not proper to produce a Moralleffect Againe as farre as the said Exhortations are meanes to produce or raise this Act of the Will or contribute any thing towards it it must needs be morall because Exhortations are Morall causes and so not capable of producing Physicall Naturall or Necessary effects Now then if it be impossible that one and the same Act of the Will should be both Physicall and Morall that is Necessary not Necessary impossible also it is that it should be produced by the irresistible working of God and by exhortations of this joynt efficiency It may be Objected they who hold or grant such an influence or operation of the Spirit of God upon the Will which is frustrable or resistible do or must suppose it to be a Physicall action as well as that which is irresistible If so then the act of the Will so farre as t is raised by the meanes of this action or operation of God must according to the tenor of the former Arguments be Physicall also and so the pretended Impossibility is no more avoided by this opinion then by the other I Answer Though such an operation of God upon the Will as is here mentioned be in respect of God of the manner of its proceeding from him Physicall yet in respect of the Nature and Substance of it t is properly Morall because it impresseth and affecteth the Will upon which t is acted after the manner of Morall causes properly so called that is Perswadingly not Ravishingly or Necessitatingly When a Minister of the Gospell in his preaching presseth or perswadeth men to such such dutyes or actions this act as it proceedeth from him I meane as 't is raised by his naturall abilityes of under standing or speaking is Physicall or Naturall but in respect of the substanceo◠native tendency of it 't is clearely Morall viz. because it tendeth to incline or move the wills of men to such or such Elections without necessitating them thereunto and so comports with those Arguments or Exhortations in their manner of efficiency by which he presseth or moveth them to such things By the way to prevent stumbling and quarrelling it no way followes from the Premises that a Minister in his preaching or perswading unto duty 's should doe as much as God himselfe doth in or towards the perswading of men hereunto it only followes that the Minister doth cooperate with God which the Apostte himselfe affirmes in order to one the same effect i.e. that he operateth in one the same kind of efficiency with God Morally or perswadingly not necessitating for where one necessitates another only perswades they cannot be said to cooperate or worke the one with the other no more than two when the one runnes the other walkes a soft pace can be said to goe or walke together But when two perswade in one and the same action one may perswade more effectually by many
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
expresse himselfe against any reall efficiency of the Spirit or Grace of God in the hearts or on the wills of men Not to insist upon his darkening the Discourse in hand from his miserable confounding of those tearmes Physicall and Morall formerly discovered I shall as neare as I can close with his aime in it for the more cleare consideration thereof First he tells us That the operation of God on the will of man is in respect of its proceeding from him Physicall but in respest of its nature and substance t is properly Morall But First § 33. if a man should aske Mr Goodwin what he intends by this Operation of God on the will of man to the end intended I feare he would be very hard put to it to instance in any particular It is sufficiently evident he acknowledgeth none in this kind but what consists in the Exhortations of the VVord Secondly having told us before that Physicall is as much as Necessary and Morall as Not-necessary How comes it about that the same operation of God the same Act of his Power is become in severall regards Physicall and Morall That is Necessary and Not-necessary is Mr Goodwin reconciled to the Assertion That the same thing may be said to be Necessary and Not-necessary in sundry respects Thirdly how comes the same Act or Operation in respect of its manner of proceeding from its Agent to be Physicall and in respect of its Substance to be Morall Or is any act Morall in respect of its substance or is its Morality an Adjunct of it in respect of the regard it hath to some Rule farther End It is an easy thing for any to heape up such crude Assertions in the meane time not to know what they say nor whereof they do affirme But the reason why the Acts of God intimated are Morall is because they perswade the Will only or work perswadingly not ravishingly or necessitatingly that is in plain termes There is no operation of the Grace or Spirit of God in the working of any good in the Heart or Wills of men but only what consisteth in perswasion of them thereunto For any reall efficiency as to the communication of strength inworking in us to will and to do t is wholly excluded God only perswades men have the power in themselves and of themselves they do it let the Scripture say what it will to the contrary For those termes of Ravishingly or Necessitatingly which are opposed to this Morall perswasion whereunto the operations of God for the production of any good in us are tied up and confined wee have been now so inured to them that they do not at all startle us When M. Goodwin shall manifest That God cannot by the greatnesse of his power work in us to Will without ravishing our wills if we guesse aright at the intendment of that expression he will advance to a considerable successe in this contest not only against us but God himselfe But an objection presents its selfe to our Author §. 34. which he sees a Necessity to attempt the removall of least an Apprehension of its truth should prove prejudiciall to the receiving of his dictates And this it is That if it be so that God worketh on the will of man by the way of perswasion only he doth no more then the Ministers of the Gospell do who perswade men by the Word to that which is good To this he tells you That it indeed followes that God Ministers work on the Will of man in the same way with the same kind of efficiency but yet in respect of degrees God may perswade more effectually than a Minister That all really efficient §. 35. internall working grace of God was denied by M. Goodwin was before discovered there only t is more plainely asserted All the workings of God on the Wills of men unto good are meerely by perswasion Perswasion we know gives no strength addes no power to him that is perswaded to any thing it only provokes him and irritates him to put forth exert and exercise the power which is in himselfe unto the things whereunto he is perswaded upon the motives grounds of perswasion proposed to him and the whole effect produced on that account is in Solidum to be ascribed to the really efficient cause of it howsoever incited or stirred up whereas then men by Nature are dead blind unbelieving enemies to God he perswades them only to exert the power that is in them thereby to live see believe and be reconciled to him And this is to exalt the free grace of God by Jesus Christ We know full well who have gone before you in these paths but shall heartily pray that none of the Saints of God may follow after you into this contempt of the work of his Grace But Secondly If nothing but Perswasion be allowed to God in the work of mens Conversion § 36. in the carrying on of their obedience to the end Wherein doth the Perswasion of God consist in distinction from the Perswasion used in from the Word by Ministers which it is pretended that it may excell though t is not affirmed that it doth many degrees Let it be considered I say in what Acts of the will or power of God his perswasion so distinct as above mentioned doth consist Let us know what Arguments he useth by what Meanes he applies them how he conveyes them to the Wills of men that are not coincident with those of the Ministry I suppose at last 't will be found that there is no other operation of God in Perswading men as to the ends under consideration but only what lies or consists in the perswading of the Word by the Ministers thereof God looking on without the exerting of any efficacy whatever which is indeed that which is aimed at is really exclusive of the Grace of God from any hand in the Conversion of sinners or Preservation of Believers 3. He doth not indeed assert any such Perswading of God § 37. but only tels you that from what he hath spoken it doth not follow that God doth no more then Ministers in Perswading men And that when two perswade to one and the same Action one may be more effectuall in his perswading than another but that God is so or how he is so or wherein his peculiar perswasions do consist there is not in his discourse the least intimation Fourthly There is in men a different power as to Perswasion some having a faculty that way farre more eminent and effectuall than others according to their skill and proficiency in Oratory and Perswasive Arts this only is ascribed to God that he so excells us as one man excells another But how that Excellency of his is exerted that 's not to be understood But there is proofe tendered you of all this from 1 Cor 3. 9. Where Ministers are said to cooperate with God which they cannot do unlesse it be with the same
put to it for an Answer finding him contenting himselfe with such sorry shifts and evident pervertings of the words of the Text as those here mentioned For first How come the words to be changed into a working as to will so to doe that is perhaps neither the one nor the other who taught him to render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as to will so to doe But Secondly the chiefe of the sport made with the words consists in the Exposition given of them as they lye in this new Translation to work in them as to will so to doe that is to do what they first will not that he workes in them to will but that he assists them in doing what they first will but what is now become of the tà m quà m above mentioned how doth he work in them as to will so to do if he only assists them in doing what of themselves without his assistance they first will Rather than it shall be granted that God by his grace works effectually on the Wills of men to the producing of their elicite acts of Believing and Obedience any course may be warranted for the perverting of the expressions where such an operation seems to be held out Perhaps this perswasion also of the efficacy of the grace of God on the wills of men is such that if it be found in any place of Scripture to be declared or asserted it is enough to make wise and considering prudent men to question their Authority But Thirdly saith he This is not infallibly to work Perseverance I say shew what else is required to Perseverance but to will and doe according to the mind of God which of his own good pleasure he promiseth effectually to work in Believers and you say something that may render your reasonings considerable but it seems we must be kept in abeyance for an answer to this untill his criticisme be ready to manifest how God is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 working in men perhaps what is never wrought without any such effect as is imagined What may by him be brought forth to this purpose time will shew But if he be able to make 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God is working in you to will and to doe forsooth from the Participall expression of the verbe he will manifest more skill in Greeke then he hath hitherto in Divinity in all his Learned Treatises So that here is a Second instance of a conjunction of Promises of Perseverance with Exhortations to use the meanes suited thereunto which who so denies to have a just and sweet consistency doe charge the Holy Ghost with folly or weaknesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thirdly §. 