operâ minimè exclusâ ac si quis inquit Praeceptor discipulo solaecizanti diceret exeram tibi linguam istam barbaricam inseram Romanam Haec sunt fere ipsius Erasmi verba Quibus addex loco ipso satis appa rere nullaÌ„ necessitateÌ„ Deum significare voluisse sed neque ullam vim interiorem cum non aliâ ratione ea quae ibi pollicetur se effecturum ostendat Deus quà m beneficiorum multitudine quibus affecturus erat populum ejusque cor animum emolliturus c. Soc. Prael Cap. 12. 8. 6. p. 45. Socinus Prael Theol cap 6. whose words are This place of Ezekiel is well explained by Erasmus in his Diatribe saying that there is an usuall figure of speaking contained in it whereby a care in any of working something by another is signified his endeavour being not excluded as if a Maister should say to his Scholar speaking improperly I will take away that barbarous tongue from thee and give thee the Romane these are almost the words of Erasmus to which adde that it appeareth from the place it selfe that God would not signify any necessity or any internall efficacy when he declareth that he will effect what he promiseth no other way then by the multitude of his benefits wherewith he would affect the people and mollify their hearts and mindes and thereby as it were beget and create in them a willingnesse and alacrity in obeying of him The Remonstrants received this sence in the conference at the Hague managing it in these words it is manifest that these words doe signify some great efficacy and motion which should come to passe by the many and excellent benefits of God for whose sake they ought to convert themselves c. which worthy Interpretation being at length fallen upon Mr Goodwins hand is trimmed forth as you have heard Secondly not to insist on those Assumptions which are supposed in this interpretation as that this Promise was made peculiarly to the Jewes and to the whole Nation of them properly and directly c. The Gâ—osse it selfe will be found by no meanes to have the least consistency with either the words or intendment of the Holy Ghost in the place nor to be suited to Answer our Argument from thence nor yet to hold any good intelligence or correspondency with what hath already been delivered concerning it For 1. To beginne with the latter he affirmes this cannot be a Promise of absolute Perseverance because if it be so the Jewes enjoyed it in that Captivity as well as afterwards when that is here promised which they were not to receive untill in and upon their returne from Babylon Sect 52. Pag 220 221. But if that which is here mentioned be all that is promised to them namely dealing so graciously and bountifully with them in his Dispensations according as was intimated there is not any thing in the least held out to them in this place but what God had already himselfe being judge in as eminent and high a manner wrought in reference to them and for them as could be conceived And indeed it was such as he never after this arose to that height of outward mercy and bounty in things spirituall and temporall so as before Isai. 5.1,2,4 Neither after the Captivity unto this day did they see againe the triumphant glory of David the magnificent peace of Solomon the beauty of the Temple the perfection of Ordinances c. as before 2. Whereas he affirmed formerly that this Promise is conditionall and that the things therein promised doe depend on conditions by them to be fulfilled to whom the Promise is made Sect 54. pag. 221. in the Glosse here given us of the words there is no intimation of any such conditions as whereon the promised actings of God should be suspended but only an uncertainty of Event in reference to these actings Asserted That according to this interpretation which alone God promiseth to doe is that he would deale above measure graciously and bountifully with them as well in matters relating to their spirituall conditions as in things concerning their outward condition this is all he promiseth and this he will absolutely doe be the Event what it will It is not said nor can it with any pretence of reason that this also is conditionall nay whatever the Event and issue be that God will thus deale with them is the sence of the words in hand according to the estimate here taken of them It is true it is in the Exposition under consideration left doubtfull and ambiguous whether such or such an Event shall follow the promised actings of God or no but what God promiseth concerning his dealing with them that without supposall of any condition what ever shall be accomplished According as a sence serves the turne so it is to be embraced when men are once engaged against the Truth 3. Neither doth this Interpretation so much as take notice of much lesse doth it with any strength or evidence wave our Argument for the Saints Perseverance from this place We affirme 1. That the Promise God made unto or the Covenant he makes here with his people is distinguished from or opposed unto the Covenant that was broken upon this account that that was broken by the default of them with whom it was made but God would take care and provide that this should not faile but be Everlasting Jer 31. 32 33. Ch. 32. 40. Heb. 8. 8 9. 2. That the intendment of God in this Promise and the administration of this Covenant with meanes and power mentioned therein is the abiding of his Saints with him or rather primarily and principally his abiding with them notwithstanding all such interveniences as he will not powerfully prevent from ever interposing to the disturbance of that Communion he taketh them into I will saith he make an everlasting Covenant with them that I will not turne away from them from doing them good Now these things and such like are not once taken notice of in the exposition boasted to be full and cleare 3 ly Neither indeed hath it any affinity unto §. 15. or acquaintance in name or thing with the words or intendment of God with the Grace of the Promise or the Promise it selfe For 1. God saies he will give them one heart and one way or he will put his Law in their inward parts and write it in their Hearts which is plainely the work of his Grace in them and not the effect and fruit of his dealing with them In the Glosse in hand the work of God is limited to such dealings with them as may overcome them to such a frame The having of a new heart is either the immediate work of God or it is their yeelding unto their duty to him upon his dealing bountifully and graciously with them If the First it is what the Scripture affirmes and all that we desire If the Latter how comes it to be expressed in termes holding out an immediate Divine
Thus then we clearely see that the former of the two Consequents mentioned cannot stand God doth not by his Spirit irresistibly draw or move the wills of the S t s to do things which are necessary for the procuring their Perseverance immediately or withont the instrumentall interposure of the said Exhortations Ans. First §. 21. the intendment of this as also of some following Sections is to prove and manifest that the use of Exhortations cannot consist with the efficacy of Internall Grace and the worke of the Spirit in producing and effecting those Graces in us which in those Exhortations we are provoked and stirred up unto A very sad undertaking truely to my apprehension for w eh the Church of God will scarce ever returne thankes to them that shall ingage in it He was of an other minde who cryed Da Domine qvod jubes jube quod vis yea the Holy Ghost hath in innumerable places of Scripture exprest himselfe of another mind promising to worke effectually in us what he requires earnestly of us by the one manifesting the efficacy of his Grace by the other the exigeney of the Duty which is incumbent upon us Nay never any Saint of God once pray'd in his life seeking any thing at the hand of God but was of another mind if he understood his owne supplications To what is here urged against this Catholicke Faith of Believers I say That Exhortations are the meanes of Perseverance in as much as by them in their place and kinde and with them the Spirit of God effectually workes this Peseverance or the matter of it in the Saints Those cloudy expressions of irresistibly and unfrustrably we owne no farther then as they denote the certainty of the event and not the manner of the Spirits operation which also they do very unhandsomely We leave out then in the proposall of our Judgement about the use of Exhortations which Mr Goodwin opposeth those tearmes and adde in their Roome by and by with those Exhortations which he omitts He saith then This cannot be proved because the Saints live and dye often times in opposition and disobedience unto these Exhortations But Obedience is twofold First as to the generall frame of the heart Obedience in the habit and so 't is false that the Saints live at any time in an ordinary course much lesse dye in opposition to those Exhortations the Law of God being written in their hearts and they delighting in it in their inward man they abide therein the fruit of Obedience for the most part being brought forth by them And this sufficeth as to their Perseverance Secondly It regardeth particular acts of Obedience and in respect of them we all say that yet they all sinne Optimus ille est qui minimis urgetur but this prejndiceth not their Perseverance nor the generall end of the Exhortations afforded them for that purpose But he adds Secondly If God by his Spirit irresistibly drawes his Saints to persevere ut supra But this is sorry Sophistry which may be felt as they say through a paire of mittins For First who saies that God workes by force immediately upon the wills of men Or who makes force and power to be tearmes equivalent Or that God cannot put forth the exceeding greatnesse of his power in them that believe but he must force or compell their wills or that he can not work in us to will and to do of his owne goodpleasure immediately working in and with our wills but he must so force them Secondly whence ariseth the disjunctive force of this Argument Either by immedate actings upon their wills or he makes use of those Exhortations As though the one way were exclusive of the other and that the Scripture did not abundantly and plentifully ascribe both these unto God both that he exhorts us to know him love him believe in him and gives us an understanding and an heart so to do working Faith and Love in us by the exceeding efficacy of his power and Spirit I say then that God workes immediately by his Spirit in and on the wills of his Saints that is he puts forth a reall Physicall power that is not contained in those exhortations though he doth it by and in and with them The impotency that is in us to do good is not amisse termed Ethico-physica both Naturall and Morall and the Applications of God to the soule in their doing good are both Really and Physically efficient and Morall also the one consisting in the efficacy of his Spirit the other lying in the exhortations of the Word yet so as that the efficacy of the Spirit is exerted by and with the Morall efficacy of the Word his workes being but Grace or the Law in the heart the Word being the Law written so that all the ensuing Reasonings are bottomed upon things Male divisa that stand in a sweet harmony and compliance with each other But Mr Goodwin tells you That if God worke by his Spirit his Grace immediately on the wills of men to cause them to persevere then are Exhortations no meanes of their Perseverance Why so I pray It seemes we must have no internall effectuall Grace from God or no outward Exhortations of the Word But he tells you it must be so because If the will be Physically and Irresistibly acted and drawne by God to do such and such things it needeth no adition of Morall meanes such are Exhortations thereunto That is if the will be effectually inclined to the wayes of God by his Grace there is then no need of the Exhortations of the Word But yet First the Spirit of God though he have an immediate efficacy of his owne by with those Exhortations yet by those Exhortations he also inclines the will as he workes on the will as Corrupt impotent by his Grace so he workes on the will as the will or as such a faculty is apt to be wrought upon by a mediation of the understanding by Exhortations Secondly to say Obedience would have been produced and wrought had there been no Exhortations is not required of us what efficacy soever we ascribe to Grace unlesse we also deny Exhortations to be appointed of God and to be used by the Spirit of God for the producing of that Obedience Neither Thirdly doth God worke upon the will as a distinct faculty alone of it selfe without suiting his operations to the other faculties of the soule Nor is Grace to be wrought or carryed on in us meerely as we have Wills but as we have Understandings also whereby the Exhortations he is pleased to use may be conveyed to the will and affect it in their kind in a word this is but repeating what was said before If there be any effectuall Grace there is no use of Exhortations If exhortations be the meanes of continuing or increaseing Grace what need the efficacy of Grace or immediate actings of the Spirit working in us to will and to do of Gods
