That is they cannot-have any goodnesse in them beyond that which is entitative And so farre are we now arrived All efficacious working of the Spirit of God on us must be excluded or all we do is good for nothing Away with all Promises all Prayers yea the whole Covenant of Grace they serve for no other end but to keepe us from doing good Let us heare the Scripture speake a little in this cause Deut. 30. 6. The Lord thy God will circumcise thy heart and the heart of thy seed to Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soule that thou maist live Jere. 31. 33. the 32. 39. This shall be the Covenant that I will make with the House of Israel after those dayes saith the Lord I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their Hearts and will be their God and they shall be my people Chap. 32. 39. I will give them one heart and one way that they may feare me for ever for the good of them and their Children after them Ezek. 36. 26. A new heart also will I give you and a new Spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and I will give you an heart of flesh and I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walke in my statutes and ye shall keepe my Judgements and do them Act. 16. 14. God opened the heart of Lydia that shee attended to the things spoken of Paul Phil. 1. 29. It is given to you in the behalfe of Christ not only to Believe on him but also to suffer for his sake and Chap. 2. 13. For it is God which worke the in you both to will and to do of his owne good pleasure as also Ephs. 1. 19. That ye may know what is the exceeding greatnesse of his power to us ward who Believe according to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead and 2 Thess. 1. 11. We pray alwayes for you that our God would fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodnesse the worke of Faith with power So also in 2 Cor. 5. 17. If any man be in Christ he is a new Creature for Ephes. 2. 4 5. God who is rich in Mercy for his great Love wherewith he Loved us even when we were dead in sinnes hath quickned us together with Christ Causing us Chap 4. 24. to put on that new man which after God is Created in Righteousnesse and true Holinesse with the like Assertions John 3. 3 James 1. 18. 1 Pet. 1. 23. John 5. 21. 2 Cor. 3. 5. c What may be thought of these and the like expressions §. 28. Do they hold out any reall effectuall internall Worke of the Spirit and Grace of God distinct from Morall perswasions or do they not If they do how comes any thing so wrought in us by us to be Morally good If they do not we may bid farewell unto all Renewing Regenerating Assisting Effectuall Grace of God That God then by his Spirit and Grace cannot enable us to act Morally and according to a Rule is not yet proved VVhat followes Saith he So farre as Exhortatious are meanes to produce these Acts §. 29. they must be Morall for Morall causes are not capable of producing Naturall or Physicall effects But if Mr Goodwin think that in this Controversy Physicall and Necessary as applyed to effects are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he is heavenly wide Physicall denotes only their being Necessary a manner of being as to some of them which have Physically a beeing The tearme Naturall is ambiguous and sometimes used in the one sence sometimes in the other sometimes it denotes that which is only sometimes that which is in such a kind By a Physicall effect we understand an Effect with respect to t is reall existency as by a Morall effect an effect in respect of its Regularity And now why may not a Morall cause have an influence in its owne kind to the production of a Physicall effect I meane an influence suited to its owne Nature and manner of operation by the way of motive and perswasion What would you think of him that should perswade you to lift your hand above your head to try how high you could reach or whether your Arme were not out of joynt Secondly §. 30. It hath been sufficiently shewed before that with these Exhortations which worke as appointed meanes Morally God exerteth an effectuall power for the reall production of that wherento the Exhortation tends dealing thus with our whole soules suitably to the Nature of all their faculties as every one of them is fitted and suited to be wrought upon for the accomplishment of the End he aimes at and in the manner that he intends Briefely to every Act of the VVill as an act in genere entis there is required a really operative and Physicall concurence of the Providentiall power of God in its owne order as the first Cause To every Act as good or gracious the operative concurrence and influence of the Spirit of Grace which yet hinders not but that by Exhortations men may be provoked and stirred up to the performance of Acts as such and to the performance of them as good and gracious This being not the direct Controversy in hand §. 31. I do but touch upon it Concerning that which followes I should perhaps say we have found Anguem in herba but being so toothlesse and stinglesse as it is to any that in the least attend to it it may be only tearmed the padde in the straw Physicall and Morall are taken to be tearmes it seemes Equipollent to Necessary and Not-necessary which is such a wresting of the tearmes themselves and their knowne use as men shall not likely meet withall Hence is it that Acts Physicall and Necessary are the same Every Act of the most free agent under Heaven yea in Heaven or Earth is in its owne Nature and Being Physicall Acts also are Morall i. e. good or evill consequently in order of Nature to their existence of which Necessary or Not-necessary are the Adjunct manner in reference to the Rule or Law whereunto their conformity is required How Morall and Not-necessary come to be tearmes of the same import Mr Goodwin will declare perhaps heareafter when he shall have leisure to teach as much new Philosophy as he hath already done Divinity In the meane time we deny that any influence from God on the wills of men doth make any Act of them Necessary as to the manner of its production And so this first Argument for the Inconsistency of the use of Exhortations with the reall efficiency of the Grace and Spirit of God is concluded That which followes in this Section to the end §. 32. is a pretended Answer to an Objection of our Authors owne framing being only introduced to give farther Advantage to
an interest in the good of them all that being only represented variously for the advantage of them that believe My designe is Gal. 16. 17. to describe the generall intention of God in all Gospell Promises whereby they being equally Spirited Eph. 2. 12. Heb. 6. 17. become as one and concerning these I say 1. That they are free and Gracious as to the rise §. 5. and fountain of them They are given unto us Tit. 1. 2. meerely through the good will and pleasure of God That which is of Promise 2 Pet. 1. 3 4. is every where opposed to that which is of doubt or that which is any way deserved or procured by us Gal. 3. 18. If the inheritance be of the Law which includes all that in us is desireable acceptable and deserving it is no more of Promise that is free and of meere Grace He that can find out any Reason or cause without God himselfe why he should promise any good things whatever to Sinners as all are are shut up under sinne till the Promise came Mat. 20. 15. Gal. 3. 22. may be allowed to Glory in the invention which he hath found out A well conditioned Nature necessitating him to a velleity of doing good and yeelding reliefe to them that are in misery though justly receiving the due reward of their deeds which even among the Sonnes of men is a vertue dwelling upon the confines of vice for their recovery is by some imposed on him But that this is not the fountaine and rise of his Promises needs no other evidence but the light of this Consideration That which is naturall is necessary and universall Promises are distinguishing as to them in misery at least they are given to men and not to fallen Angells But may not God doe what he will with his own Farther Jesus Christ is himselfe in the Promise he is the great originall matter and subject of the Promises and the giving of him was doubtlesse of free Grace and Mercy so Iohn 3. 16. God so Loved the World that he gave his only begotten Sonne and Rom 5. 8. God commendeth his Love towards us in that whilest we were Sinners Christ died for us and in the first of Ioh 4. 10. Herein is Love Mat. 11. 26. not that we Loved God but that he Loved us and sent his Sonne to be a Propitiation for us All is laid upon the account of Love and free Grace I confesse there are following Promises given out for the orderly carrying on of the persons to whom the maine originall fundamentall Promises are made unto the end designed for them that seeme to have Qualifications and Conditions in them but yet even those are all to be resolved into the Primitive grant of Mercy That which promiseth Life upon believing being of use to stirre men up unto and carry them on in Faith and Obedience must yet as to the pure nature of the Promise be resolved into that which freely is promised viz. Christ himselfe and with him both Faith and Life Believing and Salvation As in your Automata there is one originall spring or wheele that giveeth motion to sundry lesser and subordinate movers that are carried on with great variety sometimes with a seeming contrariety one to another but all regularly answering and being subservient to the impression of the first mover The first great Promise of Christ Gen. 3. 15. 16 and all good things in him is that which Spirits and principles all other Promises whatsoever Gen. 49. 10. Isa. 9. 6. and howsoever they may seem to move upon conditionall termes 2 Cor. 1. 20. yet they are all to be resolved into that absolute and free Originall Spring Hence that great Grant of Gospell Mercy is called the Gift by him Rom 5. 16 17. yea all the Promises of the Law as to their Originall Emanation from God and the constitution of the reward in them ingaged to be bestowed for the services required are free and Gracious There is not any naturall indispensable connexion between Obedience and Reward Diatr de Iust. Div. as there is between Sinne and Punishment as I have elsewhere at large Disputed and Proved 2. I call them Discoveries and Manifestations of Gods Good-will and Love §. 6. which is the prime and sole cause of all the good things which are wrapped up and contained in them Of this Good-will of God the Promises which he hath given are the sole discoveries We doe not in this Discourse take Promises meerely for what God hath said he Will doe in termes expresly but for every Assertion of his Good will and Kindnesse to us in Christ all which was first held out under a word of Promise Gen 3. 15. And this the Apostle inferres in Tit. 1. 2 3. In hope of eternall life which God that cannot lye promised before the◠World beganne but hath in due time manifested his Word through Preaching or discovered or made known that good will of his by the Promises in Preaching of the Gospell And to this extent of significancy is that Promise in the Scripture both name and thing in very many places stretched out Every thing whatever that is manifestative of Grace and good will to Sinners is of the Promise though it be not cast into a Promissory forme of expression Yea whereas strictly a Promise respecteth that which is either only future and not of present existence or the continuance of that which is yet even expressions of things formerly done and of a present performance some Individuals to the end of the World being to be made a new partakers of the Grace good will and Mercy in them doe belong to the Promise also in that Acceptation of it which the Holy Ghost in many places leads unto and which we now insist upon Mica 7. 17 18 19. 3. I say they are made unto sinners and that as sinners under no other Qualification whatever it being by the Mercy of the Promise alone that any men are relieved out of that condition of being sinners and morally nothing else Were not the Promises originally made to sinners Ephes. 2. 12. there would never any one be found in any other state or Condition Rom. 3. 19. I know there are Promises made to Believers Gal. 3. 22. even such as are unchangeable and shall beare them into the bosome of God but I say these are all consequentiall and upon supposition of the first and great Promise whereby Christ himselfe and Faith for his sake is bestowed on them This runs through them all as the very tenor of them Ioh. 3. 16. Rom. 8. 32. and method of God in them do manifest as we shall see afterwards So the Apostle Gal. 3. 22 The Scripture hath concluded all under sinne 1 Cor 1. 30. that the Promise by Faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that Believe Phil. 1. 29. All are shut up under sinne Ephes. 1. 3. untill