52. The verses pointed to out of Heb. 6. 4 5 9. doe not so directly expresse the conjunction insisted on as those places already considered doe only the discourse there used by the Apostle is peremptory that men may without any disparagement to their wisdome or reason earnestly deale with others and exhort them to avoid falling away from God though they are fully perswaded that those whom they so exhort by the help of those Exhortations and upon other considerations shall abide with God to the end or be attended with things accompanying Salvation But had Mr Goodwin been pleased to look to the following verses wherein the Apostle gives an account of the ground of this perswasion of his he might have found somthing to exercise the best of his skill upon The words are Beloved we are perswaded better things of you things that accompany Salvation though we thus speake for God is not unrighteous to forget your work labour of Love which you have shewne towards his name in that ye have Ministred to the S t s do Minister and we desire that every of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end he tels them v. 10. it is upon the account of the Righteousnesse of God in carrying on the worke of their Labour of Love which was begunne in them and which they had shewen or manifested that he had this perswasion concerning them which in the insuing verses he farther pursues clearing up the ingagement of the Rightcousnesse of God in his Oath of which else where So that notwithstanding any thing attempted to the contrary evident it is that in carrying on the worke of our Salvation the Holy Ghost doth make use of Promises of effectuall Grace for Perseverance and eminent Exhortations to abide with God in such an harmony and consistency as is well suited to the things themselves and in a course which takes Sanctuary under the shade of his wisdome from all the charges of folly and weakenesse which poore weake and foolish men may under their Temptations and in their darkenesse rise up against it withall whether there are expresse Promises of Perseverance in the Scripture some advantage I hope will be given to the pious Reader to judge from what hath been spoken and what by the Lords Assistance may be insisted on to that purpose Unto this debate about the Exhortations of the word we find a Discourse of the same nature importance subjoyned about the Threatnings that are therein § 53. which as it is asserted are rendered uselesse ineffectuall for the end whereunto they are of God appointed by that Doctrine of Perseverance w eh is opposed We freely acknowledge That if any Doctrine whatever do enervâ—te and render vaine any Ordinance or institution of God as to the Ends and purposes wherereunto itis of him appointed that that Doctrine is not of God whose pathes are all plaine and equall and whose commands do not enterfere one with an other Now that the principles of the Doctrine of Perseverance do destroy the efficiency of Threatnings is attempted to be proved by an Induction of observations which being the summe of all that is spoken to this head must be transcribed at large and is as followeth Sect. 12. §. 54. If the principles of the Doctrine we speake of dissolve the efficiency of the said Threatnings towards the end for the accomplishment whereof they are given then they render them unsavoury uselesse and vaine But the principles of this Doctrine are guilty of this offence Ergo The tearmes of the Major proposition are sufficient witnesses of the truth thereof in order to the proofe of the Minor we suppose first that the end intended by God in such Threatnings which threaten those that shall Apostatize with eternall death is to prevent Apostacy in the Saints to worke or cause them to persevere 2. That this is one of the principles of the common Doctrine of Perseverance God hathabsolutely promised finall Perseverance unto the Saints and this another God will certainely infrustably infallibly worke this Perseverance in the Saints These two things only supposed the light of the truth ef the said Minor proposition breakes forth from between them with much evidence and power For First if the said
these Expressions whereunto it is necessitated and from which they cannot possibly decline as to their influence into this Argument ariseth clearely from their Ambiguity we deny any to be necessitated to Persevere or that our Doctrine affirmes any such thing taking that expression to hold out a power upon their wills in their operations inconsistent with the utmost liberty whereof in Spirituall things having received a Spirituall principle men are capable They are not so necessitated to Persevere as that all the Acts of their Obedience whereby they do Persevere should not be free but necessary indeed they are not at all nor in any sence necessitated to persevere There is no Necessity attends their Perseverance but only in respect of the event with reference to the Vnchangeable purpose and infallible Promise of God the like may be said of that other expression possibility of declining God leaves in them a possibility of declining as to their way and manner of walking with him though he leaves not to them a possibility of declining or falling totally from him as to the issue and event of the whole matter which doth not in the least necessitate them to or in any of their operations Secondly §. 8. the proposition must be cast into an other mould before it will be of any determinate signification in opposition to the Doct it opposeth tuned to an other mood before it will give a certaine sound to any battell against it this is that no Act of the Creature that is wrought in order to the obtaining of any end promised to be certainely attained thereby is rewardable of God though for Perseverance it is not any act of the Creature but only a modus of its Obedience and thus it lookes towards the concernement of this Doctrine yet before this proposition passe to omit sundry other things that would gladly rise to the destruction of it I desire one query may be assailed concerning the Obedience of Jesus Christ Whether it were not necessary that the end of his Obedience should follow and Whether it were not impossible he should decline from his Obedience And if it were whether it were impossible that God should give a Reward thereunto But thirdly §. 9. the intendment of this Proposition as farre as it concernes us and that indeed is with a respect to our Doctrine of the Efficacy of Grace and not this of Perseverance is this That which is wrought in us by the Effectuall Grace of God is not capable of Reward from God A Proposition which though capable of some plea and colour taking Reward in a pure Legall sence supposing the Persons seeking after it to do it by a service and dutyes proportioned unto it yet is so openly and directly contradictory to the tenour designe of God in the Covenant of Grace by Jesus Christ with the whole dispensation of the Spirit given to abide with Believers for all the ends and purposes as to their Obedience as I shall content my selfe to deny it expecting M. Goodwin's proofes of it When rivers runne backward heavy things ascend c. Fourthly for the flourish added to these Assertions by comparing the acts of the Saints Obedience upon a supposition of the Grace of God working them in them with their Naturall actions of eating drinking sleeping as to their tendency to exalt the Glory of God in rewarding it proceedes either from grosse ignorance of the Doctrine opposed or willfull prevaricating from that Light of it which he hath who ever taught that God's operations in and towards Believers as to their Perseverance in Faith and Obedience did consist in an outward constraint of an unwilling principle God gives a principle of Obedience to them he writes and implants his Law in their hearts and moves them effectually to act suitably to that inward principle they have so received which though Spirituall Supernaturall in respect of its rise manner of bestowing yet is connaturall to theÌ„ in respect of its being a Principle of Operation we are not then in the least beholding to our Author for his following concession That as a Prince may give great things to them that eat and drinke and breath but not as rewards so God may give Eternall Life to them that are so necessitated by him to Persevere though not as a reward For although we will not contend with God about Eternall Life that he give it us under the notion of a Reward and desire to be much affected with the Consideration of it as a free guift of Grace an eminent purchase of the Bloud of God and looke upon it meerely as a Reward of bounty so called as being the end whereunto our Obedience is suited and the rest of our Labours yet we say in an Evangelicall sence and acceptation it is properly so proposed to that Obedience and Perseverance therein which is wrought in us by the efficacy of the Grace of God as it lyes in a tendency unto that end which to be attained by those meanes he hath infallibly determined He proceeds therefore to inforce his Argument with a new Consideration §. 10. If we speake of Rewards Promised in order to the mooving or inclining of the wills of men towards such or such actions and wayes of which kind also the Rewards mentioned in the Scriptures as yet remaining to be conferred by God upon men are the case is yet more cleare viz. That they are appropriate unto such actions aud wayes unto the Election and choice whereof men are not necessitated in one kinde or other especially â—ot by any Physicall or forreigne power For to what purpose should a Reward be Promised unto me to Perswade or make me willing to ingage in such or such a course or to performe such such a service in case I be nessitated to the same ingagement or performance otherwayes Or what place is there left for a Morall inducement where a Physicall necessity hath done the executionâ— or if the Morall inducement hath done the execution sufficiently raised ingaged the will to the action with what congruity of Reason yea or common sence can a Physicall necessity be superinduced Ans. What there is more in this than what went before unlesse Sophystry and Falsity I see not For first though I conceive that Eternall Life is proposed in the Scripture as our Reward rather upon the account of supporting chearing our Spirits in the deficiency's Temptations and intanglements attending our Obedience than directly to ingage into Obedience though consequently it doth that also whereunto we have so many other unconquerable ingagements and inducements yet the consideration there of in that sence also as it moves the wills of men to Actions suitable to the attainement of it is very well consistent with the Doctrine in hand That old Calumny an hundred times repeated and insisted on in this contest of our wills being necessitated and deprived of their choise and Election unlesse it could be tolerably