continue in so doing to the end But saith he 2. This Promise was appropriated and fitted to the state of the Jewes in a sad captivity but the Promise of Perseverance was if our Adversaries might be Believed a standing Promise among them not appropriated to their condition Ans. 1. Non venit ex pharetris ista sagitta tuis It is Socinus's in reference to Ezechiel 36. In Prael Theol cap. 12. Sect 6. And so is the whole Interpretation of the place afterwards insisted on derived to Mr Goodwin through the hands of the Remonstrants at the Hague Conference 2. If this exception against the Testimony given in these words for the confirmation of the Thesis in hand may be allowed what will become of Mr Goodwins Argument from Ezechiel 18. for the Apostasy of the Saints It is most certaine the words from thence by him and others insisted on with the whole discourse of whose contexture they are a part are appropriated to a peculiar state of the Jewes and are brought forth as a meete vindication of the Righteousnesse of God in his dealing with them in that condition This then may be laid up in store to refresh Mr Goodwin with something of his own providing when we are gone so farre onward in our journey But 3. It is most evident to all the World that Mr Goodwin is not such a stranger in the Scriptures as not to have observed long since that Spirituall Promises are frequently given to the People of God to support their Soules under Temporall distresses and that not alwaies new Promises for the matter of them for indeed the substance of all Promises is comprized in the first promise of Christ but either such as enlarge and cleare up Grace formerly given or promised or such as have need of a solemne Renewall for the establishing of the Faith of the Saints assaulted in some particular manner in reference to them which was the state of the Saints among the Jewes at this time How often was the same promise renewed to Abraham And upon what severall occasions And yet that Promise for the matter of it was the same that had bin given from the beginning of the World That Gods solemne Renewall of the Covenant at any time is called his making of or entring into Covenant needs no labour to prove But saith he 3. This Promise is the same with that of Ezek. 11. 17 18 19 20. which Promise notwithstanding §. 12. it is said v. 21. But as for them whose heart walketh after the heart of their detestable things and their abominations I will recompense their wayes upon their heads so that notwithstanding this seeming Promise as is pretended of Perseverance in Grace they may walke after their abominable things for this threatning intends the same Persons or Nations as Calvin himselfe confesseth the Israelites 1 Grant that this is the same Promise with the other Ans. how will it appeare that this is not a Promise of such an enterposure of the Spirit and Grace of God as shall infallibly produce the effect of Perseverance Why Because some are threatned for following the Heart of their abominable things Yea but how shall it appear that they are the same Persons with them to whom the Promise is made The Context is plainely against it saith he I will give them a Heart to walke in my Statutes and Ordinances to doe them but for them that walke after their owne Hearts them I will destroy in as cleare a distinction of the Object of the Promise and threatning as is possible Saith Mr Goodwin this Threatning concernes the same Persons or Nation the same Nation but not the same Persons in that Nation but Calvin saith that it concerneth the Israelites But Paul hath told us that they are not all Israel who are of Israel not all Children of the Promise who are Children of the flesh And 2. If it doe any way concerne the Persons to whom that Promise is given it is an expression suited to the dispensation of God whereby he carrieth Believers on in the enjoyment of the good things he gives them in and by his Promises without the least prediction of any event being only declarative of what the Lord abhorreth and the connexion that is between the Antecedent and the Consequent of the axiome wherein it is contained and is farre from the nature of those Promises which hold out the Purpose or Intention of God with the engaging of a reall efficacy for their accomplishment He adds 4. If this be a Promise of absolute Perseverance no time nor season can be imagined wherein it was fulfilled Ans. At all times and seasons to them to whom it was made according to their concernement in it But saith he 1. It hath been proved that it was made to the community of the Jewish Nation toward whom it was not fulfilled Ans. 1. It hath been said indeed againe and againe but scarce once attempted to be proved nor the Reasoning of the Apostle against some pretended proofes and Answers to them at all removed 2. It was fulfilled to the Body of that Naiion as farre as it concerned the Body of that Nation in their Typicall returne from their captivity But then 2. If this be the sence it was fulfilled in the captivity as well as afterward for you say the Saints alwaies Persevere Ans. 1. The Typicall part of it was not then accomplished 2. It is granted that as to the Spirituall part of the Covenant of Grace it was at all times fulfilled to them which is now evidently promised to establish them in the Assurance thereof Wherefore it is 5. Argued Sect. 53. That these words I will give them one Heart that they shall not depart from me may be as well rendred that they may not depart from me and so it is said in the verse foregoing that they may feare me for ever Ans. 1. Suppose the words may be thus rendred what inconvenience will ensue Either way they evidently beyond exception designe out the End aimed at by God and when God intends an End or Event so as to exert a reall efficiency for the compassing of it to say that it shall not be infallibly brought about is an Assertion that many have not as yet had the boldnesse to venture on But saith he 2. The words so read doe not necessarily import the actuall event or taking place of the effect intended of God in the Promise and his performance thereof but only his intention it selfe in both these and the sufficiency of the means allowed for the producing such an effect but it is of the same nature with that that our Saviour saith Iohn 5. 34. these things I say unto you that yee might be saved And that of God to Adam Gen 3. 10 11. All which things were in like manner insisted on by the Remonstrants at the Hague Colloquie Ans. It is not amisse that our contests about the sence of this place of Scripture are at length
to all to whom it was made if so be that God be faithfull and cannot deny himselfe 2. It was it is and shall be accomplished properly and directly to all the Elect of that Nation to whom it was so made as it hath been cleared already from Rom. 9. 10 11. Where the Apostle expresly and datâ operâ answers the very Objection that Mr Goodwin makes about the accomplishing of these Promises concerning the hardening and rejection of the greatest part of that people affirming it to consist in this that the Election obtained when the rest were hardened Wherein he did not begge the question though he digged not for it but answered by clear distinctions as you may see Rom. 9. 6 Ch. 11. 1 2 3. 3. Neither doe all the Elect after their calling know themselves to be so nor have they any other way to come acquainted with their Election but by their faith in the Promises nor is it spoken like one acquainted with the course and frame of Gods dealing with his Saints or with their Spirits in walking with God who supposeth the solemne and clear Renovation of Promises concerning the same things with Explanations and enlargements of the Grace of them to confirme and establish the communion between the one and the other to be needlesse And who make the promises of God void and of no effect we who professe the Lord to be faithfull in every one of them and that not one Title of them shall fall to the ground or come short of accomplishing or Mr Goodwin who reports the Grace mentioned in them for the most part to come short of producing the effect for which it is bestowed and the engagements of God in them to depend so upon the labricity of the wills of men that mostly they are not made good in the end aimed at the Lord will judge But it is farther Argued 3. That the Scripture many times asserts the futurity or coming to passe of things not yet in being §. 17. not only when the coming of them to passe is certainly known but when it is probable upon the account of the meanes used for the bringing them to passe for God saith in the Parable they will reverence my Sonne Mark 12. and yet the event was contrary So upon the executing an offendor he saith the People shall heare and feare and doe no more presumptuously which yet might not have its effect on all So God saith I will give them one heart not out of any certainty of knowledge or determînation in himselfe that any such heart or way should actually be given them which would infallibly produce the effect mentioned but that he would grant such meanes as were proper to create such a heart in them Ans. The neerer the bottome the more sower Lees. First Doth God foretell the coming to passe of things future upon a probable conjecture which is here assigned to him Is that the Intendment of the expression in the Parable they will reverence my Son Or was he mistaken in the Event the thing falling out contrary to his expectation Or is there any thing in this or the place mentioned Deut 17. 12 13. but only an expression of the duty of men upon the account of the meanes offered Is there any the least intimation of any Intent and purpose of God as to the Events insisted on Any Promise of his effectuall working for the accomplishing of them Any Prediction upon the account of his Purpose and Designe which are the foundation of all his Predictions Or is there any the least correspondency in name or thing between the places now instanced in and called in for reliefe with that under consideration This then is the sinew of Mr Goodwins arguing in this place sometimes when there is meanes offered men for the performance of a duty the accomplishment of it is spoken of as of what ought to have succeeded and it is the fault of men to whom that duty is prescribed and these meanes indulged if it come not to passe therefore when God proposeth and promiseth to work and bring about such and such a thing and engageth himselfe to a reall efficiency in it yet it may come to passe or it may not it may be accomplished or God may faile in his intendment 2. The sense here given to the promise of God I will give them one heart c. hath been formerly taken into consideration and it hath been made to appeare that notwithstanding all the glorious Expressions of Gods Administration of meanes to work men into the frame intimated yet upon the matter the intendment of the Exposition given amounts to this though God saith he will give us a new heart yet indeed he doth not so give it to any one in the World nor ever intended to doe so but this new Heart men must create make and worke out themselves upon the meanes afforded them which being very eminent are said to create such hearts in them though they doe it not but only perswade men thereunto A Comment this is not much unlike the first that ever was made upon the words of God Gen 4. 5. Whether God or man create the new Heart is the matter here in Question For what he lastly affirmes That if this be a Promise of Absolute Perseverance it is inconsistent with all the Prophesies of the Rejection of the Jewes which are accordingly fulfilled I must referre him to S t Paul who hath long agoe undertaken to answer this Objection from whom if he receive not satisfaction what am I that I should hope to afford the least unto him And these are the Reasonings upon the account whereof Mr Goodwin dischargeth this Text of Scripture by vertue of his Autocratoricall power in deciding Controversies of this nature from bearing Testimony in this cause any more Whether he will be attended unto herein time will shew Many Attempts to the same purpose have formerly been made and yet it endureth the tryall I have thus turned aside to the consideration of the Exceptions given in to the ordinary interpretation of this place §. 18. least any should think that they were waved upon the account of their strength and efficacy to overthrow it The Argument I intended from the words for the stability of Gods Love and Favour to Believers upon the account of his Covenant-engagement is not once touched in any of them These words then yeeld a Third Demonstration of the Stedstastnesse and Unchangeablenesse of Acceptation of Believers in Christ upon the account of the Absolute Stability of that Covenant of Grace whereof Gods ingagement to be their God and never forsake them is an eminent portion CAP. V. 1. Entrance into the Argument from the Promises of God with their stability and his Faithfulnesse in them 2. The usuall Exceptions to this Argument 3. A generall description of Gospell-Promises 4. Why and on what account called Gospell-Promises The description given generall not suited to any single Promise 5. They are
as can well be expressed wherefore these being exceptions expressely against the scope of the whole It is objected 3. That it cannot be proved that this promise properly or directly intendeth the collation of Spirituall or heavenly good things unto them so as of Temporall yea the situation of it betwixt Temporall Promises immediately both behind and before it perswadeth the contrary Read the Context from v. 8. to the end of the Chapter Ans. The other forts being demolished this last is very faintly defended That it cannot be proved that it doth so properly or directly but if it doth intend spiritualls properly and directly though not so properly or directly the case is cleare And that it doth properly intend Spiritualls and but secondarily and indirectly Temporalls as to sundry limitations is most evident For 1. The very Conjugall Expression of the Love of God here used manifesteth it beyond all contradiction to be a Promise of the Covenant I will Betroth thee unto mee I will take thee unto mee in a Wedlock covenant What! in Temporall mercies Is that the tenor of the Covenant of God God forbid 2. The Foundations of these Mercies and the principles from whence they flow are Loving-kindnesses and Mercy and Fathfulnesse in God which are fixed upon them and engaged unto them whom he thus taketh into Covenant and surely they are Spirituall Mercies 3. The Mercies mentioned are such as never had a literall accomplishment to the Iewes in Temporalls nor can have and when things promised exceed all accomplishment as to the outward and temporall part it is the spirituall that is principally and mainely intended And such are these v. 18. I will breake the bow and the sword and the battell out of the earth and make you to lye downe in safety How I pray was this fulfilled towards them whilest they lived under the power of the Persian Graecian and Roman Empires to their utter desolation and v. 23. he telleth them that he will sowe them unto himselfe in the Earth and have mercy on them which as I said before Paul himselfe interpreteth and applieth to the speciall Mercies of Faith and Justification in the bloud of Christ So that both the verses going before and those that follow after to the consideration whereof we are sent containe directly and properly spirituall Mercies though expressed in words and termes of things of a temporall importance Thus notwithstanding any Exception to the contrary the Context is cleare as it was at first proposed Let us then in the next place consider the intendment of God in this Promise with that influence of Demonstration which it hath upon the Truth we are in the consideration of and then free the words from that corrupting Glosse which is endeavoured to be put upon them In the first I shall consider §. 25. 1. The Persons to whom this Promise is made 2. The Nature of the Promise it selfe 3. The great undertaking and engagement of the Properties of God for the accomplishment of his Promise 1. The Persons here intimated are such as are under the power and enjoyment of the Grace and kindnesse mentioned in v. 14 16 17 18. Now because a right understanding of the Grace of those Promises addeth much to the Apprehension of the Kindnesse of these particulars insisted on the opening of those words may be thought necessary 1. V. 14. they are those whom God allureth into the Wildernesse §. 26. and speaketh comfortably unto them He allureth and perswadeth them there is an allusion in the words to the great originall Promise of the conversion of the Gentiles and the way whereby it shall be done Gen 9. 