with a farther opening of his mind as to what he had last spoken of The world the world being vile wretched deceitfull and set upon Opposition against them a man would have thought that the Lord Jesus should have desired that his Saints might be taken out from the midst of this world and set in a quiet place by themselves where they might no more be troubled with the baits and oppositions of it But this is not that which he requests he hath another worke for them to do in the world they are to beare witnesse to him and his Truth by their Faith and Obedience to convince the wicked unbelieving world They are to Glorifie his name by doing and suffering for him so that this is no part of his request I pray not saith he that thou shouldest take them out of the world but that they may not be prevailed on nor conquered by the evill that is in the world That they may be kept and preserved from the power of evill which would separate them from me and my Love This he presseth for and this he is heard in and that not only for his Apostles and present followers but as he tells you v. 20. for all that should believe on him to the end of the world The things prayed for the Reason of his Intercession the opposition against the accomplishment of the things interceded for the distinction put between them for whom he Intercedes and the perishing world all delivered in plaine and expresse termes evidently evince the intendment of Christ in his Intercession evidently to regard the safeguarding of Believers in the Love and Favour of God by their continuance in Believing and preservation from the Power of temptations and oppositions arising against their Perseverance in communion with God The result of what hath been spoken §. 5. as to its influence into the confirmation of the Truth under Demonstration amounts unto thus much That which the Lord Jesus Christ as Mediator requesteth and prayeth for continually of the Father according to his mind in order to the Accomplishment of the Promises made to him and Covenant with him all his desires being bottomed upon his exact perfect performance of the whole will of God both in doing and suffering that shall certainly be accomplisht and brought to passe But thus in this manner upon these accounts doth the Lord Jesus intercede for the Perseverance of Believers and their Preservation in the Love of the Father unto the end therefore they shall undoubtedly be so preserved It is confessed that the Persons Interceded for are Believers all Believers that then were or should be to the end of the World the efficacy of this Intercession having commenced from the foundations thereof the thing prayed for is their Preservation in the state of Union with Christ and one another the motives used for the obtaining this request in their behalfe are taken from the work they have to doe and the opposition they were to meet withall and all the Saints being thus put into the hand of God who shall take them from thence On what account is it that they shall not be preserved To say they shall be thus preserved in case themselves depart not wilfully from God is to say they shall be preserved in case they preserve themselves as will afterwards be farther manifested This Argument is proposed by the Apostle §. 6. in the most triumphant assurance of the Truth and Certainty of the inference contained in it that he any where useth in any case whatsoever Rom 8. 33 34. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect It is God that justifieth Who is he that condemneth It is Christ that died yea rather that is risen againe who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh Intercession for us he laies the immunity of the Elect justified Persons from just crimination or Condemnation on the foundation of the Oblation and Intercession of Christ The first part of this Argument from the Oblation of Christ who shall condemne It is Christ that died asserting the immunity of Believers from Condemnation upon the account of the punishing of all their sinnes in Christ and the perfect satisfaction made by his death for them whence the justice of God in the issue will not have any thing to lay to their charge we have formerly insisted on The other which the Apostle induces emphatically and comparatively though not in respect of procurement and purchase made yet of assurance to be given with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in respect of his Oblation is that now before us To make the Assurance of Believers plentifull that they may know both the Truth of his first generall Assertion that all things shall work together for good to them and this particular conclusion now laid downe by way of interrogation rejecting all evill opposed to their former enjoyments who shall lay any thing to their charge who shall condemne He gives them a threefold consideration of the state and actings of the Lord Christ after the Expiation of their sinnes by this bloud in reference to them 1. He is Risen 2. He is at the Right hand of God 3. Makeeth Intercession for them the First denoting his Acquitment and theirs in him for he died in their stead from all the sinnes that were charged on him For he was declared to be the Sonne of God accepted with him and justified from all that debt which he undertook in his Resurrection and if he be risen who shall lay any thing to the charge of them whom he died for and for all whose sinnes in their stead he was acquitted The Second is his Exaltation and Power for having purged our sinnes he is sate downe at the right hand of the Majesty on High Heb. 1. 3. receiving thereby a most plenary demonstration of his Fathers good will to him and his in respect of the work that he had undertaken and gone through for them For if he had not made an end of sinne when he was obedient unto death the death of the Crosse he could not expect that God should give him a name above every name with fulnesse of power to give Eternall Life to all that the Father gave him This to assure us that he will doe having power in his own hand the Apostle addes who also Intercedes for us hereby thirdly testifying abundantly his good will and care for our Salvation Upon these considerations the Apostle leads the Faith of the Saints of God to make a conclusion which is to be believed as a Divine Truth that tenders to us the Doctrine we have under Demonstration triumphant against all Objections and oppositions that can be made against it And hence we thus argue Those against whom no Charge can be laid who cannot by any means be separated from the love of God in Christ cannot totally and finally fall away from Faith and fall out of Gods Favour but that this is the condition of all true
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
consideration of things weighty and serious With you who are continually exercised with severer thoughts and studies then the most of men can immix themselves withal such a condescention to the vanity of menâ— minds and lightness of their spirits I am sure can find no approbation And as for them who make it their business to run through books of a Polemical nature in what subject soever in pursuit of what is personal ridiculous invective beating every Chapter and Section to find only what ought not to be there and recoyling in their spirits upon the appearance of that which is serious and pressing to the cause in hand I suppose you judge them not worthy to be attended to with such an imposition upon the time and diligence of those who sincrely seek the Truth in love as the satisfying of their vaine humour would require It is indeed of sad consideration to see how some learned men forgetting the loss of precious houres wherewith they punish their Readers thereby in discourses of this naturedo offend against their professed intendments by perpetual diversions in long personal Hâ—rangâ—es delighting some for a moment instructing none in the mattter inquired into Some parts of this Treatise you may perhaps judge not so closely scholastically argumentative as the regular lawes of an accurate disputation would require In the same judgment with you is the Authour where yet he supposes himselfe not without just Apologie and that such as renders his way of procedure not blame worthy whereas otherwise he should not think any excuse sufficient to expâ—ate such an errour He is worthily blammed who had not rather chuse to want a fault then an excuse The truth is neither would the matter treated of nor the persons for whose sakes cheifly this labour was undertaken admit of an accurate scholastical procedure in all parts of the Treatise The doctrine asserted and the errour opposed are the concernments of the common people of Christianity Arminianisme is crept into the bodies of sundry congregations and the weaker men are who entertaine it the more gross and carnal are their notions and Conceptions in and about it Pelagius himselfe was never so injurious to the grace of God as some amongst us Now the souls of men whose good is sought in this work are no less precious in the sight of God though they are unacquainted with Philosophical termes and wayes of arguing than the soules of the most learned Besides that which we account our wisedome and learning may if too rigoâ—ously attended be our folly when we think to sharpen the reason of the Scripture we may straighten the Efficacy