them to dwell in them personally for the Accomplishment of all the ends and purposes of his Oeconomie towards them to make them meet for and to bring them unto the inheritance of the Saints in Light Personally I say in our Persons not by Assumption of our Natures giving us mysticall union with Christ not Personall Union with himselfe that is not one Personality with him which is impious and blasphemous to imagine by a Gracious inhabitation distinct from his Essentiall filling all things and his energeticall operation of all things as he will as shall afterwards be declared Now this being a Doctrine of pure Revelation our Demonstrations of it must be meerely Scriptuall and such as will instantly appeare we have provided in great plenty In the carrying on then of this undertaking I shall do these two things 1. Produce some of those many Texts of Scripture which are pregnant of this Truth 2. Shew what great things do issue from thence and are affirmed in reference thereunto being inferences of a supposall thereof all conducing to the preservation of Believers in the Love and Favour of God unto the end For the first I shall referre them to 4. heads unto 1. Promises that he should so dwell in us 2. Positive Affirmations that he doth so 3. Those Texts that hold out his being distinguished from all his Graces and Guifts in his so doing 4. Those that ascribe a Personality to him in his indwelling in us Of each sort one or two places may suffice 1. The indwelling of the Spirit is the great and solemne Promise of the Covenant of Grace The manner of it we shall afterwards evince Ezek. 36. 27. I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walke in my wayes In the verse foregoing he tels them He will give them a new heart and a new Spirit which because it may be interpreted of a renewed frame of Spirit though it rather seemes to be the renewing Spirit that is intended as also Cap. 11. 19. he expressly points out and differences the Spirit he will give them from all workes of Grace whatsoever in that Appellation of him my Spirit my Holy Spirit Him will I put with in you I will give him or place him in interiori vestro in your inmost part in your heart or in visceribus vestris in your bowels as the Soule is frequently signifyed by expressions of sensuall things within you In his giving us a new heart new Spirit by putting in us his Spirit certainly more is intended then a meere working of Gracious qualities in our Hearts by his Spirit which he may do yet be no more in us then in the greatest Blasphemers in the world And this in the carrying of it on to its accōplishment God calls his Covenant Isa. 59. 21. This is my Covenant with them saith the Lord my Spirit that is upon thee shall not depart from thee upon thee in thee that dwels in thee as was promised And this Promise is evidently renewed by the Lord Christ to his Disciples clearely also interpreting what that Spirit is which is mentioned in the Promise of the Covenant Luk. 11. 13. Your Heavenly Father will give the Holy Spirit to them that aske him of him that is that pray to him for the Holy Spirit Our Saviour instructs his Disciples to aske the Holy Spirit of God upon the account of his being so promised as Acts 2. 23. All our supplications are to be regulated by the Promise And surely he who as shall afterwards appeare did so plentifully Rom. 8. 27. and richly Promise the bestowing of this Spirit on all those that believe on him did not instruct them to aske for any inferion Mèrcy and Grace under that name That Spirit which the Lord Christ instructs us to aske of the Father is the Spirit which he hath promised to bestow so on us as that he shall dwell in us That the Spirit which Christ instructs us to aske for and which himselfe promiseth to send unto us is the Holy Ghost himselfe the Holy Spirit of Promise by whom wee are Sealed to the day of Redemption I suppose will require no labour to prove what is needfull to this end shall be afterward insisted on 2. Positive affirmations that he doth so dwell in § 2. and remaine with the Saints are the second ground of the Truth we assert I shall name one or two Testimonies of that kind Psal. 51. 11. saith David take not thy Holy Spirit from me It is the Spirit and his presence as unto Sanctification not in respect of Prophesy or any other gift whatever that he is treating of with God All the Graces of the Spirit being almost dead and buried in him he cries aloud that He whose they are and who alone is able to revive and quicken them may not be taken from him With him in him he was or he could not be taken from him And though the Gifts or Graces of the Spirit only may be intended where mention is made of giving or bestowing of him sometimes yet when the Saints begge of God that he would continue his Spirit with them though they have grieved him and provoked him that no more is intended but some Gift or Grace is not so cleare I know men possessed with prejudice against this Truth will think easily to evade these Testimonies by the Distinction of the Person and Graces of the Spirit Wherefore for the manner how he is with them with whom he is the Apostle informes us Rom 8. 9. yee are in the spirit that is spirituall men opposed to being in the flesh that is carnall unregenerate unreconciled and enemies to God if so be the spirit of Christ dwell in you and if any man have not the spirit of Christ he is none of his Not only the thing it selfe is asserted but the weight of our Regeneration and Acceptation with God through Jesus Christ is laid upon it If the Spirit dwell in us we are spirituall and belong to Christ otherwise not wee are none of his This the Apostle farther confirmes v. 11. if the spirit of him that raised up Jesus dwell in you I know not how the Person of the Holy Ghost can be more clearely decyphered then here he is The spirit of him that raised Jesus from the dead Why that is mentioned shall afterwards be considered And this Spirit as he bears Testimony of himselfe dwells in Believers which is all we say and without farther curious enquiry desire to rest therein Doubtlesse it were better for men to captivate their understandings to the obedience of Faith then to invent Distinctions and Evasions to escape the power of so many plaine Texts of Scripture and those litterally and properly not Figuratively and Metaphorically expressing the Truth contained in then which though it may be done sometimes yet is not in a constant uniforme tenure of expression any where the manner of the Holy Ghost The Apostle also affirmes farther v. 15.
tending to the end and purpose we have in hand As 1. First §. 37. because the Spirit dwells in us we are therefore to consider and dispose of our persons as Temples of the Holy Ghost that is of this Indwelling Spirit the Scripture manifesting hereby that the Doctrine of the Indwelling of the Spirit is not only a Truth but a very usefull Truth being made the Fountaine of and the inforcement unto so great a duty He dwells in us and we are to look well to his habitation our Saviour tells us that when the evill Spirit finds his dwelling swept and garnished Mat. 12.44 he instantly takes possession and brings company with him he will not be absent from it when 't is fitted for his turne In reference to the Saints and their holy Indweller this the Apostle urgeth 1 Cor. 6. 19. Your Bodies are the Temples of the Holy Ghost which dwells in you whence he concludes whose ye are not your owne and therefore ought to glorify God in your Bodies From hence is the strength of his Argument for the avoiding of all uncleannesse v. 16. 17. Know ye not that he who is joyned to an Harlot is one body he who is joyned to the Lord is one spirit flye Fornication know ye not that your Body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost On this account also doth he presse to universall holinesse 1 Cor 3. 16. 17. Know ye not that ye are the Temples of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you if any man desile the Temple of God him shall God destroy for the Temple of God is holy which Temple ye are In v. 12. 13. 14. the Apostle discovers the fruitlesnesse of Building hay and stubble light and unsound Doctrines or practises upon the foundation of Faith in Jesus Christ once laid and tells us that all such things shall burne and suffer losse and put the contrivers and workers of them to no small difficulty in escaping like men when the Garments they are cloathed withall are on fire about them On the account of this sad event of foolish and carelesse walking he presses v. 16 as was said earnestly to universall Holinesse laying downe as the great motive thereunto that which we have insisted on viz. the Indwelling of the Holy Spirit in us know ye not that ye are the Temple of God The Temple wherein God of old did dwell was built with hewen stone Cedar Wood and overlaid with pure Gold and will ye now who are the spirituall Temple of God build up your Soules with hay and stubble Which he furthers by that dreadfull commination taken from the zeale of God for the purity of his Temple so that on each hand he doth presse to the universall close keeping of our Hearts in all Holinesse and purity because of the Indwelling of the Holy Spirit And indeed where ever we are said to be Temples of God or an Habitation for him as it still relates to this cause of the Expression which we now insist upon so there is ever some intimation of Holinesse to be pursued on that account Eph 2. 21. 22. In whom the whole building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy Temple in the Lord in whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit being made an habitation of the Lord by the Spirits Indwelling in us we grow up or thrive in grace into an Holy Temple to the Lord to be a more compleate and well furnished Habitation for him This then is that which I say The Truth of what hath formerly been spoken concerning the manner of the Spirits abode with us being procured for us by Jesus Christ is farther cleared by this inference that the Scripture makes thereof The Saints are exhorted with all diligence to keepe themselves a fit Habitation for him that they may not be uncleane and defiled lodgings for the Spirit of purity and Holinesse This is and this is to be their daily Labour and indeavour that vaine thoughts unruly passions corrupt lusts may not take up any Roome in their bosome that they put not such unwelcome and unsavory inmates upon the Spirit of Grace that sinne may not dwell where God dwells On this ground they may plead with their owne Souls and say Hath the Lord chosen my poore heart for his Habitation Hath he said I delight in it and there will I dwell for ever Hath he forsaken that goodly and stately Materiall Temple whereunto he gave his speciall presence of old to take up his abode in a farre more eminent way in a poore sinfull soule Doth that Holy Spirit which dwells in Jesus Christ who was Holy Blamelesse Vndefiled separate from sinners who did no sinne neithere was guile found in his mouth dwell also in me that am in and of my selfe wholly corrupted and defiled And shall I be so foolish so unthankfull as willingly to defile the Habitation which he hath chosen Shall I suffer vaine Thoughts foolish Lust distempered Affections worldly aimes to put in themselves upon him there He is a Spirit of Grace can he beare a Gracelesse Corruption to be cherished in his Dwelling He is a Spirit of Holynesse and shall I harbour in his Lodging a frame of worldlynesse He is a Spirit of Joy Consolation shall I fill my bosome with foolish feares and devouring Cares Would not this be a griefe unto him Would it not provoke the eyes of his Glory Can he beare it that when he is with me before his face in his presence I should spend my time in giving entertainement to his enemyes He is the high and the Holy one who dwells in Eternity and he hath chosen to inhabit with me also Surely I should be more bruitish then any man should I be carelesse of his Habitation And should not this fill my soule with an Holy scorne and indignation against sinne Shall I debase my soule unto any vile Lust. which hath this exceeding honour to be an Habitation for the Spirit of God Hence upon a view of any defilement of Lust or passion nothing troubles the Saints more nor fills them with more selfe-abhorrence and confusion of face then this that they have rendred their hearts an unsuitable habitation for the Spirit of God This makes David upon his sinne cry so earnestly that the Spirit might not depart from him Psal. 51. being conscious to himselfe that he had exceedingly defiled his dwelling place And were this Consideration alwayes fresh upon the Spirits of the Saints were it more constant in their thoughts it would keepe them more upon their Guard that nothing might breake in to disquiet their gracious Indweller 2. Secondly §. 38. because be the Spirit we have guidance and direction there is Wisdome given unto us and we are called to a holy discerning between the Directions of the Spirit of Grace and the delusions of the Spirit of the World and the seduction of our owne Hearts Christ gives this character of
them that are concerned therein And this I shall do in the Order that I have named giving the Preeminence unto their Obedience which more immediately respecting the Glory of God the honour of the Gospell is to be preferred before their Consolation yea though God should never afford his Saints any drop of that Consolation which we affirme to streame from the Truth discussed yet it is Honour unspeakable for them that he is pleased to admit them and inable them to do him Service in this life and it will be their infinite Consolation that they have done so to Eternity For the making our way cleare to the demonstration of that influence which the Doctrine of the Perseverance of the Saints hath into their Obedâ—ence and close-walking with God and so to manifest what weight is to be lay'd upon it on that Consideration I shall give some previous Observations which may direct and give us light in our passage both concerning Gospell Truths Gospell Obedience and Gospell Motives thereunto I hope it will not be thought amisse if I looke a little backwards to fortify and cleare this part of our progresse there being no concernement of our Doctrine that is more clamoured by the Adversaries of it nor can any respect of it or any Truth of God more causelessly meet with such entertainement as I hope will abundantly in the progresse of our businesse be evinced to the consciences of all who know indeed what it is to walke before God in a course of Gospell Obedience and who have their communion with the Father and his Sonne Jesus Christ. For the first 1. Every Truth revealed from God is to be received not only with Faith and Love but with equall Reverence to any that is revealed though we are not able to discerne such an immediate tendency unto usefullnesse in our Communion with him as in some others we may The formall Reason whereunto our Faith Love and Reverence unto the Word of God is resolved is that it is His Now this is common to the whole for he is the Author of every part and portion a like And though perhaps we may want some part of it at a lesse fatall price then some other yet to reject any one title or jot of it as that which is revealed of God is a sufficient demonstration that no one jot or title of it is received as it ought upon whatever this Title Inscription is Verbum Jehovae there must we stoope and bow downe our soules before it and captivate our Understandings to the obedience of Faith Whatsoever then may hereafter be spoken concerning the usefulnesse of the Truth under Consideration and that comparative regard which in respect of others ought on that account to be had thereunto doth not in the least exalt it as it is in it selfe in respect of Faith and Reverence due thereunto above any other Truth whatsoever that is in Scripture revealed 2. That next to the Revelation of God his Will and his Grace the grand immediate tendency of the whole Scripture is to worke them to whom the Revelation is made into a conformity to himselfe and to mould them into his owne Image All Scripture the Apostle tells us 2 Tim 3.16 is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for Doctrine for reproofe for correction for instruction in righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all Good workes Hereunto all Scripture tends and is usefull profitable for this end And the Gospell is called the Truth that is according to Godlinesse Titus 1. 1. As the end of the Law is Charity out of a pure heart and a Faith unfained 1 Tim. 1. 5. That which in respect of the prime Author of it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word of God 1 Thess. 2 13. and in respect of the principall matter of it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word of the Crosse 1 Cor. 1.18 in respect of its end and tendency towards us is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word or Truth that is according to Godlinesse The Word is that revealed Will of God which is our Sanctification 1 Thess. 4. 3. and the Instrument whereby he workes our Holinesse according to that prayer of our Saviour Sanctifie them by thy Word thy Word is Truth John 17. 19. And that which when we are cast into the mould of our Obedience is in some measure wrought Rom. 6. 17 the substance also or matter being written in our hearts is the Grace and Holinesse promised unto us in the Covenant Jere. 31.33 And that this is the Improvement which ought to be made by Believers of every Gospell Truth or rather that it hath an Efficacy to this purpose the Apostle tells us 2 Cor. 3. 18. We all with open face beholding as in a glasse the Glory of the Lord are changed into the same Image from Glory to Glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord By apprehensions of the glorious Truths discovered in the glasse or mirror of the Gospell we are changed and moulded into the frame and Image therein discovered by the power of the Spirit effectually accompanying the Word in the dispensation thereof And unlesse this be done whatsoever we may pretend we have not received any Truth of the Gospell as it is in Jesus in the power of it Eph. 4. 20 21 22 23 24. Ye have not saith the Apostle so learned Christ If so be that ye have heard him and have been taught by him as the Truth is in Jesus That ye put of as concerning the former conversation the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitfull lusts And be renewed in the spirit of your mind and that ye put on the new man which after God is created in Righteousnesse and true Holinesse Whatsoever men may professe if we have learned the Truth as it is in Jesus it will have these Effects in us even universall relinquishment as to sinceritie of all ungodlinesse and a through change both as to principles and practices unto Holinesse and to Righteousnesse which the Gospell teaches us which if we have not learned we have not yet learn't it as it is in Jesus Tit. 2. 11 12. The Grace of God that bringeth Salvation hath appeared to all men teaching us that denying ungodlinesse and worldly lusts we should live Soberly Righteously and Godlily in this present evill world 3. Some Truths have a more immediate direct and effectuall tendency to the promotion of Godlinesse and Gospell Obedience then others This the Apostle emphatically ascribes as a priviledge to that Doctrine that reveales the Love of Christ unto us 2 Cor. 5. 14. the Love of Christ constraines us other things effectually perswade but the Love of Christ constraines us to live to him it hath an importunity with it not to be denied an efficacy not to be put off or avoided and what is in the things themselves as in the love of Christ that is in its manner in the
downe He hath undertaken to worke and who shall let him The Councell of his heart as to the fulfilling of it doth not depend on any thing in us what sinne thou art overtaken withall he will pardon and will effectually supply thee with his Spirit thatâ— thou shalt not fall into or continue in such sinnes as would cut off thy Communion with him And doth not this mixe the forementioned Promises with Faith and so render it effectuall to the carrying on of the worke of Love and Obedience as was mentioned And as this Doctrine is suited to the establishment of the soule in Believing and to the stirring of men up to mixe the the Promises with Faith so there is not any thing that is or canbe thought more effectuall to the weakening impairing and shattering of the Faith of the Saints then that which is contrary thereunto as shall afterwards be more fully manifested Tell a soule that God will write his Law in him and put his feare in his inward partes that he shall never depart from him what can ye pitch upon possibly to unsettle him as to a perswasion of the Accomplishment of this Promise and that it shall be so indeed as God hath spoken but only this according as thou behavest thy selfe which is left unto thee so shall this be made good or come short of accomplishment If thou continue to walke with God which that thou shalt do he doth not promise but upon Condition thou walke with him it shall be well and if thou turne aside which thou mayst do notwithstanding any thing here spoken or intimated then the word spoken shall be of none effect the Promise shall not be fulfilled towards thee I know not what the most malicious Devill in Hell if they have degrees of malice can invent more suitable to weaken the Faith of men as to the accomplishment of Gods Promise then by affirming that it doth not depend upon his Truth and Faithfulnesse but solely on their good behaviour which he doth not effectually provide that it shall be such as is required thereunto God himselfe hath long since determined this difference might he be attended unto What hath been spoken of the Promises of the first sort might also be manifested concerning those of the second And the like might also be cleared up in reference to those other weapons of Ministers warfare in casting downe the strong holds of sinne in the hearts of men to wit Exhortations and Threatnings But because Mr Goodwin hath taken great paines both in the generall to prove the unsuitablenesse of our Doctrine to the promotion of Obedience and an Holy Conversation and in particular its inconsistency with the Exhortations and Threatnings of the Word managed by the Ordinances of the Ministry What is needfull farther to be added to the purpose in hand will fall in with our vindication rescuing of the Truth from the false criminations wherewith it is assaulted and reproached as to this particular And therefore I shall immediately addresse myselfe to the Consideration of his long Indictment and charge against the Doctrine of the Perseverance of the Saints as to this very thing CAP. XI 1. The Entrance into an Answer to Mr G's Arguments against the Doctrine of the Saints Perseverance His sixt Argument about the usefulnesse of the Doctrine under consideration to the worke of the Ministry proposed 2. His prâ—ofe of the minor Proposition 3. Considered and Answered Many pretenders to promote Godlinesse by false Doctrines M. G.'s common interest in this Argument 4. His proofes of the usefulnesse of his Doctrine unto the promotion of Godlinesse 5. Considered and Answered The inconsequence of his Arguing discovered 6. The Doctrine by him opposed mistaken ignorantly or wilfully 7. Objections proposed by Mr G. to himselfe to be Answered 8. The Objection as proposed disowned Certainty of the Love of God in what sence a motive to Obedience 9. The Doctrine of Apostasy denies the unchangeablenesse of Gods Love to Believers placeth Qualifications in the Roome of persons 10. How the Doctrine of Perseverance promiseth the continuance of the Love of God to Believers 11. Certainty of Reward incouraging to regular Actions Promises made to Persons qualified not suspended upon those Qualifications Meanes appointed of God for the accomplishment of a determined end certaine 12. Meanes not alwaies conditions 13 M. G's strange inference concerning the Scripture 14. Considered The word of God by him undervalued and subjected to the judgement of vaine men as to its Truth and Authority 15. The pretended reason of the former proceeding discussed The Scripture the sole judge of what is to be ascribed to God and believed concerning him 16. The Doctrine of the Saints Perseverance falsely imposed on and vindicated 17. Mr G's next Objection made to himselfe against his Doctrine its unseasonablenesse as to the Argument in hand demonstrated 18. No Assurance of the Love of God not Peace left the Saints by the Doctrine of Apostasy The ground of Peace and Assurance by it taken away 19. Ground of Pauls Consolation 1 Cor. 9. 27. the meaning of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 20. Another Plea against the Doctrine attempted to be proved by M. G. That attempt considered Not the weaknesse of the Flesh naturally but the strength of Lust spiritually pretended 21. The cause of Sinne in the Saints farther discussed 22. The Power ascribed by M. G. to men for the strengthning and making willing the Spirit in them considered 23. The Aptnesse of the Saints to performe what and whence The opposition they have in them thereunto 24. Gospell Obedience how easy 25. The Conclusion 26. Answer to Chap. 13. of his Book proposed THE Argument §. 1. wherein Mr Goodwin exposeth the Doctrine under contest to the triall concerning its usefulnesse as to the promotion of Godlinesse in the hearts and wayes of them by whom it is received he thus proposeth Cap. 13. Sect. 32. Pag. 333. That Doctrine which is according to Godlinesse and whose naturall and proper tendencie is to promote Godlinesse in the hearts and lives of men is Evangelicall and of unquestionable comportance with the Truth such is the Doctrine which teacheth the possibility of the Saints declining both totally and finally Ergo Of this Argument he goeth about to establish the respective propositions §. 2. so as to make them serviceable to the enforcement of the Conclusion he aimeth at for the exaltation of the Helena whereon he is enamored and for the major Proposition about which rightly understood we are remote from contesting with him or any else and will willingly and cheerefully at any time drive the cause in difference to Issue upon the singular Testimony of the Truth wrapped up in it he thus conâ—irmeth it The Reason of the major Proposition though the truth of it needeth no light but its owne to be seen by is because the Gospell it selfe is a Doctrine which is according unto Godlinesse a ministry of Godlinesse is a Doctrine
on the wills of men M. G. discourse and judgement 24. Considered 25. Effects follow as to their kind their next causes 26. The same Act of the will Physicall and Morall upon severall accounts Those accounts considered 27. God by the reall efficacy of the Spirit produceth in us Acts of the will morally good that confirmed from Scripture 28. Conclusion from thence 29. Of the termes Physicall Morall and necessary and their use in things of the nature under consideration Morall causes of Physicall effects 30. The concurrence of Physicall and Morall causes for producing the same effect the efficacy of Grace and exhortations 31. Physicall and necessary how distinguished Morall and not necessary Confounded by M. G. 32. M. G. farther progresse considered 33. What operation of God on the will of man he allowes All Physicall operation by him excluded 34. M. G's sence of the difference between the working of God and a Minister on the will that it is but graduall 35. Considered and removed All working of God on the will by him confined to perswasion perswasion gives no strength or ability to the person perswaded 36. All immediate acting of God to good in men by M G. utterly excluded 37. Wherein Gods perswading men doth consist according to M. G. 1 Cor. 3. 9. considered 38. Of the concurrence of diverse Agents to the production of the same effect 39. The summe of the 7 Section of Gh. 13. The will how necessitated how free 40. In what seuce M. G. allowes Gods perswasions to be irresistible 41. The dealings of God and men ill compared 42. Pauls exhortation to the use of meanes where the end was certaine Acts 24. câ—dfâ—dered God deals with men as men exhorting them and as corrupted men assisting them 43. Of Promises of Temporall things whether all conditionall 44. What condition in the Promise made to Paul Act. 27. 45. Farther of that Promise its infallibility and meanes of Accomplishment 46. The same considerations farther prosecuted 47. 48. Of Promises of Perseveranâ—e and what relations to performe in conjuction 49. M. G. opposition hereunto 50. Promises and protestations in conjunction 1 Cor. 10. 12 13. discussed An absolute Promise of Perseverance therein evinced 51. Phil. 1. 12 13. to the same purpose considered M. G. Interpretation of that place proposed removed 52. Heb. 6. 4 5 9. to the same purpose insisted on 53. Of the consistency oâ— Threatnings with the Promises of Perseverance 54. M. G. opposition hereunto 55. Considered and removed What Promises of Perseverance are asserted how absolute and infrustable Feare of Hell and punishment twofold The feare intended to be ingenerated by threatnings not inconsistent with the Assurance given by promises 56. Five Considerations about the use of Threatnings the first c. 57. Hipocrites how threatned for Apostasy of the End and Aime of God in Threatnings 58. Of the proper End and Efficacy of Threatnings with reference unto true Believers 59. Feare of Hell and punishment how farre a principle of Obedience in the Saints 60. Of Noahs feare Heb. 11. 7. 61. M. G's farther arguings for the Efficacy of the feare of Hell unto Obedience in the Saints proposed considered removed 62. 1 Ioh. 4. 18. consâ—dered 63. Of the Obedience of Saints to their heavenly Father compared to the obedience of Children to their naturall Parents M. G's monstrous conception about this thing 64. How Feare or Love and in what sence are principles of Obedience That which is done from Feare not done willingly not chearfully 65. How Feare and what feare hath torment 66. Of the nature and use of Promises Close of the Answer to this Argument IT will be needlesse to use many words unto the Discourse of the first Section §. 1. seeing it will not in the least prejudice our Cause in hand to leave Mr Godwin in full possession of all the Glory of the Rethoricke thereof For although I cannot close with him in the Exposition given of that expression 1 Tim. 6. 16. God inhabiteth Light inaccessible some thing in my weake apprehension much more glorious divine being comprised therein then what it is here turned aside unto Neither am I in the least convinced of the truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the former Discourse in the close of the whole asserting a deliverance to be obtained from our thoughts of the Doctrine of the defection of the Saints which he intimateth to be that it is anti-evangelicall tormenting and bringing soules under bondage by a narrow and unprejudicate search into it finding my selfe every day more and more confirmed in thoughts of that kind concerning it by my engagement into such an enquiry which hath been observed in this present Discourse as farre as my weakenesse will permit yet it being not in the least Argumentative but for the whole frame and intendment of it Commune exordium and that which any man of any opinion in the world might make use of I shall not insist upon it His second Section containeth his first Argument §. 2. drawne forth in the defence of his Doctrine of the possibility as he calleth it but indeed what it is we have heard of the defection of Believers Of this I presume he intended no more use but as a forlorne to begin a light Skirmish with his Adversaries ordering it to retreat to his maine Body advancing after or desperately casting it away to abate the Edge of his Combatants Weapons it is so weake and feeble and therefore I shall be very briefe in the consideration of it thus then he proposeth it That Doctrine which rendreth God free from the unrighteousnesse which the Scripture calleth the respecting of persons of men is a Doctrine of perfect consistence with the Scripture and the truth The Doctrine which teacheth the possibility of the Saints declining and this unto death is a Doctrine of this import Ergo. Ans. 1. §. 3. The first proposition must be supposed Vniversall of else the whole will quickly be manifested to be unconclusive If it be only Indefinite and so equivalent as it lieth to a particular the conclusion is from all particulars and of no force as Mr Goodwin well knoweth Take it universally and I say it is evidently false and might easily be disproved by innumerable Instances Not that any errour or falsehood can indeed give God the Glory of any one of his Attributes but that they may be fitted and suited for such a service were not their throates cut and their mouthes stopt by the Lies that are in them which Mr Goodwin's Doctrine is no lesse lyable to then any other and not at all exempted from that Condition by its seeming subserviency unto Gods Aprosopolepsia Doth not the Doctrine of Justification by Workes even in the most rigid sence of it according to the tenor of the old Covenant absolutely render God free from the Unrighteousnesse of Accepting of Persens And yet for all that it hath not one jot the more of Truth in it nor is it the