27. God perswades Iaphet to dwell in the tents of Shem. Their alluring is by the powerfull and sweet perswasion of the Gospell which here is so termed to begin the Allegory of Betrothing and Marriage which is afterwards pursued It is God's beginning to Wooe the Soule by his Embassadors God perswadeth them into the Wildernesse perswadeth them but yet with mighty power as he carried them of old out of Aegypt for thereunto he evidently alludeth as in the next verse is more fully expressed Now the Wildernesse condition whereunto they are allured or perswaded by the Gospell comprizeth two things 1. Separation 2. Intanglement 1. Separation as the Israelites in the Wildernesse were separated from the residue of the World and the pleasures thereof the people dwelling alone being not reckoned with the Nations having nothing to doe with them So God separateth them to the love of the Gospell from their carnall contentments and all the satisfactions which before they received in their Lusts untill they say to them Get you hence what have we to doe with you any more They are separated from the practice of them and made willing to bid them everlastingly farewell They see their Aegyptian Lusts â—ye slaine or dead or at least dying by the crosse of Christ and desire to see them no more 2. Intanglement as the Israelites were in the Wildernesse they knew not what to doe nor which way to take one step but only as God went before them as he took them by the hand and taught them to goe God bringeth them into a lost condition they know not what to doe nor which way to take nor what course to pitch upon and yet in this Wildernesse state God doth commonly stirre up such gracious dispositions of soule in them as himselfe is exceedingly delighted withall hence he doth peculiarly call this time a Time of Love which he remembreth with much delight All the time of the Saints walking with him he taketh not greater delight in a soule when it cometh to its highest peace and fullest assurance then when it is seeking after him in its Wildernesse Intanglement So he expresseth it Ierem 2. 2. Thus saith the Lord I remember thee the kindnesse of thy youth the Love of thine Espousals when thou wentest after mee in the Wildernesse in a land that was not sowen And what he here affirmeth holds proportion therewithall The Time of their being in the Wildernesse was the Time of their Espousals and so it is here the Time of the Lords Betrothing the Soule to himselfe the Wooing words whereby he doth it being intimated in the next verse For 1. He speaketh comfortably to them §. 27. speaketh to their hearts good words that may satisfy their spirits and give them Rest and deliverance out of that condition What it is that God speaketh when he speaketh comfortably to the very hearts of poore soules he telleth you Isai 40. 1. Comfort you comfort you my People saith your God speake you comfortably to Jerusalem and cry unto her that her warfare is accomplished that her iniquity is pardoned It is the pardon of iniquity that enwrappeth all the Consolation that a poore Wildernesse soule separated and intangled is capable of or doth desire And this is the first description of the Persons to whom this Promise is given They are such as
needs no labour to demonstrate The Spirit himselfe so interprets it John 7. 38 39. He who believeth on me saith our Saviour as the Scripture saith rivers of living Water shall flow out of his belly But this he said of the Spirit which they should receive who believe on him that which in one place he calleth a Well of Water springing up to Life in us is in the other in equivalent termes called Rivers of living Water flowing out of our bellies And the Holy Ghost tells us that he himselfe the Blessed Spirit is signified by that expression Neither is there any thing bestowed on us that can be compared to a spring of water arising up increasing and flowing out abundantly upon its owne account but the Spirit only It is only the Spirit that is a fountaine of refreshment from whence all Grace doth abundantly flow It is I say the Spirit whereof we have been speaking who is procured for us and bestowed upon us by Jesus Christ which as an everlasting Fountaine continually supplies us with refreshing streames of Grace and fills us a new therewith when the Channells thereof in our soules are ready to become dry And Secondly the state and Condition of them on whom this living Water is bestowed in reference thereunto is described Saith our Saviour he that hath this Spirit of Grace this well of living Water shall never thirst It is most emphatically exprest by two Negatives and an Exegeticall additionall terme for weight and certainty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he shall never thirst to eternity or as it is exprssed John 6. 25. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he shall never thirst at any time There is a two fold thirst 1. There is a thirst totalis indigentiae of a whole and intire want of that men thirst after and this is the thirst that returnes upon men in their naturall lives After they have allayed it once with naturall water they thirst againe and their want of water returnes as intire and full as if they had never dranke in their lives Such a spirituall Thirst doth God ascribe to wicked men Isa. 65. 13. My servants shall eat but you shall be hungry my servants shall drinke but ye shall be Thirsty Their hunger and thirst is the totall want of Grace not that they do desire it but that they have it not And this thirst of totall want of Grace is that that never shall nor can befall them who have received the Spirit of Grace as a Well of Water in them They can never so thirst as to be returned againe into the Condition wherein they were before they dranke of that Spirit 2. There is also a Thirst of desire and complacency of the good Things thirsted after In this sence they are pronounced Blessed who hunger and Thirst after Righteousnesse Math. 5. And Peter instructs us to grow in this Thirst more and more the 1 Pet. 2. 2. As new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the Word that ye may grow thereby The enjoyment of the Spirit doth not take away this Thirst but begin it and increase it and by this Thirst as one meanes are we preserved from that totall want indigency which shall never againe befall us Thirdly §. 31. our Saviour gives the reason why and whence it is that they who drinke of this Water are made partakers of his Spirit shall thirst no more or never be brought to the Condition of totall want of Grace which they were in before they received him because the water which I shall give them saith he the Spirit which I shall bestow upon them dwelleth in them as we have shewed shall be a well of Water a fountaine of Grace springing up in them to everlasting Life continuing and perpetuating the Grace communicated unto the full fruition of God in Glory There are among others three eminent things in this Reason to confirme us in the faith of the former Assertion 1. The condition or nature of the Spirit in Believers He is a Well a Fountain a Spring that never can nor will be dry to Eternity 2. The constant supplyes of Grace that this Spirit affords them in whom he is He is Water alwaies springing up so that to say he will refresh Saints and Believâ—ers with his Grace provided that they turne not profligately wicked is openly to contradict our Saviour Christ with as direct opposition to the design in the words as can be imagined This springing up of Grace which from him is had and received which is his worke in us is that whereunto this profligate wickednesse is opposed and whilst that is this cannot be There is an everlasting inconsistency beâ—ween profligate wickednesse and a never failing spring of Grace 3. His Permanency in this worke and efficacy by it this living Water springs up to everlasting Life He ceases not untill our Spirituall Life be consummated in Eternity This then is the summe of this Promise of our Saviour He gives his holy Spirit to his who lives in them and gives them such continuall supplies of Grace that they shall never come to a totall want of it as they doe of Elementary Water who have once dranke thereof And from this spring doth this Argument flow They on whom the Spirit is bestowed to abide with them for ever and to whom he constantly yeildes such supplyes of Grace as that they shall never be reduced to a totall want for ever they shall certainely and infallibly persevere but that this is the Condition of all that come to Christ by Believing or that Christ hath promised that so it shall be with them is cleare from his owne Testimony now insisted on Ergo. Unto their Argument from the Promise of our Saviour §. 32. Mr Goodwin endeavours an Answer Ch. 11. Sect 10. 11. 12. pag. 232. 233. and in the Preface of it tells us that this Scripture doth but face if so much the businesse in hand To face it I suppose is to appeare at first view in its defence and this indeed cannot well or colourably be denied the words of it punctually expressing the very Truth we intend to prove thereby And this notwithstanding the allaying qualification if so much must needs somewhat prejudice the ensuing evasions But we are yet farther confident that upon the more diligent and strict examination it will be found to speake to the very heart and soule of the businesse in hand and the Considerations of his Reasons to the contrary doth seeme only to give us farther light herein and assurance hereof He saies then Here is no Promise made that they who once believe how unworthily soever they shall behave themselves shall still be preserved by the Spirit of God or the Spirit of God in Believing or that they shall be necessitated alwaies to Believe Ans. This is the old play still It is not at all our intendment to produce any Promise of safe-guarding men in the Love of God how vile soever they may prove but
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
Word of Truth whereby it is revealed 4. That there is by all that walke with God great weight to be laid on those Doctrines of Truth which directly and effectually tend to the promotion of Faith Love Feare Reverâ—nce of God with universall holinesse in their hearts and waies this being that whereunto they are called and whereby God is glorified Jesus Christ and the Gospell exalted wherein his Kingdome in them consists on which their owne peace in their owne bosomes their usefulnesse unto others in this World their being made meet for the Inheritance of the Saints of Light doth much depend If these things be of weight or moment unto them as surely they are all that is so to Believers then doubtlesse great valuation and deare esteeme will be entertained of those helps and Assistances wich they have leading and carrying them on thereunto 5. That a Judgement of what Truths and Doctrines are peculiarly conducing unto the promotion of Piety and Godlinesse is not to be made upon the Apprehensions and reasonings of men wrested with a thousand Corruptions and prejudices full of darknesse and vanity but according to what the Scripture it selfe holds forth and the nature of the things themselves that is the Evidence and Consequence that is between the Truth revealed and Obedience doth require If the Testimonies of the Sonnes of men must be admitted in this case to determine what Doctrine is according to Godlinesse the cry and noyse of them will be found so various discrepant confused and directly contradictory to it selfe that none will ever thereby be lead to establishment Then Papists will cry out for their Merits Penance Vowes Purgatory the Socinians Familists Formalists all contend upon the foundation of their own perswasions as to their tendency to Godlinesse of their Abominations That Doctrine which hath no other proofe of its Truth and worth but that men some men professe it tends to Godlinesse and Holinesse of conversation I dare say is a lye and vanity and did never promote any thing but vaine legall superstitious counterfeit Holinesse Indeed upon a supposition of its truth it is of concernement for the Advancement of any Doctrine in the esteeme and opinion of the Saints to manifest that it leads to Godlinesse but to prove it to be true because men who perhaps never knew any thing beyond Formall Legall Pharisaicall Holinesse all their daies say it tends to the promotion of Holinesse is but to obtrude our Conceptions upon others that are no way moulded into the frame of them That the imbracement of such a Truth will further us in our Obedience and walking with God therefore value and prize it is good arguing but that such a Doctrine will further us in a way of Godlinesse therefore 't is a Truth when we may be mistaken both in Godlinesse it selfe and in the motives to it and furtherances of it is but a Presumption To commend then the Truth which we have at large otherwise confirmed to the Hearts and Consciences of the Saints of God and to lay a foundation for the full removall of those vaine and weake exceptions which on this account are laid against it I shall manifest what influences it hath into their Obedience and with what eminent efficacy it prevailes upon their Soules to perfect Holinesse in the feare of God For the more cleare Declaration whereof I shall give the Reader the summe of it under the ensuing Considerations concerning Gospell Obedience and the moâ—ves that are proper thereunto 1. That which I call Gospell Obedience §. 3. wherein the Saints of God are furthered by the beliefe of the Truth we have in hand is variously expressed in the Scripture It may in Generall be described to be a voluntary orderly subjection to the whole will of God I call it Obedience in reference unto the will of God which is the Rule and Patterne of it and whereunto it is a regular subjection The Psalmist expresses it to the full both as to the Root and fruit Ps. 40. 8. I delight to doe thy will O my God yea thy Law is within my Heart the Law in the Heart gives us to doe and to delight in doing the Will of God Peter calls it being holy in all manner of conversation 1 Pet. 1. 14 15. Paul a Cleansing of our selves from all filthinesse of flesh and spirit in the feare of God 2 Cor. 7. 1. or as it is more eminently described Rom. 12. 1 2. in that Patheticall exhortation of the Apostle thereunto I beseech you Brethren by the mercies of God that you present your bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service And be not conformed unto this world but be yee transformed by the renewing of your mind that ye may prove what is that good that acceptable and perfect will of God as he had formerly at large described it in the sixth Chapter of that Epistle throughout And I call it Gospell Obedience not that it differs in substance as to the matter of it from that required by the Law which injoynes us to love the Lord our God with all our hearts but that it moves upon principles and is carried on unto ends revealed only in the Gospell In reference to our designe there are these four things considerable in it First the Nature of it Secondly the Principle in us from whence it proceeds Thirdly the Motives that are proper to the carrying it on the cherishing and increasing of it in them in whom it is Fourthly the Persons who are to be moved and provoked to a progresse therein By a briefe consideration of these things we shall make way for what we have undertaken namely to manifest the efficacy of the Doctrine we have insisted on for the promotion of this Gospell Obedience being accused and charged with the cleare contrary tendency whereof God assisting we shall free and discharge it in the progresse of this Discouse 1. § 4. First in the Nature of it I shall consider only these two things 1. The Matter or Substance of it what it is as it were composed of and wherein it doth consist 2. The Forme or Manner of its performance whence it receives its distinct being as such 1. The Matter or Substance of it containes those things or duties to God wherein it doth consist Now it consisting as I said before in Conformity Submission to the Will that is the Commanding revealed Will of God the matter of it must lye in the performance of all these things only those things which God requireth of Believers in walking before him I say all those things that God commandeth with an equall respect to all his Precepts The Authority of God the Commander and Law Giver is the same in every command And therefore was the Curse denounced unto every one that continued not in all things written in the Law to do them and the Apostle tels us that in the transgression of any one precept there is