of the spirit of it It is oftentimes more effectual in it's own liberty then when restrained to our methods of arguing And the weapons of it keener in their own soft breathings then when sharpned in the forge of Aristotle There is a way of perswasion and conviction in the Scriptures that is more divine sublime then to be reduced to any Rules of Art that men can reach unto God in his word instructs men to make them wise unto salvation Syllogismes are not doubtless the only way of making men wise with humane wisedome much less divine Some Testimonies on this account are left at their own liberty improved only by Explanation that they might lose nothing of their owne strength seeing no other can be added to them Where the corrupt Philosophy or sophistical arguings or indeed regular sylloâ—tical proceedings of the Adversaries have rendred a more close Logical way of proceeding necessary I hope your favourable judgments will not find cause to complaine of the want thereof Whatever is amiss what ever is defective what ever upon any account cometh short of desire or expectation as I know none in the world more able to discerne and find out then your selves so there are none from whom I can expect and justly promise my selfe a more easy candid Censure a more free and general pardon a more favourable Acceptation of this endeavour for the service of the Truth then from you Besides that personal Amity and respect which God by his providence hath given me one altogether unworthy of such an allay of common perplexities in his pilgrimage with you and amongst you besides that readiness and ingenuous promptness of mind unto condescention and candid reception of labours in this kind which your own great worth and abilities furnish you withal exempting you and lifting you above that Pedantick severity and humour of censure which posseth Sciolists men corrupted with a desire of emerging in the repute of others You know full well in what streights under what diversions imployments business of sundry natures incumbent on me from the Relations wherein I stand in the University and on sundry other accounts this work hath been carried on The truth is no small portion of it owes it's rise to Journeyes and such like avocations from my ordinary course of studies and imployments with some spare houres for the most part in time of absence from all books and asisstances of that nature whatever Not longer to be burthensome unto you with things of no greater concernment then what may have respect to one every way so unworthy as my selfe what is of the seed which God hath graciously supplyed I am sure will find acceptance with you and what is of it's worthless Author or that I have added I am fully content may be consumed by the fire that tryes our workes of what sort they are My dayly prayer Honoured Brethren shall be on your behalfe that in the dayes wherein we see so many fall from the truth oppose it on the one hand a great indifferency as to the things of God leading Captive so many on the other so few remaining made useful to God in their generations by a conjunction of zeale for the truth and ability unto it's defence and those for the most part so closely engaged in and their hands so filled with the work of publique beseeching Men to be reconciled to God in Christ and building up of them who are called in their most holy faith You may receive helpe from above and encouragement to engage you by all meanes possible to spread abroad a savour of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to labour continually that the truths of God for whose defence you are particularly appointed may not be cast down nor trampled on under the feet of men of corrupt minds lying in wait to deceive alluring beguiling unstable soules with enticing words of humane wisedome or any glorious shew and pretence whatever turning them from the simplicity of the Gospel and the truth as it is in Jesus that you may not faint nor waxe weary notwithstanding all the opposition contempt scorne you do or may meet withal nor ever be turned aside to corrupt Dalliances with errour and falshood as is the manner of some who yet would be accounted sound in the faith but keeping close to the forme of
former sort and the Accomplishment of such like Promises as these He informes us to consist not in the actuall fulfilling of what is conditionally affirmed but in the certain truth of the axiom wherein the condition and the Event as such are knit together 2. To the Example urged I shall only aske what Mr Goodwin's judgement is of the Promises that God hath made to Believers that they shall never relapse into their former state of unbeliefe and on what condition they are made Whether his Promise of his Love unto and Acceptance of Believers wherein he will abide for ever doe not inferre their Preservation in the Condition wherein they are i e. Believers will in the next place fall under our Consideration Your Conclusion is in the sence explained you admit the Proposition whatsoever God promiseth is certaine that is it shall certainly be fulfilled or it shall not There is moreover no small contribution of strength as to our establishment in the Faith of it §. 13. given to our Proposition by the signall ingagement of the Faithfullnesse of God for the Accomplishment of the Promises which he makes unto us as it is manifest in those words of the Apostle 1 Cor. 1. 9. God is faithfull by whom you are called to the fellowship of his Sonne in the foregoing verse he telleth them that God will confirme them to the end that they may be blamelesse in the day of the Lord Christ of which confident Assertion he gives them this account Gof is faithfull to make good his Promises made unto them he changeth not When a Promise is once passed that which first presents it selfe to the consideration of them to whom it is made and whose concernement it is that it be fulfilled is the Faithfulnesse of him that hath made the Promise This property of Gods nature doth the Apostle therefore mind the Saints of to lead them to a full Assurance of their preservation His Promise being passed feare not his faithfulnesse for its Accomplishment Might there in this case a supposall be allowed of any such interveniences as might intercept them in the way of enjoying what God truly promised and cause them to come short thereof what assurance could arise to them from the consideration of the Faithfulnesse of God who made those Promises unto them The Faithfulnesse of God then is ingaged for the Accomplishment of the thing promised which also shall be done in case that faile not So also the 1 Thes 5. 23 24. The very God of peace sanctify you wholly and I pray God your spirits and soules and body be preserved blamelesse unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ faithfull is he that calleth you who will also doe it He assures them of their preservation in and unto the enjoyment of the things which he prayed for and that upon the account of his Faithfulnesse who had promised them and saith he he will doe it viz. because he is Faithfull Let the oppositions to it be never so many the difficulties never so great the interveniences what they will He is faithfull and he will doe it as it is affirmed 2 Thes 3. 3. But the Lord is faithfull who shall establish you and keepe you from evill as also in the 1 Cor 10. 13. God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able but will with the temptation also make a way to escape that you may be able to beare it The same Faithfulnesse of God is held out as that upon the account whereof no temptation shall befall Believers so as to separate them from him The Promise here peculiarly confirmed by it and established on it is such as no condition can tollerably be fixed unto I will not suffer Believers to be overcome with Temptations in case they be not overcome with Temptations is a Promise not to be ascribed to the Infinite Wisdome of God with which we have to doe and yet no other can with the least colour be proposed All sinne all falling from God is upon temptation Though Sathan and the World should have no hand in drawing man aside from God yet what they doe from their own Lusts they doe from Temptation Iam. 1. 14 15. If God in his Faithfulnesse will not suffer any Temptation to prevaile against Believers unlesse they neglect their duty and fall from him and they can no otherwise neglect their duty nor depart from him but upon the prevalency of Temptation their abiding with him their finall unconquerablenesse hath a certainty answerable to the faithfulnesse of God This part of our strength Mr Goodwin attempts to deprive us of Cap. 11. Sect 18. p. 236. in these words Whereas the Apostle mentioneth the Faithfulnesse of God as that Divine principle in him or Attribute out of which he is moved to establish and confirme Believers unto the end and so to keepe them from evill by Faithfulnesse he doth not necessarily meane that Property or Attribute of his that renders him true and just or Constant in the performance of his Promises as if the Apostle in these or any like places supposed such a promise one or more made by him by which he stands obliged to establish and confirme his Saints unto the end by a strong and irresistible hand Ans. The summe of this Answer is that the Apostle by saying God is Faithfull doth not understand Gods Faithfulnesse What other virtue is intended in God by his Faithfulnesse but that whereby his Truth and his Constancie in Words and Promises is signified I know not Let the places from the begining of the Scriptures to the end wherein there is mention made of the Faith or Faithfulnesse of God of his being Faithfull with the Application thereof the Scope and intendment of the place be perused and see if they will give the least allowance to turne aside from eying the Property and Perfection of God before mentioned as that which they peculiarly intend Deut 7. 