fighting against their soules their continuance in Believing the falling from whence is indeed all the danger they are exposed to for whilst they continue so doing all other things are lighter then vanity that Christ takes no care about though he pray that God would sanctify them and keepe them but they must shift for themselves as well as they can he will not doth not Intercede for them that from these they may be preserved Doubtlesse he that shall think to be maintained long at any high rate of Consolation and laves in no other nor no better provision to live on then this mentioned will quickly be reduced to a dry morsell But yet some Reasons of the foregoing interpretation of this place of the Apostle Rom. 8 § 9. are offered unto us This to be the tenour and effect of Christ's Intercession for his Saints saith he is evident from the first of the three passages cited And for that demand who shall separate us from the love of Christ It is not meant from the Love wherewith we love Christ but from the Love wherewith Christ loveth us as we are Saints and abide in his love and keepe his commands neither is it so to be conceived as if sinne wickednesse loosenesse profanenesse could not unsaint men and hereby separate them from them from that love wherewith Christ sometimes loved them for that Iniquity will separate between men and their God is evident from Isa. 59. 2. But the cleare meaning is that nothing no Creature whatsoever person or thing can make Christ an enemy to those who shall in Faith and Love cleave fast unto him Ans. 1. All this respecteth only one expression in this one place of Scripture and ariseth not with the least power against our Argument taken from many places in Conjunction explicatory one of an other It runns also upon the same mistake with the former taking the exaltation of Believers upon the Intercession of Christ in their behalfe which holds out the Issue of it to be expressive of the matter of his Intercession being only a demonstration of the event of of it But grant this to be the tenor and effect of Christs Intercession that Believers may not be separated from his Love is he heard therein or is he not Whatsoever be the issue of the question our procedure will be facile But it is said that it is not the Love wherewith we love Christ but that wherewith he loveth us that we shall not be separated from take this also for granted that it is that that only will this advantage your Cause If we be never separated from that Love that Christ bears us is it possible we should wholly be separated from that Love that we beare him Wherein consists our separation from that Love that Christ bears us How is it caused or may it be procured Is it not by the losse of our Faith and Love to him Or at least is it not an inseparable consequence thereof Or can it possibly come to passe any otherwise then on that account If then he Intercedes that we may not be separated from that Love he bears us and that Love inferrs the continuance of ours doth he not withall Intercede that we may never loose that Love wherewith we love him by which we continue in his Love If the old shift be not at hand for a reliefe this young part of the Answer will instantly suffer losse It is added therefore he loveth us as we are Saints and abide in his Love that is for so we must understand it whilst we are so for that he beares any effectuall Love to us to keepe us up to Saintship that is denyed 't is true Christ loveth us as Saints and as abiding in his Commandements but it is also his Love to keepe us and he intercedeth that we may abide in that Condition wherein alone it is possible for us so to do Neither is the Question whether sinne loosenesse profanenesse do not separate between God and men more or lesse but whether Believers shall not be preserved from such loosenesse profanenesse as would make a totall separation between God and them and if God intercedes as is added in the close that nothing may make him an enemy to us certainely he must Intercede that no sinne may do it For indeed sinne is something in this businesse and this must be as to the keeping us from it I suppose no man thinks any thing in all this Discourse of Mr Goodwin's to looke like the least attempt of proofe that Christ doth not Intercede for the Perseverance of Saints Neither hath he confidence enough positively to deny it therefore spends his whole Discourse hereabout in evasions and diversions Let it be directly denyed that Christ doth not intend that the Faith of Believers may not faile that his Saints may be preserved and Saved and we know what we have to apply our selves unto And if the contrary cannot be proved the Saints know what they have to trust unto that they may no longer leane on that which will yeild them no supportment If this will not be let it on the other hand be granted that he doth so intercede for de unoquoque affirmare aut negare verum est As to this then he proceeds Secondly Were it granted that part of Christs Intercession for his Saints is that their Faith may never faile yet the intent thereof would not necessarily nor indeed with any competent probability §. 10 be this that no sinne nor wickednesse whatsoever that shall or can be perpetrated by them might cause them to make shipwracke of their Faith but rather that God would graciously vouchsafe such meanes and such a presence of his Spirit unto them as whereby they may be richly inabled to keepe themselves in Faith Good conscience to the end Ans. Whether prejudiced men will grant it or no it is clearly proved if the words of Christ themselves may be taken for proofe that he Intercedes for his Saints that their Faith may not faile and that notwithstanding the interposition of any such sinnes as they can or may suppositis supponendis amongst which is his Intercession fall into So he tells Peter upon the prediction of his dreadfull fall that neverthelesse he had prayed for him that his Faith should not faile That they may fall into such sinnes and continue in such as are inconsistent with their Acceptation with God according to the termes and tenor of the new Covenant is that which we have been disproving all this while and which our Author ought not as he doth in all his Reasonings to suppose In the not failing or dying of their Faith in their preservation therein is included their deliverance from the perpetration of the sinnes intimated or at least from such a manner of committing any sinne as should utterly separate them from God It is the continuance of a living Faith that Christ prayes for and where that is there will be workes of
the tendernesse of the heart of Josiah under the preaching of the Law mentioned in the second place and therefore I shall not need to call it into Examination But it is added farther Sect. 14. p. 314. The present state and frame of the hearts and soules of the Saints duly considered § 61. which are made up as well of flesh and corruption as of Spirit and Grace the former having need of bridles for restraint as well as the latter of spurres for quickning evident it is that Arguments or motives drawne from feare of punishment are as necessary and proper for them in respect of the one as incitements from Love in respect of the other A whip for the Horse saies Solomon a bridle for the Asse and a rod for the Fooles backe The flesh even in the wisest of men is a foole and would be unruly without a rod ever and a non shaken over it nor should God have made such gracious bountifull and effectuall provision for the Perseverance of the Saints as now he hath done had he not ingaged as well the passion of Feare within them as of Love to be their guardian keeper 'T is true perfect love casteth out Feare but who amongst the Saints themselves can say either that his heart is cleane or his Love perfect Perfect Love casteth out flesh as well as Feare yea true Love untill flesh be cast out preserveth feare for its Assistant and fellow helper the flesh would soone make Love a wanton and intice her unto folly did not feare dissolve the inchantment and protect her Chastity Of this last Division of the 34. Section there are two parts The first Confirmative of what was spoken before concerning the usefullnesse of the Feare of Hell punishment for the furthering of the Saints Obedience The other Responsatory to what is urged to the contrary from 1 John 4. 18. Perfect Love casteth out Feare For the first it is granted that there are those two contrary principles of Flesh and Spirit Corruption and Grace in the hearts of all even even the best and most eminent Saints whilst they continue here below But that these two should be principles acting themselves in their Obedience the one moved incited and stirred up by Love the other from the Feare whereof we are speaking is a Fleshly Darke Anti-evangelicall conceit That the principle in Believers which the Scripture calls Flesh Corruption needs incitement to Obedience or is to be incited there unto as is affirmed is no lesse corrupt than what was before mentioned Looke whatsoever Influence Flesh or Corruption hath into any of our Obedience so far that Obedience is vitiated corrupted rendered uncleane and unacceptable before God The Flesh is to be crucified slaine destroyed not stirred up and provoked to Obedience being indeed Disobedience in the Abstract enmity to God You may as well perswade darkenesse to shine as the Flesh to Obâ—y It is not a foole as that Allusion bespeakes it from Prov. 26. 3. that would ever and anon be unruly were not a rod shaken over him but it is folly it selfe that is not to be cur'd but kill'd not stirred up but mortifyed How that is to be done hath been formerly at large declared It is by the Spirits bringing the Crosse and power of the death of Christ into the heart of the sinner and not by any consideration of Hell and punishment that we can take upon our selves which never did nor never will fortify any sinne to the end of the world that this worke is to be wrought Secondly that which is added of God's bountifull provision for the Perseverance of the Saints by ingaging the passion of Feare as well as Love is of no better a frame or Constitution than that which went before That our gratious Father hath made fuller larger and more certaine provision for our Perseverance than any can be afforded by the ingaging of our passions by consideration of punishment or reward I hope hath been sufficiently demonstrated And if Mr Goodwin intend no more by his Love and Feare of God than the ingaging of those naturall passions in us by the consâ—derations intimated I shall not be Rivall with him in his Perswasion The Love we intend is a Fruit of the Spirit of God in us and the Feare contended about of the Spirit of Bondage which though it be not pressed on us as our duty yet we hope that bountifull provision is made for our Perseverance as shall effectually support and preserve us to the end Blessed be his name his Saints have many better Guardians and keepers then a bondage frame of Spirit upon the account of the wrath to come from whence they are delivered by Christ They are in his own hand and in the hand of his Sonne and are kept through Faith by his power to Salvation If this be the end of Mr Goodwin's Preaching the threatnings of God at any time viz. that the naturall passion of Feare being stirred up with the apprehensions of Hell the Flesh that is in Man may be incited to obedience I hope he hath not many consenting with him in the same intendment Thirdly To an Objection framed from 1 Ioh 4. 18. That perfect Love casts out feare §. 62. First That it may be so but whose Love is perfect Secondly That Love cherisheth Feare untill the Flesh be quite cast out Thirdly That the Flesh would make Love wanton and intice it to folly did not Feare dissolve the inchantment But First Though Love be not perfect to all degrees of Perfection here yet it may have yea it hath in the Saints the perfection of Uprightnesse and Sincerity which is all that is here intended and all that is required to it for the casting out of that Tormenting Feare of which the Apostle speaks Feare saith he hath torment And if our Love cannot amount to that perfection as to cast it out it being only to be cast out thereby it is impossible we should ever be freed from Torment all our daies or be fill'd with joy Consolation in believing which would frustrate the glorious designe of God which he hath sworne himselfe willing to pursue Heb 6. 13. and the great End of the death of Christ which he hath perfectly accomplished Heb 2. 15. Secondly It is true there is a Feare that Love cherisheth the Feare that God hath promised in the Covenant of Grace to preserve in our hearts all our daies But to say it cherisheth the Feare we speake of and which the Holy Ghost in this place intendeth is expressely to make the Holy Ghost a lyar and 〈◊〉 contradict him to his face Thirdly What Love in us is that that the Flesh can or may intice to follyâ— Are the fruits of the Spirit of God Graces of his own working and creating in us of such a Temper and Constitution as that they may be inticed to uncleannesse and folly And is it possible that such a thought should enter into the heart of