them did them no good at all And the reason of this sad successe in the Preaching of the Gospell and Declaration of the Promises he gives you in the same words It is that the word was not mixed with Faith in them that heard it It is the mixing of the Promises with Faith that renders them usefull and profitable Now to what ever Faith is required the more firme strong and stable it is the more effectuall and usefull it is That then which is apt to establish Faith to support and strengthen it to preserve it from staggering Rom. 4. 20. that renders the Promise most usefull and effectuall for the Accomplishment of any worke whereunto it is designed Now Faith in the Promises respects the Accomplishment of the things promised as the Apostle tells us in that commended and never enough imitated Example of the Faith of Abraham Rom 4. 19 20 21. Being not weake in Faith he considered not his own body now dead when he was about an hundred years old neither yet the deadnesse of Sarahs wombe he staggered not at the Promise of God through unbeliefe but was strong in Faith giving glory to God being fully perswaded that what he had promised he was able also to performe Laying aside all considerations that might tend to the impairing of his confidence he firmely believed that it should be to him as God had promised That the Doctrine we insisted on is clearly conducing to the establishing of Faith in the Promises cannot tolerably be called into Question Whatsoever is in those Promises whatsoever Considerations or concernements of him whose they are as his Faithfulnesse Unchangeablenesse Omnipotency that are apt to strengthen Faith in them it preserves entire and exalteth It is a wild Assertion which men scarce search their own hearts if indeed men know what belongs to believing in sincerity when they make that the efficacy of the Promises unto our Obedience should arise from hence that the things promised may not be fulfilled and that the weaknesse of Faith as every such supposall doth at least weaken it yea and tends to its subversion should render the Promise usefull which hath no use at all but as it is mixed with Faith For instance those Promises that God will be an All-sufficient God unto us that he will circumcise our Hearts and write his Law in them that we shall feare him is as was manifested before an usefull Meditation for the ingenerating and quickning of Obedience and Holinesse in us That it may be such a meanes it is required that it be mixt with Faith in them that heare it as was declared According as Faith is strong or weake so will its usefulnesse be I aske then whether this be a way proper to set this Promise on worke for the end proposed namely to perswade them that should believe it that all this may be otherwise God may cease to be their God their hearts may not be circumcised nor the Law mentioned written in them Is this the way to strengthen their Faith and to keepe them from staggering Or rather to subvert and cast downe all their confidence to the ground The Doctrine we have under consideration continually sounds in the eares of Believers 1 Cor. 1. 9. that God is faithfull in all his Promises that he can that he will make them good that his own Excellencies his own Perfections require no lesse at his hands And this it doth not on any Grounds that carry any thing with them that may seeme to incline to the least neglect of God or contempt of any Property Excellency or word of his and so be apt to breed presumption and not Faith But on such only as give him the Glory of all that he hath revealed of himselfe unto us and therefore its genuine tendency must be to beget and increase precious saving Faith in the hearts of men which we conceive to lye in a more direct way of efficacy towards Holinesse and Obedience then the ingenerating of servile feares gendering unto bondage can do This then we have obtained first that the Promises peculiarly insisted on are motives to furtherances of Obedience secondly that the way whereby they become so is by being mixed with Faith and the stronger Faith is the more effectuall will the working of those Promises unto Holinesse be thirdly that the Doctrine of the Perserverance of the Saints and stability of God's Love to them giving him the Glory of all his Excellencies which in his Promises are to be considered is suited to the carrying on of Faith in its growth and increase Indeed that which makes our beliefe of the Promises of Faith divine is the rise it hath and the bottome whereinto it is resolved viz. The Excellencies of him who makes the Promises As that he is True Faithfull Alsufficient the Glory of all which is given him in Believing as the Apostle informes us Rom. 4. 20 21. Yea and all this He must be received to be in reference to the accomplishment of his Promises or we Believe them not with divine supernaturall if that terme may be allowed and saving Faith Surely they must needs think us very easie of beliefe and wholly unexperienced of any Communion with God who shall suppose that we will be perswaded that the Doctrine which eminently asserts and ascribes unto God the Glory of all his Attributes which he would have us to eye in his Promises strengthning Faith on that account doth annihilate the Promises in the Word of the Ministry as to their usefulnesse unto our Obedience Let us deale by instance God hath promised to begin and perfect a good worke in us according as this Promise is mixt with Faith so it will be usefull and profitable to us If there be no Faith it will be of no use if little of little if more of more Let a man now be supposed to be wavering about his mixing this Promise with Faith whereupon the issue of its Efficacy and Fruitfulnesse as was said doth depend And let the Doctrine we teach be called in to speake in this Case and let us trye whether what it saies be prejudiciall to establishment of Faith or whether it be not all that lookes towards its Confirmation It saies then unto the soule of a Believer why art thou so cast downe thou poore soule And why are thy thoughts perplexed within thee It is true thou art weake unstable ready to fall away and to perish thy temptations are many great and prevalent and thou hast no strength to stand against the power and multitude of them But looke a little upon him who hath promised that thou shalt never depart from him who hath promised to finish the good worke begun he is Unchangeable in his Purposes Faithfull in his Promises and will put forth the exceeding greatnesse of his power for the Accomplishment of them so that though thou failest he will cause thee to renue thy strength though thou fallest thou shalt not be cast
Truth and Mistery calculated contrived and framed by God with a singular aptnesse and choicenesse of ingredients for the advancement of Godlinesse in the world therefore what particular Doctrine is of the same Spirit tendency and import must needs be a naturall branch thereof and bath perfect accord with it this Proposition then it unquestionable Ans. According to the principles formerly laid downe I have something to say though not to the proposition it selfe § 3. as in the termes it lyeth but only as to the fixednesse and stayednesse of it that it may not be a nose of max to be turned to and fro at every ones pleasure to serve their turnes for what sort of men is there in the world professing the name of Christ that do not lay claime to an intrest in this Proposition for the confirmation of their Opinions It is but as a Common Exordium in Rethoricke a uselesse flourish The Doctrine which is according to Godlinesse that is which the Scripture teacheth to be true and to serve for the promotion of Godlinesse not what Doctrine soever any darke brainesicke Creature doth apprehend so to do in the state and Condition wherein the Saints of God walke with him is a branch of the Gospell I adde in the state and condition wherein we walke with God for in the state of innocency the Doctrine of the Law as a Covenant of Life was of singular aptnesse and usefulnesse to promote Obedience which yet is not therefore any branch or part of the Gospell but opposite to it and destructive of it All the advantage then Mr Goodwin can expect from this Argument to his cause dependeth upon the proofe of the minor Proposition which also must be effected in aswerable proportion to the restrictions and qualifications given to the Major or the whole will be void and of none effect That is he must prove it by the Testimony of God to be according to Godlinesse and not give us in by a pure begging of the thing in Question that it is so in his Apprehesion and according to the principles whereon he doth proceed in the teaching and asserting of Godlinesse Mr Goodwin knowes that there is no lesse difference btween him and us about the nature and causes of Godlinesse then there is aboute the Perseverance of the Saints and therefore his asserting any Doctrine to be suited to the promotion of Godlinesse that Assertion being proportioned to his other Hypothesis of his owne wherein we accord not with him and in particular to his notions of the causes and nature of Godlinesse with which conceptions of his we have no communion it cannot be of any weight with us unlesse he prove his affirmation according to the limitations before expressed Now this he attempteth in the words following What Doctrine saith he can there be more proper and powerfull to promote Godlinesse §. 4. in the hearts and lives of men then that which on the one hand promiseth a crowne of Blessednesse and eternall Glory to those that live Godlily without declining and on the other hand threatneth the vengeance of Hell fire eternally against those that shall turne aside into profanenesse and not returne by repentance whereas the Doctrine which promiseth and that withall possible certainty and assurance all fulnesse of Blessednesse and Glory to those that shall at any time be Godly though they shall the very next day or hour degenerate and turne loose and profane and continue never so long in such a course is most manifestly destructive to Godlinesse and encouraging above measure unto profanenesse Ans. There are two parts of this Discourse the one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or confirmatory of his owne Thesis §. 5. the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or destructive of that which he opposeth For the first it is upon the matter all that he produceth for the confirmation of his Minor Proposition wherein any singular concernement of his opinion doth lye Now that being in a sould sence the common Inheritance of all that professe the Truth under what deceits or mistakes soever the summe of what is here insisted on is that the Doctrine he maintaineth concerning the possibility of the Saints defection promiseth a crowne to them that continue in Obedience and threatneth vengeance of fire to them that turne to profanenesse which taken as a proofe of his former assertion is lyable to some small exceptions As 1. That this doth not at all prove the Doctrine to be a branch or parcell of the Gospell it being is it standeth severally by it selfe the pure tenor of the Covenant of Workes which we confesse to have been of singular importance for the propagation of Godlinesse Holinesse in them to whom it was given or with whom it was made being given and made for that very end and and purpose but that this alone by its selfe is a peculiar branch or parcell of the Gospell or that it is of such singular importance for the carrying on of Gospell-Obedience as so by it selfe proposed that should here have been proved 2. As it is also a part of the Gospell declaring the Faithfulnesse of God and the End and Issue of the proposall of the Gospell unto men and of their receiving or refusing of it so it is altogether forraigne to the Doctrine of Mr Goodwin under contest he might as well have said that the Doctrine of Apostacy is of singular import for the promotion of Holinesse because the Doctrine of Justification by Faith is so for what force of consequence is betwixt these two that God is a rewarder of them that Obey him and a punisher of them that rebell against him is an incentive to Obedience therefore the Doctrine that true Believers united to Jesus Christ may utterly fall out of the Favour of God and turne from their Obedience and be damned for ever there being no Promise of God for their preservation is also an incentive to Holinesse 3. What virtue soever there may be in this truth for the furtherance and promotion of Holinesse in the world our Doctrine laieth as cleare claime to it as yours that is there is not any thing in the least in it inconsistent therewith all we grant God threateneth the vengeance of Hell fire unto those that turne aside from their profession of Holinesse into profanenesse the Gospell it selfe becoming thereby unto them a savour of death unto death the Lord thereby proclaiming to all the world that the wages of sinne and infidelity is death and that he that believeth not shall be damned but that any thing can hence be inferred for the Apostacie of true Believers or how this assertion cometh to be appropriated to that Doctrine we see not The latter part of this Discourse § 6. whereby its Author aimeth to exclude the Doctrine hitherto asserted by us from any claime laid to usefulnesse for the promotion of Godlinesse is either a mistake of it through ignorance of the opinion he hath undertaken to
