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heaven_n	angel_n	earth_n	see_v	8,817	5	3.6156	3	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A86612	The pagan preacher silenced. Or, an answer to a treatise of Mr. John Goodwin, entituled, the pagans debt & dowry. Wherein is discovered the weaknesse of his arguments, and that it doth not yet appear by scripture, reason, or the testimony of the best of his own side, that the heathen who never heard of the letter of the Gospel, are either obliged to, or enabled for the believing in Christ; and that they are either engaged to matrimonial debt, or admitted to a matrimonial dowry. Wherein also is historically discovered, and polemically discussed the doctrin of Universal grace, with the original, growth and fall thereof; as it hath been held forth by the most rigid patrons of it. / By Obadiah Howe, A.M. and pastor of Horne-Castle in Lincolnshire. With a verdict on the case depending between Mr. Goodwin and Mr. Howe, by the learned George Kendal, DD.	Howe, Obadiah, 1615 or 16-1683.; Kendall, George, 1610-1663.	1655 (1655)	Wing H3051; Thomason E851_16; ESTC R207423	163,028	140

the lye who saith in both that they preached the gospel both at Dorbe and at Lystra By this time any rational man may see what is become of Mr. Goodwins double doubtlesse and I cannot but professe it a tedious task to be tyed to trace him through all his extravagances and impertinent allegations And it is strange to me that he that undertakes to produce such arguments that neither men on earth nor angels in heaven can answer as he saith of himself in his dispute with Mr. Simpson I need not cite the page it is so notorious that he I say should thus delitate in a matter of so great concernement and that not one allegation nor any particular in any Allegation should have the least conclusive validity in it Certainely must produce some more weighty reasons to prove that the raine and fruitfull seasons are fit testimonies of a Saviour and attonement by him and the summe of the Gospel otherwise he is not of that credit with me as to take his bare word for it and he hath no reason to fasten any blame upon us for not believing his assertions herein because wee finde him declining his own heights very much for after all these his impertinent notions we find him giving the sum of all that went before in this impertinent conclusion thus so that it is cleare from this Scripture that all the world even those that are most straitned and scanted in this kind those that have not the letter of the gospel have yet the sufficient meanes of believing 1. That God is 2. That he is a rewarder of all that seek him Heb. 11.6 which the Apostle makes to be all the faith absolutely necessary to bring us into favour with him How is he suddenly sunk into a degenerous conclusion that do ●not at all suit with his intended purpose which was to prove that all heathen men are sufficiently enabled to believe in Christ and to draw out the sum and substance of the gospel and he proves it by a text which he saith proves no more then that men may believe First that God is Secondly that he is a rewarder of them that seek him Is not Mr. Goodwin able to see a wide distance betwixt these two to believe on Christ and to believe that God is Although every one that believes in Christ must believe in God yet it followeth not è contra that all those that believe that God is Secundum et primò succedaneū praeceptum est fidei in Christum non generalis illius fideiqae ante ipsum oenitentiae actum et quamlibet legalem obedientiam praerequiritur quâ credimus Deum esse et praem●is cultoribus suis largiri sed specialis fidei in Christum Episcop Disp 24. Thes 1. doe believe in Jesus Christ Adam in his integrity did believe that God was and that he was a rewarder of them that seek him but I hope Mr. Goodwin will say that to believe in Jesus Christ is no act proper and suitable for the condition of Adams integrity therefore he had neither a sufficiency nor yet an obligation to believe Again the Jewes under the old Testament did believe that God was and that he was a rewarder of all them that seek him as is expressed Heb. 11.6 But Mr. Goodwin himselfe contends for this that they did not believe expressely in Christ and it is a pillar of the Arminian doctrine that faith in Jesus Christ was neither observed nor yet commanded To believe that God is and that he is a rewarder of them that seek him is a general faith that is requisite to every legal obedience even there where Christ hath no place or consideration as Episcopius one of the prolocutors of his side clearely speaketh Nay yet further let Mr. Goodwin consider whether the devils in hell doe not believe that God is and that he is a rewarder as well of them that seek him as of them that disobey him but these are neither in a sufficiency or obligation nor yet in a capacity of believing in Christ the faith of the former comes far short of the faith in the latter Although Mr. Goodwin is pleased to say in a second place thus Which the Apostle makes to be all the faith absolutely necessary to bring men into favour with him But what ground in the text doth hee discerne for this his assertion the text saith indeed that without faith it is impossible to please God and Mr. Goodwin himselfe that an evangelical faith is faith in Christ and the text further saith that he that cometh to God must first believe that God is but it doth not say that believing that God is is all that is necessary to believing in Christ or bringing men into favour with him he that saith he that ascendeth to the top of the ladder must climbe up the first step doth not say that to climbe up the first step is sufficient and onely necessary to the reaching to the top of the ladder It may helpe to illustrate the case in hand And if Mr. Goodwin will have no more as probable from this text in Acts 14.16 then this that the raine and fruitful seasons are meanes sufficient of knowing and believing that God is and that he is a rewarder of them that seek him he shal quietly rest with his desire although it be a non probatum But then I must admonish him that if no more can be forced from this text not to put any more the word of God upon the rack to stretch it to his owne heights to make it speak thus much that raine and fruitfull seasons are sufficient meanes to bring men to faith in Jesus Christ and to draw out the summe of the gospel And how impertinent this text is to prove his assertion let all the world judge seeing it doth not arise so high as faith in Jesus Christ or the summe of the gospel but onely thus far by his owne confession that God is c. The third text by which he proveth his assertion is from Rom. 2.4 Rom. 2.4 Not knowing that the patience of God leadeth thee to repentance which he urgeth thus that the patience of God leadeth thee to repentance because it doth by way of a rational progresse and cleare interpretation discover a readinesse to receive such unto grace and favour who repent unfeinedly The evidence of which reason looks upon us with the same face of dissatisfaction with all that went before Suppose I grant all yet how will Mr. Goodwin prove that it is either called patience and longsuffering however knowne by that name without the advantage of the written word wherein are contained admonitions to repent and so sayd to lead to repentance and this he must prove before he shall carry the cause by the force of this text To decide this difficulty let us consider first the scope of the Apostle in the former part of this Epistle viz. to conclude both Jew and Gentile under him the