mind that many Persons not Predestinate may come to believe yet fall away and perish Now the Truth is it is properly no part of the Controversy under consideration whether or how far and in what sense men by Reason of the Profession Participation of Ordinances with the work effect of common Grace upon them may be sayd to be True Believers but the whole upon the matter of what we plead for is comprised in the Assertions now ascribed to them which that it is done upon sufficient grounds will be manifest by calling in some few of the most eminent of Them to speak in their own words what their thoughts were in this matter To bring them in I desire that one who though none of Them was eminent in his undertakings for a mixture of Divinity and Law in those dayes wherin they had their eminent rise and Original may be heard And that is Gratian who after his manner hath Collected many things to the Purpose in hand p. 2. c. 33. Q 3. de pan dis 2 Charitas saith he est juncta Deo inseperabiliter unita in omnibus semper invicta And Electi quippe sic ad Bonum tendunt ut ad mala perpetranda non redeant Potest discursus mobilitas Spiritûs sic intelligi In Sanctorum quippe eor dibus juxtà quasdam virtutes semper permanet juxta quasdam verò recessurus venit venturus recedit in fide etenim Spe Charitate bonis aliis sine quibus ad Coelestem patriam non petest veuiri sicut est Hâ—militas Castitas justitia atque Msericor dia perfectorum corda non deseriâ— in Prophetiae verè virtute doctrina facundiâ Miraculorum 〈◊〉 suis aliquanda adest aliquandose suber 〈◊〉 Answering the objection of the Spirits departure from them on whom he is bestowed He distinguisheth of the respects upon the account whereof he may be said so to do in respect of some Common gifts sayth he he may withdraw himselfe from them on whom he is bestowed but not in respect of Habitual Sanctifying grace Among the School-man there is none of greater name eminency for Learning Devotion and Subtilty than our 〈◊〉 who was Proctor of this Vniversity in the yeare 1325 and obtained by general consent the Title of Doctor profundus Lib. 2 de Causa Dei Cap. 8. This Profound Learned Doctour proposes this Thesis to be confirmed in the following Chapter quod nullus viater quantâcunque gratiâ ereatâ subnixus solim liberi Arbitrii viribus vel etiam cum adjutorio Gratiae possit perseverare finaliter fine alio Dei auxilio speciali In the long disputation following he disputes out of the Scriptures and Antient writers abundantly cited to his purpose that there is no possibility of the Perseverance of any Believer in the faith to the end upon such Helpes considerations and Advantages as Mr. Goodwin proposeth as the only meanes thereof That Perseverance it selfe is a gift of God without which gift and Grace none can persevere the and specialty of that Grace he expresseth in the Corollary wherewith he closeth the Chapter which is quod nullus viator solius liberi Arbitrii vel Gratiae Viribus aut amborum conjunctim sine alio Dei Auxilio speciali potest persever are per aliquod Tempus omnino Further asserting the efficacy of special grace in and for every good work whatever His Arguments and Testimonies I shall not need to recite they are at hand to those who desire to consult them After the vindication of the former Thesis Chap. 9. 10. Chap. 11 he proposeth further this proposition to a right understanding of the Doctrine of Perseverance Quod perseverantia non est aliquod Donum Dei creatum à Charitate Gratiâ realiter differens And the Corollary wherewith he shuts up that disputation is quòd Nomen Perseverantiae nullam rem absolutam essentialiter significat sed accidentaliter relativè Charitatem videlicet sive justitiam cum respectu futurae Permansionis usque in Finem quod non improbabiliter posset dici Perseverantiam esse ipsam Relationem hujus After this knowing well what Conclusion would easily be inferred from these principles viz That Perseverance is not really distinct from Faith and Love that it as such a Grace and Gift of God that who ever it 's bestowed upon shall certainly persevere namely that every one who hath received True Grace Faith and Love shall certainly persevere He objects that to himselfe and plainly grants it to be so indeed cap. 12. And to make the matter more cleare chap. 13 he disputes that Auxilium sine quo nullus perseverat per quod quilibet perseverat est Spiritus Sanctus Divina bonitas voluntas Every Cause of bringing sinful man to God is called by them Auxilium in these three Spiritus Sanctus Divina Bonitas Voluntas he comprizeth the cheif Causes of Perseverance as I have also done in the ensuing Treatise By Divina Voluntas he intends God's eternal and Immutable decree as he manifests cap. 8.9 whither he sends his Reader His Divina Bonitas is that free Grace whereby God accepts and justifies us as his Spirtus Sanctus is Sanctification So that he affirmes the perseverance of the Saints to consist in the stability of their Acceptation with God and continuance of their Sanctification from him upon the account of his unchangeable purposes and Decrees which is the summe of what we contend for And this is part of the Doctrine concerning the Grace of God and his soveraingty over the wills of men which Bradwardine in his dayes cryed out so earnestly for the Defence of to God man against the Pelagian encroachement which was made upon it in those dayes Thus he turnes himselfe in the conclusion of his Book to the Pope and Church of Rome with zealous earnestnes for their Interposition to the Determination of these Controversyes us os iniquè loquentium saith he obstruatur flexis genibus cordis mei imploro Ecclesiam pracipuè Romanam quae summâ Authoritate vigere dignoscitur quatenus ipsa determinare dignetur quid circa Praemissas Catholicè sit tenendum Non enim sine periculo in talibus erratur Simon dâ—rmis exurge speaking to the Pope exime gladium amput a quaque sinistra haeretica pravitatiâ— defende protege Catholicam veritatem Porrò etsi Dominus ipse in Petri navicula dormiat nimieâ—ate Tempestatis compulsus ipsum quoque fiducialiter excitabo quatenus Spirisus oris sui Tempestate sedatâ tranquillum faciat serenum Absit autem ut qui in prorâ hujus Navicula pervigil laborabat jam in puppi super cervicali dormiat vel dormitet Lib 3. Cap. 53. With this earnestness above 300 years agoe did this profoundly learned man press the Popes to a determination of these Controversyes against the Pelagians and their Successours in his Schooles The same suit hath ever since been continued by very many
25. and his own keeping in a covenant of Workes that of the Saints since the fall is purchased for them laid up in their head dispensed in a covenant of grace whose eminent distinction from the former consists in the permanency and abidingness of the fruits of it But of this afterwards To others adventitious and added as to all that have contracted any qualities contrary to that Originall Holinesse wherewith at first they were indued as have done all the sonnes of men who have sinned and come short of the glory of God Now the Holiness of these is either compleate as it is with the spirits of just men made perfect or inchoate and begunne only as with the residue of Sanctified ones in this life The certain Perseverance of the former in their present condition being not directly opposed by any though the foundation of it be attempted by some we have no need as yet to engage in the defence of it These latter are said to be sanctified or holy two waies upon the twofold account of the use of the word in the Scripture 1. For first some Persons as well as Things are said to be holy especially in the old Testament and in the Epistle to the Hebrewes almost constantly using the termes of Sanctifying and Sanctifyed in a legall or Temple signification in reference unto their being separated from the residue of men with relation to God and his worship Exod. 28. 36 38. or being consecrated and dedicated peculiarly to the performance of any part of his will Levit. 5. 15. Ezek. 22. 8. or distinct injoyment of any portion of his mercy Heb. 2. 11. thus the Arke was said to be holy and the Altar holy the Temple was holy and all the utensils of it ch 10. 10. Ioh. 17. 19. with the vestments of its officers So the whole people of the Iewes were said to be holy the particular respects of Covenant Worship Separation Law Mercy the like upon which this denomination of Holinesse and Saintship was given unto them did depend are known to all yea persons Inherently uncleane and personally notoriously wicked in respect of their designement to some outward work which by them God will bring about are said to be sanctified distinguishing gifts with designation to some distinct employment is a bottome for this Apellation though their gifts may be recalled and the employment taken from them Isai 13. 3. We confesse Perseverance not to be a proper and inseparable adjunct of this subject nor to belong unto such persons as such though they may have a right to it it is upon another account yet in the pursuit of this businesse it will appeare that many of our adversaries Arguments smite these men only and prove that Such as they may be totally rejected of God which none ever denied Againe §. 16. the Word is used in an Evangelicall sence for inward purity and reall Holynesse whence some are said to be Holy Luk. 1. 15. and that also two wayes for either they are so really Rom. 6. 19. 22. and in the Truth of the thing it selfe or in estimation only 2 Cor. 7. 1. and that either of themselves or others That many have accounted themselves to be holy Ephes. 1. 4. 4. 24. and been pure in their owne eyes who yet were never washed from their iniquity have thereupon cryed peace to themselves I suppose needs no proving 1 Thes. 5. 13. 4. 7. It is the case of thousands in the world at this day they thinke themselves Holy Heb. 12. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they professe themselves Holy and our Adversaries proove none gainesaying that such as these may backslyde from what they have and what they seeme to have and so perish under the sinne of Apostacy Prov. 30. 12. Isa. 65. 5. Againe some are sayd to be Holy upon the score of their being so in the steeme of others Isa. 7. 48 49. which was and is the condition of Many false Hypocrites in the Churches of Christ both primitive and Moderne Isa. 9. 40 41. 1 Thes. 5. 3. Like them who are said to believe in Christ upon the account of the profession they made so to doe Math. 25. 29. 2 Pet. 2. 21 Ioh. 6. 16. yet he would not trust himselfe with them because he knew what was in them Such were Judas Simon Magus and sundry others of whom these things are spoken which they professed of themselves and were bound to answer and which others esteemed to be in them These some labour with all their strength 2 Pet. 2. 1. Act. Synod Dec. sent Art 5. p 266 267. c to make true believers that so they may cast the stumbling-block of their Apostacy in the way of the Saints of God closing with the Truth we have in hand But for such as these we are no Advocates let them goe to their owne place according to the Tenor of the Arguments leuyed against them from Heb. 6. 4. 2 Pet. 2. And other places Moreover of those §. 17. who are said to believe and to be holy really and in the Truth of the thing it selfe there are two sorts First such as having received sundry common gifts and Graces of the Spirit Heb. 6. 4. 1 Sam. 10. 10. 2 Pet. 2. 20. 1 King 21. 27. 2 Cor. 7. 10. as Illumination of the Mind Change of affections and thence Amendment of life with sorrom of the World legall Repentance temporary Faith and the like which are all True and Reall in their kind do thereby become Vessells in the great house of God Math. 17. 3 4. Math. 13. 20. Marke 6. 20. 2 Kings 10. 16. being changed as to their use though not in their Nature continueing Stone and Wood still though hewed and turned to the serviceablenesse of Vessels and on that account are frequently termed Saints believers On such as these their is a lower and in some a subordinate work of the Spirit effectually producing in and on all the faculties of their Soules somewhat that is true Hos. 6. 4. 2 Tim. 2. 20. good and usefull in it selfe answering in some likenesse and sutablenesse of operation unto the great worke of Regeneration which faileth not Ioh. 6. 34. Acts 26. 28. Math. 7. 26 27. There is in them Light Love Joy Faith Zeale Obedience c. All true in their kind which make many of them in whom they are do worthily in their Generation Revel 3. 1. Marke 4. 16. howbeit they attaine not to the Faith of Gods Elect neither doth Christ live in them nor is the life which they lead by the Faith of the Sonne of God as shall hereafter be fully declared If ye now casheere these from the roll of those Saints and Believers about whom we contend seeing that they are no where said to be Vnited to◠Christ Quickned and Justified partakers of the first Resurrection Accepted of God c.