man the principle of grace that is in the wills of Believers with the Convictions of the judgements and consciences of unregenerate persons and their striving against sinne on that account The judgements and consciences of wicked men tell them what they ought to do and what they ought not to doe without respect to the principle in their wills that is predominant But the Apostle mentions the actings of the will it selfe from its owne regenerate principle We wholly deny that any unregenerate man hath any vitall principle in his will not consenting to sinne what ever the dictates of his judgement and conscience may be or how effectuall soever to prevaile unto an abstinence from sinne To discover the differences that are between the contest that is between the wills in unregenerate men wholly set upon sinne on the one hand and their judgements and Consciences enlightned to an apprehension and approving of better things on the other and the contest that is between the Flesh and Spirit lusting to contrary things in the same will as it is in regenerate men is a common place that I shall not goe forth unto We grant then that in unregenerate men there may be there is and was in some degree perhaps in Herod in Pilate a conviction of conscience and judgement that the things they doe are evill but say withall that all this being forraigne to their wills it hinders not but that they sinne with the full uncontrouled consent of their wills which are at perfect Liberty or rather in perfect bondage unto sinne That the Spirit should lust against the flesh and the flesh against the spirit both in the same will as it appears they doe Gal. 5. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. for the fruits that they both bring forth are acts of the will in any unregenerate man we deny and this is that and not the former which abates and takes off from the wills consent to sinne He concludes the whole § 25. And to the passage of the Apostle mentioned Rom. 7. I answer farther that when he saith the evill which I would not that doe I he doth not speake of what he alwaies and in all cases did much lesse of what was possible for him to doe but of what he did ordinarily and frequently or of what was very incident unto him through the infirmity of the flesh viz. through inconsideratenesse and anticipation by temptations to doe such things which when he was in a watchfull and considerate posture and from under the malignant influence of a temptation he was altogether averse unto now what a man doth ordinarily is one thing and what he doth sometimes and in some particular cases especially what it is possible for him to doe is another that true believers whilest such ordinarily sinne not upon worse termes then those mentioned by the Apostle concerning his sinning I easily grant but it no waies followeth from hence that therefore they never sinne upon other termes much lesse that it is impossible that they should sinne upon others and thus we see all things throughly and impartially argued and debated to and fro that even true Believers themselves as well as others may do those works of the flesh which exclude from the Kingdome of God and that inrespect thereof they are subject to this exclusion as well as other men The summe of this part of the Reply is that what Paul speaks is true of the ordinary course of Believers but not of extraordinary surprisals this seems I say to be the tendency of it though the direct sence of the whole is not so obvious to mee by that expression the evill that I would not that I doe you intend either the expression of he would not or that he did if the latter then you say he did not sinne ordinarily and frequently but only upon surprisalls which is freely granted but is not at all to your purpose but rather much against it If you attend that part of it which holds out his Renitency against the evill he did in the expression of I would not then you say it was not ordinary with the Apostle to nill the evill that he did but in case of surprisall to sinne which I believe is not intended for is it credible that any one should think that in the ordinary course of a mans walking there should be no opposition made to sinne the falling whereinto men are liable but upon surprizalls and anticipations by temptation as it is phrased there should Nor is it on the other side that he intends the things that he did ordinarily but was surprized by temptation then it might be otherwise But first is a Saint to be supposed to sinne ordinarily to sinne not prevailed on by temptation is not all sinne from temptation doe they sinne actually but upon the surprisall of temptation to impose this upon the Apostle that he should say truly for the most part or in my ordinary walking I doe not sinne but withall I will it not but when I am surprized with temptations then it is otherwise with mee there is no Renitency in my will to sinne is doubtlesse to wrong him He doth not limit his not willing of the evill he did to any consideration whatever but speakes it generally as the constant state and condition of things with him Secondly in the beginning of this Section the nilling of sinne was antecedent to the sinne here it is something that may be allowed in ordinary cases but not at all in extraordinary so that these two expositions put together amount to thus muh Ordinarily the Apostle antecedent to any sinning before the lusting of the spirit ceased did not will the thing that he did which was evill but in case of temptation it was not so that is antecedently to his acting of that which was evill he had no opposition in the inward man unto it nor lusting of the spirit against it which how it can be made good against him whose heart is upright and who hates every evill way I know not Thirdly it is confessed that ordinarily Believers sinne at no worse a rate than that expressed by the Apostle But what doth that containe If would not be referred to their doing of sinnes then you grant that which all this while you have endeavoured to oppose and are reconciled to your owne contradiction in the first evidence sinne cannot ordinarily or extraordinarily be committed but by an act of the will and yet ordinarily there is a dissent of the will also thereunto If you adhere to your other former interpretation that the willing against sin committed is antecedent to the commitment of it layd a sleepe before the perpetration of any sinne then this also is imposed on you that there are sinnes whereunto they may be surprised by temptations that antecedently to the commitment of them they do not not-will that as to them the Spirit lusteth not against the flesh which is notoriosly false for the flesh lusteth against the Spirit
import any such thing as is aimed at from the Text nor the word abide but to the whole proposition the seed of God abideth in him as produced to confirme the former assertion of the not sinning of the Persons spoken of there is nothing spoken at all I shall therefore briefely confirme the Argument in hand by the strength here communicated unto it by the Holy Ghost and then consider what is answered to any part of it or objected to the interpretation insisted on That he that sinneth not neither can sinne in the sence explained shall never fall away totally or finally from God is granted That Believers sinne not nor can sinne so or in the manner mentioned besides the Testimony of the Holy Ghost worthy of all acceptation in the cleare assertion of it we have the Reason thereof manifested in the discovery of the causes of its truth The first Reason is Because the seed of God abideth in them A tacite grant seemeth to be made that fruit sometimes may not visibly appeare upon them as the case is with a Tree in winter when it casts its leaves but its seed remaineth Grace may abide in the habit in and under a winter of Temptation though it doth not exert its selfe in bearing any such actuall fruit as may be ordinarily visible The Word of God is sometimes called seed incorruptible seed causatively as being an instrument in the hand of God whereby he planteth the seed of Life and holinesse in the heart That it is not the outward word but that which is produced and effected by it through the efficacy of the Spirit of God that is by seed intended is evident from the use and nature of it And it is abiding in the Person in whom it is Whatever it is it is called seed not in respect of that from whence it cometh as is the cause and Reason of that appellation of other seed but in respect of that which it produceth which ariseth and insueth upon it and it is called the seed of God because God useth it for the Regeneration of his Being from God being the principle of the Regeneration of them in whom it is abiding in them even when it hath brought forth fruit and continuing so to doe it can be no other but the New Creature New Nature inward Man new principle of Life or habit of Grace that is bestowed upon all Believers whence they are Regenerate quickned or borne againe of which we have spoken before This seed saith the Holy Ghost abideth §. 67. or remaineth in him Whatever falling or withering He may seeme to have or hath this seed the seed of God remaineth in him The principle of his new life abideth some exceptions are made as we shall see afterwards to the signification of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 remaineth and instances given where it signifyeth for to be and denoteth the essence of a thing not its duration That to abide or remaine is the proper signification of the word I suppose will not be questioned That it may in some place be used in another sence is not dispuited All that lyeth under consideration here is whether the word in this place be used properly according to its genuine and first signification or no It supposeth indeed to be also but properly signifieth only to abide or remaine Now if nothing can be advanced from the Text ot context from the matter treated on or the paralell significancy of some expression that is in conjunction with it that should inforce us to carry it from its proper use and signification the instancing of other places if any such be wherein it is restrained to denote being and not duration is altogether impertinent to the businesse in hand When an Argument is urged from any place of Scripture to pick out any word in the Text and to manifest that it hath been used improperly in some other place and therefore must be so in that is a procedure so farre from an ingenious Answer that it will scarce passe for a tolerable shift or evasion To remaine then or to abide is the proper signification of this word nothing is in the least offered to manifest that it must necessarily in this place be diverted from its proper use According to the import of the word the seed of God remaineth in Believers now that remaining of the seed is the cause of their not sinning that sinne or in that manner as the Apostle here denyeth them to be liable to sinne For that is the Reason he giveth why they cannot sinne even because the seed of God remaineth in them Mr Goodwin granteth that this seed remaineth in Believers alwayes unlesse they sinne by a totall defection from God Of not sinning the sinne of totall deâ—ection from God the remaining or abiding of this seed is the cause Whilst that abideth they cannot sinne that sin for it is an unquestionable cause uncontrouleable of their not so doing This seed therefore must be utterly lost and taken away before any such sinne can be committed Now if the seed cannot be lost without the commission of the sinne which cannot be committed till it be lost neither can the seed be lost nor the sin becommited The same thing cannot be before and after its selfe He that cannot go sucha journey unlesse he have such a horse cannot have such a horse unlesse he go such a journey is like to stay at home In what sence the words cannot sin are to be taken was before declared That there are sins innumerable whereinto men may fall notwithstanding this seed is confessed Under them all this seed abideth so it would not do under that which we cannot sin because it abideth but because it abideth that sin cannot be committed The latter part of the Reason of the Apostles assertion §. 68. is for he is borne of God which is indeed a driving on the former to its head and fountaine What it is to be borne of God we need not dispute It was sufficiently discovered in the mention that was made before of the seed of God God by his Holy Spirit bestowing on us a new Spirituall Life which by nature we have not and in respect of whose want we are said to be dead is frequently said to beget us James 1. 14. And we are said to be borne of God He is the Soveraigne disposer dispenser and supreme fountaine of that Life which is so bestowed on us which we are begotten againe unto and are borne with and by And Jesus Christ the Mediatour is also said to have this Life in himselfe Joh 5. because he hath received the spirit of the father to give to his for their quickning who taketh of his and thereby begeteth them a new And this Life which Believers thus receive and whereby indeed radically they become Believers is every where in Scripture noted as Permanent and abiding In respect of the originall of it it is said to be from above
