The Doctrine of the Saints Perseverance
But Secondly, to Answer the first and gentle motions of the spirit, is to be led by him, and then we shall be filled by the spirit; But how doth M. Goodwin prove, that to be led by the spirit, is to answer his first gentle motions, and thereby to obtain his farther, and more glorious actings and persuasions? Is it safe, thus to make bold with the word of God? or is not this to wrest it, as ignorant, and unstable men do unto perdition? Saints, being led by the spirit of God, and walking after the spirit, are in Rom: 8. expressions of that Effectual sanctification exerting it self in their conversation, and walking with God, which the spirit of God worketh in them, and which is their duty, to come up unto, in opposition to living, or walking after the flesh. If this now be attained, and the Saints come up unto it, antecedently to the subsequent Grace of the Spirit, what is that subsequent grace, which is so gloriously expressed, and wherein doth it consist? Neither doth that expression of led by the Spirit, hold out the concurrence, or comportment of their Wills, as it is phrased, with the gentle motion of the spirit, but the powerful and effectual Operation of the spirit, as to their Holiness, and walking with God; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , is not, they comport, or concur with the Spirit in his motions, but by the spirit, they are acted, and carried out to the things of God: Neither hath this any relation to, or coherence with that of the Ephesians 5. 18. %Be filled with the spirit, neither is there any such intendment in the expression, as is here intimated of a promise of receiving more of the spirit, on condition of that compliance, concurrence, and comportance with his motions, as is intimated. That the spirit is sometimes taken for his Graces, sometimes for his Gifts, habitually, sometimes for his actual operations, is known; The Apostle in that place dissuading the Ephesians from turning aside to such carnal, sinful Refreshments, as men of the world went out unto, bids them, not be drunk with Wine, wherein is excess, but to be filled with the Spirit: to take their refreshment in the joys of the spirit, speaking to themselves in Psalms and Hymns and spiritual Songs, v. 20. Could I once imagine that M. Goodwin had the least thought, that indeed there was anything in the Scripture, looking towards his intendment in the producing of it, I should farther manifest the mistake thereof; To play thus with the word of God, is a liberty we dare not make use of yet.
Thirdly he concludes That the reason why Believers are overcome by the Lustings of the flesh is not because the Spirit is not stronger than the flesh, but because men have more will to hearken to the Lusts of the Flesh, than to the Spirit.
Fortunam Priami cantabo, & noble bellum.
This is the issue of all the former swelling Discourse, men's sins are from their own willes, and not because the Spirit is not stronger than the flesh; And whoever doubted it, the Conclusion you were to prove, is, That Believers sin with their whole will and full consent of their wills, and that the new principle that is in them, doth not cause their wills to decline from acting in sin to the just efficacy of all their strength and vigor; But of this 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , for the insinuation in that expression of the Will hearkening to the lusts of the flesh, and not the lusting of the Spirit, in a sovereign indifferency to both, and a liberty for the performance of either, in a way exclusive of good, or vicious habitual Principles of operation in the will it self, I shall not now divert to the consideration of.
What else remains in this Section, either doth not concern the business in hand, as the fine notions of the Spirits return to move Believers when his motions have been rejected, with the manner, whereof according to his conception, must be afterwards considered apart, as the fall of David into Adultery and Murder; if there be need to go forth to the consideration of his examples and instances: and therefore I shall not longer insist upon it; only the close of it consisting of an inference made from some words of Peter Martyr deserves consideration; Upon David's sin (saith he) Peter Martyr, makes this observation, That the Saints themselves being once fallen into sin, would always remain in the pollution of it, did not God by his mighty Word bring them out of it; which saying of Martyr clearly also implies that the Saints many times sin with their whole wills and full consents, because were any part of their wills bent against the committing of the sin at the time, when it is committed, they would questionless return to themselves and repent immediately after the beat and violence of the Lust being over, by reason of the satisfaction that hath been given thereunto.
Ans. The close insinuation in Peter Martyr 's words, of the Saints sinning with their whole wills, and the Logic of Mr Goodwin 's inference from them I believe is very much hidden from the Reader; To the Theology of it, I say, that the Saints 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , do immediately return to God by Repentance, (as Peter did) upon their surprisalls into sin; nor have they any rest in a condition, of the Eclipse of the countenance of God from them, as upon sin it is always more or less; of David's particular case, mention may afterwards be made; But the proof, that they sin with their whole wills and full consent because they would continue in sin, did not the Lord relieve and deliver them by his word and Grace, is admirable; I would adventure to cast this Argument into as many shapes, as it is tolerably capable of, had I the least hope to cause it to appear any way Argumentatives; we deny then that Believers have any such power habitually residing in them, as whereby without any new supplies of the Spirit or concurrence of actual Grace; they can effectually and eventually recover themselves from any sin whatever; Which supplies of the Spirit, and Grace, we say and have proved are freely promised to them in the covenant of Graces; But what will here follow to the supportment of Mr Goodwin 's Hypothesis, that therefore in all their sins or in any of their sins, they sin with the full and whole consent of their wills, I suppose he alone knows.
Sect. 26. He endeavoures to take off that of the Apostle Rom. 7. 19, 20. from appearing against him in this cause of the Saints finning with their whole wills and consents; not not-willing the things they do, to this end he tells us That when the Apostle saith the evil which I would not that I do, his meaning is not that he did that which at the same time, that he did it, he was not willing either in whole or in part to do, but that he sometimes did that upon a surprisal by temptation or through incogitancy, which he was not habitually willing or disposed in the inward man to do; But this no ways implies but that at the time when he did the evil he speaks of, he did it with the full and entire consent of his will.
Ans. 1. It is probable the Apostle knew his own meaning, and also how to express it, having so good a teacher to that end and purpose as he had; now he assures us in the person of a Regenerate man that as what He would He did not, so what He did He would not, He hated it v. 15, 16. And again he did that which he would not, and therein consented to the Law by his not willing of that he did) that it was good; which whether it express not a Renitency of the will, to that which was done in part, and so far as to make the Action it self remiss and not to enwrappe the whole consent of the will, he farther declares v. 17. telling us that there is a perfect unconsenting I, or internal principle in the very doing of evil; Is is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
2. The Apostle doth not say, what he was not habitually willing to, but what he was habitually unwilling to; that is, what the bent of his will lay habitually against, having actual inclinations, and elicit acts always to the contrary, though sometimes overcome; Neither in his discoursing of it, doth he mention at all the surprisal of sin upon incogitancy, & inadvertency but the constant frame & temper of a regenerate man, upon the powerful acting, & striving of the principle of lust and sin dwelling in him, and remaining with him; which saith the Apostle, doth often carry them out to do those things, which are contrary to the principle of the inward man, which habitually condemns and actually wills not, or rather nills the things that are so done, even in their doing. And this doth manifest sufficiently that when he did the evil he speaks of; he did it not with the full and entire consent of his will as men do, in whom there is no such principle opposite to sin, and sinning, as is in him that is Regenerate; there being very much taken off by the habitual principle of Grace that is in them, and its constant inclinations to the contrary.
But he farther argues, If we shall affirm, that the contrary bent or motions of his will, at other times, is a sufficient proof, that when he did the evil, we speak of, he did it not with his whole will, or fullness of consent, in such a sense is a distinguishing Character betwixt men Regenerate and unregenerate, we shall bring Herod, and Pilate, and probably Judas himself into the list, of men Regenerate with a thousand more whom the Scripture knows not, under any such name or relation; viz. all those whose Judgments and consciences stand against the evil of the ways and practices wherein they walk.
And this he proves at large to the end of the Section, in the instance of Herod, and Pilate proceeding against their own Judgments and Consciences in the killing of John and of our Savior.
Ans. First, we do not only assert a contrary bent and inclination in the Wills of Believers at other times, but also that in and under the prevalency of indwelling sin, there is in them an I that doth it not, and a not-willing it from a Principle, though by reason of the present prevalency of the other, its actings and stirrings are not so sensibly perceived. So that though they prevail not, to the total prevention of the will, from exerting the Act of sin, yet they prevail to the impairing, weakening, and making remiss its consent thereunto.
Secondly, The residue of this Paragraph is intolerably Sophisticall, confounding the Renitencie of the inward man, the principle of grace that is in the wills of Believers, with the Convictions of the judgments and consciences of unregenerate persons, and their striving against sin on that account. The judgments and consciences of wicked men, tell them what they ought to do, and what they ought not to do without respect to the principle in their wills that is predominant. But the Apostle mentions the actings of the will it self, from its own regenerate principle. We wholly deny that any unregenerate man hath any vital principle in his will not consenting to sin, what ever the dictates of his judgment and conscience may be; or how effectual soever to prevail unto an abstinence from sin. To discover the differences that are between the contest, that is between the wills in unregenerate men, wholly set upon sin, on the one hand, and their judgments and Consciences enlightened to an apprehension and approving of better things on the other, and the contest that is between the Flesh, and Spirit lusting to contrary things, in the same will, as it is in regenerate men, is a common place; that I shall not go forth unto. We grant then, that in unregenerate men, there may be, there is, and was in some degree, perhaps in Herod, in Pilate, a conviction of conscience and judgment, that the things they do are evil; but say withal, that all this being foreign to their wills, it hinders not but that they sin with the full uncontrolled consent of their wills, which are at perfect Liberty, or rather in perfect bondage unto sin. That the Spirit should lust against the flesh, and the flesh against the spirit, both in the same will. (as it appears they do. Gal. 5. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. for the fruits that they both bring forth, are acts of the will) in any unregenerate man, we deny; and this is that, and not the former, which abates, and takes off from the wills consent to sin.
He concludes the whole; And to the passage of the Apostle, mentioned Rom. 7. I answer farther, that when he saith, the evil which I would not, that do I, he doth not speak of what he always, and in all cases did, much less of what was possible for him to do, but of what he did ordinarily and frequently, or of what was very incident unto him, through the infirmity of the flesh, viz. through inconsiderateness and anticipation by temptations to do such things, which when he was in a watchful and considerate posture, and from under the malignant influence of a temptation, he was altogether averse unto: now what a man doth ordinarily, is one thing, and what he doth sometimes, and in some particular cases, especially what it is possible for him to do is another: that true believers whilst such, ordinarily sin not upon worse terms, then those mentioned by the Apostle concerning his sinning, I easily grant; but it no ways followeth from hence, that therefore they never sin upon other terms, much less that it is impossible that they should sin upon others; and thus we see all things thoroughly and impartially argued, and debated to and fro, that even true Believers themselves as well as others, may do those works of the flesh, which exclude from the Kingdom of God, and that in respect thereof, they are subject to this exclusion as well as other men.
The sum of this part of the Reply is, that what Paul speaks is true, of the ordinary course of Believers, but not of extraordinary surprises; this seems I say to be the tendency of it, though the direct sense of the whole is not so obvious to me: by that expression, the evil that I would not, that I do, you intend either the expression of, he would not, or, that he did; if the latter; then you say, he did not sin ordinarily and frequently, but only upon surprisalls, which is freely granted, but is not at all to your purpose, but rather much against it; If you attend that part of it, which holds out his Renitency against the evil he did, in the expression of I would not, then you say, it was not ordinary with the Apostle to nill the evil that he did, but in case of surprisal to sin, which I believe is not intended; for is it credible, that any one should think that in the ordinary course of a man's walking there should be no opposition made to sin, the falling whereinto men are liable, but upon surprizalls and anticipations by temptation, as it is phrased there should. Nor is it on the other side, that he intends the things that he did ordinarily, but was surprised by temptation, then it might be otherwise. But first, is a Saint to be supposed to sin ordinarily, to sin not prevailed on by temptation? is not all sin from temptation? do they sin actually but upon the surprisal of temptation? to impose this upon the Apostle, that he should say truly for the most part, or in my ordinary walking, I do not sin, but withal, I will it not, but when I am surprised with temptations, then it is otherwise with me, there is no Renitency in my will to sin, is doubtless to wrong him; He doth not limit his not willing of the evil he did to any consideration whatever, but speaks it generally, as the constant state and condition of things with him.
Secondly, in the beginning of this Section, the nilling of sin, was antecedent to the sin: here, it is something that may be allowed in ordinary cases, but not at all in extraordinary; so that these two expositions put together amount to thus muh. Ordinarily the Apostle antecedent to any sinning before the lusting of the spirit ceased, did not will the thing that he did, which was evil, but in case of temptation it was not so; that is antecedently to his acting of that which was evil, he had no opposition in the inward man unto it, nor lusting of the spirit against it, which how it can be made good against him, whose heart is upright, and who hates every evil way, I know not.
Thirdly it is confessed that ordinarily Believers sin at no worse a rate than that expressed by the Apostle; But what doth that contain? If would not, be referred to their doing of sins, then you grant that which all this while you have endeavored to oppose, and are reconciled to your own contradiction in the first evidence sin cannot ordinarily or extraordinarily be committed but by an act of the will, and yet ordinarily, there is a dissent of the will also thereunto. If you adhere to your other former interpretation that the willing against sin committed, is antecedent to the commitment of it, & laid a sleep before the perpetration of any sin, then this also is imposed on you, that there are sins whereunto they may be surprised by temptations, that antecedently to the commitment of them, they do not, not-will; that as to them, the Spirit lusteth not against the flesh; which is notoriosly false; for the flesh lusteth against the Spirit and all the ways of it and all the fruits thereof, and the Spirit lusteth against the flesh, with all its ways and fruits.
Fourthly it appears then that this being the description of a Regenerate man, which the Apostle gives, as to indwelling sin, and all the fruits thereof, that it is most ridiculous to exempt his frame in respect of such sins as they may fall into by surprisalls of temptations, from this description of him, and so to frame this distinction to the Apostles general Rule, that it holds in cases ordinary, but not in extraordinary, when nothing in the whole Context gives the least allowance or continuance to such a limitation.
It appears then notwithstanding anything offered here to the contrary, upon due consideration of it, that Believers sin not with their whole wills and full consents; at any time, nor under the power of what temptation soever they may fall for a season, and that because of the Residence of this principle of a contrary tendency unto sin in their wills which is always acting, either directly in inclining unto good, or in taking off, or making remiss the consent of the will to sin, not withstanding the prevalency of the principle opposite thereunto, by its committing of sin.
And hence have we sufficient Light for the weakening of the Argument proposed in the beginning of this Chap. For though it is weak in its Foundation (as shall be shown) concluding to what the Saints may do, from what is forbid̄ them to do, that prohibition being the Ordinance of God certainly to preserve thē from it, yet taking it for granted that they may fall into the sin intimated, yet seeing they do it not customarily, not maliciously, not with the full and whole consent of their wills, that there is a principle in them still opposing sin, though at any time weakened by sin, and the conclusion of that Argument concerns them not. I say then, First to the Major proposition, they who are in a capacity and possibility, that is, (an universal possibility not only in respect of an internal principle but of all outward prohibiting causes as the purpose and Promise of God, of perpetrating the works of the flesh, not of bringing forth any fruits of the lusting of the flesh, which are in the best, willingly and ordinarily with the full and whole consent of their wills, in which sense alone such works of the flesh are absolutely exclusive from the Kingdom of Heaven, they may posibly fall out of the favor of God and into destruction. This proposition being thus limited, and the terms of it cleared, for to cause it to pass; I absolutely deny the minor, that true Believers do, or can so sin; that is, so bring forth the works of the flesh, as to leave no room for the continuance of Mercy to them, according to the tenor of the Covenant of Grace.
But now frame the Proposition so, as the Assumption may comprise Believers, & we shall quickly know what to judge of it; Those who are in a capacity or possibility of falling into such sins, as deserve rejection from God, or of perpetrating works of the flesh though they do so, overborne by the power of temptation, nilling the things they do, not abiding in their sins may fall totally and finally from God: but Believers may so do. As the matter is thus stated the Assumption may be allowed, to pass upon Believers, but we absolutely deny the Major Proposition in the sense wherein it is urged. I shall only add that when we deny that Believers can possibly fall away, it is not any absolute impossibility we intend, nor an impossibility with respect to any principle in them, only that in, and from it self is not perishable, nor an impossibility in respect of the manner of their acting, but such an one, as principally respecting the outward removing cause of such an actual defection, will infallibly prevent the event of it. And thus is the cloud raised by this fifth Argument, dispelled and scattered by the light of the very first consideration of the difference in sinning, that is, between Regenerate and unregenerate men: so that it will be an easy thing to remove, & take a way what afterwards is insisted on for the reinforcement and confirmation of the several Propositions of it.
The Major Proposition he confirms from Gal. 5. 21. Eph. 5. 5, 6. 1 Cor. 6. 9, 10. All affirming that neither whoremongers, nor adulterers, nor idolaters nor the like have any inheritance in the Kingdom of God, or can be Saved; That the intendment of the Apostle is concerning them, who live in a course of such sins, who sin with their whole wills, and from an evil root, with whose sap they are wholly leavened, & tainted throughout, not them who through the strength of temptation, and the surprisalls of it, not without the renitency in their wills, unto all sin, any sin, the sin wherewith they are overtaken, may possibly fall into any such sin (as did David and Peter ) was before declared, and in that sense we grant the Proposition.
For the proof of the Minor Proposition, which should be, that Believers may perpetrate the Works of the flesh, in the sense intended, in the places of Scripture before mentioned, he insists on two things. First, the direction of those Scriptures unto Believers. Secondly, the Experience of the ways of such persons, that is of Believers. The Apostle tells Believers, that they who commit such and such things, with such, and such circumstances in their commitment, cannot be saved; therefore Believers may commit those sins in the manner intended: What hath been said before of the use of threatenings, and denunciations of judgments on impenitent sinners, in respect of Believers, will give a sufficient account (if there be need of any) for our denial of this consequence; and for the Second, that the experience of such men's ways and walking evinceth it; it is a plain begging of the thing under debate, and an assuming of that, which was proposed to be proved, a thing unjustly charged by him on his Adversaries, as though they should confess, that Believers might sin to the extent of the lines drawn out in the places of Scripture mentioned, and yet not loose their faith, when because they cannot loose their Faith, they deny that they can sin, to that compass of excess and riot intimated.
I cannot see then, to what end and purpose the whole ensuing discourse from the beginning of this Argument to the end of the 21. Sect. is. It is acknowledged that all those places do concern Believers; The intendment of the Holy Ghost in them, being to discover to them, the nature of the sin specified, and the end of the committing of them, in the way intended, and that God purposes to proceed according to the importance of what is threatened to those sins, so committed, with all that do them, that so they may walk watchfully, and carefully avoiding not only those things themselves, but all the ways and means leading to them, (though if any one of them sin, any of those sins without the deadly attendants of them mentioned in Scripture, they have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous ) but that from thence it may be inferred, that Believers may, and some do so sin, and that God intends as it is expressed, to destroy them if they so do, when he hath promised they shall never do so, is a very weak and ridiculous Argumentation: They are a medium of acquainting them with the desert of sin, the tenor of the Law, to them that are under it, and the riches of Grace in their deliverance.