made good will be of no use to M. Goodwin as to his present purpose The whole strength of this Argumentation is built on this supposall That the effectuall Grace of God in its working the will deed in Believers or the Spirits doing of it by Grace with Gods fore determination of events doth take away the Liberty of the will inducing into it a necessary manner of Operation determining it to one antecedently in order of time to its own determination of it selfe which is false nowise inferred frō the Doctrine under Consideration Yea as Gods Providentiall concurrence with men and determination of their wills to all their Actions as Actions is the Principle of all their naturall Liberty so his Gracious Concurrence with thē or operations in thē as unto Spirituall Effects working in thē to will is the Principle of all their true Spirituall Liberty when the Son makes us free then are we free indeed the Reward then is proposed to an understanding enlightned a will quickned made free by grace to stirre thē up to actions suitable to them who are in expectation of so bountifull a close of their Obedience which actions are yet wrought in them by the Spirit of God whose fruits they are and this to very good purpose in the hearts of all that know what it is to walke with God and to serve him in the midst of Temptations unlesse they are under the power of some such particular errour as turnes away their eyes from believing the Truth Secondly §. 11. The opposition here pretended between a Physicall necessitating and a Morall inducement for the producing of the same effect is in plain tearms intended between the Efficacy of Gods internall grace and the use of Externall exhortations and motives If God give an Internall Principle or Spirituall Habit fitting for inclining to spirituall actions and duties if he followes the work so begunne in us who yet of our selves can doe nothing nor are sufficient to think a good thought with continuall supplies of his Spirit and Grace working daily in us according to the exceeding greatnesse of his power the things that are well pleasing in his sight then though he worke upon us as Creatures endued with Reason Understandings Wills and Affections receiving glory from us according to the Nature he hath endued us withall all Exhortations and Incouragements to Obedience required at our hands are vaine and foolish Now because we think this to be the very Wisdome of God and the opposition made unto it to be a meere invention of Satan to magnify corrupted nature and decry all the Efficacy of the Grace of the new Covenant we must have something besides and beyond the naked Assertion of our Author to cause us once to believe it Thirdly The great Execution that is made by Morall inducements solely without any internally efficacious grace in the way of Gospell Obedience is often supposed but not once attempted to be put upon the proofe or Demonstration It shall then suffice to deny that any perswasions outward motives or inducements whatever are able of themselves to raise ingage and carry out the will unto Action so that any good spirituall Action should be brought forth on that account without the effectuall influence and Physicall operation of internall grace And M. Goodwin is left to prove it together with such other Assertions derogatory to the free Grace of God Dogmatically imposed upon his Reader in this Chapter whereof some have been already remarked and others may in due time The residue of this Section the 13 th spent to prove that Eternall Life is given as a Reward to Perseverance having already manifested the full consistency of the Proposition in a Gospell acceptation of the word Reward with whatever we teach of the Perseverance of the Saints I suppose my selfe inconcerned in And therefore passing by the triumphant conclusion of this Argument asserting an Absolute power in men to exhibite or decline from Obedience I shall goe on to that which in my apprehension is of more importance and will give occasion to a Disconrse I hope not unusefull or unprofitable to the Reader I shall therefore assigne it a peculiar place and Chapter to it selfe CAP. XV. 1. M G's fift Argument for the Apostasy of true Believers 2. The weight of this Argument taken from the sins of Believers The difference between the sins of Believers and unregenerate persons proposed to consideration 3. lames 1. 14. 15. The rise and progresse of Lust and Sinne. 4. The fountain of all sinne in all persons is Lust. Rom. 7. 7. 5. Observations clearing the difference between Begenerate and unregenerate persons in their sinning as to the common fountaine of all sinne The first 6. The second of the universality of Lust in the soule by nature 7. The Third in two inferences the first unregenerate men sinne with their whole consent 8. The Second inference concerning the raigne of sinne and raigning sinne 9. The Fourth concerning the universall possession of the Soule by renewing Grace 10. The fift that true Grace bears rule where ever it be 11. Inferences from the former considerations The first that in every regenerate person there are diverse principles of all Morall operations Rom 7. 19. 20. opened 12. The second that sinne cannot raigne in a Regenerate person 13. The third that Regenerate persons sinne not with their whole consent 14. Answer to the Argument at the entrance proposed Believers never sinne with their whole consent and willes 15. M. G's attempt to remove the Answer 16. His exceptions considered and removed Plurality of Wills in the same person in the Scripture sence of the opposition between flesh and spirit that no Regenerate person sinnes with his full consent proved 17. Of the Spirit and his Lustings in us 18. The Actings of the spirit in us free not suspended on any conditions in us 19. The same farther manifested 20. M. G's discourse of the first and second motions of the spirit considered 21. The same considerations farther carried on 22. Peter Martyrs Testimony considered 23. Rom. 7. 19. 20. considered 24. Difference between the opposition made to sin in persons Begenerate and that in persons unregenerate farther argued 25. Of the sence of Rom. 7. and in what sence Believers doe the works of the flesh 26. The close of these considerations 27. The Answer to the Argument at the entrance of the Chapter opened The Argument new formed the Major Proposition limited and granted and the Minor denied 28. The proofe of the Major considered Gal. 5. 21. Ephes. 5. 5. 6. 1 Cor 6. 9. 10. 29. Believers how concerned in comminations 30. Threatning proper to unbelievers for their sinnes 31. Farther objections proposed and removed 32. Of the progresse of Saints intempting to sinne 33. The effect of Lust in tem ptations 34. Difference between Regenerate and unregenerate persons as to the tempting of Lust 1. in respect of universality 2. of Power 35. Objections Answered 36. Whether
That there is a plurality yea a contrariety of wills in the Scripture sence of the expression of the will of a man was before from the Scripture declared not a plurality of wills in a Physicall sence as the will is a naturall faculty of the soule but in a Morall and Analogicall sence as 't is taken for a habit or principle of good or evill The will is a naturall faculty one nature hath one will in every Regenerate man there are two natures the new or divine and the old or corrupted In the same sence there are in him two wills as was declared But saith he It is an impossibility of the first evidence that there should be a plurality of Acts in the same subject at the same time and these contrary one to another But 1. If you intend acts in a Morall Consideration unlesse you adde about the same Object which you do not this Assertion is so farre from any evidence of truth that it is ridiculously false May not the same person love God and hate the Divell at the same time But 2. How passe you so suddenly from a plurality of wills to a plurality of acts by the will we intend in the sence wherein we speak of it an habit not any act i.e. The will as habitually invested with a new principle not as actually willing from thence by vertue thereof Arminius from whom our Author borrowes this Discourse fell not into this Sophystry he tels you There cannot be contrary wills or volitions about the same Act But is it with M.G. or Arminius an impossibility that there should be a mixt action partly voluntary partly involuntary actions whose principles are from without by perswasion may be so a mans throwing his goods in the Sea to save his owne life Now the principles whereof we speak Flesh Grace are internall contrary shall not the actions that proceed from a faculty wherein such contrary principles have their residence be partly voluntary partly involuntary 3. But he tells you That though there might be lusting of the Spirit against the flesh before the act of sinne yet when it comes to the acting of it then it ceaseth so the act is wrought with the whole will First though this were so yet this doth not prove but that the Action is mixt and not absolutely and wholly voluntary Mixt Actions are so esteemed from the antecedent deliberation and dissent though the will be at length prevailed upon thereunto and I have shewed before that in the very action there is a vertuall dissent because of the opposite principle that is in the will But Secondly How doth it appeare that the Spirit doth not lust against the flesh though not to a prevalency even in the exertion of the acts of sinne In every good act that a man doth because evil is present with him though the prevalency be of the part of the Spirit and the principle of Grace yet the flesh also with its lustings doth alwayes in part corrupt it Thence are all the spots staines and imperfections of the holy things and dutyes of the Saints and if the flesh in its lusting will immix it selfe with our good Actions to their defilement and impairing why may not the Spirit in the ill not immix its selfe and its lustings threwith but beare off from the full influence of the will into them which otherwise it would have But saith he If the spirit doth not cease lusting before the flesh bring forth the act of sinne then is the Spirit conquered by the flesh contrary to that of the Apostle 1 John 4. 