136 / 504
C
A
P.I
I
i
,s
:4F
2
Tim.
zip.
futher Eplained and Vindcated.
.So
propofed
by
Mr
Goodwin) is,
becaufe they
confider not
the
Love
that
God bears
to Believers,
that
is,
that
he approoves
them,whilíl they
are
fuch; which
is
in-
deed one maine
part
of
the Gofpell.
So
that
men fall from
the
Gofpell,
be-
caufe they
fall
from the Gofpell, and this muff
fatisfie
the,
fctuple
propofed.
It
is
an eafy
thing for men
of
Ability and
Eloquence;
to
gild over the
molt
abfurd
and-inconfiflent
Interpretation
of
Scripture, with
force appearance
of
fgnificancy:
though I
muff needs fay,
I
know not lightly, when, nor
by
whom, pretending
to
any fobriety,
it bath
been more unhappily,
or
unfuc-
cesfidly
attempted,
them by Mr
Goodwin
in this place,
as
upon due
confide-
ration
will be made
further appeare.For,
I. Firft,
to grant that the
Foundation
of
God may
be faid
fo
far
to
be
the
Gofpell becaufe
his
Eternall Purpofe,
fo
expreffed,
is
therein revealed
which
is
the
interpretation
Mr
Goodwin
propofeth;
I
afke
r. Whether
the
Apoftle applyes himfelfe
to
remove the
Scruple
ingene-
rated
in the
minds.
of
Believers,
about their
owne falling away, upon Con-
fideration
ofthe
Apoflafie
ofothers,
and
to
anfwer
the
Obje&ton
arifing
thereupon? This Mr
Goodwin
grants
in
the
Head,
though
in
the
Branches
of
his Difcourfe,,
he
calls in inquiries
quite
of
another nature;
as,
that
a
Reafon
is
inquired
after,
why men fall
from
the
Gofpell,
and
a
fufpicion
is
fuppofed.
toartfe
of
the
Truth
of
the Gofpell,
becaufe
Come
fell
from it: Things,
that
have not the
leaft
intimation in the
'words,
or Context
of
the
place,
nor
of
any fuch evideuce
for
their intereft in
the
bufineffe
in
hand,
that
Mr
Goodwin
durll take them
for ingredients
in
the
cafe
under confederation;
when
he
himfelfepropofed it
fo
that
he
was
inforced
to
foyft
in
this counterfeit cafe,
to give
Tome
colour
to
the Interpretation
of
the
words, introduced.
But
yet
thismuff
not
be
openly
owned,
but
intermixed
with
other
Difcourfes,
to
fend afide
the lInderflanding
of
the Reader from bearing
in mínde
the
true
State
of
the
Cafe by
theApoflle
propofed, and
by himfelfe
ackowled-
ged:
So
that
this Difcourfe
de
finit
in
pifcem
6c.
4
45.
2.
The
cafe
being
fuppofed
as
above,
I
Ake, whither the
Apoftle
inten-
ded
a
Removeall
of
the
scruple,
and
Anfwer
to
the
Ob)ebfion,
as
far
at leaft,
as
the one
was
capable
of
being removed, and the
other
of
being anfwered?
This (I
fuppofe)
will
not
be Scrupled,
or
Obje&ed againft,being indeed
fully
granted
in
Stating the
Occafion
of
the
words. For wee
mutt
at
leaft allow
the Holy Ghoft
to
fpeake
pertinently
to
what he
doth
propofe;
then,
3. I
further
inquire, whither any
thing whatever be
in
the
leaft fuited
to
the
Removeall
of
the
Scruple
and
Objethon
propofed,
but
only
the
giving
of
the
Scruplers
and
Objeifors,
the
bell
Affurance,
that
upon
folid Grounds,
and
Foundations could be given, or they were in
truth
capeable
of
that
what
they feared
fhould
not
come upon
them;and
that,
notwithftanding the
deviation
of
others,
themfelves fhould
be preferved;
and
then
4.
Seeing
that
the
femme
of
the"
fence
of
the
words given by Mr
Goodwin
amounts
to
thefe two
Affertions',
r.
That
the
Dolrine of
the Gofpell
is True
and
Permanent;
2.
That God
approoves
for
the prefent
all,
who.
for
the
prefent
believe,
fuppofing
that there
is
nothing
in
the
Gofpell, teaching
the
Perfeve-
rance
of
the
Saints: I
Ake
yet,whither there be
any
thing
in
this Anfwer
of
the
Apoffle,
(fo
interpreted)
able
to
give
the
leaft fatisfaltion imaginable
to the
Confciences,
and Hearts
of
men
making
the Obje
&ion
mentioned? For
is
it
not evident notwithftanding any thing here
expreffed,
that
they, and
a
-.
very
Believerin
the
world
may
Apo.fîatife,
and
fall away
into Hell
?
Say
the
poore Believers, Such,
and
fuch fall away from
the Faith:
Their
eminent
ufefulneffe
in
their
Profefiiion,
beyond perhaps
what
we
are able
to
demon
ftrate
of
our
felves,
makes
us
feare,
that
this
abominable
defellion
may
goe
on;
and