after him in wayes of Gospell Obedience Doth this I say incourage any of them to continue in sinne that this Grace may abound Or are any Doctrines of the Gospell to be measured by the rules and lines of the use or abuse that the flesh is apt to make of them Or rather by their suitablenesse to the Divine nature whereof the Saints are made partakers and servicablenesse to their carrying on to perfection in that Attainment Or is this an Argument of validity against an Evangelicall Truth that the carnall unbelieving part is apt to turne it into wantonesse And whether Believers walking after the Siprit in which frame the Truthes of God in the Gospell are savory and sweet to them Rom. 8. 1 14. doe experience such attendancies of the Doctrine under consideration as are here intimated I am perswaded Mr Goodwin will one day finde that he hath not a little grieved the holy Spirit of God by these reproaches cast upon the worke of his Grace Further Doth this perswasion assure men that they shall injoy the Love Favour of God under the practises of all manner of sinne Or can this be wrested by any racks or wheeles from this Assertion that none indeed injoy the love and favour of God but only they towards whom it is effectuall to turne them from the practises of all manner of sinne and wickednesse to translate them from Darknesse into marvelous light and from the power of Satan into the Kingdome of Jesus Christ whom the Grace that appears unto them teacheth to deny all ungodlinesse and worldly lusts to live soberly righteously and Godly in this present world whom that Love constraines not to live vnto them selves but unto him that dyed for them Doth it promise the love and favour of God to doggs turning to their vomit swine wallowing in their mire when the very discriminating difference of it from that Doctrine which advanceth it selfe into Competition with it is that such returning doggs and wallowing Swine did indeed in their best estate and Condition never truly and properly partake of the Love and favour of God but notwithstanding their disgorging and washing of themselves they were doggs and swine still But to what end should I longer insist on these things I am fully perswaded Mr Goodwin himselfe cannot make roome in his understanding to apprehend that this is indeed the true notion of the Doctrine which he doth oppose Something hath been spoken of it already and more the Lord asslisting will be discussed in the progresse of our Discourse abundantly sufficient to manifest to the consciences of men not possest with prejudice against the Truth that it is quite of another nature consistency of another Complexion and usefullnesse then what is here represented I cannot but adde that this way of handling Controversies in Religion namely in proposing Consequences and Inferences of our owne framing wierdrawne with violence and subtility from Principles farr distant from them disowned disavowed and disclaimed by them on whom they are imposed as the Judgment of our Adversaries loading them with all manner of reproaches is such as beeing of all men in the world most walked in by the Arminians I desire not to be Competitor with any in haud defensoribus istis c. Let us now a little in the next place consider what Mr Goodwin gives in for that Perswasion § 32. which in Opposition to the other before by him displayed he contendeth with all his strength to advance I doe not doubt but all that are acquainted with his way of expression elato cothurno will as they may reasonably expect to have it brought forth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adorned with all the Gallantry and Ornaments that Words can contribute thereunto for of them there is with him store to be used on all occasions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The summe of the Doctrine he is so inamoured on §. 33. he gives us Chap. 9. Sect. 21. Pag. 115. Longa est Fabula longae Ambagis this is Caput reir * Quidam sunt qui jam aliquamdia luce veritatis collustrati fuerunt in ejus cognitione pietatisque studio tantùm profecerunt ut habitum tandem credendi sanctèque vivendi comparaverint Hos non tantum ad finem usque vitae perseverare posse sed facile posse ac libenter cum voluptate perseverare velle credimus adeó ut non nisi cum luctâ molestiâ ac difficultate desicere possint Act. synod Decl. Sen. A. 5. p. 189 190. It is not any danger of falling away in them that are Saints and Believers or probability of it that he mainetaines but only possibility of it such as there is that sober and carefull men may voluntarily throw themselves downe from the topps of Houses or Steeples though perhaps they never come there or runne into the fier or water and be burned or drowned having the use of their reason and understanding to preserve them from such unusuall and dismall accidents which seemes to be an instance of as remote and infirme a possibility as can likely be imagened Yea he tells you farther Sect. 22. That the Saints have as good security of their Perseverance as he could have of his life to whom God should grant a lease of it for so long upon condition that he did not thrust a sword through his bowells or cast himselfe headlong downe a Tower so that his Doctrine indulgeth to the Saints as much assurance as that of Perseverance but only it grants them not a liberty of sinning which I presume his owne Conscience told him that neither the other doth But is this inded Mr Goodwins Doctrine §. 34. Is this all that he intends his Arguments and proofs shall amount unto Ad populum phaleras strange that when there is not so much as a probabillity or danger of falling away yet so many and so Eminent Saints should so fall How seldome is it that we heare of wise and sober men running into the fier throwing themselves headlong from Towers thrusting swords through their owne bowels and nothing more frequent then the Apostacy of Saints If these things stood upon equall tearmes of unlikelyhood and improbability Math. 13. The stony field in the Parable seemes to be every whit as large as the good ground whose fruit abideth That Ground in Mr Goodwins sence is true Believers so that a moyety at least must be granted to fall away and never come to perfection Doubtlesse this is not easy to be received that one halfe of a Company of men in succession should constantly from one Generation to another fall into ruine in such a way as wherein there is no Danger of it or probability that it should so come to passe Methinks we should scarce dare to walke the streets least at every steppe we be strucken downe by sober men voluntarily tumbling themselves frō the topps of houses and hardly keepe our selves from being wounded with the swords wherewith
free and that they are so proved all flowing from the first great Promise of giving a Redeemer 6. How they are discoveries of Gods good-will How made to Sinners consequentiall Promises made also to Believers 7. Given in and through Christ in a Covenant of Grace Their certainty upon the Account of the engagement of the Truth and Faithfulnesse of God in them of the maine matter of these promises Christ and the Spirit 8. Of particular Promises all flowing from the same Love and Grace 9. Observations of the Promises of God subservient to the End intended 1. They are all true and faithfull the ground of the Assertion 2. Their accomplishment alwaies certaine not alwaies evident 3. All conditionall Promises made good and how 10. 4. The Promise of Perseverance of two sorts 5. All Promises of our abiding with God in Faith and Obedience absolute The vanity of imposing conditions on them discovered 6. Promises of Gods abiding with us not to be separated from Promises of our abiding with him 7. That they doe not properly depend on any condition in Believers demonstrated instances of this Assertion given 8 Making them conditionall renders them voyd as to the Ends for which they are given given to persons not Qualifications 11. The Argument from the Promises of God stated 12. Mr G's Exceptions against the First Proposition cleared and his Objections Answered The Promises of God alwaies fulfilled Of the Promise made to Paul Acts 27. 24. c. Good men make good their Promises to the utmost of their abilities The Promise made to Paul absolute and of infallible accomplishment Of the promise of our Saviour to his Disciples Mat. 19. 28. Who intended in that Promise not Judas the accomplishment of the Promise The Testimony of Peter Martyr Considered The conclusion of the forementioned Objection 13. The ingagement of the Faithfulnesse of God for the accomplishment of his Promise 1 Cor. 1. 9. 1 Thes. 5. 23 24. 2 Thes. 3. 3. 14. The nature of the Faithfulnesse of God expressed in the foregoing places inquired into perverted by M. G. His notion of the Faithfulnesse of God weighed and rejected what intended in the Scriptures by the Faithfulnesse of God The close of the confirmation of the proposition of the Argument proposed from the Promises of God 15. The assumption thereof vindicated The sence put upon it by M. G. The Question begged THe consideration of the Promises of God §. 1. which are all branches of the forementioned Roote all streaming from the fountain of the Covenant of Grace is according to the method proposed in the next place incumbent on us The Argument for the Truth under contest which from hence is afforded and used is by Mr Goodwin termed the first-borne of our strength cap. 11. Sect. 1. pag. 225. and indeed we are content that it may be so accounted desiring nothing more ancient nothing more strong effectuall and powerfull to stay our soules upon then the Promises of that God Heb. 6. 18. Titus 1. 2. who cannot lye I shall for the present insist only on those which peculiarly assert and in the name and Authority of God confirme that part of the Truth we are peculiarly in Demonstration of namely the Unchangeable stability of the Love and Favour of God to Believers in regard whereof he turneth not from them nor forsaketh them upon the Account of any such Interveniences what ever as he will suffer to be interposed in their communion with him leaving those wherein he gives Assurance upon Assurance that he will give out unto them such continuall supplies of his Spirit and Grace that they shall never depart from him to their due and proper place I am not unacquainted with the usuall Exception §. 2. that lyeth against the Demonstration of the Truth in hand from the Promises of God to wit that they are conditionall depending on some things in the Persons themselves to whom they are made upon whose change or Alteration they also may be frustrated and not receive their accomplishment Whether this plea may be admitted against the particular Promises that we shall insist upon will be put upon the tryall when we come to the particular handling of them For the present being resolved by Gods Assistance to pursue the Demonstration proposed from them it may not be amisse yea rather it may be very usefull to insist a little upon the Promises themselves their Nature and Excellency that we may be the more stirred up to enquire after every Truth sweetnesse of the Love Grace and kindnesse they being the peculiar way chosen of God for the manifestation of his good will to sinners that is in them and I shall doe it briefely that I may proceed with the businesse of my present Intendment Gospell Promises then are §. 3. 1. The free and gracious dispensations and 2. Discoveries of Gods good will and Love to 3. Sinners 4. through Christ 5 In a Covenant of Grace 6. Wherein upon his Truth and Faithfulnesse he engageth himselfe to be their God to give his Sonne unto them and for them and his Holy Spirit to abide with them with all things that are either required in them or are necessary for them to make them accepted before him and to bring them to an enjoyment of him I call them Gospell Promises § 4. not as though they were onely contained in the Bookes of the New Testament or given only by Christ after his coming in the flesh Gen. 3. 14 15 Gal. 3. 17. for they were given from the beginning of the World or first entrance of sinne Titus 1. 2. and the Lord made plentifull provision of them and by them for his People under the Old Testament but only to distinguish them from the Promises of the Law which hold out a word of Truth Faithfulnes engaged for a reward of Life to them that yeeld obedience thereunto there being an indissolveable connexion between entring into life and keeping the Commandements and so to manifest Gal. 3. 12. Luk. 2. 10. that they all belong to the Gospell properly so called Ephes 2. 15. or the tidings of that peace for sinners which was wrought out Isa. 52. 7. and manifested by Jesus Christ. 2. Farther I doe not give this for the description of any one single individuall Promise as it lyeth in any place of Scripture as though it expresly contained all the things mentioned therein though vertually it doth so but rather to shew what is the designe ayme and good will of God in them all which he discovers and manifests in them by severall parcells according as they may be suited to the Advancement of his Glory in reference to the persons to whom they are made Upon the matter all the Promises of the Gospell are but one and every one of them comprehend and tender the same Love the same Christ the same Spirit which are in them all None can have an interest in any one but he hath