apprehensions and particularly it was that gracious and good affection that he beareth to men in Christ his inclinations to peace with them upon their repentance That it was something out of the way of mens commen thoughts and apprehensions I wil easily grant him but wil it be any thing further off from proving it to be only his deity and godhead Gods not needing of any thing receiving of nothing but communicating all things to the creature and so being the author and fountain of all good these are as pregnant proofes of a deity and godhead as any and given by the Apostle Acts 17.25 And these also are beyond the common thoughts of man for if Israel who had the clear manifestations of God in his word did not yet know that God gave her corne and wine and oyle but that they came from her lovers Hos 2.5 7 8. how much more may it be beyond the common thoughts of the heathen that their fruitful seasons come from God rather then from their idols and so to be more obfirmed in their idolatry So that it doth not appear that it is not the Godhead because it is out of the way of mens common thoughts 2. He saith It was particularly the good affection which he beareth to men in Christ Jesus his inclinations to peace upon repentance But what one expression in all that Text that necessarily inferreth this Let him shew it and I have done he useth indeed two reasons to prove it His first reason is because such witnesses are onely proper to testifie grace and love and the desire of the good of those to whom they are given in him that giveth them But 1. Will not his understanding serve him to see them as pregnant testimonies of his deity and the Godhead doe not raine and fruitfull seasons and works of providence as clearly hold forth the eternal power and wisedome of God as any other thing Let him consult with Job 38.25 26. Where God expostulateth with Job about those parcels of the creation and providence and presseth both as arguments both of his power and of his wisedome in the water courses of heavens in causing it to raine and by it the tender bud to bring forth in that he was a father to the rain begot the drops of dew and found a womb of the ice and bindeth the influences of the Pleiades and guides Arcturus with his sons and hath so set the ordinances of heaven in their constant course is there not both power and wisedome seen in that circular providence Hos 2 last I wil heare the heavens and they shal heare the earth c. Let him consider the Prophet Jeremiah cap. 14. v. 22. where he saith are there any of the vanities of the nations that can give raine Art not thou he therefore we wil wait upon thee What will Mr. Goodwin say to this are not showres and raine fit and proper testimonies of Gods power and of his deity and so pertinent to call them off from idols to the living God Why doth he reassume that impious licence to charge the Scriptures and holy pen-men thereof with impertinent and improper evidences they frequently produce raine showres and fruitfull seasons as evidences of power and wisedome but Mr. Goodwin saith that they are not proper Testimonies thereof 2. It plainely appeares they alwayes prove his power and wisedom but where doth he once prove that they are proper to testifie grace and love in Jesus Christ Let him take the wiseman along with him and he will tell him that no man can know either love or hatred so neither thoughts of good or hurt by these outward things Eccles 9.1 2. Hee causeth them all to fall upon all without exception Nay if any difference most on those to whom he hath the least thoughts of good in Christ Jesus Psal 17.14 Men of the world whose belly thou fillest with thy hidden treasures To use no more but this those who are obstinate and incorrigible in sin and so by God are given up to a reprobate sense and by his consequent will are for that obstinacy destined to destruction so that God now hateth them yet do these so long as they live upon earth enjoy raine and fruitful seasons But will Mr. Goodwin say that they are proper evidences of Gods love and desire of their good and inclinations to peace upon repentance But now I am by a faire occasion cast upon a point of some concernement in the controversie betwixt Mr. Goodwin and us and that is the sufficiency in the creatures alone to bring men to believe in Christ Mr. Goodwin in his conference with Mr Simpson was very assertive of this that the heathen had sufficient means to bring to faith in Jesus Christ but he was very unwilling to discover what that sufficient means of faith is and I blame him not but he is something more daring in this treatise and affirmes that the raine and fruitful seasons can discover the Saviour Jesus Christ and bring men to faith in him they being proper onely to testifie a reconcilement and attonement in Christ but I find not Mr. Goodwin in one syllable inclining to prove it by good demonstrative reason I shall therefore addresse to accoast him with an Argument or two to prove that raine and fruitful seasons are no proper testimonies of the mercy of God in Christ or an attonement and satisfaction made by him Some shall be probable others more coercive and that both ad hominem and ad rem and so I shall prove that this cited text containes not sufficient means of faith in Christ Argum. 1 If the Apostle speak as much in all respects elsewhere and yet not for that end or expecting that improvment that men should discover a Saviour and a Mediator Then it is probable that in this text Act. 14. he doth not expect such an improvement as to discover a mediator and so by consequence those things here mentioned are not fit and proper testimonies thereof But the former is true Therefore the latter is true Certainely the Apostle would have that in his eye as the end and expect the highest improvement to which those meanes afforded are proper and adapted Now let us see in Acts 17.24 25 26 27. when Paul met with the idolatry of them at Athens he takes occasion to preach the same sermon as to them at Lystra onely the place is different all things else alike the occasion the same their idolatry the end the same to restraine them from it to turne them from their vanities to the living God the Sermon the same in both he preached the power of God in the creation in both he preached the power of God in the works of providence Nay in this text Act. 17.24 25. hee goeth something further in expressions of providence then in Acts 14. for herein he saith only he giveth raine and fruitfull seasons and filleth the hearts of men with food gladnesse But Act. 17.24 25. saith