is so great and so much variety therein that it can scarce be cast into one course and current and if the generall scope aime and tendency of the Scripture may passe for the course of it there is not any one thing that lyes so evident and cleare therein as the decrying of all that Ability and strength and power to doe good in men which M. Goodwin so much pleads for and Asserts to be in them with an Exaltation of that rich and free Grace in the efficacy and the power of it which he so much opposeth The experiment all knowledge he hath of his own heart §. 8. the workings and reasonings thereof a thing common to him with others and what advantages he hath thereby I shall not consider Only this I shall dare to say that I would not for all the World have no experience in my heart of the truth of many things which M. Goodwin in this Treatise opposeth or that my weake experience of the Grace of God should not rise above that frame of heart and spirit which the teachings of it seem to discover I doubt a person under the Covenant of workes heightned with convictions and a low or common worke of the Spirit induced thereby to some Regular walking before God may reach the utmost of what in this Treatise is required to render a man a Saint truly gracious regenerate and a Believer And in this also I doubt not lyes the deceit of what is thirdly insisted on viz. His observation of the wayes and spirits of men their firstings and lastings in Religion A sort of men there are in the world who escape the outward pollution of it and are cleane in their owne eyes though they are never wash't from their iniquityes who having been under strong convictions by the power of the Law and broken thereby from the course of their sinne attending to the Word of the Gospell with a temporary Faith do go forth unto a profession of Religion and walking with God so far as to have all the lineaments of true Believers as Mr Goodwin somewhere speakes drawne in their faces hearing the Word gladly as did Herod receiving it with joy as did the stony ground attending to it with delight as they did in Ezech. 33. 31. Repenting of former sinnes as did Ahab and Judas untill they are reckoned among true Believers as was Judas those John 2. 23. who yet were never united unto Jesus Christ of whose wayes and walking Mr Goodwin seemes to have made observation and found many of them to end in visible Apostacy But that this observation of them should cause him to judg them when Apostatized to have been true Believers or that he is thereby advantaged to determine concerning the truth of severall Opinions pretending to his acceptance I cannot grant nor doth he go about to prove For what he mentions in the last place of the light of reason and understanding §. 9. which he hath I do not only grant him to have it in common as he saith with other men for the kind of it but also as to the degrees of it to be much advanced therein above the generality of men yet I must needs tell him in the close that all these helps and advantages seeming to be drawne forth and advanced in opposition to that one great assistance which we enjoy by promise from Christ of his Spirit leading us into all truth and teaching us from God by his owne anointing are to me hay and stubble yea losse and dung of no value nor esteeme Had we not other wayes meanes helps and advantages to come to the knowledge of the Truth than these here unfolded and spread by Mr Goodwin actum esset we should never perceive the things that are of God The Fox was acquainted with many wiles and devices the Cat knew unum magnum wherein she found safety Attendance to the Word according to the direction of the usuall knowne Rules and helpes agreed on for the interpretation of it with humble dependance on God waiting for the guidance of his Spirit according to the Promise of his deare Sonne asking him of him continually that he may dwell with us anoint and lead us into all truth with an utter abrenunciation of all our skill abilityes wisdome and any resting on them knowing that it is God alone that gives us understanding is the course that hitherto hath been used in our enquiry after the mind of God in the Doctrine under consideration and which the Lord assisting shall be heeded and kept close unto in that discussion of the Texts of Scripture wrested by Mr Goodwin as by others before him to give countenance to his opposition to the Truth hitherto uttered confirmed and vindicated from his contradictions thereunto The place of Scripture first insisted on §. 10. and on the account whereof he triumphs with the greatest confidence of successe is that of Ezech. 18. 24 25. Unwhich words he subjoynes a Triumphant Exulting Exclamation What more saith he can the understanding judgement soule and conscience of a man reasonably desire for the establishment in any truth whatsoever than is delivered by God himselfe in this passage to evince the possibility of a righteous mans declining from his righteousnesse and that unto death The councell given of old to the King may not be unseasonable to Mr Goodwin in that dominion which he exerciseth in his owne thoughts in this worke of his let not him that putteth on this armour boast like him that puteth it off You have but newly entered the lists and that with all pressed Souldiers unwilling so much as once to appeare in that service they are forced to If you will but suspend your triumph untill we have made a little tryall of your forces and your skill in managing of them to the battle perhaps you may be a little taken off from this confidence of successe notwithstanding the facing of this Scripture upon the Truth being cut off and taken away from that coherence and connexion and station wherein it is placed of God which is not at the least enquired into it will be found in that issue to beare it no ill will at all As will also be manifested by the light of the ensuing consideration 1. The matter under enquiry into a disquisition of whose state we have hitherto been engaged in the condition of the Saints of God and his dealing with them in and under the Covenant of Grace in Generall For our guidance and direction herein a Text of Scripture evincing the Righteousnesse of Gods dealings with a number of persons in a peculiar case which was under debate is produced and by the tenour of this and according to the tenour of the reasonings therein must all the Promises of God in the Covenant of Grace mape and ratifyed by the Bloud of Christ be regulated and interpreted We have been told by as Learned a man as Mr Goodwin that Promises made to the people of
gloryings even then when the precedency of that which is bestial in this world force and violence outwardly beares them down with insultation and contempt will rather envie then pity you in any contest that on this foot of account you can be engaged in You are not the first that have fought with men after the manner of Beasts nor will be the last who shall need to pray to be delivered from absurd and unreasonable man seeing all men have not faith Men of prophane Atheistical spirits who are ready to say who is the Lord what is the Almighty that we should feare him or his truth that we should regard it whose Generation is of late multiplied on the face of the earth crying a Confederacy with them who professing better things are yet fiâ—â—ed with grievous indignations at the sacrifice that hath been made of their Abominations before their eyes by that Reformation of this place wherein you have been instrumental are a continual goad on the other side and would quickly be a sword in your very bowels were not He that is higher then the highest your dwelling place and refuge in your Generation These are they upon whom God having poured contempt and stain'd their glory who instead of accepting of his dispensations are filled with wrath and labour to make â—then drink of the cup which hath been offered to themselves With their reproaches sleightings undervaluations slanders do your worth diligence integrity labours contend from one end of this earth to the other He that hath delivered doth deliver and in him we trust that he will deliver What other oppositions you do meet or in your progress may meet withal I shall not mention but waite with patience on him who gives men Repentance and chang of Heart to the Acknowledgment of the things that are of him This in the midst of all hath hitherto been a cause of great rejoyoing that God hath graciously kept off ravenous wolves from entring into your flocks where are so many tender lambes and hath not suffered men to arise from amongst your selves speaking perverse things drawing away disciples after them but as he hath given you ac obey from your heart that forme of doctrine which hath been delivered unto you so He hath preserv'd thâ—â— faith amongst you which was once delivered to the Saints Your peculiar designation to the service of the Gospel and defence of the Truth thereof your Abilities for that works your abiding in it notwithstanding the opposition you meet 〈◊〉 in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation are as I sayd before my Incouragements in this address unto you wherein I shall crave leave a little further to communicate my thoughts unto you as to the matter in hand Next to the Son of his love who is the Truth the greatest and most eminent gift that God hath bestowed on the Sons of men and communicated to them is his Truth revealed in his word The knowledge of him his mind and will according to the discovery which he hath made of himselfe from his own bosome having magnified his word above all his name The importance hereof as to the eternal Concernments of the Sons of men either in ignorance refusing and resisting or accepting and embracing of it is that which is owned and lyes as the bottome and foundation of all that we any way engage our selves into in this world wherein we differ from them whose hope perisheth with them Unto an enquiry after and entertainment of this divine and sacred depositum hath God designed the fruit and labour of that wherein we retaine the resemblance of him which whilest we have our being nothing can abolish The mind of man and divine truth are the two most eminent Excellencies wherewith the Lord hath adorned this lower part of his Creation which when they correspond and are brought into conformity with each other the mind being changed into the Image of Truth there is glory added to glory and the whole rendred exceeding glorious By what sutableness and proportion in the things themselves that is between Truth and the mind of man as we are men by what Almighty secret and irresistible power as we are corrupted men our minds being full of darkness and folly this is wrought is not my business now to discuss This is on all hands confessed that setting aside the consideration of the eternal issues of things every mistake of divine Truth every opposition to it or rejection of it or any part of it is so farre a chaining up of the mind under the power of darkness from a progress towards that perfection which it is capable of It is Truth alone that Capacitates any soule to give glory to God or to be truly useful to them who are partakers of flesh and blood with him without being some way serviceable to which end there is nothing short of the fulness of wrath that can be judged so miserable as the Life of a man Easily so much might be delivered on this account as to evince the dread of that judgment whereto some men in the infallibly wise counsel of God are doomed even to the laying out of the labour and travel of their minds to spend their dayes and strength in sore labour in making opposition to this Truth of God Especially is the sadness of this Consideration encreased in reference to them who upon any account what ever do beare forth themselves and are looked upon by others as Guides of the blind as Lights to them that sit in darkness as the Instuctours of the foolish teachers of Babes For a man to set himselfe or to be set by others in a way wherein are many turnings cross pathes some of them leading and tending to places of innumerabâ—e troubles and perhaps death and slaughter undertaking to be a guide to direct them that travel towards the place of their intendments where they would be and where they shall meet with rest for such an one I say to take hold of every one that passeth by and pretending himselfe to be exceeding skilful in all the windings and turnings of those wayes and pathes and to stand there on purpose to give direction if He shall withal his skill and Rhetorick divert them out of the path wherein they have perhaps safly set out and to guide them into those by wayes which will certainly lead them into snares and troubles if not to death it selfe can he spend his time labour and strength in an imployment more to be abhorred or can he designe any thing more desperately mischievous to them whose good and welfare he is bound and promiseth to seek and promote Is any man's condition under heaven more to be lamented or is any man's imployment more perilous then such an ones who being not only endowed with a mind and understanding capable of the Truth and receiving impressions of the will of God but also with distinguishing Abilities and Enlargements for the receiving of greater measures
of Truth then others and the more effectual improvment of what he doth so receive shall labour night and day dispending the richest treasure and furnishment of his â—bule for the rooting out defacing and destruction of the Truth for the turning men out of the way and pathes that lead to rest and peace I never think of the uncomfortable drudgery which men give up themselves unto in laying the hay and stubble of their vaine and false Conceptions upon the foundation and heaping up the fruit of their soules to make the fire that consumes them the more fierce and severe but it forces compassionate thoughts of that sad Condition whereto man-kind hath cast it selfe by it's Aposâ—acy from God And yet there is not any thing in the world that men more willingly with more delight and greediness consecrate the flowre of their Strength and Abilities unto then this of promoting the delâ—sions of their own minds in opposition to The truth waies of God It is a thing of obvious observation and dayly experience that if by any meanes what ever any one closeth with some new and by opinion off from the faith delivered to and received by the generality of the Saints that be it a thing of never so small concernment in our walking with God in Gospel obedience and in love without dissimulation one towards another yet instantly more weight is layd upon it more paines laid out about it and zeale dispended for it's supportment and propagation then about all other most necessary points of Christian Religion Have we not a deplorable cloud of Examples of men contending about some Circumstance or other in the Administration of an ordinance biting and devouâ—ing all that stand in their way roving up and down to gaine Proselytes unto their perswasion and in the meane time utterly ignorant or negligent of the great doctrines and commands of the Gospel of Jesus Christ which are as in him the head Life of Soules How many a man seemes to have no manner of Religion at all but some one errour That is his God his Christ his worship that he preaches that he discourseth of that he labours to propagate until by the righteous judgment of God it comes to pass that such men in all other things wither dye away all the sap and vigour of their spirits feeding that one monstrous excrescency which they grow up dayly into Desire of emerging and being notable in the world esteem and respect in the hearts and mouthes of them whom peculiarly they draw after them with the like unworthy aimes of selfe advancement may without evill surmizing when such attempts are as in too many accompanied with irregularity in Conversation be supposed to be Advantages given into the hands of the envious man to make use of them for the sowing of his tares in the field of the poor seduced world That this procedure is also furthered by the burdensomeness of sound doctrine unto the generality of men who having itching eares as farre as they care for these things do spend their time in Religion in nothing else but either to tell or to heare some new thing cannot be denyed Besides to defend improve give and adde new light unto old truths a worke which hath so abundantly and excellently been labour'd in by so many worthies of Christ especially since the Reformation in any eminent manner so as to bring praise and repute unto the undertakers which whether men will confess or no it is evident that too many are enslaved unto is no easy taske and for the most part of what is done that way you may say Quis leget haec The world sayes every one is burden'd with discourses of this nature How many have we in our dayes who might have gone to the grave in silence among the residue of their brethren and their names have remained for a season in the voisinage where they might have done God the service required of them in their generation would they have kept themselves in the forme of wholsome words and sound doctrine that have now delivered their names into the mouthes of all men by engageing into some singular opinions though perhaps raked out of the ashes of Popery Socinianisme or some such fruitful heap of errour and false notions of the things of God I desire not to judge before the time the day will manifest all things and the hidden secrets of the hearts of men shall by it be layed open when all the waiâ—s causes and occasions of their deceiving and being deceived shall be brought to light and every man according to his work shall have praise of God Only I say as to the present state of things this is evident not to speake of those locusts from the bottomless pit that professedly oppose their strength to all that is of God his name word worship or truth will and commands rasing the foundation of all hopes of eternity nor of Him and His Associates who exalteth himselfe above 〈◊〉 but is called God being full of names of blasphemy sealed up to destruction very many â—ongst our selves of whom we hoped better things do some in greater some in lesser matters give up themselves to that unhappy labour we before mentioned of opposing the truths of God and exalting their own darkness in the roome of his glorious light Vtjugulent homines surgunt de nocte latrones Vt teipsum serves non expergisceris Reverend Brethren if other men can rise early go to bâ—d late and eate the bread of carefulness spend their lives and strength to do their own work and propagate their own conceptions under a pretence of doing the work of God if the envious man watcheth all night and waites all advantages to sow his tares how will you be able to lift up your hands with joy and behold your Masters face with boldness at his coming if having received such eminent Abilities endowments and furnishments from him for his service and the service of his sheep and lambs as you have done you gird not up the loines of your minds and lay not out your strength to the uttermost for the weeding out of the field and vineyard of the Lord every plant which our heavenly Father hath not planted and for feeding the flock of Christ with sincere milk and strong meat according as they are able to beare what you have received more then others is of free grace which is God's way of dealing with them on whom he layes the most unconquerable and indespensable obligation unto service Flesh and blood hath not revealed unto you the truth of God which you do profess but our Father which is in heaven you do not upon any endeavour of your own differ from them who are given up to the sore Judgment and ever to be bewailed condition before mentioned It hath not been from your own endeavours or watchfulness that you have been hitherto preserved under the hour of temptation which is come to try the men that live
improvement of their writings of the several Considerations that are to be had and exercised by them who would read them with profit and Advantage after many disputes and contesâ—s between the Papists and Divines of the Reformed Churches the whole concernment of that Controversy is so clearely stated Mannaged and resolved by Mounseiur Dalie in his Book of the Right use of the Fathers that I suppose all farther labour in that kind may be well spared Those who intend to weigh their Testimony to any head of Christian Doctrine doe commonly distinguish them into three greater periods of time The first of these is comprehensive of them who lived and wrote before the Doctrine concerning which they are called out to give in their thoughts and verdict had received any signal opposition and eminent discussion in the Church on that acccount Such are the Writers of the first 300 years before the Nicene Counsel in reference to the Doctrine of the Trinity and so the succeeding writers before The stating of the Macâ—donian Eutichian and Nestorian Heresies In the next are they ranked who bare the burthen and heat of the Opposition made to any Truth and on that Occasion wrote expresly and at large on the controverted doctrines Which is the Condition of Athanasius Basil Gregory and some others in that Arian Controversy And in the last place succeed those who lived after such concussions which are of less or more esteem according as the Doctrines enquired after were less or more corrupted in the general Apostacy of the latter dayes According to this order Our first period of time will be with the Rise of the Pelagian Heresy which gave Occasion to the through full and Cleare discussion of the whole doctrine concerning the grace of God whereof that in whose defence we are engag'd is no small portion The next of those whom God raised up to make head against that Subtil opposer of his Grace with his followers during the space of an 100 yeares and somewhat onwards ensuing the promulgation of that heresy What have been the thoughts of men in the latter Ages until The Reformation and of the Romanists since to this day manifested in a few pregnant instances will take up the third part of this designe Of the Judgment of the Reformed Churches as they are commonly called I shall speak particularly in the close of this discourse For the first of these not to insist on the paucity of writers in the first 300 yeares sundry single persons in the following Ages haveing severally written three times as much as we have left and remaining of all the others the names of many who are said to have written being preserv'd by Eusebius Eccles Hist and Hierome lib de script their writings being perished in their dayes nor in general of that corruption whereunto They have almost every one of them been unquestionably expos'd I must be forced to preface the nomination of them with some Considerations The first in that known passage of Hegesipus in Euseb Hist Eccles lib 3. 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So far Hel setting out the corruption of the Church even as to doctrine immediatly after the Apostles fell asleep whereof whosoever will impartially and with disingaged Judgments serach into the writings that of those days do remaine will perhaps find more Cause than is commonly imagined with him to Complaine 2 The maine work of the writers of the first Ages being to contend with Heathenish Idolaters to convince them of their madness and folly to write Apologies for the worship of God in Christ in General so to disswade their Rulers from persecution or in contesting with Heriticks for the most part appearing to be men either corrupt in their lives or mad and brainsick as we say as to their Imaginations or denying the Truth of the person of Christ what can we expect from them as delivered directly and on set purpose to the matter of our present contest Some principles may in them possibly be discovered from whence by a regular deduction some Light may be obtained into their thoughts concerning the points in difference Thus Junius thinks and not without cause that the whole business of Predestination may be stated upon this one principle that faith is the free Gift of God flowing from his Predestination and Mercy and concerning this saith he Hoc autem omnes patres uno consensu ex Christo Paulo agnoverunt Ipse Justinus Martyr in Apolog 2 Gravissime verâ— Clemens Alexandrinus in hâc alioquin palestrâ non itaexercitatus ut sequentia secula Hom lib 2. Basilâ—i Valentini dogma esse dicit quòd fides a naturâ sit Consid. Senten Pet. Baroni without this what Advantage can be taken or what use can be made for the discovery of the mind of any of the Antients by cropping of some occasional expressions from their occasions and aimes I know not Especially would I more peremptorily affirme this could I imagine any of them wrote as Hierome affirmes of himselfe that he sometimes did Epist. ad August which is among his 892. Itaque saith he ut simpliciter fateor legi haec omnia in mente meâ plurima coacervans accito notario vel mea vel aliena dictavi nec ordinis nec verborum interdum nec sensuum memor should any one say so of himselfe in these days he would be accounted little better then a mad man much then on this Account or at least not much to the purpose is not to be expected from the fathrers of the first Ages 3. Another observation to our purpose lyes well expressed in the beginning of the fourteenth chapter of Bellarmin's second Book de Grat lib Arb. Praeter Scriptur as adferunt alia Testimonia patrum saith he speaking of those who opposed God's free Predestination to which he subjoynes Neque est hoc novum Argumentum sed antiquissimum Scribit enim S. Prosper in Epistola ad S. Augustinum Gallos qui sententiam ejâ—sdem Augustixi de Prede stinatione calumniabantur illud potissimum objicere solitos quòdea sententia doctrine veterum videbatur esse contraria Sed respondet idem Augustinus inl ibâ— de bono perseverantiae veteres patres qui ante pelagium floâ—uerunt quaestionem istam nunquam accurate tractasse sed incidenter solum quasi per transitum illam attigisse Addit vero in fundamento hujus sententiae quod est gratiam dei non praevenire ab ullo opere nostro sed contra ab illâ omnia opera nostera praveniri it a ut nihil omnino boni quod attinct ad salutem sit in nobis quod non est nobis ex des convenire Catholicos omnes ibidem citat Cyprianum Ambrosium Nazianzenum quibus addere possumus Basilium Crysostomum To the same purpose with Application to a particular person doth that great and holy doctor discourse de doctrin Christianâ lib 3 cap 33 saith he non erat expertus
hanc haeresin Tychoniâ— quae nostro tempore exorta multum nos ut gratiam dei quâ per dominum nostrum Jesum Christum est adversus eam defenderemus exercuit secundum id quod ait Apostolus oportet haereses esse ut probati manifesti fiunt in nobis multò vigilantiores diligentioresque reddidit ut adverteremus in Scripturis Sanctis quod istum Tychonium minus attentum minusque sine hoste solicitum fugit That also of Hierome in his second Apologie against Ruffinus in reference to a most weighty Article of Christian Religion is known to all fieri potest saith he ut vel simpliciter erraverint vel alio sensu scripserint vel à librariis imperitis corum paulatim scripta corrupta sint vel certe antequam in Alexandria quasi Daemonium meridianum Arius nasceretur innocenter quaedam minus â—ante locuti surt quae non possunt perversorum hominum calumniam declinare And what he spake of the writers before Arius in reference to the person of Christ we may of them before Pelagius in refernce to his Grace Hence Pererius in Rom. c. 8. disput 22 tells us how truly ipse viderit I am not altogether of his mind that for those Authours that lived befofe Austin's time that all the Greek Fathers and a considerable part of the Latine were of opinion that the cause of Predestination was the foresight which God had either of man's good works or of their faith either of which opinions he assures us is manifestly contrary both to the Authority of the Scriptures and particularly to the doctrine of Saint Paul I am not as I said wholy of his mind partly upon the account of the observations made by his fellow Jesuite out of Austin before mentioned partly upon other accounts also Upon these and the like Considerations much I presume to the buisness in hand will not be produced on either side from the Fathers that wrote before the Rise of the Pelagian Heresy And if any one of the parties at this day litigant about the Doctrines of the Grace of God should give that advise that Sisinniuss and Agellius the Novatians somtimes gave as Zozomen reports of them Hist. Eccles lib. 7. cap. 12 to Nectarius by him communicated to the Emperor Theodosius to have the quarrel decided by those that wrote before the Rise of the Controversy as it would be unreasonable in it selfe so I perswade my selfe neither party would accept of the conditions neither had the Catholicks of those dayes got any thing if they had attended to the advise of those Novatians But these few observations premised something as to particular Testimonies may be attended unto That we may proceed in some order not leaving those we have nothing to say to nor are willing to examine whilest they are but thin and come not in troopes unsaluted The first writings that are imposed on us after the Comical Scriptures are the eight books of Clement commonly called the Apostles constitutions being pretended to be written by him at their appointment with the Canons ascribed to the same persons These we shall but salute for besides that they are faintly defended by any of the Papists disavowed and disclaimed as Apocryphal by the most learned of them as Bellarmine de script Eccles. in Clem who approves only of 50. Canons of 85 Baronius An. Dâ—m 102. 14 who addes 30 more and Binius with a little inlargement of Canons in Tit. Can. T. 1. Con. pi 17 and have been throughly disproved and decryed by all Protestant writers that have had any occasion to deale with them their folly and falsity their impostures and triflings have of late been so fully manifested by Dallaeus de pseudepigrapis Apostol that nothing need be added thereunto Of him may Doctor H. H. learne the Truth of that Insinuation of his dissert de Episcop dis 2da cap 6. Sect. 3. Canone Apostolico secundo semper inter genuinos habito but of the confidence of this Author in his Assertions afterwards This indeed insisted on by Daellaus and the Learned Usher in his notes upon Ignatius is childishly ridiculous in them that whereas it is pretended that these constitutions were made at a convention of the Apostles as l. 6. c. 14 they are brought in discoursing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. They they are made to informe ns lib. 2. cap. 57. That the Acts written by Luke and read in the Churches are theirs and the foure books of the Gospel Whereas the story of the death of James here said to be together with the Apostles is related Act. 12 and John by the consent of all wrote not his Gospel untill after the dissoluton of his Associates Also they make Stephen and Paul to be together at the makeing of those constitutions Const lib. 8. cap. 4. whereas the Martyrdome of Stephen was before the convesiron of Paul and yet also mentions the stoning of Stephen lib. 8.46 They tell us whom they apointed Bishops of Hiesalem after the death of James and yet James is one of them who is met together with them l. 7. c. 48 nay mention is made of Cerinthus and that Marke the heritick Menander Basilides and Saturnilus were known and taken notice of by the Apostles who all lived in the second Century abought the Raigne of Hadrian as Eusebius manifesteth and Clem. Alex. Strom. lib. 7. But to leave such huskes as these unto them who loath Manna and will not feed on the bread that our heavenly Father hath so plentifully provided for all that live in his family or any way belong to his house let us look onward to them that follow of whose Truth and Honesty we have more assurance The first Genuine piece that presents it selfe unto us on the Roll of Antiquity is that Epistle of Clemen's which in the name of the Church of Rome he wrote to the divided Church of Corinth which being abundantly testified to of old to the great contentment of the christian world was published here at Oxford some few yeares since A writing full of antient simplicity humility Zeal As to our present business much I confesse cannot be pleaded from hence beyond a negative impeachment of that great and false clamour which our Adversarie have raised of the consent of the primitive Christians with them in their by paths and and waies of errour It is true treating of a Subject diverse from any of those heads of Religion about which our contests are it is not to be expected that he should any where plainly directly evidenty deliver his judgment unto them This therfore I shall only say that in that whole Epistle there is not one word iota or sillable that gives countenance to the tenent of our adversaries in the matter of the Saints perseverance but that on the contrary there are sundry expressions asserting such a foundation of the Doctrine we maintain as will with good strength inferre the Truth of it Pag. 4. Setting