4. % Stronger is he that is in you than he that is in the world But First If from hence the flesh must be though conceived to be stronger than the Spirit because it prevailes in any act unto sin notwithstanding the contending of the Spirit how much more must it be judged to prevaile over it and to conquer it if it cause it utterly to cease and not to strive at all He that restraines an other that he shall not oppose him at all hath a greater power than he who conquers him in his resistance But why doth Mr Goodwin feare least the flesh should be asserted to be stronger in us than the Spirit Is not his whole designe to prove that it is or may be so so much stronger and more prevalent than it that whereas it is confessed on all hands that the Spirit doth never wholly conquer the flesh that it shall not remaine in the Saints in this life yet that the flesh doth wholly prevaile over the Spirit and conquer it to an utter expulsion of it out of the hearts of them in whom it is Secondly In the prevalency of the flesh it is not the Spirit himselfe that is conquered but only some motions actings of him in the heart Now though some particular actings and motions of his may not come out eventually unto successe yet if he generally beares Rule in the heart he is not to be said even as in us and acting in us not to be stronger than the flesh He is as in us on this account said to be stronger than he that is in the world because notwithstanding all the opposition that is against us he preserveth us in our state and condition of Acceptation with God and walking with him with an upright heart in good workes and dutyes for the most part though sometimes the flesh prevailes unto sinne from which yet he recovers us by Repentance Thirdly To speake a little to Mr Goodwin's sence By the Spirits insufficiency it is manifest from the Text urged and from what followes in the same place that he intends not a Spirituall vitall principle in the will having its residence there with its contrary principle the flesh perhaps he will grant no such thing but the Spirit of God himselfe How now doth this Spirit lust Not formally doubtlesse but by causing us so to do and how doth it do that in Mr Goodwin's judgement Meerely by perswading of us so to do so that to have the flesh prevaile against the Spirit is nothing in his sence but to have sinne prevaile and the motives of the flesh above the motives used by the Spirit which may be done and yet the Spirit continue unquestionably stronger than the flesh Fourthly The summe is If the Spirit and the flesh Lust and Grace may be lookt on as habituall qualityes and principles in the wills of the same persons so that though a man hath but one will yet by reason of these contrary qualityes He is to be esteemed as two diverse principles of operation it is evident that having contrary inclinations continually the will hath in its actings a Relation to both these principles so that no sinne is commited by such an one with his whole will and full consent That contrary qualityes in a Remisse degree may be in the same subject is knowne Lippis Tonsoribus These adverse
having proceeded thus with M. Goodwin that a foundation may be the better laid for the removall of what he farther adds proceed to consider the progresse of sinne and to remarke from thence the difference that is betweene Regenerate and Vnregenerate men in their sinning The second thing proposed in the Apostles discourse of the Rise and progresse of sinne is the generall way that Lust proceedeth in for the bringing of it forth and that is Temptation every one is tempted of his own Lust This is the generall way that Lust proceeds in for the production of actuall sinne It tempts and he in whom it is is tempted There is a Temptation unto sin only and a Temptation unto sin by sin The first is no sinne in him that is so tempted our Saviour was so tempted he was tempted of the Divell Math. 4. 1. % He was in all points tempted like as we are without sin That his temptations were unto sin is apparent from the story of them but the Prince of this world coming had nothing in him John 14. 30. Found nothing in him to Answer and close with his Temptations and therefore though he was tempted yet was he without sin Now though this sort of temptations from Sathan are not Originally our sinnes but his yet there being tinder in our soules that kindles more or lesse in and upon every injection of his fiery darts there being something in us to meet many if not all of his Temptations they prove in some measure in the issue to be ours Indeed Sathan sometimes ventures upon us in things wherein he hath doubtlesse small hope of any concurrence and so seemes rather to aime at our disquiet than our sinnes as in those whom he perplexes with hard and blasphemous thoughts of God a thing so contradictory to the very principles not of Grace only but of that whereby we are men that it is utterly impossible there should be any assent of the soule thereunto to think of God as God is to think of him every thing that is Good Pure Great Excellent incomprehensible in all perfection Now at the same time to have any Apprehensions of a direct contradictory importance the mind of man is not capable Were it not for the unbeliefe causelesse feares and discontentments that in many do insue upon Temptations of this nature which are consequents and not effects of it Sathan might keepe this dart in his owne forge for any mischeife he is like to doe with it The Apostle speakes here of Temptations by sinne as well as unto sinne and these are mens sinnes as well as their Temptations they are Temptations as tending to farther evill they are sinnes as being irregular and devious from the rule Now this tempting of Lust compriseth two things First §. 33. The generall active inclination of the Heart unto sinne though not fixed as unto any particular act or way of sinne the motus primò primi of this you have that Testimony of God concerning man in the state of nature Gen. 6. 5. % Every figment of the thought of his heart is only evill every day the figment or imagination of the thoughts is the very roote of them their generall moulding or active preparing of the mind for the exerting of them so 1 Chrou 28. 9. % God understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts The figment of them The next disposition of the soule unto them and 2 Cron. 29. 19. Keepe this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of their hearts or keep their hearts in a continuall framing posture and condition of such good thoughts This I say is she first way of Lusts Temptation it makes a mint of the heart to frame readily all manner of evill desires and thoughts that they may as our Saviour speakes proceed out of the heart Mat. 15. 19. Their actuall fixing on any object is their proceeding antecedent whereunto they are framed and formed in the heart Lust actually disposeth inclines bends the heart to things suitable to it selfe or the corrupt habituall principle which hath its residence in us Secondly The actuall tumultuating of Lust and working with all its power and policy in stirring up provoking to and drawing out thoughts and contrivances of sin with delight and complacency in inconeiveable variety the severall degrees of its progresse herein being afterwards described In the first of these there is no small difference between Regenerate Vnregenerate persons §. 34. and that in these two things First In its universality In Unregenerate men every figment of their heart is only evill and that every day there is an universality of actings exprest positively exclusively to any actings of another kind every figment of their heart is only evill and of time every day whatever good they seeme to do or do whatever dutyes they performe that in them all which is the proper figment of their heart is only evill On this account take any duty they do any worke they performe and weigh it in the ballance and t' will be found in respect of principles and circumstances or aimes to be wholly evill That indeed there is nothing in it that is acceptable to God their hearts are casting minting and coyning sinne all the day long With Believers 't is not so there is also a good treasure in their hearts from whence they bring out good things there is a good Root in them that beares good fruit though they are or may be overtaken with many sins yea with great sins yet lust doth not tempt thē as it doth unregenerate men with a perpetuall continuall active inclination unto evill even some way or other in all the good they do The Spirit is in them will and doth in what state so ever they are dispose their hearts to Faith Love Meekenesse and actuates those Graces at least in the elicite acts of the will for a good tree will bring forth good fruit never any Believer is or was so deserted of God or did so forsake God as that every figment of his heart should be evill only and that continually That no one act of sinne can possibly expell his habit of Grace hath been formerly shewed neither is he ever cast into such a condition but from the good principle that is in him There is a panting after God longing for his Salvation with more or lesse efficacy the sparke is warme and glowing though under ashes Secondly In respect of power Lust tempts in unregenerate men out an absolute uncontrouleable dominion and that with a morally irresistible efficacy All its dominion as hath been shewed and very much of its strength is lost in Believers this is the intendment of the Apostles discourse Rom. 6. concerning the crucifying of sinne by the death of Christ. The power strength vigour and efficacy of it is so far abated weakned mortified that it cannot so effectually impell unto sin as it doth when 't is in perfect life and strength But you 'l say then
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
import any such thing as is aimed at from the Text nor the word abide but to the whole proposition the seed of God abideth in him as produced to confirme the former assertion of the not sinning of the Persons spoken of there is nothing spoken at all I shall therefore briefely confirme the Argument in hand by the strength here communicated unto it by the Holy Ghost and then consider what is answered to any part of it or objected to the interpretation insisted on That he that sinneth not neither can sinne in the sence explained shall never fall away totally or finally from God is granted That Believers sinne not nor can sinne so or in the manner mentioned besides the Testimony of the Holy Ghost worthy of all acceptation in the cleare assertion of it we have the Reason thereof manifested in the discovery of the causes of its truth The first Reason is Because the seed of God abideth in them A tacite grant seemeth to be made that fruit sometimes may not visibly appeare upon them as the case is with a Tree in winter when it casts its leaves but its seed remaineth Grace may abide in the habit in and under a winter of Temptation though it doth not exert its selfe in bearing any such actuall fruit as may be ordinarily visible The Word of God is sometimes called seed incorruptible seed causatively as being an instrument in the hand of God whereby he planteth the seed of Life and holinesse in the heart That it is not the outward word but that which is produced and effected by it through the efficacy of the Spirit of God that is by seed intended is evident from the use and nature of it And it is abiding in the Person in whom it is Whatever it is it is called seed not in respect of that from whence it cometh as is the cause and Reason of that appellation of other seed but in respect of that which it produceth which ariseth and insueth upon it and it is called the seed of God because God useth it for the Regeneration of his Being from God being the principle of the Regeneration of them in whom it is abiding in them even when it hath brought forth fruit and continuing so to doe it can be no other but the New Creature New Nature inward Man new principle of Life or habit of Grace that is bestowed upon all Believers whence they are Regenerate quickned or borne againe of which we have spoken before This seed saith the Holy Ghost abideth §. 