471 / 504
Ofthc commination
ofthe
words;
fhaAdye.
C
A
P. XV1[.
from
ordinary
and
leffer
firmer; as
indifferent
and
remiffe
in
diffìvading
fromfins
of
the greatefl provocation.
Ant.
The
(umme
of
this
Reafon
is,
if
the death there
threatned to
thofe
men
of
our
prefent context,
be
not death eternal',
we have no
fufficient
ground
to
believe,
that
God
will
inflict
any death on impenitent Apoftates,
but
only
that
which
is
temporali or naturall,which others dye
as
well
as
they,
and
why
fo
I befeech
you
is
there
no other place
of
Scripture
,
whence
it
may
be evinced,
that
eternall death
is
the
wages
of
time
:
or
is
every place
thereof
where death
is
threatned to
finne,
fo
circumftantiated
as
this place is?
Is
the threatning
every where given
out
upon
the
like occafron,
and
to
be
ac
h.
commodated to the
like
Rate
of
things
?
Thefe Difcourfes are exceeding
loose,
fophiflicall,
and
inconclufive
neither
is
a violent death counted natural],
though
it be the
diffolution
ofnature.
Neither
is
there
any
thing
more added
by
Mr
Goodwin
in all his
confide
-
rations
of
the words
of
this paffage
of
the Scriptures, than what
we
have in-
fitted on,
that
he
nextly mentioneth,that
i
fGod
here
threatneth
impenitent
filt-
ers only
with
temporali death, then
why
fhould
the moll
profligatefnners
feare
any
other
punifhment,
is
of
more energie, for the confirmationand building
up
the
fence which
he
impofeth on
the
words, than
that
which
went
before,
they
with whomhe bath
todo,
will
tell
him
that
he doth
all
along moft
vainly
af(ume, and beg the thing
in
queftion,
viz.
That
the
perlons
intimated,
are
abfolutely impenitent
finners;
and
not
fo
under
force confiderations
only;
that
is,
that
do never
recover themfelves from
their
degeneracy from clofe
walking with
God; nor do the
words indeed
neceffarily
import
any
thing
elfes
and
for
impenitent
sinners in
generali
(not thofe
who
are
only fo
termed).
there are
teftimonyes
fufficient
in
the
Scriptures concerning Gods righteous
judgment,in their
eternal'
condemnation.
.
And this
is
the
firft
teftimonÿ produced by Mr
G
.
for the proofe
of
the
saints
Apo
flacy, a
witneffe which
of
all
others,
he
cloth
molt
rely upon
,
and
which he
bringeth in,
with
the
greateft acclamation
of
fuceefle,
before
the
trìall
imaginable.
That
when he
hath brought
him
forth, he
giues
us
no
ac-
count
in
the
leali,
whence
he
comes,
what
is
his
bufineflè,
or what
he aimes
to
confirme,
nor
can make
good
his
(peaking one
word on
his
hehalfe;
Indeed
as
thematter
is
handled,
I force
thing queftion, whether lightly
a
weaker
Argument bath
been leaned
on,
in a cafe
of
fo
great importance, than
that
which from thefe words
are drawn
for
the
Apoflacy
of
the
Saints; for
as
we
have not
the
leaf}
attempt
made,
to
give
us
an
account
of
the context,
fcope,
and intendment
of
the
place, by which
yet the
expreflions,
in
the
verfes
in-
fifted
on, mull be regulated)
no more can
anyone
expreflion
in
it, be
made
good,
to be
of
fence,
and
fignificarion, which
yet alonewill, or
can yeild
the
leaf}
advantage
to
the
caufe,for whole
prote
&ion
it
is
fo
earneftly called
upon
;
Now the
leaders and
Captaines
of
the
forces
Mt
Goodwin
bath'tnuftered
in this
1
2.Chapter,
being thus difcharged,
the
refidue,or
the
followers there=
of,
will eafily
be
prevailed with,
to
returne
every
one to
his
owne- place in
peace.
The
next
place
of
Scripture produced
to
cotifideration,
M.
Goodwin
Milers
ín(sea.1
s.)
with
a
defcription
of
the Adverfaries
with whom
in
this
Context,
he
hath
to doe,
and
Pets
them
offto
publique view, with
the
defireable
duali-
fications,
of
ignorance, prejudice,
and
partiality,
having
it
teems,
neither
inge-
nuity enough candidly, and fairely themfelves
to
fearch
into,
and
to
weigh
the
Scriptures, wherein
the
cafe
in
queflion
is
clearely
determined;
nor
skill
enough
to
understand and
receive
them,
when
fo
dexterotifly opened
to
their
hand
by M. G.
What
they
are
the
Lord knowethi
will
judge, determine, and
in
415