It is true, unbelievers are (as you say) in our judgment, (and I wonder what yours is in the case) in a state of exclusion from the Kingdom of God, whether they perpetrate the works of the flesh mentioned or no: Unbeliefe is in our Judgment, sufficient of it self to exclude any one from the Kingdom of God. But yet withal in our Judgment (and we desire to know yours) it is impossible that Unbelievers (we mean those who are Adulti ) should not perpetrate the same evils mentioned, or others of the import, all the thoughts, & imaginations of their hearts being evil, & that continually, & thereupon be farther exposed to the wrath of God, which is revealed against all that do evil. If therefore the discovery of a man's desperate condition, that he may be stirred up to labor, & strive for a deliverance from it, doth concern him, then these & the like passages do properly & primarily concern Unbelievers whose state with the issue of it, is particularly described therein. And to say (as our Author doth) that it is a vain thing for the Spirit of God to threaten wrath to men upon the committing of sin, if by unbelief they are exposed antecedently to that wrath, is to question the wisdom of him with whom, (whatever become of us poor worms) he cannot contend. He hath told us, that all men by nature are Children of wrath and unclean, so far as not to be able to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, unless they be washed and borne again and yet we hope without the least deficiency in wisdom, hath farther revealed his wrath from Heaven, against the ensuing ungodliness that is committed by these Children of wrath to be executed in tribulation and anguish against every soul that so doth evil: not to detain the Reader, what hath been said, and shall farther be argued concerning the difference that is between Believers and unbelievers in their sinning, with that also which hath been spoken of the concernment of Believers, in these and the like passages of Scripture, sufficiently arguing that no such inference as is made for the confirmation of the Assumption of the Argument under consideration according to Mr Goodwin's thoughts and apprehensions of it, can possibly be drawn out from them.
Sect. 22. is a pretty pageant, and by the Readers favor I shall show it him once more. If it be objected that true Believers have a Promise from God that they shall never loose their Faith. I answer, first that this hath of been said, but never so much as once proved. Secondly upon examination of those Scriptures wherein such Promises of God are pretended to reside, or to be found, we find no such thing in them, we find indeed many Pomises of their Perseverance, but all of them Conditional, and such whose Performance in respect of actual and complete Perseverance, is suspended upon the diligent and careful use of means by men to persevere. And lastly to affirm that true Believers can by no commission of sin or sins whatsoever, how freequently soever reiterated, how long continued in soever, ever make shipwreck of their Faith or fall away from the Grace and Favor of God so as to perish, what is it but to provoke the flesh to an outragiousnesse in sinning, and to encourage that which remains of the old man in them to bestir it self in all ways of unrighteousness; and doubtless the bringing of that Doctrine hath been the casting of a snare upon the World, and hath caused many, whose feet God hath guided into ways of peace, to adventure so far into desperateness of sinning, that through the just Judgment of God their hearts never served them to return.
Ans. First, The foundation of this whole discourse, is a supposal of promises of preserving believers in their Faith, upon the ridiculous supposition after mentioned, to be asserted by the Doctrine of the Saints perseverance and the defenders of it, which Mr Goodwin knows fulwell to be far otherwise.
Secondly, It hath sufficiently been proved, that Believers have a promise, yea many promises, to be kept by the power of God, from all, and any such sin, or any such circumstance of sin, or continuance in sin, as is wholly inconsistent with Believing, and that therefore they shall be preserved in Believing.
Thirdly, Upon our calling the examination of the proofs of this assertion to an account, we have found them to be made up, of trivial exceptions, and sophistical suppositions, confident beggings, and cravings of the things under contest and debate, (all the endeavors to prove the promises of Perseverance to be conditional, having also involved in them, an absolute contradiction to the Truth, and to themselves) no way sufficient to evince, that the promises and work of God's grace, are suspended upon any conditions in men whatsoever.
And Fourthly, We say that the intrusion of this vain Hypothesis, that believers should continue so, under the consideration here intimated by you of sin, when the main of the Doctrine contended for, consists in a full and plain denial that they can, or shall fall under them (according to the import of 1 John. 3. 9. immediately to be insisted on, being preserved by the Spirit and grace of him who so works his Law in their hearts, that they shall never depart from him) is the great engine you have used in all your attempts against it, being indeed a mere begging of the thing in question.
Fifthly, That there is nothing in this Doctrine, in the least, suited to turn aside the Saints of God from the holy Commandment, but that on the contrary, it is of an excellent usefulness, and effectual influence for the promotion of all manner of Godliness, in those that are truly Saints, howsoever any man may abuse it, (as any other discovery of the grace of God) turning it into Lasciviousnesse, hath been declared: what use hath been made of the contrary Doctrine in the world, we have hitherto had experience; only in the Pelagians, Papists, Socinians, and Arminians, and with what fruits of it they have abounded, the Church of God doth partly know. What it is like to bring forth, being now translated into another soil, or rather, having won over to it, men sometimes of another profession, is somewhat, though not altogether, yet in obeyance.
Let us then with the Apostle, having proceeded thus with M. Goodwin, that a foundation may be the better laid, for the removal of what he farther adds, proceed to consider the progress of sin, and to remark from thence the difference that is between Regenerate and Unregenerate men in their sinning.
The second thing proposed in the Apostles discourse of the Rise and progress of sin, is the general way that Lust proceedeth in, for the bringing of it forth, and that is Temptation: everyone is tempted of his own Lust; This is the general way that Lust proceeds in, for the production of actual sin. It tempts, and he in whom it is, is tempted: There is a Temptation unto sin only, and a Temptation unto sin by sin: The first is no sin in him that is so tempted; our Savior was so tempted; he was tempted of the Devil, Math. 4. 1. %He was in all points tempted like as we are, without sin. That his temptations were unto sin, is apparent from the story of them; but the Prince of this world coming had nothing in him. John 14. 30. Found nothing in him to Answer and close with his Temptations; and therefore though he was tempted, yet was he without sin. Now though this sort of temptations from Satan, are not Originally our sins but his, yet there being tinder in our souls that kindles more or less, in and upon every injection of his fiery darts, there being something in us to meet many, if not all of his Temptations, they prove in some measure in the issue, to be ours. Indeed Satan sometimes ventures upon us, in things wherein he hath doubtless small hope of any concurrence, and so seems rather to aim at our disquiet, than our sins: as in those whom he perplexes with hard and blasphemous thoughts of God; a thing so contradictory to the very principles not of Grace only, but of that whereby we are men, that it is utterly impossible there should be any assent of the soul thereunto; to think of God, as God, is to think of him, everything that is Good, Pure, Great, Excellent, incomprehensible in all perfection: Now at the same time, to have any Apprehensions of a direct contradictory importance, the mind of man is not capable. Were it not for the unbelief, causeless fears, and discontentments, that in many do insue upon Temptations of this nature, which are consequents, and not effects of it, Satan might keep this dart in his own forge, for any mischief he is like to do with it. The Apostle speaks here of Temptations by sin as well as unto sin; and these are men's sins, as well as their Temptations, they are Temptations as tending to farther evil; they are sins as being irregular and devious from the rule. Now this tempting of Lust compriseth two things.
First, The general active inclination of the Heart unto sin, though not fixed as unto any particular act, or way of sin; the motus primo primi; of this you have that Testimony of God concerning man, in the state of nature Gen. 6. 5. %Every figment of the thought of his heart, is only evil every day; the figment or imagination of the thoughts, is the very root of them; their general moulding, or active preparing of the mind, for the exerting of them; so 1 Chrou. 28. 9. %God understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts. The figment of them: The next disposition of the soul unto them; and 2 Chron. 29. 19. Keep this forever in the imagination of the thoughts of their hearts, or keep their hearts in a continual framing posture and condition, of such good thoughts. This (I say) is she first way of Lusts, Temptation; it makes a mint of the heart, to frame readily all manner of evil desires, and thoughts that they may as our Savior speaks proceed out of the heart Mat. 15. 19. Their actual fixing on any object, is their proceeding, antecedent whereunto, they are framed and formed in the heart; Lust actually disposeth, inclines, bends the heart to things suitable to it self, or the corrupt habitual principle which hath its residence in us.
Secondly, The actual tumultuating of Lust, and working with all its power and policy, in stirring up, provoking to, and drawing out thoughts and contrivances of sin, with delight and complacency in inconeiveable variety: the several degrees of its progress herein being afterwards described.
In the first of these there is no small difference between Regenerate & Unregenerate persons, and that in these two things.
First, In its universality; In Unregenerate men, every figment of their heart is only evil and that every day; there is an universality of actings expressed positively, & exclusively, to any actings of another kind; every figment of their heart is only evil; and of time, every day: whatever good they seem to do, or do, whatever duties they perform, that in them all, which is the proper figment of their heart, is only evil. On this account, take any duty they do, any work they perform, and weigh it in the balance and towill be found in respect of principles, and circumstances, or aims, to be wholly evil. That indeed there is nothing in it that is acceptable to God: & their hearts are casting, minting, and coining sin, all the day long. With Believers 'tis not so, there is also a good treasure in their hearts, from whence they bring out good things; there is a good Root in them that bears good fruit; though they are, or may be overtaken with many sins yea with great sins, yet lust doth not tempt thē as it doth unregenerate men, with a perpetual continual active inclination unto evil, even some way or other in all the good they do. The Spirit is in them, & will, and doth in what state so ever they are, dispose their hearts to Faith, Love, Meekness, and actuates those Graces, at least in the elicit acts of the will; for a good tree will bring forth good fruit, never any Believer is, or was so deserted of God, or did so forsake God, as that every figment of his heart should be evil only, and that continually; That no one act of sin, can possibly expel his habit of Grace, hath been formerly shown; neither is he ever cast into such a condition, but from the good principle that is in him. There is a panting after God, longing for his Salvation with more or less efficacy; the spark is warm and glowing, though under ashes.
Secondly, In respect of power. Lust tempts in unregenerate men out an absolute, uncontrouleable dominion, and that with a morally irresistible efficacy; All its dominion, as hath been shown, and very much of its strength is lost in Believers; this is the intendment of the Apostles discourse Rom. 6. concerning the crucifying of sin, by the death of Christ. The power, strength, vigor, and efficacy of it, is so far abated, weakened, mortified, that it cannot so effectually impell unto sin, as it doth when 'tis in perfect life and strength.
But you will say then, If Lust be thus weakened in Believers, more than in others, how comes it to pass, that they do at any time fall into such great, and heinous sins, as sometimes they do, and have done? Will not this argue them, to be even worse than unregenerate persons, seeing they fall into sin upon easier terms, and with less violence of impulse from Indwelling sin than they?
Ans. First, The examples of Believers falling into great sins, are rare, and such as by no means are to be accommodated to their state, in their ordinary walking with God; 'tis true there are examples of such falls recorded in the Scripture, that they might lie as bwoys to all generations, to caution men of their danger, when the waves of Temptation arise, to show what is in man, in the best of men, to keep all the Saints of God humble, self-empty, and in a continual dependence on him, in whom are all their springs, from whom are all their supplies; but as they are mostly all Old-Testament examples, before grace for grace was given out by Jesus Christ, so they are by no means farther to be urged, nor are, but only to show that it is possible that God can keep alive the root, when the tree is cut down to the ground; and cause it to bud again by the sent of the water of his Spirit, flowing towards it.
Secondly, That Believers fall not into great sins at any time, by the mere strength of Indwelling sin, unless it be in conjunction with some violent outward Temptation, exceedingly surprizing them, either by weakening all ways and means, whereby the principle of Grace should exert it self, as in the case of Peter, or by sudden heightening of their corruption, by some overpowering objects, attended with all circumstances of Prevalency, not without God's with-holding his special grace in an eminent manner, for ends best known to himself, as in the case of David: Hence tis, that even in such sins, we say, they sin out of infirmity, that is, not out of propense deliberation, as to sin, not out of malice, not out of Love to, or delight in sin; but merely through want of strength, when overborne by the power of Temptations.
This Mr Goodwin frames as an Objection to himself, in the pursuit of the vindication of the Argument under consideration; Sect. 23.
Others plead that there's no reason to conceive that true Believers, though they perpetrate the works of the flesh, should be excluded from the Kingdom of heaven upon this account; because when they sin in this kind, they sin out of Infirmity, and not out of malice.
Ans. I was not to choose what Objections M. Goodwin should answer, nor had the framing of them, which he chose to deal withal: and therefore must be contented with them, as he is pleased to afford them to us; Only if I may be allowed to speak in this case, and I know I have the consent of many concerned in it, I should somewhat otherwise frame this Objection or Answer:being partly persuaded, that M. Goodwin did not find it, but framed it himself, into the shape wherein it here appears. I say then, that the Saints of God sin out of Infirmity only, not maliciously, nor dedita opera in cool blood, nor with their whole hearts, but purely upon the account of the weakness of their graces, being overpowered by the strength of Temptation, and therefore cannot so perpetrate the works of the flesh, and in such a way as must according to the tenor of the Covenant wherein they walk with God, not only deserve rejection and damnation, but also be Absolutely and Indispensably exclusive of them, from the Kingdom of God. What Mr Goodwin hath drawn forth to take off, in any measure, the Truth of this Assertion, shall be considered. He says then,
To say that true Believers, or any other men do perpetrate the works of the flesh, out of infirmity, involves a contradiction: For to do the works of the flesh, implies the dominion of the Flesh in the doers of them, which in sins of infirmity hath no place; the Apostle clearly insinuates the nature of sins of infirmity in that to the Galatians; Beloved if any man be overtaken with a fault, ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) be prevented, or taken at unawares; when a man's foot is taken in the snare of a temptation, only through a defect of that spiritual watchfulness over himself, & his ways which he ought to keep constantly, and so sinneth contrary to the habitual & standing frame of his heart, this man sinneth out of iufirmity, but he that thus sinneth cannot in Scripture phrase be said either to walk, or to live according to the Flesh, or to do the works of the Flesh, or to do the Lusts or desires of the Flesh, because none of these are anywhere ascribed unto, or charged upon true Believers, but only upon such persons who are enemies unto God, and Children of death.
Ans. This being the substance of all that is spoken to the business in hand, I have transcribed it at large, that with its Answer it may at once lie under the Readers view. I say then
First we give this reason that Believers cannot perpetrate the works of the flesh in the sense contended about, because they sin out of insirmity, and do not say that they so perpetrate the works of the flesh out of infirmity. But if by perpetrating the works of the flesh, you intend only the bringing forth at any time, or under any Temptation whatsoever, any fruits of the flesh, such as every sin is, that this may not be done out of infirmity, or that it involves a contradiction to say so, is indeed not to know what you say, to contradict yourself, and to deny that there be any sins of infirmity at all, which that there are you granted in the words foregoing, and describe the nature of it in the words following. They doubtless in whom the Flesh always lusteth against the Spirit are sometimes lead a way and enticed by their own Lusts, so as to bring forth the fruits of it.
Secondly, If to do the works of the flesh, imports with you, as indeed in it self it doth, the predominancy and dominion of the flesh in them that do the works thereof, we wholly deny that Believers can so do the works of the flesh, as upon other Reasons, so partly because they sin out of infirmity, which sufficiently argues that the Flesh hath not the dominion in them; for then they should not through Infirmity be captivated to it, but should willingly yield up their members, as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin.
Thirdly, The description you give of a sin of infirmity from Gal 6. 1. Is that alone which we acknowledge may befall Believers, though it hath sometimes befallen them in greater sins. It is evident from hence, that a sin becometh asinne of infirmity, not from the nature of it, but from the manner of men's falling into it. The greatest actual sin, may be a sin of infirmity, and the least, a sin of Presumption. It is possible a Believer may be overtaken, or rather surprised, with any sin, so he be overtaken or surprised. A surprisal into sin through the power of Temptation, subtlety of Satan, strength of indewlling sin, contrary to the habitual standing frame of the heart, (not always neither through a defect of watchfulness) is all that we grant a Believer may be liable to: and fo upon Mr Goodwin's confession he sins only out of infirmity; such sins being not exclusive of the Love and Favor of God. And therefore
Fourthly we say that true Believers cannot be said to walk according to the flesh, to do the works 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 enemies 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 means which God graciously affords them, and do not discover anything of the will of God, that he will suffer them, contrary to his many Faithful 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 sins, 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 sins, which that they may do, he here eminently denies. Wherefore he adds▪
If by sinning out of malice they mean sinning with deliberation, with plotting, and contriving the methods and means of their sinning, sinning against Judgment, against the dictates of conscience (and what they should mean by sinning out of malice but sinning upon such terms as these I understand not) certain it is that true Believers may so sin out of malice, or at least such as were true Believers before such sinning, and this our Adversaries them selves confess.
Ans. All this falls heavy on the shoulders, (as it is supposed) of poor David, and yet we think it evident, that God took not his holy Spirit from him, but that his Covenant continued with him, ordered in all things and sure, and that sin had not dominion over him. The reasons of this persuasion of ours concerning him, shall farther be insisted on, when we come to the consideration of his case in particular, in the mean time I confess the dreadfnll falls of some of the Saints of God, are rather to be bewailed than aggravated; and the riches of God's Grace in their recovery, to be admired than searched into: yet we say,
First, That no one Believer whatever in the world, upon any temptation whatever, did fall into any sin 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 judgments & dictates of their consciences, as every sin whatever, that they have, or may possibly have knowledge of, or acquaintance with, in their own hearts and ways, is; Yet this doth not make them to sin out of malice; for that would leave no distinction between sins of infirmity whereinto men are surprised by Temptation, and of Malice. Even sins of infirmity being in general and particular directly contrary to the dictates of their enlightened, sanctified judgments & consciences.
Secondly, for sinning with deliberation, plotting, and contriving the methods and means of sinning, (the proof whereof, that so they may do, will lie as was before obseved, on the instance of David ) I say it being the will of God for ends and purposes known to his infinite Wisdom, to give us, as to his fall, his dark side, and his sin to the full, with the Temptations wherewith he was at first surprised, and afterward violently hurried upon carnal reasonings and considerations of the state whereinto he had cast himself, having lost his old friend and counselor 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, judging of his frame in doing of it, only by what is expressed. That Believers may have morosam cogitationem, or deliberation upon some sins, whereunto they are tempted, upon the strength of indwelling sin, which may possibly so over come and prevail 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 poor returning souls, whose backslidings God hath promised to heal,) deny: but yet I say all their actings in this kind, are but like the desperate actings of a man in a fever, who may have some kind of contrivance with himself to do mischief, (as I have known some myself) and aim at opportunityes for the accomplishment of it; all the facultyes of their fowls 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 work of Faith, (as a disordered army, wherein is all its fundamental strength as well as when it is rallied in battalia, is altogether unserviceable, 'till it be reduced to order) that sin taking the opportunity to fill their corrupt part (as far as it is corrupt) with its pleasure and desireablenesse, and so to set the thoughts of it on work to continue means for its accomplishment; Now as through the goodness of their Father and supplies of Grace, which through the Covenant thereof, they do receive, this distemper seizeth not Believers but rarely & extraordinarily, so it doth no way prove them to sin with malice, or without hatred of, and opposition (secret opposition, which may be as secret, as some inclinations to sin are not known to ourselves) to the things they do in and under that condition.
