452 / 504
lobs z.
19
Explàin'd andvindicated.
396
rily
imply they were
Believers
formerly,
but perhaps
they
bad
been
fo, and
were
be-
forefallen
away, being eboaked
by
the
cares
of
the world, an
obfervation
is
infi-
nuated,dire
fly oppofite
to
the
Apofkles
de
igne,and
fuch as
makes
his
whole
Difcourfe ridiculous;
An
account he
gives
of
mens falling away from
the
Faith, and
tells them 'tis becaufe,though they have been
profeflòrs,
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
plainely
intimated
in, &
is
the
fence
of
this
doubty
4.45. Obfervation.
But
to
proceed with
his
expofit:ion:
he
fayes,
it
follows, for
if
they
had
been
of
us,
they would
no
doubt have continued
with
us
;
in
theft
words
the
Apofile
gives
a
rearm
of
his Exception telling them,
to whom he
writes ;
that
this
was a
fagne
and
Argument
that
thofe
Antiehriftian teachers,
were
not
of
them
in
the fence
de-
dared;
viz.
That
they
did
not continuewith them,
that is,
they
witted
their
for
-
mer intimacy
and
converfe
with the
Apoftles,
refufed
to.
jteere
the rame
courfe,
to
walke
by
thefame principles,
any longer
with them,
which
(faith
he
)
daubtleffe
they
would not have
done,had
they been as
fincerely
ajfeiied
towards
jefusChrift&
the
Gofpellas
we;
by
which Affertion Yob: plainely
vindicated
himfelfe
and
the
Chriftian
Churches
of
his communion,
fromgiving
any
juft
occafion
of
offence
unto
thofe
men,
whereby they
fhould
be
any
wayes
induced
to
forfake them, and
refolves
their
unworthy departure
of
this kind
into
their
own
carnall
and
corrupt
hearts,
which lulled
after
fome
flefhly
accommodations
and
contentment
s
that
were
not
to
be
obtained.,
or
enjoyed,
in atlnereprofeffionof
the
Gofpell
with the Apoftlesand
thofe
who
were
perfeli
of
heart with
them.
Auf.
Firff,
That
no
afperfion was caft
on lohn
,
or
,the
Churches
of
his
Communion,
by
the
Apoftafy
of
the
Anticbrifi's,
of
whom he fpeakes, from
which
he fhould
need
to
vindicate
himfelfe and
them,
was
before declared:
There
was
not, indeed, nor
pofíibly could be,
the
Jeaft occafion
for
any fur
-
mize
ofevill
concerning them, from whom men
departed,
in
turning ungod-
ly oppofers
ofChrift; For
any
thing
that
is
here offered,
'tis
but
an obfcure-
ing
of
the Light
that
breaks forth from the
words,
for the difcerning
of
the
Truth
in
hand ;
'tis
granted
that
the
Apoflle manifefts,
that
they were not
of
them,
that
is,
true, upright,
found believers,
that
walked with
a
right
foot in
the
Doârine of
the
Gefpell,
becaufe
they forfooke the communion
of the
Saints,
to
fall
into the
condition
of
Antichriftianifine,
wherein they were now
engaged.
Now
if
this
be
an Argument
that
a
man
was
never
a
true believer,
in
the
higheft profeffion
that
he makes, becaufe he
falls
from
it
,
and forfakes
it,
certainly thofe
that
are
true believers,
cannot
fo
fall
from their
ftedfaft-
neffe;
or the
Argument
will
be
of
no Evidence
or
convi
&ion
at
all
;
Neither
Is
any
thing here
offered
by M. Goodwin,
but
what upon
a
through
confide-
ration, doth
confirme the inferences we
infift
upon, and make
to the
worke
in
hand;
Truth
will
atone
time or
other,
lead captive thofe who are moft
p.
46.
skilfull
in
their Rebellion
of
ft
it
What
is
added (Se&.24.)
concerning
the
Righteous
judgement
o
fGod, and
the
gracious
tendency
of
his
difpenfations
to
his
Churches ufe,in
fiiffering
there
wretches
fo
to
difcover themfelves, and be manifefted what they were,
I
op-
pofe not
The
difcovery
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
(hewed themfelves
to
be,was made
main feft
what before they were;Words
of
the
like
import
you have
r
Cor.
i
a.
19. For there molt
be
alto herefies among
you,
that
they
which
are
approved may
be
made
manifeft
among
you ;
as
here
thofe who
fall away
are manifefted
to
be corrupt,
fo
there are thofe
who
a-
bide
to
be
fincere.
From