and Favour to them whilest they wallow in all manner of Abominations and desperate Rebellions against him An Hypothesis crudely imposed on our Doctrine and repeated over and over as a matter of the greatest detestation and abomination that can fall within the thoughts of men And such supposalls and conclusions are made thereupon as border at least upon the cursed cost of Blasphemy but cui fini I pray To what end is all this noyse as though any had ever Asserted that God promised to continue his Love and gracious Acceptation alwaies to his Saints and yet took no care nor had promised that they should be continued Saints but would suffer them to turne very Devills It is as easy for men to confute Hypotheses created in their own imaginations as to cast downe men of straw of their own framing and setting up We say indeed that God hath faithfully promised that he will never leave nor forsake Believers but withall that he hath no lesse faithfully engaged himselfe that they shall never wickedly depart from him but that they shall continue Saints and Believers Yea if I may so say Promising alwaies to accept them freely it is incumbent on his Holy Majesty upon the account of his Truth Faithfulnesse and Righteousnesse to preserve them such as without the least dishonour to his Grace and Holinesse yea to the greatest advantage of his Glory he may alwaies accept them delight in them and rejoyce over them and so he tells us he doth Ierem. 31.7 Yea I have loved thee with an everlasting Love therefore with loving kindnesse have I drawne thee he drawes us with his kindnesse to follow him obey him live unto him abide with him because he Loves us with an Everlasting Love 2. That these promises of God doe not properly and as to their originall rise depend on any conditions in Believers or by them to be fulfilled but are the Fountains and Springs of all conditions whatever that are required to be in them or expected from them though the Grace and Obedience of Believers are often mentioned in them as the means whereby they are carried on according to the appointment of God unto the enjoyment or continued in it of what is promised This one Consideration that there is in very many of these Promises an expresse non obstante or a not-withstanding the want of any such condition as might seeme to be at the bottome and to be the occasion of any such Promise or Engagement of the Grace of God is sufficient to give light and evidence to this Assertion If the Lord sayeth expresly that he will doe so with men though it be not so with them his doing of that thing cannot depend on any such thing in them as he saith notwithstanding the want of it he will doe it Take one instance Isai. 54. v. 9 10. In a little wrath have I hid my face from thee for a moment but with everlasting kindnesse will I have mercy on thee saith the Lord they Redeemer for this is as the waters of Noah unto mee whereas I have sworne that the waters of Noah shall no more cover the Earth so have I sworne that I will not be worth with thee nor rebuke thee for the mountaines shall depart aud the hills be removed but my kindnesse shall not depart from thee neither shall the Covenant of my peace be removed saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee He will have mercy on them with everlasting kindnesse v. 8. Yea but how if they walke not worthy of it Why yet this kindnesse shall not faile saith the Lord for it is as the waters of Noah God sweareth that the waters of Noah should no more cover the Earth and you see the stability of what he hath spoken The World is now reserved for Fire but drowned it shall be no more my kindnesse to thee saies God is such it shall nor more depart from thee then those waters shall returne againe upon the Earth Neither is this all wherein he compareth his kindnesse to the waters of Noah but in this also in that in the Promise of drowning the World no more there was an expresse non obstante for the sinnes of men Gen. 8 21. The Lord said in his heart I will not againe curse the ground any more for mans sake for the imagination of mans heart is evill from his youth Though men grow full of wickednesse and violence as before the Flood they were yet saith the Lord the World shall be drowned no more And in this doth the Promise of kindnesse hold proportion with that of the waters of Noah there is an expresse reliefe in it against the sinnes and failings of them to whom it is made viz. such as he will permit them to fall into whilest he certainly preserves them from all such as are inconsistent with his Love and Favour according to the tenor of the Covenant of Grace and therefore it depends not on any thing in them being made with a proviso for any such defect as in them may be imagined 3. To affirme that these Promises of God's abiding with us to the end do depend on any condition that may be uncertaine in its event by us to be fulfilled as to their Accomplishment doth wholly enervate and make them void in respect of the maine end for which they were given us of God That one chiefe end of them is to give the Saints consolation in every condition in all the straights tryalls and temptations which they are to undergoe or may be called to is evident When Ioshua was entring upon the great work of subduing the Canaanites and setting the Tabernacle and people of God in their appointed Inheritance wherein he was to passe through innumerable difficulties tryalls and pressures God gives him that word of Promise I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Iosua 1.5 so are many of them made to the Saints in their weaknesse darknesse and desertions as will appeare by the consideration of the particular instances following Isa. 4. 3 4. Now what one drop of consolation can a poore drooping tempted soule squeeze out of such Promises that depend wholly and solely upon any thing within themselves he will be with mee and be my God it is true but alwaies provided that I continue to be his That also is a sweet and gratious Promise but that I shall doe so he hath not promised It seems I have a cursed Liberty left me of departing wickedly from him so that upon the matter notwithstanding these Promises of his I am left to my selfe If I will abide with him well and good he will abide with me and so it shall be well with mee That he should so abide with me as to cause me to abide with him it seemes there is no such thing Soule look to thy selfe all they hopes and help is in thy selfe but alas for the present I have no sence of this Love of God and I know not that I haue any true
sinne the body of it or the ruling of Originall sinne the old man and the full fruit of actuall sinne in the body of it is by the death of Christ crucified and destroyed and in that whole Chapter from our participation in the death of Christ he argues to such an abolition of the Law and Rule of sinne to such a breaking of the power and strength of it that it is impossible that it should any more rule in us or have dominion over us Of the way whereby virtue flowes out from the death of Christ for the killing of sinne I am not now to speake And this is the first way whereby the death of Christ hath an influence into the safegarding of Believers in their continuance of the Love and Favour of God He so takes away the guilt of sinne that it shall never be able utterly to turne the Love of God from them and so takes away the rule of Sathan and power of sinne destroying the one and killing the other that they shall never be able to turne them wholly from God Farther §. 19. to secure their continuance with God he procureth the Holy Spirit for them as was shewed before But because much weight lyes upon this part of our foundation I shall a little farther cleare it up That the Spirit of Grace and Adoption with all those Spirituall Mercyes and operations wherewith he is attended and accompanied is a Promise of the new Covenant doubtlesse is by its own evidence put out of question There is scarce any Promise thereof wherein he is not either clearly expressed or evidently included Yea and often times the whole Covenant is stated in that one Promise of the Spirit the actuall collation and bestowing of all the Mercy thereof being his proper worke and peculiar dispensation for the carrying on the great designe of the Salvation of sinners So Isa. 59. 20. As for me saith God this is my Covenant with them my Spirit that is upon thee and my word which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart from thee This is my Covenant saith God or what in my Covenant I do faithfully ingage to bestow upon you But of this Text and its vindication more afterwardes Many other places not only pregnant of proofe to the same purpose but expressly in termes affirming it might be insisted on Now that this Spirit §. 20. promised in the Covenant of Grace as to the bestowing of him on the elect of God or those for whom Christ dyed is of his purchasing and procurement in his Death is apparent 1. Because he is the Mediator of the Covenant by whose hands and for whose sake all the Mercyes of it are made out to them who are admitted into the bond thereof Gen. 17. 1. Though men are not compleatly stated in the Covenant before their owne Believing Ierem. 31. 32. 32. 38 39 40 which brings in what of their part is stipulated yet the Covenant and Grace of it layes hold of them before even to bestow Faith on them Ezek. 11. 19. 36. 25 26. or they would never Believe for Faith is not of our selves it is the Guift of God God certainely bestowes no such Guifts but from a Covenant Spirituall Graces are not administred soly in a providentiall dispensation Heb. 8. 9 10 11. Faith for the receiving the pardon of sinne is no guift nor product of the Covenant of workes Now as in generall the Mercies of the Covenant are procured by the Mediator of it so this whereof we speake in an especiall manner Heb. 9. 15. For this cause he is the mediator of the New Testament that by meanes of death they which are called might receive the Promise of Eternall Inheritance By his death they for whom he dyed and who thereupon are called Deut 27 29. being delivered from their sinnes which were against the Covenant of workes Gal. 3 12. receive the Promise Rom. 3. 21. or pledge of an Eternall Inheritance What this great Promise here intended is and wherein it doth consist the Holy Ghost declares Acts 2. 