That which follows in this Section being suited to the apprehension of some particular men, though of great name and esteem, according to their worth and desert in the Church of God, as Ursinus, Pareus and the rest, about reigning sin, wherein (as I have declared) my thoughts fall not in with them I shall not need to insist any longer upon it, Pareus after all his aggravations of the sins of Believers, yet adds that they sin not (nor did David) ex contemptu Dei, but through a preoccupation or surprisal of sin; which I believe to be the persuasion of far the greatest number of Saints in the world; whatever Mr Goodwin is pleased to think or say to the contrary; nor is their apprehension weakened by Nathan's charging upon David, his despising of the commandment of the Lord. in doing evil; which as it is virtually done in every sin, and in great sins in an eminent manner, so that it did amount indeed, not only to a consequential but a formal voluntary contempt of God, Mr Goodwin shall never prove. A Father often and severely chargeth upon his sons, a despising of his command, when he hath been carried out to transgress it, when yet he kowes his son honoreth and reverenceth him in his heart, and is exceedingly remote from any resolved contempt of him.
The close of all is a concession of the Contra-Remonstrants at the Hague Conference; That Believers might fall into such sins, as that the Church according to the Commandment of Christ, must pronounce that they shall no longer abide in her communion, and that they shall have no part in the Kingdom of Christ; which being usually made an argument for the Apostasy of the Saints, I shall consider how it is here improved by M. Goodwin.
Certainly (saith he) their sense was, That true believers may sin, above the rate of those, who sin out of infirmity, in so much as there is no commandment of Christ, that any Church of his should eject such persons out of their Communion, who sin out of infirmity only; so that by the confession of our Adversaries themselves, even true Believers may perpetrate such sins, which are of a deeper demerit, than to be numbered amongst sins of infirmity, yea such sins, for which the Church of Christ, according to the Commandment of Christ, stands bound to judge them forever excluded from the Kingdom of God without repentance; from whence it undeniably follows, that they may commit such sins, whereby their Faith in Christ will be totally lost, because there is no condemnation unto those that are by Faith in Jesus Christ, whether they repent or not, and therefore they that stand in need of Repentance, to give them a right and title to the kingdom of God, are no sons of God by Faith; for were they sons, they would be heirs also, and consequently have right and title to the inheritance; so that to pretend that howsoever the Saints may fall into great and grievous sins, yet they shall certainly be renewed again by Repentance before they die, though this be an assertion without any bottom on Reason or Truth, yet doth it no ways oppose, but suppose rather a possibility of the total defection of Faith in true Believers.
Ans. First, That true Believers may sin, above the rate of sins of Infirmity, because they may so sin, as that according to the appointment of Jesus Christ, they may be cast out of a particular Church, is not attempted to be proved: M. Goodwin think none may be excommunicated but such as have sinned themselves out of the state of Grace? That a man may through infirmity, fall into some such sin, as for it to be amoved from a Church society, (that a motion being an ordinance of Christ, for his recovery from that sin) I know not that it can be reasonably questioned. So that by our confession, that true Believers may so sin, as to be righteously cast out of the external visible society of a particular Church, doth no way enforce us to acknowledge that they may sin above the rate of them, who are overtaken with, or surprised in sin, upon the account of their weakness or infirmity.
Secondly, The Church of Christ in rejecting of one from its society, according to the appointment of Jesus Christ, is so far from being obliged to judge any one forever excluded from the Kingdom of God; that they do so reject a man, that he may never be excluded from that Kingdom: It is true he may be Ecclesiastically and Declaratively excluded from the visible Kingdom of God, and his right and title to the outward Administration of the good things thereof; but that such an one is, and must be thought to be properly and really excluded from his interest in the Love of God, and grace of the Convenant, (being still by the appointment of God, and command of Christ, left under the power of an ordinance, annexed by him, to the Administration of that Covenant, it doth not follow.
Thirdly, The non-restauration of persons cast out of communion, by the Church, to their place in the Kingdom of God, but upon Repentance, holds proportion with what was spoken before upon exclusion, The Repentance intended is such, as is necessary for the satisfaction of the Church, as to its expressenesse and being known; yet we grant withal, that all sins whatever without Repentance, in that kind and degree, that is appointed and accepted of God, are exclusive of the Kingdom of God; and we do much wonder that M. Goodwin to the Text Rom. 8. 1. should add, whether they repent or not, which is not only beyond the sense of what went before, but directly contrary to that which follows after, that walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit; not to repent of sin, is, doubtless to walk after the flesh, and no one of them who are freed from condemnation in Christ, doth good and sinneth not; The words we confess, are not the condition in the intention of God, on which their non-condemnation is suspended, but yet they are a description infallible of them, who through Grace are made partakers of it. We say then, that Believers may so fall, as that being on that account, rejected from the communion of the Church, so as not to be restored, but upon the evidence of their Repentance (and we say that Repentance is required for all sins, or men cannot be saved, wondering what Mr Goodwin according to his principles intends by the addition to the Text of Rom. 8. 1. unless it be, that no man stands in need of Repentance, unless he have cast off all Faith and interest in God; a most Anti-evangelical assertion) and yet not commit such sins, as whereby their Faith must needs be wholly lost.
Fourthly, There's a twofold Right and Title to the Kingdom of God; a Right and Title by the profession of a true Faith to the external Kingdom of God, in regard of its outward Administration, and a Right and Title to the Eternal Kingdom of God by the possession of a true Faith in Christ: The former, as it is taken for jus in re, believers may loose for a season; though they may not in respect of a remote, original, fundamental Root which abides; the latter they never loose, nor forfeite: We say also that repentance for sin being a thing promised of God, for those that come to him in Christ, upon the account of the engagement of his Grace, for the Perseverance of Believers; All such fallers into sin, shall certainly return to the Lord by Repentance, who heals their backslidings, which Mr Goodwin hath not been able to disprove; Of whose Arguments, and his endeavors to vindicate them from exceptions, this is the chief.
But yet there being two or three things, that M. Goodwin is pleased to add to what went before, as objections against his doctrine in general, though not of this last Arguments concernment, anymore 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, that the Doctrine of the Saints Apostasy, maimeth or dismembreth the Body of Christ, and brings in, an uncouth and unseemly interchange of members between Christ and the Soul; 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 mystical and spiritual, not that Political and visible; His body in respect of the real 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 grows up unto him, in all things, which is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body fitly joined together, and compacted, by that which every joint supplieth according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of it self in Love: So also Collos. 2. 19. the Body we intend, whereof Christ is the Head, is that, not only in a Political sense, as the supreme governor of it, but in a Spiritual, according to the Analogy of an Head Natural, 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 mark 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 fullness, and mystical perfection, jointed unto him, washed in his blood, 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 fullness and increase, being united to him, become a child of the Devil, 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 bears towards his members, and to be exceedingly derogatory to his honor and Glory, in reference with his dealing to Satan, the great enemy of his Kingdom. But to this M. Goodwin Answers.
First, For dismembering the Body of Christ, is it not the Law of Christ himself, in every particular Church, or body of his, that as any of their members putrefy and discover themselves to be rotten and corrupt, they should be cut off by the Spiritual sword of excommunication, and doth not such a dismembering as this, rather tend to the honoring & adorning the Body of Christ, than any ways to maim or deform it? And for such a dismembering of the Body of Christ which the Doctrine in hand supposeth to be causable by the members themselves, by the voluntary disfaithing of themselves, through sin and wickedness neither is the permission of this, upon such terms as it is permitted, either unworthy Christ, or inconvenient to the Body it self. Reply.
First that there is no Argument will tolerably arise from what is practicable and comely in a visible Ecclesiastical Body of Christ, to the Mystical Spiritual Body; that is, from a particular visible, to the Catholic Church of Christ. As to the matter in hand, this is evident by the light of this single consideration, that in such an Ecclesiastical body of Christ, there are always or may be, and Christ himself in the rules and Laws that he hath given for the government thereof did suppose that there always would be good, and bad, true Saints and empty professors; whereas in the Body whereof we treat, there is no soul 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 darkness 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 himself not to answer the confession he hath made, in his walking and Conversation; Therefore Christ himself, doth cut off, or on way, or other, loose any living members of his body Mystical, 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 fundamental 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 tenderness to them in Christ as his joining 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 completeness of the mystical Body of Christ, and the perfection of its parts; for as in particular visible bodies 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 rendered 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 Spiritual sick 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 Mystical Body of Christ, whereof alone we speak. If any should be so separated, it must not only be to his present actual enjoyment of Union, but to the loss of his Spirit also, and with him of all right and title, plea, or claim whatever, to any interest therein; Neither is it possible that it should be a means 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 look no other way; so that still the uncouthnesse of such a procedure abideth.
Secondly, The reason that's added to put some color and gloss upon this Assertion. viz. That such persons as are affirmed to be so separated from the Body of Christ, do voluntarily disfaith (as 'tis called) themselves, is not to the purpose in hand. For
1. The question is about the thing it self, whereunto this Answer de modo, is not satisfactory; 'It is urged by the Argument, that it cannot be allowed any way, the answer is, tis done this way.
2. Were Mr Goodwin desired to explain unto us the manner how Believers voluntarily do, or may disfaith themselves, I suppose he would meet with no small difficultyes in the undertaking; However this sounds handsomely.
3. That they should so disfaith themselves, through sin, and wickedness, without being overcome by the temptations of Satan, and the power of the enemies, with whom they have to do and wrestle, doubtless will not be affirmed, whilst they continue in their right wits, and if they loose them, twill be difficult to manifest how they can voluntarily disfaith themselves. The state wherein they are described to be by Mr Goodwin, and the considerations which for their preservation he allows them, should not, me thinks, suffer him to suppose that of their own accord, without provocations, or temptations, they will willfully ruin their own souls. Now that Believers should by the power of any Temptation, or opposition whatever, or what affliction soever, arrising against them, be prevailed upon to the loss of their Faith, and so to their dismembering from Christ, is that which is objected as an unseemly uncouth thing, which in this Answer Mr Goodwin earnestly begs, may not be so esteemed, and more he adds not as yet.
The following Discourse, wherein he pursues the business in hand, is so pretty, as that I cannot but once more present it to the Reader. Saith he,
As to a political or civil corporation, 'tis better that the Governers should permit the members respectively to go or be at liberty, that so they may follow their business and occupations in the world, upon the better terms, though by occasion of this liberty they may behave themselves in sundry kinds very unworthily; than it would be to keep them close prisoners though hereby the said inconveniences certainly be prevented; in like manner 'tis much better for the Body of Christ, and for the respective members of it, that he should leave them at liberty to obey and serve God, and follow the important affairs of their souls, freely and without any Physical necessitation, though some do turn this liberty into wantonness, and so into destruction, than I would be to deprive them of this liberty and to cause and contstrain them to any course whatsoever out of necessity: though 'tis true, the committing of much sin and iniquity would be prevented hereby in many; the dismembering of the body of Christ's Apostles, by the Apostasy of Judas was no disparagement either to Christ himself, or it.
Ans. The sum of the whole discourse is, that the Lord Jesus Christ hath no way to keep and secure his members to himself, that none of them perish, but by taking away their liberty which rather than do, 'tis more to his honor to let them abuse it, to their everlasting destruction; & to this end sundry sine supposalls, are scattered through the whole Discourse. As
1. That the liberty of Believers, is a liberty to sin, which they may abuse to their own destruction. The Apostle is of another mind, Rom. 6. 17, 18, 19. God bethanked that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of Doctrine, which was delivered to you; being then made free from sin ye became the servants of Righteousness &c. 2. That there is no real efficacy of Grace that will certainly fulfill in Believers the good pleasure of God's Goodness, and bring forth the fruits of an abiding Holiness, but what must needs deprive them in whom it is of their liberty: and suitably hereunto, 3. That God having through Christ made his Saints Spiritually free, frō sin unto Righteousness, so that with the utmost liberty that they are capable of as Creatures, they shall surely do good, cannot by his Spirit continue them in that condition, infallibly without the destruction of their liberty. 4. That the Spiritual operation of God in, & with the wills of men, induceth a necessitation as to their manner of operation, that they must act on that account, as necessary, & not as free Agents: with such other the like supposals, which are so many gross figments whereof M. G. shall be able to prove no one to Eternity; For the removal then of all the fine words here tendered out of our way, it may suffice to tell their Author, that he who is made Redemption to his Saints, that sets them free from their bondage to sin, by his Spirit, which is always accompanied with Liberty, and makes them willing, ready, and free to Righteousness, and Holiness in the day of his power towards them, whose effectual Grace enlargeth and improves all their facultyes, in their operations, with the choicest attendences as to the manner their of working, can, and doth, by, in, and with the perfect exercise of their liberty, keep them to himself, in their union, and communion with him forever. That this pretended liberty unto sin, is a bondage, from which Christ frees his Saints, neither is anything that can be imagined more derogatory to the glory of his Grace, than to affirm, that he cannot keep those committed to him, infallibly, to the end, without depriving them of the liberty which they have alone through him. Of Physical necessitation enough hath been spoken before; Judas was never a member of the Body of Christ, or of Christ in the acceptation whereof we speak. By the body of the Apostles, is intended only their number, of which Judas (though he was never of that body whereof they were members) was one.
Farther the wickedness of this Apprehension, that Christ should loose any of those who are true, and living members of his Mystical body, is aggravated upon the accovnt of that state and condition, whereinto he parts with them. They being thereby made members of Satan, and his Kingdom; God and the Devil so interchanging Children to the great dishonor and reproach of his name: to his M. Goodwin replies, in the 28. Section.
For the interchange of members between Christ and Satan, the Scripture presenteth it, as a thing possible, yea as frequent and ordinary, know ye not (saith the Apostle) that your Bodies are the members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot; in the original it is, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , &c. i. e. taking away the members of Christ, shall I make them, &c. meaning that true Believers who only are the members of Christ disrelate themselves to him, cease to be members of his body, whilst they live in a course of whoredom and Adultery, and make themselves members of another far different relation, viz. of those harlots with whom they will fully commit sin, and consequently, in such a sense of the Devil.
Ans. First, for the sense of that place of the Apostle, 1 Cor. 6. 15. As far as it relates to the merit of the cause in hand, I shall have occasion to speak unto it, at large hereafter, & so shall not anticipate myself, or Reader; For the present I deny that there is the least mention made of any interchange of members between Christ and the Devil, much less of any such thing as frequent and ordinary; 'It is true the Apostle says that he that is joined to an harlot makes his members the members of an harlot, and on that consideration, and conclusion, with part of the dignity of Believers, whose persons are all the members of Christ, persuades them from the sin of Fornication; That they may so much as fall into that sin, he doth not here intimate. That men not only in respect of themselves, and their principles of sin, and proneness unto it, within, with the prevalency of Temptations, but also eventually, notwithstanding any regard or respect to other external prohibiting causes, may fall into all the sins from which they are dehorted, Mr Goodwin hath not proved as yet, nor shall I live, to see him do it.
Secondly, for a man to make himself the member of an harlot, is no more but to commit Fornication: which whether it be Mr Goodwin 's Judgment or no, that none can fall into or be surprised with, but he is ipso facto cut of from the Body of Christ thereby, I know not; Taking in the consideration of what was spoken before, concerning the manner of Regenerate persons sinning, with what shall be farther argued, I must profess, I dare not say so; In the mean time, it is punctually denied, that Believers can fall into, or live in a course of Whoredom and Adultery, and without such a course, they cease not according to M. Goodwin 's sense of these words, to be members of Christ, nor do they otherwise become members of the Devil. There is nothing here then that intimates such an interchange in the least.
Thirdly, for M. Goodwin's criticism upon the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : it is hardly worth taking notice of.
For First, If by taking, there be meant taking away, the sense must be, that they are first taken away from being members of Christ (the word expressing a time past in that tendency) and then, made members of an Harlot: which First, is not suited to the mind of M. Goodwin, who endeavors to prove their ceasing to be members of Christ, by becoming members of an Harlot; the efficient cause of their ceasing to be joined to Christ, consisting in their being joined with an Harlot. And Secondly, destroys the whole scope of the Apostles reasoning in the place, from the great unworthiness of such a way, or practice, as making the members of Christ, to be the members of an Harlot, because none should so be made, but those who had first creased to be members of Christ; and so his Assertion instead of an effectual persuasive, should upon the matter be entangled in a contradiction to it self.
And Secondly, as there is nothing in the place to enforce that sense of the word, so there is nothing in the word, to impose that sense upon the place; When our Savior speaks to his Disciples Luke 9. 3. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , he doth not bid them take nothing away for their journey, but take nothing with them. And so Mark 6. 6. Where his command is, that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and in that of Math: 4. 6. When the Devil urged to our Savior, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , he did not intimate that the Angels should take him away in their hands, but support him from hurt: when Jesus John: 11 41. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : he did not take away his eyes out of his head, and cast them upward, no more then the Angel did his hand, when 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Rev: 10. 5. or the Apostles their voice, when 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Acts 4. 24. Nor doth Christ command us to take away his yoke, in that heavenly word of his, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Math: 11. 29. so that here is little help left to this sense imposed on the place, under consideration, from the importance of the word, & so consequently not the least countenance given to that horrible interchange of members between Christ and the Devil, which is asserted as an usual and frequent thing.
What he addeth in the close of the Section, is no less considerable than the beginning of it; for (saith he) if it be no dishonor to Christ, to take in such as have been members of the Devil, why should it be any disparagement to him to reject such, who by their wicked and abominable ways render themselves unworthy of such a Relation.
Ans. Believers hold not their Relation to Christ, upon any worthiness that is in themselves for it, but upon the account merely of Grace, according to the tenor of the Covenant of Mercy. That they may fall into such wicked and abominable ways, as shall render them altogether unmeet for that Relation, according to the Law of it, is that great Argument called petitio principii which Mr Goodwin hath used in this case an hundred times. But the comparison instituted in the first words is admirable; Confest it is, that 'tis no dishonor to Jesus Christ; yea, that 'tis his great honor, seeing he came to destroy the works of the Devil, to bind the strong man, to spoil his goods, to destroy him that had the power of death, and to deliver them who by reason of death were in bondage all their days, to deliver his people from their sins, washing them in his blood, and to make them a peculiar people unto himself, zealous of good works; that 'tis no dishonor (I say) for him to translate them from the power of Satan, into his own Kingdom, making them meet for the Inheritance of the Saints in Light, by redeeming them from their vain Conversation, to do according as he intended, and to take his own, given him of his Father, out of the hands of the Tyrant which held them under bondage. Therefore having undertaken to keep them and preserve them, having so overcome Satan in them, for them, by them, broken the head of the Serpent, 'tis no dishonor for him, to loose ground given for his Inheritance, with his subjects, members, brethren, children, bone of his bone, and flesh of his flesh, into the hand of the Devil again; what fort is so strong as to hold out against such a battery? If it be no honor for Christ to bind Satan, and to spoil his goods, then 'tis no dishonor for him to be bound by Satan and to have his goods spoiled.
