The Doctrine of the Saints Perseverance

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, viz. that though it be the good pleasure of God to bring us to the end we aim at, yet are we not to tempt him by a neglect of the means which he hath appointed; 'tis true, there are Arguments used to us that could have no place with Christ, being taken from the Estate & Condition of infirmity and weakness through sin, wherein we are; which is a ground only of an Inference, that if Christ who was Holy, Harmelesse, undefiled, separate from sinners, did yet watch and pray and contend against Satan, much more should we do so. But this doth not at all take off from the parity of Reason that is in case of Diligent using of the means, for the compassing of the end, that in some respect is under an impossibility of not being accomplished; For the removal of this instance Mr Goodwin enters into a large Discourse of the cause and Reason vesting the Lord Christ with an immutability in good, and how 'tis not competent to any Creature: which that it is, never entered into the thoughts of any to assert that I ever heard of; Nor is it of the least importance to the removal of our Instances as to its serviceableness unto the end, for which 'tis produced; He tells us also, That in case men be caused necessit atingly and unavoidably to act Righteously, it will take away all rewardablenesse from their actings; And the Reason is, because such a necessitating of them, makes them merely passive they having not any internal principle of their own to contract such a necessity; which Discourse is pursued with many other words to the same purpose; And a Discourse it is

First, Exceedingly Irrelative to the business in hand; there is not anything now under consideration, that should minister occasion at all, to consider the manner of our yielding Obedience, and the way of God's Grace, in the bringing forth the fruits thereof, but only of the consistency that is between Admonitions for the using of the means, when 'tis supposed impossible that the end prevented by them should ever come to pass, which may, or may not be so, whatever be the manner and way of our yielding Obedience upon the exertion of the Efficacy of the Grace of God; Diversion is one of Mr Goodwin's ordinary ways of warding those blows, which he is not able to bear.

Secondly false, charging a crime on the Doctrine which he doth oppose whereof it is not guilty; Neither it, nor they that maintain it, affirming that there is a necessitation upon the wills of men by the Grace of God, such a necessitation as should in the least prejudice their freedom, or cause them to elicit their acts as principles Natural and necessary; All the necessity ascribed by them to the efficacy of the operation of the Grace of God, respects only the event; They say 'tis necessary that the good be done, which God works in us by his Grace, when he works it in us; but for the manner of its doing, they say, tis wrought suitably to the state and Condition of the Internal principle whence tis to proceed, and doth so, and of the Agents whereby tis wrought, which are free; Neither do they say that good is not wrought by any Native and inward Principle that is in men, unless they will allow no principle to be Native but what is in them by nature; And then indeed they say, that though Naturally and Physically there is, yet Morally and Spiritually there is not in them any Native principle to that which is Spiritually good; seeing, in that sense no good thing dwells in men. But if it may suffice to evince that they work from a Native inward principle, that their wills which are their Natural facultyes, quickened, improved and heightened, by inward, indwelling habits of Grace, properly theirs when bestowed on them, are the principles of all their actings, then they assert them to work no less from a native internal principle than Christ himself did; So that notwithstanding this diversion given in to supply the Absence of an Answer, the instance as to that alone, wherein the parallel was intended, stands unmoved, and Mr Goodwin 's whole charge of folly and inconsistency on the proceeding of the Holy Ghost falls to the ground, which is the issue of his eight Argument in this case; His last follows.

The last Argument which he proposeth Sect. 41. and ends his Chapter withal, is faint, and as the droppings after a shower, will easily be blown over, he thus proposeth it.

That Doctrine which Naturally, and directly tendeth to beget and foment jealousyes, and evil surmises between brethren in Christ, or such as ought cordially to Love, Reverence and Honor one another is not confederate with the Gospel, nor from God, and consequently, that which contradicteth it must needs be a truth: The common Doctrine of unqnestionable and unconditioned Perseverance, is a Doctrine of this tendency, apt to beget and foment jealousyes, suspicions and evil surmises between brethren, or such as ought to Love and Respect one the other as brethren in Christ: Ergo.

Ans. Not to take notice of anything by the by, which sundry Expressions and one inference at the least, in this Argument do readily administer occasion unto. I awaite the proof of the Minor, which in the following Discourse amounts to this: That judging all those who fall finally away not to have been true Believers, we cannot but have evil surmises, of all that stand, that they are not true Believers, seeing as good as they have fallen away, hence jealousyes of their Hypocrysy will arise. And he tells us for his part, he knows no Christian in the world, that he hath more reason to judge a true Believer, than he had to judge some, who are turned wretched Apostates. To which I say briefly,

First, I doubt not but Mr Goodwin knows fullwell, that this is not a Rule given us to make a judgment of Believers by, with whom we walk, and towards whom it is required we bear Love without dissimulation, towards such as show us their Faith by their works; Our rule of walking from the principle of Love, and Charity is laid down in 1 Cor. 13. And if all that any man knows at this day professors in this world, should turn Apostates, save only one, and he had reckoned that one, and them that are Apostatized, before their Apostasy, of the same rank of Believers, and had no evil thoughts of that one above the rest, he was bound without any evil surmises to believe all things, and to hope all things, and not to let go his sincere Love towards that one, embracing of him, delighting in him, holding communion with him to his lives end without suspicion of Hypocrisy, or other hard thoughts of him unless he also should degenerate; 'It is said Joh. 2. 23. That many believed on Christ because of the profession of Faith that they made, & John. 6. 34. They pray earnestly to be fed with the bread of Life; So that they were accounted among his Disciples v. 60. & yet upon a temptation they left our Savior, & walked no more with him, v. 66. Now notwithstanding the profession of these men our Savior plainly says, that they believed not, v. 64. They falling thus away who had professed to believe, and were accounted as Believers, so called and named among the Disciples of Christ, and Christ declaring on the account of their Apostasy, that indeed they did never believe, how was it that the remaining Twelve had not hard thoughts and jealousyes one of another, (especially considering that there was one Hypocrite still left among them) whether they had true Faith or no • seeing our Savior had declared that those who so fell off, as those before mentioned, had none? Doubtless they were instructed to walk by a better and straiter Rule, than that Mr Goodwin here assigns to Believers; Let him who will or can fall away, whilst we are taught of God to love one another, and are acted by the principle of Love which thinks no evil, and do contend against evil surmises as the works of the flesh; There is not anything in the least attending the discovery of one man's Hypocrisy, to work us to a persuasion that another (not in anything discovered) is so also; that because we see some goodly house fall under storms and temptations to the ground, and so manifest it self to have been built on the sand, that therefore we must conclude that those which stand, are not built upon the Rock, is not suited to any principle or Rule that our Master hath given us to walk by, in order to the exercise of that Love, which he calleth for in us towards one another.

Secondly, I say this way of proceeding in our thoughts and judgments doth the Holy Ghost lead us to: 1 John 2. 19. The Apostle giving an account of some who had formerly walked with him in the profession of the Faith, and of the fellowship which they had with the Father and Son, fell away from Christ into an opposition against him, so far as to deserve the title of Antichrists, having not only forsaken the Gospel, but making it also their business to oppose it, and to seduce others from the simplicity of the same; These he informs the scattered Believers of the Jews were Apostates, having formerly walked with them, but deserted their fellowship, and thereby manifested themselves never to have been true Believers, nor ever indeed to have had fellowship with the Father and the Son, no more than they of whom our Savior spake in the place before mentioned; And yet doubtless the Apostle may not be supposed to lay a foundation for jealousyes, evil suspicions, and surmises among Believers, though he plainly and evidently affirm that those who fall away were never true Believers, and that if they had been so, they would have continued in their Faith and fellowship with the people of God. They went ous from us (saith he) but they were not of us, for if they had been of us, they would (no doubt) have continued with us, but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.

A passage (by the way) clearly confirming the main of the Doctrine we have hitherto insisted on; And therefore I shall turn aside, before I come to the close of this Chapter, having this occasion administered, to vindicate it from the exceptions Mr Goodwin gives in against the Testimony it bears in this case.

The Argument that it readily furnisheth us withal, is of this import, If all they who fall away totally from the fellowship, and society of the Church, and Saints of God, what ever their profession were before that Apostasy, were never true Believers, and are thereby manifested never to have been so, then those who are true Believers cannot fall away: But the First is true, therefore the latter; The words are so disposed as to be cast into an Hypotheticall Proposition, which virtually includes a doubleArgument as every discrete Axiom doth; 'tis not thus, therefore thus; If true Believers might so depart and Apostatise as those here mentioned, no unquestionable proof could be drawn from such Apostasy, that men were never true Believers, which yet is plainly insisted on, in the Text.

M. Goodwin Cap. 10. Sect. 21, 22, 23, 24. Pag. 189, 190, 191, 192. gathers up sundry Exceptions from the Remonstrants which, (as they also did) he opposeth to this Interpretation of the words, and the Inferences from them insisted on; I shall briefly consider and remove them in that order as by him they are laid down. He saith,

First, This Inference presumeth many things, for which neither it, nor any the Authors of it, will ever be able to give any good security of proof, As

First, That this phrase [they were not of us] imports that they were never true Believers; this certainly can never be proved, because there is another sense, and this every whit as proper to the words, and more commodious for the Context, and scope of the place, which may be given of them, as we shall see anon.

Ans. That there is not anything presumed for the eduction of the Inference proposed, but what is either directly expressed, or evidently included, in the words of the Text, will appear in the farther consideration of what M. Goodwin hath to offer to the contrary. That expression [ they were not of us ] imports evidently, that they were not of them, in the fellowship and communion, which he was now exhorting Believers to continue and abide in. He tells them at the head of this Discourse Cap. 1. 3. that the end of his writing to them, was to draw them into, and keep them in communion with himself, and the Saints with him; which Communion or Fellowship, he tells them, they had with the Father and the Son. But as for the Persons, of whom in these words he is speaking to them, describing them by their former and present condition, with the causes of it, he tells them, that though they abode with them for a season, yet they were never of them, as to the Communion and fellowship they had with the Father and Son, and so were never true Members of the Church; The only reason M. Goodwin gives to Invalidate this sense of the Words is, that he is able to give another meaning of them (in his own judgment) more proper to the words, and more commodious to the scope of the place: which whether it have anymore efficacy to take in the force and evidence of the Interpretation given, lying plain and clear in the first view of the words, and Context, than it hath to evade the eduction of any Truth whatever, from any place of Scripture whatever, seeing some or other suppose themselves able to give another sense of the words, let the Reader judge: But he adds

Secondly, That this Expression [they were of us] signifies that they were true Believers is presumed; of the uncertainty of this supposition we shall ( saith he ) give the like account.

Ans. When we come to take M. Goodwin 's farther Account, we shall be able (I make no doubt) to reckon with him, and to discharge his Bill; In the mean time, we say, that supposition [ if they had been of us ] (whence our Inference is made) evidently includes a fellowship and communion with the Apostle & true Believers in their fellowship with God, which is asserted as a certain Foundation of men's abiding in the communion of the Saints.

But says he,

Thirdly, tis supposed, that these words [they went out from us] signify their final defection, or abdication of the Apostles communion, or their total and final renunciation of Christ, his Church, and Gospel; This supposition hath no bottom at all, or color for it.

Ans. Divide not the words from their coherence, and the intendment of the place, and the signification denied is too evident and clear for any one, with the least color of Reason, to rise up against it; They went out, so out from the communion of the Church, as to become Anti-Christ's, opposers of Christ, and seducers from him; and certainly in so doing, did totally desert the Communion of the Apostle, renounce the Lord Christ, as by him Preacht, and forsook utterly both Church and Gospel, as to any fellowship with the one or the other: And we know full well, what is the bottom of this and the like Assertions, that such and such things have no bottom at all; which never yet failed M. Goodwin at his need.

Fourthly ( saith he ) 'It is supposed that this clause [ they would no doubt have continued with us ] signifies they would have continued in the same Faith, wherein we Persevere and continue; nor is there (saith he) any competent Reason to enforce this sense of those words, because neither doth the Grammatical tenor of them require it, and much less the scope of the passage.

Ans. The Fellowship John invited Believers unto, and to continue in, (as hath been often observed with him,) and the Saints with him, was that which they held with the Father and the Son, to continue with them therein, in the Litterall Grammatical sense of the words, is to continue in the Faith: It being Faith whereby they have that fellowship or Communion; this also is evident from the scope of the whole passage, and is here only impotently denied. But saith he,

Fifthly, The said Inference supposeth that John certainly knew, that all those who for the present remained in his communion, were true Believers, for, if they were not true believers, they that were gone out from them in the sense contended for, might be said to be of them, that is, persons of the same condition with them; But how improbable this is, I mean that John should infallibly know, that all those who as yet continued with them, were true Believers, I refer to consideration.

Ans. Had M. Goodwin a little poised this passage before he took it up, perhaps he would have cast it away, as an useless trifle; But his masters having insisted on it, perhaps he thought it not meet to question their judgments, in least, for fear of being at liberty to deal so with them in matters of greater importance. I say then that there is not the least color for any such supposal from the inference we make from the text; nor is there anything of that nature intimated, or suggested in the words, or Argument from them; the body of them whom the Apostates forsook, were true Believers; and their abiding in the fellowship of the Saints, was a manifestation of it sufficient for them to be owned as such, which the others manifested themselves never to have been, by their Apostasy. But saith he,

Sixthly, The inference under contest yet farther supposeth, that John certainly knew, that they who were now gone out from them, neither were, now, nor ever before true Believers, yea and that he certainly knew this by their departure or going out from them.

Ans. This is the very thing that the Apostle affirms, that he certainly knew those Apostates never to have been true Believers, and that by their Apostasy, or falling totally from the Gospel, becoming seducers and opposers of Christ; Let him argue it out with the Holy Ghost, if he can, whose plain and clear expression this is, and that confirmed by the ensuing Argument of the Perseverance of them who were true Believers, and whose fellowship is with the Saints, in their communion with the Father and the Son; Wherefore saith he,

Lastly it presumeth yet farther that all true Believers do always abide in the external communion of the Church; and that when men do not so abide they plainly declare herein, that they never were true Believers, which is not only a manifest untruth, but expressly contrary to the Doctrine it self, of those men who assert the inference; for they teach (as we heard before) that a true Believer may fall so foully and so far, that the Church according to the command of Christ, may be constrained to testify that she cannot tolerate them in her external communion, nor that ever they shall have any part or portion in the Kingdom of Christ, unless they repent; Doubtless to be cast out of the Church according to the institution and command of Christ (who commands no such thing but upon very heinous and high unchristian misdemeanors) is of every whit as sad importance, as a voluntary desertion of the Churches communion can be for a season.

Ans. It supposeth that no true Believers fall so off from the Church, as to become Antichrist 's, opposers of Christ, and the Church, so as to deny that Christ is come in the flesh, which was the great business of the Antichrists in those days; It is true, and granted by us, that a true Believer may forsake the outward communion of some particular Church for a season, yea and that upon his irregular walking and not according to the rule of Christ, he may by the Authority of such a Church, be rejected from its communion for his amendment and recovery into the right way, of which before: But that a true Believer, can voluntarily desert the communion of the Saints, and become an Antichrist, that this text denies, and we from it, and the many other witnesses of the same truth, that have been produced: Notwithstanding then all Mr Goodwin exceptions, there is nothing presumed in the inference, we make from these words, but what is either expressly contained, or evidently included in them.

But Mr Goodwin will not thus give over, he prefers his exceptions to this Testimony in another whole Section: which because the Demonstration of the truth in hand from this place, though here handled by the by, is of great importance, and such as by its single strength, is sufficient utterly to cast to the ground the figment set up in opposition to it, I shall present entirely to the Reader (that our Author may be heard out and nothing omitted that he pleads, for the waving of the force of the Argument in hand) that whole Section. Thus then he proceeds.

Suppose that these two suppositions be granted to the Inference makers; First, That this phrase [to go out from us] signifies voluntarily to forsake the society and communion of Christians; And Secondly, That this expression [to be of us] signifies true and inward communion with those from whom they went out, yet will not these contributions suffice, for the firm building of the said Inference; The Reason is, Because the Apostle expressly saith; that they would have continued with [us,] not that they would have continued such, as they were, in respect of the Truth or Essence of their Faith; and if the Apostles scope in this place were to prove or affirm, that they who are once true Christians, or Believers, always continue such, then, when he saith they would have continued with us, he must of necessity mean, either that they would have continued Faithful as we continue Faithful, or else that they would have continued always in our society, or in the profession of Christianity: But that neither of these senses are of any tolerable consistency, is evident, by the light of this Consideration, viz. That the Apostle then must have known, that the persons he speaks of, and who went out from them, neither were nor ever had been true Christian Believers, when they went thus from them; Now if he had this knowledge of them, it must be supposed either that he had it by extraordinary Revelation (but this is very improbable, and howsoever cannot be proved;) or else that he gained and obtained it by their departure or going out from them; but that this could be no sufficient Argument or ground, to beget any such knowledge in the Apostle concerning them, is evident from hence, Because it may very easily, and doth very frequently come to pass, That they who are true Christians, do not always continue in the society to which they have joined themselves, no nor yet in the external profession of Christianity it self; yea, our opposers themselves, frequently and without scruple teach, that even true believers themselves, may through Fear, or shame, or extremity of sufferings, be brought to deny Christ, and without any danger of being ship-wrackit of their Faith forbear making a profession of the name of Christ afterwards.

Ans. First, What is meant and Intended by those expressions [ went out from us, and to be of us ] hath been declared; We are not to teach the Holy Ghost to speak; What ever conceit we may have of our own abilities, when we deal with Wormes of the Earth, like ourselves, to his will, to his expressions, we must veil and submit; He is pleased to phrase their continuance in the Faith, their continuance with us, that is, with the Saints in the fellowship and communion of the Gospel, which they had with God in Christ; The expression is clear and evident to the purpose in hand, and there is no contending against it.

Secondly, we do not say, that 'tis the direct scope and intent of the Apostle in this place, to prove that those who are true Believers, cannot fall away, and depart from the Faith, which he afterwards doth to the purpose, Cap. 3. 9 but his mind and intendment was, to manifest, that those who forsake the Society of Christians, and become Anti-Christ's, and seducers, were indeed never true Believers; using the other Hypothesis as a medium for the confirmation of this Assertion.

Thirdly, By that phrase, they would have continued with us, the Apostle intends their continuance in the society and fellowship of the Faithful by the profession of Jesus Christ, whom now they opposed; denying him to be come in the flesh; that is, they would not have so fallen off, as they have done, upon the account of the Estate and Condition of true Believers, and real Saints, who are kept by the power of God to salvation.

Fourthly, The Apostle did know, and professed himself to know, that they were not, nor ever had been true Believers, when they were once so gone out from them, as they went; as our Savior Christ professed them not to have been true believers, who followed him for a while, were called and accounted his Disciples, when they fell in an hour of Temptation; Neither have we the least reason to suppose, that the Apostle had this knowledge by Revelation, seeing the thing it self in reference and proportion to the principles he lays down of the continuance of Believers, did openly proclaim it.

Fifthly, That true Christians or Believers, can so fall away from the society of the Saints, as these here mentioned did, is denied; and a grant of it ought not to be begged at our hands; 'tis true, that (as was before granted) a true believer may for a season desert the communion or fellowship of a Church, wherein he hath walked, and that causelessly; yea, he may be surprised through Infirmity, to deny, under mighty temptations, in words, for a moment, the Lord Christ, whom yet his Heart loves, and honors, as in the case of Peter was too evident, But that such an one, may forsake the external profession of Christianity, or cease profession making, and betake himself to a contrary interest, opposing Christ and his ways, as those here insisted on did; that's denied, and not the least attempt of proof made to the contrary.

Whilst I was upon the consideration of these exceptions of Mr Goodwin 's, to our Testimony from this Text of Scripture by us insisted on, there came to my hands, his Exposition on the 9. Chapter to the Romans; In the Epistle whereof to the Reader, he is pleased, Sect. 6. Studiously to wave the imputation of having borrowed this Exposition from Arminius and his followers: An Apology perhaps unworthy his prudence, and great abilities: which Testimony yet I fear, by having cast an eye on the body of the Discourse, will scarcely be received by his Reader, without the help of that vulgar Proverb Good Wits jump: But yet on that occasion I cannot but say, however he hath dealt in that Treatise, this Discourse I have under consideration is purely translated from them, the condition of very much of what hath ben already considered, having the same which I had there thought to have manifested, by placing their Latin against his English in the margent: but these things are personal, not belonging to the cause in hand M. G. is sufficiently known to have Abilityes of his own such as wherewith he hath done (in sundry particulars) considerable service to the Truth, as sometimes they have been unhappily engaged in ways of a contrary nature, and tendency.