9. Ps 36. 5. Ps 89. 1 2 5. Ps 143. 1. Isai 49 7. Hos 2. 20. Rom. 3. 3. 2 Tim 2. 13. Heb 10. 23. 1 Iohn 1. 9. are some of them Why we should wring out another sence of the expression in this place I know not 2. The Faithfulnesse of God is not mentioned as that Divine principle out of which he is moved to establish and confirme Believers to the end but only to confirme them in the faith of his Unchangeablenesse and Constancie in the accomplishing the worke of his free Grace which he had begun in them and promised to confirme to the end The work flowes from the Principle of his free Grace in Jesus Christ whence alone he gives them great free and pretious Promises His stability and Constancie in those Promises as to their performance is intended by his Faithfulnesse and Truth in them What are the Promises of God improperly so called and not exhibited in words which you intimate I know not 3. The Apostle doth not only suppose
Assertion is repeated that God will defend them in Heaven against all opposition Here where their oppositions are innumerable they may shift for themselves but when they come to Heaven where they shall be sure to meet with no opposition at all there the Lord hath engaged his Almighty power for their safety against all that shall arise up against them and this is as is said the naturall and cleare disposition of the Context in this place but Nobis non licet c. There are sundry other texts of Scripture which most clearely and evidently confirme the truth we have in hand which are all well worth our consideration for our consolation and establishment as also something of our labour and diligence to quit them from those glosses and interpretations which turne them aside from their proper intendment that are by some put upon them Amongst which 1 Cor. 1. 8 9. 1. Philip. 6. 1 Thess. 5. 24. Joh. 5. 24. ought to have place But because I will not insist long on any particulars of our Argument from the Promises of God here shall be an end CAP. VII 1. The Consideration of the Oath of God deferred 2. The method first proposed somewhat waved The influence of the mediation of Christ into God's free and unchangeable acceptance of Believers propoâ—ed Reasons of that proposall 3 4. Of the Oblation of Christ. Its influence into the Saints Perseverance All causes of separation between God and Believers taken away thereby Morall and efficient causes thereby removed 5. The guilt of sinne how taken away by the death of Christ Of the Nature of Redemption Conscience of sinne how abolished by the sacrifice of Christ Heb 10. 3 4 14. 6. Dan. 9. 24. opened Rom 2 34. 7. Deliverance from all sinne how by the death of Christ. The Law innovated in respect of the Elect. 8. The vindictive justice of God satisfied by the death of Christ How that is done Wherein satisfaction doth consist Absolute not conditionall 9. The Law how fulfilled in the Death of Christ. 10. The Truth of God thereby accomplished His distributive justice engaged 11. Observations for the clearing of the former assertions Whether any one for whom Christ died may dye in sinne The necessity of Faith and Obedience The Reasons thereof The end of Faith and Holinesse 12. The first Argument for the proofe of the former Assertions concerning the fruit and efficacy of the death of Christ Heb. 9. 14. The second The third The compact between the Father Son about the work of mediation 14. The Fourth Good things bestowed on them for whom Christ died antecedently to any thing spiritually good in them The Spirit so bestowed and Faith it selfe The close of those Arguments 14. Inferences from the foregoing discourse The Efficacy of the death of Christ and the necessity of Faith and Obedience reconciled Sundry considerations unto that end proposed All Spirituall mercies fruits of the death of Christ. 2. All the fruits of Christs death laid up in the hand of Gods Righteousnesse 3. The state of them for whom Christ died not actually changed by his death 4 On what account Believing is necessary 15. Christ secures the stability of the Saints abiding with God What is contrary thereunto how by him removed The World overcome by Christ as mannaged by Sathan in an enmity to the Saints 16. The compleat victory of Christ over the Devill The waies whereby he compleats his conquest The Rule of Sathan in respect of siâ—ners two fold 1. Over them 2. in them 17. The Title of Sathan to a rule over men judged and destroyed by Christ. The exercise of all power taken from him 18. The works of Sathan destroyed by Christ in and for his Elect. 19. The Holy Spirit procured by the death of Christ. 20. The giving of the spirit the great Promise of the New Covenant 21. This farther proved and confirmed 22. The perpetuall Residence of the Holy Spirit with Believers proved by the threefold testimony of Father Sonne and Spirit Isa 59. 21. The Testimony of the Father proposed and vindicated 23. Our Argument from hence farther cleared This Promise Absolute not Conditionall No condition rationally to â—e affixed to it The import of those words â—as for me â— To whom this Promise is made 24. That farther cleared not to all Israel according to the flesh 25. Mr G's Objections answered 26. The Testimony of the Sonne given to the perpetuall abiding of the Spirit with Believers Ioh 14. 16. opened The Promise in those words equally belonging to all Believers 27. Mr G's Objections answered No Promise of the Spirit abiding with Believers on his principle allowed The Promise given to the Apostles personally yet given also to the whole Church Promises made to the Church made to the individualls whereof it is constituted 28. The giving of this Promise to all Believers farther argued from the scope of the place And vindicated from Mr G's exceptions 29. The third Testimony of the Holy Spirit himselfe proposed to consideration His Testimony in sealing particularly considered 2 Cor 1. 22. Ephes 1. 13. 4. 30. Of the nature and use of Sealing amongst men The end aime and use of the sealing of the Holy Ghost 30. Mr G's Objections and Exceptions to our Argument from that sealing of the Spirit considered and removed 31. The â—ame farther carried on c THere remaines nothing for the confirmation of the first branch §. 1. or part of the Truth proposed but only the consideration of the Oath of God which because it ought certainly to be an end of all strife I shall reserve the handling of it to the close of the whole if God be pleased to carry us out thereunto that we may give The Oath of God its due Honour of being the last word in this Contest The order of our method first proposed would here call me to handle our Stedfastnesse with God and the Glory created upon our Grace of Sanctification But because some men may admire and aske whence it is that the Lord will abide so Stedfast in his Love towards Believers as hath been manifested upon severall accounts that he will besides what hath beene said before of his owne Goodnesse and Unchangeablenesse c. I shall now adde that outward consideration which lyes in the Mediation of Christ upon the account whereof he acts his owne Goodnesse and Kindnesse to us with the greatest advantage of Glory ad Honour to himselfe that can be thought upon Only I shall desire the Reader to observe that the Lord Jesus is an undertaker in this businesse of perfecting our Salvation and safegarding our Spirituall Glory not in one regard and respect only There is one part of his Ingagement therein which under the Oath of God is the close of the whole and that is his becoming a surety to us of his Fathers Faithfulnesse towards us and a suerty for us of our Faithfulnesse to him so that upon the whole matter the businesse on each side