67. or remaineth in him Whatever falling or withering He may seeme to have or hath this seed the seed of God remaineth in him The principle of his new life abideth some exceptions are made as we shall see afterwards to the signification of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 remaineth and instances given where it signifyeth for to be and denoteth the essence of a thing not its duration That to abide or remaine is the proper signification of the word I suppose will not be questioned That it may in some place be used in another sence is not dispuited All that lyeth under consideration here is whether the word in this place be used properly according to its genuine and first signification or no It supposeth indeed to be also but properly signifieth only to abide or remaine Now if nothing can be advanced from the Text ot context from the matter treated on or the paralell significancy of some expression that is in conjunction with it that should inforce us to carry it from its proper use and signification the instancing of other places if any such be wherein it is restrained to denote being and not duration is altogether impertinent to the businesse in hand When an Argument is urged from any place of Scripture to pick out any word in the Text and to manifest that it hath been used improperly in some other place and therefore must be so in that is a procedure so farre from an ingenious Answer that it will scarce passe for a tolerable shift or evasion To remaine then or to abide is the proper signification of this word nothing is in the least offered to manifest that it must necessarily in this place be diverted from its proper use According to the import of the word the seed of God remaineth in Believers now that remaining of the seed is the cause of their not sinning that sinne or in that manner as the Apostle here denyeth them to be liable to sinne For that is the Reason he giveth why they cannot sinne even because the seed of God remaineth in them Mr Goodwin granteth that this seed remaineth in Believers alwayes unlesse they sinne by a totall defection from God Of not sinning the sinne of totall deâ—ection from God the remaining or abiding of this seed is the cause Whilst that abideth they cannot sinne that sin for it is an unquestionable cause uncontrouleable of their not so doing This seed therefore must be utterly lost and taken away before any such sinne can be committed Now if the seed cannot be lost without the commission of the sinne which cannot be committed till it be lost neither can the seed be lost nor the sin becommited The same thing cannot be before and after its selfe He that cannot go sucha journey unlesse he have such a horse cannot have such a horse unlesse he go such a journey is like to stay at home In what sence the words cannot sin are to be taken was before declared That there are sins innumerable whereinto men may fall notwithstanding this seed is confessed Under them all this seed abideth so it would not do under that which we cannot sin because it abideth but because it abideth that sin cannot be committed The latter part of the Reason of the Apostles assertion §. 68. is for he is borne of God which is indeed a driving on the former to its head and fountaine What it is to be borne of God we need not dispute It was sufficiently discovered in the mention that was made before of the seed of God God by his Holy Spirit bestowing on us a new Spirituall Life which by nature we have not and in respect of whose want we are said to be dead is frequently said to beget us James 1. 14. And we are said to be borne of God He is the Soveraigne disposer dispenser and supreme fountaine of that Life which is so bestowed on us which we are begotten againe unto and are borne with and by And Jesus Christ the Mediatour is also said to have this Life in himselfe Joh 5. because he hath received the spirit of the father to give to his for their quickning who taketh of his and thereby begeteth them a new And this Life which Believers thus receive and whereby indeed radically they become Believers is every where in Scripture noted as Permanent and abiding In respect of the originall of it it is said to be from above
though assured of the end and in respect of whom 't was utterly impossible that his glorious exaltation should not follow in the issue he being wholly out of all danger of being detained under the power of Death yet he Laboured and prayed and fasted and resisted Satans temptations and watched against him and dealt with him by weapons taken out of the word of God And in especiall when the Divell urged him with the argument in hand that there is no need of meanes or the using of them when there is a certainty of the end and an impossibility that it should otherwise fall out or the End not be brought about and accomplished as he did when he tempted him to cast himselfe headlong from a pinacle of the Temple because the Angells had charge over him that not so much as his foot should be hurt against a stone whatever he did as Sathan intimated which is the tenour of the Argument wherewith we have to doe he returnes to him the very Answer that we insist upon viz. that though it be the good pleasure of God to bring us to the end we aime at yet are we not to tempt him by a neglect of the meanes which he hath appointed 't is true there are Arguments used to us that could have no place with Christ being taken from the Estate Condition of infirmity and weaknesse through sinne wherein we are which is a ground only of an Inference that if Christ who was Holy Harmelesse undefiled separate from sinners did yet watch and pray and contend against Sathan much more should we do so But this doth not at all take off from the parity of Reason that is in case of Diligent using of the meanes for the compassing of the end that in some respect is under an impossibility of not being accomplished For the removeall of this instance Mr Goodwin enters into a large Discourse of the cause and Reason vesting the Lord Christ with an immutability in good and how 't is not competent to any Creature which that it is never entred into the thoughts of any to assert that I ever heard of Nor is it of the least importance to the removeall of our Instances as to its serviceablenesse unto the end for which 't is produced He tells us also That in case men be caused necessit atingly and unavoidably to act Righteously it will take away all rewardablenesse from their actings And the Reason is because such a necessitating of them makes them meerly passive they having not any internall principle of their owne to contract such a necessity which Discourse is pursued with many other words to the same purpose And a Discourse it is First Exceedingly Irrelative to the businesse in hand there is not any thing now under consideration that should minister occasion at all to consider the manner of our yeilding Obedience and the way of Gods Grace in the bringing forth the fruits thereof but only of the consistency that is between Admonitions for the using of the meanes when 't is supposed impossible that the end prevented by them should ever come to passe which may or may not be so whatever be the manner and way of our yeelding Obedience upon the exertion of the Efficacy of the Grace of God Diversion is one of Mr Goodwins ordinary wayes of warding those blowes which he is not able to beare Secondly false charging a crime on the Doctrine which he doth oppose whereof it is not guilty Neither it nor they that maintaine it affirming that there is a necessitation upon the wills of men by the Grace of God such a necessitation as should in the least prejudice their freedome or cause them to elicite their acts as principles Naturall and necessary All the necessity ascribed by them to the efficacy of the operation of the Grace of God respects only the event They say 't is necessary that the good be done which God workes in us by his Grace when he workes it in us but for the manner of its doing they say t is wrought suitably to the state and Condition of the Internall principle whence t is to proceed and doth so and of the Agents whereby t is wrought which are free Neither do they say that good is not wrought by any Native and inward Principle that is in men unlesse they will allow no principle to be Native but what is in them by nature And then indeed they say that though Naturally and Physically there is yet Morally and Spiritually there is not in them any Native principle to that which is Spiritually good seeing in that sence no good thing dwells in men But if it may suffice to evince that they worke from a Native inward principle that their wills which are their Naturall facultyes quickned improved and heightned by inward indwelling habits of Grace properly theirs when bestowed on them are the principles of all their actings then they assert them to worke no lesse from a native internall principle than Christ himselfe did So that notwithstanding this diversion given in to supply the Absence of an Answer the instance as to that alone wherein the parallell was intended stands unmoved and Mr Goodwin's whole charge of folly and inconsistency on the proceeding of the Holy Ghost falls to the ground which is the issue of his eight Argument in this case His last follows The last Argument which he proposeth Sect. §. 23. 41. and ends his Chapter withall is faint and as the droppings after a showre will easily be blown over he thus proposeth it That Doctrine which Naturally and directly tendeth to beget and foment jealousyes and evill surmises between brethren in Christ or such as ought cordially to Love Reverence and Honour one another is not confederate with the Gospell nor from God and consequently that which contradicteth it must needs be a truth The common Doctrine of unqnestionable and unconditioned Perseverance is a Doctrine of this tendency apt to beget and foment jealousyes suspicions and evill surmises between brethren or such as ought to Love and Respect one the other as brethren in Christ Ergo. Ans. Not to take notice of any thing by the by which sundry Expressions and one inference at the least in this Argument do readily administer occasion unto I awaite the proofe of the Minor which in the following Discourse amounts to this That judging all those who fall finally away not to have been true Believers we cannot but have evill surmises of all that stand that they are not true Believers seeing as good as they have fallen away hence jealousyes of their Hypocrysy will arise And he tells us for his part he knowes no Christian in the world that he hath more reason to judge a true Believer than he had to judge some who are turned wretched Apostates To which I say briefely First §. 24. I doubt not but Mr Goodwin knowes fullwell that this is not a Rule given us to make a judgement of Believers by