as if they had found the whole far dell of the mass in it's perfect dress and their breaden God in the middest of it It is no otherwise in the case of Episcopacy men of these latter Generations from what they saw in present being and that usefulness of it to all their desires and interests having entertained thoughts of love to it and delight in it searching Antiquity not to instruct them in the truth but to establish their prejudicate Opinion received by Tradition from their Fathers and to consult them with whom they have to do what ever Expressions they find or can heare of that fall in as to the sound of words with what is now insisted upon instantly they cry out Vicimus Io Paean â— what a simple generation of Presbyters and Independents have we that are ignorant of all Antiquity or do not understand what they read and look upon Hence if we will not believe that in Ignatius his dayes there were many Parish Churches with their single Preists in subordination to a Diocesan Bishop either immediatly or by the interposed power of a Choreâ— Episcopus and the like and those Diocesans againe in the precincts of provinces laid in a due subjection to their Metropolitans who took care of them as they of their Parish Priests every individual Church having no Officer but a Presbyter every Diocesan Church having no Presbyter but a Bishop and every Metropolitan Church having neither Presbyter nor Bishop properly related unto it as such but an Arch-Bishop we are worse then Infidels truly I cannot but wonder whether it doth not sometimes enter into these men's thoughts to apprehend how contemtible they are in their proofes for the fathering of such â—n Ecclesiastical distribution of Governours and Goverment as indeniably lacquied after the civil divisions and constitutions of the times and places wherein it was introduced upon those holy persons whose soules never once entered into the secrets thereof Thus fares it with our Doctour and his Ignatius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I shall only crave leave to say to him as Augustus of Quintilius Varus upon the loss of his Legions in Germany under his command Quintili Vare reade legiones Domine Doctor redde Ecclestas give us the Churches of Christ such as they were in the dayes of the Apostles and down to Ignatius though before that time if Hegesippus may be believed somewhat deflowred and our contest about Church-Officers Goverment will be nearer at an end then perhaps you will readily imagine Give us a Church all whose members are holy called sanctified justified living-stones Temples for the Holy Ghost Saints Believers united to Christ the head by the Spirit that is given to them and dwelleth in them a Church whose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ‑ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that doth nothing by it's members apart that appertaines to Church-order but when it is gathered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Church that being so gathered together in one place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ‑ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 acting in Church things in it's whole body under the Rule and presidence of it's Officers A Church walking in order and not as some who 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of whom saith Ignatius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as calling the Bishops to the Assemblies yet do all things without him the manner of some in our dayes he supposeth noâ— to keep the Assemblies according to the command of Christ give us I say such a Church and let us come to them when they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ‑ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as the Churches in the dayes of Ignatius appeare to have been and are so rendred in the Quotations taken from his Epistles by the Learned Doctour for the Confirmation of Episcopacy as I said before the contest of this present digression will quickly draw to an Issue Being unwilling to go too far out of my way I shall not 1 Consider the severalls instanced in for the proof of Episcopacy by the Doctour Seeing indeniably the Interpretation must follow and be proportioned by the General Issue of that state of the Church in the dayes wherein those Epistles were writ or are pretended so to be if that appeare to be such as I have mentioned I presume the Doctour himselfe will confess that his witnesses speak not one word to his business for whose confirmation he doth produce them Nor 2ly Shall I insist upon the degeneration of the Institutions and Appointments of Jesus Christ concerning Church Administrations in the mannagement of the succeeding Churches as principled and spirited by the operative and efficacious Mystery of Iniquity occasioned and advantaged by the Accommodation of Ecclesiastical affayres to the civil distributions and Alotments of the political state of things in those dayes nor 3 Insist much farther on the exceeding dissimilitude and inconformity that is between the Expressions concerning Church-Officers and aâ—â—aires in these Epistles whence ever they come and those in the writings of unquestionable credit immediatly before and after them as also the uâ—â—er silence of the Scripture in those things wherewith they so abound The Epistle of Clemens of which mention was made before was written for the composing and quieting of a division and distemper that was fallen out in the Church of Corinth Of the cause of that distention that then miserably rent that congregation he informs us in that complaint that some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were wrongfully cast from the ministry by the multitude he tells you that these were good honest men faithful in the discharge of their duty for saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ‑ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though they were unblamable both in their conversation ministry yet they removed them from their office To reprove this evill to convince them of the sinfulness of it to reduce them to a right understanding of their duty order walking in the fellowship of the gospel what course doth he proceed in what arguments doth he use He minds them of one God one Christ one body one faith tells them that Wicked men alone use such waies practises bids them read the Epistle of Paul formerly written to them upon occasion of another division and to be subject to their own Elders all of them leave off contending quietly doing the things which the people or the body of the Church delivered commanded Now had this Person writing on this occasion using all sorts of Arguments Artificial or inartificial for his purpose been baptized into the opinion esteem of a single Episcopacy superintendent whose Exaltation seemes to be the design of much which is said in the Epistles of Ignatius in the sense wherin his words are usually taken would yet never once so much as bid them be subject to the Bishop that Resemblance of God the Father supplying of the place of Christ nor told them how terrible a thing it was to disobey him nor pawned
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
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
destruction that the Elect shall not be seduced Let the attempts of Seducers be what they will and their Advantages never so many or their successes never so great they shall be preserved the House upon the Rocke shall not be cast downe Against the Church built on Christ the Gates of Hell shall not prevaile And Paul mentioning the Apostacy of Hymenaeus and Philetus who seeme to have beene teachers of some eminency and Starrs of some considerable magnitude in the Firmament of the Church with the eversion of the Faith of some who attended unto their abominations 2 Tim. 2 17 18. Least any disconsolation should surprize believers in reference to their owne condition as though that should be lubricous uncertaine and such as might end in destruction and their Faith in an overthrow he immediately adds that effectuall cordiall for the reviving supportment of their confidence and comfort v. 19. Neverthelesse notwithstanding all this Apostasy of eminent professors yet The foundation of God standeth sure the Lord knoweth who are his Those who are built upon the foundation of his unchangeable purpose and love shall not be prevailed against John likewise doth the same for having told his little Children that there were many Antichrists abroad in the world and they for the most part Apostates he adds in the first Epist second Chap verse the 19. They went out from us because they were not of us for if they had been of us they would no doubt have continued with us but they went out that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us He lets thē know that by their being Apostates they had prooved themselves to have beene but Hypocrits and therefore believers dwelling in safety was no way prejudiced by their backsliding The like occasion now calls for the like Application the same disease for the same prevention or remedy That no sound persons may be shaken because unhealthy ones are shattered that those may not tremble who are built on the Rock because those are cast downe who are built on the sand is one part of my ayme and intendment in handling this doctrine And therefore I shall as little dabble in the waters of strife or insist upon it in way of controversy as the importunity of the adversary that truth which we are obliged to contend for will permit One Scripture in its own plainesse simplicity will be of more use for the end I aime at then twenty Scholasticall Arguments pressed with never somuch accuratenesse and subtility A Temptation then this is §. 6. and hath been of old to the Saints disposed of by the manifold wisdome of God Rom. 11. 20. to stir them up to take heed least they fall 1 Cor. 10. 12. to put them upon trying and examining 1 Cor. 11. 19. whether Christ be in them or no 2 Cor. 13. 5. and also to make out to those Fountains of establishment in his eternall Purpose and Gratious Promises Revel 2. 24 25. wherein their refreshments and reserves under such temptations do lye Isa. 45. 22. And yet though our doctrine inforces us to conclude Mal. 3. 6. all such never to be sound believers in that peculiar notion and sence of that expression which shall instantly be declared 2 Pet. 3. 17. who totally and finally apostatize and fall off from the wayes of God Heb. 3. 12. yet is it excedingly remote from being any true ground of shaking the Faith of those Hab. 3. 17. 18. who truly believe any farther then shaking is usefull for the right and thorough performance of that great Gospell duty of tryall and selfe examination Mr Goodwin indeed contends § 7. Chapter 9. Sect. 8 9 10 11. Pag. 108 109 110 that if we judge all such as fall away to perdition never to have been true Believers that is with such a Faith as bespeakes them to enjoy union with Christ and acceptance with God it will administer a thousand Fears and Jealousies concerning the soundnesse of a mans owne Faith whether that be sound or no and so it will be indifferent as to consolation whether true believers may fall away or no seeing it is altogether uncertaine whether a man hath any of that true Faith which cannot perish But First Ans. 1. God who hath promised to make all things worke together for good to them that love him Rom. 8. 28. in his infinite Love and Wisdome is pleased to exercise them with great variety Psal. 30. 6 7. both within and without in reference to themselves and others Isa. 8. 17. for the accomplishing towards them all the ch 54. 7. 8 9. good pleasure of his goodnesse carrying them on in that holy humble depending 1 Pet. 3. 7. frame 1 Cor. 3. 13. which is needfull for the receiving from him those gratious supplyes 1 Pet. 4. 12. 2 Cor. 7. 5. without which it is impossible they should be preserved 2 Thes. 1. 11. To this end are they often exposed to winnowings of feirce winds and shakings by more dreadfull blasts Heb. 12. 25 28 29. then any breathes in this consideration of the Apostatizing of professours though of Eminency Isa. 57. 15. 66. 2. Not that God is delighted with their fears jelousies Jam. 4. 6. which yet he knows under such dispensations they must conflict with all 1 Pet. 5. 5. but with the tryall and exercise of their Graces whereunto he calls them that 's his Glory Mat. 7. 24 25. where in his soule is delighted It is no singular thing for the Saints of God to bee exercised with a thousand fears jealousies and through them to grow to great establishment Amos. 9. 9. If indeed they were such as were unconquerable Luk. 22. 31. such as did not worke together for their good Ephe. 6. 11 12 13. such as must needs be endlesse Ephe. 4. 14. all meanes of satisfaction and establishment beeing rescinded by the causes of them Isa. 49. 14 15 16. 63. 9. then were there weight in this exception but neither the Scriptures Acts 9. 5. not the experience of the Saints of God do give the least hint to such an assertion Psal. 103. 13. Secondly 1 Pet. 1. 7. It is denied that the fall of the most glorious Hypocrites is indeed an efficacious engine in the hands of the adversary Rom 8. 38. to ingenerate any other feares and Jealousies or to expose them to any other shakings 1 Cor. 10. 13. then what are common to them in other temptations of daily incursion which God doth constantly make way for them to escape It is true indeed that if true believers had no other foundation of their perswasion that they are so but what occurres visibly to the observation of men in the outward conversation of thē that yet afterward fall totally away the Apostasie of such notwithstanding the generall
offence and scandall Indeed ever since the Reformation there have been some indeavours against this truth to corrode it and corrupt it The first serious attempt for the totall intercision of the faith of true believers though not a final excision of the faith of elect belieâ—ers was made by one in the other University who being a man of a debauched vicious conversation no small part of the growing evils of the daies wherein he lived did yet cry out against the doctrines of others as tending to loosnesse and profanenesse upon whose breasts teachings was written Holinesse to the Lord all their daies ' Afterwards Armin. Antiperk Arminius with his Quinquarticulan Followers Rem Coll. takeing up the matter though they laboured with all their might to answer sundry of the Arguments whereby the truth of this doctrine is demonstrated Hag. Artic. 5. yet for a season were very faint and dubious in their own assertions not daring to breake in at once upon so great a Treasure of the Church of God * Nos cùm mentem nostram super hoc argumento categoricè dogmaticè in alteram parâ—em definivimus nullo jure levitatis insimulari posse propterea quod novem ab hinc annis eam non ita disertè rotundè enunciaverimus sed solummodo disquirentium adhuc in morem professi simus Declar. sent Rem circa 5. Artic. and therefore in their Synodalia are forced to Apologise for their Haesitation nine years before in their Conference at the Hague But now of late since the glorious light of Socinianisme hath broken forth from the pit men by their new succours are †Socin Praelect Theol. cap. 6. art 7. c. grown bold to defie this great truth of the Gospell and grace of the Covenant as an abomination for ever to be abhorred Audax omnia perpeti Gens humana ruit per vetitum nefas In particular § 12. the late studious indeavours of a Learned man in his Treatise Intituled Redemption Redeemed for to dispoyle the spouse of Christ of this most Glorious pearl where with her beloved hath adorned her cals for a particular Consideration And this discharging a regard unto any other motives upon cheifly this accompt that he hath with great paines and travell gathered together what ever hath been formerly given out and dispersed by the most considerable Adversaries of this Truth especially not omitting any thing of moment in the Synodall defence of the fifth Article with an exact translation of the dramaticall Prosopopoeias with whatsoever looks towards his designe in hand from their fourth attempt about the manner of conversion giving it a new not only an elegant dresse and varnish of Rhetoricall expressions but moreover reinforcing the declining cause of his Pelagian Friends with not to be despised supplyes of appearing Reason Col. 2. 4. and hidden Sophistry So that though I shall handle this doctrine in my owne Method with the reason whereof I shall instantly acquaint the Reader not follow that Author 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet handling not only the main of the Doctrine it selfe but all the concernments and consequences of it in the severall branches of the Method intended I hope not to leave any thing considerable in that whole Treatise as to the Truth in hand Undiscussed no Argument Unvindicated no Objection Unanswered no Consequence Unweighed with a speciall eye to the Comparison instituted betweene the Doctrines in contest as to their direct and causall influence into the obedience and Consolation of the Saints That we may know then what we speake and whereof we doe affirme § 13. I shall breifly State the Doctrine under consideration that the difference about it may appeare Indeed it seemes strange to me among other things that he of whom mention was lastly made who hath liberally dispended so great a Treasure of Paines Reading and Eloquence for the subverting of the Truth whose explanation and defence we have undertaken did not yet once attempt fairely to fixe the State of the difference about it but in a very tumultuary manner fell in with prejudices swelling over all bounds and limits of ordinary reasoning Chap. 9. Rhetoricall amplifications upon a doctrine not attempted to be brought forth and explayned that it might be weighed in the Ballance as in it selfe it is Whereas there may be many Reasons of such a proceeding it may well be questioned whether any of them be candid commendable Certainly the advantages thence taken for the improveing of many Sophisticall Reasons and pretended Arguments are obvious to every one that shall but peruse his ensuing discourse Although the Substance of this Doctrine hath been by sundry delivered § 14. yet least the termes wherein it is usually done may seeme to be somewhat too Generall and some advantages of the Truth which in it selfe it hath to have been omitted I shall breifely state the whole matter under those Termes wherein it is usually received The title of it is § 15. the PERSEVERANCE OF SAINTS A short discovery of whom we meane by Saints the Subject whereof we speake and what by Perseverance which is Affirmed of them will state the whole for the Judgement of the Reader God only is essentially holy and on that account Isa. 6. 3. losh 24. 19. the only holy One. In his Holynesse as in his Beeing and all his Glorious Attributes Revel 15. 4. there is an actuall permanency or samenesse Heb. 1. 10 11 12. Nothing in him is subject to the least shaddow of change Exod. 3. 14. not his Truth not his Faithfullnesse Deut. 32. 4. Isa. 40. 38. not his Holinesse all principles causes and reasons of alteration stand at no lesse infinite distance from him Ch. 41. 4. then not being Ch. 43. 10. His Properties are the same with himselfe and are spoken of one another Ch. 44. 6. Ch. 48. 12. as well as of his nature His Eternall Power is mentioned by the Apostle Rom. 1. Reve. 1. 4 17. So is his Holinesse Eternall Immutable Of this we may have use afterwards Mal. 3. 6. Iam. 1. 18. for the present I treat not of it The Holinesse of all Creatures is Accidentall and Created 1 Sam. 15. 29. to some it is innate or Originall as to the Angels the first man Gen. 1. 26. our Saviour Christ as to his humane nature of whom we treat not Math. 19. 17. Adam had originall holinesse and lost it so had many Angells who kept not their first habitation It is hence argued by Mr Goodwin Eccles. 7. 29. that Spirituall gifts of God being bestowed Heb. 7. 25. Ezek. 36. 26 27 28. may be taken away nowithstanding the seeming contrary engagement of Rom. 11. 29. From what proportion or Analogy this Argument doth flow Isa. 4. 3 4. Rom. 6. 4 5. 6 is not intimated The grace Adam was endowed with was intrusted with himselfe Ephes. 4. 22 23 24
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
debilitate and overthrow an acquired habit whereunto it is opposite 2. Meritoriously by provoking the Lord to take them away in a way of punishment for of all punishment sinne is the morally procuring cause Let us a little consider which of those wayes it may probably be supposed that sinne expelles the spirit and habit of grace from the soules of Believers 1. For the spirit of grace which dwells in them it cannot with the least colour of reason be supposed that sinne should have a naturall efficient reaction against the spirit which is a voluntary indweller in the hearts of his he is indeed grieved and provoked by it Ephes. 4. 30. Heb 3. 10 11. Isa. 63 10. but that is in a morall way in respect of its demerit but that it should have a naturall efficiency by the way of opposition against it as Intemperance against the Mediocrity which it opposeth is a madnesse to imagine The habit of Grace wherewith such believers are indued §. 26. is infused not acquired by a frequency of Acts in themselves the root is made good and then the fruit and the work of God It is a new Creation planted in them by the exceeding greatnesse of his Power as he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead which he also strengthens with all might and all power to the end Is it now supposed or can it rationally be so that vitious acts acts of sinne should have in the soule a naturall efficiency for the expelling of an infused habit Col. 2. 12. 2 Cor. 5. 17. Ephes. 1. 19. Col. 1. 11. and that implanted upon the soule by the exceeding greatnesse of the power of God That it should be done by any one or two acts is impossible to suppose that a man in whom there is an habit set on by so mighty an impression as the Scripture mentions to act constantly contrary thereunto is to think what we will without troubling our selves to consider how it may be brought about Farther whilest this Principle life and habit of Grace is thus consuming doth their God and Father look on and suffer it to decay and their spirituall man to pine away day by day Eph. 1. 23. Col. 2. 19. giving them no new supplies nor increasing them with the increase of Gods hath he no pitty towards a dying child Eph 4. 16. 1 Thes 3. 12. or can he not help him doth he of whom it is said that he is faithfull and that he will not suffer us to be tempted above what we are able Phil 1. 6. 1 Cor. 10. 13. but with the very temptation will make way for us to escape let loose such floodgates of Temptations upon them as he knows his grace will not be able to stand before but will be consumed and expelled by it what also shall we suppose are the thoughts of Iesus Christ towards a withering member Heb 2. 17 18. 3. 15. 7. 25. a dying brother a perishing child a wandring sheep where is his zeale and his tender mercies and the sounding of his bowells are they restrained Isa 40. 11. 63. 8. Will he not lay hold of his strength and stirre up his Righteousnesse to save a poore sinking creature Ezek 34. 4 12. Also He that is in us is greater then he that is in the world and will he suffer himselfe to be wrought out of his habitation and not stirre up his strength to keep possession of the dwelling place which he had chosen So that neither in the nature of the thing it selfe nor in respect of him with whom we have to doe doth this seem possible But secondly §. 27. Sinne procureth by the way of merit the taking away of the Spirit and removeall of the Habit graciously bestowed Believers deserve by sinne that God should take his Spirit from them and the Grace that he hath bestowed on them They doe so indeed it cannot be denied but will the Lord deale so with them Isa 48. 9. Will he judge his house with such fler and vengeance Is that the way of a Father with his Children untill he hath taken away his Spirit and grace although they are Rebellious Children yet they are his Children still and is this the way of a tender Father to cut the throats of his Children when it is in his power to mend them The casting of a wicked man into Hell is not a punishment to be compared to this the losse of Gods presence is the worst of Hell How infinitely must they needs be more sensible of it who have once enjoyed it Isa 49. 15 16 Isa 66. 13. then those who were strangers to it from their wombe Certainly the Lord bears another Testimony concerning his kindnesse to his Sonnes and Daughters Ierem 2. 14. Hos. 2. 14. c. then that we should entertaine such dismall thoughts of him He chastises his Children indeed but he doth not kill them he corrects them with rodds but his Kindnesse he takes not from them notwithstanding of the attempt made by the Remonstrants in their Synodalia I may say that I have not as yet met with any tolerable extrication of those difficulties more to this purpose will afterwards be insisted on 3. That which we intend when we mention the Perseverance of Saints is their continuance to the end in the condition of Saintship whereunto they are called Now in the state of Saintship there are two things concurring 1. That Holinesse which they receive from God and 2. That Favour which they have with God being justified freely by his grace through the blood of Christ and their continuance in this condition to the end of their lives both to their reall Holinesse and gracious Acceptance is the Perseverance whereof we must treat The one respecting the reall estate the other their relative of which more particularly afterwards And this is a briefe delineation of the Doctrine §. 28. which the Lord assisting shall be explained confirmed and vindicated in the insuing discourse which being first set forth as a meere Skeleton its Symetry and Complexion Its Beauty and Comelinesse Its Strength and Vigor Excellency and Vsefulnesse will in the description of the severall parts and branches of it be more fully manifested Now because Mr Goodwin §. 29. though he was not pleased to fixe any orderly state of the Question under debate a course he hath also thought good to take in handling those other Heads of the Doctrine of the Gospell wherein he hath chosen to walke for the maine with the Arminians in Paths of difference from the Reformed Churches yet having scatterd up and downe his Treatise what his conceptions are of the Doctrine he doth oppose as also what he asserts in the place roome thereof and Upon what Principles I shall briefly call what he hath so delivered both on the one hand on the other to an account to make the clearer way for the proofe of the Truth which
indeed we own and for the discovery of that which is brought forth to contest for Acceptance with it upon the score of Truth and usefullnesse First then §. 30. for the Doctrine of the Saints Perseverance how it stands stated in Mr Goodwins thoughts and what he would have other men apprehend thereof may from sundry places in his Booke especially Cap. 9. be collected and thus summarily presented It is saith he Cap. 9. Sect. 3. a promising unto men and that with height of assurance under what loosnesse or vile practises so ever exemption and freedome from punishment so Sect. 4. It is in vaine to perswade or presse men unto the use of such meanes in any kinde which are in themselves displeasing to them seeing they are ascertained and secured before hand that they shal not fail of the end however whether they use such means or no a lushous Fulsome conceit Sect. 5. intoxicating the flesh with a perswasion that it hath Goods layed up for the daies of Eternity A notion comfortable and betideing peace to the flesh Sect. 15. in administring unto it certaine hope that it shall however escape the wrath and vengeance which is to come yea though it disporteth it selfe in all manner of loosnesse and licentiousnesse in the meane time A presumption it is that men Sect. 18. may or shall injoy the love of God and Salvation it selfe under practises of all manner of sinne and wickednesse Representing God Sect. 20. as a God in whose sight he is Good that doth evill promising his love favour and acceptance as well unto doggs returning to their vomit or to swine wallowing after their washing in the mire that is to Apostates which that believers shall not be is indeed the Doctrine he opposeth as unto Lambs aud sheepe A Doctrine whereby ' t is possible for me certainly to know that how loosly how profanely how debauchedly soever I should behave my selfe yet God will love me as he doth the holdest and most righteous man under Heaven With these and the like Expressions doth Mr Goodwin adorne and Gilde over that Doctrine which he hath chosen to oppose with these Garlands flowers doth he surround the Head of the Sacrifice which he intends instantly to slay that so it may fall an undeplored Victim if not seasonably rescued from the hands of this sacred Officer Neither through his whole Treatise do I find it delivered in any other sence or held out under any other notion to his Reader The Course here he hath taken in this case and the paths he walkes in towards his Adversaries seeme to be no other then that which was traced out by the Bishops at Constance when they caused Divells to be painted upon the Cap they put on the Head of Huss before they cast him into the fire I do somthing doubt though I am not altogether Ignorant how abominably the Tenents and Opinions of those who first opposed the Papacy are represented and given over to posterity by them whose interest it was to have them thought such as they gave them out to be whether ever any man that undertooke to publish his Conceptions to the world about any opinion or parcell of Truth debated amongst Professors of the Gospell of Christ did ever so dismember disfigure defile wrest and pervert that which he opposed as Mr Goodwin hath done the Doctrine of Perseverance which he hath undertaken to destroy Me thinks a man should not be much delighted in casting filth and dung upon his Adversary before he begin to graple with him In one word this being the account he gives us of it if he be able to name one Author ancient or moderne any one sober person of old or of late that ever spent a pen full of Inke or once opened his mouth in the defence of that Perseverance of Saints or rather profane walking of dogs and swine which he hath stated not in the words and termes but so much as to the matter or purpose here intimated by him and it shall be accepted as a just defensative against the Crime which we are inforced to charge in this particular and which otherwise will not easily be warded If this be the Doctrine which with so great an indeavour and a Contribution of so much Paines and Rhetorique he seeks to oppose I know not any that will thinke it worth while to interpose in this fierce contest between him and his man of straw Neither can it with the least colour of Truth be pretended that these are Consequences which he urgeth the Doctrine he opposeth withall and not his Apprehensions of the Doctrine it selfe For neither doth he in any place in his whole Treatise hold it out in any other shape but is uniforme and constant to himselfe in expreffing his notion of it nor doth he indeed almost use any Argument against it but those that suppose this to be the true state of the Cōtroversy which he hath proposed But whether this indeed be the Doctrine of the Perseverance of Saints which Mr Goodwin so importunately cryes out against upon a briefe consideration of some of the particulars mentioned will quickly appeare First then §. 34. doth this Doctrine promise with height of Assurance that under what loosnesse or vile practices soever men doe live they shall have Exemption from punishment wherein I pray in that it promiseth the Saints of God that through his Grace they shall be preserved from such loosenesse and evill practises as would expose them to Eternall punishment Psal. 23. 6. Doth it teach men that it is vain to use the meanes of mortification because Jerem. 31. 33. 1 Cor. 10. 13. they shall certainly attaine the end whether they use the meanes or no Or may you not as well say that the Doctrine you oppose is that all men shall be saved whether they believe or no with those other comfortable and chearing associate doctrines you mention Or is this a Regular Emergency of that Doctrine which teaches 1 Pet. 1. 5. that there is no attaining the End but by the meanes between which there is such a Concatenation by Divine appointment that they shall not be separated Doth it speake peace to the flesh in Assurance of Blessed Immortality though it disport it selfe in all folly in the meane time Doe the Teachers of it expresse any such thing Doth any such Abomination issue from their Arguings in the defence thereof Or doth the Doctrine which teaches Believers Saints who have tasted of the love and pardoning mercy of God and are taught to valew it infinitly above all the world that such is the Love and goodwill of God towards them in the Covenant of mercy in the blood of Christ that having appointed Good works for them to walke in Ephes. 2. 10. 2 Cor. 3. 5. for which of themselves they are insufficient he will graciously continue to them such supplyes of his Spirit and Grace as that they shall never depart from following