Papists we in vain dream of too much felicity in our superfluous Reformation Heaven is at no greater distance from Rome then London And the poor Popish Laicks though interdicted the Scriptures in their Vulgar tongue yet may read enough to save them in the Sunnes Catechisme written in the Catholick Language What meant our rash Martyrs to be so prodigal of their bloud at the stake They needed not have feared any danger of that Egyptian darknesse as long as they might have enjoyed Gospel-light enough with a sufficient Gods blessing on their hearts in a warm Sun What an unnecessary quoil did many good men lately make against some imperious Prelates for silencing a few setled Ministers The danger was none or very small as long as the Sunne that grand Itinerant Preacher was in no peril of being suspended Master Goodwins dumb Preachers would have exercised in spight of them all and that upon the very house-tops Onwards what a needlesse quarter do the Adventurers for New England keep about erecting Schools and training up Preachers for the Natives Had they ten thousand Hiacomesses they could all say little more then the Sun doth every day of the Gospel of Christ in a Language much like the Vniversal Character which the late Examiner of the Vniversities to use his own words is about to excogitate as his Responsions doe make probation Si Cloaca esset magna esset Nay what talk we so much of the vain advancement of Learning at home in order to bringing men to be better qualified for the Preaching of the Gospel All the Books in the Publick Library at Oxford are not of half the use that Will Lillies Almanacks are wherein the Sunne Preacheth in his Pontificalibus Who would have thought it Master Goodwins six penny Pamphlet beats down all Pulpits and Libraries and affords the Sunnes Lectures at such a rate that most other Books may goe for waste paper and think themselves happy in being employed to defend Roste Bief from the furie of the fire Thus hath he made which who could ever have suspected the superiour Lights to Eclipse the inferiour and the Sunne by advantage belike of his nearnesse to the Church Triumphant in Heaven to darken all the lower Stars of the Church Miiitant here on Earth Such are the consequences of Master Goodwins Discourses 4. Yea more whereas all good Christians have ever been wont to blesse God for being pleased to distinguish them from many other professed Christians who enjoy the Books of Scriptures and the Oral Ministery of the Gospel as far forth as themselves but are not so happily breathed on by the Spirit of grace which alone makes them effectual to conversion Master Goodwins Book would bear them in hand that there is little more owing to God from the best of Christians then the worst of Pagans and that these have equal means of salvation at least in a Geometrical proportion Red. Red. P. Vlt. The truth is having taken so much worthy pains in his Redemption Redeemed to shew that Christ died equally for all men he was of course to assert that he procured equal means of that equally intended salvation of all men and to make good these equal means of salvation afforded to all men he was of necessity to run on one of these two rocks either to deny that the Preaching of the Gospel is necessary to salvation or to affirm that the Sunne Moon and Stars who alone visit all the world are sufficient Preachers of it I am so much Master Goodwins friend what ever he think of me as seriously to advise him as he tenders his safety to have a special care while he layes himself out for an Vniversal toleration of all Religions that he set himself against Poperie to the utmost of his power For however he speed through the highly deserved favour of all other Sectaries that may chance to get the moderation of Ecclesiastical causes yet should ever the Papists rule the roste Master Goodwin must look to be cast into the fire So severely would the Papists handle him for this piece of new Doctrine not as a Protestant but an Anti-Scripturist The Pope himself though he pretend to be the Oecumenical Pastor would not endure the thought of such an Vniversal Preacher as Master Goodwin is pleased to ordain the Sun to the disparagement of the Scriptures And yet that I may give the Sunne and his Patron their due I readily confesse the Sunne Preacheth enough to condemn all the world though not a word to purpose for the saving of any single soul The Sunne rarely sets forth the power of God enabling so vast a body for so swift a course and making so swift a course to bee all as regular The Sunne never stumbling nor tripping since his first setting out as a Giant to runne his race never stopping but once in above five thousand yeares and that only upon a command to attend the motion of Joshuahs army never retreating but once and that upon a like order to assure Hezekiah of an unexpected setting back of the Clock of his days The Sunne displayes the glory of Gods power no lesse every year in reviving plants and trees after a whole Winters Epilepsie whence we conclude beyond contradiction that God can raise our bodies out of the bosome of the Earth with more facility then the Sunne re-quickens any vegetables upon the face of it The Sunne as openly Preacheth the same power of God in its occulter operations upon Minerals which it so curiously works where we would not think it did look and doth a kind of stupendious miracles by invisible influences Shortly the Sunne tells all the world so plainly that there is God Omnipotent that too many Pagans have taken the Sunne for that God So children are apt to look on a King at Arms as King of the Realm The Sunne Preacheth that God in its face which too too many men every where deny in their heart but of Christ the Lord it had never a word to say unlesse perhaps once when it muffled its face as blushing at the monstrous indignities offered by poor worms on Earth to the great Prince of Heaven But even then the Sunne spake so low under its mask that the Jews themselves did not hear much lesse did the Heathens understand it And though one of their Philosophers be said to have cried out aut Deus naturae patitur aut mundi machina dissolvetur yet I believe that speech of his well examined carries more in it against the honour of the Almighty Creator then for the glory of our Merciful Redeemer Alas they who have been the most diligent and curious Auditours of the Sunne never learned any thing of that Starre which was a Light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of his people Israel God manifested in the flesh was a Mystery which the Angels stooped down to look into so little could the Pagans discover it in the Heavens over their heads It was the Apostles wonder to