It being evident from these Considerations that our Author is not able in the least to take off this witness from speaking home to the very heart of the cause in hand, that it may not seem to be weakened and impaired by him in the least: I shall farther consider that diversion which he would entice the words unto, from their proper channel and Intendment, and so leave the Apostasy of the Saints dead, at the foot of it: He gives us then, (Sect. 23, 24.) an Exposition of this place of Scripture, upon the Rack whereof, it seems not to speak what formerly we received from its mouth, For the occasion of the words, he says,

For the true meaning of this place, 'tis to be considered, that the Apostles intent in the words▪ was to prevent, or heal an offense, that weak Christians might take, at the Doctrine which was taught and spread abroad by those Antichrists or Anticristian teachers, spoken of in the former verse; and they are said to have been many, & that especially because they had sometimes lived & conversed with the Apostles themselves in Christian Churches, and had professed the same Faith & Doctrine with them; by reason hereof some Christians not so considerate or judicious as others, might possibly think or conceive, that surely all things were not well with the Apostles, and those Christian societyes with which they consorted; There was something not as it ought to have been, either in Doctrine, or manners, or both, which ministered an occasion to these men to break communion with them, and to leave them.

Ans. First The intendment of the Apostle in the Context, is evidently to caution Believers against seducers, acquainting them also, with the sweet and gracious provision, that God had made for their preservation, in the abiding, teaching, anointing, bestowed on them: In the verse under present consideration, he gives them a description of the persons that did seduce them, in respect of their present state and condition; They were Apostates; who though they had sometimes made profession of the Faith, yet indeed were never true Believers, nor had any fellowship with Jesus Christ, as he and the Saints had, which also they had abundantly manifested by their open Apostasy, and ensuing opposition to the Doctrine of the Gospel, and the eternal Life manifested therein.

Secondly, That any Christians whatsoever, from the consideration of these seducers falling away did entertain any suspicion that all things were not well in that society of which the Apostle speaks (not with the Apostles, which were all dead, himself only excepted, when John wrote this Epistle) either as to Doctrine or manners, so supposing them to take part with the Apostates, in their departure, is a surmise whereunto there is not anything (in the least) contributed in the Text, or Context, nor anything like to it, being a mere invention of our Author, found out to serve this turn, and confidently without any induction looking that way; or attempt of proof, imposed upon his credulous Reader; if men may assume to themselves a liberty of creating occasions of words, discourses or expressions in the Scripture, no manner of way insinuated, nor suggested therein, they may wrest it to what they please, and confirm whatever they have a mind unto.

This false foundation being laid he proceeds to build upon it, and suitably thereunto feignes the Apostle to speak what never entered into his heart, and unto that, whereof, he had no occasion administered.

To this ( saith he ) the Apostle answereth partly by Concession, partly by Exception; First by Concession, in those words [they went out from us] which words do not so much import their utter declining or forsaking the Apostles communion, as the advantage or opportunity which they had, to gain credit and respect, both to the Doctrine, and Persons, among professors of Christianity in the World; In as much as they came forth from the Apostles themselves as men sent and commissioned by them to teach; The same phrase is used in this sense, and with the same import where the Apostles write thus to the Brethren of the Gentiles, Acts 15. 24. For as much as we have heard, that certain that went out from us have troubled you, with words subverting your souls, saying you must be circumcised and keep the Law, to whom we gave no such commandment; So that in this clause [ they went out from us ] the Apostle grants; First, That those Antichristian teachers had indeed for a time held communion with them; And Secondly, That hereby they had the greater opportunity, of doing harm in the World, by their false Doctrines. But Secondly. He Answers farther by way of Exception (but they were not of us) whilst yet they conversed with us, they were not men of the same spirit and principles with us; we walked in the profession of the Gospel, with single and upright hearts, not aiming at any secular greatness, or worldly accommodations in one kind or other; these men loved this present World, and when they found the simplicity of the Gospel, would not accommodate them to their minds, they brake with us, and with the truth of the Gospel it self at once.

Ans. First, I suppose tis evident (at the first view) that this new gloss of the Apostles words, is inconsistent with that, which was proposed for the occasion of them in the words foregoing; There an Aspersion is said to be cast upon the Churches, and societyes whereof the Apostle speaks, from the departure of these seducers from them, as though they were not sound in Faith or manners; here an insinuation quite of another tendency, is suggested, as though these persons found continuance in their teachings and seductions, from the society and communion which they had had with the Apostles; as though they had pretended to come from them, by commission, and so instead of casting reproach upon them by their departure, did assume Authority to themselves, by their having been with them; But to the thing it self I say,

Secondly, That the Apostle is not answering any Objection, but describing the state and condition of the Antichrists, and seducers, concerning whom, and their seduction, he cautioneth Believers, hath been formerly beyond contradiction manifested and maintained; That expression then [ they went out from us ] is not an Answer (by concession) to an Objection▪ but a description of seducers by their Apostasy; Which words also in their regard to the Persons as before by him described, do manifest their utter declining and forsaking the Communion of the Saints, they so going from them, as also going into an opposition to the Doctrine of the Gospel.

Thirdly, That the Apostle here insinuates an advantage these Antichrists had, to seduce, from their former communion with him, (a thing not in the least suggested (as was observed) in the occasion of the words, as laid down by Mr Goodwin himself) is proved from the use of the words [ they went out from us ] Acts 15. 24. Whence this undeniable Argument may be educed. Some who went out from the Apostle, had repute and authority in their preaching thereby, these Antichrists went out from the Apostle, therefore they had repute and authorety thereby; younger men than either Mr Goodwin or myself, know well enough what to make of this Argument; Besides, though there be an agreement in that one Expression, all the neighbouring parts of the Description, manifest that in the things themselves, there and here pointed at, there is no affinity; Those in the Acts pretended to abide still in the communion and Faith of the Apostles, these here expressively departed both from the one and the other, to an opposition of them both: The former, seemed to have pretended a commission from the Apostles, these according to Mr Goodwin himself did so far declare against them, that it was a scandal to some, fearing that all had not been well among the Apostles.

Fourthly, That which is called an Answer by way of Exception (as in it lie the expression of it so used upon the matter, is as much as we urge from these words; The import of them is said to be, they were not of us, though they were with us, yet they were not such as we are, didnot walk in that uprightness of heart, as we do, they were not men of the same principles and spirit with us; that is, they were not true, thorough, sincere and sound Believers at all, no not while they conversed with the Apostles. Now evident 'tis that in those words, as is manifest by the assuming of them again for the use of an inference ensuing [ for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us ] the Apostle yields a Reason and Account, how they came to Apostatize and fall to the opposition of the Gospel from the profession wherein they walked; 'twas because they were not men of thorough and sound principles, true Belivers: and consequently he supposeth, and implieth, that if they had been so they would not, they could not have so Apostatized: for if they might there had been no weight in the account given, of the Reason of their revolt.

In what follows, that these words, but they were not of us, do not necessarily imply they were Believers formerly, but perhaps they had been so, and were before fallen away, being choked by the cares of the world, an observation is insinuated, directly opposite to the Apostles design, and such as makes his whole Discourse ridiculous; An account he gives of men's falling away from the Faith, and tells them 'tis because, though they have been professors, yet they were never true Believers, yea but perhaps they were true Believers, and then fell away, & after that fell away; that is, they fell from the Faith, and then fell from the Faith: for that is plainly intimated in, & is the sense of this doubty Observation.

But to proceed with his exposition: he says, It follows, for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us; in these words the Apostle gives a reason of his Exception telling them, to whom he writes; that this was a sign and Argument that those Antichristian teachers, were not of them in the sense declared; viz. That they did not continue with them, that is, they quitted their former intimacy and converse with the Apostles, refused to steer the same course, to walk by the same principles, any longer with them, which (saith he) doubtless they would not have done, had they been as sincerely affected towards Jesus Christ & the Gospel as we; by which Assertion John plainly vindicated himself and the Christian Churches of his communion, from giving any just occasion of offense unto those men, whereby they should be any ways induced to forsake them, and resolves their unworthy departure of this kind into their own carnal and corrupt hearts, which lusted after some fleshly accommodations and contentments, that were not to be obtained, or enjoyed, in a sincere profession of the Gospel with the Apostles and those who were perfect of heart with them.

Ans. First, That no aspersion was cast on John, or the Churches of his Communion, by the Apostasy of the Antichrists, of whom he speaks, from which he should need to vindicate himself and them, was before declared: There was not, indeed, nor possibly could be, the least occasion for any surmise of evil concerning them, from whom men departed, in turning ungodly opposers of Christ; For anything that is here offered, 'tis but an obscureing of the Light that breaks forth from the words, for the discerning of the Truth in hand; 'tis granted that the Apostle manifests, that they were not of them, that is, true, upright, sound believers, that walked with a right foot in the Doctrine of the Gospel, because they forsook the communion of the Saints, to fall into the condition of Antichristianism, wherein they were now engaged. Now if this be an Argument that a man was never a true believer, in the highest profession that he makes, because he falls from it, and forsakes it, certainly those that are true believers, cannot so fall from their steadfastness; or the Argument will be of no Evidence or conviction at all; Neither is anything here offered by M. Goodwin, but what upon a through consideration, doth confirm the inferences we insist upon, and make to the work in hand; Truth will at one time or other, lead captive those who are most skillful in their Rebellion against it.

What is added (Sect. 24.) concerning the Righteous Judgment of God, and the gracious tendency of his dispensations to his Churches use, in suffering these wretches so to discover themselves, and be manifested what they were, I oppose not. The discovery that was made, was of what they had been before, that is not true Believers, & not what now they were; yea, by what they now shown themselves to be, was made manifest what before they were; Words of the like import you have 1 Cor. 11. 19. %For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you; as here those who fall away are manifested to be corrupt, so there are those who abide to be sincere.

From what hath been occasionally spoken of the intendment and scope of this place, of the design which the Apostle had in hand, of the direct sense of the words themselves, M. Goodwin's exceptions to our Interpretation of the words and inferences from it, being wholly removed, and his Expofition, which he advanceth in the room of that insisted on, manifested to be, as to the occasion and scope of the place assigned, utterly foreign unto it, and as to Explication of the particulars of it, not of any strength or consistency for the obscurenig of the true sense and meaning of the place, in the eye of an intelligent Reader, 'tis evidently concluded beyond all colorable contradiction, that those who are true Believers indeed, having obtained communion with the Father and his Son Christ Jesus, cannot fall into a total Relinquishment of Christ, or of the Faith of the Gospel, so as to have no portion nor interest in the communion they formerly enjoyed.

To return to M. Goodwin's close of this 13. Chap. and nine Arguments (as he calls them) from which he labors to Evince the Apostasy of Believers, he shuts up the whole with a Declamation against, and revileing of the Doctrine he opposeth, with many opprobrious and reproachful expressions, calling it an Impostor, and an Appearance of Satan in the likeness of an Angel of Light, with such like terms of reproach, as his Rhetoric at every turn is ready to furnish him withal; threatening it farther, with calling it in Question before I know not how many Learned men of all sorts, and to disprove it by their Testimony concerning it; and so all that is required for its destruction is, or shall be speedily dispatched; God knows how to defend his Truth, and as he hath done this in particular, against as fierce assaults as any M. Goodwin hath made, or is like to make against it, so I no way doubt, he will continue to do; 'It is not the first time, that it hath been conformeable to its Author; in undergoing the contradiction of men, and being laden with reproaches, and crucified among the thievish principles of Error and profaneness. Hitherunto it hath not wanted in due time its Resurrection, and that continually with a new Glory, and an added estimation to what before it obtained among the Saints of God; and I no way doubt, but that it will grow more and more, until the perfect day, when those opinions and inventions of men, derogatory to the Grace and Covenant of God, his Truth, Unchangeableness, and Faithfulness, which now make long their shades, to eclypse the beauty and luster of it, shall consume and vanish away before its brightness; In which persuasion I doubt not, but the Reader will be confirmed with me, upon the farther consideration of what M. Goodwin's endeavors are in an opposition thereto, wherewith now by the grace of God, contrary to my first intendment, I shall proceed.

CAP. XVII.

T Hough I could willingly be spared the labor of all that must insue to the end of this Treatise, yet it being made necessary by the endeavors of men not delighting in the Truth (which hithertto we have asserted) for the opposition thereof, and lying I hope under the power and efficacy of that Heavenly Exhortation of contending earnestly for the Faith once delivered to the Saints, I shall with all chaerfulnesse address myself thereunto; yea, the service and homage I owe to the Truth it self, causing this engagement for its rescue from under the captivity wherein by the chains of Mr Goodwin's Rhethoricke it hath been sometimes detained, being increased and doubled by the pressing and violent wresting of sundry Texts of Scripture to serve in the same design of bondaging the Truth with him, is a farther incitation, to add my weak endeavors, to break open those doors and bars, which he hath shut and fastened upon them both, for their joint deliverance.

In Mr Goodwin's 12. Chapter he takes into participation with him, as is pretended, 8. places of Scripture, endeavoring by all means possible to compel them to speak comfortable words, for the relief of his fainting and dying cause: Whether He hath prevailed with them to the least compliance, or whether He will not be found to proclaim in their name what they never once acknowledged unto him, will be tried out in the process of our consideration of them.

In the first and second Section he fronts the Discourse intended with an eloquent Oration, partly concerning the tendency of the Doctrine of the Saints Perseverance, which he girds himself now more closely to contend withal, partly concerning Himself, his own Ability, Industry, Skill, Diligence, and Observation of Doctrines and Persons, with his rules in judging of the one & the other.

For the First, He informs us, that his judgment is, that many who might have attained a Crown of Glory, by a presumptuous conceit of the Impossibility of their miscarrying, are now like to suffer the vengeance of eternal fire; men thereby gratifying the flesh, with wresting the Scripture to the encouragement thereof.

That the Proud and Presumptuous conceits of men, are like to have no other issue or effect, than the betraying of their souls to all manner of Looseness and Abomination, so exposing them to the vengeance of eternal fire, we are well assured; & therefore knowing the terror of the Lord do persuade men (what we are able) to cast down all high thoughts and imaginations concerning their own Abilities to do good, to believe, to obey the Gospel, or to abide in the Faith thereof, and to roll themselves freely, fully, wholly on the free Grace and faithfulness of God, in the covenant of Mercy, ratified in the blood of his Son, wherein they shall be assured to find Peace to their souls. On this foundation do we build all our endeavors, for the exalting the sovereign, free, effectual grace of God, in opposition to the proud and presumptuous conceits of men, concerning their own imbred, native power in spiritual things; an Apprehension whereof we are well assured, disposeth the heart into such a frame as God abhors, and prepares the soul to a battle against him, in the highest and most abominable Rebellion imaginable; I no ways doubt, but that the way and means whereby innumerable poor creatures have been hardened to their eternal Ruin, have had all their springs and fountains, lie in this one wretched reserve, of a power in themselves to turn to God, and to abide with him. That any one by mixing the promises of God with Faith, wherein the Lord hath graciously assured him, that seeing he hath no strength in himself to continue in his mercy, he will preserve and keep him in, and through the Son of his Love, hath ever been, or ever can be turned wholly aside to any way or path not acceptable to God, or not ending in everlasting peace, will never be made good whilst the Gospel of Christ finds honor and credit amongst any of the sons of men There may be some indeed, who are strangers to the covenant of promise, what ever they do pretend, who may turn this Grace of God in the Gospel, as also that of the Satisfaction of Christ, Redemption by his blood, and Justification by Faith, (the whole Doctrine of the covenant of Grace in Christ) into lasciviousness; but shall their unbelief make the Faith of God of none effect • shall their wickedness and Rebellion, prejudice the mercy, peace, and Consolation of the Saints? Because the Gospel is to them the savor of Death unto Death, may it not be the savor of Life unto Life unto them that do embrace it? What ever then be the disasters, (of which themselves are the sole cause) of men with their presumptuous conceits of the impossibility of miscarrying (seeing every presumptuous conceit of what kind soever, is a desperate miscarriage) their ruin and destruction cannot in the least, be ascribed to that Doctrine, which calls for Faith in the promises of God, a Faith working by Love, and decrying all presumptuous conceits whatever; A Doctrine without which, and the necessary concomitant Doctrines thereof, the whole bottom of men's walking with God, and of their obedience, is nothing but presumption and conceit, whereby setting aside the cold sits they are sometimes cast into, by the checks of their consciences, they spend their days in the distemper of a Feaver of Pride and Folly.

In the ensuing Discourse Mr Goodwin informs us of these two things. First, What Rule he proceeds by in judging of the Truth of contrary opinions when (as he phraseth it) the tongue of the Scripture seems to be cloven about them.

And Secondly, Of his own Advantages and abilities to make a right judgment according to that Rule. The Rule he attends unto upon the information he hath given us is, The Consideration of which of the Opinions that are at any time Rivalls for his judgment and acceptation tend most unto Godliness; the Gospel being the truth which is according to Godliness, of his own advantages and abilities to make a right judgment according to this rule, there are several heads and springs; as his knowledge of the general course of the Scripture, the Experience of his own heart, his long observation of the Spirits and ways of men, but chiefly that light of Reason and Understanding which he hath. And by this Rule with these Abilityes proceeding in the examination of the Doctrine of the Saints Perseverance, He condemns it and casts it out as an abominable thing, preferring that concerning their final defection far above it. Some Considerations I shall add to attend upon his Rule and principles.

First, It is most certain, that the Gospel is a Doctrine according unto Godliness whose immediate and direct tendency as in the whole frame and course of it, so in every particular branch and stream is to promote that Obedience to Go • in Christ, which we call Godliness; This is the will of God revealed therein even our Sanctification, and whatever Doctrine it be that is suited to turn men off from walking with God in that way of Holiness, it carries its brand in its face, whereby everyone that finds it, may know that it is of the unclean Spirit, the evil one; But yet that there may be fearful and desperate deceits in the hearts of men judging of truths, pretending their rise and original from the Gospel, by their suitableness to the promotion of Godliness and Holiness, hath been before in part declared, and the Experience of all Ages doth sufficiently manifest. Among all those who profess the name of Christ more or less in the world, though in & under the most Antichristian opposition to him, who is there that doth not pretend that this tendency of opinions unto Godliness, or their disserviceablenesse thereunto, hath a great influence into the guidance of their judgment in the receiving or rejecting of them. On the account of its destructivenesse to Godliness and obedience do the Socinians reject the Satisfaction and merit of Christ; and on the account of conducingnesse thereunto, do the Papists assert and build up the Doctrines of their own merits, Penance, Satisfaction and the like. On that principle did they seem to be acted, who pressed Legal & Judaical suppositions with a show of wisdom or will worship, and humility and neglecting the body, Col. 2. 23. Neither did they fail of their plea concerning promotion of Godliness in the Worship of God, who reviled, rejected and persecuted the Ordinances of Christ in this Generation, to set up their own Abominations in the Roome; Yea, it is generally the first word wherewith every Abomination opens its mouth in the world, though the men of those Abominations do rather suppose this pretence of Godliness to be serviceable for the promotion of their opinions, than their opinions any way really useful to the promotiō of godliness: Neither need we go far to inquire after the Reasons of men's miscarriages, pretending to judge of Truth according to this Rule, seeing they lie at hand, & are exposed to the view of all; for besides that very many of the pretenders to this plea may be justly suspected to be men of corrupt minds, dealing falsely & treacherously with their own souls & the truth, the pretence of furthering Holiness being one of the cunning sleights wherewith they lie in wait to deceive (which may justly be suspected of them who together with this plea, and whilst they make it, are apparently themselves loose and remote from the power of a Gospel conversation, as the case hath been with not a few of the most eminent assertors of Arminianism) How few are there in the world, who have indeed a true notion and Apprehension of the nature of Holiness in its whole compass and extent, as in the Fountain, Causes, Rise, and Use, and end thereof; And if men know not indeed what holiness is, how shall they judge what Doctrine or Opinion is conducing to the furtherance thereof, or is obstructive to it; Give me a man who is persuaded that he hath power in himself, being by the discovery of a Rule directed thereinto, to yield that obedience to God, which he doth require, who supposeth that threats of hell & destructiō are the greatest, & most powerful & effectual motive unto that obedience that the Spirit & Grace of God to work & create a new heart in him as a suitable principle of all holly actings, are not purchased nor procured for him by the Blood of Christ, nor is there any holiness wrought in him by the Almighty efficacy of that Spirit and Grace, he having a sufficiency in himself for those things, that there is not a real Physical concurrence of the Grace of God for the production of every good act whatever, and that he is Justifyed upon the account of any act or part of his Obedience, or the whole, and I shall not be much moved or shaken with the Judgment of that man, concerning the serviceableness & suitableness of any Doctrine or Doctrines to the furtherance of Godliness and Holiness; There are also many different opinions about the nature of Godliness, what it is, and wherein it doth consist. I desire to be informed how a man may be directed in his Examination of those opinions, supposing him in a straight and exigency of thoughts between them, in considering which of them is best suited to the promotion of Godliness. I do not intend in the least to derogate from the certain and undoubted truth of what was premised at the beginning of this Discourse. viz. That every Gospel Rule whatever is certainly conducing to the furtherance of Gospel Obedience in them that receive it in the Love and power thereof; Every error being in its utmost Activity (especially in corrupting the principles of it) obstructive thereunto, much les do we in any measure decline the trial of the Doctrine which I assert, in opposition to the Apostasy of the Saints, by this touch-stone of its usefulness to Holiness, having formerly manifested its eminent Activity and efficacy in that service, and the utter averseness of its corrival to lend any assistance thereunto; But yet I say, in an inquiry after, and dijudication of truth, whatever I have been, or may be straightened between different persuasions, I have and shall rather close in the practice of Holiness in prayer, Faith and waiting upon God, to search the Scripture, to attend wholly to that Rule, having plentiful promises for guidance and direction, than to weigh in any Rationall consideration of my owue, what is conducing to Holiness, what not; especially in many truths which have their usefulness in this service, (as is the case of most Gospel Ordinances and institutions of Worship) not from the connection of things, but the mere will of the appointer. Of those Doctrines (I confess) which following on to know the Lord, we know from his Word to be from him, and in which doing the will of Christ, are revealed to us to be his will, a peculiar valuation is to be set on the head of them, which appear to be peculiarly and eminently serviceable to the promotion and furthering our Obedience; as also that all opinions what ever, that are in the least seducers from the power, truth and Spirituality of obedience are not of God, & are eo nomine to be rejected; yet having a more sure rule to attend unto, I dare not make my apprehensions concerning the tendency of Doctrines, any Rule (if God hath not so spoken of them) for the judging of their truth or false-hood: if my thoughts are not shut up and determined by the power of the Word.