after him in wayes of Gospell Obedience Doth this I say incourage any of them to continue in sinne that this Grace may abound Or are any Doctrines of the Gospell to be measured by the rules and lines of the use or abuse that the flesh is apt to make of them Or rather by their suitablenesse to the Divine nature whereof the Saints are made partakers and servicablenesse to their carrying on to perfection in that Attainment Or is this an Argument of validity against an Evangelicall Truth that the carnall unbelieving part is apt to turne it into wantonesse And whether Believers walking after the Siprit in which frame the Truthes of God in the Gospell are savory and sweet to them Rom. 8. 1 14. doe experience such attendancies of the Doctrine under consideration as are here intimated I am perswaded Mr Goodwin will one day finde that he hath not a little grieved the holy Spirit of God by these reproaches cast upon the worke of his Grace Further Doth this perswasion assure men that they shall injoy the Love Favour of God under the practises of all manner of sinne Or can this be wrested by any racks or wheeles from this Assertion that none indeed injoy the love and favour of God but only they towards whom it is effectuall to turne them from the practises of all manner of sinne and wickednesse to translate them from Darknesse into marvelous light and from the power of Satan into the Kingdome of Jesus Christ whom the Grace that appears unto them teacheth to deny all ungodlinesse and worldly lusts to live soberly righteously and Godly in this present world whom that Love constraines not to live vnto them selves but unto him that dyed for them Doth it promise the love and favour of God to doggs turning to their vomit swine wallowing in their mire when the very discriminating difference of it from that Doctrine which advanceth it selfe into Competition with it is that such returning doggs and wallowing Swine did indeed in their best estate and Condition never truly and properly partake of the Love and favour of God but notwithstanding their disgorging and washing of themselves they were doggs and swine still But to what end should I longer insist on these things I am fully perswaded Mr Goodwin himselfe cannot make roome in his understanding to apprehend that this is indeed the true notion of the Doctrine which he doth oppose Something hath been spoken of it already and more the Lord asslisting will be discussed in the progresse of our Discourse abundantly sufficient to manifest to the consciences of men not possest with prejudice against the Truth that it is quite of another nature consistency of another Complexion and usefullnesse then what is here represented I cannot but adde that this way of handling Controversies in Religion namely in proposing Consequences and Inferences of our owne framing wierdrawne with violence and subtility from Principles farr distant from them disowned disavowed and disclaimed by them on whom they are imposed as the Judgment of our Adversaries loading them with all manner of reproaches is such as beeing of all men in the world most walked in by the Arminians I desire not to be Competitor with any in haud defensoribus istis c. Let us now a little in the next place consider what Mr Goodwin gives in for that Perswasion § 32. which in Opposition to the other before by him displayed he contendeth with all his strength to advance I doe not doubt but all that are acquainted with his way of expression elato cothurno will as they may reasonably expect to have it brought forth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adorned with all the Gallantry and Ornaments that Words can contribute thereunto for of them there is with him store to be used on all occasions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The summe of the Doctrine he is so inamoured on §. 33. he gives us Chap. 9. Sect. 21. Pag. 115. Longa est Fabula longae Ambagis this is Caput reir * Quidam sunt qui jam aliquamdia luce veritatis collustrati fuerunt in ejus cognitione pietatisque studio tantùm profecerunt ut habitum tandem credendi sanctèque vivendi comparaverint Hos non tantum ad finem usque vitae perseverare posse sed facile posse ac libenter cum voluptate perseverare velle credimus adeó ut non nisi cum luctâ molestiâ ac difficultate desicere possint Act. synod Decl. Sen. A. 5. p. 189 190. It is not any danger of falling away in them that are Saints and Believers or probability of it that he mainetaines but only possibility of it such as there is that sober and carefull men may voluntarily throw themselves downe from the topps of Houses or Steeples though perhaps they never come there or runne into the fier or water and be burned or drowned having the use of their reason and understanding to preserve them from such unusuall and dismall accidents which seemes to be an instance of as remote and infirme a possibility as can likely be imagened Yea he tells you farther Sect. 22. That the Saints have as good security of their Perseverance as he could have of his life to whom God should grant a lease of it for so long upon condition that he did not thrust a sword through his bowells or cast himselfe headlong downe a Tower so that his Doctrine indulgeth to the Saints as much assurance as that of Perseverance but only it grants them not a liberty of sinning which I presume his owne Conscience told him that neither the other doth But is this inded Mr Goodwins Doctrine §. 34. Is this all that he intends his Arguments and proofs shall amount unto Ad populum phaleras strange that when there is not so much as a probabillity or danger of falling away yet so many and so Eminent Saints should so fall How seldome is it that we heare of wise and sober men running into the fier throwing themselves headlong from Towers thrusting swords through their owne bowels and nothing more frequent then the Apostacy of Saints If these things stood upon equall tearmes of unlikelyhood and improbability Math. 13. The stony field in the Parable seemes to be every whit as large as the good ground whose fruit abideth That Ground in Mr Goodwins sence is true Believers so that a moyety at least must be granted to fall away and never come to perfection Doubtlesse this is not easy to be received that one halfe of a Company of men in succession should constantly from one Generation to another fall into ruine in such a way as wherein there is no Danger of it or probability that it should so come to passe Methinks we should scarce dare to walke the streets least at every steppe we be strucken downe by sober men voluntarily tumbling themselves frō the topps of houses and hardly keepe our selves from being wounded with the swords wherewith
for the preservation of this excellency and glory of his People This Sunne though it may be for a while eclipsed yet shall never set nor give place to an evening that shall make long the shade thereof whom God once freely accepts in Christ he will never turne away his Love from them nor cast them Vtterly out of his Favour The other is within us and that is our Sanctification our Portion from God by the Spirit of Holinesse and the fruits thereof in our Faith Love and Obedience unto him And on this part of our Glory there is this Defence that this Spirit shall never Vtterly be dislodged from that Soule wherein he makes his residence nor resigne his habitation to the Spirit of the World that his fruit shall never so decay as that the Fruits of Sodome and the Grapes of Gomorra should grow in their roome nor they wherein they are Everlastingly Utterly and wickedly grow barren in departing from the Living God these two make up that Perseverance whereof we speake Whom God accepts in Christ he will continue to doe so for ever whom he quickens to walke with him they shall doe it to the end And these three things Acceptance with God Holinesse from God and a Defence upon them both unto the end all Free and in Christ are that threefold cord of the Covenant of Grace which cannot be broken In the handling then of the Doctrine proposed unto consideration § 50. I shall the Lord assisting shew First that the Love and Favour of God as to the free Acceptation of Believers with him in Christ is constant abiding and shall never be turned away handling at largethe Principles both of its being and manifestation Secondly that the Spirit and grace of Sanctification which they freely receive from him shall never utterly be extinguished in them but so remaine as that they shall abide with him for ever the Sophisticall separation of which two parts of our Doctrine is the greatest advantage our Adversaries have against the whole And demonstrate Thirdly the Reall and Causall influences which this Truth hath into the Obedience and Consolation of the Saints considered both absolutely and compared with the Doctrine which is set up in competition with it In the pursuit of which particulars I shall indeavour to Inforce and presse those places of Scripture wherein they are abundantly delivered and vindicate them from all the Exceptions put in to our inferences from them by M. Goodwin in his Redemption Redeemed as also Answer all the Arguments which he hath with much labour and industry collected and improved in opposition to the Truth in hand Take then only these few Previous observations and I shall insist fully upon the proofe and Demonstration of the first Position concerning the Vnchangeablenesse of the Love of God towards his to whom he gives Iesus Christ for Beauty and Glory and freely accepts them in him First §. 51. as to their Inherent Holinesse the Question is not concerning Acts either as to their vigour Revel 2. 5. 3. 2. which may be abated or as to their frequency which may be interrupted Isa. 57. 17. but only as to the Spirit Habit of it which shall never depart Hos. 14. 4. We doe not say they cannot sinne fall into many sinnes great sinnes which the Scripture plainely affirmes of all the Saints Isa. 59. 21. that went before and who of them living doth not this day labour under the Truth of it Ioh. 14. 16. But through the Presence of God with them 1 Ioh. 3. 9. upon such Grounds and Principles as shall afterwards be insisted on 1 Ioh. 1. 8. they cannot shall not sinne away the Spirit and Habit of Grace Iam. 3. 2. which without a miracle cannot be done away by any one Act 1 King 8. 38. and God will not worke Miracles for the destruction of his Children so as to fall into that state Isa. 64. 5 6. wherein they were before they were Regenerate and of the Children of God become Children of the Devill tasting of the second Death Rev. 20. 6. after they have been made Partakers of the first Resurrection Secondly the Question is not about the decay of any Grace but the losse of all not about sicknesse and weakenesses but about death it selfe which alone we say they shall be preserved from Neither doe we say that Believers are endowed with any such rich and plentifull Stock of Grace Psal. 23. 6. as that they may spend upon it without new supplyes all their dayes Isa. 35. 1 2. c. but grant that they stand in continuall need of the renued communication of that Grace Ioh. 15. 3 4 5 6. 7. which hath its abode and residence in their Soules Rom. 11. 18. and of that actuall Assistance whereby any thing that is truly and Spiritually good Ioh. 1. 16. is wrought in them Thirdly whereas there is a twofold Impossibility Col. 2. 19. First that which is absolutely and simply so in its own nature Luk. 17. 5. And Secondly that which is so only upon some suposition Phil. 2. 13. we say the totall falling away of the Saints is imppossible only in this latter sence The unchangeable Decree and Purpose of God his faithfull Promises and Oathes the Mediation of the Lord Jesus being in the Assertion supposed And Fourthly whereas we affirme they shall assuredly continue unto the end the Certainty and Assurance intimated is not mentis but entis Isa. 49. 14 15 16. not subjective but objective not alwayes in the person persevering but alwayes relating to the thing it selfe Isa. 5. 17. Fiftly that the three things formerly mentioned Cantt 5. 2 6. Acceptance with God Psal. 73. 26. Holinesse from God and the Defence upon them both unto the end are that threefold corde of the Covenant which cannot be broken This will appeare by compareing those two eminent places together which afterwards must more fully be insisted on Jerem. 31. 34 35. Cap. 32. 38 39 40. In generall God undertakes to be their God and that they shall be his People Cap. 31. 31. Cap. 32. 38. And this he manifests in three things First that he will Accept them freely give them to finde great Favour before him in the forgivenesse of their sinnes for which alone he hath any quarrell with them I will saith he forgive their iniquities and remember their sinnes no more cap 31. 34. As 't is againe repeated Heb. 8. 12. Secondly that they shall have sanctification and Holinesse from him I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their Hearts cap. 31. 33. I will put my feare in their Hearts v 40. with Ezek. 66. 67. calls the putting his Spirit in them who is the Author of that Grace and Holinesse which he doth bestow Thirdly that in both these there shall be a continuance for ever cap 32. 40. I will not turne away from
who being not within the compasse of that Purpose nor built on that Foundation never attaine that peculiar Grace which by Jesus Christ is to them administred who have that Priviledge And this further appeares by the Confirmation of the certainty of this Foundation of God which he hath layd manifested in the next words It hath this seale the Lord knowes who are his Whether ye will take this for a Demonstration of the former Assertion either a posteriori from the peculiar Love Favour Tendernesse and care which the Lord beares to them which are his who are built on the Foundation mentioned whereby in the pursuit of his Eternall Purpose he will certainely preserve them from perishing knowing owning and taking care of them in every Condition or for the Prescience of God accomplishing his Eternall Purpose designing them of whom he speakes as his for his they were and he gave them unto Christ is to me indifferent Evident it is that this Confirmation of the Purpose mentioned is added to assure us of the stability and accomplishment of it in that none who are built thereon or concerned therein shall fall away And herein doth the Apostle fully Answer and remove the fore-mentioned Objection Let men saith he appeare never so eminent in profession If once they proove Apostates they manifest themselves to have been but Hypocrites that is such as never had any of the Faith of Gods Elect which is their peculiar who are Ordained to Eternall Life This then beyond all colourable Exception is the intendment of the Apostle in the words under consideration Though many Professors fall away yet you that are true Believers be not shaken in your confidence for God hath laid the foundation of your preservation in his Eternall Purpose whereby you are designed to Life and Salvation and by the fruits whereof you are discriminated from the best of them that fall away only continue in the use of meanes let every one of â—ec depart from iniquity and keepe up to that universall Holinesse whereunto also ye are appointed and chosen And this is the whole of what we desire Demonstration of neither will lesse in any measure answer the Objection or remove the Scruple at first proposed But it seems §. 40. we are all this while besides the intendment of the Apostle whose Resolution of the Objection mentioned is quite of another nature then what we have hitherto insisted on which Mr Goodwin thus represents pag. 359. Cap. 14. Sect. 14. To this Objection or Scruple the Apostle in the words now in hand Answereth to this effect that notwithstanding the falling away of men who ever or how many soever they be yet the Glorious Gospell and Truth of God therein stands and alwaies hath stood firme and stedfast Which Gospell hath the matter and substance of this saying in it as a seale for the establishment of those who are upright in the sight of God viz. The Lord knoweth that is takes speciall notice of approoveth and delighteth in those that are his that is who truly Believe in him love and serve him yea and farther hath this Item tending to the same end Let every one that calleth upon the name of Christ that is makes profession of his name depart from iniquity so that in this Answer to the Scruple mentioned the Apostle intimateth by way of satisfaction that the reason why men fall away from the Faith is partly because they doe not consider what worthy respects God beareth to those who cleave to him in Faith and Love partly also because they degenerate into loose and sinfull courses contrary to the Law imposed by the Gospell and consequently that there is no such danger of their falling away who shall duly consider the one and observe the other inserting the stability of the Truth of God in the Gospell by the way of Antidote against the feares of those that might possibly suspect it because of the defections of others from it he doth but tread in his own foot steps else where in this very Chapter if we Believe not yet he abideth faithfull and cannot deny himselfe Ans. If that necessity were not voluntarily chosen which inforceth men to wrest and pervert the Word of God not only to Mistaken but strange uncouth and inconsistent sences their so doing might perhaps seeme not to be altogether without colour and pretext but when they willingly imbrace those paths which will undoubtedly lead them into the Briers and contrary to abundance of Light and Evidence of Truth imbrace those perswasions which necessitate them to such courses I know not what Cloake they have left for their deviations An Example of this we have before us in the words recited A sence is violently pinned upon the Apostles words not only alien forraigne to the scope of the place and Genuine signification of the words themselves but wholy unsuited for any serviceablenesse to the end for which the Author of this Glosse himselfe confesseth these Expressions of the Apostle to be produced and used The summe of Mr Goodwins Exposition of this place is this The Foundation of God is the Gospell or the Doctrine of it its standing or standing sure the certaine truth of the Gospell the Seale mentioned is the substance or matter of that saying God knowes who are his conteined in the Gospell and the Answer to the Objection or scruple lyes in this that the reason why men fall from the Gospell which neither is nor was the scruple nor was it so proposed by Mr Goodwin is because they consider not the Love that God bears to Believers that is that he approoves them whilst they are such which is indeed one maine part of the Gospell So that men fall from the Gospell because they fall from the Gospell and this must satisfie the scruple proposed It is an easy thing for men of Ability and Eloquence to gild over the most absurd and inconsistent Interpretation of Scripture with some appearance of significancy though I must needs say I know not lightly when nor by whom pretending to any sobriety it hath been more unhappily or unsuccesfully attempted them by Mr Goodwin in this place as upon due consideration will be made further appeare For 1. First to grant that the Foundation of God may be said so far to be the Gospell because his Eternall Purpose so expressed is therein revealed which is the interpretation Mr Goodwin proposeth I aske 1. Whether the Apostle applyes himselfe to remove the Scruple ingenerated in the minds of Believers about their owne falling away upon Consideration of the Apostasie of others and to answer the Objection arising thereupon This Mr Goodwin grants in the Head though in the Branches of his Discourse he casts in inquiries quite of another nature as that a Reason is inquired after why men fall from the Gospell and a suspicion is supposed to arise of the Truth of the Gospell because some fell from it Things that have not the least intimation in the words
higher then outward dispensations when the words expressly mention the Spirit already received Evident it is that the whole Grace Love Kindnesse and Mercy of this eminent Promise and consequently the whole Covenant of Grace is enervated by this corrupting Glosse Doe men think indeed that all the mercy of the Covenant of Grace consists in such tenders and offers as here are intimated that it all lyes in outward endearements and such dealings with men as may seeme to be suited to win upon them and that as to the reall exhibition of it it is wholly suspended upon the unstable uncertaine fraile wills of men The Scripture seemes to hold out something farther of more efficacy Ezek. 11. 19. The designe of these exceptions Jere 31. 32. 32. 40. is indeed to exclude all the effectuall Grace of God promised in Jesus Christ upon the account that the things which he promiseth to work in us thereby are the duties which he requireth of us In summe these are the exceptions which are given into this Testimony of God concerning the abiding of the spirit with them on whom he is bestowed and for whom he is procured to whom he is sent by Jesus Christ. And this is the Interpretation of the words As for mee for my part or as much as in me lieth this is my Covenant I will deale bountifully and gratiously with them the whole Nation of the Jewes my spirit that is in thee that they ought to take care that they entertaine and retaine the Holy Spirit and not walk so extremely unworthily that he should depart frō them the residue of the words wherein the maine Emphasis of them doth lye is left untouched The import then of this Promise is the same with that of the Promises insisted on before with especiall reference to the Holy Spirit procured for us and given unto us by Christ. The stability and establishing Grace of the Covenant is here called the Covenant as sundry other particular mercies of it are also Of the Covenant of Grace in Christ the blessed Spirit to dwell in us and rest upon us is the maine and principall Promise This for our consolation is renewed againe and againe in the Old and New Testoment As a Spirit of sanctification he is given to men to make them believe and as a spirit of Adoplion upon their Believing In either sence God even the Father who takes us into Covenant in Jesus Christ affirmes here that he shall never depart from us which is our first Testimony in the case in hand With whom the Spirit abides and whilest he abides with them they cannot utterly forsake God nor be forsaken of him for they who have the spirit of God are the Children of God sonnes and Heyres But God hath promised that his Spirit shall abide with Believers for ever as hath been clearly evinced from the Text under consideration with a removall of all exceptions put in thereto The second witnesse we have of the constant abode and residence of this spirit bestowed on them §. 26. which Believe for ever is that of the Sonne who assures his Disciples of it Joh. 14. 16. I will saith he pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever As our Saviour gives a Rule of Interpretation expressely of his Prayers for Believers that he did in them intend not only the men of that present Generation but all that should believe to the end of the World Ioh. 17. 20. I pray not for these alone but for them also who shall believe on me through their word so is it a Rule equally infallible for the interpretation of the gracious Promises which he made to his Disciples that are not peculiarly appropriated to their season and worke in which yet as to the generall Love Faithfulnesse and Kindnesse manifested and revealed in them the concernements of the Saints in all succeeding ages does lye they are proper to all Believers as such For whom he did equally intercede to them he makes Promises alike They belong no lesse to us on whom in an especiall manner the ends of the World are fallen then to those who first followed him in the Regeneration Let us then attend to the Testimony in this place and as he shall be pleased to increase our Faith mix it therewithall that the Spirit he procureth for us and sends to us shall abide with us for ever and whilest the Spirit of the Lord is with us we are his Doubtlesse it is no easy taske to raise up any pretended plea against the evidence given in by this Witnesse the Amen the great and faithfull witnesse in Heaven He tells us that he will send the Spirit to abide with us for ever and therein speaks to the whole of the case in hand and Question under debate All we say is that the Spirit of God shall abide with Believers for ever Christ saies so too and in the issue what ever becomes of us he will appeare to be one against whom there is no rising up Against this Testimony it is objected by Mr Goodwin §. 27. Cap. 11. Sect. 14. Pag. 234. This Promise saith he concerning the abiding of this other Comforter for ever must be conceived to be made either to the Apostles personally considered or else to the whole body of the Church of which they were principall members If the first of these be admitted then it will not follow that because the Apostles had the perpetuall residence of the spirit with them and in them therefore every particular Believer hath the like no more then it will follow that because the Apostles were infallible in their judgments through the teachings of the spirit in them therefore every Believer is infallible upon the same account also If the latter be admitted neither will it follow that every Believer or every member of the Church must needs have the residence of the spirit with them for ever There are principall priviledges appropriated to Corporations which every particular member of them cannot claime the Church may have the residence of the spirit of God with her for ever and yet every present member thereof loose his interest and part in him yea the abiding of the spirit in the Apostles themselves was not absolutely promised Ioh. 15. 10. 1. The designe of this discourse is to prove Ans. that this Promise is not made to Believers in generall or those who through the word are brought to believe in Christ in all Generations to the end of the World and consequently that they have no Promise of the Spirits abiding with them for that is the thing opposed and this is part of the Doctrine that tends to their Consolation and improvement in Holinesse What thankes they will give to the Authors of such an eminent discovery when it shall be determined that they have deserved well of them and the Truths of God I know not especially when it shall be considered that not
250. unto this Argument §. 12. is either a meere repetition of what was spoken before or a pressing of Consequences upon such supposalls as he is pleased to make concerning the Doctrine that he doth oppose As we cannot hinder any man from making what supposals they please and suiting inferences to them manifesting their skill in casting downe what themselves set up so we are not in the least concerned in such Theatricall contests What it is §. 13. that we teach of the Intercession of Christ for Believers hath been sufficiently explayned The end and aime of it is that they may be kept that they may not be lost that the evill one may not touch them that they may be Saved to the utmost and kept by the Power of God unto Salvation All that the Lord Jesus hath for his Church either by bis Oblation or his Intercession procured or doth procure being made out unto them by the Holy and Blessed Spirit which he sent them from his Father as the first fruits of his undertaking for them by and in the use of such meanes and wayes as he hath appointed for them to walke in in reference to the end proposed He Intercedes that through supplyes of that Spirit their Faith faile not that no temptation prevaile against them that they may have suitable helpes in time of need and so be preserved according to the tenor of that Sanctification which he is pleased to give them in this life which is imperfect not from all sinnes for it is the will of God to keepe them and walke with them in a Covenant of pardoning Mercy not absolutely from this or that great sinne as is evident in the case of David and Peter whereof under such sinnes the one lost not the Spirit nor the other his Faith but from such sinnes or such a course or way in and under sinne as would disappoint him and make his desires frustrate as to the end first proposed of bringing them to Glory so that as the intendment of his Oblation is meritoriously and by way of procurement to take away all our sinnes whatsoever and yet in the application of it unto us as to the taking of them away by purifying us to be an Holy People unto himselfe it is not perfected and compleated at once nor the worke thereof consummated but by degrees so in his Intercession which respecteth the same persons and things with his Oblation he puts in for our deliverance from all sinnes the power of them but so and in a such manner as the nature of our present condition whilst we are in viâ and the condition of the Covenant whereunto God hath graciously taken us doth require Through the Goodnesse of God §. 13. we have now brought this first Part to an end They who are in any measure acquainted in what straights under what pressing imployments and urgent Avocations and in what space of time this Offering was provided for the Sanctuary of God will accept it in him whose it is and from whom it was received CAP. X. 1. The Improvement of the Doctrine of Perseverance in reference to the Obedience and Consolation of the Saints why its tendency to the promoting of their Obedience is first handled before their Consolation 2. Five previous Observations concerning Gospell Truths in generall 1. That all are to be received with equall reverence 2. That the end of them all is to worke the soule into a conformity to God prov'd by severall Scriptures 2 Tim. 3. 16. Tit. 1. 1. c. 3. Some Truths have a more immediate tendency hereunto them others have 2 Cor. 5. 14. 4. Most weight is to be laid by Believers upon such 5. Men are not themselves to determine what Truths have most in them of this Tendency c. 3. Gospell Obedience what it is and why so called 5. It s nature 1 In the matter of it which is All and Only the will of God 5. 2 In the Forme of it which is considered 1. In the Principle setting it on worke Faith 2. In the manner of doing it eying both Precepts and Promises 3. The end aimed at in it the Glory of God as a Rewarder Heb. 11. 6. Rom. 4. 4. 6. The Principle in us whence it proceeds which is the New man the Spirit proved Eph. 3. 16 17. c. 7. What kind of Motives conduce most to the carrying on of this Obedience namely such as most cherish this New man which they doe most that discover most of the Love of God and his good will in Christ such as these are alone usefull to Mortification and the subduing of the contrary Principle of Flesh which hinders our Obedience proved Titus 2. 12. Rom. 6. 8. What Persons the improvement of this Doctrine concernes only true Believers who won't abuse it 9. How this Doctrine of Perseverance conduces so eminently to the carrying on of Gospell Obedience in the hearts of these true Believers 1. By removing discouragements 10 1. Perplexing Fears which impaire their Faith 11. 2. Hard thoughts of God which weaken their Love without which two Faith and Love no Gospell Obedience performed 12. Unspeakable obligations to live to God hence put upon the Soules of the Saints 13. Objection concerning the Abuse of this Truth to presumption and carelessnesse discussed examined at large and removed 14. The mortification of the Flesh wherein it consists how it is performed The influence of the Doctrine of the Saints Perseverance thereinto Dread and terror of Hell not the meanes of mortification at large proved by shewing quite another meanes of mortifying the Flesh viz The spirit of Christ Rom. 8. 13. applying the Crosse and Death of Christ. Rom. 6. 5 6. 15. 3. This Doctrine is usefull to promote Gospell Obedience in that it tends directly to increase and strengthen Faith and Love both towards God and towards our Lord Jesus Christ. 16. How it strengthens their Love to God viz. By discovering his Love to them in three eminent properties of it Freedome Constancy Fruitfulnesse 17. How it strengthens their Love to Jesus Christ viz. By discovering his Love to them in two eminent Acts of it his Oblation and his Intercession 18. 4. This Doctrine conduces c. by giving Gospell Obedience its proper place and due order 19. 5. By closing in with the ends of Gospell Ordinances particularly the Ministry one eminent end whereof is to perfect the Saints Eph. 4. 12 13. Which is done by discovering to them the whole will of God both Precepts on the one hand and Promises Exhortations Threatnings on the other 20. That of the Promises more particularly and more largely insisted on THat which remaines to compleat our intendment §. 1. as to that Part of the worke which now drawes towards a close is the importment of that Doctrine so long insisted on having in some measure vindicated and cleared up the Truth of it as to the effectuall influence it hath into the Obedience and Consolation of