Another burden upon the shoulders of Mr Goodwin 's Doctrine, whereof he labors to deliver it, is the great Absurdity of the Repetition of Regeneration, whereof there is no mention at all in the Scripture, and which yet must be Asserted by him, unless he will affirm all that fall away at any time irrecoverably to perish; which howsoever he waves at present, were with much more probability according to his own principles, to be maintained, than what he insisteth on.
But this repetition of Regeneration (saith he) is not unworthy God, and for men a blessed and happy accommodation; whether it be unworthy God or no, the Scripture, and the nature of the thing will declare. The Accomodation that it seems to afford unto men, being a plain encouragement to sin at the highest rate imaginable, will perhaps not be found so Happy and Blessed unto them. With great noise and clamour, hath a charge been managed against the Doctrine of the Saints Perseverance, upon the account of its giving supportment to the thoughts of men, in and under the ways of sin; whether Truth and Righteousness have been regarded in that charge, hath been considered. Doubtless it were a matter of no difficulty, clearly to evince that this Doctrine of the Repetition of Regeneration, is of the very same tendency and import, which is falsely and injuriously charged upon that of the Perseverance of the Saints; The worst that a man thinks he can do by any act of sin, is but to sin himself quite out of the favor of God, into a state of death, and desert of wrath. He can no farther injure his soul, than to cast it into the condition of men by nature; Tell this man, now, whom you suppose to be under the temptation to sin, at least that he hath in him that great fool the flesh which longs for Blessed Accommodations to its self, whilst it makes provision to fulfill its lusts, that if he should so do, this is an ordinary thing for men to do, and yet to be renewed again and to have a Second Regeneration; do you not encourage him to venture boldly to satisfy his sinful desires, having such a relief against the worst that his thoughts and fears can suggest to him?
But whatever it be in respect of God or men, yet that so it may be Mr Goodwin proves from. Heb. 6. 6. Where 'tis said, that 'tis impossible to renew some to repentance, wherefore some may be renewed; and in Jude 12. Men are said to be twice dead, therefore they may live twice Spiritually; The first proof seems somewhat uncouth. The persons spoken of in that place are in M. G. judgment Believers; there is no place of Scripture wherein he more triumphs in his endeavored confirmation of his Thesis. The Holy Ghost says expressly of thē, that 'tis impossible to renew thē: therefore says M.G. 'tis possible; what is of emphasis in the Argument mentioned ariseth frō two things. 1. That they are true Believers of which afterwards. 2. That they fall totally away; This then is the importance of M. Goodwin's plea, from this place, If true believers fall totally away, it is impossible they should be renewed to Repentance, therefore if true Believers fall totally away, it is possible they should be renewed to and by Repentance; that there is a falling away, and a renewing again by Repentance of the same persons, we grant. That falling away is partial only, which is incident unto true Believers, who, when God heals their backslidings, are renewed by Repentance. To be renewed also by Repentance, is taken either for the renovation of our Natures, and our change as unto state and condition, and so it is the same with Regeneration and not to be repeated; or for a Recovery by Repentance in respect of personal failings, so it is the daily work of our lives. Jude says, some are twice dead; that is, utterly so, an hyperbolical expression to aggravate their condition. Those to whom the Gospel is a favor of Death unto Death, may well be said to be twice dead; unto the Death that they are involved in, and are obnoxious to by nature, they add a second death, or rather, seal up their souls under the power and misery of the other, by contempt of the means of Life and recovery; therefore Regeneration may be reiterated: Quod erat Demonstrandum.
Much of the Section that remains, is taken up, in declaring in many words without the least attempt of proof, that 'tis agreeable to the honor of God, to renew men totally fallen away; that is, when those who have been quickened by him, washed in the blood of his Son, made partakers of the Divine nature, imbrac'd in the arms of his Love, shall despise all this, dis-faith themselves, reject the Lord and his Love, trample on the blood of the Convenant, kill their souls, by depriving them of spiritual life, proclaim to all the world, their dislike of him, and his Covenant of Grace; yet though he hath not anywhere revealed, that he will permit any one so to do, or that he will accept of them again, upon their so doing; yet M. Goodwin affirming that for him so to do, is agreeable to his Holiness and Righteousness, 'tis fit that those who conceive themselves bound to believe what ever he says, should think so too; for my part I am at liberty.
I should not farther pursue this discourse, nor insist on this digression, but that M. Goodwin hath taken advantage by the mention of Regeneration, to deliver some rare notions of the nature of it, which deserve a little our farther taking notice of, for which end doubtless he published them. To make way then for his intendment, he informs us ( Sect: 29.) That Regeneration it self, according to the Grammatical and proper signification of the word imports a reiteration, or repetition of some generation or other; it cannot import a Repetition of the natural all Generation of men; the sense of Nicodemus in this point was Orthodox, who judged such a thing impossible, therefore it must import a repetition of a spiritual generation, unless we shall say (which I think is the road opinion) that it signifies only the spiritual generation with a kind of reflection upon, and unto the birth Natural.
Ans. First, That the Grammatical sense of the word imports a Reiteration of some generation, is only said; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 hath other signification in composition, besides the intimating of a reiteration of the same thing: either in specie, or individually, the same again; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 would seem rather to enforce such an Interpretation, than 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which yet it doth not: It is spoken of that which hath no birth properly at all, as Philo de Mundo, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 of it self is only through,
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Hom. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . through a wooddy Country; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Resurrection, doth not import again, after another rising before, but a restauration from a lost state; so is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 used Math: 19. 28. to be regenerate, is to have a new, and another generation, not any one repeated; In the place mentioned of John by M. Goodwin, there is mention neither of a repetition of a former generation, nor directly of a new one: Though it be so, it is not there called so; our Savior at first says, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , unless a man be borne from above: as the word is elsewhere rendered, and properly signifies, as John 3. 31. %John 19. 11. %Mark. 15. 38. %James 3. 17. and sometimes of old or former days, as Acts 26. 5. once only, it signifies again, Gal: 4. 9. but there joined with 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which restrains it. And in the exposition afterwards of what he intended by that Expression, he calls it simply a being borne of the water & the spirit, v. 5. without the least intimation of the repetition of any birth; but only the asserting of a new spiritual one; called a birth indeed, with allusion to the birth Natural, which is the road opinion, well beaten ever since Christ first trod that path. Besides, the very same thing which is expressed under the name of Regeneration, being a spiritual birth, which a man had not before, is also delivered unto us in such words, and terms, as manifest no reiteration of any state, condition, or thing to be included therein; as Conversion to God, a Quickening from death, Sanctification by the spirit, &c. all which manifest the induction of a new Life and form, and not the Repetition of another; hence the ancients called Baptism, Regeneration; being the initial ordinance of Christianity, and expressive of the new life, which in, and through Christ, we receive; and that from Tit. 3. 5. Regeneration then neither in the import of the word, nor in the nature of the thing, doth require a reiteration of any generation, but only the addition of a new one, to that which a man hath before; and whereunto this doth allude. The receiving of a new spiritual Birth and Life, is our Regeneration, Renovation, Resurrection, Quickening, implanting into Christ, and the like: so that the foundation of all the ensuing discourse, is a mere quagmire, where no firm footing can be obtained; and of the same Nature is that which ensues; It is (saith he) the common sense of Divines, that the two generations mentioned, the Natural and spiritual, are membra dividentia, and contra-distinguished the one unto the other; and so the Apostle Peter too seems to state and represent them; as also our Savior himself John: 3. 6. %Now there can hardly any instance be given, where the introducing of one contrary form or quality into the Subject, is termed a reiteration, or repetition of the other; Calefaction (for example) is never termed a repetition of Frigefaction, nor Calefaction called a reiteration of Frigefaction; nor when a Regenerate or mortified man dieth his natural death, is he said to reiterate or repeat his Spiritual death.
Ans, That in the term Regeneration two births are implied, may be granted: that the same is intimated to be repeated, is denied: and not proved at all; And therefore Mr Goodwin says well, that the introducing of a contrary form, is not called the reiteration of another, no more is it here; our new birth is called our Regeneration, or new generation, in allusion to our natural birth, not as a repetition of it, neither is the Allusion in respect of the contrary qualities wherewith the one, and the other are attended, but in respect of the things themselves, in which regard, as they are not the same, so they are not contrary but diverse. They are both births, the one Natural the other Spiritual; Natural and Spiritual in that sense are not contrary qualities, but diverse adjuncts; and so are the two births compared, 1 Pet. 1. 23. John 1. 13. In which last place our Regeneration is expressed under the simple term of being borne, with distinction to the natural birth, and not the least intimation of the iteration of any birth or Generation subjoined; so also is it James 1. 18. so that hitherto little progress is made by Mr Goodwin towards his intendment whatever it be; thus then he expresseth it.
I rather ( saith he ) conceive that Regeneration which the Scripture makes appropriable only unto persons living to years of discretion, who generally in the days of their youth, degenerate from the innocence of their childhood & younger years, and corrupt themselves with the principles & ways of the world, relates not to the Natural generation as such, I mean, as natural, but unto the Spiritual estate and condition of men in respect of their Natural generation and birth, in and upon which they are if not simply & absolutely yet comparatively, innocent, harmless, free from pride and malice; and in respect of these qualifications, in Grace and favor with God, upon the account of the death and sufferings of Christ for them, as we shall afterwards prove.
Here you have the sum of the design, and the Doctrine of Regeneration cleared from all those vain and erroneous opinions, wherewith it hath so long been clouded. It is, the returning of men into the good state and condition wherein they are borne, after they have degenerated into ways of wickedness; we thought it had been the quickening of them, who are by nature dead in trespasses and sins, their being begotten again by the will of God, the bestowing of a new principle of Spirit and Life upon them, a Translation from Death to Life, the opening of blind eyes, making them who were darkness, to be light in the Lord. It seems we have all this while been in the dark, and that Regeneration indeed, is only a returning to that condition from whence we thought it had been a delivery; but let us a little see the Demonstration of this new notion of Regeneration.
First, (he saith) the Scripture makes it appropriable only to them who come to years of discretion. Sir, your proof; we cannot take your bare word in a thing of this importance. In the place yourself chose to mention, as the foundation you laid of the inferences you are now making, our Savior says, tis a being borne of the spirit; doth the Scripture make this appropriable only unto men of discretion? Men only of discretion then can enter into the Kingdom of God; for none, not so borne of the Spirit shall enter therein John. 3. 5. If none but men of discretion can be borne of the Spirit, then infants have no other birth but only that of the flesh; and that which is borne of the flesh is flesh, v. 6. Not capable of entering into the Kingdom of heaven; surely you better deserve the title of durus pater infantum, than He to whom of old 'twas given; perhaps a grosser figment was never framed by a man of Discretion.
Secondly, It is true, Infants are comparatively innocent, in respect of Actual Transgressions but equally nocent and guilty with Sinners of discretion, in respect of natural state and condition. They are no less obnoxious to that death, from whence our Regeneration is a delivery, by the bestowing of a new Spiritual life, than a sinner of an hundred years old; A returning to this condition, it seems, is Regeneration. Quantum est in rebus inane!
Thirdly, The qualifications of Infants not Regenerated, are merely negative and that in respect of the acts of sin, not the habitual seed and root of them; for in them dwells no good; that in respect of these qualifications of Innocency that are in them by nature Antecedent to any Regeneration (all which are resolved into a Natural impotency of perpetrating sin) they are accepted in Grace and favor with God, had been another new notion, had not Pelagius and Socinus before you fallen upon it; without Faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11. 6. And his wrath abides on them that Believe not. John 3. 36. That Infants have or may have Faith, and not be regenerated, will scarcely be granted by them who believe the Spirit of Christ to cause Regeneration where he is bestowed Tit. 3. 5. And all Faith to be the Fruit of that Spirit; Gal 5. 26, 27. Farther for the qualifications of Infants by Nature; how are they brought clean, from that which is unclean? Are they not conceived in sin and brought forth in iniquity? Or was that David's hard case alone? If they are borne of the flesh, and are flesh, if they are unclean, how come they to be in that estate, upon the account of their Qualifications accepted in the Love and favor of him, who is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity? If this be the Doctrine of Regeneration that M. G. preaches I desire the Lord to bless them that belong unto him, in a deliverance from attending thereunto. Of the Effects of the death of Christ, in respect of all children I shall not now treat; That they should be saved by Christ not washed in his Blood, not sanctified by his Spirit, (which to be is to be Regenerate,) is another new notion of the new Gospel.
The Countenance which Mr Goodwin would beg to his Doctrine, from that of our Savior to his Disciples, Except ye be turned and become as little Children ye cannot enter into the Kingdom of God; reproving their ambition and worldly thoughts from which they were to be weaned that they might befit for that Gospel state & employment whereunto he called them, & wherein they were to serve him, does no more advantage him nor the cause he hath undertaken, than that other caution of our Savior to the same persons to be wise asserpents & innocent as Doves, would do him that should undertake to prove that Christians ought to become pigeons or snakes: Thus much then we have learned of the mind of M. G. by this digression; 1. That no children are Regenerate; 2. That they are all accepted with God through Christ, upon the account of the good Qualifications that are in them; 3. That Regeneration is a man's returing to the state wherein he is borne; And having taken out this Lesson, which we shall never learn by heart whilst we live, we may now proceed.
I shall only add to the main of the business in hand, that so long as a man is a child of God, he cannot, he need not to repeat his Regeneration. But that one who hath been the child of God, should cease to be the child of God, is somewhat strange. How can that be done amongst men? that he should cease to be such a man's son, who was his son? Those things that stand in Relation, upon anything that is past, and therefore irrevocable, cannot have their beings continued, and their Relation dissolved; it is impossible but that cause and effect must be related one to another; such is the relation between Father and Son; The foundation of it is an act past and irrevocable, and therefore the Relation it self is indissoluble; Is it not so with God and his Children; when they once stand in that Relation, it cannot be dissolved. But of these things hitherto.
To proceed with that place of Scripture which I laid as the foundation of this discourse. The general way of Lusts dealing with the soul the bringing forth of sin, whereof there are two acts expressed, v. 14. the one of drawing away, the other enticing, is to be insisted on. Upon the first, the person tempted is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , drawn off, or drawn away; and upon the second he is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , enticed, or entangled.
The First stirring of sin is to draw away the soul from what it ought to be fixed upon, by its rising up irregularly to some delightful object. For a man to be drawn away by his lust, is to have his Lust drawn out to some object suited to it, wherein it delighteth. Now this drawing away, denoteth two things.
1. The turning of the soul from the actual rectitude of its frame towards God. Though the soul cannot always be in actual Exercise of Grace towards God, yet it ought always to be in an immediate readiness to any Spiritual duty, upon the account whereof, when occasion is administered, it doth as naturally go forth to God, as a vessel full of water floweth forth when vent is given unto it. Hence we are commanded to pray always. Our Savior giveth a Parable to instruct his Disciples, that they ought to pray 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Luke 18. 1. And we are commanded to pray 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , without ceasing or intermission, 1 • hess. 5. 17. Which the same Apostle in another place calleth praying 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in every place: namely as occasion is administered. It is not the perpetual exercise of this duty (as the Jews some of them have ridiculously interpreted the first Psalm of reading the Law day and night ) which would shut out and cut off all other duties, not only of men's Callings and Employments as to this Life, but all other duties of the ways & worship of God whatever; But it is only the readiness and promptitude of the heart in its constant frame to that necessary duty, that is required; Now he who is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 by lust, is drawn off from this frame; that is, he is interrupted in it by his lust, diverting unto some sinful object. And as to this particular, there is a great difference betwixt the sinning of Believers, and those who arise not beyond that height which the power of Conviction beareth them oftentimes up unto. For
1. The main of a true Believers watching in his whole life, and in the course of his walking with God, is directed against this off-drawing from that habitual frame of his heart by lust and sin. His great business is, as the Apostle telleth us, to take the whole armor of God to him, that sin if it be possible, may make no approach to his soul. Eph. 6. 13. It is to keep up their spirits to a hate of every evil way and to delight in God continually; and because they cannot attain in this life unto perfection, they cry out of the power of sin leading them captives to the Law thereof. They would have their wills dead to sin, wholly dead, and have trouble that they are not so, as to the general frame of of their spirits how oft so ever they be drawn off. For other persons they have truly no such frame at all, whatever they may be cut into the likeness of, by the sharpness of Scriptural convictions that come upon them; and therefore they watch not, as to the keeping of it. The deeper you dive into them, the more near you come to their hearts, the worse they are: their very inward parts is wickedness, I speak now of the ordinary frame of the one and other.
This drawing of by sin in Believers, is by the power of sin, in opposition to their Will. Their wills lie against it to the utmost: thev would not (as was shown,) be so drawn off. But as for the others as hath been shown, however their minds may be enlightened, and their consciences awakened, and their Affections corrected and restrained, their wills are wholly dead in sin.
Secondly, when a man is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or drawn away there are stricken out between the lust and the pleasing object, some glances of the heart, with thoughts of sin. When lust hath gone thus far, if a violent temptation fall in, the person to whom it doth so befall, may be carried, or rather hurried out and surprised into no small advance towards the perpetration of sin, without the least delight in the sin or consent of the will unto it, if he be a godly man. So was it in the case of David in the cutting of the lap of the garment of Saul. Lust stirred in him, drew him off from his frame of dependence on God, and by the advantage of Saul's presence stirred up thoughts of self-security, and advantage in him, which carried him almost to the very act of sin, before he recovered himself. Then ( I say ) is a man drawn away, not only in respect to the Terme from whence, but also of that whereunto, when the thoughts of the object presented as suitable to lust are cast in, though immediately rejected. This I intend by this acting of sin; Which although it be our sin, as having its rise and spring in us, and is continually to be lamented, yet when it is not accompaned with any delight of the Heart or consent of the Will, but the thought of it, is like a piece of fiery iron cast into water which maketh a sudden commotion or noise, but yet is suddenly quenched, it is that which regenerate men are, & may be subject to; which also keepeth them humble all their days. There is more in this drawing away, than a single thought or apprehension of evil amounts to, (which may be without the least sin. To know evil is not evil ) but yet is short of the souls consent unto it.