guidance of their judgement in the receiving or rejecting of them On the account of its destructivenesse to Godlinesse and obedience do the Socinians reject the Satisfaction and merit of Christ and on the account of conducingnesse thereunto do the Papists assert and build up the Doctrines of their owne merits Penance Satisfaction and the like On that principle did they seeme to be acted who pressed Legall Judaicall suppositions with a shew of wisdome or will worship and humility and neglecting the body Col. 2. 23. Neither did they faile of their plea concerning promotion of Godlinesse in the Worship of God who reviled rejected and persecuted the Ordinances of Christ in this Generation to set up their own Abominations in the Roome Yea it is generally the first word wherewith every Abomination opens its mouth in the world though the men of those Abominations do rather suppose this pretence of Godlinesse to be serviceable for the promotion of their opinions than their opinions any way really usefull to the promotiō of godlines Neither need we go far to enquire after the Reasons of mens miscarriages pretending to judge of Truth according to this Rule seeing they ly at hand are exposed to the view of all for besides that very many of the pretenders to this plea may be justly suspected to be men of corrupt minds dealing falsely treacherously with their own soules the truth the pretence of furthering Holinesse being one of the cunning sleights wherewith they ly in wait to deceive which may justly be suspected of them who together with this plea and whilst they make it are apparently themselves loose and remote from the power of a Gospell conversation as the case hath been with not a few of the most eminent assertors of Arminianisme How few are there in the world who have indeed a true notion and Apprehension of the nature of Holinesse in its whole compasse and extent as in the Fountaine Causes Rise and Use and end thereof And if men know not indeed what holinesse is how shall they judge what Doctrine or Opinion is conducing to the furtherance thereof or is obstructive to it Give me a man who is perswaded that he hath power in himselfe being by the discovery of a Rule directed thereinto to yeild that obedience to God which he doth require who supposeth that threats of hell destructiō are the greatest most powerfull effectuall motive unto that obedience that the Spirit Grace of God to worke create a new heart in him as a suitable principle of all holly actings are not purchased nor procured for him by the Bloud of Christ nor is there any holinesse wrought in him by the Almighty efficacy of that Spirit and Grace he having a sufficiency in himselfe for those things that there is not a reall Physicall concurrence of the Grace of God for the production of every good act whatever and that he is Justifyed upon the account of any act or part of his Obedience or the whole and I shall not be much moved or shaken with the Judgement of that man concerning the serviceablenesse suitablenesse of any Doctrine or Doctrines to the furtherance of Godlinesse and Holinesse There are also many different opinions about the nature of Godlinesse what it is and wherein it doth consist I desire to be informed how a man may be directed in his Examination of those opinions supposing him in a streight and exigency of thoughts between them in considering which of them is best suited to the promotion of Godlinesse I do not intend in the least to derogate from the certaine and undoubted truth of what was premised at the beginning of this Discourse viz. That every Gospell Rule whatever is certainly conducing to the furtherance of Gospell Obedience in them that receive it in the Love and power thereof Every errour being in its utmost Activity especially in corrupting the principles of it obstructive thereunto much les do we in any measure decline the tryall of the Doctrine which I assert in opposition to the Apostacy of the Saints by this touch-stone of its usefulnesse to Holinesse having formerly manifested its eminent Activity and efficacy in that service and the utter aversenesse of its corrivall to lend any assistance thereunto But yet I say in an inquiry after and dijudication of truth whatever I have been or may be streightned between different perswasions I have and shall rather close in the practice of Holinesse in prayer Faith and waiting upon God to search the Scripture to attend wholly to that Rule having plentifull promises for guidance and direction than to weigh in any Rationall consideration of my owue what is conducing to Holinesse what not especially in many truths which have their usefullnesse in this service as is the case of most Gospell Ordinances and institutions of Worship not from the connexion of things but the meere will of the appointer Of those Doctrines I confesse which following on to know the Lord we know from his Word to be from him and in which doing the will of Christ are revealed to us to be his will a peculiar valuation is to be set on the head of them which appeare to be peculiarly and eminently serviceable to the promotion and furthering our Obedience as also that all opinions what ever that are in the least seducers from the power truth and Spirituality of obedience are not of God are eo nomine to be rejected yet having a more sure rule to attend unto I dare not make my apprehensions concerning the tendency of Doctrines any Rule if God hath not so spoken of them for the judging of their truth or false-hood if my thoughts are not shut up and determined by the power of the Word The next proposall made by M. Goodwin §. 7. is of the advantages he hath to judge of Truths which he hath done unto plenary satisfaction according to the Rule now considered The first thing he offereth to induce us to close with him in his judgement of Opinions is the knowledge he hath of the generall course of the Scripture what is intended by the generall course of the Scripture well I know not so am not able to judg of M. Goodwins knowledge thereof by any thing exposed to publique view If by the generall course of the Scriptures the matter of them is intended the importance of the expression seems to be coincident with the Analogy or proportion of Faith a safe rule of Prophesy but what ever M. Goodwins knowledge may be of this I am not perfectly satisfied that he hath kept close unto it in many Doctrines of his Book entituled Redemption Redeemed and so the weight of his skill in judging of truths on this foundation will not ballance what I have to lay against it for the inducement of other thoughts than those of closeing with him The course of the Scripture cannot import the manner of the expressions therein used in that there
shall be startled in their sinnes troubled in their consciences forced to seeke out for a remedy and shall come so farre as to have some though but a light tast of the excellency of the Gospell and the remedy provided for sinners in Jesus Christ and then through the strength of their lusts and corruptions shall cast it off reject it and spit out of their mouth as it were all that of it whereby they found the least savour in it no creature under Heaven can be guilty of more abominable undervaluing of the Lord Christ and the Love of God in him than such persons What degree of Love Joy Repentance Peace Faith persons many times arrive unto when with Herod they have heard the Word gladly and done many things willingly c. hath been by others abundantly demonstrated This sufficeth our present purpose that they do make such a progresse in the wayes of God and finde so much excellency in the treasure of Grace and mercy which he hath provided in Jesus Christ and tenders in the Gospell that he cannot but look upon their Apostacy renunciation of him whereby they proclaime to all the world as much as in them lyes that there is not that reall goodnesse worth and excellency to be found in him as some pretend as the highest scorne and contempt of him and his Love in Christ and revenges it accordingly 2. To the second which consists of instances collected by the Remonstrants to manifest the use of the word tasting to be other than what we here confine it to I say 1. That the word as it is applyed to Spiritualls being borrowed and metaphoricall not in its Analogie to be extended beyond making triall for our coming to some knowledge of a thing in its nature the use of it in one place cannot prescribe to the sence of it in another no more than any other metaphoricall expression whatever but it must in the severall places of its residence be interpreted according to the most peculiar restriction that the matter treated of doth require If then M G. can prove that any thing in this place under consideration enforces such a sence all his other instances are needlesse if he cannot they are uselesse It might easily be manifested and hath been done by others already that in all the places mentioned by Mr Goodwin the word is not expressly significant of any thorough solid eating participation of that which is said to be tasted as is pretended But to manifest this is not our concernment there being no reason in the world to enforce any such sence as is contended for in the place under present consideration 2. To the third wherein he argues with his predecessors from our opinion concerning Faith a briefe reply will suffice That a faint weake perception and relish of heavenly things is sufficient to make a man a Believer is so farre from being our opinion that we utterly disclaime them from being Believers to whom this is ascribed if nothing else be added in their description from whence they may be so esteemed It is true Faith is sometimes little and weake in the exercise of it yea a man may be so overtaken with Temptations or so clouded under desertions as that it may not deport it selfe with any such considerable vigour as to be consolatory to him in whom it is or demonstrative of him unto others to be what he is but we say that the weakest lowest meanest measure and degree of this Faith is yet grounded and fixed in the heart where though it be not allwayes alike lively and active yet it is allwayes alive and gives life How farre Believers may fall into the guilt of enormous courses has been already manifested The intendment of the expression is to disadvantage the perswasion he opposeth We do not grant that believers may fall into any enormityes but only what God himselfe affirmes they may yet not utterly be cast out of his Love favour in Jesus Christ. Farther the weakest Faith of which we affirme that it may be true and saving though it may have no great perception nor deepe tast of Heavenly things for the present yet hath it allwayes that of adherence to God in Christ which is exceedingly exalted above any such preception of Heavenly things whatever that may be had or obtained without it so that from the consideration of what hath been spoken we may safely conclude that M.G. hath not been able to advance on steppe in his intendment to prove that the persons here described are true Believers I know no sufficient ground or reason to induce me to any large consideration of the other two or three expressions that remaine §. 