398 / 504
C.XV.
The
fallacious
Ground,
of
this Argument
of
M. G's.
'342
wrath
to
men
upon
the committing
of
rnne,
if
by
unbeliefe they
are
expofeci
ante-
cedently
to
that
wrath,
is
to
queftion
the
wifdome
of
him with whom, (what
ever become
ofus
poorewormes) he cannot contend.
He bath
told
us,
that
all men
by nature
are
Children
of
wrath and
uncleane,
fo Bare
as
not
to
be able
to
enter
into
the Kingdome
o
f
Heaven, unleffe.
they
be
wafhed and
borne
again
and yet
we hope
without the
leaft deficiency in
wifdome, hath farther revea-
led
his
wrath
frcm Heaven, againít
the
enfuing
ungodlineffe
that
is
committed
by thefeChildren
of
wrath to
be
executed
in
tribulation
and
anguifh
againft
every foule
that
fo
doth,evill:
not to
detaine the Reader,what hath
been faid,
and^fhall
farther be
argued concerning
the
difference
that
is
between
Belie-
vers and unbelievers
in
their
finning,
with
that
alto
which
bath
been fpoken
of
the concerpement
of
Believers, in rhefe
and
the
like paffages
of
Scripture,
fufficiently
arguing
that
no
fuch
inference
as is
made for
the
confirmation
of
the
Afümption
of
theArgument under
confideration according to.Mr
Good
-
wins
thoughts and
apprehenfions
of
it,
can poffibly
be drawne out from
them.
4.3t.
Sep.
22.
is
a
pretty
pageant, and by
the
Readers favour I
(hall
Phew
it hint
once more.
If
it
be
objeEted
that
true
Believers
have
a Nonlife-
from
God
that
they
Jhall never
bofe their Faith.
I
anfwer,
firfi
that
this hath
oft
been
faid,
but
never
fo
witch as
once
proved.secondly
upon
examination
ofthofescriptures
where.,
infuch
Promifes
of
God
are pretended
to
refide,
or
to
be
found,
we
finde
no
fuch
thing
in them,
we
find
indeed
many.Pomifes
of
their
Perfeverance, but
allof
them
Conditional,
andfuck
whofe
Performance
in
refpeli
of
àttuall and
compleate Per
f
everanee, isfufpended
upon
the
diligent and
carefull" ufe
of
meaner
by
men
to
perfevere.. And la
ly
to
affirme
that
true
Believers can
by
no cámmiffion
of
frnne
or finnes what
oever, how
frequently
foever reiterated,
how long
continued
ire
foever,
ever
makefhrpwracke
of
their Faith
or
fall
away
from
the Grace
and
Fa-
vour
of
God
fo
as
to
perifh,
what
is
it
but
to provoke the
flefh to
an
outragioufize
/é
in
finning,
and
to encourage
that
which
remains
of
the
old man in
th. em
to
be-
ffirre it
felfe
in
all
wayes.o
unrighteoufneffe3
and
doubtlefe the bringing
of
that
Dolfrine bath
been
the cafiing
of
a
faace
upon
the World,
and
bath
caufed
many,
whofe
feet
God
bath
guidedinto
wayes
ofpeace,
to
adventurerofarce intodefpe-
ratenefe
of
finning,
that
through the
jog
f
udgemeut
of
God
their
hearts never
ferved
them
to
retorne.
.
Anf.
Firft,
The
foundation
of
this whole difcourfe,
is a
fuppofall
of
pro-
miles
of
preferving believers
in
their Faith
,
upon the ridiculous fuppofiticn
after
mentioned, to be
affected by
the
Doftrine
of
the
Saints
perfeverance
and the
defenders
of
it , which Mr
Goodwin
knows fulwell to be far other
-
wife.
Secondly,
It bath
fufficiently
been
proved,
that
Believers
have
a
pro/nil-4
yea
many
promifes,.to
be
kept
by
the
power
9f
God,'
from
all,and
any Inch
frnne,
or
any fuch circumftance
of
frnne,
or
continuance
in finite,
as
is
wholly incon-
fiftent with
Believing, and
that
therefore they
(hall
'be
preferved
in
Be
-.
lieving.
Thirdly,
Upon our calling the examination
of
the
proofes
of
this affertion
o
an
account,
we
havefound them
to
be made up,
of
triviall
exceptions,
and
fophiflicallfuppofitions
,
confident
beggings,
and cravings
of
the things under
conteft and debate,
(
all
the
endeavours
toprove the
promifes
of
Perfeve-
rance
to
be
conditionall,
having alto involved
in
them,
an abfolute
contradi-
lion
to
the-Truth, and
to
themfelves) no way
fufficient
to
evince,
that
the
prom
ifes
and work
of
Gods
grace, are fufpended
ppon
any
conditions
in
men
whatfoever.
And