The second way wherein lust proceedeth in tempting is by enticing the soul, & he who is so dealt withallby it is said to be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , to be enticed. There is something more in this, than in being only drawn away. The word here used is twice mentioned in the 2 Epistle of Peter 2 chapter. Once it is rendered to beguile 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , v. 14. And in the other alluring v. 18. It cometh (as is commonly known) from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a bait, which is from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 deceit, because the end of a bait is to deceive, & to catch by deceiving. Thence 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is to entice, to allure, to entangle, as men do fishes, and birds with baits. That which by this expression the Holy Ghost intendeth, is the prevalency of Lust in drawing the soul unto that, which is by the Casuists termed Delectatio morosa, a secret delight in the evil, abiding some space upon it. So that it would do that which it is tempted and enticed unto, were it not forbidden; as the fish liketh the bait well enough, but is afraid of the Hooke. The soul for a season is captivd to like the sin, and so is under the power of it, but is afraid of the guilt. It sticketh only at this, how shall it do this great thing and sin against the Lord. Now though the mind never frame any intention of fulfilling the evil, wherewith the soul is thus entangled, or of committing that sin whereunto it is allured and enticed, yet the affections having been cast into the mould of sin for a season, & conformed unto it by delight, (which is the conformity of the affections to the thing delighted in) This is an high degree of sin; and that because it is directly contrary to that death unto sin, and the crucifying of the flesh and the lusts thereof, which we are continually called unto. It is in a sense, a making provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof: provision is made though the flesh be not suffered to feed thereon, but only delight it self with beholding of it:
I shall not deny but this also may befall a true Believer, it being chiefly implied in Rom. 7. But yet with wide difference, from the condition of other persons, in their being under the power of the deceits and beguilements of sin. For first this neither doth nor can grow to be the habitual frame of their hearts; because as the Apostle telleth us they are dead to sin and cannot live any longer therein Rom. 6. 2. And, their old man is crucified with Christ that the body of sin might be destroyed, v. 6. Now though a man should abst • ine from all actual sins or open committing of sin all his days, yet if he have any habitual delight in sin, and defileth his soul with delightful contemplations of sin, he liveth to sin, and not to God, which a Believer cannot do, for he is not under the Law but under Grace. To abide in this state, is to wear the garment spotted with the flesh. But now take another Person, however heightened, and wrought up by convictions, unless it be when Conscience is stirred up, and some affrightment is put upon him, he can as his leisure affords, give his heart the swing in inordinate affections, or what else pleaseth & suiteth his state, condition, temper and the like.
2. A Believer is exceedingly troubled, upon the account of his being at any time led captive to the power of sin in this kind; and the review of the frame of his spirit, wherein his affections were by delight conformed to any sin, is a matter of sore trouble and deep humiliation to him I am of Austin's mind, De Nup-Concupis. Cap. 8: that it is this perpetrating of sin, and not the actual committing of it, which the Apostle complaineth of Rom. 7. Two things persuade me hereunto. First, That it is the ordinary course and walking of a regenerate man, that Paul describeth in that place; and not his extraordinary falls and failings, under great and extraordinary temptations. This is evident from the whole manner of his discourse, and scope of the place. Now ordinarily, through the grace of God, the Saints do not do outwardly, and Practically, the things they would not; that is, commit sin actually, as to the outward act; but they are ordinarily only swayed to this intanglement, by the baits of sin. Secondly, It is the sole work of Indwelling sin, that the Apostle there describeth, as it is in its self, and not as it is advantaged by other Temptations, in which it carrieth not Believers out to actual sins, as to such accomplishment of them, which is their state in respect of great temptations only. It is then I say the great burden of their souls, that they have been in their affections at any time dealing with the baits of sin, which causeth them to cry out for help, and filleth them with a perpetual self-abhorrency and condemnation.
3. In such surprisalls of sin, although the Affections may be ensnared, and the judgment, and Conscience by their tumultuating, dethroned for a season, yet the Will, still maketh head against sin in Believers, and crieth out, that whether it will or no, it is captived, and violently overborne, calling for relief, like a man surprised by an enemy. There is an active renitency in the Will, against the sin, whose bait is exposed to the Soul, and wherewith it is enticed, allured, or entangled; when of all the faculties of the Soul, if anything be to be done in any act of sin in Unregenerate men, the will is the ringleader. Conscience may grumble, and Judgment may plead, but the Will runneth headlong to it. And thus far have I (by way of digression) proceeded in the difference there is, betwixt Regenerate and Unregenerate men, as to the root and foundation of sin, as also to their ordinary walking: what is farther added by the Apostle, in the two following degrees, in the place mentioned, because thence also may some light be obtained to the business in hand, shall be briefly insisted on.
The next thing in the Progress of sin, is Lusts conceiving. When it hath turned off the heart from its Communion with God, or consideration of its duty, and entangled or hampered the Affections, in delight with the sinful object proposed, prevailing with the soul to dwell with some complacency upon the thoughts of sin, it then falleth to conceiving; that is, it warms, foments, cherisheth thoughts and delights of the sin entertained, until it so far prevail upon the will, (in them in whose wills there is an opposition unto it) that being wearied out with the solicitations of the flesh, it giveth over its power, as to its actual predominant exercise, and sensibly dissenteth not, from the sin whereunto it is tempted. That this may sometimes befall a Regenerate Person, I have granted before, and what is the difference herein betwixt them, and Unregenerate persons, may be collected from what hath been already delivered.
Of the next step of sin, which is, its bringing forth, or the actual accomplishment of the sin so conceived as above expressed, there is the same Reason. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , it bringeth out of its womb, the Child of sin, which it had conceived; it is the actual perpetration of sin formerly consented unto, that is expressed under this Metaphor. I have little to add upon this head, to what was formerly spoken. For,
1. As they are not the sins of daily infirmities that are here intended, in the place of the Apostle under consideration, but such as lie in an immediate tendency unto Death, as to their eminent guilt; as also being the fruit of the hearts conception of sin, by fomenting and warming thoughts of sin, with delight, until consent unto it be prevalent in the soul, so falls of this nature in the Saints, are extraordinary, and always attended with their loss of peace, the weakeneng of their Faith, wounding of their souls, and obnoxiousness, without Repentance unto death. God indeed, hath provided better things for them, but for themselves, they have done their endeavor, to destroy their own souls.
2. That God never suffereth his Saints to fall thus, but it is for the accomplishment of some very glorious end of his, in their afflictions, trials, patience, humiliation, which he will bring about. These ends of God are many and various: I shall not enter into a particular discourse concerning them.
3. That an impenitent continuance in, and under the guilt of such a sin, is a sore sign of an heart, that neither hath, nor ever had any true faith. In others, there is a truth of that of Austin, who affirmed, that he dared say, that it might be good for some, to have fallen into some eminent particular sin, for their humiliation and caution all their days.
4. That this frequent conception of sin, and bringing of it forth, in persons who have been heightened by conviction to a great regularity of walking and conversation, is the means, whereby they do go forth unto that which is mentioned in the last place; which is finishing of sin; that is, so to be brought under the power of it, as to complete the whole work of sin. Now men bring it forth by the temptations, and upon the surprisalls forementioned; but they that come to finish it, or do the work of it, in them it will bring forth death. This I take to be the intendment of that expression, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , sin perfected; The word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , is nowhere used in the New Testament▪ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , & 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , are; there is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which is, not to do any one act which the Law requireth, but to walk studiously, and constantly, according to the rule thereof: and so 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , as the Apostle useth it Philip: 1. 6. where we translate it, as here 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . To perfect the good work, is to walk in the way of Grace, and the Gospel, unto the end. So to perfect sin, is to fulfill the work of sin, and to walk in the way of sin, to be under the dominion and reign of sin so far, as to be carried out in a course of sinning; and this is that alone, which we exempt Believers from; which that they are exempted from, unto all that hath formerly been spoken, I shall add the consideration of one place of Scripture, being turned aside from my thoughts of handling this at large, as the second part of the Doctrine of the Saints Perseverance, the former being grown under my hands, beyond expectation.
Now this place is, the I John 3. 9. Whatsoever is borne of God, doth not commit sin, for his seed remaineth in him, and he cannot sin because he is borne of God. A place of Scripture, that always hath amazed the adversaries of the Doctrine, which hitherto through the Grace of God, we have asserted; being in its self, fully sufficient to captivate every understanding, unto the obedience of its Truth, that is not resolved to cleave to a contrary Conclusion, let what Demonstration soever lie against it. In the defense of the Doctrine under consideration, should we use Expressions of the same importance, with these here used by the Apostle, as we should abundantly satisfy ourselves, that we had delivered our minds and sense, to the understanding of any indifferent Person, with whom we might have to do, so we should by no means, avoid all those imputations of folly and error, that our Doctrine suffereth under, from the men that have entertained an enmity against it, as it is held forth in equivalent expressions by us. The Authority of the Holy Ghost, hath gained thus much upon our Adversaries, that when he asserteth in express, and expressive terms, the very thing, or things that in us are called folly, that evasions should be studied, and pains taken to rack his words, to a sense which they will not bear, rather than plainly to deny his Authority. But let the words, with the scope & tendency be considered. ( • .) The scope & intendment of the Apostle in the place is to give a discriminating character of the Children of God, and the Children of the Devil; thus he fully expresseth himself unto us v. 10. In this (saith he) the Children of God are manifested, and the Children of the Devil, whosoever doth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his Brother. And withal to press on an Exhortation against sin, whereunto he useth the Argument that lieth in the following words. If any one sin that thinketh himself to be borne of God, he deceiveth himself. v. 7. Little children let no man deceive you; he that doth righteousness, is righteous even as he is righteous, He that committeth sin is of the Devil: But how proveth he this? In these words, Whosoever is borne of God sinneth not, doth not, cannot sin. Such is the Genius and Nature of the Children of God, of them that are borne of him, that they do not, they cannot sin. You are persuaded that you are so borne of God, therefore you must press after such a frame, such an ingenie and disposition, such a principle, as that thereby you cannot sin: it must manifest its self to be in you, if you be the Children of God.
Now whereas it is offered by M. Goodwin Cap. 10. Sect: 27. pag. 194. That the context, or scope of the whole place, doth not invite such an Exposition as is usually insisted on, because ( saith he ) the intent and drift of the Apostle from verse 3. even to the end of the Chapter (as he that doth but run the context over may read) is not to show or argue, Whether the sons of God, may possibly in time so degenerate, as to live sinnefully, and die impenitently, but to evince this, that these who claim the great honor & privilege of being the Children of God, cannot justify or make good this claim neither unto others, nor unto themselves: but by an Holy and Christian Life and conversation, now it is one thing to argue, and prove, who are the Sons of God at present; another, whether they who are such at present must of necessity always so continue. The former is the Apostles theme in the Context, the latter he is wholly silent of.
I say, it is evident that the scope of the place, is to evince, that in the Children of God, those that are borne of him, there is such a Principle, Genius, a new nature, as that upon the account thereof, they cannot sin, and therefore that those who have not such principles in them, what ever their pretences be, are not indeed borne of God; and in this he manifesteth, that those who are indeed borne of God, cannot possibly so degenerate, as to fall into total impenitency, so as to become Children of the Devil, which he emphatically affirmeth.
2. He doth indeed declare, that none can make good their Title to be children of God, but those who can justify their claim, by an holy and Christian conversation; but yet moreover, he maketh good the Assertion by this farther discovery which he maketh of their new nature, to be such, as that they cannot sin, or degenerate into a condition of lying under the power of a vain conversation: so that though his intent should not be primarily, to manifest that those who are at present the Children of God, cannot Apostatize, but must so continue; yet it is to confirm their Nature, and Genius, to be such, with the principles which from God they have received, that so it shall be with them, so they shall abide; and to this he is not silent, but eminently expressive.
The Context being thus clear, the words themselves are a Proposition or Thesis, and a Reason for the confirmation of the Truth of that Proposition. The Proposition is ready at hand in the words: He that is borne of God, doth not, cannot commit sin. The Reason of the Proposition confirming the Truth thereof, is twofold; 1. Because he is borne of God; 2. Because, his seed whereof he is so borne remaineth.
The Proposition is universal, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; everyone that is borne of God; whence thes two things insue. 1. The truth of it, hath a necessary cause or causes; Universal Propositions must have so, or they are not true. If that which is their ground may be otherwise, it invalidates their certainty; such then must be the cause of this Assertion of the Apostle.
2. That it compriseth all and everyone that is interested in that which is the cause of the certainty of this universal Assertion or proposition; every on who is borne of God, that hath this seed, be he young or old, weak or strong, wise or foolish, exercised in the ways of God, or newly entered into them, all is one; whosoever is thus interested in the foundation, is equally interested in the inference:
In the proposition it self may be considered, the subject, and what is affirmed of it. The subject is, everyone that is borne of God. That which is affirmed of it, is, sinneth not, cannot sin.
1. For the first viz. the Subject; they are those which are borne of God; and who they are that are so borne of God, the Scripture is clear in; neither is there any difference of importance, as to the intendment of this expression. Those who suppose that Believers of some eminency only are denoted in it, do not consider that all Believers whatever are shares in the Grace intended therein; they are all said to be borne again not of the will of flesh but of God, John 1. 13. For it is ascribed to all Believers on the name of Christ v. 12. He begetteth them all of his own will. James 1. 18. as also 1 Epistle of Peter 1. chapter 23. verse, he is said to beget them, as to quicken them 2. Eph. 11 And they to be borne of him, as they are quickened or raised from the dead. Two things are intimated in this Expression.
1. A new principle, habit or Spiritual Life which such persons have; hence they are said to be borne; as they who are borne in the world are partakers of a vital principle, that is the foundation of all their actions, so have they here a new Life, a new vital principle, by their being borne are they made partakers of it.
2. The divine original of that principle, or life is from God. They have the principle of Life, immediately frō him, & therefore are said to be borne of God, & both these considerations are here used as descriptions of the Subject: & in the close of the Reason of the Proposition, they are insisted on, as the cause of that Effect of not sinning; he sinneth not because he is borne of God; both the nature of the principle it self which in it self is abiding, and the rise or original that it hath from God, have an influence into that causality that is ascribed to it; but about this there can be no great contest.
2. Secondly That which is affirmed of every such person, is, that he committeth not sin. That this Expression is to be attended with its restrictions and limitations is evident, from that contrariety wherein, in its whole latitude it standeth to sundry other Testimonyes in the Book of God; yea in this very Epistle. There is none that doth good and sinneth not, saith Solomon 1 Kings 8. and In many things we sin all saith James in the 3. James 4. And this Apostle putteth all out of question, by convincing the best of Saints, that have communion with the Father and Son, that by saying we have no sin, by a denial of it, we involve ourselves in the guilt of it. If we (we Apostles, we who have fellowship with the Father and the Son,) say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, 1 John 1. 8. ( doth not commit sin then, cannot be taken absolutely for doth not sin at all. ) There is a Synecdoche in the words; and they must be restrained to some kind of sin, or to some manner or degree in, or of sinning. Some say he doth not, cannot sin, is, they do not commit sin with delight, not deliberately and with their full and whole will, without reluctancy and opposition in their wills unto sin; (which reluctancy is at a vast distance, from the reluctancy that is raised in wicked men from the convictions of their Concience and judgment,) which sense is canvassed by M. Goodwin to no advantage at all Sect. 25. For in the way and manner formerly explained, this may well take place. Committeth not sin then, is, doth not so commit sin as that sin should reign in him spoken of and prevail with him to death: There is an Emphasis and intention in the words; Committeth not sin; that is, doth not so commit it, as to be given up to the power of it; he doth not commit sin in such a way as to be separated from communion with God thereby; which is only done when sin taketh the Rule or reign in any Person.
This Exposition M. Goodwin saith, if it can be made to stand upright, will bear the weight of the whole cause depending alone, but as it is, it argueth weakness to determine for our own sense, in a Controversy or Question, without giving a very substantial Reason for the Exposition. I doubt if M. Goodwin's discourses in this Treatise, were to be tried by this Rule, a man might upon very substantial grounds & reasons call many of his assertions into Controversy; & because he addeth that such is his hard hap he can meet with no reasons at all, I must needs question whether he made any diligent search or no, to this purpose shall supply him with one, or two, that lie hard at hand.
This then to be the intendment of the words is evident.
1. From the scope of the place and aim of the Apostle therein: This is to distinguish (as was said) betwixt the Children of God and of the Devil. The children of the Devil commit sin v. 8. He that committeth sin is of the Devil, as he giveth an instance of one that did so sin, v. 12. Cain (saith he) was of the Devil, he was of that wicked one and he committeth sin. How did Cain commit sin? impenitently, to death, that is the committing of sin which is ascribed to them that are of the Devil, of the wicked one; Now (saith he whosoever is borne of God doth not commit sin; that is, he doth not so commit sin as the Children of the Devil that wicked one do; He sins not to death with impenitency.
2. The same Apostle doth most eminently clear his own intendment in this expression Chap: 5. v: 17, 18. of this Epistle, All unrighteousness is sin there is a sin not unto death, we know that whosoever is borne of God, sinneth not, but he that is begotten of God, keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not. That expression v. 18. Sineth not, standeth in opposition to the sin mentioned v. 17. Sin unto death: there is a sin unto death; but he that is borne of God sinneth not unto death; So that both the context and the Exposition of the words, given in a parrallell place, affordeth us the sense insisted on.
Three reasons are tendered by Mr Goodwin against this exposition, and many more (saith he) are at hand, which it seems he is willing to spare for another season. Of those that he is pleased to use, I have already considered that which is of the chiefest importance, being taken from the scope of the place. It hath been already declared, not only that the sense by him urged, is not suitable to the intendment of the Holy Ghost, and that M. G. is not a little mistaken in his Analysis of the Chapter, but that the exposition insisted on by us, is from thence enforced.
1. His other reasons are, First, That the Grammar or letter of the Phrase breatheth not the least air of such a sense.
Ans. That the Expression is Synecdochicall was before affirmed, what it importeth under the power of that figure, is the Grammatical sense of the words. To the Grammatical regularity, and signification of them, doth their figurativenesse belong. Let the words be restrained, as the figure requireth, and the sense is most proper, as was signified.
2. But Secondly, saith he, The Phrase of committing sin, is nowhere in the Scripture found in such a sense, as to sin with final impenitency or to sin to death.
Ans. The contrary hath been demonstrated. The same phrase necessarily importeth no less. v. 8. of this Chapter, and an equivalent expression beyond all contradiction intending the same, Chap: 5. 17, 18. Besides a Phrase may be so circumstantiated, as to be in one, only place, restrained to a sense, which it doth not elsewhere necessarily import. So that notwithstanding these Exceptions, the Exposition of the words is clear, as before given in. And yet this is all M. G. produceth as his ground, and foundation, whereon to stand in denying ths proposition, he that is borne of God sinneth not, that is, falleth not under the power of reigning sin, sinneth not to death as the Children of the wicked one, which I shall leave under that consideration wherewith it is educed from the scope of the Text, and the parallel place of Chap. 5. 16, 17. The truth is there is not much need to contend about this expression, M. G. granting that the intendment of it is, that such as are borne of God do not walk ordinarily & customarily in any ways of known sin Sect: 28. Which (as he saith) is the import of that Phrase 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , (the contrary whereof might yet be easily evinced) he maketh no trade or occupation of sinning, that is, he doth not sin in an inconsistency of communion with God, in the Covenant of his Grace. Now in this sense he granteth this Proposition, he that is borne of God sinneth not, i. e. ordinarily or customarily, that is so as not to be accepted of God: that is, no Believer sinneth at such a rate as not to be accepted with God. Add now hereunto the ground & reason of this Assertion, viz. His being borne of God, & the abiding of the seed in him, & we have obtained all that we desire to evince from this place. Because such an one is borne of God, (which is a Reason which holdeth good to Eternity being an act irrevocably past) and because the seed abideth in him, he cannot sin ordinarlly or customarily: which kind of sinning alone (as is supposed) can eject the abiding seed; that is, he sinneth not beyond the rate of sins of infirmity, nor in any such way as should render him uncapable of communion or acceptance with God.