34. that are insisted on by M.G. seeing it is evident from their associats which have been already examined that there is none of them can speak one word to the businesse in hand I shall therefore discharge them from any farther attendance in the service they have been forced unto The next priviledge insisted on which to these persons is ascribed is that they are made partakers of the Holy Ghost In mens participation of the Holy Ghost either the guifts or Graces of the Holy Ghost are intended The Graces of the Holy Ghost are either more common and inchoative or speciall and compleating of the worke of conversion that it is the peculiar regenerating Grace of God that is intended in this expression of being made partakers of the Holy Ghost and not the guifts of the Spirit or those common graces of illumination unto which persons not truly converted but only wrought upon by an effectuall conviction in the preaching of the word may attaine M G is no way able to prove And there is also this consideration rising up with strength and power against that interpretation viz. that those that are so made partakers of the Spirit as to be regenerated quickned sealed comforted thereby which are some of the peculiar acts of his Grace in and towards the soules of those that Believe can never loose him nor be deprived of him as was manifested before at large being sealed and confirmed not only in the present enjoyment of the Love and favour of God but also unto the full fruition of the Glory which is provided for them and therefore cannot fall away as these are supposed to do What there is in Mr Goodwins Discourse on this passage Sect. 23 24. to weaken in the least what is usually answered or farther to enforce his exposition of the place I am not able to apprehend and shall therefore proceed with what remaineth All that followes in the place of the Apostle under contest §. 35. is regulated by the word Tast they have tasted of the good word of God and the powers of the World to come what the sence and importance of that word is hath been already declared neither can it be proved that the persons here described doe so tast of the good word of God as to
that is every Believer is Christ He is the Head of the Church and the Saviour of the Body Ephes. 5. 23. he is the Head of the Body the Church Col 1. 19. This relation of Head and Members I say between Christ and his holds out the Union that is between them which consists in their being so As the Head and the Members make one Body so Christ and his Members make one mysticall Christ Whence then is it that the Head and Members have this their Union whereby they become one Body Wherein doth it consist Is it that from the Head the Members do receive their influences of life sence and guidance as the Saints do from Christ Eph. 4. 15 16. They grow up unto him in all things who is the Head from whom the whole body fitly framed together and compact by the which every joynt supplieth according to the effectuall working in the measure of every part groweth up to an holy increase So also Col 2. 19. holding the Head from whom the whole body by bands and joynts knit together increaseth with the increase of God But evidently this is their Communion whereunto Union is supposed Our Union with Christ cannot consist in the Communcation of any thing to us as Members from him the Head but it must be in that which constitutes him us in the Relation of Head and Members He is our Head antecedently in order of nature to any communication of Grace from him as a Head and yet not antecedently to our Union with him Herein then consists the Union of Head and Members that though they are many and have many Offices Places and dependencies there is but one living quickning soule in Head and Members If a man could be imagined so big and tall as that his feet should stand upon the Earth and his head reach the starry Heavens yet having but one soule he is still but one man As then one living soule makes the naturall Head Members to be one one body so one quickning Spirit dwelling in Christ and his members gives them their Union makes them one Christ one body This is cleare from the 1 Cor. 12. 12. As the first man Adam was made a living Soul so the last man Adam is made a quickning Spirit Secondly §. 14. Of Husband and Wife The Union that is between them sets out the Union betwixt Christ and his Saints There is not any one more frequent Illustration of it in the Scripture the Holy Ghost pursuing the allusion in all the most considerable Concernements of it and holding it out as the most solemne Representation of the Union that is between Christ and his Church Ephes. 5. 31 32. For this cause shall a man forsake his Father and Mother and cleave to his Wife and they two shall be one flesh This is a great mystery but I speake concerning Christ and the Church The transition is eminent from the Conjugall Relation that is between man and wife unto Christ and his Church What the Apostle had spoken of the one he would have understood of the other Wherein consists then the Union between man and wife which is chosen by God himselfe to represent the Union between Christ and his Church The Holy Ghost informes us Gen. 2. 24. They shall be no more twaine but one flesh This is their union they shall be no more twaine but in all mutuall care respect tendernesse and love one flesh The Rise of this you have v. 23. Because of the bone flesh of Adam was Eve his helper made Hence are they said to be one flesh Wherein then in answer to this is the Union between Christ and his Church The same Apostle tells us 1 Cor. 6. 16 17. He saith he that is joyned to an harlot is one flesh and he that is joyned to the Lord is one spirit as they are one flesh so these are one spirit and as they are one flesh because the one was made out of the other so these are one Spirit because the Spirit which is in Christ by dwelling in them makes them his Members which is their Union 3. Of a Tree §. 15. an Olive a Vine and its Boughs and Branches I am the Vine saith Christ yee are the Branches John 15. 5. Abide in me and I in you As Tree Branches they have an abiding Union one with another Wherein this consists the Apostle sets out under the example of an Olive and his Boughs Rom. 11. 16 17. It is in this that the Branches and Boughs being ingrafted into the Tree they partake of the very same juyce and fatnesse with the Root and Tree being nouâ—â—shed thereby There is the same fructifying fatning virtue in the one as the other only with this difference in the Root and Tree it is originally in the Boughs by way of Communication And this also is chosen to set out the Union of Christ and his Both he and they are partakers of the same fruit-bearing Spirit He that dwells in them dwells in him also only it is in him as to them originally in them by Communication from him Take a Cyon a graft a plant fix it to the Tree with all the art you can and bind it on as close as possible yet t is not united to the Tree untill the Sappe that is in the Tree be communicated to it which communication states the Union Let a man be bound to Christ by all the bonds of profession imaginable yet unlesse the Sappe that is in him the Holy and Blessed Spirit be also communicated to him thereis no Union between them And this is the first thing that doth issue and depend upon the indwelling of the Spirit in Believers even Union with Christ which is a Demonstration of it a posteriori 2. The Spirit as indwelling gives us Life and Quickning God Quickens our mortall bodyes or us in them by his Spirit that dwells in us Rom. 8. 11. by which Spirit Christ also was raised from the dead and therefore the Apostle mentioning in another place the beginning and carrying on of Faith in us he saith it is wrought according to the exceeding greatnesse of the power of God which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead Ephes. 1. 8. Now in this Quickning there are two things 1. The Actus primus or the Life it selfe bestowed 2. The Operations of that Life in them on whom it is bestowed For the first I shall not positively determine what it is nor wherein it doth consist This is cleare that by nature we are dead in trespasses and sinnes That in our Quickning we have a new Spirituall life communicated to us and that from Christ in whom it is treasured up for that purpose But what this Life is it doth not fully appeare whilst we are here below All actuall Graces confessedly flow from it and are distinct from it as the Operations of it I say in this sence they flow from it confessedly as suitable
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
in hand as the fine notions of the Spirits returne to move Believers when his motions have been rejected with the manner whereof according to his conception must be afterwards considered apart as the fall of David into Adultery and Murther if there be need to go forth to the consideration of his examples and instances and therefore I shall not longer insist upon it only the close of it consisting of an inference made from some words of Peter Martyr deserves consideration Vpon Davids sinne saith he Peter Martyr makes this observation That the Saints themselves being once fallen into sinne would alwayes remaine in the pollution of it did not God by his mighty Word bring them out of it which saying of Martyr clearely also implyes that the Saints many times sinne with their whole wills and full consents because were any part of their wills bent against the commiting of the sinne at the time when it is committed they would questionlesse returne to themselves and repent immediately after the beat and violence of the Lust being over by reason of the satisfaction that hath been given thereunto Ans. The close insinuation in Peter Martyr's words of the Saints sinning with their whole wills and the Logicke of Mr Goodwin's inference from them I believe is very much hidden from the Reader To the Theology of it I say that the Saints 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do immediately returne to God by Repentance as Peter did upon their surprisalls into sinne nor have they any rest in a condition of the Eclipse of the countenance of God from them as upon sinne it is alwayes more or lesse of Davids particular case mention may afterwards be made But the proofe that they sinne with their whole wills and full consent because they would continue in sinne did not the Lord relieve and deliver them by his word and Grace is admirable I would adventure to cast this Argument into as many shapes as it is tolerably capable of had I the least hope to cause it to appeare any way Argumentatives we deny then that Believers have any such power habitually residing in them as whereby without any new supplyes of the Spirit or concurrence of actuall Grace they can effectually and eventually recover themselves from any sinne whatever Which supplyes of the Spirit and Grace we say and have proved are freely promised to them in the covenant of Graces But what will here follow to the supportment of Mr Goodwin's Hypothesis that therefore in all their sinnes or in any of their sinnes they sinne with the full and whole consent of their wills I suppose he alone knowes Sect. §. 