from Heaven of the will of God of God As to its principle to be not of flesh or bloud or of the will of man or of any thing done by us but of the seed of God incorruptible seed seed that abideth in respect of its duration to be eternall and that it may so be to be safeguarded being hid in God with Christ. In this place Receiving this Life from God is placed as the cause and cannot sinne as the effect He cannot sinne for or because he is borne of God The connexion that is between this cause and effect or wherein the causality of Being borne of God to a not sinning doth consist needs not be inquired into That it hath such a causality the holy Ghost hath asserted and our Argument resteth thereon If that be the nature of Regeneration or being borne of God that it doth exclude Apostacy then he that is Regenerate or borne of God as every Believer is cannot so sinne as to Apostatize or fall totally from God But that such is the nature of Regeneration whereby any one is borne of God the holy Ghost here declareth For he denyeth Apostacy upon the account of Regeneration He cannot sinne because he is borne of God which is that which we intended to demonstrate from this text of Scripture To evade the force of this Argument §. 69. M. Goodwin as hath been declared undertaketh to give an Exposition of this place of Scripture turning every stone and labouring to wrest every word in it The severall significations of the words in other places are set out and suppositions made of taking them this way or that way but in what sence the scope of the matter treated on the most usuall known common acceptations call for their Vse in this place nothing is spoken neither is any cleare Answer once attempted to be given to the words of the Text speaking out and home to the conclusion we intend or to the Argument thence deduced What I can gather up from Sect. 31. and forwards that may obstruct the thoughts of any in closing with the Interpretation given I shall consider and remove out of the way 1. Then he giveth you this Interpretation of these words sineth not or cannot sinne Every one that hath been borne of God sinneth not i. e. Whosoever hath by the Word and Spirit of God been made partaker of the Divine nature so as to resemble God in the frame and constitution of his heart and soule doth not under such a frame or change of heart as this make a trade or practice of sinning or walking in any course of inordinatenesse in the world Yea saith he in the latter Proposition every such person doth not only or simply refraine sinning in such a sence but he cannot sin i. e. He hath a strong and potent disposition in him which carryeth him an other way for he hath a strong Antipathy or aversenesse of heart and soule against all sinne especially all such kind of sinning Ans. 1. What is meant by being borne of God the way whereby any come so to be the Vniversality of the expression requiring a necessary cause of its verity with the like attendencies of the Proposition have been before declared 2. What M. Goodwin intendeth by such a frame and constitution of spirit and soule as may resemble God with his deniall of the bestowing on us from God a vitall principle of Grace wherein the Renovation in us of his image should consist hath in part also been already discovered will yet farther be so in our consideration of his rare notion of Regeneration its consisting in a mans returnall to the innocent and harmelesse estate wherein he was borne 3. That sinneth not is sinneth not that sinne or so sinneth not as to break his Relation to God as a child hath been already also manifested and the Reader is not to be burthened with Repetition 4. In the interpretation given of the latter phrase he cannot sinne I cannot so sinne against the light of the Text as to joyne with M. Goodwin in it It is not the Antipathie of his heart to sinne but the Course of his walking with God in respect of sinne that the Apostle treateth on His internall principaling against sinne he hath from being borne of God and the abiding of his seed in him of which this that he cannot sinne is asserted as the effect He cannot sinne that is he cannot so sinne upon the account of his being borne of God Thence indeed he hath not only a potent disposition another way and Antipathie to evill but a vitall principle with an everlasting enmity and repugnancy to and inconsistency with any such sin or sinning as is intimated and that he cannot sinne is the consequent and effect thereof and is so affirmed to be by the Holy Ghost Nextly §. 70. M. Goodwin giveth you the Reason of this Assertion used by the Apostle why such an one as of whom he speaketh sinneth not and cannot sinne Now the Reason saith the Apostle why such a person committeth not sinne in the sence explained is because his seed the seed of God by whom of which he was borne of him remaineth in him i. e. is or hath an actuall and present being or residence in him and that in this place it doth not signify any perpetuall abiding or any abiding in relation to the future is evident because the abiding of the seed here spoken of is given as the Reason why he that is borne of God doth not commit sinne i. e. doth not frequently walke in any course of known sinne now nothing in respect of any future permanency or continuance of being can be looked upon as the cause of an effect but only in respect of the present being or residence of it The Reason why the soule moveth to day is not because it will move or act the body to morrow or because it is in the body to day upon such termes that it will be in it to morrow also much lesse because it is an immortall substance but simply because it is now or this day in the body So the Reason why Angels at this day do the will of God is not because they have such a principle of holinesse or Obedience in them which they cannot put off or loose to eternity but because of such a principle as we speake of residing in them at present therefore when John assigneth the remaining of the seed of God in him that is borne of him for the reason why he doth not commit sinne certaine it is that by this remaining of the seed he meaneth nothing else but the present residence or abode thereof in this Person and if his intent had been either to assert or imply a perpetuall residence of this seed in him that is borne of God it had been much more proper for him to have saved it for a reason of the latter proposition he that is borne of God cannot sinne then to have subjoyned it
for a season yea and that upon his irregular walking and not according to the rule of Christ he may by the Authority of such a Church be rejected from its communion for his amendment and recovery into the right way of which before But that a true Believer can voluntarily desert the communion of the Saints and become an Antichrist that this text denyes and we from it and the many other witnesses of the same truth that have been produced Notwithstanding then all Mr Goodwin exceptions there is nothing presumed in the inference we make from these words but what is either expressly contained or evidently included in them But Mr Goodwin will not thus give over §. 35. he prefers his exceptions to this Testimony in another whole Section which because the Demonstration of the truth in hand from this place though here handled by the by is of great importance and such as by its single strength is sufficient utterly to cast to the ground the figment set up in opposition to it I shall present entirely to the Reader that our Authour may be heard out and nothing omitted that he pleads for the waving of the force of the Argument in hand that whole Section Thus then he proceeds Suppose that these two suppositions be granted to the Inference makers §. 36. First That this phrase to goe out from us signifies voluntarily to forsake the society and communion of Christians And Secondly That this expression to be of us signifies true and inward communion with those from whom they went out yet will not these contributions suffice for the firme building of the said Inference The Reason is Because the Apostle expressely saith that they would have continued with us not that they would have continued such as they were in respect of the Truth or Essence of their Faith and if the Apostles scope in this place were to prove or affirme that they who are once true Christians or Believers alwaies continue such then when he saith they would have continued with us he must of necessity meane either that they would have continued Faithfull as we continue Faithfull or else that they would have continued alwaies in our society or in the profession of Christianity But that neither of these sences are of any tolerable consistency is evident by the light of this Consideration viz. That the Apostle then must have known that the persons hee speakes of and who went out from them neither were nor ever had been true Christian Believers when they went thus from them Now if he had this knowledge of them it must be supposed either that he had it by extraordinary Revelation but this is very improbable and howsoever cannot be proved or else that he gain'd and obtain'd it by their departure or going out from them but that this could be no sufficient Argument or ground to beget any such knowledge in the Apostle concerning them is evident from hence Because it may very easily and doth very frequently come to passe That they who are true Christians doe not alwaies continue in the society to which they have joyned themselves no nor yet in the externall profession of Christianity it selfe yea our opposers themselves frequently and without scruple teach that even true believers themselves may through Feare or shame or extremity of sufferings be brought to deny Christ and without any danger of being ship-wrack't of their Faith forbeare making a profession of the name of Christ afterwards Ans. § 37. First What is meant and Intended by those expressions went out from us and to be of us hath been declared We are not to teach the Holy Ghost to speake What ever conceit we may have of our own abilities when we deale with Wormes of the Earth like our selves to his will to his expressions we must vaile and submit He is pleased to phrase their continuance in the Faith their continuance with us that is with the Saints in the fellowship and communion of the Gospell which they had with God in Christ The expression is cleare and evident to the purpose in hand and there is no contending against it Secondly we doe not say that 't is the direct scope and intent of the Apostle in this place to prove that those who are true Believers cannot fall away and depart from the Faith which he afterwards doth to the purpose Cap. 3. 9 but his mind and intendment was to manifest that those who forsake the Society of Christians and become Anti-Christs and seducers were indeed never true Believers useing the other Hypothesis as a medium for the confirmation of this Assertion Thirdly By that phrase they would have continued with us the Apostle intends their continuance in the society and fellowship of the Faithfull by the profession of Jesus Christ whom now they opposed denying him to be come in the flesh that is they would not have so fallen off as they have done upon the account of the Estate and Condition of true Believers and reall Saints who are kept by the power of God to salvation Fourthly The Apostle did know and professed himselfe to know that they were not nor ever had been true Believers when they were once so gone out from them as they went as our Saviour Christ profest them not to have been true believers who followed him for a while were called and accounted his Disciples when they fell in an houre of Temptation Neither have we the least reason to suppose that the Apostle had this knowledge by Revelation seeing the thing it selfe in reference and proportion to the principles he laies downe of the continuance of Believers did openly proclaime it Fiftly That true Christians or Believers can so fall away from the society of the Saints as these here mentioned did is denied and a grant of it ought not to be begged at our hands 't is true that as was before granted a true believer may for a season desert the communion or fellowship of a Church wherein he hath walk'd and that causelesly yea he may be surprized through Infirmity to deny under mighty temptations in words for a moment the Lord Christ whom yet his Heart loves and honours as in the case of Peter was too evident But that such an one may forsake the externall profession of Christianity or cease profession making and betake himselfe to a contrary interest opposing Christ and his wayes as those here insisted on did that 's denied and not the least attempt of proofe made to the contrary Whilst I was upon the consideration of these exceptions of Mr Goodwin's §. 38. to our Testimony from this Text of Scripture by us insisted on there came to my hands his Exposition on the 9. Chapter to the Romans In the Epistle whereof to the Reader he is pleased Sect. 6. Studiously to wave the imputation of having borrowed this Exposition from Arminius and his followers An Apology perhaps unworthy his prudence and great abilityes which Testimony yet I feare by
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
is sufficiently convinced by that of our Saviour John 17. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 expressing his dedicating and separating himselfe to his objection and more instances may be had if we stood in any need of them Thirdly that many are said to be sanctifyed and holy in the latter sence as it signifyeth spirituall purity in respect of their profession of themselves so to be and some mens esteem of them who yet were never wholly and truly purged from their sinne nor ever had received the holy Spirit of Promise who alone is able to purge their hearts doth not now want its demonstration that work hath been some whiles since performed So that Mr G. makes not any progresse at all in the proofe of what he has undertaken viz. that they are true Believers in the sence of that denomination which we assert who in these places are described For a close 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is far more properly referred to Christ than to the persons spoken of and that sence the Remonstrants themselves do not oppose That they are said Cap. 6. 4. §. 33. to have tasted the heavenly guift is urged in the next place Sect. 22. to prove them true Believers both the object and the act are here in question what is meant by the Heavenly guift and what by tasting of it I shall not looke into the Text beyond the peculiar concernement of the cause in hand somewhat might be offered for the farther clearing of the one and other At present it sufficeth that be the Heavenly guift what it will the persons of our contest are said only to tast of it which though absolutely and in it selfe it is not an extenuating expression but denotes a matter of high aggravation of the sinne of Apostacy in that they were admitted to some tast and relish of the excellency and sweetnesse of the Heavenly guift yet comparatively to their feeding on it digesting it growing thereby it clearely denotes their coming short of such a participation of it who do but tast of it That to tast doth not in the first genuine signification in things naturall signify to eat and digest meat so as to grow by it I suppose needes no proof that in that sence it is used in the Scriptures Ioh. 2. 9 Mat. 27. 34. is by Mr Goodwin confessed This he tells you is only when the tast or relish of things is desired to be known but that our Saviour tasted of the gall and vineger out of a desire to know the relish of it he will hardly perswade those who are accustomed to give never so easie a beliefe to his assertions By the Heavenly guift M. G. in the first place intends Jesus Christ now if by tasting eating and drinking of Christ be intended as is here pleaded Christ himselfe will determine this strife telling us that whosoever eateth his flesh shall be saved John 6. 