immediate sufficiency and pleads for a mediate sufficiencie in pag. 15. to this effect Not that they can by the light of nature discover a Christ pag. 1● but they may by nature do those things and so please God that he wil not faile to reveale his son Christ and this he proves from the parable of the Talents wherein it is expedient for him to resolve what those Talents are which are given upon the improvement of which Christ is revealed but when he is resolved himselfe he wil resolve u● For in pag. 20. he saith thus The Talents cannot signifie any thing but natural gifts and abilities Yet in pag. 21. he saith These Talents or abilities given to men to improve are more commonly then properly called natural Againe doth he not seat his controversie not in any sufficiency either immediate or mediate as he pretendeth but pag. 23. in a remote capacity which is far different from the former two and in this sense that they are capable of it viz. the Gospel as any Nation is capable of the Commodities that are exportable out of another Nation by equitable adresses to it Yea sometimes thus that the Gospel is preacht to all the world just the assertion of his brethren and in him we may see their fluctuations In pag. 23 24 25 26. he earnestly contends that the Gospel is actually preacht to the world But in pag. 34. he contendeth not for an Actual but a Virtual and constructive preaching in this sense The Gospel is preached in some eminent places of the world and it s interpreted and constructively preached all the world over For upon Rom. 10.18 he saith How can this assertion stand but in the strength of this supposition that the Apostles publishing of it in the places where they had opportunity to come was virtually and constructively a preaching through the world But lest this should fail he is content with a potential preaching at last that it may be preached And this he doth pag. 23. in this sense It is preacht in some place of the world and the rest of the world may addresse themselves to that place and so come to hear of it As the Queene of Sheba came from the South to heare the wisdome of Solomon And are not these fit men to be encountred with reason whose reason is not yet so much resolved as to give a setled ground of dispute It is the desire of my heart and my taske to grapple with the first borne of Mr. Goodwins strength But I have this disadvantage that Reuben like it is as unstable as water I have not hitherto annexed any answer to Mr. Goodwins or the remonstrants because my task hath been historicall not disputative to show the rise and progresse of this doctrine of universal saving grace and hitherto it appears to have had its rise out of a mist not the cleare Sun-light a mist of uncertainties and conjectures not out of the Sun-light of a setled and well grounded truth And as to Mr. Goodwin I say Quorsum hae erroris latebra what means these starting holes which truth never seeketh which are demonstrative not of a desire to vindicate the truth but an unwillingnesse to relinquish an errour these are but the doubles and the retropasses of the subtle fox to foile the sent meerely to retard the pursuer And as their labouring to prove an universal grace is demonstrative of the validity of the proposition so their dark and unresolved progresse in proving of it gives much credit and strength to the assumption of our argument and lets me see that their invented method for such an universal grace is not able to abide the light or to give satisfaction to any rational scrutiny And I am now come to examine Mr. Goodwins assertion and probation thereof all along his whole treatise That which he asserteth is that every heathen man to whom the letter of the Gospel never came is yet bound to believe in Christ and that upon this ground because they have sufficient meanes by the creatures and light of nature to discover Christ and the summe of the Gospel as he saith almost as often as he hath pages an attempt that none of his predecessors durst ever so roundly and professedly make In the Examen of which I must propound a few things by way of stating right understāding of the question in difference betwixt us First when he saith those that never hear of the letter of the Gospel are yet bound to beleive in Jesus Christ I suppose by the letter of the Gospel he understandeth the commands as well as the promises of the Gospel the one is Gospel as well as the other Hence wee find in the Scripture obedience to the Gospel as well as faith of the Gospel 2 Thes 1.8 and indeed the commands of the Gospel are good newes as well as any other part thereof they being evidences to us that God will again take us into his service and give us further work to doe when wee deserve to be banished from his face for ever Then the question will arise to this whether those that never heard the letter of the Gospel viz. neither the commands nor promises nor any other part of that which wee cal the Gospel are yet bound to believe in Christ Secondly he must not think that we confine the discovery of Christ and salvation by him to the oral preaching of men or that the question betwixt us turneth upon this hinge I leave to the Almighty his liberty to use what meanes he pleaseth to discover his holy will to men I will thus far comply with Mr. Goodwin that whether men come to know God in Christ by reading any part of the written word or by hearing of it preached or by immediate revelation of the spirit of God or by an angel as to the shepherds or by a voyce from heaven as to Paul these wayes may all lay an obligation upon us to believe but then in all these they enjoy the letter of the Gospel The matter betwixt us in controversie is whether those heathen who have onely the light of nature and the creature and the works of common providence to direct them have such discoveries of Christ as that they become bound to believe in him This is the purport of Mr. Goodwins whole treatise as I shal cleare in some few instances Pag. 10. In one place he saith thus The Scripture intimateth that all men by the light of nature by such a rational discourse can draw out this Evangelical conclusion that an attonement is made And in another place thus That hearing by which faith comes or which is sufficient to produce it is the hearing of the found and those words which the heavens Ibid. and the day and night speake And the constant course of providence speaks in the ears of all nations the words of eternal life as well as those words of Christ himselfe when he was upon earth And in

