369 / 504
Affertors
of
Sts
Perf.
compared wich their Adverfaries
C.X
Ill.
ofGrace with union, communionand
dole
walking with God.
A
defigne
was
upon
them
written
with
the
beatnes
of
the
Sunne,
to
cry up
a
barren,
outliide,
light
and loofeprofefíìon, with
a
vaine, fuperftitious, felfe-
invented
Worfhip
ofGod,
inftead
of
the Power
of
a
Gofpell-converfation and
Ordi-
nances
ofChrift
according
to
his
appointment;
Seeking
after
a
Righeoufneffe
as
it
were
by
the
workes
of
the Law,
and being ignorant
of
the
Righteoufneffe
ofChrift, they found
the
whole Doctrine whofe defence
M.
G.
bath
lately
undertaken, fuited
to
their principles and
aimes; and
therefore with greedi-
neffe
drunke it downe
like
water, untill they were
(welled
with the
Dropf
ÿ
of
Pride
and
felfe
conceit, beyond what they could beare, whatever be now
pretended,it
was
little difputed
then, and
in
thofe dayes
which
Mr
Goodwin
pointeth unto, but
that
loofeneffe
ofLife, inclination
to
Popery, enmity
to
the
power ofGodlinefhe, were at
the bottome of the
entertainment of
the.
ArminianPrinciples,bÿ
that
generation
of
men.
But Mr
G.
proceedeth
to
alleviate
this
charge, & informes
us
thus,
That
if
thefoundnes
6,
rottennes
ofopinions,
fhould
be
efleemed
by
the goodnes or
badnes
of
the Lives
of
any parcel! or number
of
Perfon:
profeffing
the
fame,
as
well the
O-
pinion
of
Atheifine which
denyeth
the
being
of
any God,
as the
opinion
of
Poly
-
theefine which
afirmeth
a plurality
of
Gods
;
mart'
be
efleewed better
and
more
found,
than
that
which
maintaineth
the
being
of
one
God
and
of
one only
for cer-
tain
it
is
that
there have
been
many
Heathen's Pro{ej[öurs
fame
of
the
one,
6,
fame
of
the
other
of
thofe Opinion:, who
have
quitted
t
emfelves upon
fairer
tearmes
of
honour
and
approbation
in
their
lives
than
many
Chriflians
profeng of
the
leeJ
opinion
have
done.
I
am
not
willing
to
wring
this
Nofe
too farre leaft bloud fhould follow;
The
lives
of
many
Atheifls
and
Pagans
are preferred before
the
lives
of
many
pro-
feffing
Chriftianìty.
By Profeffors
of
Chriflianity,
Mr
Goodwin
intendeth
thole
who are
fo
indeed,.
and
feafoned
with the Power
of
the
Principles
of
that
Religion,or
fuch
only
as
making
an
outward
profeffion
ofit,are
indeed acted
with Principles
quite
of
another
nature,
which
notwithftanding all their
Profeffion
rendreth
them
in
the
truth
of
the
thing
it
felfe,
enemies
ofthe
croffe
of
Chriff,
their
God being
their
belly,
their
glory
being
in their
fhame,
and their
end being
defirullion, Philip.3.18,1
g.
If
the former be intended,
as
the
Af
er-
tion
is
moft falfe,
the
Gofpell only effectually
teaching
men to deny
allungod-
lineff
e,
and
to
live
foberly, righteoufly,
and
Godly
in this
prefent
world, fo
it
ten
-
deth directly
to
the
higheft
derogation from
the honour
of
our
Lord
Jefus
Chrift, and
of
his
glorious Gofpell. He
that
would be .throughly acquainted
with thenotorious
untruth
of
this
infinuation,let him
a
little
confultTertullian,
Arnobius,
Latlantius,
Aufliss,
&
others, handlingthe
Lives
& Converfations
of
the belt
cfthe
Polytheifl:
and Heathens, before
& in
their
dayes,
if
he
be not
contented to
take
a
(hotter
courfe, and reft
in
the Authority
of
the
Apoftle,
or rather
of
the
Holy Ghoft defcribing them and
their converfations
to the
Life,
as
they lay under
the juft
hardening Judgements
of
God
lions.
1.18.
to
the
end.
If
the
latter
fort
of
men
called
Chriflians
be intended, the compa-
rifon in
ftituted between them
and Atheifts,
is
to
no purpofe; they
themfelves
being difclaimed
and difowned by Chrift
&
his
Gofpell,and reckoned among
them with whom they are compared;
So
that
upon
the matter
this
is
but
the
comparing one fort
of
Atheifls, with an
other;
and giving
in a
Judgement,
that of
all, thofe are worft, whore
prat-fifes
are
fo,
and yet
pacifie
'their
owne
Confciences,
and deceive
the
world, with
a
pretence
& flowrith
of
a
glorious
profeflion.
I (hall
not
now
enter upon
any long enquiry
what
influence
the ungodly
and
profane lives
of
any
ought
to
have upon
the Judgements
of
men,
in
dif-
S
f
covering
313
ÿ.
td.