Word of Truth whereby it is revealed 4. That there is by all that walke with God great weight to be laid on those Doctrines of Truth which directly and effectually tend to the promotion of Faith Love Feare Reverâ—nce of God with universall holinesse in their hearts and waies this being that whereunto they are called and whereby God is glorified Jesus Christ and the Gospell exalted wherein his Kingdome in them consists on which their owne peace in their owne bosomes their usefulnesse unto others in this World their being made meet for the Inheritance of the Saints of Light doth much depend If these things be of weight or moment unto them as surely they are all that is so to Believers then doubtlesse great valuation and deare esteeme will be entertained of those helps and Assistances wich they have leading and carrying them on thereunto 5. That a Judgement of what Truths and Doctrines are peculiarly conducing unto the promotion of Piety and Godlinesse is not to be made upon the Apprehensions and reasonings of men wrested with a thousand Corruptions and prejudices full of darknesse and vanity but according to what the Scripture it selfe holds forth and the nature of the things themselves that is the Evidence and Consequence that is between the Truth revealed and Obedience doth require If the Testimonies of the Sonnes of men must be admitted in this case to determine what Doctrine is according to Godlinesse the cry and noyse of them will be found so various discrepant confused and directly contradictory to it selfe that none will ever thereby be lead to establishment Then Papists will cry out for their Merits Penance Vowes Purgatory the Socinians Familists Formalists all contend upon the foundation of their own perswasions as to their tendency to Godlinesse of their Abominations That Doctrine which hath no other proofe of its Truth and worth but that men some men professe it tends to Godlinesse and Holinesse of conversation I dare say is a lye and vanity and did never promote any thing but vaine legall superstitious counterfeit Holinesse Indeed upon a supposition of its truth it is of concernement for the Advancement of any Doctrine in the esteeme and opinion of the Saints to manifest that it leads to Godlinesse but to prove it to be true because men who perhaps never knew any thing beyond Formall Legall Pharisaicall Holinesse all their daies say it tends to the promotion of Holinesse is but to obtrude our Conceptions upon others that are no way moulded into the frame of them That the imbracement of such a Truth will further us in our Obedience and walking with God therefore value and prize it is good arguing but that such a Doctrine will further us in a way of Godlinesse therefore 't is a Truth when we may be mistaken both in Godlinesse it selfe and in the motives to it and furtherances of it is but a Presumption To commend then the Truth which we have at large otherwise confirmed to the Hearts and Consciences of the Saints of God and to lay a foundation for the full removall of those vaine and weake exceptions which on this account are laid against it I shall manifest what influences it hath into their Obedience and with what eminent efficacy it prevailes upon their Soules to perfect Holinesse in the feare of God For the more cleare Declaration whereof I shall give the Reader the summe of it under the ensuing Considerations concerning Gospell Obedience and the moâ—ves that are proper thereunto 1. That which I call Gospell Obedience §. 3. wherein the Saints of God are furthered by the beliefe of the Truth we have in hand is variously expressed in the Scripture It may in Generall be described to be a voluntary orderly subjection to the whole will of God I call it Obedience in reference unto the will of God which is the Rule and Patterne of it and whereunto it is a regular subjection The Psalmist expresses it to the full both as to the Root and fruit Ps. 40. 8. I delight to doe thy will O my God yea thy Law is within my Heart the Law in the Heart gives us to doe and to delight in doing the Will of God Peter calls it being holy in all manner of conversation 1 Pet. 1. 14 15. Paul a Cleansing of our selves from all filthinesse of flesh and spirit in the feare of God 2 Cor. 7. 1. or as it is more eminently described Rom. 12. 1 2. in that Patheticall exhortation of the Apostle thereunto I beseech you Brethren by the mercies of God that you present your bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service And be not conformed unto this world but be yee transformed by the renewing of your mind that ye may prove what is that good that acceptable and perfect will of God as he had formerly at large described it in the sixth Chapter of that Epistle throughout And I call it Gospell Obedience not that it differs in substance as to the matter of it from that required by the Law which injoynes us to love the Lord our God with all our hearts but that it moves upon principles and is carried on unto ends revealed only in the Gospell In reference to our designe there are these four things considerable in it First the Nature of it Secondly the Principle in us from whence it proceeds Thirdly the Motives that are proper to the carrying it on the cherishing and increasing of it in them in whom it is Fourthly the Persons who are to be moved and provoked to a progresse therein By a briefe consideration of these things we shall make way for what we have undertaken namely to manifest the efficacy of the Doctrine we have insisted on for the promotion of this Gospell Obedience being accused and charged with the cleare contrary tendency whereof God assisting we shall free and discharge it in the progresse of this Discouse 1. § 4. First in the Nature of it I shall consider only these two things 1. The Matter or Substance of it what it is as it were composed of and wherein it doth consist 2. The Forme or Manner of its performance whence it receives its distinct being as such 1. The Matter or Substance of it containes those things or duties to God wherein it doth consist Now it consisting as I said before in Conformity Submission to the Will that is the Commanding revealed Will of God the matter of it must lye in the performance of all these things only those things which God requireth of Believers in walking before him I say all those things that God commandeth with an equall respect to all his Precepts The Authority of God the Commander and Law Giver is the same in every command And therefore was the Curse denounced unto every one that continued not in all things written in the Law to do them and the Apostle tels us that in the transgression of any one precept there is
are suited to the cherishing of that Principle of the new or inner man in the heart to the nourishing and strengthning of the new creature such as are apt to ingenerate Faith and Love in the heart unto God such as reveale and discover those things in his nature mind and will as are apt to endeare and draw out the heart to him in Communion discouraging perplexing Doctrines doe but ill manure the soyle from whence the fruits of Obedience are to spring and grow Look then I say whatsoever Gospell Truth is of eminent usefulnesse to warme foment stirre up and quicken the Principle of Grace in the heart to draw out increase and cherish Faith and Love that Doctrine lies in a direct immediate tendency to the promotion of Holinesse Godlinesse and Gospell Obedience Yea and whereas to the carrying on of that course of Obedience it is necessary that the contrary Principle unto it which we mentioned before be daily subdued brought under crucified and mortified there are no Doctrines whatsoever that are of such and so direct and eminent a serviceablenesse to that end and purpose as those which inwrappe such discoveries of God and his good will in Christ as are fitted for the improvement also of the principle of Grace in us Hence the worke of Mortification in the Scripture Rom. 6. 2 3 4 5 6. is every where assigned peculiarly to the Crosse and death of Christ Rom. 8. 13. his Love manifested therein and his Spirit flowing therefrom Rom. 7. 7. The Doctrine of the Law indeed humbles the soule for Christ Gal. 3. 23. but it is the Doctrine of the Gospell that humbles the soule in Christ It is the Grace of God that hath appeared 2 Cor. 5. 15. that teaches us effectually to deny all ungodlinesse and worldly lusts to live soberly and righteously and Godly in this present world Tit. 2. 12. He that will but with a little heed read Cap. 6. to the Romans will know from whence Mortification flowes which truly by the way makes me admire at the extreame darknesse and blindnesse of some poore men who have of late undertaken to give directions for Devotion and walking with God who indeed sutably to the most of the rest of their discourses all manifesting an Ignorance of the Righteousnesse of God Rom. 10. 4. and a zealous endeavour to establish their owne coming to propose waies and meanes for the mortifying of any sinne or Lust tell you stories of biting the tongue thrusting needles under the nailes with such like Trash as might have befited Popish devotions five hundred years agoe Were not men utterly ignorant what it is to know the Lord Jesus Christ Phil. 3. 10. and the power of his Resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings Gal. 6. 14. and being made conformable to his death they could never feed on such huskes themselves nor make provision of them for those whose good they pretend to seeke Unto what hath been spoken adde 4. Fourthly §. 8. who are the Persons that are to be provoked to Holinesse and Godlinesse by the Doctrine insisted on Now they are such as doe believe it and are concerned in it We say the Truth under consideration is of an excellent usefulnesse to farther Gospell Obedience in the hearts of Believers and Saints of God who are taught of God not to turne the Doctrine of Grace into wantonnesse What use or abuse rather men of corrupt mindes and carnall principles who stumble at Jesus Christ and abuse the whole Doctrine of the Gospell by their prejudices and presumptions will make of it we know not nor are sollicitous 2 Cor. 4. 3 4. If the Gospell be hid it is hid to them that perish it is sufficient that the food be good and wholsome for them for whom it is provided If some will come and steale it 2 Cor. 2. 16 27. that have no right to it and it prove through their own distempers gravell in their mouthes or poyson in their bowells they must blame themselves and their own wormewood Lusts and not the Doctrine which they doe receive It is provided for them that feare God and love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity not for doggs swine unbelievers we shall not marvaile if they trample on this pearle and rend them that bring it To such as these then I say the Doctrine of the Perseverance of the Saints or the stability or unchangeablenesse of the Love of God unto Believers and of their continuation in Faith and Obedience is full of exceeding effectuall motives and provocations unto Holinesse in all manner of Gospell Obedience and holy conversation exceedingly advantaging the soules of men in a course thereof Now the influence it hath into the Obedience of the Saints floweth from it upon a twofold account 1. By removing all discouragements whatsoever §. 9. that are apt either to turne them aside from their Obedience or to render their Obedience servile slavish or unacceptable to God it setts them through Christ at perfect liberty thereunto 2. By putting unconquerable and indissoluble Obligations upon them to live unto God and the praise of his glorious Grace and evidently drawes them forth unto the Obedience required 1. It removeth and taketh out of the way all discouragements whatsoever all things which are apt to enterpose to the weakning of their Faith in God or their Love to God which as hath been said are at the bottome of all Obedience and Holinesse that is acceptable to God in Christ Now these may all be referred unto two heads 1. Of perplexing anxious fears §. 10. which are apt to impaire and weaken the Faith of the Saints 2. Of hard thoughts of God which assault and shake their Love That slavish perplexing troublesome feares are contrary to the free and ingenuous state of Children whereunto the Saints are admitted and however sometimes yea oftentimes they are at the bottome and the occasion of burthen some servile and superstitious Obedience Impairers of their Faith I suppose I need not labour to prove That kind of Feare whereof we speake of which more afterwards is the greatest Traytor that lurkes in the soule To feare the Lord and his Goodnesse Hos. 3. 5. is the soules Keeper but this servile perplexing feare is the Betrayer of it in all its waies and that which sowres all its duties A thing which the Lord sets himselfe against in rebukes reproofes dehortations as much as any failing and miscarriage in his Saints whatever It is the opposite of Faith hence the fearefull and unbelieving are put together in their exclusion from the new Jerusalem Rev 20. 8. it is that which is direct contrary to that which the Apostle adviseth the Saints unto Heb 10. 19 20 21 22. it is that which mixeth Faith with staggering Rom 4. 20. Prayer with wavering making it ineffectuall Iames 1. 6. 7. Let us now suppose a man to have attained some assurance of the Love of God
one altogether lovely As exceeding desireable in the work of his Oblation lovely and amiable in the work of his Intercession as hath been manifested 1. It imports him as one who in his death hath made an end of the Controversy between God and our soules Dan. 9. 39. Becoming our peace Eph. 2. 14. having obtained for us Eternall Redemption That he hath not suffered all that sorrow anguish paine torment dereliction whereunto for our sakes he was given up and willingly exposed himselfe for an uncertaine end not fighting in his death as one beating the ayre nor leaving his worke in the dust to be trampled on or taken up as it seemes good to us in our polluted darke dead estate of nature But hath filled it with such immortall seed that of it selfe by it selfe and its own unconquerable Efficacy it hath sprung up to the bringing forth of that whole fruit intended in it and the accomplishment of all the ends aimed at by it That is that it shall certainely and infallibly bring all those to God for whom he offered by Sanctifying Justifying and preserving them through the Communication of his owne Spirit and Grace to them for that end and purpose All his Promises being yea and Amen in him confirmed by his death 2 Cor. 1. 20. Heb. 10. 12 13 14 15 16. Some of those who indeed abuse the Truth we have insisted on pretend to grant That by his death he made satisfaction for sinne but only on condition that men believe on him and continue so doing That they shall so believe and so continue though he is said to be the Captaine of our Salvation and the Author and finisher of our Faith though it be given unto us for his sake to believe on him and we are blessed with all spirituall blessings in heavenly places in him that he takes no care about beyond the generall administration of outward meanes He neither procured any such thing by his Oblation nor doth intercede for it these things are left unto men to be educed drawne forth and exercised by virtue of sundry considerations that they may take upon themselves Never doubtlesse did men take more paines to staine the beauty and comelinesse of our dying Saviour 2. For his Intercession the Doctrine hitherto insisted on renders him therein exceeding lovely and desireable It tells you that he doth pray the Father and thereupon sends us the Comforter the Holy Spirit for all the gratious acts and works ends and purposes before mentioned with innumerable other priviledges that the Saints by him are made partakers of and that to abide with us for ever never to leave us nor forsake us That he continually appears in the presence of God for us interceding that our Faith may not faile pleading for us in and under all our decayes making out to us sutable supplies in all our Distresses Temptations Tryalls Troubles taking care that no Temptation befall us but that a way also of escape be given to us together with it It tells us his Eye even now he is in glory is still upon us seeing our wants taking notice of our weaknesse and providing for us as his only concernment in the World that we be not lost That he hath not left one jot of that kindnesse which he bare to his flock his Lambs his little ones But pursues with all his strength and all the interest he hath in Heaven the worke of their Salvation which he came from his Fathers bosome to enter on and returned to him againe to carry it on unto perfection That as the High Priest of old he beares our names in his breast and on his shoulders continually before his Father So that in all our falls and failings when wee are in our selves helpelesse and hopelesse when there is nothing in us nor about us that can doe us any good or yeeld us any help or Consolation yet on this account we may say the Lord is our Shepheard we shall lack nothing He hath undertaken for us and will beare us in his Armes untill he bring us to the bosome of his Father Now whether such cosiderations as these of the Oblation and Intercession of Christ doe not fill his Love in them with a more constraining efficacy and more draw out the hearts of the Saints unto Faith and Love then any instruction can doe informing men of the uselesnesse of the one or other of these eminent Acts of his Mediation for any of the ends and Purposes mentioned let Believers judge That which men repose upon in their greatest necessities and for the things of the greatest concernement thereof they have the greatest valuation and the thoughts of it are most fixed in their minds What is there of so great concernement in this World unto the Saints as their abiding with God unto the end How many how great urging pressing are the difficulties dangers troubles they meet withall in their so doing What then they have most frequent recourse unto and what they rest most upon under their pressures in the things of that concernement before mentioned that will deserve the name of their Treasure where their hearts will and ought to be Now if this setting aside as things of no Consideration in such a case the Purposes Covenant and Promises of God the Oblation and Intercession of the Lord Christ be mens own rationall Abilities to consider what is for their good and what will be hurtfull and destructive to them what can hinder but that men will yea and that they often should spend the flower and best of their Affections upon and about themselves and their own Wisdome in and for their preservation That doubtlesse will take up their hearts and thoughts so that there will be very little roome left for the entertainement of the Lord Jesus Christ with any regard or respect on this account If that then may passe which was formerly laid downe namely that the Doctrines and things which are Apt and suted to the ingenerating quickning increasing and building up of Faith and Love towards God and our Lord Jesus Christ are the most eminent Gospell motives to spirituall acceptable Obedience as it is an unquestionable Truth and certainty doubtlesse that Doctrine which represents the Father Sonne so rich in mercy so loving lovely to the soule as that doth which we insist upon must needs have a most effectuall influence into that Obedience 4. The Doctrine insisted on §. 18. hath an effectuall influence into the Obedience of the Saints upon the account of giving it its proper place and setting it aright upon its basis carrying it on in due order It neither puts upon it the fetters of the Law nor turnes it loose from the Holy and righteous Rule of it Let men be as industrious as can be imagined in the performance of all commanded duties yet if they doe it on legall motives and for legall ends all their performances are vitiated and all their duties rejected This the Apostle
Truth and Mistery calculated contrived and framed by God with a singular aptnesse and choicenesse of ingredients for the advancement of Godlinesse in the world therefore what particular Doctrine is of the same Spirit tendency and import must needs be a naturall branch thereof and bath perfect accord with it this Proposition then it unquestionable Ans. According to the principles formerly laid downe I have something to say though not to the proposition it selfe § 3. as in the termes it lyeth but only as to the fixednesse and stayednesse of it that it may not be a nose of max to be turned to and fro at every ones pleasure to serve their turnes for what sort of men is there in the world professing the name of Christ that do not lay claime to an intrest in this Proposition for the confirmation of their Opinions It is but as a Common Exordium in Rethoricke a uselesse flourish The Doctrine which is according to Godlinesse that is which the Scripture teacheth to be true and to serve for the promotion of Godlinesse not what Doctrine soever any darke brainesicke Creature doth apprehend so to do in the state and Condition wherein the Saints of God walke with him is a branch of the Gospell I adde in the state and condition wherein we walke with God for in the state of innocency the Doctrine of the Law as a Covenant of Life was of singular aptnesse and usefulnesse to promote Obedience which yet is not therefore any branch or part of the Gospell but opposite to it and destructive of it All the advantage then Mr Goodwin can expect from this Argument to his cause dependeth upon the proofe of the minor Proposition which also must be effected in aswerable proportion to the restrictions and qualifications given to the Major or the whole will be void and of none effect That is he must prove it by the Testimony of God to be according to Godlinesse and not give us in by a pure begging of the thing in Question that it is so in his Apprehesion and according to the principles whereon he doth proceed in the teaching and asserting of Godlinesse Mr Goodwin knowes that there is no lesse difference btween him and us about the nature and causes of Godlinesse then there is aboute the Perseverance of the Saints and therefore his asserting any Doctrine to be suited to the promotion of Godlinesse that Assertion being proportioned to his other Hypothesis of his owne wherein we accord not with him and in particular to his notions of the causes and nature of Godlinesse with which conceptions of his we have no communion it cannot be of any weight with us unlesse he prove his affirmation according to the limitations before expressed Now this he attempteth in the words following What Doctrine saith he can there be more proper and powerfull to promote Godlinesse §. 4. in the hearts and lives of men then that which on the one hand promiseth a crowne of Blessednesse and eternall Glory to those that live Godlily without declining and on the other hand threatneth the vengeance of Hell fire eternally against those that shall turne aside into profanenesse and not returne by repentance whereas the Doctrine which promiseth and that withall possible certainty and assurance all fulnesse of Blessednesse and Glory to those that shall at any time be Godly though they shall the very next day or hour degenerate and turne loose and profane and continue never so long in such a course is most manifestly destructive to Godlinesse and encouraging above measure unto profanenesse Ans. There are two parts of this Discourse the one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or confirmatory of his owne Thesis §. 5. the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or destructive of that which he opposeth For the first it is upon the matter all that he produceth for the confirmation of his Minor Proposition wherein any singular concernement of his opinion doth lye Now that being in a sould sence the common Inheritance of all that professe the Truth under what deceits or mistakes soever the summe of what is here insisted on is that the Doctrine he maintaineth concerning the possibility of the Saints defection promiseth a crowne to them that continue in Obedience and threatneth vengeance of fire to them that turne to profanenesse which taken as a proofe of his former assertion is lyable to some small exceptions As 1. That this doth not at all prove the Doctrine to be a branch or parcell of the Gospell it being is it standeth severally by it selfe the pure tenor of the Covenant of Workes which we confesse to have been of singular importance for the propagation of Godlinesse Holinesse in them to whom it was given or with whom it was made being given and made for that very end and and purpose but that this alone by its selfe is a peculiar branch or parcell of the Gospell or that it is of such singular importance for the carrying on of Gospell-Obedience as so by it selfe proposed that should here have been proved 2. As it is also a part of the Gospell declaring the Faithfulnesse of God and the End and Issue of the proposall of the Gospell unto men and of their receiving or refusing of it so it is altogether forraigne to the Doctrine of Mr Goodwin under contest he might as well have said that the Doctrine of Apostacy is of singular import for the promotion of Holinesse because the Doctrine of Justification by Faith is so for what force of consequence is betwixt these two that God is a rewarder of them that Obey him and a punisher of them that rebell against him is an incentive to Obedience therefore the Doctrine that true Believers united to Jesus Christ may utterly fall out of the Favour of God and turne from their Obedience and be damned for ever there being no Promise of God for their preservation is also an incentive to Holinesse 3. What virtue soever there may be in this truth for the furtherance and promotion of Holinesse in the world our Doctrine laieth as cleare claime to it as yours that is there is not any thing in the least in it inconsistent therewith all we grant God threateneth the vengeance of Hell fire unto those that turne aside from their profession of Holinesse into profanenesse the Gospell it selfe becoming thereby unto them a savour of death unto death the Lord thereby proclaiming to all the world that the wages of sinne and infidelity is death and that he that believeth not shall be damned but that any thing can hence be inferred for the Apostacie of true Believers or how this assertion cometh to be appropriated to that Doctrine we see not The latter part of this Discourse § 6. whereby its Author aimeth to exclude the Doctrine hitherto asserted by us from any claime laid to usefulnesse for the promotion of Godlinesse is either a mistake of it through ignorance of the opinion he hath undertaken to
lesse Anti-evangelicall This foundation then being removed what ever is built upon it mole ruit su◠Neither is it in any measure restored or laid a new by the reason of it given by Mr G. viz. That the Scripture affirmeth in sundry places that God is no accepter of persons for he that shall hence conclude that what ever Doctrine affirmeth directly or by consequence that God is no Aceepter of persons what ever other abomination it is evidently deeming with all is yet true and according to the minde of God shall have leave notwithstanding the antiquated Statute of our Vniversity against it to goe and reade Logicke at Stamford On this account do but provide that a Doctrine be not gnilty of any one crime and you may conclude that it is guilty of none For instance That Doctrine which impeacheth not the Omnipresence of the Diety is true according to the Scripture for the Scripture aboundeth with cleare Testimonyes of the Presence of God in all places Now the Doctrine of the Vbiquity of the humane nature of Christ doth no way impeach the omnipresence of the Diety therefore it is true and according to Scripture I might supersede all further considerations of this Argument having rendered it altogether uselesse and unserviceable in this warfare by breaking its right legge or rather cruteh whereon it leaned but something also may be added to the Minor because of its reflection in the close of its proofe upon the Doctrine we maintaine intimating an inconsistency of it with that Excellency of God spoken of namely that he is no Accepter of Persons Prosopolepsia §. 4. or Accepting of Persons is an evill in Judgment when he who is to determine in causes of righteousnesse hath respect to personall things that concerue not the merit of the Cause in hand and judgeth accordingly This properly can have no place in God as to any bestowing of free Grace Mercy or Pardon There is Roome made for it only when the things that are bestowed or wrought by it are such as in Justice are due it being an Iniquity solely and directly opposed to distributive Justice Exod. 23. 2 3 6 7 8 9. that rendreth to every one according to what is Righteous and due Iob. 31. 34. That with God there be no Accepting of Persons there is no more required but this that he appoint and determine equall Punishments to equall faults and give equall Rewards to equall deservings If he will dispose of his pardoning Mercy and free Grace to some in Christ not to others who shall say unto him what dost thou May he not do what he will with his owne So he giveth a peny to him that laboureth all day he maygive a peny also to him that worketh but one houre Now suppose that Mr G's Doctrine render God free from this or rather chargeth him not with it yet if withall it calleth his Truth Righteousnesse Faithfulnesse Oath and Immutabillity into question shall it passe for a Truth or be embraced ever the sooner But the sting of this Argument lieth in the Taile §. 5. or close of it in the Reflection insisted on upon the common Doctrine of Perseverance as it is called viz. that it teacheth God to be an accepter of Persons This is Mr Goodwin's way of Arguing all along When at any time he hath proposed a proofe of the Doctrine he goeth about to establish finding that as somthing heavy worke to lye upon his hand and not much to be said in the case he instantly turneth about and falleth upon his Adversaries in declaiming against whom he hath a rich and overflowing Veine There is scarce any one of his Arguments in the pursuit and improvement whereof one fourth part of it is spoken to that head where in he is engaged But wherein is the Common Doctrine of Perseverance guilty of this great crime §. 6. It teacheth that He that believeth shall be saved and he that believeth not shall be damned It teacheth that God hath allotted equall punishments to equall Transgressions and appointed equall Rewards to equall wayes of Obedience That the Wages of every sinne is death and that every sinner must dye unlesse it be those concerning whom God himselfe saith Deliver them I have found a Ransome Job 33. 24. that he is a like displeased with sinne in whomsoever it is and that in a peculiar and eminent manner when it is found in his owne Indeed if this be to impute Acceptation of Persons to God to say that he hath Mercy on whom he will have Mercy and whom he will he hardeneth that he is tender to his owne as a Father to his only Child that serveth him and will recover them being faithfull in his Promises from their sinnes and heale their backeslidings though he suffer others to lye wallowing in their rebellions and pollutions all their dayes that he will not give pardon to any finner but upon Faith and Repentance but will give Faith and Repentance to those whom he hath chosen and given unto Jesus Christ to be saved If this I say be acceptance of Persons our Doctrine owneth the imputation of ascribing it to God and glorieth in it we being ascertained that God taketh all this to himselfe clearely and plentifully in the Word of Truth The summe of what our Author gives in §. 7. to make good his charge upon the common Doctrine of Perseverance is That it affirmeth that though Saints and Believers fall into the same sinnes of Adultery and Idolatry and the like with other men yet they are not dealt withall as other men but continued in the Love and Favour of God To wave the consideration of the false impositions by the way on the Doctrine opposed as that is that it teacheth the Saints to fall into and to continue in them to the significancy of that expression never so long under Abominations and to joyne Issue upon the whole of the matter I say 1. That in and with this Doctrine and in perfect Harmony and Consistency therewith Rom. 1. 32. we maintaine that the judgement of God is the same in respect of every sinne in whomsoever it is and that he that doth it on that account is worthy of death and 2. That the sentence of the Law is the same towards all cursing every one that continueth not in all things written in the Book thereof Deut. 27. 26. to doe them 3. That in and under the Gospell wherein a remedy is provided in reference to the rigour and severity of both the former Apprehensions yet the Judge of all dealeth with all men equally according to the tenor of it He that Believeth shall be Saved and he that Believeth not shall be damned Men in the same condition shall have the same recompence of reward But you will say Doe not the same sinnes put men into the same condition and deserve the same punishment in one as in another Ans. 1. They doe deserve the same punishment God