23. The Promise which Jesus Christ received of the Father upon his exaltation was that of the Holy Ghost having purchased and procured the bestowing of him by his Death upon his Exaltation the dispensation thereof is committed to him as being part of the Compacte and Covenant which was between his Father and himselfe The grand bottome of his satisfaction merit This is the great Originall radicall Promise of that Eternall Inheritance By the Promised Spirit are wee begotten a new into a hope thereof Rom. 8. 11. made meet for it Col. 1. 12. and sealed up unto it Ephes. 4. 30. Yea do but looke upon the Spirit as promised and yee may conclude him purchased for all the Promises of God are yea and a men in Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 1. 20. They all have their Confirmation Establishment and Accomplishment in by and for Jesus Christ. And if it be granted that any designed appointed Mercy whatever that in Christ the Lord blesseth us withall be procured for us by him in the way of merit being given freely to us through him but reckoned to him of debt it will easily be manifested that the same is the condition of every Mercy whatever promised unto us and given us upon his Mediatory interposition 2. It appears from that peculiar promise § 21. that Christ makes of sending his Holy Spirit unto his owne He tels them indeed once and againe that the Father will send him Ioh. 14. 16 26. As he comes from that originall and Fountaine Love from which also himselfe was sent But withall he assures us that he himselfe will send him Ioh. 15. 26. When the Comforter is come whom I will send unto you from the Father even the Spirit of truth It is true that he is promised here only as a Comforter for the performance of that part of his Office But look upon what account he is sent for any one Act Ioh. 16. 7. or Worke of Grace on that he is sent for all I will send him then saith Christ and that as a fruit of his death as the procurement of his Mediation for that alone he promiseth to bestow on his And in particular he tells us that he receives the spirit from the Father for us upon his Intercession wherein as hath been elsewhere demonstrated he askes no more nor lesse Salus Electorum sanguis Iesu. then what by his death is obtained Iohn 14. 16 17. I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever even the spirit of Truth whom the World cannot receive he tells us v. 13. that whatsoever we aske he will doe it But withall in these verses how he will doe it even by interceding with the Father for it as a fruit of his Bloodshedding and the Promise made to him upon his undertaking to Glorify his Fathers
with a farther opening of his mind as to what he had last spoken of The world the world being vile wretched deceitfull and set upon Opposition against them a man would have thought that the Lord Jesus should have desired that his Saints might be taken out from the midst of this world and set in a quiet place by themselves where they might no more be troubled with the baits and oppositions of it But this is not that which he requests he hath another worke for them to do in the world they are to beare witnesse to him and his Truth by their Faith and Obedience to convince the wicked unbelieving world They are to Glorifie his name by doing and suffering for him so that this is no part of his request I pray not saith he that thou shouldest take them out of the world but that they may not be prevailed on nor conquered by the evill that is in the world That they may be kept and preserved from the power of evill which would separate them from me and my Love This he presseth for and this he is heard in and that not only for his Apostles and present followers but as he tells you v. 20. for all that should believe on him to the end of the world The things prayed for the Reason of his Intercession the opposition against the accomplishment of the things interceded for the distinction put between them for whom he Intercedes and the perishing world all delivered in plaine and expresse termes evidently evince the intendment of Christ in his Intercession evidently to regard the safeguarding of Believers in the Love and Favour of God by their continuance in Believing and preservation from the Power of temptations and oppositions arising against their Perseverance in communion with God The result of what hath been spoken §. 5. as to its influence into the confirmation of the Truth under Demonstration amounts unto thus much That which the Lord Jesus Christ as Mediator requesteth and prayeth for continually of the Father according to his mind in order to the Accomplishment of the Promises made to him and Covenant with him all his desires being bottomed upon his exact perfect performance of the whole will of God both in doing and suffering that shall certainly be accomplisht and brought to passe But thus in this manner upon these accounts doth the Lord Jesus intercede for the Perseverance of Believers and their Preservation in the Love of the Father unto the end therefore they shall undoubtedly be so preserved It is confessed that the Persons Interceded for are Believers all Believers that then were or should be to the end of the World the efficacy of this Intercession having commenced from the foundations thereof the thing prayed for is their Preservation in the state of Union with Christ and one another the motives used for the obtaining this request in their behalfe are taken from the work they have to doe and the opposition they were to meet withall and all the Saints being thus put into the hand of God who shall take them from thence On what account is it that they shall not be preserved To say they shall be thus preserved in case themselves depart not wilfully from God is to say they shall be preserved in case they preserve themselves as will afterwards be farther manifested This Argument is proposed by the Apostle §. 6. in the most triumphant assurance of the Truth and Certainty of the inference contained in it that he any where useth in any case whatsoever Rom 8. 33 34. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect It is God that justifieth Who is he that condemneth It is Christ that died yea rather that is risen againe who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh Intercession for us he laies the immunity of the Elect justified Persons from just crimination or Condemnation on the foundation of the Oblation and Intercession of Christ The first part of this Argument from the Oblation of Christ who shall condemne It is Christ that died asserting the immunity of Believers from Condemnation upon the account of the punishing of all their sinnes in Christ and the perfect satisfaction made by his death for them whence the justice of God in the issue will not have any thing to lay to their charge we have formerly insisted on The other which the Apostle induces emphatically and comparatively though not in respect of procurement and purchase made yet of assurance to be given with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in respect of his Oblation is that now before us To make the Assurance of Believers plentifull that they may know both the Truth of his first generall Assertion that all things shall work together for good to them and this particular conclusion now laid downe by way of interrogation rejecting all evill opposed to their former enjoyments who shall lay any thing to their charge who shall condemne He gives them a threefold consideration of the state and actings of the Lord Christ after the Expiation of their sinnes by this bloud in reference to them 1. He is Risen 2. He is at the Right hand of God 3. Makeeth Intercession for them the First denoting his Acquitment and theirs in him for he died in their stead from all the sinnes that were charged on him For he was declared to be the Sonne of God accepted with him and justified from all that debt which he undertook in his Resurrection and if he be risen who shall lay any thing to the charge of them whom he died for and for all whose sinnes in their stead he was acquitted The Second is his Exaltation and Power for having purged our sinnes he is sate downe at the right hand of the Majesty on High Heb. 1. 3. receiving thereby a most plenary demonstration of his Fathers good will to him and his in respect of the work that he had undertaken and gone through for them For if he had not made an end of sinne when he was obedient unto death the death of the Crosse he could not expect that God should give him a name above every name with fulnesse of power to give Eternall Life to all that the Father gave him This to assure us that he will doe having power in his own hand the Apostle addes who also Intercedes for us hereby thirdly testifying abundantly his good will and care for our Salvation Upon these considerations the Apostle leads the Faith of the Saints of God to make a conclusion which is to be believed as a Divine Truth that tenders to us the Doctrine we have under Demonstration triumphant against all Objections and oppositions that can be made against it And hence we thus argue Those against whom no Charge can be laid who cannot by any means be separated from the love of God in Christ cannot totally and finally fall away from Faith and fall out of Gods Favour but that this is the condition of all true
250. unto this Argument §. 12. is either a meere repetition of what was spoken before or a pressing of Consequences upon such supposalls as he is pleased to make concerning the Doctrine that he doth oppose As we cannot hinder any man from making what supposals they please and suiting inferences to them manifesting their skill in casting downe what themselves set up so we are not in the least concerned in such Theatricall contests What it is §. 13. that we teach of the Intercession of Christ for Believers hath been sufficiently explayned The end and aime of it is that they may be kept that they may not be lost that the evill one may not touch them that they may be Saved to the utmost and kept by the Power of God unto Salvation All that the Lord Jesus hath for his Church either by bis Oblation or his Intercession procured or doth procure being made out unto them by the Holy and Blessed Spirit which he sent them from his Father as the first fruits of his undertaking for them by and in the use of such meanes and wayes as he hath appointed for them to walke in in reference to the end proposed He Intercedes that through supplyes of that Spirit their Faith faile not that no temptation prevaile against them that they may have suitable helpes in time of need and so be preserved according to the tenor of that Sanctification which he is pleased to give them in this life which is imperfect not from all sinnes for it is the will of God to keepe them and walke with them in a Covenant of pardoning Mercy not absolutely from this or that great sinne as is evident in the case of David and Peter whereof under such sinnes the one lost not the Spirit nor the other his Faith but from such sinnes or such a course or way in and under sinne as would disappoint him and make his desires frustrate as to the end first proposed of bringing them to Glory so that as the intendment of his Oblation is meritoriously and by way of procurement to take away all our sinnes whatsoever and yet in the application of it unto us as to the taking of them away by purifying us to be an Holy People unto himselfe it is not perfected and compleated at once nor the worke thereof consummated but by degrees so in his Intercession which respecteth the same persons and things with his Oblation he puts in for our deliverance from all sinnes the power of them but so and in a such manner as the nature of our present condition whilst we are in viâ and the condition of the Covenant whereunto God hath graciously taken us doth require Through the Goodnesse of God §. 