The Apostle nextly advanceth farther with his design and saith, He that is borne of God cannot sin: that is, That sin which he sinneth not, he cannot sin; He cannot fall under the power of reigning sin unto death. I confess the words can & cannot, are variously used in the Scriptures; some kind of impossibility in one respect or other (for things may be in some regard impossible, that are not so absolutely) it always denoteth. The whole of the variety in this kind, may be referred to two heads.
1. That which is morally impossible. Of that it is said, that it cannot be done 2 Cor. 13. 8. Saith Paul, we can do nothing against the Truth. And Acts 4. 20. Say the Apostles, we cannot but speak the things we have seen and heard. It was morally impossible that ever anything should have been done by Paul against the truth; or that the Apostles having received the Spirit should not speak what they had seen and heard of Christ. And of many things that are thus morally impossible, there are most certain and determinate causes, as to make the thing so impossible as in respect of the event, to be absolutely impossible. It is morally impossible that the Devil should do that which is Spiritually good, and yet absolutely impossible. There is more in many a thing that is morally impossible than a mere opposition to Justice; as we say Illud possumus quod jure possumus. The causes of moral impossibility may be such, as to tie up the thing which it relateth unto, in an everlasting nonfu • urition. There is also
2. An impossibility that is Physical, from the nature of the things themselves. So Jerem. 13. 23. %Can the Aethyopian change his skin? that is, He cannot. Mat. 7. 18. %A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can an evil tree bring forth good fruit. That is, nothing can act contrary to its own natural principles: And as we shall see afterwards, there is of this impossibility in the [ cannot ] here mentioned. They cannot do it, upon the account of the new Spiritual nature wherewith they are endued.
Now there may be a third kind of impossibility in Spiritual things, arising from both these, which One hath not ineptly called Ethico-physical, or morally-natural, partaking of the nature of both the other. It is moral because it relateth to duty, what is to be done or not to be done. And it is Physical because it relateth to a cause or principle that can, or cannot produce the effect. So our Savior telleth the Pharisees; How can ye being evil, speak good things. Or ye cannot Mat. 12. 34. %You cannot hear my words John 8. 43. It was morally impossible they should either speak or hear, that is, either believe or do that which is Spiritually good, having no principles that should enable them thereunto, having no root that should bear up unto fruit; being evil trees in themselves, and having a principle, a root continually, universally, uninterruptedly, inclining, and disposing them another way, to acts of a quite contrary nature. Of this kind is that impossibility here intimated. The effect denied is morally impossible, upon the account of the internal Physical cause hindering of it.
However then the word in the Scripture may be variously taken, yet here it is from adjacent circumstances, evidently restrained to such a signification as in respect of the event, absolutely rejecteth the thing denied. The gradation of the Apostle also leadeth us to it. He sinneth not, nay, he cannot sin: He cannot sin, riseth in the Assertion of that before expressed He sinneth not: which absolutely rejecteth the gloss that some seek to put upon the words, namely, that cannot sin is no more but cannot sin easily: and cannot sin but as it were with difficulty, such is the Antipathy & habitual opposition which they have to sin, which Mr Goodwin adhereth unto: For besides,
That this is in it self false, there being no such Antipathie in any to sin, but that they may easily fall into it, yea and with great difficulty and labor do restrain from it, as the Apostle argueth at large Rom. 7: So is it also flatly contradictory to the words themselves: the Apostle saith, He that is borne of God sinneth not; cannot sin; He can sin (saith this Gloss) though difficultly; now he that can sin difficultly, can sin: can sin, and cannot sin, are flatly contradictory; He cannot then sin at all, the sin that is intended in the place, of whom it is said he cannot sin.
Thus we have cleared the first Proposition in the words, both as to the Subject, everyone that is borne of God; and the Predicate, sinneth not, cannot sin, Which last expression, taken in its only proper and most usual signification, denoteth an Impossibility of the event, & plainly confirmeth in direct terms the position we insist on from the words.
Mr Goodwin knoweth not well, (If I am able to gather anything of his thoughts, from his expressions to the Argument in hand,) what to say to this Assertion of the Apostles. The Argument he intendeth to deal withal from the place he casteth into this form, He that sinneth not neither can sin, cannot fall away, whosoever is borne of God sinneth not, neither can sin: Ergo,
Comming to the consideration of that expression [ cannot sin ] he findeth out, as he supposeth, four several acceptations in the Scripture, of the word [ cannot ] & giveth us an account of his thoughts upon the consideration of thē, that in respect of these senses both Propositions are false. Now one of the Propositions being the express language & literal Expression of the Holy Ghost, not varied in the least, there is no way to relieve himself, from being thought and conceived to give the lie to the Blessed Spirit of God, by flatly denying what he peremptorily affirmeth, but only by denying the word [ cannot ] to be taken in this place, in any of the senses before mentioned; Doth he then fixe on this course for his own extrication? Doth he give in another sense of the word, which he accepts and grants that in that sense the affirmation of the Holy Ghost may be true? Not in the least? Yea plainly for one of the senses he supposeth himself to have found out of the word [ cannot ] viz. That it is said of men, they cannot do such or such a thing, because of their averseness and indisposition to it, which he exemplifyeth in that of Christ to the Pharisees John 8. 43. He afterwards more than intimateth, that this is the sense, wherein the words cannot sin are in this place to be taken. Sect. 34. So that he will not allow the Holy Ghost to speak the truth, although he take his words in what sense he pleaseth. Yea and adding a fifth sense, Sect. 31. Which is all it seemeth he could find out, (for we hear not of anymore) he denieth that to be the meaning of the place, and so shutteth up the mind of the Holy Ghost into some of those significations, wherein if the words be taken (he saith) they are false. The Discourse of Mr Goodwin Sect. 28, 29, 30. (being taken up with the Consideration of the various significations of the word [ cannot ] and his inferences thereon; taking it in this place, this way or that way, then it is so or so, showing himself very skillful at fencing & warding off the force of our Arguments, as perhaps his thoughts of himself were upon a review of what he had done) we are not concerned in. And though it were very easy to mnifest that in the distribution of his instances, for the exemplification of the several significations which in part he feigneth, and fasteneth upon the words, he hath been overtaken with many gross mistakes, some of them occasioned by other corrupt principles than those now under consideration, yet none of the senses insisted on by him, coming really up to the intendment of the Holy Ghost without any disadvantage to our cause in hand, being wholly inconcerned therein, we may pass by that whole Harangue.
That which looketh towards the Argument under Consideration, appeareth first in Sect. 31. which he thus proposeth: If the said Argument understandeth the Phrase [cannot sin] according to the fifth and last import mentioned of the word [cannot] wherein it soundeth an utter and absolute incapacity and impossibility, then in this sense the major Proposition is granted: viz. He that doth not, nor can sin cannot fall away from his Faith: yet the minor is tardy which saith, Whosoeoer is borne of God sinneth not, neither can sin; for he that is borne of God is in no such incapacity of sinning; of sinning I mean in the sense formerly asserted to the Scripture in hand, which amounteth to an absolute impossibility for him so to sin.
Ans. Because this seemeth to be the sense intended in the Argument, and the minor Proposition in this sense to be built upon the Scripture in hand, let us consider whether the Reason which is assigned for the said Assertion, doth necessarily enforce such a sense thereon. What we understand by this Phrase both as to that sin that is here intended, and that impossibility of committing it, or falling into it often, in that expression [ cannot ] hath been before discovered. An impossibility it is of the event, from the causes above mentioned that the holy Ghost intendeth. An utter, and absolute incapacity to sin, on any account, we assert not; An impossibility of so sinning, in respect of the event, for the reasons and from the causes above mentioned, the holy Ghost averreth. In this sense the first Proposition is granted, He that doth not commit sin nor can sin, cannot fall away from his Faith, or cannot utterly loose it. The Minor which is the express language of the holy Ghost is questioned and found tardy, that is, (as I suppose) false: and the Reason is added namely, that he that is borne of God is in no such incapacity of sinning; that is, of sinning in that kind of sinning which is here intended, which amounteth to an impossibility for him so to sin: Not to play fast and loose, under those ambiguos expressions of incapacity and absolute impossibility, the Event is positively denied upon the account of the prohibiting causes of it, and the incapacity asserted, relateth not to the internal frame and principle only, but respecteth also other Considerations. Whether these are such as to bear the weight of this Exposition, is that which cometh nextly to be discussed. viz. The causes of this state and condition, of those who are thus borne of God, and the Reasons investing that universal Proposition, everyone that is borne of God cannot sin: with a necessary truth.
In the Reasons added of the former affirmation, there is an emphatical distribution of the two parts of the predicate of the former Proposition, by the way of ascending to a more vehement confirmation of them. He that is borne of God sinneth not, But why so? His seed remaineth: neither can be sin, why so? because he is borne of God. It is an expressive pursuit of the same thing; and not a redoubling of the Proposition; And this contexture of the Words, is so emphatically significant, that it seemeth strange how any head of opposition can be made against it; There is no reason then to resolve the words into two Propositions, of distinct consideration, each from other; it being one and the same thing, that the Apostle intendeth to express, though proceeding to heighten the certainty of the thing, in the minds of them to whom he delivered it, by the contexture of the words which he maketh use of. What is meant, or intended by the seed of God, we need not dispute; the Argument of the Apostle, lieth not in the words ( seed of God ) nor in the word ( abideth ) but in the whole, The seed of God abideth; and therefore it were to no purpose at all, to follow M. Goodwin in his considerations of the word Seed, and then of the seed of God, and then, of the word ( abideth ) divided one from another. The sum of his long answer is, The word (Seed) doth not import any such thing as is aimed at from the Text; nor the word ( abide: ) but to the whole proposition, the seed of God abideth in him, as produced to confirm the former assertion of the not sinning of the Persons spoken of, there is nothing spoken at all; I shall therefore briefly confirm the Argument in hand, by the strength here communicated unto it, by the Holy Ghost, and then consider what is answered to any part of it, or objected to the interpretation insisted on. That he, that sinneth not, neither can sin, in the sense explained, shall never fall away totally or finally from God, is granted. That Believers sin not, nor can sin, so, or in the manner mentioned, besides the Testimony of the Holy Ghost, worthy of all acceptation, in the clear assertion of it, we have the Reason thereof manifested, in the discovery of the causes of its truth. The first Reason is, Because the seed of God abideth in them. A tacit grant seemeth to be made; that fruit sometimes may not visibly appear upon them, as the case is with a Tree in winter, when it casts its leaves: but its seed remaineth. Grace may abide in the habit, in, and under a winter of Temptation, though it doth not exert its self in bearing any such actual fruit, as may be ordinarily visible. The Word of God is sometimes called seed incorruptible; seed causatively, as being an instrument in the hand of God, whereby he planteth the seed of Life and holiness in the heart; That it is not the outward word, but that which is produced, and effected by it, through the efficacy of the Spirit of God, that is by seed intended, is evident from the use and nature of it. And it is abiding in the Person in whom it is. Whatever it is; it is called seed, not in respect of that from whence it cometh, as is the cause and Reason of that appellation of other seed, but in respect of that which it produceth, which ariseth and ensueth upon it: and it is called the seed of God, because God useth it for the Regeneration of his. Being from God, being the principle of the Regeneration of them in whom it is, abiding in them even when it hath brought forth fruit, and continuing so to do, it can be no other but the New Creature, New Nature, inward Man, new principle of Life, or habit of Grace, that is bestowed upon all Believers, whence they are Regenerate, quickened, or borne again, of which we have spoken before.
This seed (saith the Holy Ghost) abideth, or remaineth in him. Whatever falling or withering He may seem to have, or hath, this seed, the seed of God remaineth in him. The principle of his new life abideth, some exceptions are made as we shall see afterwards, to the signification of the word ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) remaineth, and instances given where it signifieth for to be, and denoteth the essence of a thing not its duration. That to abide, or remain is the proper signification of the word, I suppose will not be questioned. That it may in some place be used in another sense, is not dispuited. All that lieth under consideration here, is, whether the word in this place be used properly according to its genuine and first signification, or no? It supposeth indeed ( to be ) also; but properly signifieth only to abide or remain. Now if nothing can be advanced from the Text, ot context, from the matter treated on, or the parallel significancy of some expression that is in conjunction with it, that should enforce us to carry it from its proper use and signification, the instancing of other places, if any such be, wherein it is restrained to denote being, and not duration, is altogether impertinent to the business in hand. When an Argument is urged from any place of Scripture, to pick out any word in the Text, and to manifest that it hath been used improperly, in some other place, and therefore must be so in that, is a procedure so far from an ingenious Answer, that it will scarce pass for a tolerable shift or evasion. To remain then, or to abide, is the proper signification of this word, & nothing is in the least offered to manifest that it must necessarily in this place be diverted from its proper use.
According to the import of the word, the seed of God remaineth in Believers; now that remaining of the seed, is the cause of their not sinning that sin, or in that manner, as the Apostle here denieth them to be liable to sin. For that is the Reason he giveth why they cannot sin, even because the seed of God remaineth in them. Mr Goodwin granteth, that this seed remaineth in Believers always, unless they sin by a total defection from God. Of not sinning the sin of total de • ection from God, the remaining or abiding of this seed is the cause. Whilst that abideth, they cannot sin, that sin, for it is an unquestionable cause & uncontrouleable of their not so doing. This seed therefore must be utterly lost, and taken away, before any such sin can be committed. Now if the seed cannot be lost, without the commission of the sin which cannot be committed till it be lost, neither can the seed be lost, nor the sin becommited. The same thing cannot be before, and after its self, He that cannot go sucha journey, unless he have such a horse, & cannot have such a horse unless he go such a journey, is like to stay at home. In what sense the words [ cannot sin ] are to be taken, was before declared. That there are sins innumerable, whereinto men may fall notwithstanding this seed, is confessed. Under them all, this seed abideth; so it would not do under that which we cannot sin, because it abideth; but because it abideth, that sin cannot be committed.
The latter part of the Reason of the Apostles assertion, is, for he is borne of God; which is indeed a driving on the former to its head, and fountain▪ What it is to be borne of God we need not dispute. It was sufficiently discovered in the mention that was made before of the seed of God. God by his Holy Spirit bestowing on us a new Spiritual Life which by nature we have not, and in respect of whose want we are said to be dead, is frequently said to beget us, James 1. 14. And we are said to be borne of God. He is the Sovereign disposer, dispenser, and supreme fountain of that Life, which is so bestowed on us, which we are begotten again unto, and are borne with, and by; And Jesus Christ the Mediator, is also said to have this Life in himself, Joh: 5. because he hath received the spirit of the father, to give to his, for their quickening; who taketh of his, and thereby begeteth them a new. And this Life which Believers thus receive, and whereby indeed radically they become Believers, is everywhere in Scripture noted as Permanent and abiding. In respect of the original of it, it is said to be from above, from Heaven, of the will of God, of God; As to its principle, to be not of flesh, or blood, or of the will of man, or of anything done by us, but of the seed of God, incorruptible seed, seed that abideth; in respect of its duration to be eternal, and that it may so be, to be safeguarded, being hid in God with Christ. In this place Receiving this Life from God, is placed as the cause; and cannot sin, as the effect. He cannot sin, for, or because he is borne of God. The connection that is between this cause and effect, or wherein the causality of Being borne of God to a not sinning doth consist, needs not be inquired into. That it hath such a causality, the holy Ghost hath asserted, and our Argument resteth thereon. If that be the nature of Regeneration, or being borne of God that it doth exclude Apostasy, then he that is Regenerate, or borne of God, as every Believer is, cannot so sin as to Apostatize, or fall totally from God: But that such is the nature of Regeneration whereby any one is borne of God, the holy Ghost here declareth; For he denieth Apostasy upon the account of Regeneration; He cannot sin because he is borne of God, which is that which we intended to demonstrate from this text of Scripture.
To evade the force of this Argument, M. Goodwin (as hath been declared) undertaketh to give an Exposition of this place of Scripture, turning every stone, and laboring to wrest every word in it. The several significations of the words in other places are set out, and suppositions made of taking them this way, or that way: but in what sense the scope of the matter treated on, the most usual known common acceptations, call for their Use, in this place, nothing is spoken: neither is any clear Answer once attempted to be given to the words of the Text, speaking out, and home, to the conclusion we intend: or to the Argument thence deduced. What I can gather up from Sect. 31. and forwards, that may obstruct the thoughts of any, in closing with the Interpretation given, I shall consider, and remove out of the way. 1. Then, he giveth you this Interpretation of these words sineth not, or cannot sin: Every one that hath been borne of God (sinneth not) i. e. Whosoever hath by the Word and Spirit of God been made partaker of the Divine nature, so as to resemble God in the frame and constitution of his heart and soul, doth not under such a frame, or change of heart as this make a trade or practice of sinning, or walking in any course of inordinateness in the world. Yea (saith he) in the latter Proposition every such person doth not only or simply refrain sinning in such a sense, but he cannot sin; (i. e.) He hath a strong and potent disposition in him which carrieth him another way, for he hath a strong Antipathy or averseness of heart and soul against all sin, especially all such kind of sinning.
Ans. 1. What is meant by being borne of God, the way whereby any come so to be, the Universality of the expression requiring a necessary cause of its verity, with the like attendencies of the Proposition have been before declared.
2. What M. Goodwin intendeth by such a frame and constitution of spirit and soul, as may resemble God, with his denial of the bestowing on us from God a vital principle of Grace, wherein the Renovation in us, of his image should consist, hath in part also been already discovered, & will yet farther be so, in our consideration of his rare notion of Regeneration, & its consisting in a man's returnall to the innocent and harmless estate, wherein he was borne.
3. That ( sinneth not ) is sinneth not that sin, or so sinneth, not as to break his Relation to God as a child, hath been already also manifested, and the Reader is not to be burdened with Repetition.
4. In the interpretation given of the latter phrase he cannot sin, I cannot so sin against the light of the Text, as to join with M. Goodwin in it: It is not the Antipathie of his heart to sin, but the Course of his walking with God, in respect of sin, that the Apostle treateth on. His internal principaling against sin, he hath, from being borne of God, and the abiding of his seed in him, of which this, that he cannot sin, is asserted as the effect. He cannot sin, that is, he cannot so sin, upon the account of his being borne of God. (Thence indeed he hath not only a potent disposition another way, and Antipathie to evil, but a vital principle, with an everlasting enmity, and repugnancy to, and inconsistency with any such sin, or sinning as is intimated,) and that he cannot sin, is the consequent and effect thereof, and is so affirmed to be by the Holy Ghost.