own thoughts but what may oppose ours that is the plaine and obvious sence of the words that he is concerned to make use of It being not the sence of the place but an escaping our Argument from it that lies in his designe he cares not how many contrary and inconsistent Interpretations he gives of it haec non successit aliâ aggrediemur viâ The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 denotes as is confessed the intention of Christ in sending the Spirit that is that he intends to send him to Believers so as that he should abide with them for ever Now besides the impossibility in generall that the intention of God or of the Lord Christ as God and man should be frustrate whence in particular should it come to passe he should faile in this his intention I will send ye the holy spirit to abide with you for ever that is I intend to send you the Holy Spirit that he may abide with you for ever what now should hinder this Why it is given them upon condition that they be true to their own interest and take care to retaine him what is that I pray Why that they continue in Faith Obedience Repentance and close walking with God but to what end is it that he is promised unto them Is it not to teach them to worke in them Faith Obedience Repentance and close walking with God to Sanctifie them throughout and preserve them blamelesse to the end making them meet for the inheritance with the Saints in Light In case they Obey Believe c. the Holy Ghost is promised unto them to abide with them to cause them to Obey Believe Repent c. 4. The Intention of Christ for the sending of the Spirit and his abiding for ever with them to whom he is sent is but one and the same And if any frustration of his intention do fall out it may most probably interpose as to his sending of the Spirit not as to the Spirits continuance with them to whom he is sent which is asserted absolutely upon the account of his sending him He sends him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his abode is the end of his sending which if he be sent shall be obtained Upon the whole doubtlesse it will be found that the Doctrine of Perseverance findes so much for its establishment in this place of Scripture and Promise of our Saviour that by no Art or cunning it will be prevailed withall to let goe its interest therein And though many attempts be made to turne and wrest this Testimony of our Saviour severall wayes and those contrary too and inconsistent with one another yet it abides to looke straight forwards to the proofe and confirmation of the Truth that lyes not only in the wombe and sence of it but in the very mouth and literall expression of it also I suppose it is evident to all that Mr Goodwin knowes not what to say to it nor what sence to fixe upon At first it is made to the Apostles not all Believers then when this will not serve the turne there being a Concession in that Interpretation destructive to his whole cause then it is made as a Priviledge to the Church not to any individuall Persons but yet for feare that this priviledge must be vested in some individualls it is denyed that it is made to any but only is a Promise of the Spirits abode in the world with the Word but perhaps some thoughts coming upon him that this will no way suit the scope of the place nor be suited to the intēdmēt of Christ it is lastly added that let it be made to whom it will it is conditionall though there be not the least intimation of any condition in the Text or Context and that by him assigned be coincident with the thing it selfe promised But hereof so farre And so our second Testimony the Testimony of the Sonne abides still by the Truth for the confirmation whereof it is produced and in the mouth of these two witnesses the abiding of the Spirit with Believers to the end is established Adde here unto thirdly the Testimony of the third that beares witnesse in Heaven §. 29. and who also comes neere and beares witnesse to this Truth in the hearts of Believers even of the Spirit it selfe and so I shall leave it sealed under the Testimony of the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost As the other two gave in their Testimony in a word of Promise so the Spirit doth in a reall worke of Performance wherein as he beares a distinct Testimony of his owne the Saints having a peculiar Communion and fellowship with him therein so he is as the common seale of Father and Sonne set unto that Truth which by their Testimony they have confirmed There are indeed sundry things whereby he confirmes and establisheth the Saints in the Assurance of his abode with them for ever I shall at present mention that one eminent worke of his which being given unto them he doth accomplish to this very end and purpose and that is his Sealing of them to the day of Redemption A worke it is often in the Scripture mentioned and still upon the account of assuring the Salvation of Believers 2 Cor. 1. 22. by whom also ye are sealed Having mentioned the Certainty Unchangeablenesse and efficacy of all the Promises of God in Christ and the end to be accomplished and brought about by them namely the Glory of God in Believers v. 20. all the Promises of God are yea and Amen in him to the Glory of God by us the Apostle acquaints the Saints with one Foundation of the security of their interest in those Promises whereby the end mentioned the Glory of God by them should be accomplished This he ascribes to the efficacy of the Spirit bestowed on them in sundry workes of his Grace which he reckoneth v. 21 22. Among them this is one that he seales them As to the nature of this sealing and what that Act of the Spirit of Grace is that is so called I shall not now insist upon it The end and use of Sealing is more aimed at in this expression then the nature of it what it imports then wherein it consists Being a terme forensicall and translated from the use and practice of men in their Civill Transactions the use and end of it may easily from the originall rise thereof be demonstrated Sealing amongst men hath a two fold use First to give secrecy and security in things that are under present consideration to the things sealed And this is the First use of Sealing by a seale set upon the thing sealed Of this kind of sealing chiefely have we that long Discourse of Salmasius in the vindication of his Jus Atticum against the Animadversions of Heraldus And 2 ly to give an assurance or faith for what is by them that seale to be done In the first sence are things sealed up in Baggs and in Treasuries that they may be kept safe none daring to
that Believers receive the spirit of Adoption to cry Abba Father which being a worke within them cannot be wrought and effected by Adoption it selfe which is an extrinsicall Relation Neither can Adoption and the Spirit of Adoption be conceived to be the same He also farther affirmes it 1 Cor 2. 12. we have received the spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are freely given us of God We have so received him as that he abides with us to teach us to acquaint our hearts with Gods dealing with us bearing witnesse with our spirits to the condition wherein we are in reference to our Favour from God and Acceptation with him and the same he most distinctly asserts Gal. 4. 6. God hath sent forth the spirit of his Sonne into our hearts crying Abba Father The distinct Oeconomy of the Father Sonne and Spirit in the work of Adoption is clearly discovered He is sent sent of God that is the Father That name is Personally to be appropriated when it is distinguished as here from Sonne and Spirit That is the Fathers work that work of his Love he sends him He hath sent him as the spirit of his Sonne procured by him for us promised by him to us proceeding from him as to his personall subsistence and sent by him as to his office of Adoption and Consolation Then whether the Father hath sent the spirit of his Sonne where he is to abide and make his residence is expressed it is into our Hearts saith the Apostle there he dwells and abides And lastly what there he doth is also manifested he setts them on worke in whom he is gives them priviledges for it Ability to it Incouragement in it causing them to cry Abba Father Once and againe to Timothy doth the same Apostle assert the same truth 1 Epist. 3. 14. the good thing committed unto thee keep by the Holy Spirit which dwelleth in us The Lord knowing how much of our Life and Consolation depends on this Truth redoubles his Testimony of it that wee might receive it even wee who are dull and slow of heart to believe the things that are written 3. Whereas some may say §. 3. it cannot be denyed but that the Spirit dwels in Believers but yet this is not personally but only by his Grace though I might reply that this indeed and upon the matter is not to distinguish but to deny what is positively affirmed To say the Spirit dwells in us but not the Person of the Spirit is not to distinguish de modo but to deny the thing it selfe To say the Graces indeed of the Spirit are in us not dwell in us for an Accident is not properly said to dwell in its subject but the Spirit it selfe doth not dwell in us is expressly to cast downe what the word sets up If such distinctions ought to be of force to evade so many positive and plaine Texts of Scripture as have been produced it may well be questioned whether any Truth be capable of proofe from Scripture or no. Yet I say farther to obviate such Objections and to prevent all quarrellings for the future the Scripture it selfe as to this businesse of the Spirits indwelling plainely distinguisheth between the Spirit it selfe and his Graces He is I say distinguished from them and that in respect to his indwelling Rom. 5. 5. The Love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost that is given to us The Holy Ghost is given to us to dwell in us as hath been abundantly declared and shall yet farther be demonstrated Here He is mentioned together with the Love of God and his shedding thereof abroad in our Hearts that is with his Graces is as clearely distinguished and differenced from them as Cause and effect Take the Love of God in either sence that is controverted about this place for our Love to God or a sence of his Love to us and it is an eminent Grace of the Holy Spirit If then by the Holy Ghost given unto us yee understand only the Grace of the Holy Ghost He being said to be given because that is given then this must be the sence of the place The Grace of the Holy Ghost is shed abroad in our Hearts by the Grace of the Holy Ghost that is given to us Farther if by the Holy Ghost be meant only his Grace I require what Grace it is hereby the expression intended Is it the same with that expressed the Love of God This were to confound the efficient cause with its effect Is it any other Grace that doth produce the great worke mentioned Let us know what that Grace is that hath this power energie in its hand of shedding abroad the Love of God in our Hearts So Rom. 8. 