35 49 50 51 54 55 56 57. So that either to tast is not to eate or they that tast cannot perish Three things are urged by Mr Goodwin to give proofe of his interpretation of these words of the Holy Ghost saith he 1. Whatsoever is meant by this Heavenly guift certain is it that by tasting is not meant any light or superficiall impression made upon the hearts or soules of men through the sence or apprehension of it but an emphaticall inward and effectuous relish and sence of the excellent and Heavenly sweetnesse and pleasantnesse of it opposed to a bare speculation or naked apprehension thereof The reason hereof is because the tasting of this Heavenly guift here spoken of is not mentioned by the Apostle in a way of easing or extenuating the sinne of those that should fall away from Christ but by way of aggravation and exaggeration of the beinousnesse and unreasonablenesse thereof and withall more fully to declare and assert the equitablenesse of that severity in God which is here denounced against those that shall sinne the great sinne of Apostacy here spoken of It must needs be much more unworthy and provoking in the sight of God for a man to turne his backe upon and renounce those wayes that profession wherein God hath come home to him and answered the joy of his heart abundently then it would be in case he had only heard of great matters and had his head filled but had really found and felt nothing with his heart and soule truly excellent and Glorious 2. And bestdes the very word it selfe to tast ordinarily in Scripture importes a reall communion with or participation and enjoyment if the thing be good of that which was said to be tasted Oh tast see saith David that the Lord is good a Psal. 34. 8. His intent doubtlesse was not to invite men to a slight or superficiall tast of the goodnesse of God but to a reall cordiall and thorough experiment and satisfactory enjoyment of it So when he that made the great invitation in the parable expressed himselfe thus to his servants For I say unto you that none of those who were bidden shall tast of my Supper b Luk. 14. 24. His meaning clearely was that they should not partake of the Sweetnesse and benefit thereof with those who should accept of his invitation and come unto it In like manner when Peter speaketh thus to his Christian Jewes If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracius c 1 Pet. 2. 3. his meaning questionlesse is not to presse his exhortation directed unto them in the former verse upon a consideration of any light or vanishing tast such as hypocrites false-hearted Christians may have of the graciousnesse of the Lord but of such a tast wherein they had had a reall inward and sensible experiment thereof 3. And besides according to the sence of our adversaries in the present debate if the tast of the heavenly gift we speake of should imply no more but only a faint or weake perception of the sweetnesse and glorious excellency of it yet even this may be sufficient to evince truth of grace and Faith in men For their opinion is that a man may be a true Believer with a graine of Mustard-seed only i.e. with a very slender rellish and tast of spirituall things yea their sence is that in some cases of desertion and under the guilt of some enormous courses they may have little or no tast of them at all Ans. 1. To the first discourse considering what hath been already delivered I shall only adde that although it be no aggravation of the sinne of Apostacy that they who fall into it have but tasted of the Heavenly guift yet it is that they have tasted of it that tast of its relish preciousnes sweetnes which they haue obtained whereby they are distinguished from thē whose blindnes hardnes keeps them up to a totall disrelish and contempt of it is abundantly enough to render their sinne heinous and abominable When men by the preaching of the Word
Believers Againe if true Believers shall live and continue to the saving of their soules in opposition to them that fall away to perdition then they shall certainly persevere in their Faith for these two are but one the same but that true Believers shall live believe to the saving of their soules in opposition to them that draw back or subduct themselves to perdition is the assertion of the Holy Ghost Ergo I presume by this time Mr Goodwin is plainly convinced that indeed he had as good yea and much better for the Advantage of his cause in hand have let his witnesse have abode in quietnesse and not entreated him so severely to denounce judgment against that Doctrine which he seekes by him to confirme Sect. 32. §. 41. the parable of the stony ground Mat. 13. 20 21. comes next to consideration the words chosen to be insisted on are in the verses mentioned but he that received the seed into stony places is he that heareth the Word anon with joy receiveth it yet hath be not root in himselfe but dureth for a while c. That by the stony ground is meant true Believers is that which Mr Goodwin undertakes to prove but how in his whole Discourse I professe I perceive not I must take leave to professe that I cannot finde any thing looking like a prâ—â—fe or Argument to evince it from the beginning to the end of this Discourse though something be offered to take off the arguments that are used to prove it to be otherwise doth Mr Goodwin think that men will easily Believe that Faith which hath neither root fruit nor continuance to be true and saving Faith doubtlesse they might have very low apprehensions of saving faith union with Christ justification sanctification adoption c. wherewith it is attended who can once entertaine any such imagination that which is tendered to induce us to such a perswasion may briefly be considered Saith he Sect. 32. §. 42. Now those signified by the stony ground he expressely calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. Persons who continue for a time or a season i.e. as Luke explaineth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who believe for a season so that those who only for a time believe and afterward make defection from Christ and from the Gospell are neverthelesse numbred and ranked by him amongst Believers The words in Luke are very particular They on the Rock are they which when they heare receive the word with joy and those have no root which for a while Believe and in time of temptation fall away From whence it appeares that the hearers here described are not compared to the Rock or stony ground for the hardnesse of their hearts for as much as they are said to receive the word with joy which argues an ingenuity and teachablenesse of spirit in them and is elsewhere viz. Acts 2. 41. taken knowledge of by the Holy Ghost as an Index or signe of a true Believer but for such a Property Disposition or Temper as this viz. not to give or afford the word so received a radication in their hearts and soules so intimous serious and solid which should be sufficient to maintaine their beliefe of it and good affections to it against all such occurrences in the World which may oppose or attempt either the one or the other Ans. 1. The first Reason intimated is that they are said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a terme given them plainly to distinguish them from true Believers men that make a profession for a season expressly opposed to them who receive the word in good and honest hearts if the word had denoted any excellency any thing that was good in them then there had been some pretence to have insisted on it to prove them true Believers But to demonstrate the truth of their Faith from their Hypocrisy and their excellencies from that which expressely denotes their unworthinesse is a strange way of arguing They are persons saith our Saviour that make profession for a little while and then decay not like them who receive the Word in good and honest soules therefore saith M.G. they are true believers but 2. In Luke they are said to Believe for a season Mr Goodwin is not now to learne how often in the Scripture they are said to believe who only professe the Faith of the Gospell though the root of the matter be not in them that of John 2. 23 24 25. may suffice for undenyable instance or John 6. 64. may farther expound it their believing for a season is but the lifelesse worthlesse fruitlesse profession for a season as their destruction from the good ground doth manifest But 3. They are said to receive the word with joy which argues ingenuity and tractablenesse of spirit in them No more than in Herod who heard the Word gladly or in the Jewes when the preaching of Ezechiel was pleasant or desirable to them or those described Isai. 58. 2. % who sought God dayly and delighted to know his wayes in the middest of the abominable practices From the similitude it selfe He yet farther attempts this uncouth Assertion But as the blade which springs from one and the same kind of seed as suppose from Wheat or any other graine though sown in different yea or contrary soyles is yet of the same species or kind the nature of the soyle not changing the specified nature of the seed that is sowne in it and God giving to every seed it s owne body of what temper so ever the ground is where it is sown in like manner that Faith which springs from the same seed of the Gospell must needs be of one and the same nature and kind though this seed be sowne in the hearts of never so differing a constitution and frame the temper of the heart be it what it will be not being able specifically to alter either the Gospell or the naturall fruit issuing from it And as a blade or eare of Wheate though it be blasted before the Harvest is not hereby proved not to have been a true blade or eare of wheate before it was blasted in like manner the withering or decay of any mans faith by what meanes or occasion soever before his death doth not prove it to have been a false counterfeit or Hypocriticall Faith or a Faith of any other kind than that which is true reall and permanent unto the end Ans. 1. It hath been formerly observed that sâ—militudes are not argumentative beyond the extent of that particular wherein their nature as such doth consist The intendment of Christ in this Parable is to manifest that many heare the word in vaine and bring forth no fruit of it at all of these one sort is compared to stony ground that brings forth a blade but no fruit no fruit is no spirit though there be a blade or no blade the difference between the ones receiving of seed and the others manifested by our Saviour in this Parable is
in this that one brings forth fruit and the other doth not farther the seed of wheate or the like brings forth its fruit in a naturall way and therefore whatever it brings forth followes in some measure the nature of the seed but that seed of the Gospell brings forth its fruit in a morall way and therefore may have effects of sundry natures that which the seed of Wheat brings forth is wheat but that which the Gospell brings forth is not Gospell but Faith besides what the wheate brings forth if it come not nor ever will to be wheate in the eare it is but grasse and not of the same nature and kind with that which is wheate actually though virtually and originally there be the nature of wheate in the roote yet actually wheat is not in the blade that hath not nor ever will have eare If the seed of wheate be so corrupted in the soyle where it is sowne that it cannot bring forth fruit that which it doth bring forth what ever it be is of a different nature from that which is brought forth to perfection by the seed of wheate in good ground Againe Faith is brought forth by the seed of the Gospell when the Promises and Exhortations of the Gospell being preacht unto men do prevaile on them to give assent unto the truth of it that every such effect wrought is true justifying Faith giving union with Jesus Christ Mr Goodwin cannot prove that effects specifically different may be brought forth by the same seed of the Gospell seeing to some it is a savour of life unto life and to some a savour of death unto death needes not much proving Some receive the Word and turne it into wantonnesse some are cast into the mould of it and are tanslated into the same image if the temper of the heart as is said is not able specifically to alter the Gospell but that there may not fruit of various kinds be borne in the heart that assents to it that receives it in the upper crust and skin of it is the question Neither is it a blade occasionally withering before the Harvest but a slight receiving of the seed so as that it can never bring forth fruit that is intimated In summe this whole Discourse is a great piece of Sophistry in comparing naturall morall causes in the producing of their effects a thing not intended in the Parable and whereabout he that will busie himselfe jungat vulpes mulgeat hircos this is that which our Saviour teacheth â—â—in the similitude of seed sown in the stony ground The Word is preached unto some men who are affected with it for a season assent unto it but not comming 〈◊〉 to a cordiall close with it after a while wither away and such as these we say were never true Believers a small matter will serve to make a man a true Believer if these are such What tendency this Doctrine may have to lull men asleepe in security when Christ is not in them of a truth may easily appeare be judged if men who are distinguished from other Believers by such signall differences as these here are may yet passe for true Believers Justifyed Sanctifyed Adopted ones solvi mortales curas the way to Heaven is layed open to thousands who I feare will never come to the end of the journey What remaines of M. G's Discourse on this text §. 44. is spent in answering some objections which are made against his interpretation of the place it growes now late and this taske growes so heavy on my hand that I cannot satisfye my selfe in the repetition of any thing spoken before or delivered which would necessarily enforce a particular consideration of what M. G. here insists on let him at his leisure Answer this one Argument and I shall trouble him no farther in this matter That Faith which hath neither root nor fruit neither sound heart nor good life that by and by readily and easily yeelds upon Temptation to a totall defection is not true saving justifying Faith The root of Faith taken spiritually is the habit of it in the heart a spirituall living habit which if it reside not in the heart all assent whatever wants the nature of Faith true and saving the fruits of Faith are good Workes and new Obedience that Faith which hath not Workes James tells you is dead dead and living Faith doubtlesse differ specifically Againe Faith purisieth the heart and when a heart is wholly polluted corrupted naught and false there dwelles no Faith in that heart it is impossible it should be in a heart and not at least radically and fundamentally purify it farther Mr Goodwin hath told us that true Believers are so fortified against Apostasy that they are in only a possibility in nor probability nor great danger of totall Apostasy and therefore they who presently and readily fall away cannot be of those who are scarse in any danger of so doing upon any account whatever but that the faith here mentioned hath neither root nor fruit good heart to dwell in nor good life attending it but instantly upon triall and temptation vanisheth to nothing we are taught in the text it selfe therefore the Faith here mentioned is not true no saving Faith That it hath no root is expressly affirmed v. 21. and all the rest of the qualityes mentioned are evidenced from the opposition wherein they who are these Believers are set unto true Believers they receive the Word in good and honest hearts they bring forth fruit with patience they endure in the time of tryall like the house built on the Rock when the house built on the Sand falls to the ground One word more with this witnesse before we part they who receive the Word in good and honest hearts and keepe it do bring forth fruit with patience and fall not away under temptation so saith the testimony but all true Believers recive the Word in good and honest hearts Ergo Which is the voyce of Mr Goodwin's fourth Witnesse in this cause The 2 Pet. 4. 18 19 20 21 22. §. 45. is forced to bring up the reare of the Testimonyes by M. G. produced to convince the world of the truth Righteousnesse of his Doctrine of the Saints Apostacy ending his whole Discourse in the mire Observatioas from the Text or context from the words themselves or the coherence to educe his conclusion from he insists not on Many excellent words we have concerning the clearenesse evidence of this Testimony the impossibility of avoyding what hence he concludes we want not but we have been too often inured to such a way of proceeding to be now moved at it or troubled about it were the waters deepe they would not make such a noyse The state and condition of men here described by the Apostle is so justly delineated to the eye by the practice of men in the world to whom the Gospell is preached that I do not a little wonder how any
