Object or Truth revealed in the word This is common to all that are made partakers of the good Word of God that is to whom 't is Preached and delivered as it is to many whom it doth not profit being not mixt with Faith Heb 4. 2. 3. The way and meanes of Communicating the truth so revealed to their minds or understandings which is the Litterall Grammaticall Logicall delivery of the things contained in the Scriptures as held out to their Minds and Apprehensions in their meditation on them and this meanes of convayance of the sence of the Scripture is plaine obvious and cleare in all necessary Truths A Concurrence of these three will afford and yeild them that have it upon their diligence and enquiry a Disciplinary knowledge of the Litterall sence of Scripture as they have of other things By this meanes the Light shines 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sends out some beames of light into their darke minds but the darknesse comprehends it not John 1. 5. receives not the Light in a spirituall manner there is notwithstanding all this still wanting the work of the Spirit before mentioned creating and implanting in and upon their understandings and minds that Light and power of discerning spirituall things which before we insisted on This the Scripture sometimes calls the opening of the understanding Luk 24. 45. sometimes the giving an understanding it selfe 2 Tim 2. 7. 1 John 5. 20 sometimes light in the Lord Ephes. 5. 8. Notwithstanding all the Advantages formerly spoken of without this men are still naturall men and darknesse not comprehending not receiving the things of God that is not spiritually for so the Apostle adds because they Spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2. 14. Receiving Spirituall things by meere naturall mediums they become foolishnesse unto them This is the first thing that the Spirit dwelling in us doth towards Guidance and Direction he gives a new Light and Understanding whereby in generall we are inabled to discerne comprehend and receive Spirituall things 2. In particular he Guides and leades men to the embracing particular Truthes and to the walking in and up §. 20. unto them Christ promised to give him to us for this end namely to lead us into all Truth John 16. 13. He will guide us into all Truth There is more required to the receiving entertaining embracing a particular Truth rejecting of what is cōtrary unto it then an habituall Illumination This also is the work of the Spirit that dwells in us he works this also in our minds hearts therefore the Apostle secures his little Children that they shall be lead into Truth preserved frō seduction on this account 1 John 2. 20. You have au Vnction from the holy one or ye have received the Spirit from the Lord Jesus and you shall know all things why so because it is his worke to Guide and Lead you into all the things whereof I am a speaking And more fully v 27. You have received an Vnction from him that abideth in you and you have no need that any teach you but as the Vnction teacheth you of all things and is true and is no lye and as he hath taught you abide in him It is received as promised it doth abide as the Spirit is said to do and it teacheth which is the proper worke of the Spirit in an eminent manner Now this Guidance of Believers by the Spirit §. 21. as to the particular Truthes and actings consists in his putting forth of a twofold Act of Light and Power First Of Light and that also is twofold 1. Of Beauty as to the things to be received or done he represents them to the soule as Excellent Comely Desirable and Glorious leading us on in the receiving of truth from Glory to Glory 2 Cor. 2. 18. He puts upon every Truth a new Glory making and rendring it desirable to the soule without which it cannot be closed withall as not discovering either suitablenesse or proportion unto the minds and hearts of men And 2. By some actuall elevation of the minde and understanding to goe forth unto and receive into it selfe the Truth as represented to it by both of them sending forth Light and Truth Psal. 43. 3. blowing of the Cloudes and raising up the day Starre that rises in our hearts Secondly 2 Pet. 2. 19. Of Power Isa. 35. 6. The breaking forth of Streames makes not only the blind to see but the lame to leape Strength comes as well as Light by the powring out of the Spirit on us Strength for the receiving and practice of all his Gracious discoveries to us He leades us not only in Generall implanting a saving Light in the minde whereby it is disposed and enabled to discerne Spirituall things in a Spirituall manner but also as to Particular Truths rendring them Glorious and Desirable opening the mind and Understanding by new beames of Light he leades the soule irresistably into the receiving of the truths revealed which is the second thing we have by him I shall only observe for a close of this §. 22. one or two Consequences of the weight of this twofold Operation of the indwelling of Christ. 1. From the want of the first or his creating a new light in the minds of men it is that so many Labour in the fire for an acquaintance with the things of God It is I say a consequence of it as darknesse is of absence of the Sunne Many we see after sundry years spent in considerable labours and diligence reading of many bookes with a contribution of assistance from other usefull Arts and Sciences Rom. 1. 21 22 in the issue of all their indeavours do wax vaine in their imaginations having their foolish hearts darkned professing themselves wise they become fooles being so farre from any Sappe and savour that they have not the leaves of ability in things Divine Others indeed make some progresse in a disciplinary knowledge of Doctrines of the Scriptures and can accurately reason and distinguish about them according to the formes wherein they have been exercised and that to a great height of conviction in their owne spirits and permanency in the profession they have taken up But yet all this while they abide without any effectuall power of the Truth Rom. 6. 17. conforming and framing their spirits unto the likenesse and mould thereof They doe but see men walking like trees some shines of the light breake in upon them which rather amaze then guides them they comprehend it not They see Spirituall things in a Naturall Light and presently forget what manner of things they were and in the species wherein they are retained 1 Cor. 2. 12 13 14. they are foolishnesse 2. From the want of the latter it is that we our selves are so slow in receiving some partes of Truth and do find it so difficult to convince others of some other parts of it which to us are written with the beames of the Sunne Unlesse the
