404 / 504
C. XV.
348
g.
38.
The
fallacious
ground
of
this
Argument
of
M
G's.
prevaile
againff
the
workings
ofGrace
for
a
feafon,
as
to
fet
the
flefh
at
liberty
to
make contrivances
to
fulfill
the
lufts
thereof (I
fay) many havegranted,
and
I
(hall
not (for the
fake
of
poore returning
foules,whofe backflidings
God
bath
promifed
to heale,) deny:
but
yet
I fay
all their aflings
in
this kinde,
are
but
like
the desperate
a&ings
of
a
man in
a
leaver,
who
may
have forcekind
of
contrivance
with himfelfe
to
do
mifchiefe, (as
I
have known forcemy
felted
and
aime
at
opportunityes
for
the
accomplifhment
of
it;
all
the
facultves
of
their
foules
being difcompofed, and rendered unferviceable to them
through
their diffemper; Through the
violence
of
temptation,
&
the tumultuating
lufts,the
whole
new
man
may be for
a
feafon
fo
chattered,&his parts
laid
out
of
the
way,
as
to
fuch
a
due
Anfwering
to another, that
the whole
may
be
fervi-
ceable
to
the
worke
ofFaith, (as
a
difordered army,
wherein
is
all its
funda-
mental) ftrength
as
well
as
when
it
is
rallied
in
battalia,
is
altogether unfervi-
ceable, 'till it be reduced
to
order) that
finne taking
the opportunity to
fill
their corrupt part
(as farre
as
it
is
corrupt)
with
its
pleafure and defireable-
neffe!
and
fo
to
let
the thoughts
of
it
on
worke
to
continue
meanes for
its ac
compl
ifhment; Now
as
through the
goodneffe
of
their Father
and
fupplyes
ofGrace,
which
through the Covenant thereof, they do
receive, this diffem-
per
feifeth
not
Believers
but
rarely& extraordinarily,fò
it Both
no
way
prove
them
to
finite
with
malice,
or without hatred
of,
and oppofition
(fecret op-
pofition,
which may be
as
fecret,
as
Come
inclinations
to
finite
are
not known
to
our
felves
)
to the
things they
do
in'
and under
that
condition.
That
which
fo'llowes in
this
Seftion
being fuited
to the
apprehenfion
of
force
particular
men,
though
of
great name
and
ecleeme,
according
to
their
worth
and defert
in
the
Church
ofGod,
asVrfix,
Pancus;and
the
ref},
about
reigning;
fnne,
wherein (as
i
have
declared)
my
thoughts
fall
not
in
with them
I (hall
not
need
to
infiff
any
longer upon
tt:t'anew'
after
all
his
aggravations
of
the
finnes
of
Believers,
vet
adds
that
they
finne
not
(nor
did David)
ex
con
-
temptu Dei,
but through
a preoccupation
or furprifall offmne; which
I
believe
to
be the
perfwafion
of
far
the greateff number
of
Saints
in
the world;
what-
ever
Mr
Goodwin
is
pleafed to
think or
fay
to the conrrary;
nor
is
their
an.-
prehenlon
weakened byivathans charging upon David,
his
deJpifzngofthe
commandement
of
the Lord. in
doing
evil); which
as it
is
virtually
done
in
eve-
ry
finne,
and
in
great
firmes
in
an
eminent manner, fo
that
it
did
amount in-
deed,
not
only to
a confequentiall
but
a
fermall
voluntary
contempt
of
God, Mr
Goodwin
(hall
never prove.
A
Father
often
and feverely
chargeth
upon
his
fonnes,
a
defpifing
of
his
command,when
he
bath
been
carryed out to
tranf-
greflè
it,
when
yet he kowes
his bonne
honoureth and reverenceth
him in
his
heart,
and
is
exceedingly
remote from
any
refolved contempt
of
him.
The dole
of
all
is
a
eonceflïon
of
the
Contra-Remonffrants
at the
Hague
Con
-.
ference;Th at
Believers
might
fall
intofilch
lures,
as
that
the Church according
to
the
Commandement
of
Chrifl,
mull
pronounce
that
they
(hall
no longer
abidein her
communion,
and
that
they
fhall have
no
part in
the
K¿ngdome
of
Chrifi ;
which
being ufually made
an
argument for the
Apoftacy
of
the
Saints,
I
(hall
confi-
der
how
it
is
here improved by
M.Goodwin.
Certainly
(faith
he)their
fence
was,
7hat
true believers
may
finne,
above
the
rate
of
thofe,
n'hof
nne
out
of
infirmity,
info
much as there
is no
commandement
of
Ch.
riff,
that
any Church
of
his
fhoald
ejeetl
fuch
perlons out
of
their
Communion,
who
finne
out
of
infirmity
only; fo
that
by
the
con
feJf
on
ofour
Adverfaries them-
(elves, even
true
Believers may
perpetrate
fuck
fines
which are ofa-deeper
de-
merzt,
than
to be
numbred
amongfi
fnnes of
infirmity, yea;fzchfinnes,
for which
the
Church
of
Chrifl, according
to
the Commandement..of
Chrf,
hands
bound to
judge