shall be startled in their sinnes troubled in their consciences forced to seeke out for a remedy and shall come so farre as to have some though but a light tast of the excellency of the Gospell and the remedy provided for sinners in Jesus Christ and then through the strength of their lusts and corruptions shall cast it off reject it and spit out of their mouth as it were all that of it whereby they found the least savour in it no creature under Heaven can be guilty of more abominable undervaluing of the Lord Christ and the Love of God in him than such persons What degree of Love Joy Repentance Peace Faith persons many times arrive unto when with Herod they have heard the Word gladly and done many things willingly c. hath been by others abundantly demonstrated This sufficeth our present purpose that they do make such a progresse in the wayes of God and finde so much excellency in the treasure of Grace and mercy which he hath provided in Jesus Christ and tenders in the Gospell that he cannot but look upon their Apostacy renunciation of him whereby they proclaime to all the world as much as in them lyes that there is not that reall goodnesse worth and excellency to be found in him as some pretend as the highest scorne and contempt of him and his Love in Christ and revenges it accordingly 2. To the second which consists of instances collected by the Remonstrants to manifest the use of the word tasting to be other than what we here confine it to I say 1. That the word as it is applyed to Spiritualls being borrowed and metaphoricall not in its Analogie to be extended beyond making triall for our coming to some knowledge of a thing in its nature the use of it in one place cannot prescribe to the sence of it in another no more than any other metaphoricall expression whatever but it must in the severall places of its residence be interpreted according to the most peculiar restriction that the matter treated of doth require If then M G. can prove that any thing in this place under consideration enforces such a sence all his other instances are needlesse if he cannot they are uselesse It might easily be manifested and hath been done by others already that in all the places mentioned by Mr Goodwin the word is not expressly significant of any thorough solid eating participation of that which is said to be tasted as is pretended But to manifest this is not our concernment there being no reason in the world to enforce any such sence as is contended for in the place under present consideration 2. To the third wherein he argues with his predecessors from our opinion concerning Faith a briefe reply will suffice That a faint weake perception and relish of heavenly things is sufficient to make a man a Believer is so farre from being our opinion that we utterly disclaime them from being Believers to whom this is ascribed if nothing else be added in their description from whence they may be so esteemed It is true Faith is sometimes little and weake in the exercise of it yea a man may be so overtaken with Temptations or so clouded under desertions as that it may not deport it selfe with any such considerable vigour as to be consolatory to him in whom it is or demonstrative of him unto others to be what he is but we say that the weakest lowest meanest measure and degree of this Faith is yet grounded and fixed in the heart where though it be not allwayes alike lively and active yet it is allwayes alive and gives life How farre Believers may fall into the guilt of enormous courses has been already manifested The intendment of the expression is to disadvantage the perswasion he opposeth We do not grant that believers may fall into any enormityes but only what God himselfe affirmes they may yet not utterly be cast out of his Love favour in Jesus Christ. Farther the weakest Faith of which we affirme that it may be true and saving though it may have no great perception nor deepe tast of Heavenly things for the present yet hath it allwayes that of adherence to God in Christ which is exceedingly exalted above any such preception of Heavenly things whatever that may be had or obtained without it so that from the consideration of what hath been spoken we may safely conclude that M.G. hath not been able to advance on steppe in his intendment to prove that the persons here described are true Believers I know no sufficient ground or reason to induce me to any large consideration of the other two or three expressions that remaine §. 34. that are insisted on by M.G. seeing it is evident from their associats which have been already examined that there is none of them can speak one word to the businesse in hand I shall therefore discharge them from any farther attendance in the service they have been forced unto The next priviledge insisted on which to these persons is ascribed is that they are made partakers of the Holy Ghost In mens participation of the Holy Ghost either the guifts or Graces of the Holy Ghost are intended The Graces of the Holy Ghost are either more common and inchoative or speciall and compleating of the worke of conversion that it is the peculiar regenerating Grace of God that is intended in this expression of being made partakers of the Holy Ghost and not the guifts of the Spirit or those common graces of illumination unto which persons not truly converted but only wrought upon by an effectuall conviction in the preaching of the word may attaine M G is no way able to prove And there is also this consideration rising up with strength and power against that interpretation viz. that those that are so made partakers of the Spirit as to be regenerated quickned sealed comforted thereby which are some of the peculiar acts of his Grace in and towards the soules of those that Believe can never loose him nor be deprived of him as was manifested before at large being sealed and confirmed not only in the present enjoyment of the Love and favour of God but also unto the full fruition of the Glory which is provided for them and therefore cannot fall away as these are supposed to do What there is in Mr Goodwins Discourse on this passage Sect. 23 24. to weaken in the least what is usually answered or farther to enforce his exposition of the place I am not able to apprehend and shall therefore proceed with what remaineth All that followes in the place of the Apostle under contest §. 35. is regulated by the word Tast they have tasted of the good word of God and the powers of the World to come what the sence and importance of that word is hath been already declared neither can it be proved that the persons here described doe so tast of the good word of God as to
mix the promises of it with Faith or of the powers of the world to come as to receive them in power in their hearts by believing so that farther contest about these words seemes to be altogether needlesse How farre men may proceed in the wayes of God §. 36. what progresse they may make in amendment of life what gifts and common graces they may receive what light and knowledge they may be indued withall what kind of Faith Joy Repentance Sorrow Delight Love they may have in and about spirituall things what desire of mercy and heaven what usefull gifts for the Churches edification they may receive how farre they may perswade their own soules and upon what grounds that their condition Godward is good and saving and beget an opinion in others that they are true Believers and yet come short of union with Christ building their houses on the sand c. is the daily taske of the Preachers of the Gospell to manisest in their pressing that exhortation of the Apostle unto their hearers to examine and try themselves in the middest of their profession whether Christ be in them of a truth or no. I shall not now enter upon that labour the Reader knowes where to find enough in the writings of holy and learned men of this Nation to evince that men may arrive at the utmost height of what is in this place of the Apostle by the Holy Ghost ascribed to the persons of whom he speakes and yet come short of the state of true Believers M.G. indeed tells us Sect. 27. The Premises relating to the two passages yet under debate considered §. 37. I am so farre from questioning whether the Apostle speakes of true and sound Believers in them that I verily judge that he purposely sought out severall of the most emphaticall and signall characters of Believers yea such which are hardly or rather not at all to be found in the ordinary sort of true Believers but only in those that are most eminent amongst them that so he and such who though sound yet were weake in the Faith might fall away and perish but that even such also who were lifted up nearer unto Heaven than their fellowes might through carelesnesse and carnallsecurity dash themselves in pieces against the same stone make shipwracke of their soules as well as they Ans. The House built on the sand may oftentimes be built higher have more faire perapets and battlements windowes and ornaments than that which is built upon the Rock yet all guifts and priviledges equall not one Grace in respect of light knowledge guifts and many manifestations of the Spirit such who never come up to that Faith which gives reall union and communion with Jesus Christ may farre outgoe those that do 2. That there is any thing mentioned or any characters given of Believers much lesse such as are singular and not common to all M. G hath not in any measure been able to evince There is not the meanest Believer in the world but he is a Child of God heir of the Promises brother of the LordChrist hath union with him hath his living in him is Quickned Justifyed Sanctifyed hath Christ made to him Wisedome c. hath his Righteousnesse in God and his Life hid in him in Christ is passed from death to Life brings forth fruit and is deare to God as the apple of his eye accepted with him approved of him as his temple wherein he delighteth to dwell That any thing in this place mentioned and insisted on any characters we have given of the persons whom we have considered doe excell or equall or denote any thing in the same kind with these and the like excellencyes of the meanest Believers will never be proved if we may judge of future successes from the issue of all former attempts for that end and purpose And this is the issue of Mr Goodwin's third Testimony produced to confirme the Doctrine of the Saints Apostacy but hypothetically and under such a forme of expression as may not be argued from nor of Saints and true Believers at all His 4. followeth His fourth Testimony he produceth §. 38. and indeavours to mannage for the Advantage of his cause Sect. 31. in these words The next Scripture Testimony we shall produce briefely urge in the cause now under maintainance is in the same Epistle with the former and speaketh these words Now the Just shall live by Faith But if any man draw back my soule shall have no pleasure in him Our English translators out of good will doubtlesse to a bad cause have almost defaced this Testimony by substituting any man for the just man for whereas they translate but if any man draw back the Originall readeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. if or but if he i.e. the just man who should live by his Faith viz. if he continues in it shall draw back Beza himselfe likewise before thē had stayned the honour of his faithfulnesse with the same blot in his Translation But the mind of the Holy Ghost in the words is plaine and without Parable viz. that if the just man who lives i. e. who at present enjoyes the favour of God and thereby is supported in all his tryalls and should live allwayes by his Faith if he continues in it as Pareus well glosseth shall draw back or shall be withdrawn viz. through feare or sloth as the word properly signifyeth See Acts 20. 27. from his believing my soule shall have no pleasure in him i.e. according to the import of the Hebraisme my soule shall hate or abhorre him to death as it is also expounded in the words immediately following But we are not of those who draw back to perdition but c. From hence then evident it is that such a man who is a just or Righteous man and under promise of living for ever by his Faith and therefore also a true and sound Believer may draw back or be withdrawne to the contracting of the hatred of God and to destruction in the end The forlornehope of evading because the sentence is Hypotheticall or conditionall not positive hath been routed over and over yea and is abandoned by some of the great Masters themselves of that cause unto the defence whereof it pretendeth And however in this place it would be most preposterous For if it should be supposed that the just man who is in a way under a Promise of living by his Faith were in no danger or possibility of drawing backe and that to the losse of the favour of God and ruine of his soule God must be conceived to speake here at no better rate of wisdome or understanding than thus The Just shall live by his Faith but if he shall do that which is simply and utterly impossible for him to do my soule shall have no pleasure in him What savour of wisdome yea or of commonsence is there in admonishing or cautioning men against such evills which there