then was it required in order to his salvation then there was a principle vested by God in the nature of man to recover and save himselfe and this principle to be carryed over unmaymed from the estate of integrity to the estate of sin into which he plunged himselfe and then also to remaine in the same vigour in his posterity so every person of mankind to be in a capacity of salvation if so then Christ must have dyed for all without exception His intentions in these reasonings I cannot well divine but what ever it be I retort upon him thus if they be to overthrow the position of his adversary as by so many monstruous absurdities he must know they are all his own if otherwise he intend hereby to gaine upon his adversary in these deductions and draw him by degrees into his owne tent by the ducture of these his owne positions then I thus argue Either all these are the genuine and legitimate inferences from his positions or not if not then he beateth the ayre and must cast about for another postscript if they be then I demand an account why Mr. Goodwin ownes the inferences and yet disclaimes the Position from whence they genuinely flow when any one may easily see it to be more congruous to the whole purport of his treatise to affirm it then to deny it Seeing it is his task to prove that every man by the law of nature onely is bound to believe repent which is utterly out irrecoverably lost if Adam in that interval was not bound to believe or repent in which he had the light of nature as much as ever after I might here propound an Argument of some considerable strength against his main position thus If Adam was not tyed by the law of nature to repent then his posterity is not But hee was not Ergo his posterity is not But I shall pursue this more pertinently when I answer his argument whereby he proves that the law of nature bindeth every man to repent and believe Thus having propounded his first Argument in which he hath done nothing in relation to the controversie in hand because he hath not in it proved that God ever gave a command or laid an obligation upon any such man or men to repent to whom the letter of the Gospel never came either in the commands or the promises of it He yet can before he begin handsomely to combat triumph as he doth Pag. 8 9. pag. 8. 9. where he concludeth thus From the premises it further appeareth that the Gentiles to whom the letter the written letter of the Gospel never came and amongst whom the name of Jesus Christ haply was never named yet in sufficient propriety of speech and largenesse enough of truth may be sayd to have the Gospel preached to them though not in that critical formality of the signification of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and praedicare a dialect which the Holy Ghost commonly neglecteth I wonder Mr. Goodwin doth not blush that the world should see so much weaknesse falshood and boldnesse come from him in one line 1. What cause hath he to say that this he hath now uttered plainly appeares from the premises was there ever mention made of the Gentiles who never heard of the letter of the Gospel or of the name of Christ or of the preaching of the Gospel to such Let him if he think good form those premises and this conclusion into an Argument and I believe it will be of smal strength 2. What is it that doth by the premises appear I fea● it is some such thing as that not onely not by the premises but not by all that Mr. Goodwin can say will yet appear It is this that they that never had the letter the written letter of the Gospel or the name of Christ named may yet properly be said to have had the Gospel preached But 1. How cau●elous is he the letter the written letter surely he doth intend to play with this terme letter of the Gospel as if we held that none are tyed to believe but they to whom the written letter comes or as if it were his task to prove that more are tyed to believe then they to whom the written letter is come I say again it matters not how the discovery be made by reading hearing a voice from heaven an Angel from heaven or any which way God shall chuse so that it be but beyond what nature discovereth it confirmeth us and overthroweth him 2. How miserably doth he praevaricate and change the face of the question that which he is to prove is that they are bound to believe to whom the letter of the Gospel never cometh but he now deceitfully shaffles in an Heterogenius expression if he himselfe divine right viz. Or the Name of Christ ever named Betwixt which and the former there is a wide difference so much as that the one may be without the other as he saith pag. 9. The Gospel was preached to the ancient Jews yet the name of Christ was not named amongst them Hereby he hath this advantage that we should think it his task to prove that they that have not the name of Christ named are bound to believe when his assertion looks quite with another face this is nothing ingenuous 3. Whereas he saith they may be said in propriety of speech and largenesse of truth enough to have had the Gospel preached I demand by what and if Mr. Goodwin should do to me as he did to Mr. Simpson in their conference affirme a sufficient meanes of believing but think it besides the question to state it what those means were he might make me seek the preacher but he is a little more ingenuous and tells us Pag. 10.11 that the heavens the day and the night and the providence of God rain and fruitfull seasons These are M● Goodwins preachers and that these are properly said to preach the Gospel he affirmeth wherein hee excuseth a heap of falsities under the shelter of one intimated and implyed truth For anatomize his assertion into these axiomes 1. The heavens preach 2. They preach in propriety of speech 3. They preach the Gospel 4. They preach the Gospel in propriety of speech One alone is true and the rest very false The first I will easily grant that the heavens are said to preach For as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth enerravit and is properly attributed to animate and rational creatures as Psal 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will declare the decree of God Psal 2. yet I find that it is also extended to the heavens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the heavens declare the glory of God So I grant that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to Cry from whence cometh the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the verb which signifieth to preach may also be extended to inanimate creatures though examples of it