11. He shall quicken your mortall bodyes by the Spirit that dwelleth in you This quickning of our mortall bodies is generally confessed to be and the scope of the place inforceth that sence our Spirituall quickning in our mortall bodyes mention being made of our bodyes in Analogie to the body of Christ by his death we have life and quickning Donbtlesse then it is a Grace of the Spirit that is intended Yea the habitual principle of all Graces And this is wrought in us by the Spirit that dwelleth in us There is not any Grace of the Spirit whereby he may dwell in men antecedent to his Quickning of them Spirituall Graces have not their residence in dead soules So that this must be the Spirit himselfe dwelling in us that is here intended and that personally or the sence of the words must be The Grace of quickning our mortall bodyes is wrought in us by the Grace of Quickning our mortall bodyes that dwels in us which is plainely to confound the Cause and Effect Besides it is the same Spirit that raised up Jesus from the dead that is intended which doubtlesse was not any inherent Grace but the Spirit of God himselfe working by the exceding greatnesse of his Power Thus much is hence cleared Antecedent in order of nature to our Quickning there is a Spirit given to us to dwell in us Every efficient Cause hath at least the precedency of its effect No Grace of the Spirit is bestowed on us before our Quickning which is the preparation and fitting of the subject for the receiving of them the planting of the Roote that containes them vertually and brings them forth actually in their order Gal. 5. 22. All Graces whatsoever come under the name of the fruit of the Spirit that is which the Spirit in us brings forth as the Roote doth the fruit which in its sodoing is distinct therefrom Many oher instances might be given but these may suffice 4. There is a Personallity ascribed to the Holy Ghost in his dwelling in us and that in such a way §. 4. as cannot be ascribed to any Created Grace which is but a Quality in a subject and this the Scripture doth three wayes 1. In
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
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
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
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 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
in Believers the Children of God who are begotten of the will of God of the Word of Truth and borne againe not of the Will of the flesh but of the will of God there is a new Spirituall principle a constituting principle of their Spirituall Lives wrought implanted in thē by the Spirit of God a principle of Faith Love enabling thē for suiting them unto inciting them to that Obedience which is acceptable and well pleasing to their Father which is in Heaven In which Obedience as they are regulated by the Word so they are stirred up unto it by all those motives which the Lord in his infinite wisdome hath fitted to prevaile on persons indued with such a principle from himselfe as they are It is not incumbent on me to enter upon the proofe and demonstration of a Title to a Truth which the Saints of God have held so long in unquestionable possession nothing at all being brought to invalidate it but only a bare insinuation that it is not so Then Fourthly I deny not but that the Saints of God are stirred up to Obedience by all the Considerations and inducements which God layes before them and proposeth to them for that end purpose And as he hath spread a principle of obedience over their whole soules all their Facultyes Affections so he hath provided in his Word motives inducements to the Obedience he requires which are suited unto fit to worke upon all that is within them as the Prophet speakes to live to him Their Love Feare Hope Desires are all managed within and provoked without to that end and purpose But how it will thence follow that it is the intendment of God by his Threatnings to ingenerate such a Feare of Hell in them as is inconsistent with an Assurance of his Faithfulnesse in his Promises not to leave them but to preserve them to his Heaveuly Kingdome I professe I know not The Obedience of the Saints we looke upon to proceed from a principle wrought in them with an higher Energy and efficacy than meere desires of God to implant it by Arguments and Motives that is by perswading them to it without the least reall contribution of strength or power or the ingrafting the Word in them in with and by a new principle of Life And if this be the Phyllis of our Authors Doctrine Solus habeto Such a working of Obedience we cannot think to have any thing of God of the Spirit of God of the Wisdome of God or the Goodnesse of God in it being exceedingly remote from the way and manner of Gods working in the Saints as held out in the Word of Truth and ineffectuall to the end proposed in that Condition wherein they are The true use of the Threatnings of wrath in reference to them who by Christ are delivered from it hath been before manifested and insisted on In the last division of this Section §. 64. he labours to prove that what is done from a principle of Feare may be done willingly and chearefully as well as that which is done from a principle of Love To which briefely I say First Neither Feare nor Love as they are meere naturall Affections are any principle of Spirituall Obedience as such Secondly That we are so farre from denying the usefulnesse of the Feare of the Lord to the Obedience of the Saints That the continuance thereof in them to the end is the great Promise for the certaine Accomplishment whereof we do contend Thirdly That Feare of Hell in Believers as a part of the wrath of God from which they are delivered by Christ being opposed to all their Grace of Faith Love Hope c. is no principle of Obedience in them whatever influence it may have on them as to restraint when managed by the hand of Gods Grace Fourthly That yet Believers can never be delivered from it but by Faith in the Bloud of Christ attended with sincere and upright walking with God which when they faile of though that Feare supposed to be predominant in the soule be inconsistent with any comfortable chearing Assurance of the favour of God yet it is not with the certaine continuance to them of the thing it selfe upon the account of the Promises of God Section the sixteenth containes a large Discourse in answer to the Apostle §. 65. affirming that Feare hath torment which is denyed by our Author upon sundry Considerations The Feare he intends is a Feare of Hell and wrath to come This he supposeth to be of such predominancy in the soule as to be a principle of Obedience unto God That this can be without Torment Disquiet Bondage and vexation he will not easily evince to the consciences of them who have at any time been exercised under such a frame What Feare is consistent with Hope What incursions npon the soules of the Saints are made by dread and bondage and Feare of Hell and the use of such feares How some are though true Believers scarcely delivered from such Feares all their dayes I have formerly declared and that may suffice as to all our concernement in this Discourse In the seventeenth Section somwhat is attempted as to Promises § 66. answerable to what hath been done concerning Exhortations and Threatnings the words used to this end are many the summe is That the use of Promises in stirring men up to Obedience is solely in the proposall of a good thing or good things to them to whom the Promises are made which they may attaine or come short off Now if men are assured as this Doctrine supposeth they may be that they shall atttaine the end whether they use the meanes or no how can they possibly be incited by the Promises to the use of meanes proposed for the injoyment of the end promised That this is the substance of his Discourse I presume himselfe will confesse and it being the winding up of a tedious Argument I shall briefely manifest its usefullnesse and lay it aside I say then First what is the True use of the Promises of God and what Influence they have into the Obedience and Holinesse of the Saints hath been formerly declared Neither is any thing there asserted of their genuine naturall tendency to the ends expressed enervated in the least by any thing here insisted on or intimated by Mr Goodwin so that without more trouble I might referre the Reader thither to evince the falsenesse of Mr Goodwin's Assertions concerning the uselessnesse of the Promises unto Perseverance upon a supposition that there are Promises of Perseverance Secondly Though we affirme that all true Saints shall Persevere yet we do not say that all that are so do know themselves to be so and towards them at least the Promises may have their Efficacy in that way which Mr Goodwin hath by his Authority confined them to worke in Thirdly we say that our Saviour was fully perswaded that in the issue of his undertakings and sufferings he should be