Nextly, M. Goodwin giveth you the Reason of this Assertion used by the Apostle, why such an one, as of whom he speaketh, sinneth not, and cannot sin. Now the Reason saith the Apostle, why such a person committeth not sin in the sense explained, is because his seed, the seed of God, by whom, of which, he was borne of him, remaineth in him, ( i. e. ) is, or hath an actual and present being, or residence in him: and that in this place it doth not signify any perpetual abiding, or any abiding in relation to the future, is evident: because the abiding of the seed here spoken of, is given as the Reason, why he that is borne of God, doth not commit sin, ( i. e. ) doth not frequently walk in any course of known sin; now nothing in respect of any future permanency, or continuance of being, can be looked upon as the cause of an effect, but only in respect of the present being or residence of it. The Reason why the soul moveth today, is not because it will move, or act the body tomorrow or because it is in the body today, upon such terms, that it will be in it tomorrow also, much less because it is an immortal substance; but simply because it is now or this day in the body. So the Reason why Angels at this day do the will of God, is not because they have such a principle of holiness, or Obedience in them, which they cannot put off, or loose to eternity, but because of such a principle as we speak of, residing in them at present: therefore when John assigneth the remaining of the seed of God in him that is borne of him, for the reason why he doth not commit sin, certain it is that by this remaining of the seed he meaneth nothing else but the present residence or abode thereof in this Person; and if his intent had been either to assert, or imply a perpetual residence of this seed, in him, that is borne of God, it had been much more proper for him to have saved it for a reason of the latter proposition, [he that is borne of God cannot sin] then to have subjoined it as a reason of the former; for though the future continuance of the thing in being, can be no reason of the effect present, yet it will be a ground or reason of the continuance of a present effect.
Ans: I have thus at large transcribed this discourse, because it is the sum of what Mr Goodwin, hath to offer for the weakening of our Argument from this place, of what weight this is, will quickly appear. For
1. This Reason (the seed abideth in him) though brought in illatively, in respect of what was said before, [ he doth not commit sin ] yet hath its causal influence chiefly into that which followeth, he cannot sin. To make good what was first spoken, of his not committing sin that is borne of God, the Apostle discovereth the cause of it, which so far secureth the truth of that expression, as that it causeth it to ascend, and call them up higher, to a certain impossibility of doing of that which was only at first simply denied. Neither is this Assertion the seed of God abideth in him, any otherwise a Reason of the first Assertion He committeth not sin, than as it is the cause of the latter He cannot sin. Now Mr Goodwin granteth in the close of his Discourse, that the future continuance of a thing in being, is, or may be the cause of the continuance of an effect which at present it produceth; and what Mr Goodwin may more curiously discover of the intent of the Apostle, his words plainly assert the continuance and abode of the seed of God in them in whom it is; and using it as he doth, for a reason of the latter cla • se of that Proposition [ He cannot sin ] he speaketh properly enough, so great a Master (of one language at least) as Mr Goodwin being judge.
2. The Reason insisted on by the Apostle, is neither from the word [ seed ] nor from the word [ abideth ] nor from the nature of the seed simply conside • ed, nor from its permanency and continuance [the seed abideth;] So that it is no exception to the intendment of the Apostle, to assert the abiding of the seed, not to be a sufficient cause of the Proposition, because its abiding or permanencie is not a cause of present not sinning, for it is not asserted that it is. His present not sinning in whom it is, is from God, his being borne of God by the seeds, his continuance and estate of not sinning, (both which are intended) is from the abiding of the seed. The whole condition of The Person, that He sinneth not, neither can sin, (which te • mes regard his continued estate) is from the whole Proposition, The seed of God abideth in him. Separate the permanency of the seed, which is asserted in the consideration of it, and it respects only, and solely, the continuance of the effect which is produced by it as seed, or of the estate wherein any one is placed, by being borne of God. All that Mr Goodwin hath to offer in this case, is, that the abiding of the seed, is so asserted to be the Reason of that part of the Proposition He commits not sin, as not to be the cause 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ( he cannot sin. ) When the abiding of the seed, singly considered is not used as any reason at all of the first, nor in the proposition as it lieth, the seed abideth any otherwise, but as it is the cause of the latter, (he cannot sin).
3. Even the expression [he committeth not sin,] denoteth not only the present actual frame, and walking, of him of whom it is spoken, but his estate and condition: being once borne of God he committeth not sin; no one that is so borne of God doth; none in the state & condition of a Regenerate Person doth so; that is, in his course and walking to the end; and this is argued not so much distinctly to the permanencie of the seed, as from the seed with such an Adjunct.
4. Mr Goodwin 's Allusions, to the soul, and the Obedience of Angels, are of little use, or none at all to the illustration of the business in hand. For though the Reason why the soul moveth the body today, is not because it will move it tomorrow, yet the reason why the body moveth, and cannot but do so, is because it hath the Soul abiding in it, and he that shall say, he that liveth moveth, for he hath a soul abiding in him, and cannot but move, shall speak properly enough. And the reason why the Angels do the will of God in Heaven, that is, actually continue in so doing is, because they have such a confirmed & uncontrollable principle of Obedience: So that all these Exceptions amount not to the least weakening of the Apostles Arguments.
Sect. 32. Our Author giveth two instances to prove that the word [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ] in the Scripture, signifieth sometime only to be, & not to abide, and they are the one, John 14. And the other 1 John 3. 14. And one Argument, to manifest that in the place under Consideration, it must needs signify a present abode and being, and not a continuance &c.
Ans. 1. If any such places befound, yet it is confessed that it is an unusual sense of the word, and a thousand places of that kind, will not enforce it to be so taken in another place, unless the circumstances of it, and matter whereabout it treateth, enforce that sense, and will not bear that which is proper.
2. M. G. doth not make it good by the instances he produceth that the word is tied up in any place, to denote precisely only the being of a thing, without relation to its abiding and continuance Of the one John 14. 17. %But ye know him because he remaineth with you, & shall be in you: (saith he) the latter clause [shall be in you] will be found a mere Tautologie, if the other phrase [abideth with you] importetha perpetual residence or inbeing.
But that this phrase [ abideth with you ] importeth the same with the phrase in the foregoing verse, where it is clearly expounded by the addition of the term forever (that he may abide with you forever) I suppose cannot be questioned. Nor
2. Is there any the least appearance of a Tautology in the words. His remaining with Believers, being the thing promised, and his inbeing, the manner of his abode with them. Also the 1 John 14. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , doth not simply denote an Estate or Condition, but an estate or condition in its nature, without the interposition of Almighty Grace, abiding, and permanent: so that neither have we yet any instance of restraining the significancy of the word, as pretended, produced: nor if any place could be so, would it in the least enforce that Acceptation of the word in this place contended about. Wherefore M. Goodwin (as I said) addeth an Argument, to evince that the word must necessarily be taken in the sense by him insisted on in this place, which is indeed a course to the purpose, if his Argument prove so in any measure; It is this. Because such a signification of it, would render the sense altogether inconsistent with the scope of the Apostle, which is to exhort Christians unto righteousness and Love of the brethren, now it is contrary to common sense its self, to signify unto those whom we persuade to any duty, any such thing, which imports an absolute certainty, or necessity of their doing it, whether they take care, or use any means for the doing of it or no: and a clear case it is, that the certainty of a perpetual remaining of the seed of God, in those that are borne of him, importeth a like certainty of their perpetual performance of that duty, whereunto they are exhorted.
Ans. If this be all it might have been spared. The Argument consisteth of two parts. 1. An aspersion of the infinite wisdom of God, with a procedure contrary to all Reason, and common sense. 2. A begging of the thing in question, betwixt its Author, and its Adversaries. That there is anything at all in the Text, even according to our Interpretation of it, that importeth an absolute necessity of men's doing anything, whether they take care to use the means of doing it or no, the Reader must judge. The abiding of the Seed, is that we say, which shall effectually cause them, in whom it is, to use the means of not sinning, that eventually they may not do so; and that a certainty of the use of means, is imported, is no Argument to prove, that their necessity of Persevering is proved, whether they use means yea or no. To take care, to use means, is amongst the means appointed to be used, and this they shall do, upon the account of the abiding seed. That indeed which is opposed, is, that God cannot promise to work effectually in us by the use of means, for the accomplishment of an appointed end, but that withal rendereth useless and vain, all his exhortations to us to use those means. This is M. Goodwin's Argument from the place it self, to enforce that improper Acceptation of the word remaineth in us.
What remaineth of M. Goodwin's long discourse upon this Text of Scripture, is but a fencing with himself, and raising of Objections, and Answering them, suitably to his own principles, wherein we are not in the least concerned. There is not anything, from the beginning to the end of it, that tendeth to impeach our Interpretation of the place, or impede the progress of our Argument, but only a flourish set upon his own Exposition, which if he were desired to give in briefly, and in terms of a plain downeright significancy, I am verily persuaded, he would be hardly put to it, to let us know what his mind, and conceptions of this place of Scripture are. But of this subject, and in Answer to his Fifth Argument, with this Chapter, this is the issue.
CAP. XVI.
1. M. G's seventh Argument about the tendency of the Doctrine of the Saints Aposlas • as to their consolation proposed. 2. Considered: what that doctrine offereth for the consolation of the Saints, offered: the impossibility of its affording the least true consolation manifested. 3. The influence of the Doctrine of the Saints Perseverance into their consolation. 4. The medium whereby M. G. confirms his Argument examined: what kind of Nurse for the Peace and consolation of the Saints, the Doctrine of Apostasy is; whether their obedience be farthered by it: what are the causes and springs of true consolation. 5. M. G. Eight Argument proposed to consideration. 6. Answer thereunto: the minor Proposition considered: the Holy Ghost not afraid of the Saints miscarriages. 7. The confirmation of his Minor Proposition proposed and considered. 8. The Discourse assigned to the Holy Ghost by M. G. according to our principles: 9. Considered: 10. Exceptions against it, the First: 11. The Second. 12. The Third. 13. The Fourth. 14. The Fifth. 15. The Sixth. 16. The Seaventh. 17. The foundation of M.G. Pageant everted. 18. The proceedings of the Holy Ghost in exhortations according to our principles: 19. Sophismes in the former discourse farther discovered. 20. His farther plea in this case proposed: 21. Considered: 22. The instance of Christ and his obedience considered, and vindicated as to the application of it, to the business in hand. 23. M.G. last Argument proposed. 24. Examined. 25. 1 John▪ 2. 19. explained. 26. Vindicated. 27. Argument from thence for the Perseverance of the Saints. 28. M.G. exceptions thereunto. 29. Considered; and 30. Removed. 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37. The same words farther perused. 38. M.G. Consent with the Remonstrants manifested by his trascriptions from their Synodalia. 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47. Our Argument from 1 John. 2. 19. fully cleared. 48. The conclusion of the examination of M. G. Arguments for the Apostasy of the Saints.
T HE seventh Argument which Mr Goodwin insisteth upon, in the 36. Section of his 13. Chapter contains one of the greatest Rarities, he hath to show in the whole pack, concerning the influence of the Doctrine of the Saints Apostasy into their Consolation in their walking with God, an undertaking so uncapable of any Logical Confirmation, as that though Mr Goodwin interweave his Discourse concerning it with a Syllogism, yet he quickly leaves that thorney path, and pursues it only with a Rhetorical flourish of words, found out and set in order to deceive; At the head then of his Discourse he placeth this Argument as it is called.
That Doctrine whose genuine and proper tendency is to advance the peace and joy of the Saints in Believing, is of a natural sympathy, with the Gospel, and upon this account a truth; such is the Doctrine, which informeth the Saints of a possibility of their total and final falling away: Ergo.
The Proposition of this syllogism he supposes we will grant, and (not to trouble the Reader with the Qualifications, and limitations formerly annexed, to that which proposed the furtherance of the obedience of the Saints, as a proof of the truth of any Doctrine) for my part I do. For the proof of the Assumption wherein alone Mr Goodwin 's interest in this Argument doth lie, He refers us to his 9. Chapter: where, as he tells us, (if we may believe him) he hath undeniably demonstrated the truth of it. But we have considered whatever looks that way in that Chapter, and have found it all as Chaff and stubble, before the breath of the Spirit of the Lord in the Word. That which lies upon his shoulders, to support; (A burden too heavy for him to bear) & whose demonstration he hath undertaken is, that it tends to the Peace, Joy, & Consolation of the Saints of God, in their walking with him (which arises from, and solely depends upon that assurance they have of their eternal fruition of him through Christ) to be instructed, that indeed they are in themselves weak, unable to do anything as they ought, that they have no strength to continue in the Mercy of God, but carry about with them a body of death, and that they are continually exposed to a world of Temptations, whereby many strong men fall down, thrust through and are slain every day, and that in this condition there is no consideration of the Immutability or Vnchangeablenesse of God, that may secure them of the continuance of his Love to them, no eternal purpose of his that he will preserve them, & keep them, through his power, no Promise of not leaving them, or of giving them such supplies of his Spirit and Grace that they shall never forsake, nor leave him, nothing in the Covenant, or Oath of God whereby it is confirmed, to Assure them of an Abiding, and a not-to-be destroyed communion with him, that Christ by his death and oblation hath not so taken away the guilt of their sins, nor laid such a sure foundation, for the destruction of the power of them, as that they shall not arise either way to their ruin: That he intercedes not for their Preservation in Faith and Holiness, upon the account of which state and condition, of things, many of the most eminent Saints that ever served God in this world, have utterly fallen out of his Love and Favor, and have been cast out of covenant from whence though perhaps some few have been recovered, yet for the greatest part of them, have perished everlastingly (as is the state in reference unto many in every Generation,) only such may do well to consider what a fearful & desperate issue, their Apostasy will have, if they should so fall, and what an eminent reward, with what Glory is proposed to them if they persevere. That I say the instruction of the Saints, in this Doctrine, is a singular means of promoting their Consolation and establishing their peace, is that which (doubtless with undervaluing thoughts of all with whom he hath to do) he hath undertaken to prove. I doubt not but that Mr Goodwin thought sometimes of the good old Rule, sumite materiam vestris qui scribitis aequam viribus & versare di • quid ferre recusent, quid veleant humori. Self-confidence is hereby settled and fixed with considerations: & though M. G. in the close of this Section, tells us, That sundry Godly and seriously Religious persons, when they heard this Doctrine published which he now asserts, with their wbole hearts blessed God for it: Yet truly I cannot but question whether, yea I must positively deny that ever any Saint of God received Consolation by the doctrine of the Saints Apostasy, a lie exceedingly unsuited to the production of any such effect, any further than that all Error whatsoever is apt to defile and cauterise the Conscience, so deceiving it with sencelessenesse for peace; Perhaps some of Mr Goodwin 's hearers who either were so ignorant, or so negligent, as not to be acquainted with this Doctrine before, in the attempts made for that the propagation of it, by the latter brood of Prelates and Arminians amongst us, upon his delivery of it with enticing words of human wisdom, helped on by the venerable esteem they have of his transcendent parts and abilities, through the cunning of Satan, improving the itching after new Doctrines, which is fallen upon the minds and spirits of many professors in this age, have rejoiced under the shadow of this bramble, set up to rule in their Congregation: And (according as is the constant manner of all, in our days that are ensnared with any error be it never so pernicious) have blessed God for it, professing they never found rest nor peace before; yet I no way question for such as fear the Lord, and are yet bowed down under the weight, and carried away with the strength of Mr Goodwin 's Rethoricke for a season, will quickly find a fire proceeding out of that newly enthroned Doctrine, preying upon and consuming all their Joy, Peace, and Consolation, or (which I rather hope) a fire proceeding out of their Faith, (the Faith once delivered to the Saints) to the utter confusion & consumption of this bramble scratching error in the mean time if the eminent appearance of many thousands of the Saints of God, in this Nation (whereof many are fallen asleep, and many continue to this day) testifying and bearing witness to the Joy & Consolation they have found, & that upon Spiritual demonstrative grounds in being cast into the mould of the Doctrine of the Saints Perseverance for many days, be of no weight with Mr Goodwin, I know not why his single Testimony (which yet as to the matter of fact I no way question) concerning some few Persons by himself seduced, into a persuasion of their Apostasy, blessing God for the discovery made to them (the constant Practice of all persons in their first intanglement, in the foulest and grossest errors whatever) should sway us much to any good liking of it.
The influence of the Doctrine of the Saints Perseverance, into their consolation, hath been sufficiently already evinced, when we manifested, the support of their Faith and Love, the conquest of their fear and troubles thereby; so that I shall not need, farther to insist thereon. It was in my thoughts indeed, to have handled the nature of Gospel Consolation, that which God is so abundantly willing the heirs of promise should receive, at large, both as to the nature and Causes of it, the means of its preservation; The oppositions that lie against it: and by all the Considerations of it, to have manifested, That it is utterly impossible to keep it alive one moment in the heart of a Believer, without the contribution of supportment it receives from the Doctrine in hand. And that those who refuse to receive it, as usually delivered, indeed have none, nor can have any drop of it, but what is instilled into them, from, and by the power and efficacy, which secretly in and upon their hearts that truth hath, which in words they oppose: all their peace and comfort, being indeed absolutely proportioned, to that which the Doctrine of the Saints perseverance tends to confirm, and to nothing else. But this Discourse growing under my hands beyond all thought or expectation, I shall now only keep close to the removal of the Exceptions made against it, and hasten to a close.
I must not leave this Argument, without taking notice of the Medium, whereby M. Goodwin supposeth himself to have confirmed the truth of the assumption, laid down at the entrance, or, to have manifested the good complexion (as he phrases it) of that nurse he hath provided for the Consolation of the Saints (a Nurse with breasts of flint, and a heart of Iron, hath, this Cruel man provided for them; a Nurse whom God will never admit into his family, nor ever expose his children's lives, to any such Wolf, or Tiger, as will certainly starve them, if not devour them: Rather a cursed, yea an accursed step-dame, than a nurse; who when the children ask for bread, gives them a stone; and when they beg for fish, gives them a Scorpion: A false and treacherous hireling, doing not the least service for God, but laboring to stir up strife in his Family, to set his poor children, and their heavenly Father at variance, filling them, with hard thoughts of him, As one that takes little or no care for them, And discouraging them in that obedience, which he requireth at their hands, continually belying their Father to them, and that in reference to the most desirable Excellencies of his Faithfulness, Truth, Mercy, and Grace; never speaking one good or comfortable word to them all their days, nor once urging them to do their duty, But with-holding a rod, yea Scorpions over their backs; And casting the eternal flames of Hell into their faces; this is that sanguine, indeed truly spiritually bloody Complexion of this new Nurse, which is offered to be received in the room of that sad Melancholy piece, of the Perseverance of the Saints. Thus then he proceeds.
The Consolation of true Believers, depends upon their obedience, their obedience is farthered by this Doctrine, and therefore their Consolation also.