is equally provoked and had not Christ answered for the sinnes of Believers they could not they should not have escaped the wrath due to them 2. That the same sinnes doe not argue men alwaies under the Gospell to be in the same Condition as shall be afterwards fully manifested for 1. They doe not find them in the same state some are in a state of Death and sinne others of Life and Grace being translated from the one to the other having a Title to the Promise of Mercy in Christ. 2. And chiefly as there is a twofold justification of the Person and of the Fact and the one may be without the other so there is a twofold condemnation or dis-approbation of the Fact and of the Person As to the particular dis-approbation of God in respect of any sinfnll Act it is the same in reference unto all Persons Believers and Unbelievers As to their Persons there are in the Gospell other ingredients to the judgement of them beside particular Facts or Acts in answer to the Law or the rule of Righteousnesse viz. Faith and Repentance which alter the case of the Person even before the judgement seat of God To suppose the Saints to fall into the same sinnes with other men in the same manner and to continue in them without Faith and Repentance is to begge the thing in Question Suppose them to have what we affirme God hath promised those conditions of Evangelicall mercie and M. Goodwin himselfe will grant it no acceptance of Persons to deale otherwise with them then with others who have committed like sinnes with them in whom those conditions are not wrought or found that is he that Believeth shall be Saved he that Believeth not shall be Damned This is all we say in this thing but of the difference between Believers and unbelievers in their sining we shall speake afterwards at large to the full removall of this and another Objection For the present this shall suffice though Believers fall or may fall into the same sinnes with other men yet they fall not into them in the same manner with them and they have a reliefe provided to prevent the deadly malignity of sinne which those who believe not have no interest in no right unto Mr Goodwins second Argument is §. 8. that which of all others in this case hee seemeth to lay most weight upon and which he pursueth at large in 17 Pages and as many Sections treating in it concerning the Ministry of the Gospell and the usefulnesse of the Exhortations Threatnings and Promises thereof For an entrance into the consideration of it I must needs say Non venit ex pharetris ista sagitta tuis For besides that M. Goodwin hath taken very little paines in the improvement of it considering how it was provided to his hand by the Remonstrants at the Synod of Dort and that which he hath done farther consisting in a meere uselesse and needlesse stuffing of it with sundry Notions taken out of their first Argument and fifth De modo conversionis of the manner of the Spirits operation in and upon the Soule in its first conversion to God it was the old song of the Pelagians and Semi-Pelagians in their dealing with Austine Fulgentius Hilarius Prosper by them at large confuted renewed by Castallio and Erasmus against Luther after it had been sifted and rejected by the more learned Schoolemen in former ages What ever it be and how ever it is now come to hand being taught to speake out Language and that in the best fashion the consideration of it must not be declined And thus it is proposed If the common Doctrine of Perseverance rendreth the Ministry of the Gospell §. 9. so farre as it concerneth the Perseverance of the Saints vaine impertinent and void then is it not a Doctrine of God but of men and consequently that which opposeth it is the truth But certaine it is that the said Doctrine is of this unchristian tendency and import Ergo. The first part of the consequent of the Major is granted The Work of the Ministry being for the edification of the body of Christ and the perfecting of the Saints Ephes. 4. 12 13. that which frustrateth the End whereunto of Christ himselfe it is designed can be no Truth of his Of the farther inference That the Doctrine which opposeth it or is set up in opposition to it is the Truth more will be spoken afterwards For the present I cannot but insist upon the former observation That notwithstanding Mr Goodwins pretence of proving and arguing for the Doctrine he maintaines yet upon the matter he hath not any thing to say in the carrying on of that designe but instantly falls to his old work of raising Objections in their very setting up prepared to be cast downe for the most part which with all his might he laboureth to remove The stresse of the whole as farre as we are concerned in it lieth on the Minor which is thus farther attempted to be made good The Minor Proposition is Demonstrated thus The Doctrine which rendreth the Labour and Faithfulnesse of a Minister in pressing such Exhortations Threatnings and Promises which tend to the preservation of the Saints in Faith and holinesse to the end uselesse rendreth the Ministry of the Gospell as farre as it concerneth the encouragement or inabling of the Saints to Persevere needlesse and vaine but guilty of such a tendency as this is the commonly received Doctrine of Perseverance Ergo. Ans. This labour might have been saved and both these Syllogismes very easily reduced to one but then another seeming Argument as we shall find afterwards insisted on would have been prevented Our trade in such cases as this is by weight and not by number the Minor then is still to be confirmed which he laboureth thus to doe The common Doctrine of Perseverance requireth and commandeth all Saints or true Believers to be fully perswaded and this with the greatest and most indubitable certainty of Faith that there is an absolute and utter impossibility either of a totall or finall defection of their faith that though they should fall into ten thousand enormous and most abominable sinnes and lyewallowing in them like a swine in the mire yet they should remaine all the while in an estate of Grace and that God will by a strong hand of irresistible grace bring them off from their sinnes by Repentance before they dye but the Doctrine which requireth and commandeth all this and much more of like import to be confidently believed by true Believers rendreth the pressing of all Exhortations Threatning Promises upon them in order to prevaile with them or make them carefull to Persevere bootlesse and unnecessary Ergo. Ans. 1. §. 10. What weight M. Goodwin with all those with whom as to his undertaking under consideration He is in fellowship doth lay upon this Argument is known to all The whole foundation of what is afterwards at large insisted on for the establishment of
it being laid upon the proofe of the Minor Proposition formerly denied here laid downe It will easily be granted that it was incumbent on him to make sure worke here and not to leave any thing liable to any just Exception An errour or a mistake in the foundation is not easily recoverable All that is afterwards heaped up beareth it selfe on a supposition of the Truth of what is here delivered If this faile in the least we may spare our Labour as to any farther consideration of what followeth Now the maine of the proofe here insisted on lieth in the Declaration of that which he calleth the Common Doctrine of Perseverance and concerning this he informeth his Reader 1. That it commandeth all Saints to he fully perswaded and that with the gseatest and most indubitable certainty of Faith that there is an absolute and utter impossibility either of a totall or finall defection of their Faith Ans. 1. What is the intendment of these Aggravating expressions of fully perswaded greatest and most indubitable certainty of Faith I know not Will it please you if it should require them to be perswaded but not fully perswaded Believe it but with little and dubitable cetainty of Faith or uncertainty rather Full perswasion greatest certainty without doubting or staggering are all of their perfections of Faith and of the Saints in believing which without doubt they are in all that they are to Believe to presse after so that all this is no more but that this Doctrine requireth men to believe what it affirmeth God to have promised It requireth men to mixe the Promises of God with Faith Crimen in auditum But though the manner of Believing which it requireth be not blameable yet the thing which it proposeth to be believed is false What is that That there is an Absolute or utter impossibility either of a totall or finall defection of the Faith of true Believers It s requiring this to be Believed is the bottome also corner stone of Mr Goodwin's insuing Argument if it doth not do this he hath nothing in this place to say to it Let him then produce any one that ever wrote in the defence of it that hath in Termes or by just consequence delivered any such thing and on Herbam there shall be an end of this dispute I presume Mr Goodwin knoweth what is meant by an absolute and utter impossibility An absolute Repugnancy unto being in the nature of the things themselves concerning which any Affirmation is and not any externall or forraigne consideration doth entitle any thing to an absolute utter Impossibility did ever any one affirme that in the nature of the thing it selfe the defection of the S t s is absolutely impossible Is it not by them that believe the Perseverance of the S t s constantly affirmed that in themselves they are apt yea prone to fall away and their Faith to decay and dye which in it selfe possibly may be done though Mr Goodw cannot tolerably shew how The whole cerrainty of their continuance in and of the preservation of their Faith depends meerely on supposition of something that is extrinsecall in respect of them and of their state which as to their Condition might or might not be Farther the Perseverance of the Saints is by the same persons constantly affirmed to be carryed on to be perfected in and by the use of meanes It is their keeping by the power of God through Faith unto Salvation And can then an absolute impossibility of their defection be asserted or only that which is so upon supposition viz. of the Purpose of God c. There was no Absolute Impossibility that the bones of Christ should not be broken they being in themselves as lyable to be broken as his flesh to be pierced yet in respect of the event it was impossible they should be so I cannot well imagine that Mr Grodwin is not fully perswaded with the greatest and most indubit able certainty that a Perswasion in things of this kind will admit that the Common Doctrine of Perseverance doth not require Saints to believe that there is an absolute impossibility of their defection but only that God hath promised to Preserve them from that which in themselves and in respect of any thing in them they are obnoxious unto in and by the use of meanes suited and appointed by him to the carrying on of that worke and compassing of the end proposed But yet it pleaseth him here to make shew of a contrary Apprehension and to shew his confidence therein he aggravates it with this annexed supposition and case It doth so saith he though they should fall into 10000 enormous and most abominable sinnes and lye wallowing in them like Swine in the mire yet that they shall remaine all the while in an estate of Grace Ans. Truly this is such an enormous and abominable Calumny §. 11. that I cannot but admire how any sober and Rationall man durst venture upon the owning of it The question now is what Faith the Doctrine insisted on ingenerates in particular persons that should enervate and make void the Exhortations c. of the Ministry Now though the Doctrine should teach this Indefinitely that though men did sinne so and so as is here exprest yet they should be kept in a state of Grace as is mentioned which yet is lowdly and palpably false as hath been declared yet that it doth require particular men to Believe for themselves and in reference to the Guidance of their owne Wayes that they may lye and wallow in their sinne like swine in the mire and yet continue in a state of Grace and Acceptation with God is so notoriously contrary to the whole tenour of the Doctrine the genius and nature of it with all the Arguments whereby it is asserted and maintained that if conscience had but in the least been advised with all in this contest this charge had been without doubt omitted All that is produced for the confirmation of this strange imposition on the perswasion under consideration is his owne Testimony that makes the charge that it is the knowne voice of the common Doctrine of Perseverance and that being said is laid as a Foundation of all that followes The whole Discourse still relating to a supposition that this is the Doctrine which it opposeth from the very next words to the end Nor is there the least farther attempt for the confirmation of this grand Assertion But is this the knowne voice of our Doctrine of Perseverance Who ever heard it but Mr G. and men of the like prejudicate Spirits aganist the Truth The worst that can be charged with looking this way is its asserting the promised efficacy of the Grace of God for the preserving of Believers by the use of meanes from such wallowing in abominable sinnes as is supposed that it affirmes they may be exposed unto In briefe it saies not First That all Believers are certaine of their Perseverance Nor Secondly That
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
Glorified with his Father according to his Promise Heb. 12. 2. and yet upon the account of that Glory which he was so assured of being set before him he addressed himselfe to the sharpest and difficultest passage to it that ever any one entred on He indured the Crosse despised the shame for the Gloryes sake whereof he had assurance Heb. 12 And why may not this be the state of them to whom in his so doing he was a Captaine of Salvation Why may not the Glory and Reward set before them though injoyed in a full Assurance of Faith in the excellency of it when possessed as promised stirre them up to the meanes leading thereunto 4. The truth is the more we are assured with the assurance of Faith not of Presumption that we shll certainly obtain enjoy the end whereunto the meanes we use do lead as is the Assurance that ariseth from the Promises of God the more eminently are we pressed in a Gospell way if we walke in the Spirit of the Gospell to give up our selves to Obedience to that God and Father who hath appointed so pretious and lovely meanes as are the pathes of Grace for the obtaining of so Glorious an end as that whereunto we are appointed And thus I doubt not but that it is manifest by these Considerations of Mr Goodwins Objections to the contrary that the Doctrine of the Perseverance of the Saints asby us taught and delivered doth not only fall in a sweet Compliance withall the meanes of Grace especially those appointed by God to establish the Saints in Faith and Obedience that is to Worke Perseverance in them but also to be eminently usefull to give Life Vigour Power and Efficacy in a peculiar Gospell manner to all Exhortations Threatnings and Promises appointed and applyed by God to that end and purpose CAP. XIII 1. The maintainers and propagators of the severall Doctrines under contest taken into consideration 2. The necessity of so doing from M. G. undertaking to make the comparison This inquiry confined to those of our own Nation 3. The chiefe Assertors of this Doctrine of the Saints Perseverance in this Nation since it received any opposition what was their Ministry and what their Lives 4. M. G's plea in this case 5. The first Objection against his Doctrine by him proposed Second and Third 6. His Answers to these Objections considered Removed His own Word and Testimony offer'd against the experience of Thousands 7. The Persons pointed to by him and commanded considered 8. The principles of those Persons he opposeth vindicated 9. Of the Doctrine of the Primitive Christians as to this head of Religion Grounds of mistake in reference to their judgements 10. The first Reformers constant to themselves in their Doctrine of the Saints Perseverance 11. Of the influence of M. Perkins his judgement on the propagation of the Doctrine of the Saints Perseverance 12. Who the Persons were on whom his judgement is supposed to have such an influence 13. The consent of Forraine Churches making void this surmize 14. What influence the Doctrine of the Saints Perseverance had into the holinesse of its Professors 15. Of the unworthinesse of the Persons who in this Nation have Asserted the Doctrine of Apostasy the suitablenesse of this Doctrine to their practises 16. Mr G. attempt to take off this charge 17. How farre mens Doctrines may be judged by their lives 18. Mr G's Reasons why Episcopalise Arminianised the first 19. Considered and disproved 20. His discord c. 21. Generall Apostasy of men entertaine the Arminian tenents 22. The close AS to the matter in hand §. 1. about the usefulnesse of the Doctrine of the Perseverance of the Saints in and unto the Ministry of the Gospell and the obstruction pretended to be laid unto it thereby It may be somewhat conducing and of Concernment to consider who the Persons are and were and what hath been and is the presence of God with them in their Ministry who have been Assertors and Zealous maintainers of this Doctrine And withall who they were and what they have been in their Ministry and the Dispensation of the Word committed unto them who have risen up in opposition thereunto How also those different Partyes have approved their Profession to the World and acquitted themselves in their Generation in their walking with God may be worth our Consideration doubtlesse if the Doctrine whose declaration and defence we have thus far ingaged in be of such a pernicious tendency as is pretended so destructive to Gospell Obedience and so evidently rendering that great Ordinance of the Ministry uselesse it may be traced to its product of these effects in some measure in the Lives Conversations and Ministry of those who have most zealously espoused it most earnestly contended for it and been most given up to the forme and mould thereof It were a thing every way miraculous if any Roote should for the most part bring forth fruite disagreeing to the nature of it A Taske this is §. 2. I confesse which were we not necessitated unto I could easily dispence with my selfe from ingaging therein But Mr Goodwin having voluntarily entred the list as to this particular and instated a comparison between the Abbettors of the severall Doctrines under Contest Chap. 9. of his Booke a matter we should not have expected from any other man it could not but be thought a grosse neglect of duty and high ingratitude towards those great Blessed Soules who in former and latter dayes with indefatigable pains and eminent successe watred the Vineyard of the Lord with the dew of this Doctrine to decline the Consideration of the comparison made and dressed up to our hand Now because it is a peculiar taske allotted to us to manifest the imbracement of this Truth by those who in the Primitive Church were of greatest note and Eminency for Piety Judgement and skill in dividing the Word aright with the Professed Opposition made unto it by such as those with whom they Lived and succeeding Ages have branded for men unsound in the Faith and leaving the good old Paths wherein the Saints of old found peace to their Soules As also to manifest the receiving propagation of it by all not any one of name excepted those Great Famous Persons whom the Lord was pleased to imploy in the Reformation of his Church walking in this as in sundry other particulars closer up to the Truth of the Gospell than some of their Brethren that at the same time fell off from that Church which was long before fallen off from the Truth I shall in my present inquiry confine my selfe to those of our owne Nation who have been of Renowne in their Generation for their Labour in the Lord and of name among the Saints for their worke in the service of the Gospell For the one halfe of that small space of time §. 3. which is passed since the breaking forth of the light of the Gospell in this Nation
the consideration of what hath been from a like disposition of Causes to an Answerablenesse of Events What Mr Goodwin hath to plead in this Case he insists on §. 4. Chap. 9. Sect. 24 25 26 27. Pag. 167 168 169 170 171 172. The summe and aime of his Discourse is to Apologize for his Doctrine against sundry Objections which in the Observations of men it is lyable and obnoxious unto Now these are such as whatever the Issue of their Consideration prove doubtlesse it can be of no Advantage unto his Cause that his Doctrine is so readily exposed to them The first of these is §. 5. that the Doctrine he Opposeth and in Opposition whereunto that is set up which he so industriously asserts hath generally been received and imbraced by men eminent in Piety and Godlinesse famous on that account in their Generations with the generality of the People of God with them And this is attended with that which naturally insues thereon viz. The Scandalousnesse of the most of them yea of them all of this Nation is it spoken who have formerly asserted the Doctrine which Mr Goodwin hath lately espoused Whereunto in the third place an Observation is subjoyned of the Ordinary defection of men to loose and unsavory practises after they have once drunke in the principles of that opinion which he now so industriously mixeth and tempereth for them It is usually said there is no smoake but where there is some fire It would be strange if such Observations as these should be readily and generally made by men concerning the Doctrine under Contest unlesse there were some evident occasion Administred by it thereuto And I must needs say that if they prove True and hold under Examination they will become as urging a prejudice as can lightly be laid against any cause in Religion whatsoever The Gospell being a Doctrine according unto Godlinesse severall perswasions pretending to be parts and portions thereof if one shall be found to be the constant Faith and profession of those who also have the life and power of Godlinesse in them the other to be maintained by evill men aud seducers who upon their receiving it doe also wax worse and worse it is no small advantage to the first in its plea for admittance to the right and title of a truth of the Gospell To Evade this charge Mr Goodwin premises this in Generall §. 6. The experience Asserted in the Objection is not so unquestionable in point of Truth But that if the Asserters were put home upon the proofe they would I seare doubtlesse he rather hopes it accompt more in presumption than in reasonablenes of Argument For if Persons of the one judgement of the other were duly compared together I verily believe there would be found every whit as full a proportion of men truly Conscientious and Religious amongst those whose judgements stand and have stood for a possibility of falling away As on the other side but through a foolish and unsavoury kind of partiality we are apt on all hands according to the Proverb to account our own Geese for Swannes and other mens Swannes Geese Certaine I am that if the writings of men of the one judgement and of the other be compared together and an estimate made from thence of the Religion Worth and Holinesse of the Authors respectively Those who oppose the common Doctrine of Perseverance doe account it no Robbery to make themselves every way equall in this honour with their opposers The truth is If it be lawfull for me to utter what I really apprehend and judge in the case I doe not find that spirit of holinesse to breath with that Authority height or Excellency of power in the writings of the latter which I am very sensible of in the writings of the former These call for Righteousnesse Holinesse and all manner of Christian conversation with every whit as high a hand as the other and adde nothing to check obstruct or infeeble the Authority of their demands in this kind when as the other though they before many times in their exhortations and conjurements unto holinesse yet other while render both these and themselves in them contemptible by avouching such principles which cut the very sinews and strength of such their exhortations and fully ballance all the weight of those motives by which they seek to bind them upon the Consciences of men And for men truly holy and Conscientious doubtlesse the Primitive Christians for three hundred years together and upwards next after the times of the Apostles will fully ballance with an abundant surplusage both for numbers and truth of Godlinesse All those in the Reformed Churches who since Calvins daies have adhered to the common Doctrine of Perseverance And that the Churches of Christ more generally during the said space of three hundred years and more held a possibility of a totall and finall defection even in true and soun◠Believers is so cleare from the Records yet extant of those times that it cannot be denied Ans. To let passe M. Goodwins Proverb with its Applycation it being very facile to returne it to its Author there being nothing in the World by him proposed to induce us to such an estimation of his associates in the work of teaching the Doctrine of the Saints Apostasy and their labours therein or any other undertaking of theirs as he labours to beget in guilding over their Worth and Writings but only his own judgment an overweening of their Geese for Swans Let us see what is offered by him to evince the Experience Asserted not to be so unquestionable as is pretended He offers First his own Affirmation That if an estimate may be made of mens Worth and Holinesse by their writings Those who oppose the Doctrine of the Saints Perseverance will be found in the promotion of Holinesse and the practice of it to out goe their Adversaries Their writings he tells us breath forth a spirit of holinesse such as he cannot find in the writings of others But first for this you have only M. Goodwins naked single Testimony And that opposed to the common experience of the people of God What weight this is like to beare with men the event will shew It is a hard thing for one man upon his bare word to undertake to perswade a multitude that what their eyes see and their eares heare is not so M. Goodwin had need have Pythagorean Disciples for the imbracing of these dictates of his The experience of Thousands is placed to confirme the observation insisted on saith M. Goodwin It is not so they are in my judgement all deceived But Secondly § 7. who are they in whose writings Mr Goodwin hath found such a Spirit of Holinesse breathing with Authority as is not to be found out nor perceived in the writings of them that assert the Doctrine of the Perseverance of the Saints Calvin Zanchius Beza c. and to confine our selves home Reynolds Whitaker Perkins Greenham
of the consistency of Effectuall Grace and Gospell Exhortations A Third Argument is proposed Sect. 18. Cap. 13. in these words §. 1. That Doctrine which representeth God as weake Incongruous and In coherent with himselfe in his applications unto men is not from God and consequently that which contradicteth it must needs be the truth but the Doctrine of Perseverance opposed by us putteth this great dishonour upon God representeth him weake Incongruous c. Ergo. For the proofe of the Minor Proposition to make good the charge in it exhibited against the Doctrine of Perseverance there is a Drammaticall scheme induced to whose framing and Application M. Goodwin contributed no more but the paines of a Translator taking it from the Anti-Synod p. 276. 277. in these words You that truly Believe in my Sonne and have beene once made partakers of my Holy Spirit and therefore are fully perswaded assured from my will and command given unto you in that behalfe yea according to the infallible word of Truth which you have from me that you cannot possibly no not by all the most horrid sinns and abominable practices that you shall or can commit fall away either totally or finally from your Faith for in the midst of your foulest actions courses there remaines a seed in you which is sufficient to make you true Believers to preserve you from falling away finally that it is impossible you should dye in your sinnes you that know are assured that I will by an irresistible hand worke Perseverance in you consequently that you are out of all danger of condemnation and that Heaven and Salvation belong unto you and are as good as yours already so that nothing but giving of thankes appertaines to you which also you know that I will do what you will in the meane time necessitate you unto you I say that are fully and throughly perswaded and possessed with the truth of all these things I earnestly charge admonish exhort and beseech that yee take heed to your selves that yee countinue in the Faith that there be not at any time an evill heart of unbeliefe in any to depart from the Living God that you fall not from your owne stedfastnesse yea I declare and professe unto you that if you shall draw back my soule shall have no pleasure in you that if you shall deny me I will deny you that if you be againe overcome of the lusts of the world and be intangled here with that your latter end shall be worse than your beginning that if you shall turne away all your former Righteousnes shall not be remembred but you shall dye in your sinnes and suffer the veugeance of Eternall fire On the other hand if you shall continue to the end my Promise is that you shall be Saved therefore strive to enter in at the straite gate quit your selves like men labour for the meat that indureth unto Everlasting Life and be not sloathfull but followers of them who through Faith and Patience inherit the Promises He that shall duly weigh and consider what a sencelesse and indeed ridiculous incongruity there is between these Exhortations Adjurations Threatnings and latter Promises and those Declarations Applications and former Promises doubtlesse will confesse that either the one or the other of them are not from God or according to the mind of God Ans. §. 2. The incongruity of this fiction with the Doctrine it is framed against is so easily manifested that it will not much concerne us to consider the incongruity that the severall parts of it have one with an other For First the whole Foundation of this fanatick Fabrick is ridiculous in it selfe and ridiculously imposed on the Doctrine of Perseverance For whereas it sayes not that all Saints have any comfortable Assurance of their Perseverance and so may by all Gospell wayes whatever by Promises and Threatnings be stirred up to the use of those meanes whereby Perseverance is wrought and Assurance obtain'd so it saies that no one Saint in the world ever had can have or was taught to expect his Perseverance or the least sence or Assurance of it under such an uncouth supposition as falling into continuing in sins Abominations the Promises they have to assure thē of their inseparable abode with God to the end are that he will write his Law in their hearts put his Feare in their inward parts that they shall never depart from him and they shall be kept up thereto by the use of meanes suitable as appointed of God for the attaining of the end proposed being kept by the power of God but throngh Faith unto Salvation God doth not call nor doth the Doct of Perseverance of the Saints or of the stability and Unchangeablenesse of his Promises in Christ to Believers assert it any to Believe that they shall never fall away from him what sinnes and Rebellions so ever they fall into neither hath he promised any such things unto thē but only that he will through his Grace preserve them in the use of meanes from such Rebellions as are inconsistent with his Love and free acceptation through Christ according to the Tenor of the Covenant of Grace so that instead of the first part of this fiction whose inconsistency with the latter is after Argued let this acording to the Analogy of our Doctrine be instituted You that truly Believe in my Sonne Jesus Christ § 3. and are made partakers of my Holy Spirit who being heirs of the Promises and so have a Right to that abundant Consolation that Joy in believing which I am willing all of you should receive I know your Feares doubts perplexityes and Temptations your failings sinnes and back-slidings and what sad thoughts on the account of the evill of your owne hearts and wayes you are exposed to as that you shall never abide nor be able to continue with me and in my Love to the end let the feeble knees be strengthned and the hands that hang downe be lifted up behold I have ordained goodworkes for you to walke in as the way wherein you are to walke for the attainement of the end of your Faith the Salvation of your soules And to quicken you and stirre you up hereunto I have provided and established Effectuall Ordinances revealed in the Word of my Grace whereunto you are to attend and in the use of them according to my mind to grow up into Holinesse in all manner of holy conversation Watching Fighting Resisting Contending with and against all the Spirituall Enemy's of your soules And as for me this is my Covenant with you that my Spirit which gives Efficacy to all the meanes Ordinances and Advantages of Gospell Obedience which I have afforded unto you by whom I will fulfill in you all the good-pleasure of my Goodnesse and the worke of Faith with Power so making you meet for the Inheritance of the Saints in Light and Preserving you to my Heavenly Kingdome shall never depart