The next proposal made by M. Goodwin, is of the advantages he hath to judge of Truths, which he hath done unto plenary satisfaction, according to the Rule now considered. The first thing he offereth to induce us to close with him in his judgment of Opinions is, the knowledge he hath of the general course of the Scripture; what is intended by the general course of the Scripture, well I know not: & so am not able to judge of M. Goodwin's knowledge thereof by anything exposed to public view; If by the general course of the Scriptures, the matter of them is intended, the importance of the expression seems to be coincident with the Analogy, or proportion of Faith, a safe rule of Prophesy; but what ever M. Goodwin's knowledge may be of this, I am not perfectly satisfied that he hath kept close unto it in many Doctrines of his Book entitled Redemption Redeemed; and so the weight of his skill in judging of truths on this foundation, will not balance what I have to lay against it, for the inducement of other thoughts, than those of closing with him. The course of the Scripture, cannot import the manner of the expressions therein used: in that there is so great and so much variety therein, that it can scarce be cast into one course and current: and if the general scope, aim, and tendency of the Scripture may pass for the course of it, there is not any one thing that lies so evident and clear therein, as the decrying of all that Ability and strength, and power to do good in men, which M. Goodwin so much pleads for, and Asserts to be in them, with an Exaltation of that rich and free Grace in the efficacy and the power of it, which he so much opposeth.

The experiment all knowledge he hath of his own heart, the workings and reasonings thereof, (a thing common to him with others) and what advantages he hath thereby I shall not consider; Only this I shall dare to say, that I would not for all the World, have no experience in my heart of the truth of many things which M. Goodwin in this Treatise opposeth; or that my weak experience of the Grace of God, should not rise above that frame of heart and spirit, which the teachings of it seem to discover; I doubt a person under the Covenant of works, heightened with convictions, and a low or common work of the Spirit, induced thereby to some Regular walking before God, may reach the utmost of what in this Treatise is required to render a man a Saint, truly gracious, regenerate and a Believer; And in this also I doubt not, lies the deceit of what is thirdly insisted on, viz. His observation of the ways and spirits of men, their firstings and lastings in Religion; A sort of men there are in the world, who escape the outward pollution of it, and are clean in their own eyes, though they are never washed from their iniquityes, who having been under strong convictions by the power of the Law, and broken thereby from the course of their sin, attending to the Word of the Gospel with a temporary Faith do go forth unto a profession of Religion, and walking with God so far as to have all the lineaments of true Believers (as Mr Goodwin somewhere speaks) drawn in their faces, hearing the Word gladly as did Herod, receiving it with joy as did the stony ground, attending to it with delight as they did in Ezech. 33. 31. Repenting of former sins, as did Ahab and Judas, until they are reckoned among true Believers, as was Judas & those John 2. 23. who yet were never united unto Jesus Christ, of whose ways and walking Mr Goodwin seems to have made observation, and found many of them to end in visible Apostasy; But that this observation of them, should cause him to judge them when Apostatized to have been true Believers, or that he is thereby advantaged to determine concerning the truth of several Opinions pretending to his acceptance, I cannot grant, nor doth he go about to prove.

For what he mentions in the last place of the light of reason and understanding, which he hath, I do not only grant him to have it in common (as he saith) with other men, for the kind of it, but also as to the degrees of it to be much advanced therein, above the generality of men; yet I must needs tell him in the close, that all these helps and advantages, seeming to be drawn forth and advanced in opposition to that one great assistance which we enjoy by promise from Christ; of his Spirit leading us into all truth, and teaching us from God by his own anointing, are to me hay and stubble, yea loss and dung, of no value nor esteem; Had we not other ways & means, helps and advantages to come to the knowledge of the Truth than these here unfolded and spread by Mr Goodwin, actum esset, we should never perceive the things that are of God. The Fox was acquainted with many wiles and devices; the Cat knew unum magnum wherein she found safety. Attendance to the Word, according to the direction of the usual known Rules, and helps, agreed on for the interpretation of it, with humble dependence on God waiting for the guidance of his Spirit according to the Promise of his dear Son; asking him of him continually that he may dwell with us, anoint and lead us into all truth, with an utter abrenunciation of all our skill, abilities, wisdom and any resting on them, knowing that it is God alone that gives us understanding is the course that hitherto hath been used in our enquiry after the mind of God, in the Doctrine under consideration, and which (the Lord assisting) shall be heeded, and kept close unto, in that discussion of the Texts of Scripture wrested by Mr Goodwin (as by others before him) to give countenance to his opposition to the Truth hitherto uttered, confirmed and vindicated from his contradictions thereunto.

The place of Scripture first insisted on, and on the account whereof, he triumphs with the greatest confidence of success, is that of Ezech. 18. 24, 25. Unwhich words he subjoins a Triumphant Exulting Exclamation.

What more ( saith he ) can the understanding judgment soul and conscience of a man, reasonably desire for the establishment in any truth whatsoever, than is delivered by God himself in this passage, to evince the possibility of a righteous man's declining from his righteousness, and that unto death.

The council given of old to the King, may not be unseasonable to Mr Goodwin in that dominion which he exerciseth in his own thoughts in this work of his, let not him that putteth on this armor boast like him that puteth it off. You have but newly entered the lists; and that, with all pressed Soldiers unwilling so much as once to appear in that service they are forced to. If you will but suspend your triumph, until we have made a little trial of your forces, and your skill in managing of them to the battle, perhaps you may be a little taken off from this confidence of success, notwithstanding the facing of this Scripture upon the Truth, being cut off and taken away from that coherence and connection, and station wherein it is placed of God (which is not at the least inquired into) it will be found in that issue to bear it no ill will at all; As will also be manifested by the light of the ensuing consideration.

1. The matter under enquiry, & into a disquisition of whose state we have hitherto been engaged in the condition of the Saints of God; and his dealing with them, in and under the Covenant of Grace in General. For our guidance and direction herein, a Text of Scripture evincing the Righteousness of God's dealings with a number of persons in a peculiar case, which was under debate, is produced and by the tenor of this, and according to the tenor of the reasonings therein, must all the Promises of God, in the Covenant of Grace, mape and ratified by the Blood of Christ, be regulated and interpreted. We have been told by as Learned a man as Mr Goodwin, that Promises made to the people of the Jews peculiarly, and suited to the peculiar state and condition wherein they were, do not concern the People of God in general; And why may not the same be the condition of Threatenings given out upon a parralell account Compedes quas fecit ipse ut ferat aequum est.

2. That it is the determination and stating of a particular Controversy, between God and the people of the Jews, suited to a peculiar dispensation of his Providence towards them which is here proposed, is evident from the occasion of the words laid down v. 2, 3. What mean ye &c. that use this proverb concerning the Land of Israel, saying, the Fathers have eaten sower Grapes, and the Children's teeth are set on edge? As I live saith the Lord, &c. It is the use of a Proverb concerning the Land of Israel, that God is descrying and disproving the truth of the Proverb it self under consideration, and that this should be the standard and Rule of God's proceeding with his people, in the Covenant of mercy, no man that seems to have either understanding, judgment or conscience can reasonably imagine.

3. That it is not the nature and tenor of the Covenant of Grace, and God's dealing with his chosen secret ones, his Saints, true Believers, as to their eternal condition, which in these words is intended, but the manifestation of the Righteousness of God in dealing with that people of the Jews, in a peculiar dispensation of his providence, towards the body of that people, and the Nation in general, appears farther from the occasion of the words, and the provocation given the Lord to make use of these expressions unto them. The proverb that God cuts out of their lips and mouths, by the sword of his Righteousness in these words; was concerning the Land of Israel: Used perhaps mostly by them in captivity: but it was concerning the Land of Israel, not concerning the Eternal state and condition of the Saints of God, but concerning the Land of Israel, v. 2. God had of old given that Land to that people by Promise, and continued them in it for many Generations; until at length for their wickedness', Idolatry, Abomination and obstinacy in their evil ways, he caused them to be carried captive unto Rabylon. In that Captivity the Lord revenged upon them not only the sins of the present Generation, but as he told them also those of their fore-Fathers, especially the Abomination, Cruelty, Idolatry exercised in the days of Manasseh, taking this season for his work of vengeance in the Generations following, who also so far walked in the steps of their fore-Fathers, as to Justify all God's proceedings against them; Being wasted and removed from their own Land, by the Righteous Judgment of God, they considered the Land of Israel, that was Promised to them (though upon their good behavior therein) and how instead of a plentiful enjoyment of all things in peace and quietness therein, there were now a small remnant in captivity, the rest, the far greatest part, being destroyed by the sword and famine in that Land. In this state and condition, being as all other of their frame and principle, prone to justify themselves, they had hatched a proverb among themselves concerning the Land of Israel promised to them, exceedingly opprobrious and reproachful to the Justice of God, in his dealings with them; The sum of the intendment of this saying that was grown rise amongst them, was, that for the sin of their fore-Fathers, many, yea the greatest part of them was slain in the Land of Israel, and the rest carried from it into bondage and captivity. To vindicate the Righteousness and equity of his ways, the impartiallity of his Judgments, the Lord recounts to them by his Prophet many of their sins, whereof themselves with their Fathers were guilty, in the Land of their nativity, and for which he had brought all that calamity and desolation upon them, whereof they did complain: confirming under many supposalls of rising and falling, that principle of rising and falling, that principle he laid down in the entrance of his dealings with them, that everyone of them suffered for his own iniquity, whatever they suffered, whether death or other banishment, and not for the sins of their fore Fathers: Whatever influence they might have upon the procuring of the general vengeance, that overtook the whole Nation in the midst of their iniquity. This being the aim, scope, and tendency of the place, the import of the words and tenor of God's intendment in them, I cannot but wouder how any man of understanding and Conscience, can once imagine that God hath given any Testimony to the possibilty of falling out of Covenant with him, of those whom he hath taken • igh to himself through the Blood of his Son, in the Everlasting bond thereof. As though it were anything of his dealing with the Saints, in reference to their Spiritual and Eternal Condition, that the Lord here reveals his will about; being only the tenor of his dealings with the House of Israel in reference to the Land of Canaan.

4. This is farther manifest in that principle & Rule of God's proceedings in the matter laid down v. 4. which is not only a line from, but also directly opposite unto, that which is the principle in the Covenant of Grace. The soul that sinneth he shall die. That soul and person and not another, when in that Covenant of Grace, he sets forth his Son to be a propitiation through faith in his Blood, giving him up to death for all, causing the just to die for the unjust, the soul that never sinned for the souls that had sinned, that they might go free. And I would fain know, on what solid grounds an answer may be given to the Socinians triumphing in the 4. v. against the satisfaction of Christ, nolesse than Mr Goodwin in the 24, 25. against the Perseverance of the Saints; If you do not manifest the whole tendency of this place, to be accommodated to God's providential dispensation of temporal Judgments, and Mercyes in respect of that people, and the Covenant whereby they held the Land of Canaan; and not at all to respect the general dispensation of his Righteousness and Grace in the Blood of Christ. So that

5. The whole purport and intendment of the Scripture under consideration is only to manifest the tenor of God's Righteous proceeding with the people of Israel in respect of his dispensation towards them in reference to the Land of Canaan, convicing them of their own abominations, confuting the profane proverb invened and reared up in the reproach of his Righteousness, beating them from the vain pretence of being punished for their Fathers sins, and the conceit of their own Righteousness, which that people was perpetually puffed up with all; He lets them know, that his dealing with them and his ways towards them, were equal and righteous, in that there was none of them but was punished for his own sin: and though some of them might have made some profession, and done some good, yet upon the whole matter first or last, they had all declined, and therefore ought to own the punishment of their sins; God dealing severely, and unto death, and destruction, with none but those who either, wholly, or upon the sum of the matter, turned away from his Judgments and Statutes. So that

6. This being the tenor and importance of the words insisted on, this their tendency, aim, and accommodation to the objection levied against the Righteousness of God in dealing with that people, this their rise, and end, their spring, and fall, it is evident beyond all Contradiction from anything but prejudice it self, that all the enquiries and disputes about them, as whether the declaration of the mind of God in them be Hypotheticall or Absolute; what is meant by the Righteous Person, what by his turning away, and what by the death threatened, (all which expressions of the Text are in themselves ambiguous and must be limited from the circumstances of place) are altogether useless, and needless, the words utterly refusing any accommodation to the business of our present debate. So that

7. This dependence of the words scope of the Context, design of the place, and intendment of God in it, the accommodation of the whole discourse to the removal of the Objection, and disproving of the proverbial self Justification of a sinful People, the only directoryes in the investigation of the true, proper, native, genuine sense and meaning of them, eyed, weighed nor considered by Mr Goodwin, who knew how much it was to his advantage, to rend away these two verses, from the body of the Prophets discourse, I might well supersede any farther proceeding in the Examination of what he has prepared for a Reply to the Answers commonly given to the Argument taken from this place: yet that all security imaginable may be given to the Reader, of the inoffensivenesse of this place, as to the Truth we maintain; I shall briefly manifest, that Mr Goodwin hath not indeed effectually taken up and off, any one Answer, or any one parcel of any such, that hath usually been given by our Divines unto the Objection against the Doctrine of Perseverance hence levied.

That which naturally first offers it self to our Consideration, is, the form and tenor of the Expression here used: which is not of an absolute nature, but Hypotheticall; The import of the words is, If a righteous man turn from his Righteousness and continue therein he shall dy: True, say they who make use of this Consideration; God here proposes the desert of sin, and the connection that is by his appointment, between Apostasy and the punishment thereunto allotted; but this not at all infers, that any one who is truly righteous, shall or may everlastingly so Apostatize. Such comminations as these God maketh use of to caution Believers of the evil of Apostasy, and thereby to preserve them from it, as their tendency to that end▪ by the appointment of God, and their efficacy thereunto, hath been declared. So that to say, because God says If a righteous man turn from his Righteousness he shall die; the whole Emphasis lying in the connection, that is between such turning away, & dying, to conclude considering what is the proper use & intendment of such threatenings) that a man truly Righteous may so fall away, is to build up that which the Texts contributes not anything to in the least.

Against this plea Mr Goodwin riseth up with much contempt and indignation, Chap. 12. Sect. 9. in these words.

But this Sanctuary hath also been profaned, by some of the chief Guardians themselves of that cause, for the protection and safety whereof it was built. There needs no more be done (though much more might be done, yea and hath been done by others) than that Learned Doctor (so lately named) hath done himself for the demolishing of it. Having propounded the Argument from the place in Ezekiel according to the import of the interpretation asserted by us; Some (saith he) answer that a condition proves nothing in being: which how true soever it may be in respect of such Hypotheticalls, which are made use of only for the amplyfication of matters, & serve for the aggravating either of the difficulty or indignity of a thing; (as if I should climb up into Heaven thou art there Psal. 139. It were ridiculous to infer, therefore a man may climb up into Heaven;) yet such conditionoll sayings upon which Admonitions, Promises, or Threatenings are built, do at least suppose something in possibility, however by virtue of their tenor & form, they suppose nothing in being. For no man seriously intending to encourage a student in his way would speak thus to him; If thou wilt get all the Books in the University Library by heart, thou shalt be Doctor this Commencement. Beside in the case in hand, he that had a mind to deride the Prophet, might readily come upon him thus: But a righteous man according to the Judgment of those that are Orthodox, cannot turn away from his righteousness: therefore your Threatning is in vain. Thus we see to how little purpose it is, to seek for starting holes in such Logic quirkes as these; Thus far the great Assertor of the Synod of Dort, and the cause which they maintained, to show the vanity of such a sense or construction, put upon the words now in debate; which shall render them merely conditional, and will not allow them to import so much as a possibility, of anything contained or expressed in them.

Ans. Doctor Prideaux his choosing not to lay the weight of this Answer, to the Argument of the Arminians from this place, on the Hypotheticall manner of the expression used therein, is called a defiling this Sanctuary by the Guardians of the cause whose protection it undertakes. Criminarasis, librat in Antithesis; doct as posuisse figuras laudatur? what are my thoughts of it, I need not express, being unconcerned in the business, as knowing it not at all needful to be insisted on, for the purpose for which it is produced, the Text looking not at all towards the Doctrines under consideration: yet I must needs say, I am not satisfied with the Doctors attempt for the removal of it, nor with what is farther added by the Remonstrants, in the place which we are sent unto by M. Goodwin's marginal directions, though it should be granted, that such conditional expressions do suppose, or may (for that they always do is not affirmed, and in some cases it is evident they do not) that there is something in posse, as the Doctor speaks, whereunto they do relate, yet they do not infer, that the possibility may by no means be hindered from ever being reduced into Act. We grant a possibility of desertion in Believers, in respect of their own principles of operation, which is ground sufficient for to give occasion to such Hypotheticall expressions, as contain comminations, and threatenings in them, but yet notwithstanding that possibility on that account supposed, yet the bringing forth of that possibility into an actual accomplishment, may not be effectually prevented by the spirit and grace of God, the Doctor says nothing. This I say is ground sufficient for such Hypotheticall comminations, that in respect of them, to whom they are made, it is possible to incur the thing threatened, by the means therein mentioned, which yet upon other accounts is not possible. That God who says, if the Righteous man turn from his Righteousness, he shall die, and says so on purpose to preserve Righteous men from so doing, knows full well, that the thing in respect of themselves, of whom, and to whom he speaks, is sufficiently possible, to give a clear foundation to that expression. So that if M. Goodwin hath not something of his own to add, he will find little relief from the conceptions of that Learned Doctor: wherein yet, I should not have translated some phrases and expressions, as M. G. hath made bold to do.

He adds therefore Pag. 276. To say that God putteth a case in such solemnity and emphaticalnesse of words and phrase, as are remarkable all along in the carriage of the place in hand, of which there is no possibility, that is should ever happen, or be exemplifyed in reality of event; and this in vindication of himself, and the equity of his dealings and proceedings with men, is to bring a scandal and reproach of weakness upon that infinite Wisdom of his, which magnifyes it self in all his works, which also is so much the more unworthy and unpardonable, when there is a sense commodious every way worthy, as well the infinite wisdom as the Goodness of God, pertinent and proper to the occasion he hath in hand, which offers it self plainly and clearly. So far He.

And this is all it seems which Mr Goodwin hath to add: and indeed this all is nothing at all, but only the repetition of what was urged before from the Doctor, in more swelling, and less significant terms. What possiblity there is in the thing, hath been before manifested; that this possibility should necessarily be exemplifyed in reality of event to give significancy to this expression, I suppose is not Mr Goodwin's own intendment; True Believers according to the Doctrine he asserts (as he pretends) are only in such a remote possibility of Apostasy, as that it can scarce be called danger. Now doubtless it is possible that such a remote possibility may never be reduced into Act. But now if Mr Goodwin will not be contented with such a possibility, as may, but also will have that, must be exemplifyed in reality of event, he is advanced from a possibility in all, to a necessity in some to Apostatize.