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
not so To what end is any farther dispute If the Scripture speaketh not to Mr Goodwins mind for doubtlesse he is an intelligent and considering man he seeth sufficient ground to question its Authority By what way possible any man can more advance himselfe into the Throne of God then by entertaining such thoughts and conceptions as these I know not An intelligent man is supposed to have from himselfe and his own Wisdome and Intelligence considerations of Gods nature and perfection by which he is to regulate and measure all things that are affirmed of God or his will in the Scripture If what is so delivered suit these conceptions of his that Scripture wherein it is delivered may passe for Canonicall Authentick If otherwise eâdem facilitate rejicitur quâ asseritur which was sometimes spoken of Traditionalls but it seems may now be extended to the written Word The Scriptue is supposed to hold out things contrary to what this intelligent Man hath conceived and considered and this is asserted as a just ground to question its Authority And if this be not a Progresse in the contempt of the Word of God to what ever yet Papists Socinians or Enthusiasts have attempted I am deceived To the Law and to the Testimony with all the conceptions and notions of the most intelligent man if they answer not to this Rule it is because there is no truth in them But he addeth the Reason of this bold Assertion §. 15. for saith he That a God infinitely righteous and holy should irreversibly c. Ans. Neither yet doth this at all mend the matter Neither doth the particular instance given alter at all but confirme the first generall Assertion viz. that If there be any thing in the Scriptures contrary to those thoughts of God which an intelligent man without the Scripture doth conceive of him he hath just grounds to question their Authority which wholly casts downe the Word of God from its Excellency and setteth a poore darke blind creature under the notion of an intelligent man at liberty from his subjection thereunto making him his owne rule and guide as to his Apprehensions of God and his Will And is it possible that such a thought should enter into the heart of a man fearing God reverencing his Word which God hath magnified above all his name There is scarce any one Truth in the whole Booke of God but some men passing in the world for intelligent and considering men doe looke upon it and professe it to be unworthy of an infinitly Righteous and Holy God So do the Socinians think of the Doctrine of the Satisfaction of Christ the great treasure of the Church At the rate that men passe at in this world it will be difficult to exclude many of them from the number of intelligent considering men And are they not all absolved here by Mr G. in this Principle from bowing to the Authority of God in the Scriptures having just ground to question whether they are from God or no. The case is the same with the Papists others in sundry particulats Frame the supposition how you will in things never so uncouth and strange yet if this be the position That in things which appeare so to men upon their consideration if any thing in the Scripture be held out or may be deduced from this to the contrary they are at liberty from submitting their understandings to them and may arraigne them as false and suppositions their whole divine Authority is unquestionably cast downe to the ground and trampled on by the feet of men for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God will take care for the vindication of the honour of his Word 2. The opposition here made by Mr Goodwin § 16. and imposed on his Adversaries is as hath been shewed wretchedly false not once spoken or owned by them with whom he hath to do nor having the least colour given unto it by the Doctrine they maintaine yea is diametrically opposite thereunto The maine of what they teach and which Mr Goodwin hath opposed in this Treatise indeavouring to answer that eminent place of the 1 John 3. 9. with many others produced and argued to that purpose is that God will according to the tenor of the Covenant of Grace so write his Law in the hearts of his and put his feare in their inward parts that they shall never depart from him so as to become desperately and outragiously profane but be preserved such to the end as that the Lord with the greatest advantage of Glory to his infinite Wisdome Righteousnesse and Holinesse may irreversibly assure the immortall Inheritance of his Love and Favour unto them So that Mr Goodwin's Discourse to the end of this Section concerning the Continuance of the Love of God to them that are wicked with an equall measure of Favour to them that are Godly according to this Doctrine is vaine and grossly sophisticall and such as he himselfe knoweth to be so To say every one that doth evill is good in the sight of the Lord and that he delighteth in him that is he approveth wicked and ungodly men we know is sufficiently dishonourable to him but yet to say that he delighted in his Church People washed and made Holy in the Blood of Christ notwithstanding their failings or their being somtime over taken with great sinnes when he pleaseth in an extraordinary way for ends best knowne to himselfe to permit them to fall into them which yet he doth seldome and rarely is that which himselfe affirmeth ascribeth to himselfe in innumerable places of Scripture if their Authority may passe unquestioned to the praise of the Glory of his Grace But it seemeth if we take any care that Mr Goodwin may not call the Authority of the Scriptures into question being fully resolved that the Doctrine of the Saints Perseverance is unworthy of a Holy and Righteous God we must give over all attempts of farther deducing it from them But yet for the present we shall consider what he hath farther to object against it Sect. 34. §. 17. He father objecteth against himselfe and his Doctrine in the be halfe of that which doth oppose in these words It is possible that yet some will farther object against the Argument in hand Vnlesse the Saints be assured of the perpetuity of their standing in the Grace and Favour of God they must needs be under feares of falling away and so of perishing and feare we know is of a discouraging and infeebling nature an enemy unto such actions which men of confidence and courage are apt to undertake Ans. What this objection maketh in this place I know not it neither asserteth any eminency in the Doctrine by Mr Goodwin opposed as to the promotion of Godlinesse nor immediately challengeth that which he doth maintaine of a contrary tendency but only intimateth that the S t s Consolation and peace is weakned by unnecessary feares such as his opinion is apt to