Ans. What are the springs of true spiritual heavenly Consolation, the consolation which God is willing Believers should receive; whence it flows; the means of its continuance and increase, how remote it is from a sole dependency on our own Obedience, hath been in part before declared; But yet if the next Assertion can be made good, (viz.) That the Doctrine of the Saints Apostasy, hath a tendency instituted of God, to the promotion of their Obedience and Holiness, I shall not contend about the other, concerning the issuing of their consolation from thence. All that really is offered in the behalf of Apostasy, as to its serviceableness in this kind is, that it is suited, to ingenerate in Believers, a fear of Hell, which will put them upon all ways of mortifying the flesh, and the fruits of it, which otherwise would bring them thereunto: And is this indeed the great mistery of the Gospel? Is this Christ's way of dealing with his Saints? Or is it not a falling from Grace, to return again unto the Law? Those of whom alone we speak, who are concerned in this business are all of them taken into the Glorious liberty of the Sons of God, are every one of them partakers of that Spirit with whom is liberty, are all endued with a living principle of Grace, Faith and Love, and are constrained by the Love of Christ to live to him, are all under Grace and not under the Law, have their sins in some measure begun to be mortified, and the flesh with the lusts thereof, the old man, with all his ways and wiles crucified, by the Death and Cross of Christ, brought with their power and efficacy by the Spirit into their hearts, are all delivered from that bondage wherein they were for fear of Death and Hell all their days, by having Christ made Redemption unto them? I say that these persons should be most effectually stirred up to Obedience, by the dread and terror of that Iron rod, of vengeance and Hell, and that they should be so, by God's appointment, is such a new, such another Gospel, as if preached by an Angel from Heaven, we should not receive. That indeed no motive can be taken from hence, or from anything in the Doctrine by Mr Goodwin contended for, suited to the principle of Gospel Obedience in the Saints, that no sin or lust whatsoever was ever mortified by it, that it is a clog, hindrance & burden to all Saints as far as they have to do with it, in the ways of God, hath been before demonstrated: And therefore leaving it withal the Consolation that it affords, unto those who of God are given up thereunto, we proceed to the Consideration of another Argument his eighth in this case which is thus proposed Sect. 37.
That Doctrine which evacuates and turns into weakness and folly, all the gracious councils of the Holy Ghost, which consist partly in the diligent information which he gives unto the Saints from place to place, concerning the hostile, cruel and bloody mind and intention of Satan against them, partly in detecting and making known all his subtle stratagems, his plots, methods, and dangerous Machinations against them, partly also in furnishing them wiih special weapons of all sorts, whereby they may be able to grapple with him, and to triumph over him, partly again in those frequent admonitions and Exhortations, to quit themselves like men in resisting him, which are found in the Scripture: And lastly in professing his fear least Satan should circumvent and deceive them, that Doctrine I say which reflects disparagement and vanity upon all these most serious and gracious applycations of the Holy Ghost, must needs be a Doctrine of vanity and error, And consequently that which opposeth it by a like necessity, a truth: But such is the common Doctrine of absolute and infallible Perseverance: Ergo.
Ans. Not to engage into any needless contest about ways of Arguing, when the design and strength of the Argument is evident, I shall only remark two things upon this.
First the Holy Ghost professing his fear least Satan should beguile Believers, is a mistake. It was Paul that was so afraid, not the Holy Ghost, though he wrote that fear, by the appointment and inspiration of the Holy Ghost. The Apostle was jealous least the Saints should by the craft of Satan be seduced into errors and miscarriages; which yet argues not their final defection, this indeed he records of himself; but of the fears of the Holy Ghost arising from his uncertainty of those issue of the things and want of power to prevent the coming on of the things feared, I suppose there is no mention. And
Secondly that the consequent of the supposition in the inference made upon it, is not so clear to me as to Mr Goodwin. viz. Suppose any Doctrine to be false, whatsoever Doctrine is set up in opposition to it, is true; I have known and so hath Mr Goodwin also, when the truth hath lain between opposite Doctrines, assaulted by both, entertained by neither; with these Observations I pass the Major of this Syllogism the Minor he thus confirms.
If the Saints be in no possibility of being finally overcome by Satan, or of Miscarrying in the great and most important business of their Salvation by his snares and subtleties, all that operousnesse, and diligence of the Holy Ghost, in those late mentioned Addressements of his unto them, in order to their final conquest over Satan, will be found of very light consequence, of little concernment to them: yea if the said Addressements of the Holy Ghost, be compared, with the State and Condition of the Saints, as the said Doctrine of Perseverance representeth and affirmeth it to be, the utter uselessness, and impertinency of them, will much more evidently appear.
Ans. What possibility or not possibility the Saints are in, of final Apostasy from God, what assurance themselves have, may have, or have not, concerning their Perseverance, with what is the use of Admonitions and Exhortations to them in that condition, hath been already declared; for the present, I shall only add; That let their final Apostasy, in respect of the Event, be never so impossible, yet in the state and condition wherein they are, and from the things which they are exercised about, with the Principles on which they proceed, and the ways whereby they are led on, considerations enough, may be raised to set forth those Exhortations, Admonitions, and Encouragements, appointed by the Holy Ghost, to be used and insisted on, in the Administration of the Word, in the Beauty and splendor of infinite Wisdom, Love, and Kindnesse. The glory of God being so eminently concerned, as it is, in the Obedience, and fruitfulness of the Saints; the honor of the Lord Jesus in this World, with the advancement, and propagation of the Gospel, in like manner relating there unto; Their own peace lying so much, as it doth upon their close walking with God, the spirit being so grieved by their falling into sin, as he is, God so dishonored, and themselves exposed to such fearful desertions, darkness, trouble, sorrow, and disquietments as they are, upon their being overcome by the temptations of Satan, and prevailed upon to turn aside into ways and sins, short of total Apostasy, and it being the purpose of the Lord, to lead them on in obedience, in ways suitable to that nature, he created them withal, and that New nature wherewith he hath endued them, (both apt to be wrought upon by Motives, Exhortations, and Perswasions) without any such supposal, as that of final Apostasy; There is a sufficient bottom and foundation of exalting the motives and admonitions insisted on, to the possession of that Glory, of Wisdom, and Goodness which is their due. But M. Goodwin having borrowed another Pageant from the Remonstrants, had a great mind to show it to the World, in its English dress, and therefore introduces the Holy Ghost, thus speaking in the Admonitions above pointed at.
Suppose we then the Holy-Ghost should speak thus unto the Saints, Oh ye that truly Believe, who by virtue of the promises of that God that cannot lie, are fully persuaded and possessed that ye shall be kept by God, by his irresistible Grace, in true Faith until Death; so that though Satan should set all his wits on work, and by all his stratagems, snares, and cunning devices, seek to destroy you, yea though he should entice you away from God, by the allurements of the World, and entangle you with them again, yea and should cause you to run and rush headlong against the Light of your own Consciences, into all manner of horrid sins, yet shall all his attempts and assaults upon you in every kind be in vain, & you shall be in never the more danger, or possibility of perishing: Unto you (I say) attend and consider how sore and dangerous a contest you are like to be engaged in, for you are to wrestle not against Flesh and Blood, but against Principalities and Powers, the governors of this World, and spiritual wickednesses, against that old Serpent the Devil, the great red Dragon who was a murderer from the beginning, and who still goes about like a roaring Lyon, seeking whom he may devour, Who will set himself with all his might, to thrust you headlong into all manner of sins, and so to separate 'tweene you and your God forever; And truly I am afraid, least as the Serpent by his subtlety deceived Eve, so your minds should be corrupted from the Simplicity which is in Jesus Christ, least the tempter should any way tempt you, and my labor about you be in vain; Therefore Watch, Pray, Resist him steadfast in the Faith; Take unto you the whole armor of God, that you may be able to resist in an evil day, and having done all things stand fast; Stand having your loins girt with the girdle of truth, and the breastplate of Righteousness upon you: Would such an Oration or speech as this be any way worthy the Infinite wisdom of the Holy Ghost? Or is it not the part of a very weak and simple person to admonish a man and that in a most serious and solemn manner of a danger threatening him, or hanging over his head, and withal to instruct him with great variety of direction and caution how to escape this danger, when as both himself knows, and the person admonished knows likewise that it is a thing altogether impossible that ever the danger should befall him, or the evil against which he is so solemnly cautioned come upon him? Therefore those who make the Holy Ghost to have part and fellowship in such weakness as this are most insufferably injurious unto him.
Ans. To support the Stage for to act this part of the pageant in hand upon, there are many supposalls fixed by our Author, that are to bear up the weight of the whole, which upon trial will appear to arrant false pretences, painted anticks, that have not the least strength or efficacy for the end and purpose whereunto they are applied.
First, 'It is supposed, that the end of all these admonitions, is merely and solely to prevent the Saints from final Apostasy; and that they are to beware of the wiles and assaults of Satan, only least he prevail over them, to cause them to depart utterly from God; That this is supposed in this discourse is evident, because upon the granting of a promise, that they shall not be so prevailed against, they are judged all useless and ridiculous: Now who knows not but that Satan may winnow, and in some measure prevail against the Saints, to the Dishonor of God, the Reproach of the Gospel, Grieving of the Spirit, and Scandal of the Church, although they fall not totally and finally from God; And that many of those Admonitions, tend to the preservation of Believers, from such falls and failings, is more evident than to need any Demonstration by consideration of the particular instances.
Secondly, It supposeth as is expressed, that Believers may fall into all manner of horrid sins and Abominations, which is the thing in Question, and by us punctually denied: What ever their surprizalls may be, yet there are sins which they cannot fall into: and the great abomination of every sin, that 'tis committed with the whole heart, and with full consent, they are not at all exposed or liable unto, as hath been proved.
Thirdly, That there is an inconsistency between Promises and Precepts, in reference to the same Object; that God should promise to work anything effectually in us, and yet require it of us, is thought ridiculous, and on this account the great folly here imputed to the discourse framed for the Holy Ghost, is proposed to consist in this, that God should exhort us, to watch against the assaults of the Devil, and yet promise that by his Grace, he will effectually work in us, & for us, the very same thing; A supposal destructive to the whole nature of the New-Covenant, easily disproved by innumerable instances.
Fourthly, That Believers are to be wrought upon to obedience always, whatever the frame of their spirits be, by the same ways and means; Thence 'tis 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 himself. When the great variety that is in their spiritual frame and temper, the manifold Temptations wherewith they are assaulted, the Light and Darke places they walk through &c. give occasion sufficient to the exercising towards them, all the piping and mourning that is provided for them.
Fifthly, That all Believers are assured of their Perseverance, & that to such a degree as not to fear 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 stir up in them any Godly care or fear rendered frustrate; when M. Goodwin himself, thinks that very few of them, do 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 terms here proposed; all the strength of what is here insinuated lies in this that God gives Assurance to men of the steadfastness, and constancy of his Love, under supposal of their falling into all manner of abominable sins; Which supposal alone renders an inconsistency between the sense of the Promises we embrace, and that of the Admonitions that are given to the Saints charging them to walk heedfully and to watch diligently against the attempts and assaults of Satan. Now this supposal is in it self false and ridiculous: Neither ever did the Lord, nor do we ever say he did, tender men Assurance of his Love on such terms; Neither is it possible for any one forever to have a true persuasion of his own Perseverance under such notions.
Sixthly, That there is an inconsistency betwixt Faithful Promises of attaining an end by the use of means, and Exhortation with Admonitions, to make use of those means; so that if it be supposed that God promiseth that Satan shall not in the issue prevail over us prescribing to us the means whereby we shall be preserved from his prevalency, 'tis in vain to deal with us for the application of ourselves, unto the use of those means.
Seventhly, 'It 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 effectual way & means to induce them to carnal & 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 Devil 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 supposal, hath been sufficiently before discovered and it self disproved.
Upon such Hypotheses as these (I say) upon such painted posts, is the whole pageant erected which we are here engaged withal; and these being easily cast down, the whole rushes to the ground, in the room whereof according to our principles this following Discourse may be supplied.
You that are true Believers, called, Justifyed, Sanctifyed by the Spirit and Blood of Christ, adopted into my family engrafted in, & united unto the Son of my Love, I know your weakness, insufficiency, disability, darkness, how that without my Son and continual supply of his Spirit, you can do nothing, the power of your Indwelling sin, 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 unbelief and on that account are often overwhelmed with Feares, Sorrowes, Disconsolations and Troubles, and are ready often to think 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 Satan that you are exposed to, how he goes up and down like a roaring Lion seeking to destroy you, his ways, Methods, wiles and baits (that he lays for you, and whereby he seeks to destroy you) are many, he acts against you as a Serpent subtly and wisely; as a Lyon dreadfully and fearfully, and with snares not of you, by yourselves to be resisted: you have Principallityes, and Powers to wrestle withal, and the darts of the wicked one to defend yourselves against, Wherefore beware of him, be not ignorant of his devices, stand fast in the Faith, take to you the whole armor of God, resist him, overcome him, cast him out by prayer, and the blood of the Lamb, watch night and day that you be not surprised nor seduced (as Eve was) by him, that he turn you not out of the way into paths leading to destruction, and thrust you headlong, into such sins as will be a dishonor to me, a grief to my Spirit a scaudall to the Church, and bitterness to your own souls; 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 Son unto you, who is your peace & through whom you have received the Atonement, with whom I will not deny you or withhold from you anything that may safeguard your abiding with me unto Salvation, I will through the riches of my Grace, work all your works for you, fulfilling in you all the good pleasure of my Goodness & the work of Faith with power, I will tread down Satan, this cruel, proud, Malicious, bloody enemy of your Souls, under your feet, and though at any time he soil 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 souls; whatever betide you, or befall you, I will never leave you, nor forsake you, the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my kindness shall never be removed from you, comfort ye, be of good courage, and run with joy the race that is set before you.
This (I say) is the language which according to the tenor of the Doctrine whose maintenance we are engaged in, God speaks to his Saints and Believers, and if there be folly and inconsistency found therein, let the Scriptures vindicate and plead for themselves.
Secondly, For the close of this Discourse of our Author, charging this course of proceedure with folly; viz. To give admonition to the use of means, when the end is certainly determined to issue upon the use of those means, he must first evince it as to the application of it to the business in hand, before I can close with him in the managing thereof: for the present I rather think the folly of this charge, as far as it looks towards the Doctrine under consideration to arise from other things. As
First, An Impertinent comparison instituted between God and man in their Admonitions and dealings with men; as though nothing might beseem him in Spiritual things of eternal concernment, but what is squared to the rules of our proceedings one towards another, in things Natural or Civil. And▪
Secondly, A false supposal that the end is promised and assured to any, without or besides the use of means, or walking according to the rules, precepts, and instructions given for that purpose, or for Attainement of the end so promised. Now what folly there is to charge men to use means for the attaining of an end, when they are, although Exhorted, also Assured, that in their so doing, they shall attain the end aimed at, is yet under contest? And may pass for the present with those other Ridiculous supposalls, formerly mentioned.
But Mr Goodwin proceeds farther in the vindication of this Argument Sect. 38.
And whereas ( saith he ) they still plead, or pretend rather, that such admonitions as these lately specifyed may well stand with an unconditioned Promise of Perseverance, we have formerly shown, that they are not able to make good this plea, nor to give any reasonable account of it, whereas they add that their sense and opinion is not, that tis a thing absolutely or every way impossible for true Believers to fall away totally or finally from their Faith, but that they willingly grant that true Believers what through their own weakness, and what through the subtle baits and temptations of Satan may so fall away.
I Answer, But this is but a fig-leaf sought out to cover the nakedness of their Opinion, which hath no strength at all nor weight in it. For what though it were in a thousand other respects never so possible for true Believers to perish, yet if it be altogether impossible in such a respect which over rules all those others, and which will & of necessity must hinder the coming of it to pass, all those other notwithstanding, 'tis to be judged simply and absolutely impossible, and all those respects whereby tis pretended possible are not to be brought into account in such a case.
Ans. Whether we are able to make good our plea concerning the consistency of Admonitions with the Promises of Perseverance, Mr Goodwin is not the sole Judge; Neither do either we, or our plea stand or fall at his Arbitrement; What hath been lately spoken for the reinforcement of that plea against his Exceptions, he may if he please, take time to consider.
Secondly, For what is now added in this place as a part of that plea of ours, as tis here proposed we own not; We doenot grant that true Believers may fall away on any account whatever totally and finally, if the expression, may fall away, relate to the issue and event; We say indeed that by the temptations of Satan Believers may be prevailed against, to the committing of many sins, the root whereof is in themselves, whilst the lust remains in them which tempteth and insnareth them, whereby God may be dishononred, and their own Consciences wounded, which is a sufficient ground and bottom for all the Admonitions that are given them to beware of his deceits, to strengthen themselves against his assaults, to be built upon, though through the Grace & Faithfulness of God and his goodwill manifested, and secured unto them in his Covenant and Promises, he can never totally prevail against them.
We say moreover, that 'tis not from Believers themselves, nor anything in them, nor frō any Faith that they have received, that they cannot so fall finally away; there being in them a proneness to sin, & the seed of all sin still remaining, yea a root of bitterness ready to spring up & trouble them; but from those outward principles of the Will, Purposes, Covenant & Promises of God which we have formerly insisted on. Farther, that there is no need of granting any such possibility taking that term, as relating to the issue and event, and not the internal principle of operation in men, to manifest the Harmony that is between the Admonitions under consideration, and the Promises we have insisted on; it being sufficiently evinced on other considerations; So that Mr Goodwin's ensuing Discourse concerning Absolute Impossibility is not at all related to anything that we have asserted.
Thirdly, Neither yet doth the Reason by Mr Goodwin produced, in any measure convince what he intends though we be not concerned therein; He will not easily persuade us that that which is possible in any respect, much less in many, and impossible only in one, is always to be judged Simply and Absolutely impossible; much less are we concerned in it, who say that Simply and Absolutely the falling away of Believers is Possible, namely, as the term possible relates to the principle of operation in them; But in some respects only it is impossible, that is, not of it self, but in respect of the external prohibiting cause. It was Absolutely and simply possible, that the bones of our Savior should have been broken, in the nature of the thing it self: impossible, in respect of the decree of God; So are a thousand things Absolutely possible in their own nature, as to the power of the causes whereby they might be produced, but impossible in respect of some external prohibiting cause; Absolutely possible in respect of their proper cause and principle; impossible in respect of the event, upon the the account of some external prohibiting cause as was shown. So 'tis in the business in hand; We assert not any possibility in respect of the event; As though in the issue it might so come to pass, that Believers should fall totally and finally from God, which is the thing we oppose: but it grant, in respect of the causes of such apostasy, with reference to the nature of the thing it self; Though how the possibility might be reduced into act Mr Goodwin cannot declare; As for the close of this Section concerning the Absolute, Peremptory, irresistible decrce of Perseverance which he ascribes to us as our assertion, when he shall have convinced us of the Conditional, Non-peremptory, reversible decree of God, which he endeavors to introduce in the place thereof, he may here more of us, in the mean time 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .
Section 39. 40. he seeks to alleviate the instance commonly given of our Savior Christ, who though assured of the end, (and in respect of whom 'twas utterly impossible that his glorious exaltation, should not follow in the issue, he being wholly out of all danger of being detained under the power of Death,) yet he Laboured, and prayed, and fasted, and resisted Satan's temptations, and watched against him, and dealt with him, by weapons taken out of the word of God; And in especial when the Devil urged him with the argument in hand, that there is no need of means or the using of them, when there is a certainty of the end, and an impossibility that it should otherwise fall out, or the End not be brought about and accomplished, as he did when he tempted him to cast himself headlong from a pinnacle of the Temple because the Angels had charge over him, that not so much as his foot should be hurt against a stone, whatever he did, as Satan intimated, which is the tenor of the Argument wherewith we have to do, he returns to him the very Answer that we insist upon,