whom they have not heard how shall they heare without a preacher And that all these interogatories are understood of the oral preaching of the gospel if Mr. Goodwin did not acknowledge it pag. 31 32. I should easily prove it Some I confesse may be so perverse but none so blind as to think that those words preaching hearing word gospel believing so often repeated in this chapter are not understood and relate to the oral preaching of the Gospel and in the letter of it And thus till he produce further proofe on all hands we shall conclude his interpretation a meer forgery against a clear text and so adjudged against him by the current of interpreters the judgement of the best of his owne side his own expresses and the cleare genius of the whole chapter 2. Having examined his interpretation I proceed to the confirmation and illustration of his interpretation He would establish it by affirming that the voice of the heavens and the night and the day and the words which they speak are the words of eternal life as well as those which Christ himselfe spake when he was upon earth which I charged with impious blasphemy and proceed thus to make it good If to affirme any thing from Christ that derogateth either from the dignity of his person or office be truely to be termed blasphemy then they may be termed so for herein he doth both advance the creatures into the Chaire of Christ and reduce Christ into the ranke of the creatures Christ hath received an universal charter and patent to bee the publisher of the Gospel and that out of his mouth should proceed the words of eternal life according to that text Luke 4.18 the spirit of the Lord is upon me to preach c. We find a dicotomy in Heb. 2 2. of Gods speaking by the prophets and speaking by his Son but of his speaking the things of the gospel by the heavens no where Had such a pregnant suggester stood at Peters elbow when he asked this question Whither shall we goe Lord thou hast the words of eternal life Ioh. 6.68 he would have told him that he was not a well tutoured scholler in the schoole of Christ And as the wiseman sends the sluggard to the ant so he would have sent Peter to the heavens the Moon and the Sun and Stars to hear them preach the words of eternal life What futilousnesse and vanity doth this assertion of his introduce into the words of the Apostle 2 Tim. 1.10 But is made appear by the appearing of Jesus Christ who hath brought immortality and life to light through the gospel And this gospel is that which Paul was appointed to preach in the next verse what need the Apostle wrap up all in expressions at such a distance as to say Now it is manifest and that by the coming of Christ and that Hee hath brought immortality and life to light And that in that Gospel which Paul was sent to preach if that life and immortality and the saving grace of God be clearely discovered by the creatures Nay I intreat Mr. Goodwin to consider whether he doth not by this introduce a needlesnesse and uselesnesse of Christ coming to discover the mysteries of the gospel to the Gentiles or of any oral preaching thereof either to Jew or Gentile if that in the heavens and the creatures there be so much seen of the Gospel as to make men wise unto salvation And so good old Simeon must stand charged rather with dotage then devotion in waiting for Christ to be the light of the Gentiles How doth he in this utterly make voyd the dignity and preheminence of the Scriptures which are said to make men wise to salvation 2 Tim. 3.15 and to be the words of eternal life Ioh. 5.39 If that both these may be as truly recorded of the book of the creatures as of the book of the Scriptures Lastly let Mr. Goodwin upon better thoughts consider whether the creatures and the motions of the heavens be truly and properly said to carry in them the words of eternal life at all 1. We find the Scriptures the words which Christ and his Apostles orally preached to the world to be called the word of Life Phil. 2.16 so Ioh. 6.63 the words which I speak unto you are life And the words of eternal life in many texts But I intreat Mr Goodwin to produce one text that either expressely or by intimation calls the sound of the heavens so Me thinks his reason should bespeak it too great presumption for any man to make the words of Christ to bee no more the words of eternal life then the sound of the heavens which never in Scripture are honoured with that dignifying title 2. The words of eternal life must discover not only God but Christ without the knowledg of both no salvation Iohn 17.3 This is life eternal to know God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent But how long long will it be ere he prove that the creatures can give the knowledge of Christ I expect that Mr. Goodwin give me some pertinent Scriptures to prove it Psal 19.1 2 3 4. Rom. 1.20 Act. 17.27 go no further then the glorie of God the invisible things of God and that they might seek after God but that the creatures of themselves discover a Christ the Scriptures say no where 3. The words of eternal life are the charter and magna charta of the Church Hence he knowes it is a rule extra ecclesiam nulla salus and also that of the Apostle Act. 2.47 The Lord added to the Church such as should be saved To be brought into the Church was to be brought in seriem salvandorum and both by the word of eternal life Then if the heavens declare the words of eternal life either that distinction betwixt the church of Christ and them that are without falls to the ground or else the word of eternal life is given as the ordinary means to bring men to faith in Jesus Christ to others besides the Church of God And then what transcendent love is there in Christ towards the Church in washing of it with water by the word Eph 5.25 26 4. The words of eternal life must convert the soule open the eyes make wise the simple otherwise they are not to bee called the words of eternal life But if Mr. Goodwin say that the creatures and voice of the heavens doe convert the soule c. then let him consider whether hee doth not overthrow that plaine distinction of the Psalmist Ps 19.4 6 7 8. where he saith the heavens declare the glory of God and the law converteth the soule He speaketh not of converting the soule til he passeth by the heavens and speaketh of the law of God 5. The word of eternal life is the ordinary meanes which God hath appointed to bring men to life But if Mr. Goodwin say that the heavens and the creatures are the ordinary way to bring men to salvation then he