Believers hath been formerly beyond contradiction manifested and maintained That expression then they went out from us is not an Answer by concession to an Objection but a description of seducers by their Apostacy Which words also in their regard to the Persons as before by him described do manifest their utter declining and forsaking the Communion of the Saints they so going from them as also going into an opposition to the Doctrine of the Gospell Thirdly That the Apostle here insinuates an advantage these Antichrists had to seduce from their former communion with him a thing not in the least suggested as was observed in the occasion of the words as laid downe by Mr Goodwin himselfe is proved from the use of the words they went out from us Acts 15. 24. Whence this undenyable Argument may be educed Some who went out from the Apostle had repute and authority in their preaching thereby these Antichrists went out from the Apostle therefore they had repute and authorety thereby younger men than either Mr Goodwin or my selfe know well enough what to make of this Argument Besides though there be an agreement in that one Expression all the neighbouring parts of the Description manifest that in the things themselves there and here pointed at there is no affinity Those in the Acts pretended to abide still in the communion and Faith of the Apostles these here expressively departed both from the one and the other to an opposition of them both The former seemed to have pretended a commission from the Apostles these according to Mr Goodwin himselfe did so farre declare against them that it was a scandall to some fearing that all had not been well among the Apostles Fourthly That which is called an Answer by way of Exception as in it lye the expression of it so used upon the matter is as much as we urge from these words The import of them is said to be they were not of us though they were with us yet they were not such as we are didnot walke in that uprightnesse of heart as we do they were not men of the same principles and spirit with us that is they were not true thorough sincere and sound Believers at all no not while they converst with the Apostles Now evident 't is that in those words as is manifest by the assuming of them againe for the use of an inference insuing for if they had been of us they would have continued with us the Apostle yeilds a Reason and Account how they came to Apostatize and fall to the opposition of the Gospell from the profession wherein they walked 't was because they were not men of thorough and sound principles true Belivers and consequently he supposeth and implyeth that if they had been so they would not they could not have so Apostatized for if they might there had been no weight in the account given of the Reason of their revolt In what followes §. 44. that these words but they were not of us do not necessarily imply they were Believers formerly but perhaps they had been so and were before fallen away being choaked by the cares of the world an observation is insinuated directly opposite to the Apostles designe and such as makes his whole Discourse ridiculous An account he gives of mens falling away from the Faith and tells them 't is because though they have been professors yet they were never true Believers yea but perhaps they were true Believers and then fell away after that fell away that is they fell from the Faith and then fell from the Faith for that is plainely intimated in is the sence of this doubty Observation But to proceed with his exposition §. 45. he sayes It followes for if they had been of us they would no doubt have continued with us in these words the Apostle gives a reason of his Exception telling them to whom he writes that this was a signe and Argument that those Antichristian teachers were not of them in the sence declared viz. That they did not continue with them that is they quitted their former intimacy and converse with the Apostles refused to steere the same course to walke by the same principles any longer with them which saith he doubtlesse they would not have done had they been as sincerely affected towards Jesus Christ the Gospell as we by which Assertion John plainely vindicated himselfe and the Christian Churches of his communion from giving any just occasion of offence unto those men whereby they should be any wayes induced to forsake them and resolves their unworthy departure of this kind into their own carnall and corrupt hearts which lusted after some fleshly accommodations and contentments that were not to be obtained or enjoyed in a sincere profession of the Gospell with the Apostles and those who were perfect of heart with them Ans. First That no aspersion was cast on Iohn or the Churches of his Communion by the Apostasy of the Antichrists of whom he speakes from which he should need to vindicate himselfe and them was before declared There was not indeed nor possibly could be the least occasion for any surmize of evill concerning them from whom men departed in turning ungodly opposers of Christ For any thing that is here offered 't is but an obscureing of the Light that breaks forth from the words for the discerning of the Truth in hand 't is granted that the Apostle manifests that they were not of them that is true upright sound believers that walked with a right foot in the Doctrine of the Gospell because they forsooke the communion of the Saints to fall into the condition of Antichristianisme wherein they were now engaged Now if this be an Argument that a man was never a true believer in the highest profession that he makes because he falls from it and forsakes it certainly those that are true believers cannot so fall from their stedfastnesse or the Argument will be of no Evidence or conviction at all Neither is any thing here offered by M. Goodwin but what upon a through consideration doth confirme the inferences we insist upon and make to the worke in hand Truth will at one time or other lead captive those who are most skilfull in their Rebellion against it What is added Sect. 24. concerning the Righteous Judgement of God §. 46. and the gracious tendency of his dispensations to his Churches use in suffering these wretches so to discover themselves and be manifested what they were I oppose not The discovery that was made was of what they had been before that is not true Believers not what now they were yea by what they now shewed themselves to be was made manifest what before they were Words of the like import you have 1 Cor. 11. 19. % For there must be also heresies among you that they which are approved may be made manifest among you as here those who fall away are manifested to be corrupt so there are those who
wallowed and rolled himselfe may be prevailed upon and overcome by temptations to backslide into the same abominable practises wherein he was formerly engaged deserting that way and course of attending to the Word and yeilding obedience thereunto which he had entertained that in its own nature tended to a better end 4. Sayes he Hypocrites are no where said neither can they with any congruity to Scripture Phrase be said to have escaped the pollutions of the world through the acknowledgement for so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be translated of Jesus Christ the acknowledgement of the truth and so of Christ and of God constantly in the Scriptures importing a sound and saving worke of conversion as we lâ—tely obsâ—â—â—ved in this Chap. Sect. 20. Ans. It sufficeth that the thing it selfe intimated is sufficiently revealed in the Scriptures and confirmed by the examples of all those who have acknowledged the truth of the word to the putting on a forme of Godlinesse though they come not up to the power or saving practise of it and truly I cannot but admit that any one who hath had never so little experience in the work of the Ministry or made never so little observation of Religion should once suppose that all such persons must needs be accounted true Believers Regenerate c. Mr Goodwin shuts up this Chapter with a declaration concerning the usefullnesse of cautions and admonitions given to believers about backsliding upon a supposition of an infallible Promise of God for their Perseverance I presume the Reader ir weary as well as my selfe having in the last Chapter heard him out to the full what he is able to say to this common place of opposition to the Doctrine we have thus far asserted offered those considerations of the wayes of Gods dealing with Believers to preserve them in the course of their Obedience and walking with him which I hope through the mercy and goodnesse of God may be satisfactory to them that shall weigh them I shall not burthen him with the repetition of any thing already delivered nor do judge it needfull for to adde any thing more FINIS TYPOGRAPHUS LECTORI Courteous Reader SO it is that the Author being necessitated to be absent upon publique businesse some Errata have escaped the Presse The most materiall are here signified and thy pardon desired The request is not unusuall there scarce being any Book or Pamphlet from any Presse which is not guilty of such a petition In Peading possibly thou maist find some more faults and 't is desired and hoped that the diligence and charity of thy hand will candidly correct those mistakes which have escaped through the negligence of mine Vale. Errata in the Preface PAg. 1. lin 18. lege 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Math. 10. 