13. we have now brought this first Part to an end They who are in any measure acquainted in what straights under what pressing imployments and urgent Avocations and in what space of time this Offering was provided for the Sanctuary of God will accept it in him whose it is and from whom it was received CAP. X. 1. The Improvement of the Doctrine of Perseverance in reference to the Obedience and Consolation of the Saints why its tendency to the promoting of their Obedience is first handled before their Consolation 2. Five previous Observations concerning Gospell Truths in generall 1. That all are to be received with equall reverence 2. That the end of them all is to worke the soule into a conformity to God prov'd by severall Scriptures 2 Tim. 3. 16. Tit. 1. 1. c. 3. Some Truths have a more immediate tendency hereunto them others have 2 Cor. 5. 14. 4. Most weight is to be laid by Believers upon such 5. Men are not themselves to determine what Truths have most in them of this Tendency c. 3. Gospell Obedience what it is and why so called 5. It s nature 1 In the matter of it which is All and Only the will of God 5. 2 In the Forme of it which is considered 1. In the Principle setting it on worke Faith 2. In the manner of doing it eying both Precepts and Promises 3. The end aimed at in it the Glory of God as a Rewarder Heb. 11. 6. Rom. 4. 4. 6. The Principle in us whence it proceeds which is the New man the Spirit proved Eph. 3. 16 17. c. 7. What kind of Motives conduce most to the carrying on of this Obedience namely such as most cherish this New man which they doe most that discover most of the Love of God and his good will in Christ such as these are alone usefull to Mortification and the subduing of the contrary Principle of Flesh which hinders our Obedience proved Titus 2. 12. Rom. 6. 8. What Persons the improvement of this Doctrine concernes only true Believers who won't abuse it 9. How this Doctrine of Perseverance conduces so eminently to the carrying on of Gospell Obedience in the hearts of these true Believers 1. By removing discouragements 10 1. Perplexing Fears which impaire their Faith 11. 2. Hard thoughts of God which weaken their Love without which two Faith and Love no Gospell Obedience performed 12. Unspeakable obligations to live to God hence put upon the Soules of the Saints 13. Objection concerning the Abuse of this Truth to presumption and carelessnesse discussed examined at large and removed 14. The mortification of the Flesh wherein it consists how it is performed The influence of the Doctrine of the Saints Perseverance thereinto Dread and terror of Hell not the meanes of mortification at large proved by shewing quite another meanes of mortifying the Flesh viz The spirit of Christ Rom. 8. 13. applying the Crosse and Death of Christ. Rom. 6. 5 6. 15. 3. This Doctrine is usefull to promote Gospell Obedience in that it tends directly to increase and strengthen Faith and Love both towards God and towards our Lord Jesus Christ. 16. How it strengthens their Love to God viz. By discovering his Love to them in three eminent properties of it Freedome Constancy Fruitfulnesse 17. How it strengthens their Love to Jesus Christ viz. By discovering his Love to them in two eminent Acts of it his Oblation and his Intercession 18. 4. This Doctrine conduces c. by giving Gospell Obedience its proper place and due order 19. 5. By closing in with the ends of Gospell Ordinances particularly the Ministry one eminent end whereof is to perfect the Saints Eph. 4. 12 13. Which is done by discovering to them the whole will of God both Precepts on the one hand and Promises Exhortations Threatnings on the other 20. That of the Promises more particularly and more largely insisted on THat which remaines to compleat our intendment §. 1. as to that Part of the worke which now drawes towards a close is the importment of that Doctrine so long insisted on having in some measure vindicated and cleared up the Truth of it as to the effectuall influence it hath into the Obedience and Consolation of
sinne of infirmity and the least a sinne of Presumption It is possible a Believer may be overtaken or rather surprised with any sinne so he be overtaken or surprised A surprisall into sinne through the power of Temptation subtilty of Sathan strength of indewlling sinne contrary to the habituall standing frame of the heart not alwayes neither through a defect of watchfullnesse is all that we grant a Believer may be lyable to and fo upon Mr Goodwins confession he sins only out of infirmity such sins being not exclusive of the Love and Favour of God And therefore Fourthly we say that true Believers cannot be said to walke according to the flesh to do the workes of the flesh to do the Lusts and desires of the flesh which the Holy Ghost so cautions them against which as Mr Goodwin observes are none of them charged upon true Believers but only such persons as are enemyes of God and Children of wrath so that those expressions hold out to Believers only what they ought to avoid in the use of the meanes which God graciously affords them and do not discover any thing of the will of God that he will suffer them contrary to his many Faithfull Promises to fall into them And so the close of this Discourse is contrary to the beginning M. Goodwin granting that true Believers cannot fall into these sinnes but only such as are enemies to God and yet he hath no way to prove that true Believers may cease to be so but because they may fall into these sinnes which that they may do he here eminently denyes Wherefore he adds If by sinning out of malice they meane sinning with deliberation with plotting §. 37. and contriving the methods and meanes of their sinning sinning against Judgement against the dictates of conscience and what they should meane by sining out of malice but sinning upon such tearmes as these I understand not certaine it is that true Believers may so sinne out of malice or at least such as were true Believers before such sining and this our Adversaries them selves confesse Ans. All this falles heavy on the shoulders as it is supposed of poore David and yet we think it evident that God tooke not his holy Spirit from him but that his Covenant continued with him ordered in all things and sure and that sinne had not dominion over him The reasons of this perswasion of ours concerning him shall farther be insisted on when we come to the consideration of his case in particular in the meane time I confesse the dreadfnll falls of some of the Saints of God are rather to be bewailed than aggravated and the riches of Gods Grace in their recovery to be admired than searcht into yet we say First That no one Believer whatever in the world upon any temptation whatever did fall into any sinne of malice that is accompayned with any hatred of God or despite of his Grace or whole delight of his will in the sin whereunto he was by temptation for a season captivated though they may fall into sin against their judgements dictates of their consciences as every sin whatever that they have or may possibly have knowledge of or acquaintance with in their owne hearts and wayes is Yet this doth not make them to sinne out of malice for that would leave no distinction between sinnes of infirmity whereinto men are surprised by Temptation and of Malice Even sinnes of infirmity being in generall and particular directly contrary to the dictates of their inlightned sanctifyed judgements consciences Secondly for sinning with deliberation plotting and contriving the methods and meanes of sinning the proofe whereof that so they may do will ly as was before obseved on the instance of David I say it being the will of God for ends and purposes knowne to his infinite Wisdome to give us as to his fall his darke side and his sinne to the full with the Temptations wherewith he was at first surprised and afterward violently hurryed upon carnall reasonings and considerations of the state whereinto he had cast himselfe having lost his old friend and counsellour as to any shines of his countenance for a season not acquainting us at all with the frame and working and striving of his Spirit in and under that fall I shall not dare to draw his case into a Rule that what he then did a Believer now may do judgeing of his frame in doing of it only by what is exprest That Believers may have morosam cogitationem or deliberation upon some sinnes whereunto they are tempted upon the strength of indwelling sinne which may possibly so over come and prevaile against the workings of Grace for a season as to set the flesh at liberty to make contrivances to fulfill the lusts thereof I say many have granted and I shall not for the sake of poore returning soules whose backslidings God hath promised to heale deny but yet I say all their actings in this kinde are but like the desperate actings of a man in a feaver who may have some kind of contrivance with himselfe to do mischiefe as I have known some my selfe and aime at opportunityes for the accomplishment of it all the facultyes of their foules being discomposed and rendered unserviceable to them through their distemper Through the violence of temptation the tumultuating of lusts the whole new man may be for a season so shattered his parts laid out of the way as to such a due Answering to another that the whole may be serviceable to the worke of Faith as a disordered army wherein is all its fundamentall strength as well as when it is rallied in battalia is altogether unserviceable 'till it be reduced to order that sinne taking the opportunity to fill their corrupt part as farre as it is corrupt with its pleasure and desireablenesse and so to set the thoughts of it on worke to continue meanes for its accomplishment Now as through the goodnesse of their Father and supplyes of Grace which through the Covenant thereof they do receive this distemper seiseth not Believers but rarely extraordinarily so it doth no way prove them to sinne with malice or without hatred of and opposition secret opposition which may be as secret as some inclinations to sinne are not known to our selves to the things they do in and under that condition That which followes in this Section being suited to the apprehension of some particular men though of great name and esteeme according to their worth and desert in the Church of God as Vrsin Paraeus and the rest about reigning sinne wherein as I have declared my thoughts fall not in with them I shall not need to insist any longer upon it Paraeus after all his aggravations of the sinnes of Believers yet adds that they sinne not nor did David ex contemptu Dei but through a preoccupation or surprisall of sinne which I believe to be the perswasion of far the greatest number of Saints in the world