be done without the faith and grace of Christ And the Remonstrants themselves as Corvinus saith expresly (b) Non enim contendimus Ethnicos legem Dei perfectè implere sed in eo acquiescimus quod probamus eos saltem aliquid legis f●cisse Corv. in Molin cap 34. § 2 We do not contend that the heathen do perfectly fulfill the Law of God but we rest in this that wee prove that they do something that the Law commands And this the Text it self evinceth because they have their consciences both excusing and accusing But there is no place for accusing consciences where they improve all abilities according to the rule of the law The worshiping of God (c) Si per rectitudinem intell●gas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verum est neminem posse rectè Deum colere citra fidem sed quaeritur an non possit citra fidem quanquam non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aliquâ tamen ratione imperfectè Deum colere ●39 sect 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the rule Saith Corvinus It is most true that in this sense it is not possible that any man can serve God without faith But it is questionable whether without faith a man cannot worship although not according to the rule yet in some way and manner although but imperfectly Then certainly Mr. Goodwin walketh in a very unsafe and difficult way in contending for an ability in the heathen to improve their natural abilities according to the rule or law of nature Beside to walk according to the light and law of Nature is to walk according to the rule of Conscience for the law of Nature is nothing but the law of God engraven in the hearts and consciences of men and here Master Goodwin joynes them together regular and conscientious improvement But then I hope hee must meane a rightly guided and informed conscience else how should it be a rule A crooked rule will never bring men to the straight way of holinesse I hope that neither Master Goodwin nor any Arminian will say that the use of Naturals according to the dictate of a misguided and erring Conscience leads either to a further degree of grace or glory But then consider also That men not having their consciences rightly informed and disposed cannot be said to walke so regularly as to fetch from God increase of grace but such is the case of all men by nature without the grace of Christ To consider this a little more distinctly Mr. Goodwin I hope well knoweth that to the regular improvement of every heathen man there is required both a Rule and Practice and they are to afford both not only to do those things contained in the law but they are to be a law to themselves Rom. 2. Now seeing that they are to afford the law and rule within them I hope they will say it must be a right and straight rule a rightly disposed and a good conscience otherwise to walk after the rule of an evill conscience will not be found an improvement or use but rather an abuse of naturall gifts An evill conscience is such from which we are to be cleansed Hebr. 10.22 But from an improvement of naturall gifts or from the right rule leading thereunto there is no need of being washed Now where is this rightly guided and good conscience amongst the heathen All men are divided into two ranks by the Apostle into the Pure and Impure the pure have all things pure the impure and unbelieving all things impure Tit. 1.15 having their minds and very consciences impure Tit. 1.15 Hence the Casuists tell us that a Amesius Cas Cons p. 102. Conscience is but a subordinate rule as it is directed by the Word of God Men have not improved their abilities by walking according to their consciences Paul was a persecuter and many come to kill and put to death the tru● disciples of Christ John 16.2 John 16.2 and both by the dictate of their conscience they thought they did God good service And as for the light of the heathen whereby they may be directed to the observance of God in a way of obedience Alas what is it Well may the Remonstrants say it is relicks of life and sparks of knowledg and that they have aliquam cognitionem Dei some kind and measure of the knowledg of God but alas what is it not so high as to be a rule of an acceptable improvement of their Abilities I would that Mr. Goodwin had put forth some Discourse of naturall light that wee might examine the subject of it and the penetrative vigour thereof True indeed the Heavens declare the glory of God and the Invisible things of God are to be seen in the visible creatures But here the glory of God is in the creatures but as light is in the Sun which yet is not actually seen by blind men To the act of sight there is not only required a visible object but there must be a well disposed organ and the eye must be open Now true it is that the heavens declare the glory of God as the Sun displayes his light but the heavens do not open the eys or give light to the simple Psal 19.4 5 6 7. What improvement can Mr. Goodwin produce that ever was made by the rule of natural knowledg The Apostle telleth us that the Gentiles are alienated from the life of God Ephes 4.18 2 Pet. 1.9 and that through the ignorance that is in them having their mindes darkened Man now in the state of corruption whatever the light be that shines in the creatures hee is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a purre-blinde man and their height is but to groape after him palpare Deum Acts 17.27 as blinde men by which they are capable of so much as to render themselves inexcusable if they fall to idolatry and forsake the true God but that thereby they may know how to worship the true God and serve him or that their light is or can be a rule of a right and true Improvement of natural ability I leave as Master Goodwin's task to prove either by Scripture or good reason especially such an Improvement upon which all the administrations of God to men tending to salvation shall proceed Now until that Master Goodwin cleareth these two things First that the Heathen can afford within themselves the rule of a right Improvement of their abilities or Secondly that suppose they have the rule within them yet that they can exercise such a regular Improvement according to the rule in a perfect Obedience for he that faileth in any one thing walketh not according to rule and maketh not a regular Improvement I shall conclude that no Heathen man can make a regular Improvement of his abilities that is neither according to the rule of Conscience or Law of Nature and as for any Law of the Gospel or Positive Law of God there is no need that any dispute proceed upon these because