23 26. He endeavoures to take off that of the Apostle Rom. 7. 19 20. from appearing against him in this cause of the Saints finning with their whole wills and consents not not-willing the things they do to this end he tells us That when the Apostle saith the evill which I would not that I do his meaning is not that he did that which at the same time that he did it he was not willing either in whole or in part to do but that he sometimes did that upon a surprisall by temptation or through incogitancy which he was not habitually willing or disposed in the inward man to do But this no wayes implyes but that at the time when he did the evill he speakes of he did it with the full and entire consent of his will Ans. 1. It is probable the Apostle knew his owne meaning and also how to expresse it having so good a teacher to that end and purpose as he had now he assures us in the person of a Regenerate man that as what He would He did not so what He did He would not He hated it v. 15 16. And againe he did that which he would not and therein consented to the Law by his not willing of that he did that it was good which whether it expresse not a Renitency of the will to that which was done in part and so farre as to make the Action it selfe remisse and not to enwrappe the whole consent of the will he farther declares v. 17. telling us that there is a perfect unconsenting I or internall principle in the very doing of evill Is is no more I that do it but sinne that dwelleth in me 2. The Apostle doth not say what he was not habitually willing to but what he was habitually unwilling to that is what the bent of his will lay habitually against having actuall inclinations and elicite acts alwayes to the contrary though sometimes overcome Neither in his discoursing of it doth he mention at all the surprisall of sin upon incogitancy inadvertency but the constant frame temper of a regenerate man upon the powerfull acting striving of the principle of lust and sin dwelling in him and remaining with him which saith the Apostle doth often carry them out to do those things which are contrary to the principle of the inward man which habitually condemnes and actually wills not or rather nills the things that are so done even in their doing And this doth manifest sufficiently that when he did the evil he speakes of he did it not with the full and entire consent of his will as men do in whom there is no such principle opposite to sinne and sinning as is in him that is Regenerate there being very much taken off by the habituall principle of Grace that is in them and its constant inclinations to the contrary But he farther argues §. 24. If we shall affirme that the contrary bent or motions of his will at other times is a sufficient proofe that when he did the evill we speake of he did it not with his whole will or fulnesse of consent in such a sence is a distinguishing Character betwixt men Regenerate and unregenerate we shall bring Herod and Pilate and probably Judas himselfe into the list of men Regenerate with a thousand more whom the Scripture knowes not under any such name or relation viz. all those whose Judgments and consciences stand against the evill of the wayes and practises wherein they walke And this he proves at large to the end of the Section in the instance of Herod and Pilate proceeding against their owne Judgements and Consciences in the killing of John and of our Saviour Ans. First we do not only assert a contrary bent and inclination in the Wills of Believers at other times but also that in and under the prevalency of indwelling sinne there is in them an I that doth it not and a not-willing it from a Principle though by reason of the present prevalency of the other its actings and stirrings are not so sensibly perceived So that though they prevaile not to the totall prevention of the will from exerting the Act of sinne yet they prevaile to the impairing weakening and making remisse its consent thereunto Secondly The residue of this Paragraph is intolerably Sophisticall confounding the Renitencie of the inward
man the principle of grace that is in the wills of Believers with the Convictions of the judgements and consciences of unregenerate persons and their striving against sinne on that account The judgements and consciences of wicked men tell them what they ought to do and what they ought not to doe without respect to the principle in their wills that is predominant But the Apostle mentions the actings of the will it selfe from its owne regenerate principle We wholly deny that any unregenerate man hath any vitall principle in his will not consenting to sinne what ever the dictates of his judgement and conscience may be or how effectuall soever to prevaile unto an abstinence from sinne To discover the differences that are between the contest that is between the wills in unregenerate men wholly set upon sinne on the one hand and their judgements and Consciences enlightned to an apprehension and approving of better things on the other and the contest that is between the Flesh and Spirit lusting to contrary things in the same will as it is in regenerate men is a common place that I shall not goe forth unto We grant then that in unregenerate men there may be there is and was in some degree perhaps in Herod in Pilate a conviction of conscience and judgement that the things they doe are evill but say withall that all this being forraigne to their wills it hinders not but that they sinne with the full uncontrouled consent of their wills which are at perfect Liberty or rather in perfect bondage unto sinne That the Spirit should lust against the flesh and the flesh against the spirit both in the same will as it appears they doe Gal. 5. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. for the fruits that they both bring forth are acts of the will in any unregenerate man we deny and this is that and not the former which abates and takes off from the wills consent to sinne He concludes the whole § 25. And to the passage of the Apostle mentioned Rom. 7. I answer farther that when he saith the evill which I would not that doe I he doth not speake of what he alwaies and in all cases did much lesse of what was possible for him to doe but of what he did ordinarily and frequently or of what was very incident unto him through the infirmity of the flesh viz. through inconsideratenesse and anticipation by temptations to doe such things which when he was in a watchfull and considerate posture and from under the malignant influence of a temptation he was altogether averse unto now what a man doth ordinarily is one thing and what he doth sometimes and in some particular cases especially what it is possible for him to doe is another that true believers whilest such ordinarily sinne not upon worse termes then those mentioned by the Apostle concerning his sinning I easily grant but it no waies followeth from hence that therefore they never sinne upon other termes much lesse that it is impossible that they should sinne upon others and thus we see all things throughly and impartially argued and debated to and fro that even true Believers themselves as well as others may do those works of the flesh which exclude from the Kingdome of God and that inrespect thereof they are subject to this exclusion as well as other men The summe of this part of the Reply is that what Paul speaks is true of the ordinary course of Believers but not of extraordinary surprisals this seems I say to be the tendency of it though the direct sence of the whole is not so obvious to mee by that expression the evill that I would not that I doe you intend either the expression of he would not or that he did if the latter then you say he did not sinne ordinarily and frequently but only upon surprisalls which is freely granted but is not at all to your purpose but rather much against it If you attend that part of it which holds out his Renitency against the evill he did in the expression of I would not then you say it was not ordinary with the Apostle to nill the evill that he did but in case of surprisall to sinne which I believe is not intended for is it credible that any one should think that in the ordinary course of a mans walking there should be no opposition made to sinne the falling whereinto men are liable but upon surprizalls and anticipations by temptation as it is phrased there should Nor is it on the other side that he intends the things that he did ordinarily but was surprized by temptation then it might be otherwise But first is a Saint to be supposed to sinne ordinarily to sinne not prevailed on by temptation is not all sinne from temptation doe they sinne actually but upon the surprisall of temptation to impose this upon the Apostle that he should say truly for the most part or in my ordinary walking I doe not sinne but withall I will it not but when I am surprized with temptations then it is otherwise with mee there is no Renitency in my will to sinne is doubtlesse to wrong him He doth not limit his not willing of the evill he did to any consideration whatever but speakes it generally as the constant state and condition of things with him Secondly in the beginning of this Section the nilling of sinne was antecedent to the sinne here it is something that may be allowed in ordinary cases but not at all in extraordinary so that these two expositions put together amount to thus muh Ordinarily the Apostle antecedent to any sinning before the lusting of the spirit ceased did not will the thing that he did which was evill but in case of temptation it was not so that is antecedently to his acting of that which was evill he had no opposition in the inward man unto it nor lusting of the spirit against it which how it can be made good against him whose heart is upright and who hates every evill way I know not Thirdly it is confessed that ordinarily Believers sinne at no worse a rate than that expressed by the Apostle But what doth that containe If would not be referred to their doing of sinnes then you grant that which all this while you have endeavoured to oppose and are reconciled to your owne contradiction in the first evidence sinne cannot ordinarily or extraordinarily be committed but by an act of the will and yet ordinarily there is a dissent of the will also thereunto If you adhere to your other former interpretation that the willing against sin committed is antecedent to the commitment of it layd a sleepe before the perpetration of any sinne then this also is imposed on you that there are sinnes whereunto they may be surprised by temptations that antecedently to the commitment of them they do not not-will that as to them the Spirit lusteth not against the flesh which is notoriosly false for the flesh lusteth against the Spirit