and his endeavours to vindicate them from exceptions this is the chiefe But yet there being two or three things §. 39. that M. Goodwin is pleased to adde to what went before as objections against his doctrine in generall though not of this last Arguments concernment any more than of any others he makes use of because there are in them Considerations of good advantage to the Truth in hand I shall a little insist upon them before I proceed with my intended discourse The First is §. 40 that the Doctrine of the Saints Apostacy maimeth or dismembreth the Body of Christ and brings in an uncouth and unseemely interchange of members between Christ and the Soule which howsoever slighted by M. Goodwin is a plea not of the least importance in the case in hand The body of Christ intended is that mysticall and spirituall not that Politicall and visible His body in respect of the reall union of every member of it unto him as the head described by the Apostle in its Relation unto him Ephes. 4. 15 16. It growes up unto him in all things which is the head even Christ from whom the whole body fitly joyned together and compacted by that which every joynt supplieth according to the effectuall working in the measure of every part maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of it selfe in Love So also Collos. 2. 19. the Body we intend whereof Christ is the Head is that not only in a Politicall sence as the supreame governour of it but in a Spirituall according to the Analogy of an Head Naturall from whence life all influence of it unto the Members do flow Of this body some are in their Spirits already consummated and made perfect in Heaven some are as yet pursuing their Warfare in all parts of the World pressing forward to the marke of the high-calling set before them Now that any member of his Body bone of the bone flesh of the flesh of Christ given him to make up his fulnesse and mysticall perfection joynted unto him washed in his bloud and loved by him according to the Love and care of a head to its members should be plucked off to be cast into the sire and after it hath so closely and vitally been admitted into the participation of his fulnesse and increase being united to him become a child of the Divell an Enemy to him and his sometimes fellow members so as to hate his head and to be hated of his head when yet no man ever yet hated his own flesh this we suppose no way to answer that inexpressibly intense Love which the Lord Jesus beares towards his members and to be exceedingly derogatory to his honour and Glory in reference with his dealing to Sathan the great enemy of his Kingdome But to this M. Goodwin Answers First For dismembering the Body of Christ is it not the Law of Christ himselfe in every particular Church or body of his that as any of their members putrifie and discover themselves to be rotten and corrupt §. 41. they should be cut off by the Spirituall sword of excommunication and doth not such a dismembring as this rather tend to the honouring adorning the Body of Christ than any wayes to maime or deforme it And for such a dismembring of the Body of Christ which the Doctrine in hand supposeth to be causable by the members themselves by the voluntary dis-faithing of themselves through sinne and wickednesse neither is the permission of this upon such tearmes as it is permitted either unworthy Christ or inconvenient to the Body it selfe Reply First that there is no Argument will tolerably arise from what is practicable and comely in a visible Ecclesiasticall Body of Christ to the Mysticall Spirituall Body that is from a particular visible to the Catholike Church of Christ. As to the matter in hand this is evident by the light of this single consideration that in such an Ecclesiasticall body of Christ there are alwayes or may be and Christ himselfe in the rules and Lawes that he hath given for the government thereof did suppose that there alwayes would be good and bad true Saints and empty professours whereas in the Body whereof we treate there is no soule actually instated but who is actually united to the head by the inhabitation of the same Spirit There never was nor shall to eternity any dead member be of that Body They are all living stones built upon him who is the Foundation now surely this is an inference attended with darknesse to be felt because it may be comely for those to whom the Administratione of Ordinances in the visible Church of Christ is committed to cut of a dead member from the membership which he holds by his confession of the Faith when he discovers himselfe not to answer the confession he hath made in his walking and Conversation Therefore Christ himselfe doth cut off or on way or other loose any living members of his body Mysticall and actually by Faith instated in the unity of his Body with him And if it shall be objected that even living members and such as are truly so may yet for and at a season be cut off from a visible particular body of Christ. I Answer 1. It is true they may so in respect of their ordinary present right to the enjoyment of Ordinances not in respect of their remote fundamentall Right that still abides 2. They are so or may be so for their amendment not for their destruction That separation for a season being an expression of as much Love and tendernesse to them in Christ as his joyning of them to the Body was from whence they are so separated And 3. This makes not at all to the impairing of the true compleatnesse of the mysticall Body of Christ and the perfection of its parts for as in particular visible bodyes of Christ there may be and are dead members which have no place in the body but are as excressencyes in the vine and yet the body is not rendred monstrous by them so a true member may be removed and the Body not be maimed in the least The member though perhaps from any such visible body for a season and yet the true Spirituall sicke and pineing continuing a member thereof still Now there is nothing of all this that will in any measure agree to the plucking off a member from the Mysticall Body of Christ whereof alone we speake If any should be so separated it must not only bee to his present actuall enjoyment of Union but to the losse of his Spirit also and with him of all right and title plea or claime whatever to any interest therein Neither is it possible that it should be a meanes for the correction and amendment of such an one it lying in a direct tendency to inevitable destruction separation from all interest in Christ can looke no other way so that still the uncouthnesse of such a procedure abideth Secondly The reason that
the whole nature of the New-Covenant easily disproved by innumerable instances Fourthly §. 13. That Believers are to be wrought upon to obedience alwaies whatever the frame of their spirits be by the same waies and meanes Thence 't is that promises promises of highest and greatest assurance are in this discourse coupled with cautions of the deepest charge as though they must at the same time operate the same way to Believers or else the Holy-Ghost be liable to be traduced as inconsistent with himselfe When the great variety that is in their spirituall frame and temper the manifold Temptations wherewith they are assaulted the Light and Darke places they walke through c. give occasion sufficient to the exercising towards them all the piping and mourning that is provided for them Fiftly §. 14. That all Believers are assured of their Perseverance that to such a degree as not to feare any Apostasy or to care what becomes of them that is assured to presumption not Believing therefore are those Cautions and Admonitions of the Holy Ghost on that Account tending to stirre up in them any Godly care or feare rendred frustrate when M. Goodwin himselfe thinks that very few of them doe upon any good and abiding foundation know themselves to be Believers And we never once supposed that all of them have Assurance of their Perseverance nor any of them upon the termes here proposed all the strength of what is here insinuated lyes in this that God gives Assurance to men of the stedfastnesse and constancy of his Love under supposall of their falling into all manner of abominable sinnes Which supposall alone renders an inconsistency between the sence of the Promises we embrace and that of the Admonitions that are given to the Saints charging them to walke heedfully and to watch diligently against the attempts and assaults of Sathan Now this supposall is in it selfe false and ridiculous Neither ever did the Lord nor do we ever say he did tender men Assurance of his Love on such termes Neither is it possible for any one for ever to have a true perswasion of his owne Perseverance under such notions Sixtly § 15. That there is an inconsistency betwixt Faithfull Promises of attaining an end by the use of meanes and Exhortation with Admonitions to make use of those meanes so that if it be supposed that God promiseth that Sathan shall not in the issue prevaile over us prescribing to us the meanes whereby we shall be preserved from his prevalency 't is in vaine to deale with us for the application of our selves unto the use of those meanes Seaventhly §. 16. 'T is also supposed that an Assurance of the Love of God and the continuance of it to the Saints unto the end so that they shall be never utterly rejected by him is an effectuall way meanes to induce them to carnall loose walking and a negligence in those things which are a provocation to the eyes of his Glory and therefore if he Promise Faithfully never to leave us nor forsake us it is an inducement for us to conclude let the Divell now take his swing do with us what he pleaseth To exhort us to take care for the avoidance of his subtiltyes and opposition is a thing altogether ridiculous The vanity of this supposall hath been sufficiently before discovered and it selfe disproved Upon such Hypotheses as these I say upon such painted posts §. 17. is the whole pageant erected which we are here ingaged withall and these being easily cast down the whole rushes to the ground in the roome whereof according to our principles this following Discourse may be supplyed You that are true Believers §. 18. called Justifyed Sanctifyed by the Spirit and Bloud of Christ adopted into my family ingrafted in united unto the Son of my Love I know your weakenesse insufficiency disability darkenesse how that without my Sonne and continuall supply of his Spirit you can do nothing the power of your Indwelling sinne is not hid from me how with violence it leads you captive to the Law thereof and though ye do believe yet I know you have yet also some unheal'd unbeliefe and on that account are often overwhelmed with Feares Sorrowes Disconsolations and Troubles and are ready often to thinke that your way is passed over form me and your Judgment hidden from your God And in this Condition I know the Assaults Temptations and Oppositions of Sathan that you are exposed to how he goes up and downe like a roaring Lion seeking to destroy you his wayes Methods wiles and baits that he layes for you and whereby he seekes to destroy you are many he acts against you as a Serpent subtilly and wisely as a Lyon dreadfully and fearefully and with snares not of you by your selves to be resisted you have Principallityes and Powers to wrestle withall and the darts of the wicked one to defend your selves against Wherefore beware of him be not ignorant of his devices stand fast in the Faith take to you the whole armour of God resist him overcome him cast him out by prayer and the bloud of the Lambe watch night and day that you be not surprised nor seduced as Eve was by him that he turne you not out of the way into pathes leading to destruction and thrust you headlong into such sinnes as will be a dishonour to me a griefe to my Spirit a scaudall to the Church and bitternesse to your owne soules And as for me who know your disability of your selves to do any of these things and so to hold to the end because it pleased me to love you set my heart upon you having chosen you before the Foundation of the world that you should be holy and unblameable before me in Love having given my only Sonne unto you who is your peace through whom you have received the Attonement with whom I will not deny you or withhold from you any thing that may safeguard your abiding with me unto Salvation I will through the riches of my Grace worke all your workes for you fulfilling in you all the good pleasure of my Goodnesse the worke of Faith with power I will tread down Sathan this cruell proud Malicious bloudy enemy of your Soules under your feet and though at any time he soile you yet ye shall not be cast down for I will take you up and will certainly preserve you by my power to the end of your hope the Salvation of your soules whatever betide you or befall you I will never leave you nor forsake you the mountaines may depart and the hills be removed but my kindnesse shall never be removed from you comfort ye be of good courage and runne with joy the race that is set before you This I say is the language which according to the tenour of the Doctrine whose maintenance we are ingaged in God speakes to his Saints and Believers and if there be folly and
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