2. Had M.G. a little more attended to what here drops from him, viz. that the words are used for the vindication of the justice of the proceedings of God, (namely) in the particular case formerly opened and cleared, perhaps he would himself have judged the edge of this weapon, to be so far blunted, as to render it wholly useless to him, in the combat wherein he is engaged; I hope at least that by the light of this spark, he may apprehend the Emphaticallnesse of all the expressions used in this place, to be pointed towards the particular case under consideration, and not in the least to be expressive of the possibility he contends for; God knows what beseems his own infinite wisdom, and hath given us rules to judge thereof, as far as we are called thereto in his word; And from thence, whether M. Goodwin will pardon us or no, in our so doing, we doubt not to evince, that it exceedingly becomes the infinite wise God, emphatically to express that connection, that is between one thing and another (sin and punishment, believing and salvation) by his appointment, though some never believe unto salvation, nor some sin, to the actual inflicting of punishment on them; and as for M. Goodwin's commodious sense of this place, we see not any advantage in it, for any but those, who are engaged into an opposition to the Covenant of the grace of God, and his faithfulness therein: so that once more upon the whole matter, this Text is discharged from farther attendance in the trial of the truth in hand.

The severals of the Text come nextly under consideration, and amongst them; First, The subject spoken of (that we may take the words in some order, M.G. having roved up and down, backwards and forwards, from one end of the Text to the other, without any at all) and this is, a Righteous man, that is such an one as is described, v. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. but if a man &c. that is, such an one that walks up to the judgments, and statutes, and ordinances of God, so far as they were of him required in the Covenant of the Land of Canaan, and according to the tenor of it, whereby they held their possession therein, whereby heavenly things were also shadowed out: That this is the person intended, this his Righteousness, and that the matter upon which he is here tried, is clear in the contexts, beyond all possible contradiction. So that all farther inquiries into what Righteousness is intended, is altogether needless; what with any color of probability can be pretended from hence, as to the matter in hand, arises from the analogy of God's dealings with men in the tenor of the Covenant of Grace, and the Covenant of the land of Israel, which yet are eminently distinguished in the very foundation of them: The one being built upon this bottom, the soul that sinneth it shall die; the other upon a dispensation of another import, as has been declared: We do then plainly supererogate as to the cause in hand, by the confutation of the Answers, which Mr Goodwin farther attempts to remove, and his endeavor therein which yet shall not be declined.

Sect. 8. one exposition by some insisted on, of this term a righteous man, is thus proposed by Mr Goodwin: Notwithstanding some formerly (it seems) in favor of the Doctrine, attempted an escape from that sword of Ezekiel lately drawn against it, by pretending that by the Righteous man mentioned in the passages in hand, is not meant a person truly and really righteous, but a kind of formal Hypocrite, or outside professor of Righteousness.

Those who insist on this interpretation of the place, tell you that in the commands of God, there is the mere end of them considerable, and the manner of their performance, which is as the life and form of the obedience to them which is acceptable to God. Farther that many persons wrought upon by the power of conviction from the Law of God, and enabled in some measure with common gifts and Graces, do go forth in such a way to the performance of the command, of God, as to the substance and matter of them, (wherein also they are not Hypocriticall in the strict sense of the word but sincere) and so are called and counted righteous, comparatively so, in respect of those, who live in open rebellion against the Lord and his ways: And such as these they say, as they are often times useful in their Generations, and bring Glory to God by their profession, so (especially under the old legal dispensation of the Covenant) they were rewarded in a plentiful manner of God in this Life, in the enjoyment of the abundance of all things in peace and quietness. Of this sort of men, that is men upright and righteous in their dealings with men, and in the world, conscientious in their trust, yielding professed subjection to the judgments and institutions of God, performing outwardly all known duties of Religious men, they say, that after they have made a profession of some good continuance, having never attained union with God in Christ, nor being built on the rock, many do fall into all manner of spiritual & sensual abominations, exposing themselves to all the Judgments and Vengeance of God in this life, which also under the Old Testament generally overtook them, God being (as here he pleads) righteous therein: In this description of the Righteous person here intended, there is no occasion in the least administered to Mr Goodwin to relieve himself against it, by that which in the close of this Section he borrows from D. Prideaux, viz. That if the Righteous man, should turn himself away from his counterfeit and Hypocriticall righteousness, he should rather live than die: For they say not that this Righteousness is Hypocricall or counterfeit, but true and sincere in its kind; only the person himself is supposed, not to be partaker of the Righteousness of God in Christ, and a principle of life from him, which should alter his Obedience, render it spiritual and acceptable to God in the Son of his Love.

What more says Mr Goodwin unto this exposition of the words? With many scornful expressions cast both upon it (as by himself stated and laid down) and the Synod of Dort, he tells you it was rejected by the Synod. That some in the Synod looking on it perhaps under such sense and apprehension as Mr G. proposeth it in, did not see cause to close with it, may be true: Yet that it was rejected by the Synod, Mr Goodwin can by no means prove, whatever he is pleased to say, and to insult thereon, upon the judgments of very learned men, whom he hath no reason upon any account in the world, to despise: The labors of very many of them praising them in the gates of Zion, exceedingly above the cry and clamour of all Reproaches whatever mustered to their dishonor. But to let pass those poor contemptible wretches, let us see how this Master in our Israel, in his indignation deals with this silly shift, whereby poor men strive to avoid his fury. Saies he then.

And indeed the whole series and carriage of the Context from v. 20. to the end of the Chapter, demonstratively evinceth, that by the Righteous man all along, is meant such a man, as was or is truly righteous, and who, had he persevere'd in that way of Righteousness, wherein he sometimes walked, should have worn the Crown of Righteousness, and received the reward of a Righteous man. As by the wicked man all along opposed to him, is meant not a person seemingly wicked, but truly and really so (as is acknowledged on all hands) so that the Antithesis or opposition between the righteous and the wicked, running▪ so visibly quite through the body of the Discourse, must needs be dissolved, if by the Righteous man should be meant, a Person seemingly righteous only; he that is Righteous in this sense being truly and really wicked.

Ans. The main series and context of the Chapter, without the least endeavor, to give any light or illustration thereunto, by the scope, occasion, or dependence of the parts of it one upon another, does more than once stand Mr Goodwin instead, when nothing else presents it self to his relief. It is true the whole context of the Chapter, grants the persons spoken of, to be righteous in the performance of the duties mentioned in the Chapter, in opposition to the wicked man and his intentions, and ways described therein, in proportion to the dispensation of the Covenant, whose Rule & principle is placed in the head of v. 20. which M. Goodwin directs us unto; viz. The soul that sinneth it shall die; And as there is nothing in all this contrary to anything in the Exposition by Mr Goodwin opposed, so there is not anything more proved, nor once attempted to be here by M. Goodwin himself, than what is confessed therein.

It is acknowledged that the person spoken of, is truly and really righteous, with that kind of righteousness which is intended, and wherein if he continued, he was to receive the reward of righteousness, then under consideration; and yet, though such an one might be truly and really united unto Christ, yet there is nothing in the Text, nor Context, enforcing that such an one, and none else is intended here: and more in this case Mr Goodwin hath not to add; nor doth he threaten us with anymore than he hath delivered, as he did upon the consideration of the tenor of the words, and our enquiry whether they are of an hypothetical or absolute nature and importance.

It is true he adds, that Calvin in his Exposition on the place, notwithstanding his wariness to manage it so, as that the Doctrine of Perseverance which he maintained, might suffer no damage, (which perhaps M. G. was not so wary in expressing, contending so much as he does, to manifest, that he had thoughts lying another way) and therefore asserting the person here spoken of, to be a person seemingly righteous only, yet lets fall such things, as declared nothing to be wanting in this Righteous person, but Perseverance. But that Calvin grants in any expression of his, this person, or him concerned herein, to be in such an estate, as to want nothing but Perseverance, to render them everlastingly blessed, is notoriously false; neither does anything in the expressions cited by M. Goodwin come from the body of his discourse, in the least look that way, as might easily be manifested, did I judge it meet in a Context of this nature, to trade in the Authorities of men; so that I cannot but wonder with what confidence, he is pleased to impose such a sense upon his words; all this while then, notwithstanding anything our Author hath to say to the contrary, the Righteous Person here intended, may be only such an one, as was described in the entrance of this Consideration of his; and that it is not requisite from the Text, or Context, that he should be any other, is more evident than that it is to be contended against.

Sect. 7. He deals with another Exposition of the words, which hath no small countenance given unto it from the Scriptures, which for to prevail himself upon an expression or two, by the by, he sets down in the words of D. Prideaux Lect. 6. and they are these. There is ( saith he ) a double Righteousness, one, inherent, or of Works, by which we are sanctified; another, imputed, or of Faith, whereby we are justified; A righteous man may turn aside from his own Righteousness: viz. from his Holiness, and fall into very heinous sins: but it doth not follow from hence, that therefore he hath wholly shaken off from him [or out of him] the Righteousness of Christ. To this he adorns a threefold reply.

1. The Doctor here persents us with a piece of new Divinity, in making Sanctification and Justification, no more intimate friends, than that one can live without the company and presence of the other. Doubtless if a man's justification, may stay behind when his Holiness is departed, that assertion of the Apostle will hardly stand; without Holiness no man shall see the Lord. Heb. 12. 14. And if they that are Christ's [ i.e. who believe in Christ, and thereby are justified] have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts (another assertion of the same Apostle) how their relation unto Christ should stand, and yet their Holiness sink and fall, I understand not. But I leave his friends to be his enemies in this.

Ans. How little advantage Mr Goodwin hath obtained by attempting a diversion from the Consideration of the matter insisted on; (which is all he doth in this Paragraph) will quickly appear. From the Righteousness of Sanctification there is (or may be supposed) a twofold fall. First from the exercises of it, in all or any of the fruits thereof, according to the will of God. Secondly from the Habit and Principle of it, in respect of its root and gronndworke in the soul; it is the former that the Doctor asserts. A man saith he, may fall away from the zealous practice of the duties of holiness, and with, or under violence of Temptation (as to fruit-bearing) decay in close walking, until the whole seem really to die, so as through the righteous judgment of God, to be exposed to calamities, corrections and punishments in this Life, yea the great death it self, as it fell out in the case of Josiah, who fell by the sword in undertaking against the mind and will of God: but now for the work and principles of Holiness, none who have once received it, can ever cast it up, and he come wholly without, and between this, and the righteousness of justification, there is that strict connection, that the one cannot, doth not consist without the other; if now Mr Goodwin understands not, how a Justifyed, Sanctifyed person, may decline from the ways, and pretences of Holiness for a season, so as to provoke the Lord to deal sharply, yea and sometimes terribly with him, take vengeance of his invention, and yet that person not loose his relation to Christ, nor his interest in the Love and favor of God, I shall not presume to instruct him in the knowledge thereof; but refer him to them who are better able so to do, wherein upon the account of his aptness to hear as well as teatch, I presume their undertakings will not be difficult. He adds.

2. He seems by his word (penitus) wholly, thoroughly, or altogether, to be singular also in another strain of Divinity, and to teach magis and minus in Justification. For in saying that from a man's apostatizing from his own righteousness, it doth not follow that therefore he hath wholly or altogether shaken off the imputed righteousness of Christ, doth he not imply, that a man may shake off some part of the righteousness of Christ from him, and yet keep another part of it upon him? Or else that by sinning, he may come to wear the entire garment, or clothing of it so loosely, that it will be ready to drop or fall off from him every hour? And consequently that the righteousness of Christ sits faster, and closer upon some than upon others; yea upon the same person at one time than another.

Ans. That this is a second attempt, for to lead the Reader off from the consideration of the business in hand, and to prepare him by a diversion, to an acceptatiō of what he afterwards tenders, in way of reply, that he may not perceive how insufficient, it is for the purpose, by an immediate comparing of it, with the answer it self, is evident. Truly when in my younger days, I was wont to hear that Doctor in his Lectures, and other exercises, I did not think then I should have afterwards found him called in question for want of skill to express himself, and the sense of his mind in Latin, he having a readiness and dexterity in that Language equal to any that ever I knew, neither yet am I convinced that his word penitus, upon which Mr Goodwin criticiseth, (being commonly as might by innumerable instances be made good) used to increase and make emphatical the import of the word wherewith it is associated) will evince any such meaning in his expression, as is there intended by Mr Goodwin. Justification is, and it was so taught by the Doctor to be ( Lect. de Just. ) in respect of all persons that are partakers of it equal: and equal to every person so partaking of it, at all times; though in regard of sense, and perception, and the peace and comfort, wherewith (when perceived, and felt) it is attended, it is no less subject to increases and wanings than Sanctification it self. So that this also might be attended by the Doctor without the least strain of new Divinity, that Justifyed and Sanctifyed persons, though they might so decline from the course of close walking with God, as for a season to be like a tree in Winter, whose substance is in his roots, his leaves and fruit falling off ceasing to bring forth the fruits of Holiness, in such degrees as formerly, and so loose their sense of acceptation with God, through Christ, and the peace, with consolation, and joy wherewith it is attended, yet they could not, nor should not, wholly be cast out of the favor of God; the nature and essence of their Justification being abiding; and what singular strain of Divinity there is, in the tendency of such a discourse I know not. Besides that teaching of magis and minus in Justification should be any singular thing in Mr Goodwin, I do not well understand; for if the matter of our Righteousness, or that upon the imputation whereof unto us, we are Justifyed, may have its degrees, and receive magis and minus, as certainly our Faith, may and doth; why our Justification may not do so too, I see no Reason. But he comes at length to the matter and addeth.

3. Lastly, were it granted unto the Doctor, that from a man's turning aside from his own Holiness, it doth not follow, that therefore he hath wholly divested himself of the Righteousness of Christ imputed; yet from God's determination, or pronouncing a man to be in an estate of condemnation, & of death, it follows roundly, that therefore he is divested of the Righteousness of Christ imputed (if ever he were invested with it before) because no man with that Righteousness upon him, can be in such an estate. Now we have upon several grounds proved, that the Righteous man under that Apostasy, wherein Ezekiel describes and presents him, is pronounced by God, a child, not of a temporal, but eternal death and condemnation, This indeed the Doctor denies, but gives no reason of his denial, for which I blame him not. Only I must crave leave to say, that the Chair weigheth not so much, as one good Argument, with me; much less, as many. So that all this while, he that spake, and still speaks unto the world, by Ezekiel, is no friend to that Doctrine, which denieth a possibility of a righteous man's declining even unto death.

Ans. If this be all that Mr Goodwin hath to say, for the removal of this Answer, that cuts the throat of his Argument, if it be not removed, he hath little Reason for the confidence wherewith he closeth it, concerning God's speaking in this place of Ezekiel, against that Doctrine which in innumerable places of his Word he hath taught us, as a Doctrine enwrapping no small portion of that Grace, which in a Covenant of Mercy he dispenseth to his Chosen, Redeemed, Justifyed, Sanctifyed ones: neither is here any need to add, the weight of the Chair (wherein yet that person spoke of, behaved himself worthily in his Generation, and was in his Exercises herein, by no means by Mr Goodwin to be despised) be laid upon the Reasonings of the Doctor in this case, they proving singly of themselves, too heavy for Mr Goodwin to bear. In brief that the substance of the reply in hand, is merely a begging of the thing in Question, any one that hath but half an eye in the business of this nature, may easily discern; that it is supposed that a man truly Righteous, and Justifyed in the blood of Christ, may so fall away, as to be pronounced of God to be in a state of damnation, and so fallen really from his former condition ( Rom. 8. 1.) is the thing that Mr Goodwin hath to prove; Now saith he, this must needs be so, because God here upon such a supposal, pronounceth such a man to be in the estate of condemnation, what this is with other men, I know not; but to me, it is no proof at all; nor should I believe that to be the sense of the place, though in variety of expressions he should significantly affirm it a thousand times; the Reader also is misinformed that the Doctor attempts not any proof, that by death, eternal death is not in this place intended he that shall consult the plaee will find himself abused; but we must speak more of this anon.

And this is all our Author offers as to the persons spoken of in the place of Scripture under consideration, wherein though he hath taken some pains to little or no purpose, to take off the exposition of the words, & the description of the person given by others, yet he hath not attempted to give so much as one Argument, to confirm the sense he would impose on us, concerning the condition of the person spoken of; And I must crave leave to say, that naked assertions be they never so many, in the Chair or out, weigh not so much with me, as one good Argument, much less as many.

There is nothing remains to consideration, but only the Comminatory part of the words, or the expression of the punishment allotted of God, to such as walk in the ways of Apostasy here expressed, in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die; that is, He shall be dealt withal, as many of their Nation were in the Land of Israel; my judgments shall overtake him; it shall not advantage him, that either he had Godly Parents that have walked with me, or that he himself, had so behaved himself in a way of Righteousness, as before described, if he turn to the profaneness and abominations, which are laid down as the ways of wicked men, or into any paths like them, he shall even die, or be punished for his sins, according to the tenor of the truth, laid down in the entrance of the Chapter, and repeated again v. 20. the soul that sinneth it shall die. But now whereas it might be replied, that such an one, notwithstanding his degeneracy, might yet perhaps recover himself, to his former way of walking, obedience, and righteousness in conversation; And is there then no hope, nor help for him, but having once so Apostatised, he must suffer for it? To prevent any such misprision of the mind of God, there is added the terms of his duration in that state of Apostasy, that is even unto death; if he commiteth iniquity, and dieth in it, that is, repents not of it, before his death, the judgments of God shall find him out, as was before expressed. If by his Repentance, he prevent not his calamities, he shall end his sinning in destruction; in which expressions of the persons continuance in his Apostatised condition, and of the judgments of God falling on him on that account, there is not the least appearance of any Tautology, or incongruity in the sense; the same word is used to express diverse concernements of it; which is no Tautology though the same word be used, yet the same thing is not intended, Tautology reflects on things not words, otherwise there must be a Tautology where ever there is an 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , as John 1. 4. %to commit iniquity, and to die therein, is no more but to continue in his iniquity impenitently until death; now to say that a man was put to death for his fault, because he committed it, and continued impenitent in it, even unto the death, which he was adjudged to, and which was inflicted on him for his fault, is an incoherent expression, it seems will puzzle, as great a master of Language as M.G. to make good.

M.G. endeavors to make the punishment threatened in the words ( he shall die for his iniquity) precisely and exclusively to signify eternal death (which the former interpretation doth not exclude) which he is no way able to make good. what he offers Sect. 3. concerning the incongruity of the sense, and tautology of the expression of it, be not so understood, hath been already removed: the comparison ensuing instituted between these words, and those of 1 Cor. 9. 10. Should have been enforced with some consideration of the coincidence of the scope of either place, with the expressions used in them and though Repentance (which is also added) will not deliver them from temporal or natural death, yet it will and may as did Ahab in part, from having that death inflicted, in the way of an extraordinary Judgment.

Sect. 4. Mr Goodwin offers sundry things, all of the same importance and tendency, all animated by the same fallacyes or mistakes, to make good the sense he insists on, exclusively to all others, of these words, he shall die, and he tells you, that, If the Righteousness such men have done, shall come into no account, that it shall not profit him as to his temporal deliverance, then it is impossible it should profit him as to his eternal Salvation. But first, according to our interpretation of the words, there is no necessity incumbent on us, to affirm that the persons mentioned, shall obtain Salvation, though we say that eternal death, is not precisely threatened in the words; but yet that a man may not by the just hand of God be punished with temporal death for his faults and iniquityes, (as Josiah fell by the sword,) and yet have his righteousness reckoned to him as to his great recompense of reward, is a strain of doctrine that Mr Goodwin will scarce abide by. I dare not say that all who died in the wilderness of the Children of Israel, went to Hell, and came short of eternal Life; and yet they all fell there because of their iniquityes. But he adds.

Sect. 4. Again that which God here threateneth against that double, or twofold iniquity of backsliding, is opposed to that life, which is Promised to Repentance, and Perseverance in their well-doing: But this Life is confessed by all to be eternal Life, therefore the death opposite to it, must needs be Eternal, or the second death. When the Apostle saith the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal Life through Christ Jesus our Lord. Rom. 6. 23. Is it not evident from the antithesis, or opposition in the tendency, between the death and life mentioned in it that by that death, which he affirms to be the wages of sin, is meant eternal death, how else will the opposition stand?

Ans. It is true the Life and Death here mentioned, the one promised v. 9. the other threatened in those insisted on, are opposed, and of what nature, and kind the one is, of the same is the other to be esteemed. It is also confessed, that the Life Promised in the Covenant of Mercy to Repentance, is eternal Life, and the wages of sin mentioned in the Law, is Death eternal; but that therefore, that must be the sense of the words when they are made use of, in answer to an Objection expressed in a proverb concerning the Land of Israel, and when it was temporal death that was complained of afore in the proverb, the Fathers have eaten sower graps, and the children's teeth are set on edge, (they did not complain that they were damned for their Fathers sins) that Mr Goodwin doth not attempt to prove; and I do not blame him for his silence therein. He says yet again.

When God in the Scriptures threatens impenitent persons with death for their sins, doubtless he intends and means, eternal death, or that Death which is the wages of sin. Otherwise we have no sufficient ground to believe or think, that men dying in their sins without Repentance, shall suffer the vengeance of eternal fire, not only a temporal or natural death; which those who are righteous and truly eminent themselves suffer as well as they; therefore to say that God threatens impenitent Apostates (in the place in hand) with a temparall Death only, when as elsewhere he threatens impenitency, under the lightest guilt of all, with eternal death, is (in effect) to represent him as vehement and fore in his diswasives from ordinary and lesser sins; as indifferent and remiss in dissuading from sins of the greatest provocation.