Piscator in loc The Lord is Jesus Christ the servants are Christians chiefly those that bear office in the Church the talents are spiritual graces but especially those offices in the Church Neither doth he lead the way in this but follows the steps of many Interpreters Jerome by the talents understandeth the preaching of the Gospel and he interpreteth the text thus (c) Pater-familias est Christus post resurrectionem ascendens vocatis doctrinam Evangelicam tradidit Jerom. in loc The Master of the Family is Christ who after his Resurrection ascending to heaven his servants being called communicateth to them the Gospel And this way run Erasmus in his Paraphrase and Tossanus in his Commentary so that any may plainly see that Interpreters are not unanimous in any interpretation Some think these talents to signifie Election others the regenerating grace of God a third sort the offices in the Church a fourth the preaching of the Gospel but none of them saith any thing for natural abilities and yet Mr. Goodwin would perswade the world that Interpreters are unanimous for natural gifts and abilities But he produceth a testimony or two which because I will not be guilty of strengthning the authority of his cause by my silence I shall examine them and see how cleerly they make for him he brings a four-fold testimony one from Chamter a second from Calvin a third from Musculus a fourth from Ambrose First Chamier he quoteth saying thus (d) Talenta cuique distributa non possunt significare vitā aeternam quia dantur servisomnibus frugi nequam sed necesse est referri ad gratias temporales quas Deus commun●cat non tantùm piis electis sed impiis reprobis chamier in loc The talents cannot signifie eternal life because they were given to all the servants both good and bad but they are referred to temporary graces which God giveth to good and elect as also to the bad and the reprobate And doth not Mr. Goodwin well to begin with this cleer testimony But whether for us or for him there is the Question what one syllable is there extant in all this testimony that giveth the least hint that by talents are meant natural gifts it is not that part of it wherein he saith by talents cannot be meant eternal life for there are intervening graces betwixt natural abilities and eternal life hence Mr. Goodwin saith that natural abilities are not immediatly saving so that it may not be eternal life and yet not natural gifts nor yet is it that expression wherein he saith that these talents are given to all the servants for the supernatural graces of God are given to reprobate as well as the elect as before I shewed Now besides this he saith (a) Dominus indies locupletat novis suae gratiae dotibus servos suosaccumulat quia opus quod in illis coepit gratum habet in illis invenire quod majori gratiâ prosequatur atque huc pertinet sententia illa Habenti dabitur fateor expectandum esse fidelibus quò meliùs usi fuerint superioribus gratiis ut novis majoribus augcantur Calvin Instit lib. 2. c. 3. §. 11. they are gratiae temporales temporary graces now in that he calls the talents graces he overthroweth Mr. Goodwin who will have them to be natural abilities and in that he calleth them temporary he helpeth him not for supernatural grace being afforded promiscuously ad tempus for a time only may be called temporary but such is given to the Reprobates so that this Quotation though it grace the margin yet it dishonoureth the text 2 The second Protestant Writer whom he suborneth for his Cause is Mr. Calvin but we do not hear Calvin speaking From Mr. Goodwin therefore I shall produce his words upon this very text he saith thus The Lord doth every day enrich with and accumulate upon his servants new gifts of his grace every day because he accepts the work which he hath begun in them and findes that in them which he will follow with more grace and hitherto doth that sentence belong Habenti dabitur To him that hath shall be given and I profess this That believers may hence expect that the more they use the grace that is given the more they shall be endewed with further grace And is not Calvin a probable testimony for Mr. Goodwin who in even express words calleth the talents graces not nature I would not have Mr. Goodwin to injure the living works of dead Interpreters 3 The third testimony is out of Musculus in this he would have us acted by an implicit faith for he doth not produce his words and because he doth not I will This Proverbe Habenti dabitur is used in in two places Matth. 13. and Matth. 25. To the first text he saith thus (b) Quod múdus facit malè hic fit benè meritò ii qui gratiam regni Dei oblatam suo vitio repudiant a●feretur ab ii dabitut aliis qui sunt magis cupidi ut fiant abundantiores Musenlus in Matth. 13. What the world doth badly is here done well and deservedly that those who by their own fault refuse the grace of the Kingdome of God it should be taken away from such and given to those that are more desirous of it that they be more abundant And upon Matth. 25. saith thus (c) Per talenta significari officia illa quae servi sui gerunt in Ecclesia Musculus in Matth. 25. By these talents are understood any of those offices which his servants do bear in the Church And can he think Musculus his testimony can stand him in any stead except he will say that natural abilities may be called the grace of the Kingdom of God 4 The sourh Writer whom he produceth for his Cause is Ambrose whose words indeed he produceth in the margin but in that Edition those works which pass under the name of Ambrose which I have by me I finde not the words which he inserteth but take it as it lyeth The dint of the testimony lyeth here in that he saith The servant that hid his talent in a napkin was he that hid (d) Rutionem quae nobis data ad imaginem similitudinem studio voluptatis obruit quasi fo●tâ carnis abscondit That reason which is given to us according to the similitude and image be burieth it in the study of pleasure and hideth it in the pit of the flesh Now here is the difficulty what is meant by this Ratio data nobis ad imaginem similitudinem how will it be proved that by these words is understood this light of nature and natural abilities it is not corrupta ratio corrupt reason that rendreth us according to the image of God but our right and perfect reason in integrity or renewed in the state of regeneration Hence the Apostle saith Renewed in knowledge according to the image of him that