22. % lin 34. lib. 83. Quaest. Quaest. 31. lin 49. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pag. 2. lin 5. Heresy lin 46. cap. 7. l. 47. preservata perseverantia l. 48. praeservare l. 50. Justitiam l. 58. preservation l. 59. prevalency pag 3. 1. 3. nolitionem l. 4. volitionem l. 7. Auxil l. 15. dele before him l. 18. Corol. l. 22. distinguish l. 24. dele 〈◊〉 leg viz. 104. l. 29. impeccability p. 4. l. 50. Monsâ—eâ—t Duille l. 55. received pag. 5. l. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. 47. leg 89. Epist. 〈◊〉 2. pag. 6. l. 2. nostra l. 7. quae pro vominum l. 3â— Canonicall l. 52. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 43. Con pag. 17. l. 53. us p. 7. l. 3. Saturninus l. 4. 〈◊〉 l. 14. Adverseries l. 18. evidently l 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l 24. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l 28 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l 29. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l 38. iav 〈…〉 1. 2 dele that he wrote l. 22. Agbarus l. 31. processe ib. in Marg Unicum l 39. And then he adds l 51. Grammatiâ—â—â—â— p. 9. l 10. Appar 1. § 47. p 19. l. 16. Genevatismum l. 19. dele no. l 33. I find l 34. Dissert 2. c. 2. § 11. l 56. Quadrage 〈◊〉 editae l 27. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 10. l. 2. helped l. 3. dele them p 11. l. 25. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 14. Vienna and Lions 〈…〉 p. 12. l. 4. thoughts l. 6. breakes l 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 dele with p 13. l 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l 7. in one l 9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 l. 24. Approbatione is added as l 25. Approbation l 29. recounteth l 53. spiritu probantes l 27. is 〈…〉 l 9. Bishops Sea l 29. appointed l 〈…〉 the 〈◊〉 Episcopall superintendment p. â—2 l 38. Archiepiscopall l 46. Assertion p. 24. l 52. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 And the p. 39. l. 33. Perseveâ—â—â—â—◠〈…〉 A Table of Seriptures Explained or Illustrated in this Book GENESIS Cap. Vers. Pag. II 24 196 III 10 11 104  15 113  15 170 VI 5 344 VIII 2 220 XVII 1 2 115 243  7 96 XX 16 30 EXODUS XXVIII 43 68 NUMBERS XXV 11 12 13 66 DEUTERONOMIE XVII 12 13 110 XXXIII 12 30 JOSUAH l 5 12 129 1 SAMUEL XII 22 131 IV 2 22. 293 2 SAMUEL XXIII 5 97 2 KINGS XXII 19 20 296 2 CRONICLES XXIX 19 344 JOB XXIII 13 14 53 PSALMES Cap. Vers. Pag. XIX 6 30 XXIII 1 2 3 86  4 6 135 XXX 6,7 21 XXXIII 9 10 11 51 66 XL 8 38 229 LI 11 190  22 201 LXXIII 26 135 LXXVIII 61 29 LXXXV 8 296 LXXXIX 30 31 37 131 XCII 10 204 CIII 5 204 CXV 3 49 CXXV the whole Psal. 138. PROVERBS XIX 21 51 XXIV 10 202 CANTICLES IV 6 204 ISAIAH IV the whole Cap. 27 c  2 3 4 131 XIII 3 10 XIV 24 25 26 27 53 XXVII 3 133 240 XL 27 ad 31 30 c  11 12 86 XLIII 22 23 24 25 133 XLIV 1 2 ad 8 38 XLVI 13 29  3 4 33  9 10 11 50  4 135 XLIX 14.16 39 L 10 7  6 33  10 134 LIV 8 9 114  9 10 120 142 c. LVII 17 133 LIX 20 172  2 174 175 c. LXI 10 28 JEREMIAH Cap. vers pag. XXX 1 2 240 XXXI 3 â—6  ◠119  31 32 33 98  34 35 31 XXXII 38 39 40 31 91 EZEKIEL X 10 29 XXXIV 4 86 XXXVI 27 189  32 133 XVIII 24 25 403 c. DANIEL IX 24 161 HOSEA II 19 20 24â— c JOEL II 16 30 ZEPHANIAH III 17 133,134 ZECHARIAH III 3 35 XIII 3 4 28 MALACHI III 6 32 MATTHEW V 6 209 VII 20 12 XI 25 26 27. 59 86 XVIII 32 33 416 417 XIX 28 123 157 XX 21 59 XXIV 11 12 3  24 89 XXVI 42 52 XXVIII 8 89 XIII 20 21 â—â—â— LUKE I 74 75 â—â— XI 13 â—â— XII 4 5 â—â— JOHN I 13 33 III 16 113  6 â—27  5 358 IV 14 205 V 25 34 VI 37 38 39 40 83  44 45 46 108  56 194  17 18 19 352 VII 38 39 20â— VIII 28 104 X 25 212  27 28 29 154 155 XIV 30 343  17 375 XV 5 25  4 5 196 204  26 173 177 178  1 237 XVII 16 84  11 12 13 14 15 297 298  19 227  21 22 195  19 431 ACTS II 23 57 IV 28 48 IX 15 287 XIII 48 76 XV 18 48 XX 16 92 XXV 26 34 XXVI 5 57 XXVII 22 123 ROM II 25 26 27 104 III 25 26 2â— Â 23 24 11â— IV 5 35  19 20 21 244 V 8 15 16 17 113  5 191  3 5 22  21 328 VI 6 172  5 6 236  14 328  17 18 19 352 VII 17 20 21  21 23 22  24 25  7 8 326  19 20 329  â—â— 330  ◠◠ ◠◠1 CORINTHIANS Cap. Vers. Pag. I 7 9 198  9 125  30 116 II 11 52  15 213  28 113 III 6 193  16 17 196 VI 9 7  16 17 196  19 193  15 353 IX 27 256 417 c. X 12 13 125 289 XI 3 195 XII 12 195 2 CORINTHIANS I 12 190  20 100 114  22 183 III 17 214  18 198 IV 6 198 V 14 228 237  17 329 VII 1 231 GALATIANS III 9 96  18,22 112 114  28 113 IV 6 191 V 25 26 204 EPHESIANS I 3 4 5 94  11 48  17 18 198 II 12 35  12 115  14 116  21 22 211 III 16 17 205  16 17 18 19 231 IV 12 13 242  15 16 196  18 34  20 21 22 23 24 228  31 334 V 18 20 335  25 26 28  31 32 196 PHILIPPIANS â— 7 â— 83 〈…〉 Cap. Vers. Pag. III 10 236 COLOSSIANS I 9 198 II 15 170  19 196 350 III 3 35 HEBREWES I 10 11 12. 9. II 17 52  18 86 III 2 85 IV 15 86  2 244 VI 4 10  17 18 52  4 5 6 9 291  4 5 6 7 421 c VII 25 86  24 114 VIII 9 10 11 12 99  6 115 X 5 29  9 83  9 10 89  15 173  19 20 21 22 230 233  26 27 421 c. XI 6 230 231 XIII 8 100  5 129 JAMES I 14 15 325  16 1 18 33 II 11 12 230 I. Eâ— PETER I 1â— 15 229  18 19 172  20 57 II 11 12 230 II. Ep. PETER I 4 145 194 II 1 2 10 11 206  18 19 172 IV 18 19 20 21 22 441 1 JOHN II 19 3  20 27 199  19 388 III 7 7  8 171  9 4 343  9 364  7 10 IV 4 332  18 298 V 7 8 4  17 18 366 REVELATIONS I 6 116 II 24 213  â—â— 212 III â—â— 20◠〈…〉
declared He who hath been esteemed amongst the Ecclesiastical Writers of old to have laboured more and to more purpose in the Doctrine of the Grace of God then all that went before him or any that have followed after him whose renowne in the Church hath been cheifly upheld and maintained upon the account of the blessed paines and labours wherin the Presence of God made him to excel for the depressing the pride of all flesh and the exaltation of the riches of God's love and efficacy of his grace in Jesus Christ wherewith the whole Church in succeeding Ages hath been advantaged beyond what is easy to be expressed That Prosper Hilary Fulgentius and the men of renowne in the Congregation of God at the end of that Age did fall in with their judgments to that which Austine had delivered I suppose will be easily confessed Prosper ad Cap 7. Gal. quomodo eos habeat praeordinata in Christo Electio cum dubium non sit donum Dei esse Perseverantiam in bono usque ad finem quod istos ex io ipso quod non perseverârunt non habuisse manifestum est Also the breaking of the Power and 〈◊〉 of the attempt of Pelagius by sundry Doctors of the Church and Synods to that end assembled whereof Prosper gives us an account reckoning them up in their order and Austine before him Epist 42. 47 with special relation to what was done in Africk and in the begining of his verses De Ingratis with what troubles were raised and created anew to the Champions of the Grace of God by the writings of Cassianus Faustus Vincentius the Masilienses with some others in France and the whole rable of Semi-Pelagians with the fiction of Sigibert about a Predestinarian Heresy whereof there was never any thing in being no not among the Adrumetine Monks where Vossius hoped to have placed it the Councel of Arles the Corruptions and falsifications of Faustus in the business of Lucidus the impositions on Goteschalcus with the light given to that business from the Epistle of Florus have exerciâ—ed the commendable endeavours of so many already that there is not the least need further to insist upon them What entertainment that peculiar Doctrine which I am in the Consideration of found in the following ages is that which I shall further demonstrate After these was Gregory 1 who Lib. 1. Epist 99 speakes to the same purpose with them in these words Redemptor noster Dei hominumque mediator Conditionis Humanae non immemor sic imis summa conjungit ut ipse in unitate permanens ita Temporalia occulto Instinctu piâ consulens moderatione disponat quatenus de ejus manu antiquus Host is nullatenus rapiat quos ante Secula intra Sinum matris Ecclesiae adunandos esse praescivit nam et si quisquam eorum inter quos degit Statibus motus ad Tempus ut palmes titubet radix tamen rectae Fidei quae ex occulto prodit divino judicio virens manet quae accepto Tempore fructum de se ostentare valeat qui latebat This is the summe of what we contend for viz that all those whom God hath predestinated to be added to the Church receiving a saving faith though they may be shaken yet on that account the Root abides firme their Faith never utterly perisheth but in due time brings forth accepted fruits againe And most expressive to our purpose is that discourse of his which you have Lib. 34. Moral Cap. 8 saith He Aurum quod pravis Diaboli persuasionibus quasi lutum sterni potuerit Aurum ante Dei Oculos nunquam fuit qui enim Seduci quandoque non reversuri possunt quasi habitam Sanctitatem ante ocules hominum videntur amittere sed eam ante oculos Dei nunquam habuerunt The Exclusion of those from being True Believers who may be seduced and fall away doth most eminently infer the Perseverance of all Them who are so Adde unto these Oecumenius though he be one of a latter date and those shall suffice for the period of time relating to the Pelagian Controversy saith he in Epist ad Ephes cap. 1. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All is confirmed and Ratified by the earnest of the Spirit that is given to them that believe Of those that lived after the days of the forementioned I meane all of them but the last that I may not cloy the Reader I shall not mention any until the business of Divinity and the profession of it was taken up by the School-men and Canonists who from a mixture of Divine and Homane principles framed the whole body of it anew and gave it over into the possession of the present Romish Church moulded for the most part to the worldly carnal Interests of them on whom they had their Dependency in their several generations But yet as there was none of those but one way or other was eminently conducing to the carrying on of the mystery of Iniquity by depraving perverting and corrupting one Truth or other of the Gospel so all of them did not in all Things equally corrupt their waies but gave some Testimony more or less to some Truths as they received them from those that went before them so fell it out in the matter of the Grace of God and the Corruption of the Nature of man though some of them laboured to corrode and corrupt the ancient received Doctrine thereof so some againe contended with all their might in their way and by their Arguments to defend it as is evident in the Instance of Bradwardine crying out to God and Man to help in the Cause of God against the Pelagians in his Dayes in particular complaining of the great Master of their Divinity So that notwithstanding all their Corruptions these ensuing Principles pass currantly among the most eminent of Them as to the Doctrine under consideration which continue in credit with many of their Sophistical Successours to this Day 1 That Perseverance is a grace of God bestowed according to Predestination or Election on men that is that God gives it to Believers that are Predestinated and Elected 2 That on whomsoever the Grace of Perseverance is bestowed they do Persevere to the end and it is impossible in some sense that they should otherwise Doe 3 That none who are not predestinate what grace soever they may be made partakers of in this world shall constantly continue to the end 4 That no Believer can by his own strength or power incited or stirred up by what manlike or rational considerations so ever Persevere in the Faith the Grace of Perseverance being a gift of God It is true that their Judgments being perverted by sundry other Corrupt Principles about the Nature and Efficacy of Sacraments with their Conveyance of Grace ex opere operato and out of Ignorance of the Righteousness of God and the Real work of Regeneration they generally maintaine though Bradwardine punctually exprest himselfe to be of another
mind that many Persons not Predestinate may come to believe yet fall away and perish Now the Truth is it is properly no part of the Controversy under consideration whether or how far and in what sense men by Reason of the Profession Participation of Ordinances with the work effect of common Grace upon them may be sayd to be True Believers but the whole upon the matter of what we plead for is comprised in the Assertions now ascribed to them which that it is done upon sufficient grounds will be manifest by calling in some few of the most eminent of Them to speak in their own words what their thoughts were in this matter To bring them in I desire that one who though none of Them was eminent in his undertakings for a mixture of Divinity and Law in those dayes wherin they had their eminent rise and Original may be heard And that is Gratian who after his manner hath Collected many things to the Purpose in hand p. 2. c. 33. Q 3. de pan dis 2 Charitas saith he est juncta Deo inseperabiliter unita in omnibus semper invicta And Electi quippe sic ad Bonum tendunt ut ad mala perpetranda non redeant Potest discursus mobilitas Spiritûs sic intelligi In Sanctorum quippe eor dibus juxtà quasdam virtutes semper permanet juxta quasdam verò recessurus venit venturus recedit in fide etenim Spe Charitate bonis aliis sine quibus ad Coelestem patriam non petest veuiri sicut est Hâ—militas Castitas justitia atque Msericor dia perfectorum corda non deseriâ— in Prophetiae verè virtute doctrina facundiâ Miraculorum 〈◊〉 suis aliquanda adest aliquandose suber 〈◊〉 Answering the objection of the Spirits departure from them on whom he is bestowed He distinguisheth of the respects upon the account whereof he may be said so to do in respect of some Common gifts sayth he he may withdraw himselfe from them on whom he is bestowed but not in respect of Habitual Sanctifying grace Among the School-man there is none of greater name eminency for Learning Devotion and Subtilty than our 〈◊〉 who was Proctor of this Vniversity in the yeare 1325 and obtained by general consent the Title of Doctor profundus Lib. 2 de Causa Dei Cap. 8. This Profound Learned Doctour proposes this Thesis to be confirmed in the following Chapter quod nullus viater quantâcunque gratiâ ereatâ subnixus solim liberi Arbitrii viribus vel etiam cum adjutorio Gratiae possit perseverare finaliter fine alio Dei auxilio speciali In the long disputation following he disputes out of the Scriptures and Antient writers abundantly cited to his purpose that there is no possibility of the Perseverance of any Believer in the faith to the end upon such Helpes considerations and Advantages as Mr. Goodwin proposeth as the only meanes thereof That Perseverance it selfe is a gift of God without which gift and Grace none can persevere the and specialty of that Grace he expresseth in the Corollary wherewith he closeth the Chapter which is quod nullus viator solius liberi Arbitrii vel Gratiae Viribus aut amborum conjunctim sine alio Dei Auxilio speciali potest persever are per aliquod Tempus omnino Further asserting the efficacy of special grace in and for every good work whatever His Arguments and Testimonies I shall not need to recite they are at hand to those who desire to consult them After the vindication of the former Thesis Chap. 9. 10. Chap. 11 he proposeth further this proposition to a right understanding of the Doctrine of Perseverance Quod perseverantia non est aliquod Donum Dei creatum à Charitate Gratiâ realiter differens And the Corollary wherewith he shuts up that disputation is quòd Nomen Perseverantiae nullam rem absolutam essentialiter significat sed accidentaliter relativè Charitatem videlicet sive justitiam cum respectu futurae Permansionis usque in Finem quod non improbabiliter posset dici Perseverantiam esse ipsam Relationem hujus After this knowing well what Conclusion would easily be inferred from these principles viz That Perseverance is not really distinct from Faith and Love that it as such a Grace and Gift of God that who ever it 's bestowed upon shall certainly persevere namely that every one who hath received True Grace Faith and Love shall certainly persevere He objects that to himselfe and plainly grants it to be so indeed cap. 12. And to make the matter more cleare chap. 13 he disputes that Auxilium sine quo nullus perseverat per quod quilibet perseverat est Spiritus Sanctus Divina bonitas voluntas Every Cause of bringing sinful man to God is called by them Auxilium in these three Spiritus Sanctus Divina Bonitas Voluntas he comprizeth the cheif Causes of Perseverance as I have also done in the ensuing Treatise By Divina Voluntas he intends God's eternal and Immutable decree as he manifests cap. 8.9 whither he sends his Reader His Divina Bonitas is that free Grace whereby God accepts and justifies us as his Spirtus Sanctus is Sanctification So that he affirmes the perseverance of the Saints to consist in the stability of their Acceptation with God and continuance of their Sanctification from him upon the account of his unchangeable purposes and Decrees which is the summe of what we contend for And this is part of the Doctrine concerning the Grace of God and his soveraingty over the wills of men which Bradwardine in his dayes cryed out so earnestly for the Defence of to God man against the Pelagian encroachement which was made upon it in those dayes Thus he turnes himselfe in the conclusion of his Book to the Pope and Church of Rome with zealous earnestnes for their Interposition to the Determination of these Controversyes us os iniquè loquentium saith he obstruatur flexis genibus cordis mei imploro Ecclesiam pracipuè Romanam quae summâ Authoritate vigere dignoscitur quatenus ipsa determinare dignetur quid circa Praemissas Catholicè sit tenendum Non enim sine periculo in talibus erratur Simon dâ—rmis exurge speaking to the Pope exime gladium amput a quaque sinistra haeretica pravitatiâ— defende protege Catholicam veritatem Porrò etsi Dominus ipse in Petri navicula dormiat nimieâ—ate Tempestatis compulsus ipsum quoque fiducialiter excitabo quatenus Spirisus oris sui Tempestate sedatâ tranquillum faciat serenum Absit autem ut qui in prorâ hujus Navicula pervigil laborabat jam in puppi super cervicali dormiat vel dormitet Lib 3. Cap. 53. With this earnestness above 300 years agoe did this profoundly learned man press the Popes to a determination of these Controversyes against the Pelagians and their Successours in his Schooles The same suit hath ever since been continued by very many