Ans. The sum of this Reason is, if the death there threatened to those men of our present contest, be not death eternal, we have no sufficient ground to believe, that God will inflict any death on impenitent Apostates, but only that which is temporal or natural, which others die as well as they, and why so I beseech you; is there no other place of Scripture, whence it may be evinced, that eternal death is the wages of sin? or is every place thereof where death is threatened to sin, so circumstantiated as this place is? Is the threatening everywhere given out upon the like occasion, and to be accommodated to the like state of things? These Discourses are exceeding loose, sophistical, and inconclusive neither is a violent death counted natural, though it be the dissolution of nature.

Neither is there anything more added by Mr Goodwin in all his considerations of the words of this passage of the Scriptures, than what we have insisted on: that he nextly mentioneth ( that if God here threateneth impenitent siners only with temporal death, then why should the most profligate sinners fear any other punishment? ) is of more energy, for the confirmation and building up the sense which he imposeth on the words, than that which went before, they with whom he hath to do, will tell him that he doth all along most vainly assume, and beg the thing in question, viz. That the persons intimated, are absolutely impenitent sinners; and not so under some considerations only; that is, that do never recover themselves from their degeneracy from close walking with God; nor do the words indeed necessarily import anything else; and for impenitent sinners in general (not those who are only so termed) there are testimonies sufficient in the Scriptures concerning God's righteous judgment, in their eternal condemnation.

And this is the first testimony produced by Mr G. for the proof of the Saints Apostasy, a witness which of all others, he doth most rely upon, and which he bringeth in, with the greatest acclamation of success, (before the trial) imaginable. That when he hath brought him forth, he gives us no account in the least, whence he comes, what is his business, or what he aims to confirm, nor can make good his speaking one word on his behalf. Indeed as the matter is handled, I something question, whether lightly a weaker Argument hath been learned on, in a case of so great importance, than that which from these words is drawn for the Apostasy of the Saints; for as we have not the least attempt made, to give us an account of the context, scope, and intendment of the place, (by which yet the expressions, in the verses insisted on, must be regulated) no more can any one expression in it, be made good, to be of that sense, and signification, which yet alone will, or can yield the least advantage to the cause, for whose protection it is so earnestly called upon; Now the leaders and Captains of the forces Mr Goodwin hath mustered in this 12. Chapter, being thus discharged, the residue, or the followers thereof, will easily be prevailed with, to return everyone to his own place in peace.

The next place of Scripture produced to consideration, Mr Goodwin ushers in ( Sect. 11.) with a description of the Adversaries with whom in this Context, he hath to do, and sets them off to public view, with the desirable qualifications, of ignorance, prejudice, and partiality, having it seems, neither ingenuity enough candidly, and fairly themselves to search into, and to weigh the Scriptures, wherein the case in question is clearly determined; nor skill enough to understand and receive them, when so dexterously opened to their hand by M. G. What they are, the Lord knoweth, will judge, determine, and in the appointed time declare: and it may be the day, that shall manifest all things, will vindicate them from those reproaches; in the mean time, such expressions as these, lie in the middle, between all parties at variance, exposed to the use of any that is pleased to take them up: the place insisted on in the sequel of this Preface, is the Parable of our Savior Mat. 18. 32, 33. the whole extent of the Parable is from v. 20. to the end of the Chapter: Hence M. G. thus inferreth Sect: 11.

Evident it is from our Savior's rendition or application of the Parable (so likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if &c.) (speaking unto his Disciples, v. 1. and to Peter more particularly v. 21.) that Persons truly regenerate, and justified before God (for such were they, to whom in special manner he addresseth the Parable, and the application of it, and indeed the whole carriage of the Parable showeth, that it was calculated, and formed only for such) may through high misdemeanors in sinning, as (for example) by unmercifulness, cruelty, oppression, &c. turn themselves out of the justifying Grace and Favor of God, quench the spirit of Regeneration, and come to have their portions with Hypocrites and Unbelievers.

Ans. This is not the only occasion whereupon we have to deal with this Parable: The Socinians wrest it also with violence, to disprove the satisfaction of Christ, from the mention that is made in it, of the free forgiveness of sins, and the Lord's enjoining others to do what he did; they doubtless being to forgive without satisfaction given or made, as to any crimes committed against them. M. Goodwin with much less probability, of drawing nigh to the intendment of our Savior in this place, makes use of it, or rather abuses it, to countenance his Doctrine of the Apostasy of the Saints: To both I say, Parables have their bounds and limits, their lines and proportions, scope and peculiar intendment, beyond which they prove nothing at all: to wring the nose of a Parable or similitude, to force it to an universal compliance, will bring forth blood. There is nothing so sottish, or foolish, or contradictious in, and to it self, as may not be countenanced, from teaching Parables to be instructive, and proving, in every parcel or expression that attends them. The intendment of the Parable here used, that wherein from the proportion, and answerableness of the comparats it argueth, is neither that God forgives without satisfaction to his justice, being the judge of all the World, nor that Believers may fall away by sins of unmercifulness and oppression, and so perish everlastingly, but that men upon the account of mercy, and forgiveness received from God in Christ, ought to extend mercy, and kindness to their Brethren, God threatening, and revenging unmercifulness and oppression, in, and on whomsoever it is found; whether it be Ignorance in us, or what it be, the Lord knows, and will judge: but we are not able to stretch the lines of this Parable one step towards what M. Goodwin would lengthen them unto; that no persons whatever, must or ought to expect, the grace, and pardoning mercy of God to them, who have no bowels of compassion towards their brethren, is clearly taught; in making the rest of the circumstances of the Parable argumentative, we cannot join with our Adversary, he himself in his so doing, working merely for his own ends.

2. Finding his Exposition of this Parable, liable and obnoxious to an exception, in that it renders God changeable in his dealings with men, and a knot to be cast on his Doctrine, which he is not able to untie, he ventures boldly to cut it in pieces, by affirming that indeed God loves no man at all, with any love, but the approbation of the qualifications that are in him, and that he cannot be said to change in reference of that, which is not in him at all: This he sets out, and illustrates variously with the dealings of men, and the Laws that are made amongst them, rewarding what is good, and punishing what is evil, &c. words fully fitted in his apprehension, to the clearing of God, from any shadow of alteration in that course of proceeding, which to him he ascribes, and tells you the root of the mistake concerning the Love of God towards any man's person, lies in that Capitall error, of personal Election, or a purpose of God to give Grace, and Glory to any one in Christ: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . That M. Goodwin doth at all understand the love of God, if his apprehension of it be uniform to what he expresseth here in disputation, I must question. An eternal, unchangeable love of God, to some, in Christ, is not now my task to demonstrate: it may through the patience, and goodness of God, find a place in my weak endeavors for the Lord, ere long: When it will be a matter of delight, to consider the Scriptures, and Testimonies of Antiquity, that M.G. will produce for the eversion of such a personal election; for the present I shall only take notice of the face of his judgment in the thing, which ( Sec. 13.) he here delivers: All the Love which God bears to men, or to any person of man, is either in respect of their nature, and as they are men, in respect of which he bears a general or common love to them, or in respect of their qualification as they are good men, in one degree or other, in respect whereof he bears a more special love to them: What that common love is, in M. Goodwin's doctrine, which God bears to all men, as men, we know full well: He also himself is not unacquainted how often it hath been demonstrated to be a vain and foolish figment (in the sense by him and his associates obtruded on us) derogatory to all the glorious Properties of the nature of God, and inconsistent with anything, that of himself he hath revealed. The Demonstration and farther eviction whereof, waits its season, which I hope draweth on. The special love which he bears persons in respect of their qualifications, is only his Approbation of those qualifications, where ever they are, and in whomsoever: That these qualifications are Faith, Love, Repentance, Gospel obedience, &c. Is not called into question: I would fain know of M. Goodwin on what account and consideration, some men and not all, are translated from the condition of being objects of God's common love, to become objects of his peculiar love; or from whence spring these qualifications, which are the procurement of it; whether they are from any love of God to them, in whom they are? If not, on what account do men come to have Faith, Love, Obedience, &c. If they are from any Love of God, whether it be from the common Love of God to man, as men? and if so, why are not all men endowed with those qualifications? If from his peculiar Love, how come they to be the effects and causes of the same thing? Or whether indeed this assertion be not destructive to the whole Covenant of Grace, and the effectual dispensations of it in the blood of Christ? And to his second Testimony I shall add no more.

The third place insisted on, is that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 9. 27. Hence he thus argueth.

If Paul, after his conversion unto Christ, was in a possibility of being, or becoming a Reprobate, or cast away, then may true Believers fall away both totally and finally (for finally ever includes totally) But the Antecedent is true: Paul after his conversion, was in the possibility mentioned: ergo, the Major Proposition (I presume) will pass without control.

Ans. That Mr Goodwin is not able to make good eitheir of the Propositions in this syllogism, will evidently appear in the conclusion of our examination, of what he draws forth, new and old to that purpose; of the Major he gives you only this account: It will pass I presume without controulc: but by his favor, unless cleared from ambiguity of expressions and fallacy, it is not like to obtain so fair a passage, as is presumed, and fancied.

Though the term of possibility in the supposition, and, may be, in the inference, seem to be equipollent, yet to render them of the same significancy, as to the Argument in hand, they must both be used in the same respect, but if a possibility of being a reprobate, (that is, one rejected of God, by a metonymy of the effect,) be ascribed to Paul in respect of himself, and the infirmity of his own will as to abiding with God, in which case alone there is any appearance of truth in the Assumption of this supposition, and the term of may be, in respect of Believers falling totally & finally away, respects the event, & purpose, decrees or Promise of God, concerning it, (in which sense alone, it is any step to the purpose, in hand) I deny the inference, and thereby at the very entrance, give check, and control to Mr Goodwin 's procedure: That which is possible to come to pass, that term possible, affecting the end, or coming to pass, must be every way, and in all respects possible: this is the intendment of the inference: That which is possible in respect of some certain causes, or principles, (the terms of possibility affecting the thing it self, whereof it is spoken in its next causes) may be impossible on another account; & in this sense only is there any color of truth contained in the supposition; so that the Major Proposition of this Syllogism, is laid up and secured for doing any farther service in this case.

The Minor is, But Paul after his conversion was in a possibility of becoming a Reprobate or cast-away.

Ans. He was not in respect of the event, upon the account of the purpose and promises of God of him, and to him made in Christ; though any such possibility may be affirmed of him, in respect of himself, and his own will, not confirmed in Grace, unto an impossibility of swerving: Now this Proposition he thus farther attempts syllogistically to confirm.

That which Paul was very solicitous & industrious to prevent, he was in a possibility of suffering or being made. But Paul was very solicitous and industrious to prevent his being made a cast-way, as the Scripture in hand plainly avoucheth; he kept under his body and brought it in subjection, in order to prevent his becoming a cast-away: Ergo, He was in danger or possibility of being made a cast-away. The reason of the consequence in the Major Proposition, is, because no man of understanding will be solicitous to prevent or hinder the coming to pass of such a thing, the coming to pass whereof, he knows to be impossible.

Ans. Once more, The major is questioned: Paul might and ought to labor in the use of means, for the preventing of that, which in respect of himself he might possibly run into, God having appointed those means to be used for the prevention of the end feared, and avoided; although in respect of some other preventing cause, it was impossible he should so do: He who complained that in him, that is in his flesh dwelleth no good, that he had a law in his members leading him captive to the Law of sin, and sin working in him all manner of concupiscence, for whose prevention from running out into a course of sinning, God hath appointed means to be used, might use those means for that end, notwithstanding that God had immutably Purposed, and Faithfully Promised, that in the use of those means, he should attain the end aimed at; And the Reason Mr Goodwin gives for the confirmation of the consequence is no other, but that which we have so often exploded, viz. That a man need not, ought not to use means for attaining of any end, though appointed and instituted of God for that end, and purpose; if so be the end for which they are ordained, shall certainly and infallibly be compassed, and accomplished by them. Our Savior Christ, thought meet to use the ordinary ways for the preservation of his life, notwithstanding the Promise of keeping him by the Angels: and Hezekiah neglected not the means of Life, notwithstanding the infallible promise of Living so long, which he had received: Paul was careful in the use of means, to prevent that which inhimselfe, it was possible for him to run into, though he had or might have assurance, that through the faithfulness and power of God, in the use of those means, (as an antecedent of the consequent, though not the conditions of the event) he should be preserved certainly and infallibly from what he was so in himself apt unto. So that whatever be the peculiar intendment of the Apostle in this place, taking the term 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in the largest sense possible, and in a significancy of the greatest compass, yet nothing will regularly be inferred thence, to the least prejudice of the Doctrine I have undertaken to maintain.

And this may suffice as to the utmost of what Mr Goodwin's Argument from this place doth reach unto. There is another, and that a more proper sense of the place, and accommodated to the context and scope of the Apostle wherewith the Doctrine endeavored to be confirmed from hence, hath not the least pretence of communication. And this ariseth (as was before manifested) from the scope of the place, with the proper native signification of the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , here translated a cast-away.

The business that the Apostle hath in hand, from v. 15. of the chapter, and which he presses to the end, is a relation of his own principles, ways, and deportment in the great work of the preaching of the Gospel to him committed; in the last words of the chapter he acquaints us with one especial aim he had in the carrying on of that work, through the whole course of his employment therein. And is his such care, and endeavor after personal mortification, holiness, and self-denial, that he might no way be lifted up, nor entangled with the revelations made to him; therein providing in the midst of the great certainty, and assurance which he had ( v. 26.) that he might approve himself a workman not needing to be ashamed, as not only preaching to others for their good, but himself also accepted of God, in the discharge of that employment, as one that had dealt uprightly, and faithfully therein. v. 17. he acquaints us with what is the state and condition of them that preach the Gospel, their work may go on, and yet themselves not be approved in the work: this he labored to prevent, walking uprightly, faithfully, sincerely, zealously, humbly in the discharge of his duty: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 saith he 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , least having preached to others he should not himself be approved and accepted in that work, and so loose the reward mentioned (v. 17.) peculiar to them, who walk in the discharge of their duty with a right foot, according to the mind of God. The whole context, design, and scope of the Apostle, with the native signification of the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , leading us evidently and directly to this interpretation, it is sufficiently clear, that Mr Goodwin is llke to find little shelter for his Apostasy, in this Assertion of the Apostle. And besides, whatever be the importance of the word, the Apostle mentions not anything but his conscientious diligent use of the means, for the attaining of an end, which end yet may fully be promised of God to be so brought about, and accomplished.

Mr Goodwin tells us indeed, that the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is in the writings of the Apostle, constantly translated Reprobate, as Rom. 1. 28. 2 Cor. 13. 5, 6, 7. 2 Tim. 3. 8. Tit. 1. 16. %or is expressed by a word equivalent, as Heb. 6. 8. how rightly this is done, in his judgment he tells us not: that it is so done, serves his turn; & he hath no cause farther to trouble himself about it: The truth is, in most of the places intimated, the word is so restrained, either from the causes of the thing expressed, as Rom. 1. 28. or the condition of the persons of whom it is affirmed, with some adjunct in the use of it, as 2 Tim. 3. 8. %Tit. 1. 16. that it necessarily imports a disallowance or Rejection of God, as to the whole state and condition wherein they are, of whom it is asserted, joined with a profligate disposition to farther abominations in themselves; that in any place it imports, what Mr Goodwin would wrest it here unto, a man finally rejected of God, what ever may be the thought of others, he will not assert; and what ever the translation be, I would know of him, whether in any place, where the word is used, he doth indeed understand it in any other sense, than that which here he opposes; only with this difference, that in other places it regards the general condition and state of them, concerning whom it is affirmed, here only the condition of a man, restrained to the particular case of laboring in the Ministry, which is under consideration 2 Cor. 13. 5, 6, 7. the word cannot be extended any farther, than to signify a condition of men, when they are not accepted nor approved; which is the sense of the word contended for; nor yet Heb. 6. 8. though it be attended with those several qualifications of nigh unto cursing &c. The Apostle ascending by degrees in the description of the state of the unfruitful barren land, says first it is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , or disallowed by the Husbandman, as that which he hath spent his cost and labor about in vain; so that not only the original first signification of the word, (as is known,) stands for the sense contended for, but it is also evidently restrained to that sense by the context, design and scope of the place, with the intendment of the Apostle therein, the word being the same that in all other places of the writings of the same Apostle, unless where it is measured, as to its extent and compass, by some adjoined expression, which is interpretative of it, as to the particular place, being still of the same signification.

Mr Goodwin's ensuing discourse, is concerning the judgment of Expositors upon the place, particularly naming Chrysostom, Calvin, Musculus, Deodate, the English Annotators, of whom notwithstanding, not any one do appear for him, so unhappy is he in his quotations, though sundry of good note, (and amongst them Piscator himself) do interpret the word in the sense by him contended for; knowing full well, that it may be allowed in its utmost significancy, without the least prejudice to the Doctrine of the Saints Perseverance, as hath been manifested: of these mentioned by M. Goodwin, there is not any one, from first to last, but restrained the word to the reproachablenesse or inreproachablenesse of the Apostle, in the discharge of the work of the Ministry, the sense of it, which we also insist upon, to spend time and labor in searching the expressions of particular men, weighing and considering the coherence, design, and circumstances of their writings, is besides my intention; the judgment of what hath been affirmed, is left to the intelligent Reader, who supposeth it of his concernment, to inquire particularly into it.

What is added of the Scope of the place Sect. 15. pag. 280. alone requires any farther consideration, this he then thus proposeth.

5. The scope of the place from verse 23. evinceth the legitimacy of such a sense in both, above all contradiction; for the Apostle, having asserted this for the reason, motive, and end, why he had made himself a servant to all men, in bearing with all men's weaknesses and humors in the course of his Ministry, viz. that he might be partaker of the Gospel ( i.e. of the saving benefit or blessing of the Gospel) with them, v. 23. and again, that what he did, he did to obtain an incorruptible Crown, v. 25. plainly showeth, that that which he sought to prevent, by running and fighting at such an high rate as he did, was not the blame and disparagement of some such misbehaviour, under which notwithstanding he might retain the saving love of God, but the loss of his part and portion in the Gospel, and of that incorruptible Crown which he sought by that severe hand, which he still held over himself, to obtain.

Ans. The scope of the place was before manifested, in answer to its dependence on the whole discourse foregoing, from v. 15. where the Apostle enters upon the relation of his deportment, in the work and service of the Gospel, with a particular eye to his carriage therein, as to his use, or forbearance of the allowance of temporal things, from them to whom he Preached, which was due to him, by all right, whereby any claim in any kind whatever, may be pursued, together with the express institution of the Lord Jesus Christ, by him before laid down. In this course he behaved himself with wisdom, zeal and diligence, having many glorious aims in his eye, as also being full of a sense of the duty incumbent on him ( v. 6.) to whose performance he was constrained by the Law of Jesus Christ, as he also here expresses. Among other things that provoked him to, and supported him in his hard labor and travail, was, the Love he bare to the Gospel, and that he might have with others fellowship in the propagation and declaration of the glorious message thereof. This is his intendment v. 23. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 &c. For the Gospel's sake, or the love he bare to it, he desired with others to be partaker of it; that is, of the excellent work of preaching of it; for of the benefit of the Gospel he might have been partaker with other Believers, though he had never been set a part to its promulgation. In his whole Discourse he still speaks accommodately to his business in hand; for the describing of his work of Apostleship, in preaching the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ; and as to the end of this work, he acquaints us that there was proposed before him the incorruptible Crown of his Masters approbation, (upon his lawful running and striving in the way of the ministry, whereto he was called) the peculiar Glory of them, whom he is pleased to employ in this service; and though the cause of his fighting at that rate, as he did, was not wholly the fear of non approbation in that work, a necessity of duty being incumbent on him, which he was to discharge, yet he that knows how to value the crown of approbation from Christ, the holy Angels and the Church, of having Faithfully discharged the office of a Steward in dispensing the things of God, will think it sufficiently effectual to stir up any one to the utmost expense of Love, pains and diligence that he may not come short of it; And of Mr Goodwin's proof this is the issue.

His next is from Heb. 6. 4, 5, 6, 7. with Chap. 10. 26, 27. which he brings in attended with the ensuing Discourse, Sect. 18.