from you so that you also having my Law written in your hearts shall never utterly and wickedly depart from me And for such sinnes and follies as you shall be overtaken withall I will graciously heale your backslidings and receive you freely This is the Language of the Doctrine we maintaine which is not we full well know obnoxious to any Exceptions or Consequences what ever but such as bold and prejudiced men for the countenance of their vaine conceits and opinions will venture at any time to impose and fasten on the most pretious Truths of the Gospell That God should say to Believers as is imposed on him fall into what sinnes they will or abominations they can yet he will have them believe that by an irresistible hand he will necessitate them to Persevere that is in and under their Apostacy which is evidently implyed in their falling into sinnes and abominations in the manner insisted on is a ridiculous fiction to the imagination whereof the least colour is not supplied by the Doctrine intended to be â—raduced thereby Secondly §. 4. for the ensuing Exhortations Promises and Threatnings as farre as they are really Evangelicall whose use and tendency is argued to be inconsistent with the Doctrine before proposed I have formerly manifested What is their proper use and efficacy in respect of Believers and their consistency with the truth we maintaine apprehended as it is indeed and not visarded with ugly and dreadfull appearances will I presume scarcely be called in question by any who having received a Kingdome that cannot he shaken doe know what it is to serve God acceptably with reverence and Godly feare It is true they are made unto and have their use in reference unto them that Believe and shall Persevere therein but they are not given unto them as men assured of their Perseverance but as men called to the use of meanes for the establishing of their soules in the wayes of obedience They are not in the method of the Gospell irrationally happed on such intimations of unchangeable Love or proposed under such wild Conditionalls and Suppositions as here by our Author but annexed to the Appointment of those wayes of Grace and Peace which God calls his Saints unto being suited to worke upon the new nature wherewith they are indued as spreading it selfe over all the facultyes of their Rationall Soules wherein are Principles fit to be excited to Operation by Exhortations and Promises Thirdly §. 5. all that is indeed Argumentative in this Discourse is built on this Foundation that a Spirituall Assurance of attaining the end by the use of meanes is discouraging and disswasive to the use of those meanes A Proposition so uncouth in it selfe so contradictory to the experience of all the Saints of God so derogatory to the Glory and Honour of Jesus Christ himselfe who in all his Obedience had doubtles an Assurance of the end of it all as any thing that can well fall into the imaginations of the Hearts of men Might not the Devill have thus replyed upon our Saviour when he tempted him to turne Stones into Bread cast himselfe from a pinacle of the Temple received Answer that man lives not by Bread alone but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God but alas thou Jesus the Sonne of the Living God that art perswaded thou art so and that God will preserve thee whether thou usest any meanes or no that thou shalt never be starved for want of Bread nor hurt thy selfe by any fall whatever thou clost the Angells having charge that no evill shall come nigh thee nor thy foot be hurt against a stone thou maist now cast thy selfe headlong from the Temple to manifest thy Assurance of the Love and Faithfullnesse of God with his Promises to thee If our Saviour thought it sufficient to stop the mouth of the Devill to manifest from Scripture that notwithstanding the Assurance from God that any one hath of the end yet he is to use the meanes tending thereunto a neglect whereof is a sinfull tempting of God we shall not need to goe farther for an Answer to the same kind of Objections in the mouth of any Adversary whatever His 19 th Section containeth his fourth Argument §. 6. in these words If there be no possibility of the Saints falling away finally then is their Persevering uncapable of reward from God But their finall Perseverance is not uncapable of reward from God Ergo The minor Proposition I presume containes nothing but what is the sence of those who deny the conclusion or how ever it containes nothing but what is the expresse sence of the Lord Christ where he saith that he that endureth to the end the same shall be saved Therefore I suppose we shall bee excused from farther proofe of this without any prejudice to the cause in hand Ans. I grant Eternall Life may be called the Reward of Perseverance in the sence that the Scripture useth that word applyed to the matter in hand It is afterward neither procured by properly and Morally as the deserving cause nor proportioned unto the obedience of them by whom it is attained a Reward it is that withall is the free gift of God and an Inheritance purchased by Jesus Christ a Reward of Bounty and not of Iustice in respect of them upon whom it is bestowed but only of faithfulnesse in reference to the promise of it A Reward by being a gratious incouragement as the end of our obedience not as the procurement or desert of it so we grant it a Reward of Perseverance though those words of our Saviour he that endureth to the end the same shall be saved expressed a consequence of things only and not a connexion of causality of the one upon the other of the foundation of this discourse concerning a possibility of declining immediate consideration shall be had He proceeds then The consequence of the Major Proposition §. 7. stands firme upon this foundation No act of the Creature whereunto it is necessitated or which it cannot possibly decline or but doe is by any Law of God or rule of Iustice rewardable therefore if the Saints be necessitated by God to Persevere finally so that he leaves unto them no possibility of declining finally their finall Perseverance is not according to any Law of God or man nor indeed to any principles of Reason or Equity capable of reward no whit more than actions meerely naturall are Nay of the two there seems be more reason why acts meerely naturall as for example Eating Drinking Breathing Sleeping should be rewarded in as much as these flow in a way of necessity yet from an inward principle and connaturall to the Agent than such actions whereunto the agent is constrain'd necessitated determined by a principle of power from without and which is not intrinsecall to it And this is the strength of the Argument which will quickly appeare to be very weakenesse For First the efficacy of
and his endeavours to vindicate them from exceptions this is the chiefe But yet there being two or three things §. 39. that M. Goodwin is pleased to adde to what went before as objections against his doctrine in generall though not of this last Arguments concernment any more than of any others he makes use of because there are in them Considerations of good advantage to the Truth in hand I shall a little insist upon them before I proceed with my intended discourse The First is §. 40 that the Doctrine of the Saints Apostacy maimeth or dismembreth the Body of Christ and brings in an uncouth and unseemely interchange of members between Christ and the Soule which howsoever slighted by M. Goodwin is a plea not of the least importance in the case in hand The body of Christ intended is that mysticall and spirituall not that Politicall and visible His body in respect of the reall union of every member of it unto him as the head described by the Apostle in its Relation unto him Ephes. 4. 15 16. It growes up unto him in all things which is the head even Christ from whom the whole body fitly joyned together and compacted by that which every joynt supplieth according to the effectuall working in the measure of every part maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of it selfe in Love So also Collos. 2. 19. the Body we intend whereof Christ is the Head is that not only in a Politicall sence as the supreame governour of it but in a Spirituall according to the Analogy of an Head Naturall from whence life all influence of it unto the Members do flow Of this body some are in their Spirits already consummated and made perfect in Heaven some are as yet pursuing their Warfare in all parts of the World pressing forward to the marke of the high-calling set before them Now that any member of his Body bone of the bone flesh of the flesh of Christ given him to make up his fulnesse and mysticall perfection joynted unto him washed in his bloud and loved by him according to the Love and care of a head to its members should be plucked off to be cast into the sire and after it hath so closely and vitally been admitted into the participation of his fulnesse and increase being united to him become a child of the Divell an Enemy to him and his sometimes fellow members so as to hate his head and to be hated of his head when yet no man ever yet hated his own flesh this we suppose no way to answer that inexpressibly intense Love which the Lord Jesus beares towards his members and to be exceedingly derogatory to his honour and Glory in reference with his dealing to Sathan the great enemy of his Kingdome But to this M. Goodwin Answers First For dismembering the Body of Christ is it not the Law of Christ himselfe in every particular Church or body of his that as any of their members putrifie and discover themselves to be rotten and corrupt §. 41. they should be cut off by the Spirituall sword of excommunication and doth not such a dismembring as this rather tend to the honouring adorning the Body of Christ than any wayes to maime or deforme it And for such a dismembring of the Body of Christ which the Doctrine in hand supposeth to be causable by the members themselves by the voluntary dis-faithing of themselves through sinne and wickednesse neither is the permission of this upon such tearmes as it is permitted either unworthy Christ or inconvenient to the Body it selfe Reply First that there is no Argument will tolerably arise from what is practicable and comely in a visible Ecclesiasticall Body of Christ to the Mysticall Spirituall Body that is from a particular visible to the Catholike Church of Christ. As to the matter in hand this is evident by the light of this single consideration that in such an Ecclesiasticall body of Christ there are alwayes or may be and Christ himselfe in the rules and Lawes that he hath given for the government thereof did suppose that there alwayes would be good and bad true Saints and empty professours whereas in the Body whereof we treate there is no soule actually instated but who is actually united to the head by the inhabitation of the same Spirit There never was nor shall to eternity any dead member be of that Body They are all living stones built upon him who is the Foundation now surely this is an inference attended with darknesse to be felt because it may be comely for those to whom the Administratione of Ordinances in the visible Church of Christ is committed to cut of a dead member from the membership which he holds by his confession of the Faith when he discovers himselfe not to answer the confession he hath made in his walking and Conversation Therefore Christ himselfe doth cut off or on way or other loose any living members of his body Mysticall and actually by Faith instated in the unity of his Body with him And if it shall be objected that even living members and such as are truly so may yet for and at a season be cut off from a visible particular body of Christ. I Answer 1. It is true they may so in respect of their ordinary present right to the enjoyment of Ordinances not in respect of their remote fundamentall Right that still abides 2. They are so or may be so for their amendment not for their destruction That separation for a season being an expression of as much Love and tendernesse to them in Christ as his joyning of them to the Body was from whence they are so separated And 3. This makes not at all to the impairing of the true compleatnesse of the mysticall Body of Christ and the perfection of its parts for as in particular visible bodyes of Christ there may be and are dead members which have no place in the body but are as excressencyes in the vine and yet the body is not rendred monstrous by them so a true member may be removed and the Body not be maimed in the least The member though perhaps from any such visible body for a season and yet the true Spirituall sicke and pineing continuing a member thereof still Now there is nothing of all this that will in any measure agree to the plucking off a member from the Mysticall Body of Christ whereof alone we speake If any should be so separated it must not only bee to his present actuall enjoyment of Union but to the losse of his Spirit also and with him of all right and title plea or claime whatever to any interest therein Neither is it possible that it should be a meanes for the correction and amendment of such an one it lying in a direct tendency to inevitable destruction separation from all interest in Christ can looke no other way so that still the uncouthnesse of such a procedure abideth Secondly The reason that
whereof he labours to deliver it is the great Absurdity of the Repetition of Regeneration whereof there is no mention at all in the Scripture and which yet must be Asserted by him unlesse he will affirme all that fall away at any time irrecoverably to perish which howsoever he waves at present were with much more probability according to his owne principles to be maintained than what he insisteth on But this repetition of Regeneration saith he is not unworthy God and for men a blessed and happy accommodation whether it be unworthy God or no the Scripture and the nature of the thing will declare The Accomodation that it seemes to afford unto men being a plaine incouragement to sinne at the highest rate imaginable will perhaps not be found so Happy and Blessed unto them With great noise and clamour hath a charge been managed against the Doctrine of the Saints Perseverance upon the account of its giving supportment to the thoughts of men in and under the wayes of sinne whether Truth and Righteousnesse have been regarded in that charge hath been considered Doubtlesse it were a matter of no difficulty clearely to evince that this Doctrine of the Repetition of Regeneration is of the very same tendency and import which is falsly and injuriously charged upon that of the Perseverance of the Saints The worst that a man thinks he can do by any act of sin is but to sin himselfe quite out of the favour of God into a state of death and desert of wrath He can no farther injure his soule than to cast it into the condition of men by nature Tell this man now whom you suppose to be under the temptation to sinne at least that he hath in him that great foole the flesh which longs for Blessed Accommodations to its selfe whilest it makes provision to fulfill its lusts that if he should so do this is an ordinary thing for men to do and yet to be renewed againe and to have a Second Regeneration do you not incourage him to venture boldly to satisfy his sinfull desires having such a reliefe against the worst that his thoughts and feares can suggest to him But whatever it be in respect of God or men yet that so it may be Mr Goodwin proves from Heb. 6. 6. Where 't is said that 't is impossible to renew some to repentance wherefore some may be renewed and in Jude 12. Men are said to be twice dead therefore they may live twice Spiritually The first proofe seemes somewhat uncouth The persons spoken of in that place are in M. G. judgement Believers there is no place of Scripture wherein he more tryumphs in his endeavoured confirmation of his Thesis The Holy Ghost says expresly of thē that 't is impossible to renew thē therefore says M.G. 't is possible what is of emphasis in the Argument mentioned ariseth frō two things 1. That they are true Believers of which afterwards 2. That they fall totally away This then is the importance of M. Goodwins plea from this place If true believers fall totally away it is impossible they should be renewed to Repentance therefore if true Believers fall totally away it is possible they should be renewed to and by Repentance that there is a falling away and a renewing againe by Repentance of the same persons we grant That falling away is partiall only which is incident unto true Believers who when God heales their backslidings are renewed by Repentance To be renewed also by Repentance is taken either for the renovation of our Natures and our change as unto state and condition and so it is the same with Regeneration and not to be repeated or for a Recovery by Repentance in respect of personall failings so it is the daily worke of our lives Jude saies some are twice dead that is utterly so an hyperbolicall expression to aggravate their condition Those to whom the Gospell is a favour of Death unto Death may well be said to be twice dead unto the Death that they are involved in and are obnoxious to by nature they adde a second death or rather seale up their soules under the power and misery of the other by contempt of the means of Life and recovery therefore Regeneration may be reiterated Quod erat Demonstrandum Much of the Section that remains is taken up in declaring in many words without the least attempt of proofe that 't is agreeable to the honour of God to renew men totally fallen away that is when those who have been quickned by him washt in the bloud of his Sonne made partakers of the Divine nature imbrac'd in the armes of his Love shall despise all this dis-faith themselves reject the Lord and his Love trample on the bloud of the Convenant kill their soules by depriving them of spirituall life proclaime to all the world their dislike of him and his Covenant of Grace yet though he hath not any where revealed that he will permit any one so to doe or that he will accept of them againe upon their so doing yet M. Goodwin affirming that for him so to doe is agreeable to his Holinesse and Righteousnesse 't is fit that those who conceive themselves bound to believe what ever he saies should think so too for my part I am at liberty I should not farther pursue this discourse nor insist on this digression but that M. Goodwin hath taken advantage by the mention of Regeneration to deliver some rare notions of the nature of it which deserve a little our farther taking notice of for which end doubtlesse he published them To make way then for his intendment he informes us Sect 29. That Regeneration it selfe according to the Grammaticall and proper signification of the word imports a reiteration or repetition of some generation or other it cannot import a Repetition of the naturall all Generation of men the sence of Nicodemus in this poynt was Orthodox who judged such a thing impossible therefore it must import a repetition of a spirituall generation unlesse we shall say which I think is the road opinion that it signifies only the spirituall generation with a kind of reflection upon and unto the birth Naturall Ans. First That the Grammaticall sence of the word imports a Reiteration of some generation is only said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath other signification in composition besides the intimating of a reiteration of the same thing either in specie or individually the same againe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 would seeme rather to inforce such an Interpretation than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which yet it doth not It is spoken of that which hath no birth properly at all as Philo de Mundo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of it selfe is only through 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hom. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 through a wooddy Countrey 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Resurrection doth not import againe after another rising before but a restauration from a lost state so is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used Math 19. 28. to
the Doctrine which hitherto through the Grace of God we have asserted being in its selfe fully sufficient to captivate every understanding unto the obedience of its Truth that is not resolved to cleave to a contrary Conclusion let what Demonstration soever lye against it In the defence of the Doctrine under consideration should we use Expressions of the same importance with these here used by the Apostle as we should abundantly satisfye our selves that we had delivered our mindes and sence to the understanding of any indifferent Person with whom we might have to doe so we should by no meanes avoid all those imputations of folly and errour that our Doctrine suffereth under from the men that have entertained an enmity against it as it is held forth in equivalent expressions by us The Authority of the Holy Ghost hath gained thus much upon our Adversaries that when he asserteth in expresse and expressive termes the very thing or things that in us are called folly that evasions should be studied and pains taken to rack his words to a sence which they will not beare rather than plainly to deny his Authority But let the words with the scope tendency be considered ◠The scope intendment of the Apostle in the place is to give a discriminating character of the Children of God and the Children of the Divell thus he fully expresseth himselfe unto us v. 10. In this saith he the Children of God are manifested and the Children of the Divell whosoever doth not righteousnesse is not of God neither he that loveth not his Brother And withall to presse on an Exhortation against sinne whereunto he useth the Argument that lieth in the following words If any one sin that thinketh himselfe to be borne of God he deceiveth himselfe v. 7. Little children let no man deceive you he that doth righteousnesse is righteous even as he is righteous He that committeth sinne is of the Divell But how proveth he this In these words Whosoever is borne of God sinneth not doth not cannot sinne Such is the Genius and Nature of the Children of God of them that are borne of him that they doe not they cannot sinne You are perswaded that you are so borne of God therefore you must presse after such a frame such an ingenie and disposition such a principle as that thereby you cannot sinne it must manifest its selfe to be in you if you be the Children of God Now whereas it is offered by M. Goodwin Cap. 10. Sect 27. pag. 194. §. 58. That the context or scope of the whole place doth not invite such an Exposition as is usually insisted on because saith he the intent and drift of the Apostle from verse 3. even to the end of the Chapter as he that doth but runne the context over may reade is not to shew or argue Whether the sonnes of God may possibly in time so degenerate as to live sinnefully and dye impenitently but to evince this that these who claime the great honour priviledge of being the Children of God cannot justify or make good this claime neither unto others nor unto themselves but by an Holy and Christian Life and conversation now it is one thing to argue and prove who are the Sonnes of God at present another whether they who are such at present must of necessity alwaies so continue The former is the Apostles theame in the Context the latter he is wholly silent of I say it is evident that the scope of the place is to evince that in the Children of God those that are borne of him there is such a Principle Genius a new nature as that upon the account thereof they cannot sinne and therefore that those who have not such principles in them what ever their pretences be are not indeed borne of God and in this he manifesteth that those who are indeed borne of God cannot possibly so degenerate as to fall into totall impenitency so as to become Children of the Divell which he emphatically affirmeth 2. He doth indeed declare that none can make good their Title to be children of God but those who can justify their claime by an holy and Christian conversation but yet moreover he maketh good the Assertion by this farther discovery which he maketh of their new nature to be such as that they cannot sinne or degenerate into a condition of lying under the power of a vaine conversation so that though his intent should not be primarily to manifest that those who are at present the Children of God cannot Apostatize but must so continue yet it is to confirme their Nature and Genius to be such with the principles which from God they have received that so it shall be with them so they shall abide and to this he is not silent but eminently expressive The Context being thus cleare §. 59. the words themselves are a Proposition or Thesis and a Reason for the confirmation of the Truth of that Proposition The Proposition is ready at hand in the words He that is borne of God doth not cannot commit sinne The Reason of the Proposition confirming the Truth thereof is twofold 1. Because he is borne of God 2. Because his seed whereof he is so borne remaineth The Proposition is universall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every one that is borne of God whence thes two things insue 1. The truth of it hath a necessary cause or causes Universall Propositions must have so or they are not true If that which is their ground may be otherwise it invalidates their certainty such then must be the cause of this Assertion of the Apostle 2. That it compriseth all and every one that is interested in that which is the cause of the certainty of this universall Assertion or proposition every on who is borne of God that hath this seed be he young or old weake or strong wise or foolish exercised in the wayes of God or newly entred into them all is one whosoever is thus interested in the foundation is equally interested in the inference In the proposition it selfe may be considered §. 60. the subject and what is affirmed of it The subject is every one that is borne of God That which is affirmed of it is sinneth not cannot sinne 1. For the first viz. the Subject they are those which are borne of God and who they are that are so borne of God the Scripture is cleare in neither is there any difference of importance as to the intendment of this expression Those who suppose that Believers of some eminency only are denoted in it do not consider that all Believers whatever are shares in the Grace intended therein they are all said to be borne againe not of the will of flesh but of God Iohn 1. 13. For it is ascribed to all Believers on the name of Christ v. 12. He begetteth them all of his owne will James 1. 18. as also 1 Epistle of Peter 1. chapter 23. verse he is said to beget them
is this Because such a signification of it would render the sence altogether inconsistent with the scope of the Apostle which is to exhort Christians unto righteousnesse and Love of the brethren now it is contrary to common sence its selfe to signify unto those whom we perswade to any duty any such thing which imports an absolute certainty or necessity of their doing it whether they take care or use any meanes for the doing of it or no and a cleare case it is that the certainty of a perpetuall remaining of the seed of God in those that are borne of him importeth a like certainty of their perpetuall performance of that duty whereunto they are exhorted Ans. If this be all it might have been spared The Argument consisteth of two parts 1. An aspersion of the infinite wisdome of God with a procedure contrary to all Reason and common sence 2. A begging of the thing in question betwixt its Author and its Adversaries That there is any thing at all in the Text even according to our Interpretation of it that importeth an absolute necessity of mens doing any thing whether they take care to use the meanes of doing it or no the Reader must judge The abiding of the Seed is that we say which shall effectually cause them in whom it is to use the meanes of not sinning that eventually they may not doe so and that a certainty of the use of meanes is imported is no Argument to prove that their necessity of Persevering is proved whether they use meanes yea or no. To take care to use meanes is amongst the meanes appointed to be used and this they shall doe upon the account of the abiding seed That indeed which is opposed is that God cannot promise to worke effectually in us by the use of meanes for the accomplishment of an appointed end but that withall rendreth uselesse and vaine all his exhortations to us to use those meanes This is M. Goodwins Argument from the place it selfe to inforce that improper Acceptation of the word remaineth in us What remaineth of M. Goodwins long discourse upon this Text of Scripture §. 72. is but a fencing with himselfe and raising of Objections and Answering them suitably to his owne principles wherein we are not in the least concerned There is not any thing from the beginning to the end of it that tendeth to impeach our Interpretation of the place or impede the progresse of our Argument but only a flourish set upon his own Exposition which if he were desired to give in briefely and in termes of a plaine downeright significancy I am verily perswaded he would be hardly put to it to let us know what his mind and conceptions of this place of Scripture are But of this subject and in Answer to his Fifth Argument with this Chapter this is the issue CAP. XVI 1. M. G's seaventh Argument about the tendency of the Doctrine of the Saints Aposlas◠as to their consolation proposed 2. Considered what that doctrine offereth for the consolation of the Saints offered the impossibility of its affording the least true consolation manifested 3. The influence of the Doctrine of the Saints Perseverance into their consolation 4. The medium whereby M. G. confirmes his Argument examined what kind of Nurse for the Peace and consolation of the Saints the Doctrine of Apostasy is whether their obedience be farthered by it what are the causes and springs of true consolation 5. M. G. Eight Argument proposed to consideration 6. Answer thereunto the minor Proposition considered the Holy Ghost not afraid of the Saints miscarriages 7. The confirmation of his Minor Proposition proposed and considered 8. The Discourse assigned to the Holy Ghost by M. G. according to our principles 9. Considered 10. Exceptions against it the First 11. The Second 12. The Third 13. The Fourth 14. The Fifth 15. The Sixth 16. The Seaventh 17. The foundation of M.G. Pageant everted 18. The proceedings of the Holy Ghost in exhortations according to our principles 19. Sophismes in the former discourse farther discovered 20. His farther plea in this case proposed 21. Considered 22. The instance of Christ and his obedience considered and vindicated as to the application of it to the businesse in hand 23. M.G. last Argument proposed 24. Examined 25. 1 Ioh 2. 19. explained 26. Vindicated 27. Argument from thence for the Perseverance of the Saints 28. M.G. exceptions thereunto 29. Considered and 30. Removed 31 32 33 34 35 36 37. The same words farther perused 38. M.G. Consent with the Remonstrants manifested by his trascriptions from their Synodalia 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47. Our Argument from 1 Ioh. 2. 19. fully cleared 48. The conclusion of the examination of M. G. Arguments for the Apostasy of the Saints THE seaventh Argument which Mr Goodwin insisteth upon §. 1. in the 36. Section of his 13. Chapter containes one of the greatest Rarities he hath to shew in the whole packe concerning the influence of the Doctrine of the Saints Apostacy into their Consolation in their walking with God an undertaking so uncapable of any Logicall Confirmation as that though Mr Goodwin interweave his Discourse concerning it with a Sillogisme yet he quickly leaves that thorney path and pursues it only with a Rhetoricall flourish of words found out and set in order to deceive At the head then of his Discourse he placeth this Argument as it is called That Doctrine whose genuine and proper tendency is to advance the peace and joy of the Saints in Believing is of a naturall sympathy with the Gospell and upon this account a truth such is the Doctrine which informeth the Saints of a possibility of their totall and finall falling away Ergo. The Proposition of this syllogisme he supposes we will grant §. 2. and not to trouble the Reader with the Qualifications and limitations formerly annexed to that which proposed the furtherance of the obedience of the Saints as a proofe of the truth of any Doctrine for my part I do For the proofe of the Assumption wherein alone Mr Goodwin's interest in this Argument doth lye He referrs us to his 9. Chapter where as he tells us if we may believe him he hath undenyably demonstrated the truth of it But we have considered whatever looks that way in that Chapter and have found it all as Chaffe and stubble before the breath of the Spirit of the Lord in the Word That which lyes upon his shoulders to support A burthen too heavy for him to beare whose demonstration he hath undertaken is that it tends to the Peace Joy Consolation of the Saints of God in their walking with him which arises from and solely depends upon that assurance they have of their eternall fruition of him through Christ to be instructed that indeed they are in themselves weake unable to do any thing as they ought that they have no strength to continue in the Mercy of God but carry about with them
