456 / 504
C.
XVII.Do&ì.pretend.topromoteGodlin
'how
far
anArgum.of
the truth.
400 thisRule with thefeAbilityes proceeding
in
the examination
of
theDo trine
of
the
Saints Perfeveriince, He
condemnes it and
calls
it out
as
an
abominable
thing,
preferring
that
concerning
their
finall
defe
&ion
farre above it.
Some
Confiderations
I
£hall
adde
to
attend
upon
his
Rule
and
principles.
6
Firfl,It
is
moft certaine,that
the
Gofpell
is
a
Doírine
according untoGodline
f?c
.
ß`
whofe immediate
and
dire&
tendency
as
in
the
whole frame
and
courfe
ofit,
fo in
every
particularbranch
and fireame
is
to promote that
Obedience
toGod
in Chrifi,whichwe call
Godlineffes
This
is
the
will
of
God revealed therein
even
our
SanEIifzcation,
and whatever
Dodrine
it be
that
is
kited
to turne
men
off
from walking with God
in
that
way
of
Holineffe,
it carryes
its
brand
in its
face,
whereby everyone
that
finds
it,
may know
that
it
is
of
the
sin
-
cleane
Spirit,
the
evi11
ones
But
yet
that
there
may
be
fearefull
and
defperate
deceits
in
the hearts
of
men judging
of
truths, pretending their
rife and
origi-
nail from the Gofpell, by
their
fuitableneflé to
the promotion
of
Godlineffe
and
Holineffe,
bath
been before in
part declared,
and the Experience
of
all
Ages
doth
fufliciently
manifeft. Among
all
thofe
who
profeffe
the
name
of
Chrift more or
leffe in
the
world,though in& under
the molt
Antichr
f
ianop-.
pofition
to
him, who
is
there
that
doth not pretend that
this tendency
of
o-
pinions
unto
Godlineffe,
or their
dif erviccablenefhe
thereunto,
hath
a
great
influence
into the
guidance
of
their judgment
in
the
receiving
or
reje&ing
of
them. On
the account
of
its deflru&ivenefiè
to
Godlineffe and obedience
do
the
Socinians
reje&
the
Satirfaflion and
merit
of
thrift;
and on
the
account
of
conducingneffe
thereunto, do the
Papiftr
affert and build up
the
Do-
drines of
their
owne merits, Penance;Satisfa
&ton
and the like. On that
prin-
ciple
did they
feeme
to
be
a
&ed, who preflèd Legali
&
Judaicall
fuppofitions
with
a
thew
ofwifdome
or
will worflnp,andhumilityand
negleiling the
body, Col.
2.
23.
Neither
did
they
faile
of
their
plea
concerning promotion
ofGodli-
mefíe in
the.Worthip
of
God,
who
reviled,
reje&èd
and perfecuted the
Ordi-
nances
of
Chrift
in this
Generation,
to
let up their own
Abominations
in
the
Roome;
Yea,it
is
generally
the
firfl
word
wherewith
every
Abomination
opens its
mouth
in
the world, though the
men
of
thofe Abominations do
ra-
ther
fuppofe this
pretence
of
Godlineffe
to
be fervicéable for
the promotion
of
their
opinions,than
their
opinions any way really ufefull
to
the
promotiö
of
godlines:
Neither
need
we go far;
to encuireafter
theReafons
of
mens
mifcar-
nages, pretending
to
judge
ofTruth
according
to
this Rtile,
feeing
they
ly
at
hand,&
are
expofed
to
the
view
of
all;
for betides
that
very many
of
the
pre-
tenders
to
this plea may
bejuflly
fufpe&ed
to be
men
ofcorrupt
minds,
dea-
ling
falfely
&
treacheroufly with their own
foules &
the
truththe
pretence
of
furthering
Holineffe
being one
of
the
cunning Heights wherewith
they
ly
in
wait
to deceive
(which may
juflly
be
fufpefted
of
them who together
with
this
plea,and
whilft
they make
it,
are apparently themfelves
look
and remote
fromthe
power
of
Gofpell
convetfation,
as
the
cafe
bath
been with not
a
few
of
the moil eminent
affertors
of
Arminianifine) How
few
are there
in
the
world, who
have indeed
a
true
notion and Apprehenfion
of
the
nature
of
Holineffe
in its
whole coinpaffeand
extent,
as
in
the
Fountaine, Caufes, Rife,
and Ufe, and end
thereof;
And
if
men
know
not
indeed what holineffeis,
how
{hall
they
judge what Dottrine or
Opinion
is
conducing to
the furthe-
rance thereof,or
is
obfiruaive to it;Give
me
a
man who
is
perfwaded
that
he
bath
power
in bimfelfe,
being
by the
difcovery
of
a
Rule
dire&ed
thereinto,
to
yeild
that
obedience toGod,which
he
doth
require
who fuppofeth
that
threats
of
hell& deftru&iö
are the greatefl,&molt
powerfull&
effetuall
motive unto
that
obedience
that
the
Spirit
&Grace
of
God
to
worke
&
create
a
new
heart
in him as
a
fuitable principle
of
all holly
a
&ings,are
not purchafednorprocu-
red