The next passage we shall insist npon to evince the possibility of a final defection in the Saints, openeth it self in these words. For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the Heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted of the good Word of God, and the powers of the world to come, if they shall fall away, to renew them again nnto repentance, seeing they crucify to themselves the son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. For the earth, which drinketh in the rain, that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God. But that which beareth thorns and briers, is rejected and is nigh unto cursing, whose end is to be burned. Answerable hereunto is another in the same Epistle. For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more Sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for of Judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the Adversaryes. He that despised Moses Law died without mercy under two or three witnesses. Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden underfoot the Son of God, and hath counted the Blood of the Covenant where with he was Sanctifyed an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of Grace. Evident it is, that in these two passages the Holy Ghost, after a serious manner, & with a very pathetique & moving strain of Speech, and discourse (scarce the like to be found in all the Scriptures) admonisheth those who are at present true Believers, to take heed of relapsing into the ways of their former ignorance & impiety. This caveat or admonition he presseth by an argument of this import; that in case they shall thus relapse, there will be very little or no hope at all, of their recovery or return to the Estate of Faith and Grace, wherein now they stand. Before the faces of such sayings and passages as these, rightly understood, and duly considered, there is no standing for that Doctrine, which denies a possibility, either of a total, or final defection of the Saints. But this light also is darkened in the Heavens, by the interposition of the veils of these two exceptions. 1. That the Apostle in the said passages affirms nothing positively, concerning the falling away of those he speaks of, but only conditionally and upon supposition. 2. That he doth not speak of true and sound Believers, but of Hypocrites, and such who had Faith only in show, not in substance. The former of these exceptions hath been already nonsuited, and that by some of the ablest Patrons themselves of the cause of Perseverance; where we were taught from a pen of that Learning, that such conditional sayings, upon which Admonitions, Promises, or Threatenings are built, do at least suppose something impossible, however by virtue of their Tenor and form, they suppose nothing in being. But

2. As to the places in hand, there is not any Hypotheticall sign, or conditional Particle to be found in either of them, as they come from the Holy Ghost, and are carried in the Original. Those two, Iffs, appearing in the English Translation, the one in the former place, the other in the latter, show (it may be) the Translators inclination to the cause, but not their faithfulness in their engagement; an infirmi • y whereunto they were very subject, as we shall have occasion to take notice of the second time ere long, in another instance of the like partiality. But the Tenor of both the passages in hand, is so ordered by the Apostle, that he plainly declares, how great and fearful the danger is, or will be, when Believers do, or shall, fall away, not if, or in case, they shall fall away.

Ans. Of the two Answers, which, as himself signifieth, are usually given to the objections from these places of Scripture, that Mr Goodwin doth not fairly acquit his hands of either, will quickly appear.

1. To the first, that the form of speech used by the Apostle in both places is conditional, whence there is no arguing to the event, without begging the thing in question, or supposal, that the condition in all respects may be fulfilled, where it requires only to the constitution of it as a condition in the place of arguing, wherein it is used, that it be possible in some only, he opposeth.

That some of them, who have wrote for the Doctrine of the Saints Perseverance, have disclaimed the use of it, as to its application to the place in Ezekiel formerly considered; but yet leaving them to the liberty of their judgment, who are so minded, that the reason given by them, and here again repeated by Mr Goodwin, doth not in the least enforce any to let go this Answer to the objection proposed, that shall be pleased to insist upon it, hath been manifested.

To this Mr Goodwin farther adds that weighty Observation that the word If, is not in the Original, and thence takes occasion to fall foul upon the Translators, as having corrupted the passages out of favor to the Doctrine contended for. I wish they had never worse mistaken, nor shown more partiality in any other place; For first, will Mr Goodwin deny that a proposition cannot be Hypotheticall, nor an expression conditional, unless the word if, be expressed; were it worth the labor, instances might abundantly be given him in that language, whereof we speak, to the contrary. He that shall say to him as he is journeying, going the right hand way you will meet with thieves, may be doubtless said to speak conditionally, no less than he that should expressly tell him, If you go the way on the right hand you shall meet with thieves. Secondly, what clear sense & significancy can be given the words, without the supplement of the conditional conjunction, or some other term equipollent thereunto, Mr Goodwin hath not declared. For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened &c. And they falling away: as the words ( verbum de verbo ) lie in the text, is scarce in english a congruous or significant expression: Yea, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in the Syntaxe and coherence wherein it lies, is most properly and directly rendered, if they fall away. As is also the force of the expression, Chap. 10. 26. Yea thirdly the connection of the Translation mentioned by Mr Goodwin, doth not in the least relieve him, as to the delivery of the words from a sense, Hypotheticall. When they fall away; (though, his when, be no more in the text, than the Translators if ) doth either include a supposition, that they shall and must fall away certainly, and so requiers the event of the thing whereof it is spoken, or it is expressive only of the condition, whereon the event is suspended; if it be taken in the first sense, all Believers must fall away, if in the latter none may, notwithstanding any thing in this Text, (so learnedly restored to its true significancy) the words only pointing at the connection, that is between Apostasy and punishment. Notwithstanding then anything here offered to the contrarary, those who affirm that nothing can certainly be concluded from these places for the Apostasy of any, be they who they will that are intended in them, because they are conditional Assertions, manifesting only the connection between the sin and punishment expressed, need not be ashamed of, nor recoil from their Affirmation in the least.

For mine own part, I confess, I do not in any measure think it needful to insist upon the conditionalls of these assertions of the Holy Ghost, as to the removal of any, or all the oppositions that from them of old, or of late have been raised, and framed against the Doctrine of the Saints Perseverance, there being in neither of the Texts insisted on, either name or thing inquired after: nor any one of all the severals inquired into, and constantly in the Scriptures used in the description of the Saints, and Believers of whom we speak. This I shall briefly in the first place demonstrate, and then proceed with the eonsideration of what is offered by Mr Goodwin in opposition thereunto. Some few observations will lead us through the first part of this work designed. I say then,

1. There is an inferior common work of the Holy Ghost, in the dispensation of the word, upon many, to whom it is preached, causing in them a great alteration and change, as to Light, Knowledge, Abilityes, Guists, Affections, Life, and Conversation, when the persons so wrought upon, are not quickened, regenerate, nor made new creatures, nor united to Jesus Christ. I suppose there will not be need for me to insist on the proof of this Proposition, the truth of it being notoriously known, & confessed as I suppose amongst all that profess the name of Christ.

2. That in persons thus wrought upon, there is, or may be, such an assent upon light and conviction, to the truths proposed and Preached to them, as is true in its kind, not counterfeit, giving and affording them, in whom it is wrought, profession of the Faith, and that sometimes with constancy to the death, or the giving of their bodies to be burned, with persuasions, (whence they are called Believers) of a future enjoyment, of a glorious and blessed condition, filling them with ravished affections and rejoicings in hope, which they profess, suitable to the expectation they have, of such a state and condition. This also might be easily evinced by innumerable instances and examples from the Scripture, if need required.

3. That the persons in and upon whom this work is wrought, cannot be said to be hypocrites in the most proper sense of that word: that is, such as counterfeit and pretend themselves to be that, which they know they are not: nor to have faith only in show, and not in substance, as though they made a show and pretence only of an assent, to the things they professed; their high gifts, knowledge, faith, change of affections and conversation, being in their own kind true (as the Faith of Devils is) and yet notwithstanding all this they are in bondage, and at best, seek for a righteousness, as it were by the works of the Law, and in the issue, Christ proves to them of none effect.

4. That among these persons, many are oftentimes endued with excellent gifts, lovely parts, qualifications and abilities, rendering them exceeding useful, acceptable, and serviceable to the Church of God, becoming vessels in his house, to hold and convey to others, the precious liquor of the Gospel, though their nature in themselves be not changed, they remaining wood and stone still.

5. That much of the work, wrought in and upon this sort of persons, by the Spirit and word, lies in its own nature in a direct tendency to their relinquishment of their sins, and self-righteousness, & to a closing with God in Christ, having a mighty prevalency upon them, to cause them to amend their ways, and to labor after life and salvation: from which to Apostatize and fall off, upon the account of the tendency mentioned of these beginnings, is dangerous and for the most part pernicious.

6. That persons under the convictions and works of the Spirit formerly mentioned, partakers of the gifts, light and knowledge spoken of, with those other endowments attending them, are capacitated for the sin against the Holy Ghost, or the impardonable Apostasy from God.

These things being commonly known, and as far as I know, universally granted, I affirm, that the persons mentioned and intended in these places, are such as have been now described, and not the Believers or Saints, concerning whom alone our contest is.

Mr Goodwin replies Sect. 19. Pag. 183.

To the latter exception, which pretends to find only Hypocrites, and not true Believers, staged in both passages, we likewise answer, that it glosseth no whit better, than the former, if not much worse, considering that the persons presented in the said passages, are described by such characters, and signal excellencies which the Scriptures are wont to appropriate unto Saints, and true Believers, and that when they intend to show them iu the best and greatest of their glory: what we say herein, will (I suppose) be made above all gainsaying, by instancing particulars.

Ans That this is most remote from truth, and that there is not here any one discriminating Character of true Believers, so far are the expressions from setting them out in any signal eminency, will appear from these ensuing considerations.

1. There is no mention of Faith or Believing either in express terms, or in terms of an equivalent significancy in either of the places mentioned. Therefore true Believers are not the persons intended to be described in these places. Did the Holy Ghost intend to describe Believers, it is very strange that he should not call them so, nor make mention of any one of those principles in them, from whence, and whereby they are such. Wherefore I say,

2. There is not anything ascribed here to the persons spoken of, which belongs peculiarly to true Believers, as such, or that constitutes them to be such, and which yet are things plainly and positively asserted and described in innumerable other places of Scripture: that the Persons described are, called according to the purpose of God, quickened, borne again or regenerated, Justifyed, united to Christ, Sanctifyed by the Spirit, adopted, made sons of God, and the like, which are the usual expressions of Believers pointing out their discriminating form as such, is not in the least intimated in the Text, Context or any concernment of it. That they are elected of God, Redeemed of Christ, Sanctifyed by the Spirit, that they are made Holy, is not at all affirmed.

3. The persons intended are v. 8. ch. 6. compared to the ground upon which the rain falls, and beareth thorns and briers. True Believers whilst they are so, are not such as do bring forth nothing but thorns and briers; Faith it self being an Herb meet for him by whom they are dressed.

4. Things that accompany Salvation, are better things, than any in the persons mentioned were to be found. This the Apostle asserts v. 9. we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany Salvation. Now neither of these, either better things, or things that accompany Salvation were upon them whose Apostasy the Apostle supposeth. The exceptive particle at the entrance, with the Apologetical design of the whole verse, ascribes such things to the Saints, to whom the Apostle speaks, as they were not partakers of, concerning whom he had immediately before discoursed. The Faith of God's Elect, whereby we are Justifyed, is doubtless of the things that accompany Salvation.

5. The persons intended by the Apostle, were such, as had need to be taught again the first principles of the Oracles of God, Chap. 5. v. 12. that were unskillful in a word of Righteousness v. 15. that had not their senses exercised to discern good and evil v. 14. and are plainly distinguished from them, to whom the Promise made to Abraham doth properly belong Chap. 6. 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, &c.

6. True Believers are opposed in the Discourse of the Apostle (Chap. 6.) unto these persons lying under a possibility of Apostasy, so far as they are cast under it, by the conditional Discourse of it, upon sundry accounts.

As

1. Of their works and labor of Love showed to the name of God v. 10: of their preservation, from the Righteousness or Faithfulness of God in his Promises, v. 11. Of the mutability of the counsels of God, and his Oath for the preservation of them, v 13, 17, 18. Of their sure and steedfast anchor of hope, v. 19. &c. Upon all which Considerations it is abundantly evident, that they are not Believers, the Children of God, Justifyed, Sanctifyed, Adopted Saints of whom the Apostle treats in the passages insisted on.

Sect. 28. M. Goodwin urges sundry reasons to prove that they are not Hypocrites, or outside professors only, but true Believers that are described. If by Hypocrites and outside Professors he intends those who are grossly so, pretending to be what they are not, and what they know themselves not to be, we contend not about it: if by those expressions he compriseth also those whom we characterized in the entrance of this Discourse, who unto their profession of the Faith, have also added those gifts and endowments, with the like, which we mentioned, notwithstanding all their Advancement in light, conviction, joy, usefulness, conversation, do yet come short of union with Christ, I shall join issue with him, in the consideration of his reasons offered to be pregnant of proof for the confirmation of his Assertion. He tells you, Sect. 28. Pag. 288.

1. There is no Clause, Phrase, or Word in either of the places, any ways characteristicall or Descriptive of Hypocrisy, or Hypocrites, there are none of those colors to be seen, which are wont to be used in drawing or limning the Portraitures, or shapes of those Beasts, as distinguished from creatures of a better kind. All the lineaments of the Persons presented in these tables, before the mention of their falling away, become the best and fairest faces of the Saints, (as hath been proved) and are not to be found in any other. Yea, the greatest and most intelligent Believer under heaven, hath no reason but to desire part and fellowship with the Hypocrites here described, in all those characters and properties which are attributed unto them before their falling away, or sinning willfully.

Ans. 1. The design of the Apostle is not to discover, or give any characters of Hypocrites, to manifest them to be such, but to declare the excellencies that are, or may be found in them, from the enjoyment of all which they may decline, and sin against the mercy and grace of them, to the aggravation of their condemnation: Neither had any lines used to particularise those beasts in their shape, wherein they differ from Believers, been at all useful to the Apostles purpose: his aim being only to draw those wherein they are like them, and conformeable to them. Neither

2. Is it questioned whether these things here mentioned, may be found in true Believers, and become them very well, rendering their faces beautiful, but whether there be not something else, then what is here mentioned, that should give them being, as such, and life, without which these things are little better than painting. Nor

3. Is it at all to the purpose, that Believers may desire a participation in these characters with the persons described, but whether they who have no other characters or marks upon them of true Believers, then what are here mentioned, must necessarily be so accounted, or will of God be so accepted. Many a Believer may desire the gifts of those Hypocrites, who have not one dram of the Grace, wherewith he is quickened. So that this first reason as pregnant as it seems of proof, is only indeed swelled & puffed up, with wind & vanity. He adds

2. True Believers, are in estate of honor, and are Lifted up on high towards the Heavens, in which respect they have from whence to fall. But Hypocrites are as near Hell already as lightly they can be, till they be actually fallen into it. From whence then are they capable of fallings? men of estates may fail and break, but beggars are in no such danger. If Hypocrites fall away, it must be from their Hypocrisy, but this is rather a rising than a fall. A Beggar cannot be said to break but only when he gets an estate. When he doth this, the beggar is broke.

Ans. All that here is added, arises merely from the ambiguity of the word Hypocrites; the persons that fall, are on all hands supposed to have, and enjoy all, that is made mention of in the Texts insisted on, so that they have so much to fall from, as that thereupon Mr Goodwin thinks them true Believers. They have all the heighths to tumble from, which we before mentioned, and very many others, that it is no easy task to declare. They fall from the excellencies they have, and not the Hypocrisy, with which they are vitiated. From the profession of the Faith, with honesty of conversation, &c. not from the want of Roote, or being built on the Rock, so that this pretended pregnant reason, is as barren as the former, to the production of the assertion laid down to be proved by it. He adds

3. It is no punishment at all to Hypocrites to be under no possibility of being renewed again by repentance. Nay in case they should fall away, it would be a benefit and blessing unto them, to be under an impossibility of being renewed again. For if this were their case it would be impossible for them to be ever Hypocrites again, and (doubtless) it is no great judgment upon any man to be uncapable of such a preferment.

Ans. 1. Whether it be no punishment for them who have been in so good a way, a way of such tendency unto Salvation, and such usefulness to the Gospel, as these persons are supposed to be in; not to be renewed again to that state and condition, but to be shut up, unrecoverably under the power of darkness, and uubeliefe, unto eternal wrath, when before they were in a fair way for life and Salvation, others will judge beside Mr Goodwin. Neither is there an affirmation of their falling away from their Hypocrisy, and being renewed again thereunto, in anything we assert in the exposition of this place, but their falling away from gifts and common Graces, with the impossibility of what kind soever it be, of being renewed to an enjoyment of them anymore. His fourth and last attempt follows.

4. (And lastly) it stands off, forty foot at least, from all probability, that the Apostle writing only unto those, whom he judged true and sound Believers (as appears from several places in the Epistle, as cap. 3. 14. 6. 9. &c.) should in the most serious, emphatical and weighty passages hereof, admonish them of such evils or dangers, which only concerned other men, and whereunto themselves were not at all obnoxious, yea and whereunto if they had been obnoxious, all the cautions, admonitions, warnings, threatenings in the world would not according to their principles, with whom we have now to do) have relieved or delivered thē. To say that such admonitions, are a means to preserve those from Apostasy, who are by other means (as suppose the absolute decree of God, or the interposall of his irresistible power, for their Perseverance, or the like) in no possibility of Apostatizing, as to say that washing is a means to make snow white, or the rearing up of a pillar in the air a means to keep the Heavens from falling. But more of this in the chapter following.

Ans. What exact measure soever Mr Goodwin seemeth to have taken of the distance of our assertion from all probability (which he hath accurately performed, if we may take his word) yet upon due consideration it evidently appears, that he is not able to disprove it, from coming close up to the absolute truth, of the meaning and scope of the Holy Ghost in the places under consideration. For besides what hath been already argued, and proved, it is evident.

1. That the Apostle wrote promiscuosly to all that profess the name of Christ, & his Gospel, of whom he tells you Cap. 3. 14. (one of the places we are directed to by Mr Goodwin ) that those only are made partakers of Christ, who hold the beginning of their confidence to the end; For the rest notwithstanding all their glorious profession, gifts & attainments, yet they are not truly made partakers of Christ, (whereby he cuts the throat of Mr Goodwin's whole cause) and cap. 6. 9. that there were amongst them, who had attained things accompanying Salvation, and better things than any of those had done, who notwithstanding their profession, yet held it not fast without wavering, but ever • day fell away; so that though he judged no particulars before their Apostasy, yet he partly intimates, that all Professors were not true Believers, and therefore does teach them all to make sure work in closing with Christ, least they turn Apostates and perish in so doing.

2. That conditional comminations and threatenings, discovering the connection that is between the antecedent and consequent, that is in the proposition of them, are and may be of use to the Saints of God, preserved from the end threatened and the cause deserving it, upon the accounts, Reasons and Causes, that have been plentifully insisted on, hath more than once been declared; and the objections to the contrary the same with those here insisted on, answered and removed. This being all that Mr Goodwin hath to offer, by the way of reason, to exclude the persons formerly described, to be the only concernment of the place of Scripture insisted on, there remains nothing but only the consideration of the severals of the passages, debated, wherein by the light that hath already broken forth, from the Circumstances, aims, ends and connection of the places, we may so far receive direction, as not to be at all stumbled in our progress.

With the consideration of the several expressions in the passages under debate, Mr Goodwin proceedeth Sect. 19: and first infisteth on that of Cap. 6. where it is said that they were 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 once enlightened; whence he thus argues.

Believers are said to be enlightened, and to be children of light in the Lord 2 Cor. 4. 6. Heb. 10. 32. Luke 16. 8. Eph. 5. 8. therefore they who here are said to be enlightened were true Believerss

Ans. 1. I shall not insist upon the various interpretations of this place, and reading of the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , very many, and that not improbably affirming that their participation of the ordinance of Baptism is here only intended by it, for which exposition much might be offered, were it needful, or much conducing to our business in hand. Nor

2. Shall I labor to manifest that persons may be enlightened, and yet never come to Christ savingly by faith, to attain union with him & justificatiō by him: a thing M.G. will not deny himself, or if he should, it were a very facile thing to cōvince him of his mistake, by a sole entreaty (if he would be pleased to give an account of his faith in this business at our entreaty) of him to declare, what he intends by illumination, whence it would quickly appear, how unsuitable it is to his own principles to deny, that it may be in them, who yet never come to be, or at least by virtue thereof may not be said to be true Believers: but this only I shall add,

3. That M.G. doubtless knowing that this Argument (which withal the Texts of Scripture, whereby he illustrates it he borrows of the Remonstrants ) hath been again and again excepted against, as illogicall and unconcluding, and inconsistent with the principles of them that use it, ought not crudely again have imposed it upon his Reader without some attempt at least, to free it from the charge of impertinency, weakness and folly, wherewith it is burdened. Illumination is ascribed to Believers, illumination is ascribed to these men, therefore these persons are Believers: a little consideration will recover to Mr Goodwin's mind the force of this Argument, so far as that he will scarce use it anymore.

Sect. 20. he takes up another expression from Chap. 10. v. 12. That they are said to receive 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the acknowledgement of the Truth, whence he argues in the same manner and form, as he had newly done from the term of Illumination: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is ascribed to Believers, therefore they are all so, to whom it is ascribed.

But he tells you in particular that (Sect. 20.) In the latter of the said passages the persons spoken of, are said to have received 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 (i.e.) the acknowledgement of the truth; which expression, doth not signify the bare notion of what the Gospel teacheth, of which they are capable, who are the most professed enemies thereof, but such a consenting and subjection thereunto, which worketh effectually in men to a separating of themselves from sin and sinners. This is the constant import of the phrase in the Scriptures.