a body of death and that they are continually exposed to a world of Temptations whereby many strong men fall down thrust through and are slaine every day and that in this condition there is no consideration of the Immutability or Vnchangeablenesse of God that may secure them of the continuance of his Love to them no eternall purpose of his that he will preserve them keepe them through his power no Promise of not leaving them or of giving them such supplyes of his Spirit and Grace that they shall never forsake nor leave him nothing in the Covenant or Oath of God whereby it is confirmed to Assure them of an Abiding and a not-to-be destroyed communion with him that Christ by his death and oblation hath not so taken away the guilt of their sins nor laid such a sure foundation for the destruction of the power of them as that they shall not arise either way to their ruine That he intercedes not for their Preservation in Faith and Holinesse upon the account of which state and condition of things many of the most eminent Saints that ever served God in this world have utterly fallen out of his Love and Favour and have been cast out of covenant from whence though perhaps some few have been recovered yet for the greatest part of them have perished everlastingly as is the state in reference unto many in every Generation only such may do well to consider what a fearefull desperate issue their Apostacy will have if they should so fall and what an eminent reward with what Glory is proposed to them if they persevere That I say the instruction of the Saints in this Doctrine is a singular meanes of promoting their Consolation and establishing their peace is that which doubtlesse with undervaluing thoughts of all with whom he hath to do he hath undertaken to prove I doubt not but that Mr Goodwin thought sometimes of the good old Rule sumite materiam vestris qui scribitis aequam viribus versare di◠quid ferre recusent quid veleant humori Selfe-confidence is hereby setled and fixed with considerations though M. G. in the close of this Section tels us That sundry Godly and seriously Religious persons when they heard this Doctrine published which he now asserts with their wbole hearts blessed God for it Yet truly I cannot but question whether yea I must positively deny that ever any Saint of God received Consolation by the doctrine of the Saints Apostacy a lye exceedingly unsuited to the production of any such effect any further than that all Errour whatsoever is apt to defile and cauterise the Conscience so deceiving it with sencelessenesse for peace Perhaps some of Mr Goodwin's hearers who either were so ignorant or so negligent as not to be acquainted with this Doctrine before in the attempts made for that the propagation of it by the latter broode of Prelats and Arminians amongst us upon his delivery of it with inticing words of humane wisedome helped on by the venerable esteeme they have of his transcendent parts and abilityes through the cunning of Sathan improving the itching after new Doctrines which is fallen upon the minds and spirits of many professours in this age have rejoyced under the shadow of this bramble set up to rule in their Congregation And according as is the constant manner of all in our dayes that are insnared with any errour be it never so pernitious have blessed God for it professing they never found rest nor peace before yet I no way question for such as feare the Lord and are yet bowed downe under the weight and carryed away with the strength of Mr Goodwin's Rethoricke for a season will quickly finde a fire proceeding out of that newly enthroned Doctrine preying upon and consuming all their Joy Peace and Consolation or which I rather hope a fire proceeding out of their Faith the Faith once delivered to the Saints to the utter confusion consumption of this bramble scratching errour in the meane time if the eminent appearance of many thousands of the Saints of God in this Nation whereof many are fallen asleepe and many continue to this day testifying and bearing witnesse to the Joy Consolation they have found that upon Spirituall demonstrative grounds in being cast into the mould of the Doctrine of the Saints Perseverance for many dayes be of no weight with Mr Goodwin I know not why his single Testimony which yet as to the matter of fact I no way question concerning some few Persons by himselfe seduced into a perswasion of their Apostacy blessing God for the discovery made to them the constant Practise of all persons in their first intanglement in the foulest and grossest errours whatever should sway us much to any good liking of it The influence of the Doctrine of the Saints Perseverance §. 3. into their consolation hath been sufficiently already evinced when we manifested the support of their Faith and Love the conquest of their feare and troubles thereby so that I shall not need farther to insist thereon It was in my thoughts indeed to have handled the nature of Gospell Consolation that which God is so abundantly willing the heires of promise should receive at large both as to the nature and Causes of it the meanes of its preservation The oppositions that lye against it and by all the Considerations of it to have manifested That it is utterly impossible to keep it alive one moment in the heart of a Believer without the contribution of supportment it receives from the Doctrine in hand And that those who refuse to receive it as usually delivered indeed have none nor can have any drop of it but what is instilled into them from and by the power and efficacy which secretly in and upon their hearts that truth hath which in words they oppose all their peace and comfort being indeed absolutely proportioned to that which the Doctrine of the Saints perseverance tends to confirme and to nothing else But this Discourse growing under my hands beyond all thought or expectation I shall now only keep close to the removall of the Exceptions made against it and hasten to a close I must not leave this Argument §. 4. without taking notice of the Medium whereby M. Goodwin supposeth himselfe to have confirmed the truth of the assumption laid downe at the entrance or to have manifested the good complexion as he phrases it of that nurse he hath provided for the Consolation of the Saints a Nurse with breasts of flint and a heart of Iron hath this Cruell man provided for them a Nurse whom God will never admit into his family nor ever expose his childrens lives to any such Wolfe or Tygre as will certainly starve them if not devoure them Rather a curst yea an accursed step-dame than a nurse who when the children aske for bread gives them a stone and when they begge for fish gives them a Scorpion A false and treacherous hireling doing
not the least service for God but labouring to stirre up strife in his Family to set his poore children and their heavenly Father at variance filling them with hard thoughts of him As one that takes little or no care for them And discouraging them in that obedience which he requireth at their hands continually belying their Father to them and that in reference to the most desireable Excellencies of his Faithfulnesse Truth Mercy and Grace never speaking one good or comfortable word to them all their daies nor once urging them to doe their duty But with-holding a rodde yea Scorpions over their backs And casting the eternall flames of Hell into their faces this is that sanguine indeed truly spiritually bloudy Complexion of this new Nurse which is offered to be received in the roome of that sad Melancholy piece of the Perseverance of the Saints Thus then he proceeds The Consolation of true Believers depends upon their obedience their obedience is farthered by this Doctrine and therefore their Consolation also Ans. What are the springs of true spirituall heavenly Consolation the consolation which God is willing Believers should receive whence it flowes the meanes of its continuance and increase how remote it is from a sole dependency on our own Obedience hath been in part before declared But yet if the next Assertion can be made good viz. That the Doctrine of the Saints Apostasy hath a tendency instituted of God to the promotion of their Obedience and Holinesse I shall not contend about the other concerning the issuing of their consolation from thence All that really is offered in the behalfe of Apostasy as to its serviceablenesse in this kind is that it is suited to ingenerate in Believers a feare of Hell which will put them upon all wayes of mortifying the flesh and the fruits of it which otherwise would bring them thereunto And is this indeed the great mistery of the Gospell Is this Christs way of dealing with his Saints Or is it not a falling from Grace to returne againe unto the Law Those of whom alone we speak who are concerned in this busines are all of them taken into the Glorious liberty of the Sonnes of God are every one of them partakers of that Spirit with whom is liberty are all indued with a living principle of Grace Faith and Love and are constrained by the Love of Christ to live to him are all under Grace and not under the Law have their sinnes in some measure begun to be mortifyed and the flesh with the lusts thereof the old man with all his wayes and wiles crucifyed by the Death and Crosse of Christ brought with their power and efficacy by the Spirit into their hearts are all delivered from that bondage wherein they were for feare of Death and Hell all their dayes by having Christ made Redemption unto them I say that these persons should be most effectually stirred up to Obedience by the dread and terrour of that Iron rod of vengeance and Hell and that they should be so by Gods appointment is such a new such another Gospell as if preached by an Angell from Heaven we should not receive That indeed no motive can be taken from hence or from any thing in the Doctrine by Mr Goodwin contended for suited to the principle of Gospell Obedience in the Saints that no sin or lust whatsoever was ever mortifyed by it that it is a clog hinderance burthen to all Saints as far as they have to do with it in the wayes of God hath bin before demonstrated And therefore leaving it withall the Consolation that it affords unto those who of God are given up thereunto we proceed to the Consideration of another Argument his eighth in this case which is thus proposed Sect. 37. That Doctrine which evacuates and turnes into weakenesse and folly §. 5. all the gracious councells of the Holy Ghost which consist partly in the diligent information which he gives unto the Saints from place to place concerning the hostile cruell and bloudy mind and intention of Sathan against them partly in detecting and making knowne all his subtile stratagems his plots methods and dangerous Machinations against them partly also in furnishing them wiih speciall weapons of all sorts whereby they may be able to grapple with him and to tryumph over him partly againe in those frequent admonitions and Exhortations to quit themselves like men in resisting him which are found in the Scripture And lastly in professing his feare least Sathan should circumvent and deceive them that Doctrine I say which reflects disparagement and vanity upon all these most serious and gracious applycations of the Holy Ghost must needs be a Doctrine of vanity and errour And consequently that which opposeth it by a like necessity a truth But such is the common Doctrine of absolute and infallible Perseverance Ergo. Ans. Not to ingage into any needlesse contest about wayes of Arguing §. 6. when the designe and strength of the Argument is evident I shall only remarke two things upon this First the Holy Ghost professing his feare least Sathan should beguile Believers is a mistake It was Paul that was so afraid not the Holy Ghost though he wrote that feare by the appointment and inspiration of the Holy Ghost The Apostle was jealous least the Saints should by the craft of Sathan be seduced into errours and miscarriages which yet argues not their finall defection this indeed he records of himselfe but of the feares of the Holy Ghost arising from his uncertainty of those issue of the things and want of power to prevent the coming on of the things feared I suppose there is no mention And Secondly that the consequent of the supposition in the inference made upon it is not so cleare to me as to Mr Goodwin viz. Suppose any Doctrine to be false whatsoever Doctrine is set up in opposition to it is true I have knowne and so hath Mr Goodwin also when the truth hath layen between opposite Doctrines assaulted by both entertained by neither with these Observations I passe the Major of this Sillogisme the Minor he thus confirmes If the Saints be in no possibility of being finally overcome by Satan or of Miscarrying in the great and most important businesse of their Salvation by his snares and subtilties §. 7. all that operousnesse and diligence of the Holy Ghost in those late mentioned Addressements of his unto them in order to their finall conquest over Satan will be found of very light consequence of little concernement to them yea if the said Addressements of the Holy Ghost be compared with the State and Condition of the Saints as the said Doctrine of Perseverance representeth and affirmeth it to be the utter uselesnesse and impertinency of them will much more evidently appeare Ans. What possibility or not possibility the Saints are in of finall Apostasy from God what assurance themselves have may have or have not concerning their Perseverance with what is the
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
abide to be sincere From what hath been occasionally spoken of the intendment and scope of this place of the designe which the Apostle had in hand of the direct sence of the words themselves §. 47. M. Goodwins exceptions to our Interpretation of the words and inferences from it being wholly removed and his Expofition which he advanceth in the roome of that insisted on manifested to bee as to the occasion and scope of the place assigned utterly forreigne unto it and as to Explication of the particulars of it not of any strength or consistency for the obscurenig of the true sence and meaning of the place in the eye of an intelligent Reader 't is evidently concluded beyond all colourable contradiction that those who are true Believers indeed having obtained communion with the Father and his Sonne Christ Jesus cannot fall into a totall Relinquishment of Christ or of the Faith of the Gospell so as to have no portion nor interest in the communion they formerly enjoyed To returne to M. Goodwins close of this 13. §. 48. Chap. and nine Arguments as he calls them from which he labours to Evince the Apostasy of Believers he shuts up the whole with a Declamation against and revileing of the Doctrine he opposeth with many opprobrious and reproachfull expressions calling it an Impostor and an Appearance of Satan in the likenesse of an Angell of Light with such like termes of reproach as his Rhetorick at every turne is ready to furnish him withall threatning it farther with calling it in Question before I know not how many Learned men of all sorts and to disprove it by their Testimony concerning it and so all that is required for its destruction is or shall be speedily dispatched God knows how to defend his Truth and as he hath done this in particular against as fierce assaults as any M. Goodwin hath made or is like to make against it so I no way doubt he will continue to doe 'T is not the first time that it hath been conformeable to its Author in undergoing the contradiction of men and being laden with reproaches and crucified among the theevish principles of Errour and prophanenesse Hitherunto it hath not wanted in due time its Resurrection and that continually with a new Glory and an added estimation to what before it obtained among the Saints of God and I no way doubt but that it will grow more and more untill the perfect day when those opinions and inventions of men derogatory to the Grace and Covenant of God his Truth Unchangeablenesse and Faithfulnesse which now make long their shades to eclypse the beauty and lustre of it shall consume and vanish away before its brightnesse In which perswasion I doubt not but the Reader will be confirmed with mee upon the farther consideration of what M. Goodwins endeavours are in an opposition thereto wherewith now by the grace of God contrary to my first intendment I shall proceed CAP. XVII 1. The cause of proceeding in this Chapter 2. M. G's attempt Cap. 12. of his Book 3. Of the Preface to M. G's discourse 4. Whether Doctrine renders men proud and presumptuous 5. M. G's Rule of judging of Doctrines called to the Rule 6. Doctrine pretending to promote Godlinesse how farre an Argument of the Truth 7. M. G. pretended advantages in judging of Truths examined The first of his knowledge of the generall course of the Scriptures 8. Of the experiences of his own heart And his observations of the wayes of others 9. Of his Rationall abilities 10. Eyek 18. 24 25. proposed to consideration M. G's sence of this place The words opened observations for the opening of the Text. 11. The words farther weighed an entrance into the Answer to the Argument from hence the word Hypotheticall not absolute 12. M. G. Answer proposed and considered 13. Whether the words are Hypotheticall 14. The severalls of the Text considered the righteous man spoken of who 15. M. G. proofe of his interpretation of a Righteous man considered 16. D. Prideaux his sence of the Righteous person here intended considered 17. Of the commination in the words shall dye The sence of the words what death intended 18. Close of the consideration of the Text insisted on 19. Mat. 18. 32 33. taken into a review 20. Whether the Love of God be mutable what the Love of God is 21. 1 Cor. 9. 27. 22. In what sence it was possible for Panl to become a Reprobate 23. The proper sence of the place insisted on manifested 24. Of the meaning of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 25. The scope of the place farther cleared 25. Heb. 6. 4 5 6. Chap. 10. 26 27. proposed to consideration whether the words be conditionall 27. The genuine and true meaning of the place opened in fix observations 28. M. G's exceptions to the Exposition of the words insisted on removed The Persons intended not true Believers this evinced on sundry considerations 29. The particulars of the Texts vindicated 30. Of the illumination mentioned in the Text. 31. Of the Acknowledgement of the Truth ascribed to the Person mentioned 32. Of the sanctification mentioned in the Texts 33. Of tasting the heavenly gift 34. To be made partakers of the Holy Ghost what 35. Of tasting the good word of God and power of the world to come 36. Of the progresse made by man not really regenerate in the things of God 37. The close of our Considerations on these Texts 28. Heb. 10. 38 39. M. G's arguings from thence 39. Considered and answered of the Right Translation of the word Beza vindicated as also our English translations 40. The words of the Text effectuall to prove the Saints Perseverance 41. Of the Parable of the stony ground Math. 13. 20 21. 42. M. G. arguing from the place proposed and considered 43. The similitude in the Parable farther considered 44. An Argument from the Text to prove the Persons described not to be true Believers 45. 2 Pet. 4. 18 19 20 21 22. 46. Mr G. arguings from this place considered c. THough I could willingly be spared the labour of all that must insue to the end of this Treatise §. 1. yet it being made necessary by the endeavours of men not delighting in the Truth which hithertto we have asserted for the opposition thereof and lying I hope under the power and efficacy of that Heavenly Exhortation of contending earnestly for the Faith once delivered to the Saints I shall with all chaerfulnesse addresse my selfe thereunto yea the service and homage I owe to the Truth it selfe causing this ingagement for its rescue from under the captivity wherein by the chaines of Mr Goodwins Rhethoricke it hath been sometimes detained being increased and doubled by the pressing and violent wresting of sundry Texts of Scripture to serve in the same designe of bondaging the Truth with him is a farther incitation to adde my weake endeavours to breake open those dores and barres which he hath shut and
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
in this that one brings forth fruit and the other doth not farther the seed of wheate or the like brings forth its fruit in a naturall way and therefore whatever it brings forth followes in some measure the nature of the seed but that seed of the Gospell brings forth its fruit in a morall way and therefore may have effects of sundry natures that which the seed of Wheat brings forth is wheat but that which the Gospell brings forth is not Gospell but Faith besides what the wheate brings forth if it come not nor ever will to be wheate in the eare it is but grasse and not of the same nature and kind with that which is wheate actually though virtually and originally there be the nature of wheate in the roote yet actually wheat is not in the blade that hath not nor ever will have eare If the seed of wheate be so corrupted in the soyle where it is sowne that it cannot bring forth fruit that which it doth bring forth what ever it be is of a different nature from that which is brought forth to perfection by the seed of wheate in good ground Againe Faith is brought forth by the seed of the Gospell when the Promises and Exhortations of the Gospell being preacht unto men do prevaile on them to give assent unto the truth of it that every such effect wrought is true justifying Faith giving union with Jesus Christ Mr Goodwin cannot prove that effects specifically different may be brought forth by the same seed of the Gospell seeing to some it is a savour of life unto life and to some a savour of death unto death needes not much proving Some receive the Word and turne it into wantonnesse some are cast into the mould of it and are tanslated into the same image if the temper of the heart as is said is not able specifically to alter the Gospell but that there may not fruit of various kinds be borne in the heart that assents to it that receives it in the upper crust and skin of it is the question Neither is it a blade occasionally withering before the Harvest but a slight receiving of the seed so as that it can never bring forth fruit that is intimated In summe this whole Discourse is a great piece of Sophistry in comparing naturall morall causes in the producing of their effects a thing not intended in the Parable and whereabout he that will busie himselfe jungat vulpes mulgeat hircos this is that which our Saviour teacheth â—â—in the similitude of seed sown in the stony ground The Word is preached unto some men who are affected with it for a season assent unto it but not comming 〈◊〉 to a cordiall close with it after a while wither away and such as these we say were never true Believers a small matter will serve to make a man a true Believer if these are such What tendency this Doctrine may have to lull men asleepe in security when Christ is not in them of a truth may easily appeare be judged if men who are distinguished from other Believers by such signall differences as these here are may yet passe for true Believers Justifyed Sanctifyed Adopted ones solvi mortales curas the way to Heaven is layed open to thousands who I feare will never come to the end of the journey What remaines of M. G's Discourse on this text §. 44. is spent in answering some objections which are made against his interpretation of the place it growes now late and this taske growes so heavy on my hand that I cannot satisfye my selfe in the repetition of any thing spoken before or delivered which would necessarily enforce a particular consideration of what M. G. here insists on let him at his leisure Answer this one Argument and I shall trouble him no farther in this matter That Faith which hath neither root nor fruit neither sound heart nor good life that by and by readily and easily yeelds upon Temptation to a totall defection is not true saving justifying Faith The root of Faith taken spiritually is the habit of it in the heart a spirituall living habit which if it reside not in the heart all assent whatever wants the nature of Faith true and saving the fruits of Faith are good Workes and new Obedience that Faith which hath not Workes James tells you is dead dead and living Faith doubtlesse differ specifically Againe Faith purisieth the heart and when a heart is wholly polluted corrupted naught and false there dwelles no Faith in that heart it is impossible it should be in a heart and not at least radically and fundamentally purify it farther Mr Goodwin hath told us that true Believers are so fortified against Apostasy that they are in only a possibility in nor probability nor great danger of totall Apostasy and therefore they who presently and readily fall away cannot be of those who are scarse in any danger of so doing upon any account whatever but that the faith here mentioned hath neither root nor fruit good heart to dwell in nor good life attending it but instantly upon triall and temptation vanisheth to nothing we are taught in the text it selfe therefore the Faith here mentioned is not true no saving Faith That it hath no root is expressly affirmed v. 21. and all the rest of the qualityes mentioned are evidenced from the opposition wherein they who are these Believers are set unto true Believers they receive the Word in good and honest hearts they bring forth fruit with patience they endure in the time of tryall like the house built on the Rock when the house built on the Sand falls to the ground One word more with this witnesse before we part they who receive the Word in good and honest hearts and keepe it do bring forth fruit with patience and fall not away under temptation so saith the testimony but all true Believers recive the Word in good and honest hearts Ergo Which is the voyce of Mr Goodwin's fourth Witnesse in this cause The 2 Pet. 4. 18 19 20 21 22. §. 45. is forced to bring up the reare of the Testimonyes by M. G. produced to convince the world of the truth Righteousnesse of his Doctrine of the Saints Apostacy ending his whole Discourse in the mire Observatioas from the Text or context from the words themselves or the coherence to educe his conclusion from he insists not on Many excellent words we have concerning the clearenesse evidence of this Testimony the impossibility of avoyding what hence he concludes we want not but we have been too often inured to such a way of proceeding to be now moved at it or troubled about it were the waters deepe they would not make such a noyse The state and condition of men here described by the Apostle is so justly delineated to the eye by the practice of men in the world to whom the Gospell is preached that I do not a little wonder how any
ordinary course and walking of a regenerate man that Paul describeth in that place and not his extraordinary falls and failings under great and extraordinary temptations This is evident from the whole manner of his discourse and scope of the place Now ordinarily through the grace of God the Saints doe not doe outwardly and Practically the things they would not that is commit sinne actually as to the outward act but they are ordinarily only swayed to this intanglement by the baits of sinne Secondly It is the sole worke of Indwelling sinne that the Apostle there describeth as it is in its selfe and not as it is advantaged by other Temptations in which it carrieth not Believers out to actuall sinnes as to such accomplishment of them which is their state in respect of great temptations only It is then I say the great burthen of their soules that they have been in their affections at any time dealing with the baits of sinne which causeth them to cry out for helpe and filleth them with a perpetuall selfe-abhorrency and condemnation 3. In such surprisalls of sinne although the Affections may be insnared and the judgement and Conscience by their tumultuating dethroned for a season yet the Will still maketh head against sinne in Believers and crieth out that whether it will or no it is captived and violently overborne calling for reliefe like a man surprized by an enemy There is an active renitency in the Will against the sinne whose bait is exposed to the Soule and wherewith it is inticed allured or intangled when of all the faculties of the Soule if any thing be to be done in any act of sinne in Unregenerate men the will is the ringleader Conscience may grumble and Judgement may plead but the Will runneth headlong to it And thus farre have I by way of digression proceeded in the difference there is betwixt Regenerate and Unregenerate men as to the root and foundation of sinne as also to their ordinary walking what is farther added by the Apostle in the two following degrees in the place mentioned because thence also may some light be obtained to the businesse in hand shall be briefely insisted on The next thing in the Progresse of sinne §. 55. is Lusts conceiving When it hath turned off the heart from its Communion with God or consideration of its duty and intangled or hampered the Affections in delight with the sinfull object proposed prevailing with the soule to dwell with some complacency upon the thoughts of sinne it then falleth to conceiving that is it warmes foments cherisheth thoughts and delights of the sinne entertained untill it so farre prevaile upon the will in them in whose wills there is an opposition unto it that being wearied out with the sollicitations of the flesh it giveth over its power as to its actuall predominant exercise and sensibly dissenteth not from the sinne whereunto it is tempted That this may sometimes befall a Regenerate Person I have granted before and what is the difference herein betwixt them and Unregenerate persons may be collected from what hath been already delivered Of the next step of sinne §. 56. which is its bringing forth or the actuall accomplishment of the sinne so conceived as above expressed there is the same Reason 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it bringeth out of its wombe the Child of sinne which it had conceived it is the actuall perpetration of sinne formerly consented unto that is expressed under this Metaphor I have little to adde upon this head to what was formerly spoken For 1. As they are not the sinnes of daily infirmities that are here intended in the place of the Apostle under consideration but such as lye in an immediate tendency unto Death as to their eminent guilt as also being the fruit of the hearts conception of sinne by fomenting and warming thoughts of sinne with delight untill consent unto it be prevalent in the soule so falls of this nature in the Saints are extraordinary and alway attended with their losse of peace the weakeneng of their Faith wounding of their soules and obnoxiousnesse without Repentance unto death God indeed hath provided better things for them but for themselves they have done their endeavour to destroy their own soules 2. That God never suffereth his Saints to fall thus but it is for the accomplishment of some very glorious end of his in their afflictions trialls patience humiliation which he will bring about These ends of God are many and various I shall not enter into a particular discourse concerning them 3. That an impenitent continuance in and under the guilt of such a sinne is a sore signe of an heart that neither hath nor ever had any true faith In others there is a truth of that of Austin who affirmed that he dared say that it might be good for some to have fallen into some eminent particular sinne for their humiliation and caution all their daies 4. That this frequent conception of sinne and bringing of it forth in persons who have been heightned by conviction to a great regularity of walking and conversation is the means whereby they doe goe forth unto that which is mentioned in the last place which is finishing of sinne that is so to be brought under the power of it as to compleate the whole worke of sinne Now men bring it forth by the temptations and upon the surprisalls forementioned but they that come to finish it or doe the worke of it in them it will bring forth death This I take to be the intendment of that expression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sinne perfected The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is no where used in the New Testament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is not to doe any one act which the Law requireth but to walke studiously and constantly according to the rule thereof and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostle useth it Philip 1. 6. where we translate it as here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To perfect the good worke is to walke in the way of Grace and the Gospell unto the end So to perfect sinne is to fulfill the worke of sinne and to walke in the way of sinne to be under the dominion and reigne of sinne so far as to be carried out in a course of sinning and this is that alone which we exempt Believers from which that they are exempted from unto all that hath formerly been spoken I shall adde the consideration of one place of Scripture being turned aside from my thoughts of handling this at large as the second part of the Doctrine of the Saints Perseverance the former being grown under my hands beyond expectation Now this place is the I Iohn 3. 9. Whatsoever is borne of God doth not commit sinne §. 57. for his seed remaineth in him and he cannot sinne because he is borne of God A place of Scripture that alway hath amazed the adversaries of