Ans. All this may be granted, yet nothing hence concluded, to evince the persons to whom it is ascribed to be true Believers; men may be so wrought upon, and convinced by the Word and Spirit, sent forth to convince the world of sin, Righteousness and Judgment, as to acknowledge the truth of the Gospel, to profess subjection to the Gospel, & to yield to it so far as to separate themselves from sin and sinners, in such a manner and to such a degree (not disembling but answering their convictions) as to bless themselves oftentimes in their own condition, and to obtain an esteem with the people of God to be such indeed, as they profess themselves to be, and yet come short of that union and communion with the Lord Christ, which all true Believers are made partakers of. It is not of any use or importance to examine the particular places mentioned by Mr Goodwin, wherein as he supposeth the expression of the knowledge or acknowledgment of the truth denotes that which is saving, and comprehendeth true Faith, unless be attempted to prove from them, that the word could signify nothing else, or that a man might not be brought to an acknowledgment of the truth, but that he must of necessity be a true Believer: neither of which he doth, or if he did, could he possibly give any seeming probability to. There may be a knowing of the things of the Gospel in men, & yet they may come short of the happiness of them that doc them; there is a knowledge of Christ, that yet is barren as to the fruit of holiness.

3. In the next place the persons queried about, are said to be sanctified by the blood of the Covenant; of this Mr Goodwin says (Sect. 21.) i.e. By their sprinkling herewith, to be sprinkled from such, who refuse this sprinkling: as likewise from the pollutions and defilements of the world, to be Sanctifyed when applied unto persons, is not sound in any other sense throughout the New Testament, unless it be where Persons bear the consideration of things. 1 Cor. 7. 14. But of this signification of the word which we claim in this place, instances are so frequent and obvious, that we shall not need to mention any.

Ans. If no more be intended in this expression, but what Mr Goodwin gives us, in the exposition of it viz. that they are so sprinkled with it, as to be separate from them that refuse this sprinkling (that is openly) as likewise from the pollution and defilements of the world, we shall not need to contend about it: for men may be so sprinkled, and have such an efficacy of conviction come upon them by the preaching of the Cross, & blood shedding of Christ, as to be separated from those who professedly despise it, and the open publication of the Word, and yet be far from having consciences purged from dead works to serve the living God.

And secondly that the term of sanctifying when applied to persons, is not used in any other sense, than what is by Mr Goodwin here expressed, is an Assertion that will be rendered useless until Mr Goodwin be pleased to give it an edge by explayning in what sense he here intends to apply it. Of the term Sanctifying there are, as hath been declared, two more eminent and known significations. First, to separate from common use, state or condition, to dedicate, consecrate and set apart to God by profession of his will, in a peculiar manner is frequently so expressed. Secondly realy to purify, cleanse with Spiritual purity, opposed to the defilement of sin is denoted thereby; In the exposition given of the place here used by Mr G. He mentions both: Separation, and that chiefly, as the nature of the Sanctification whereof he speaks, as also some kind of Spiritual cleansing from sin: but in what sense precisely he would have us to understand him he doth not tell us.

I somewhat question, whether it be used in the Epistle to the Hebrews, in any other sense than the former, which was the Temple sense the of word; the Apostle using many terms of the old worship in their first signification. however that it is used in that sense, in the New Testament appropriated to persons, without any such respect as that mentioned by M.G. is sufficiently convinced by that of our Savior John. 17. 19. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , expressing his dedicating and separating himself to his objection; and more instances may be had, if we stood in any need of them.

Thirdly that many are said to be sanctified and holy in the latter sense, as it signifieth spiritual purity, in respect of their profession of themselves so to be, and some men's esteem of them, who yet were never wholly, and truly purged from their sin, nor ever had received the holy Spirit of Promise, who alone is able to purge their hearts, doth not now want its demonstration, that work hath been some whiles since performed. So that Mr G. makes not any progress at all, in the proof of what he has undertaken viz. that they are true Believers in the sense of that denomination which we assert, who in these places are described. For a close, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , is far more properly referred to Christ, than to the persons spoken of, and that sense the Remonstrants themselves do not oppose.

That they are said (Cap. 6. 4.) to have tasted the heavenly gift is urged in the next place (Sect. 22.) to prove them true Believers; both the object and the act are here in question, what is meant by the Heavenly gift, and what by tasting of it. I shall not look into the Text beyond the peculiar concernment of the cause in hand: somewhat might be offered for the farther clearing of the one and other. At present it sufficeth that be the Heavenly gift what it will, the persons of our contest, are said only to taste of it: which though absolutely, and in it self, it is not an extenuating expression, but denotes a matter of high aggravation of the sin of Apostasy, in that they were admitted to some taste and relish of the excellency and sweetness of the Heavenly gift; yet comparatively to their feeding on it, digesting it, growing thereby, it clearly denotes their coming short of such a participation of it, who do but taste of it. That to taste, doth not in the first genuine signification in things natural, signify to eat and digest meat, so as to grow by it, I suppose needs no proof; that in that sense it is used in the Scriptures John. 2. 9 Mat. 27. 34. is by Mr Goodwin confessed. This he tells you is only, when the taste or relish of things is desired to be known: but that our Savior tasted of the gall and vinegar out of a desire to know the relish of it, he will hardly persuade those who are accustomed to give never so easy a belief to his assertions. By the Heavenly gift M. G. in the first place intends Jesus Christ: now if by tasting, eating and drinking of Christ be intended as is here pleaded, Christ himself will determine this strife, telling us that whosoever eateth his flesh shall be saved John 6. 35, 49, 50, 51, 54, 55, 56, 57. So that either to taste, is not to eat, or they that taste cannot perish.

Three things are urged by Mr Goodwin to give proof of his interpretation of these words of the Holy Ghost: saith he,

1. Whatsoever is meant by this Heavenly gift, certain is it that by tasting, is not meant any light or superficial impression made upon the hearts or souls of men, through the sense or apprehension of it, but an emphatical, inward and effectuous relish and sense of the excellent and Heavenly sweetness and pleasantness of it, opposed to a bare speculation or naked apprehension thereof. The reason hereof, is because the tasting of this Heavenly gift here spoken of, is not mentioned by the Apostle in a way of easing or extenuating the sin of those that should fall away from Christ, but by way of aggravation and exaggeration of the beinousnesse and unreasonableness thereof, and withal more fully to declare and assert the equitablenesse of that severity in God, which is here denounced against those, that shall sin the great sin of Apostasy here spoken of. It must needs be much more unworthy and provoking in the sight of God, for a man to turn his back upon and renounce those ways, that profession, wherein God hath come home to him, and answered the joy of his heart abundently, then it would be in case he had only heard of great matters, and had his head filled, but had really found and felt nothing with his heart and soul truly excellent and Glorious.

2. And bestdes the very word it self, to taste ordinarily in Scripture, imports a real communion with or participation and enjoyment (if the thing be good) of that which was said to be tasted. Oh taste & see (saith David) that the Lord is good His intent doubtless was not to invite men to a slight or superficial taste of the goodness of God, but to a real cordial and thorough experiment and satisfactory enjoyment of it. So when he that made the great invitation in the parable, expressed himself thus to his servants; For I say unto you, that none of those who were bidden shall taste of my Supper His meaning clearly was that they should not partake of the Sweetness, and benefit thereof with those who should accept of his invitation, and come unto it. In like manner when Peter speaketh thus to his Christian Jews, If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracius, his meaning (questionless) is not to press his exhortation directed unto them in the former verse upon a consideration of any light or vanishing taste, such as hypocrites & false-hearted Christians may have, of the graciousness of the Lord, but of such a taste, wherein they had had a real, inward, and sensible experiment thereof.

3. And besides according to the sense of our adversaries in the present debate, if the taste of the heavenly gift we speak of should imply no more, but only a faint or weak perception of the sweetness and glorious excellency of it, yet even this may be sufficient to evince truth of grace and Faith in men. For their opinion is, that a man may be a true Believer with a grain of Mustard-seed only, i.e. with a very slender relish and taste of spiritual things; yea their sense is, that in some cases of desertion, and under the guilt of some enormous courses, they may have little or no taste of them at all.

Ans. 1. To the first discourse considering what hath been already delivered, I shall only add, that although it be no aggravation of the sin of Apostasy, that they who fall into it, have but tasted of the Heavenly gift, yet it is that they have tasted of it: that taste of its relish, preciousnes, & sweetness, which they have obtained, whereby they are distinguished from thē whose blindness & hardness keeps them up to a total disrelish and contempt of it, is abundantly enough to render their sin heinous and abominable. When men by the preaching of the Word, shall be startled in their sins, troubled in their consciences, forced to seek out for a remedy, and shall come so far as to have some (though but a light) taste of the excellency of the Gospel, and the remedy provided for sinners in Jesus Christ, and then through the strength of their lusts and corruptions, shall cast it off, reject it, and spit out of their mouth as it were, all that of it, whereby they found the least savor in it, no creature under Heaven, can be guilty of more abominable undervaluing of the Lord Christ, and the Love of God in him, than such persons. What degree of Love, Joy, Repentance, Peace, Faith, persons many times arrive unto, when with Herod they have heard the Word gladly, and done many things willingly &c. hath been by others abundantly demonstrated. This sufficeth our present purpose, that they do make such a progress in the ways of God, and find so much excellency in the treasure of Grace and mercy, which he hath provided in Jesus Christ, and tenders in the Gospel, that he cannot but look upon their Apostasy & renunciation of him, (whereby they proclaim to all the world as much as in them lies, that there is not that real goodness, worth, and excellency to be found in him, as some pretend) as the highest scorn and contempt of him, and his Love in Christ, and revenges it accordingly.

2. To the second, which consists of instances collected by the Remonstrants to manifest the use of the word tasting to be other than what we here confine it to. I say 1. That the word as it is applied to Spiritualls, being borrowed and metaphorical, not in its Analogy to be extended beyond making trial, for our coming to some knowledge of a thing in its nature, the use of it in one place, cannot prescribe to the sense of it in another, no more than any other metaphorical expression whatever; but it must in the several places of its residence, be interpreted according to the most peculiar restriction that the matter treated of doth require. If then M G. can prove that any thing in this place under consideration enforces such a sense, all his other instances are needless: if he cannot, they are useless.

It might easily be manifested, and hath been done by others already, that in all the places mentioned by Mr Goodwin, the word is not expressly significant of any thorough, solid eating & participation of that which is said to be tasted, as is pretended. But to manifest this, is not our concernment; there being no reason in the world to enforce any such sense as is contended for in the place under present consideration.

2. To the third wherein he argues with his predecessors from our opinion concerning Faith, a brief reply will suffice: That a faint, weak perception and relish of heavenly things, is sufficient to make a man a Believer, is so far from being our opinion, that we utterly disclaim them from being Believers to whom this is ascribed, if nothing else be added in their description, from whence they may be so esteemed. It is true, Faith is sometimes little, and weak in the exercise of it, yea a man may be so overtaken with Temptations, or so clouded under desertions, as that it may not deport it self with any such considerable vigor, as to be consolatory to him in whom it is, or demonstrative of him unto others to be what he is: but we say that the weakest, lowest, meanest measure and degree of this Faith, is yet grounded and fixed in the heart, where though it be not always alike lively, and active, yet it is always alive, and gives life. How far Believers may fall into the guilt of enormous courses, has been already manifested. The intendment of the expression, is to disadvantage the persuasion he opposeth. We do not grant that believers may fall into any enormityes, but only what God himself affirms they may, & yet not utterly be cast out of his Love & favor in Jesus Christ. Farther the weakest Faith, of which we affirm that it may be true and saving, though it may have no great perception nor deep taste of Heavenly things for the present, yet hath it always that, of adherence to God in Christ, which is exceedingly exalted above any such preception of Heavenly things whatever, that may be had or obtained without it: so that from the consideration of what hath been spoken, we may safely conclude, that M.G. hath not been able to advance on step in his intendment, to prove, that the persons here described are true Believers.

I know no sufficient ground or reason to induce me to any large consideration of the other two or three expressions that remain, & that are insisted on by M.G. seeing it is evident from their associates, which have been already examined that there is none of them can speak one word to the business in hand: I shall therefore discharge them from any farther attendance, in the service they have been forced unto.

The next privilege insisted on which to these persons is ascribed, is, that they are made partakers of the Holy Ghost. In men's participation of the Holy Ghost, either the gifts or Graces of the Holy Ghost are intended. The Graces of the Holy Ghost, are either more common and inchoative, or special and completing of the work of conversion: that it is the peculiar regenerating Grace of God, that is intended in this expression, of being made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and not the gifts of the Spirit, or those common graces of illumination, unto which persons not truly converted, but only wrought upon by an effectual conviction in the preaching of the word, may attain, M: G: is no way able to prove: And there is also this consideration rising up with strength and power, against that interpretation; viz. that those that are so made partakers of the Spirit as to be regenerated, quickened, sealed, comforted thereby, which are some of the peculiar acts of his Grace, in and towards the souls of those that Believe, can never loose him, nor be deprived of him, as was manifested before at large, being sealed and confirmed, not only in the present enjoyment of the Love and favor of God, but also unto the full fruition of the Glory, which is provided for them, and therefore cannot fall away, as these are supposed to do. What there is in Mr Goodwin's Discourse, on this passage Sect. 23, 24. to weaken in the least what is usually answered, or farther to enforce his exposition of the place; I am not able to apprehend, and shall therefore proceed with what remaineth.

All that follows in the place of the Apostle under contest, is regulated by the word, Taste: they have tasted of the good word of God, and the powers of the World to come: what the sense and importance of that word is, hath been already declared: neither can it be proved, that the persons here described, do so taste of the good word of God, as to mix the promises of it with Faith, or of the powers of the world to come, as to receive them in power in their hearts by believing so that farther contest about these words seems to be altogether needless.

How far men may proceed in the ways of God, what progress they may make in amendment of life, what gifts and common graces they may receive, what light and knowledge they may be endued withal, what kind of Faith, Joy, Repentance, Sorrow, Delight, Love, they may have, in and about spiritual things; what desire of mercy and heaven, what useful gifts for the Churches edification they may receive, how far they may persuade their own souls, and upon what grounds, that their condition Godward is good, and saving, and beget an opinion in others that they are true Believers, and yet come short of union with Christ, building their houses on the sand &c. is the daily task of the Preachers of the Gospel to manisest, in their pressing that exhortation of the Apostle unto their hearers, to examine and try themselves in the midst of their profession, whether Christ be in them of a truth or no. I shall not now enter upon that labor; the Reader knows where to find enough in the writings of holy and learned men of this Nation to evince, that men may arrive at the utmost height of what is in this place of the Apostle by the Holy Ghost ascribed to the persons of whom he speaks, and yet come short of the state of true Believers. M.G. indeed tells us Sect. 27.

The Premises relating to the two passages yet under debate, considered, I am so far from questioning whether the Apostle speaks of true and sound Believers in them, that I verily judge, that he purposely sought out several of the most emphatical and signal characters of Believers, yea such which are hardly or rather not at all, to be found in the ordinary sort of true Believers, but only in those that are most eminent amongst them, that so he and such, who though sound, yet were weak in the Faith, might fall away and perish, but that even such also, who were lifted up nearer unto Heaven than their fellows, might through carelessness and carnallsecurity, dash themselves in pieces against the same stone, & make shipwreck of their souls, as well as they.

Ans. The House built on the sand, may oftentimes be built higher, have more fair perapets and battlements, windows and ornaments than that which is built upon the Rock: yet all gifts and privileges, equal not one Grace in respect of light, knowledge, gifts, and many manifestations of the Spirit, such who never come up to that Faith which gives real union and communion with Jesus Christ, may far outgoe those that do.

2. That there is anything mentioned, or any characters given of Believers, much less such as are singular and not common to all: M.G hath not in any measure been able to evince: There is not the meanest Believer in the world but he is a Child of God, & heir of the Promises, & brother of the LordChrist; hath union with him, hath his living in him, is Quickned, Justifyed, Sanctifyed, hath Christ made to him Wisdom &c. hath his Righteousness in God, and his Life hid in him in Christ, is passed from death to Life, brings forth fruit, and is dear to God as the apple of his eye, accepted with him, approved of him, as his temple wherein he delighteth to dwell. That anything in this place mentioned and insisted on, any characters we have given of the persons, whom we have considered, do excel, or equal, or denote anything in the same kind, with these and the like excellencyes of the meanest Believers, will never be proved, if we may judge of future successes, from the issue of all former attempts for that end and purpose.

And this is the issue of Mr Goodwin 's third Testimony produced to confirm the Doctrine of the Saints Apostasy but hypothetically, and under such a form of expression as may not be argued from, nor of Saints and true Believers at all: His 4. followeth.

His fourth Testimony he produceth, and endeavors to manage for the Advantage of his cause, Sect. 31. in these words.

The next Scripture Testimony we shall produce & briefly urge in the cause now under maintenance, is in the same Epistle with the former and speaketh these words. Now the Just shall live by Faith, But if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. Our English translators, out of good will (doubtless) to a bad cause, have almost defaced this Testimony, by substituting any man for the just man, for whereas they translate, but if any man draw back, the Original readeth, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , i.e. & if [or but if] he [i.e. the just man who should live by his Faith, viz. if he continues in it] shall draw back. Beza himself likewise before thē, had stained the honor of his faithfulness, with the same blot in his Translation. But the mind of the Holy Ghost in the words is plain, and without Parable; viz. that if the just man who lives [ i. e. who at present enjoys the favor of God, and thereby is supported in all his trials] and should live always by his Faith [if he continues in it, as Pareus well glosseth] shall draw back, or shall be withdrawn [ viz. through fear, or sloth, as the word properly signifieth: See Acts 20. 27.] from his believing, my soul shall have no pleasure in him i.e. (according to the import of the Hebraism) my soul shall hate, or abhor him to death; as it is also expounded in the words immediately following: But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but, &c. From hence then evident it is, that such a man who is a just, or Righteous man, and under promise of living forever by his Faith (and therefore also, a true and sound Believer) may draw back, or be withdrawn, to the contracting of the hatred of God, and to destruction in the end. The forlornehope of evading, because the sentence is Hypotheticall, or conditional not positive, hath been routed over and over, yea and is abandoned by some of the great Masters themselves of that cause, unto the defense whereof it pretendeth. And however, in this place, it would be most preposterous. For if it should be supposed, that the just man, who is in a way & under a Promise of living by his Faith, were in no danger or possibility of drawing back, and that to the loss of the favor of God, and ruin of his soul, God must be conceived to speak here at no better rate of wisdom or understanding, than thus; The Just shall live by his Faith: but if he shall do that, which is simply and utterly impossible for him to do, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. What savor of wisdom, yea or of commonsence, is there in admonishing, or cautioning men against such evils, which there is no possibility for them to fall into, yea and this known unto themselves? Therefore this testimony, for confirmation of the Doctrine we maintain, is like a King upon his Throne, against whom there is no rising up.

Ans. What small cause Mr Goodwin hath to quarrel with Beza, or other Translatours, and with how little advantage to his cause this Text is produced shall out of hand be made appear.

1. The words as they cry are, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . In the foregoing part of the chapter, the Apostle had treated of two sorts of persons. 1. Such as so forsake the Assemblies of the Saints, withdrew from the Church, and Ordinances of Christ; and so by degrees fell off with a total and everlasting backsliding: of these the Apostle speaks, describing their ways and end, from v. 25. unto v. 32. thence forward. 2. He speaks to them and of them, who abode in their persecutions, and under all their afflictions, to hold fast their confidence; which he also farther exhorts them to, that by patient abiding in well doing, they might receive the reward; concerning these both, having told them of the unshaken Kingdom of Christ, that should be brought in, notwithstanding the Apostasy of many, of whose iniquity God would take vengeance on; he lays down that eminent promise of the Gospel, the just by Faith shall live, words often used, to express the state & condition of Believers, of those who are truly and unfeignedly so; the Lord being faithful in his promise, the justified person shall live, or obtain life everlasting. It is the promise of eternal life, that is here given them, as that which they had not as yet received, but in patience they were to wait to receive, after they had done the whole will of God: that any of these should so draw back, as that the Lord's soul should have no pleasure in them, is directly contrary to the promise here made of their living. The particle ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) in the next words, is plainly adversative, and exceptive, as it is very many times in the New Testament; and that as to the Persons of whom he is speaking: at 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the period is full, the description of the state of the just by Faith is completed, and in the next words, the state of backsliders is entered upon: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , referring to them, whom by their Apostasy, and subduction of themselves from Christian assemblies he had before described: there is an elleipsis in the words to be supplied, but some indefinite term, to give them the sense intended: this Beza and our translators have done by that excepted against causelessly by M.G. for if a Translator may make the Text speak • ignificantly in the language whereunto he translates it, the introduction of such supplements is allowed him.

2. The following expression puts it out of all question, that this was the intendment of the Apostle; for he expressly makes mention, and that in reference to what was spoken before, of two sorts of people, to whom his former expressions are respectively to be accommodated, the words are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , as above. M. Goodwin to make us believe, that he took notice of these words, hath this passage of them, ( as it is also expounded, in the words immediately following, but we are not of them who draw back to perdition; but &c.) but what I pray is expounded in these words; that drawers back shall be destroyed? this is all he takes notice of in them; Evidently the words are an application of the former assertions unto several persons: there are says he some who are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and some that are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : those saith he who are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , they shall be destroyed, those who are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , they shall live; Evidently and beyond all contradiction, assigning his former assertions of, the just shall live by Faith, and, if any man shall draw back, to several persons, by a distribution of their lot and portions to them: in v. 28. he lays down in These the state and condition of believers and backsliders: in v:29. he makes application of the position he laid down to himself and them, 1. negatively that they were not of the former sort of them that draw back, &c. 2. Positively, that they were of the rest of them that believed, and those expressions v. 29. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , do undeniably affirm two sorts of persons in both places to be spoken of & that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 can by no means be referred to our 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which would entermixe them, whom the Apostle as to their present state and future condition, held out in a contradistinction one to the other, unto the end: All that ensues in M. Goodwin's discourse, being built upon this sandy foundation, that it is the Believer, of whom God affirms that he shall live by Faith, who is supposed to be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , contrary to the express assertion of the Apostle, it needs no farther consideration, although he is not able to manifest any strength in conclusion drawn from suppositions, of events, which may be possible in one sense, and in another impossible.

But before we pass further, may not this witness which Mr Goodwin hath attempted in vain to suborn to appear, and speak in his cause, be demanded what he can speak, or what he knows of the truth, of that which he is produced to oppose. This then it confesseth and denieth not, at first word, that of professors there are two sorts: some are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , of such as do or may draw back unto perdition; some 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which believe to the saving of the soul, and that in opposition to the others: Also, that those who withdraw are not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , not true Believers, nor ever were, notwithstanding all their profession and what their gifts, and attainments, in and under their profession: So that the Testimony produced, keepeth still its place, and is as a King upon his Throne against whom there is no rising up, but yet speaks quite contrary, clearly, evidently, distinctly to what is pretended, both on the one hand & the other, is our thesis undeniably confirmed, in this place of the Apostle. If all those who fall away to perdition were never truly nor really of the Faith, then those who are of the Faith cannot fall away; but they who fall away to perdition, were never truly nor really of the Faith, or true Believers: Ergo. The reason of the consequent of the first proposition is evident: for their not being of the Faith, is plainly included as the Reason of their Apostasy, & their being of the Faith, intimated as that which would have preserved them from such defection; the Minor is the Apostles, we are not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 of them that draw back, but of them that believe, which plainly distinguisheth them that draw back, from Believers; Again if true Believers shall live, and continue to the saving of their souls, in opposition to them that fall away to perdition, then they shall certainly persevere in their Faith: for these two are but one & the same: but that true Believers shall live, & believe, to the saving of their souls, in opposition to them that draw back, or subduct themselves to perdition, is the assertion of the Holy Ghost: Ergo: I presume by this time Mr Goodwin is plainly convinced that indeed he had as good, yea and much better, for the Advantage of his cause in hand, have let his witness have abode in quietness, and not entreated him so severely to denounce judgment against that Doctrine which he seeks by him to confirm.

Sect. 32. the parable of the stony ground Mat. 13. 20, 21. comes next to consideration: the words chosen to be insisted on are in the verses mentioned, but he that received the seed into stony places, is he that heareth the Word, & anon with joy receiveth it, yet hath be not root in himself, but dureth for a while &c. That by the stony ground is meant true Believers, is that which Mr Goodwin undertakes to prove: but how in his whole Discourse, I profess I perceive not: I must take leave to profess that I cannot find anything looking like a pr •• fe or Argument to evince it, from the beginning to the end of this Discourse, though something be offered to take off the arguments that are used to prove it to be otherwise; doth Mr Goodwin think that men will easily Believe that Faith, which hath neither root, fruit, nor continuance, to be true and saving Faith; doubtless they might have very low apprehensions of saving faith, union with Christ, justification, sanctification, adoption, &c. wherewith it is attended, who can once entertain any such imagination: that which is tendered to induce us to such a persuasion, may briefly be considered.

Saith he Sect. 32. Now those signified by the stony ground, he expressly calleth 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , i.e. Persons who continue for a time, or a season, i.e. (as Luke explaineth) 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , who believe for a season, so that those, who only for a time believe, and afterward make defection from Christ, and from the Gospel, are nevertheless numbered and ranked by him amongst Believers. The words in Luke are very particular. They on the Rock, are they which when they hear, receive the word with joy; and those have no root, which for a while Believe, and in time of temptation fall away. From whence it appears, that the hearers here described, are not compared to the Rock or stony ground, for the hardness of their hearts, for as much as they are said to receive the word with joy, which argues an ingenuity and teachablenesse of spirit in them; and is elsewhere ( viz. Acts 2. 41.) taken knowledge of by the Holy Ghost, as an Index or sign of a true Believer; but for such a Property, Disposition, or Temper as this; viz. not to give or afford the word so received, a radication in their hearts and souls, so intimous, serious, and solid, which should be sufficient to maintain their belief of it, and good affections to it, against all such occurrences in the World, which may oppose, or attempt either the one or the other.

Ans. 1. The first Reason intimated, is, that they are said to be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a term given them plainly to distinguish them from true Believers; men that make a profession for a season, expressly opposed to them, who receive the word in good and honest hearts: if the word had denoted any excellency, any thing that was good in them, then there had been some pretence to have insisted on it, to prove them true Believers: But to demonstrate the truth of their Faith, from their Hypocrisy, and their excellencies from that which expressly denotes their unworthiness, is a strange way of arguing: They are persons, saith our Savior, that make profession for a little while, and then decay, not like them who receive the Word in good and honest souls; therefore saith M.G. they are true believers; but,

2. In Luke they are said to Believe for a season: Mr Goodwin is not now to learn, how often in the Scripture they are said to believe, who only profess the Faith of the Gospel, though the root of the matter, be not in them: that of John 2. 23, 24, 25. may suffice for undeniable instance: or John 6. 64. may farther expound it: their believing for a season, is but the lifeless, worthless, fruitless profession for a season, as their destruction from the good ground doth manifest, But

3. They are said to receive the word with joy, which argues ingenuity and tractableness of spirit in them: No more than in Herod, who heard the Word gladly, or in the Jews, when the preaching of Ezekiel was pleasant, or desirable to them; or those described Isai. 58. 2. %who sought God daily, and delighted to know his ways, in the midst of the abominable practices. From the similitude it self, He yet farther attempts this uncouth Assertion.

But as the blade which springs from one and the same kind of seed, as suppose from Wheat or any other grain, though sown in different yea or contrary soils is yet of the same species or kind, the nature of the soil not changing the specified nature of the seed that is sown in it, and God giving to every seed its own body, of what temper so ever the ground is, where it is sown: in like manner that Faith, which springs from the same seed of the Gospel must needs be of one and the same nature and kind, though this seed be sown in the hearts of never so differing a constitution and frame; the temper of the heart, be it what it will be, not being able specifically to alter either the Gospel or the natural fruit issuing from it: And as a blade or ear of Wheat, though it be blasted before the Harvest, is not hereby proved not to have been a true blade or ear of wheat before it was blasted, in like manner the withering or decay of any man's faith, by what means or occasion soever, before his death, doth not prove it to have been a false, counterfeit, or Hypocriticall Faith, or a Faith of any other kind, than that which is true, real, and permanent unto the end.

Ans. 1. It hath been formerly observed, that s • militudes are not argumentative, beyond the extent of that particular, wherein their nature, as such, doth consist. The intendment of Christ in this Parable, is to manifest that many hear the word in vain, and bring forth no fruit of it at all: of these one sort is compared to stony ground, that brings forth a blade, but no fruit▪ no fruit, is no spirit, though there be a blade, or no blade, the difference between the ones receiving of seed, and the others manifested by our Savior in this Parable, is in this, that one brings forth fruit, and the other doth not: farther, the seed of wheat, or the like brings forth its fruit in a natural way; and therefore whatever it brings forth, follows in some measure the nature of the seed, but that seed of the Gospel, brings forth its fruit in a moral way, and therefore may have effects of sundry natures; that which the seed of Wheat brings forth is wheat, but that which the Gospel brings forth is not Gospel, but Faith, besides what the wheat brings forth, if it come not, nor ever will to be wheat in the ear, it is but grass, and not of the same nature, and kind with that which is wheat actually, though virtually and originally there be the nature of wheat in the root, yet actually wheat is not in the blade, that hath not, nor ever will have ear. If the seed of wheat be so corrupted in the soil where it is sown, that it cannot bring forth fruit, that which it doth bring forth, what ever it be, is of a different nature, from that which is brought forth to perfection, by the seed of wheat in good ground. Again Faith is brought forth by the seed of the Gospel, when the Promises and Exhortations of the Gospel being preached unto men, do prevail on them: to give assent unto the truth of it: that every such effect wrought, is true justifying Faith, giving union with Jesus Christ, Mr Goodwin cannot prove, that effects specifically different, may be brought forth by the same seed of the Gospel, seeing to some it is a savor of life unto life, and to some a savor of death unto death, needs not much proving. Some receive the Word, and turn it into wantonness, some are cast into the mould of it, and are tanslated into the same image; if the temper of the heart, as is said, is not able specifically to alter the Gospel: but that there may not fruit of various kinds, be borne in the heart that assents to it, that receives it in the upper crust and skin of it, is the question. Neither is it a blade occasionally withering before the Harvest, but a slight receiving of the seed, so as that it can never bring forth fruit that is intimated. In sum, this whole Discourse is a great piece of Sophistry, in comparing natural & moral causes in the producing of their effects, a thing not intended in the Parable, and whereabout he that will busy himself, jungat vulpes, & mulgeat hircos; this is that which our Savior teacheth •• in the similitude of seed sown in the stony ground: The Word is preached unto some men, who are affected with it for a season, assent unto it, but not coming 〈◊〉 to a cordial close with it, after a while wither away: and such as these we say were never true Believers: a small matter will serve to make a man a true Believer, if these are such. What tendency this Doctrine may have to lull men asleep in security, when Christ is not in them of a truth, may easily appear, & be judged: if men who are distinguished from other Believers, by such signal differences as these here are, may yet pass for true Believers, Justifyed, Sanctifyed, Adopted ones, solvi mortals curas, the way to Heaven is laid open to thousands, who I fear will never come to the end of the journey.

What remains of M. G's Discourse on this text, is spent in answering some objections which are made against his interpretation of the place; it grows now late, and this task grows so heavy on my hand, that I cannot satisfy myself in the repetition of anything spoken before, or delivered, which would necessarily enforce a particular consideration of what M. G. here insists on, let him at his leisure Answer this one Argument and I shall trouble him no farther in this matter.

That Faith which hath neither root nor fruit, neither sound heart, nor good life, that by and by, readily and easily yields upon Temptation to a total defection, is not true saving, justifying Faith. The root of Faith taken spiritually, is the habit of it in the heart; a spiritual living habit, which if it reside not in the heart, all assent whatever, wants the nature of Faith, true and saving; the fruits of Faith, are good Works, and new Obedience; that Faith which hath not Works, James tells you, is dead; dead and living Faith doubtless differ specifically. Again Faith purisieth the heart, and when a heart is wholly polluted, corrupted, naught and false, there dwells no Faith in that heart; it is impossible it should be in a heart, and not at least radically and fundamentally purify it: farther Mr Goodwin hath told us, that true Believers are so fortified against Apostasy, that they are in only a possibility, in nor probability, nor great danger of total Apostasy: and therefore they who presently, and readily fall away, cannot be of those, who are scarce in any danger of so doing, upon any account whatever: but that the faith here mentioned, hath neither root, nor fruit, good heart to dwell in, nor good life attending it, but instantly upon trial and temptation, vanisheth to nothing, we are taught in the text it self▪ therefore the Faith here mentioned, is not true no saving Faith. That it hath no root is expressly affirmed. v. 21. and all the rest of the qualities mentioned are evidenced from the opposition wherein they, who are these Believers, are set unto true Believers, they receive the Word in good and honest hearts, they bring forth fruit with patience, they endure in the time of trial; like the house built on the Rock, when the house built on the Sand, falls to the ground.

One word more with this witness before we part: they who receive the Word in good and honest hearts, and keep it, do bring forth fruit with patience, and fall not away under temptation: so saith the testimony: but all true Believers recive the Word in good and honest hearts: Ergo Which is the voice of Mr Goodwin 's fourth Witness in this cause.

The 2 Pet. 4. 18, 19, 20, 21, 22. is forced to bring up the rear of the Testimonyes by M. G. produced to convince the world of the truth & Righteousness of his Doctrine of the Saints Apostasy, ending his whole Discourse in the mire, Observatioas from the Text or context, from the words themselves, or the coherence, to educe his conclusion from, he insists not on. Many excellent words we have concerning the clearness & evidence of this Testimony, & the impossibility of avoiding what hence he concludes, we want not, but we have been too often inured to such a way of proceeding, to be now moved at it, or troubled about it, were the waters deep▪ they would not make such a noise. The state and condition of men here described by the Apostle, is so justly delineated to the eye, by the practice of men in the world, to whom the Gospel is preached, that I do not a little wonder how any man excercised in the Ministry, should once surmise that they are true Believers of whom he here treats; Taking the words in the sense wherein they are commonly received, And in the utmost extent, who sees them not daily exemplyfyed, in and upon them, who are yet far enough from the Faith of God's Elect. By the dispensation of the Word, especially when managed by a skillful Master of assemblies, men are every day so brought under the power, of their convictions, and the light communicated to them, as to acknowledge the truth and power of the Word, and in obedience thereunto, to leave off, avoid and abhor the ways and courses wherein the men of the world, either not hearing the Word at all, or not so wrought upon by it, do pollute themselves and wallow with all manner of sensuality; and yet are not changed in their natures, so as to become new creatures, but continue indeed, and in the sight of God, dogs and swine, oftentimes returning to their vonit and mire, though some of them hold out in the professions to the end; And these are they, whom commonly our Divines have deciphered under the name of formalists, having a form of Godliness but denying the power of it, who are here all at once by Mr Goodwin interested in Christ, and the inheritance of the Saints in light; To make good his enterprise he argues from the Remonstrants. Sect. 40. pag. 297.

1. If the said expressions import nothing, but what Hypocrites, and that in sensu composito, i. e. whilst Hypocrites, are capable of, then may those be Hypocrites, who are separated from men that live in error, and from the pollutions of the World, and that through the knowledge of Jesus Christ: and on the other hand those may be Saints, and sound Believers, who wallow in all manner of filthiness, and defile themselves daily with the pollutions of the World. This consequence according to the principles, and known Tenets of our Adversaries, is legitimate and true, in as much as they hold that true Believers may fall so foul, and so far, that the Church, according to Christ's institution may be constrained to testify that they cannot bear them in their outward communion, and that they shall have no part in the kingdom of Christ, except they repent &c. But whether this be wholesome and sound Divinity, or no, to teach that they who are separate from sinners, and live holily, and blamelessly in this present world, and this by means of the knowledge of Jesus Christ, may be Hypocrites and children of perdition, and they on the other hand who are companions with Thieves, Murderers, Adulterers &c. Saints and sound Believers, I leave to men whose judgments are not turned upside down with prejudice to determine.

1. Sundry things might be observed from the Text, to render this discourse altogether useless, as to the end for which it is produced: as 1. That sundry copies v. 13. instead of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 read 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , who almost, or a little way, or measure, so escaped as is said. 2. That it is not said, that those who are so escaped, may Apostatize, it is said indeed, that the false Prophets and teachers, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 do lay baits for them, as the Fisher doth for the fish that he would take, by proposing unto them a liberty, as to all manner of impurity and uncleanness, but that in so doing, they prevail over them, is not affirmed. 3. The conditional expression v. 20. may be used in reference to the false Prophets, and not to them that are said to escape the pollutions of the World; and if to them, that nothing can be argued from thence, hath plentifully upon several occasions been already demonstrated: but to suffer M. G. to leap over all these blots in his entrance, and to take the words in his own sense and connection, I say;

1. In what large and improper sense, such performs as we treat of, are termed Hypocrites, hath been declared. Those who pretend to be Godward, what they know themselves not to be, making a pretence of Religion, to color and countenance them in vice and vicious practices, or sensual courses, wherein they allow and bless themselves, we intend not: But such as in some sincerity, under the enjoyment and improvement of gifts and privileges, do, or may walk conscientiously, as Paul before his conversion, and yet are not united to Christ.

2. Of these we say, that they may so escape, &c. but that sound Believers, may wallow in all manner of sinfulness, and defile themselves with all manner of pollutions, we say not: nor will any instance given amount to the height and intendment of those expressions, they being all alleviated by sundry considerations, necessarily to be taken in with that of their sinning.

3. If we may compare the worst of a Saint, with the best of a formal Professor, and make an estimate of the states and conditions of them both, we may cast the balance on the wrong side.

4. We do say that Simon Peter was a believer when he denied Christ, & Simon Magus an Hypocrite, and in the bond of iniquity, when it was said he believed. We do say, that a man may be alive notwithstanding many wounds and much filth upon him, and a man may be dead, without either the one or the other, in that eminently visible manner. He adds.

2. The Persons here spoken of, are said to have, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , truly and really escaped from those, who live in error. Doubtless an Hypocrite cannot be said, truly or really, but in show, or appearance at most, to have made such an escape (I mean from men who live in error) considering that for matter of reality and truth, remaining in Hypocrisy, he lives in one of the greatest and foulest errors that is.

The whole force of this second exception, lies upon the ambiguity of the term Hypocrite, though such as pretend Religion, and the worship of God, to be a color and pretext, for the free and uncontrolled practicing of vile abominations, may not be said so to escape it, yet such as these we have before described, with their convictions, light, gifts, duties, good conscience &c. may truly and really escape from them, and their ways who pollute themselves with the errors of Idolatry, false-worship, superstition, and the pollutions of practices against the light of nature, and their own convictions: It is added that

3. An Hypocrite, whose foot is already in the snare of Death, cannot upon any tolerable account, either of reason or common sense, be said to be allured ( i.e. by allurements to be deceived) or overcome by the pollutions of the world, no more than a fish that is already in the net, or fast upon the hook, can be said to be allured, by a bait held to her.

Ans. But he that hath been so far prevailed upon by the preaching of the Word, as to relinquish, and renounce the practices of uncleanness; wherein he sometime wallowed, and rolled himself, may be prevailed upon and overcome by temptations, to backslide into the same abominable practices, wherein he was formerly engaged, deserting that way and course of attending to the Word, and yielding obedience thereunto, which he had entertained, that in its own nature tended to a better end.

4. Says he, Hypocrites are nowhere said, neither can they with any congruity to Scripture Phrase, be said to have escaped the pollutions of the world through the acknowledgement (for so the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 should be translated) of Jesus Christ the acknowledgement of the truth, and so of Christ, and of God, constantly in the Scriptures, importing a sound and saving work of conversion: as we l • tely obs ••• ved in this Chap. Sect. 20.

Ans. It sufficeth that the thing it self intimated, is sufficiently revealed in the Scriptures, and confirmed by the examples of all those who have acknowledged the truth of the word to the putting on a form of Godliness, though they come not up to the power, or saving practice of it; and truly I cannot but admit, that any one, who hath had never so little experience in the work of the Ministry, or made never so little observation of Religion, should once suppose that all such persons, must needs be accounted true Believers Regenerate &c.

Mr Goodwin shuts up this Chapter with a declaration concerning the usefulness of cautions and admonitions given to believers, about backsliding, upon a supposition of an infallible Promise of God for their Perseverance. I presume the Reader ir weary as well as myself, & having in the last Chapter, heard him out to the full, what he is able to say to this common place of opposition to the Doctrine we have thus far asserted, & offered those considerations of the ways of God's dealing with Believers, to preserve them in the course of their Obedience, and walking with him which I hope through the mercy and goodness of God, may be satisfactory to them that shall weigh them, I shall not burden him with the repetition of anything already delivered, nor do judge it needful for to add anything more.

TYPOGRAPHUS LECTORI.

SO it is, that (the Author being necessitated to be absent upon public business) some Errata have escaped the Press, The most material are here signified, and thy pardon desired. The request is not unusual, there scarce being any Book or Pamphlet, from any Press, which is not guilty of such a petition. In Peading (possibly) thou mayest find some more faults; and 'tis desired and hoped, that the diligence and charity of thy hand, will candidly correct those mistakes, which have escaped through the negligence of mine. Vale.

Errata in the Preface.

PAg. 1. lin. 18. lege 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Math. 10. 22. %lin. 34. lib. 83. Quaest. Quaest. 31. lin 49. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . pag. 2. lin. 5. Heresy. lin. 46. cap. 7. l. 47. preservata perseverantia. l. 48. praeservare.