477 / 504
Of
the
comminution
of
the
words,
fhád
die.
CA P. XVII.
incorruptible
Crowne
which
he
fought
by
that
fevere hand,
which
he
füll
held over
himfelfe,to
obtain.
Anf.
The fcopeof
the
place was
before
tnanifefted, in anfwer
to
its
de-
pendance
on
the
whole difcourfeforegoing,from
v. 19.
where
the
Apoftle
en-
ters upon the relation
ofhis
deportment,
in
the
worke andfervice
of
the Go.
fpell, with
a
particular
eye
to
his
carriage therein,
as
to
his ufe;
or
forbearance
of
the
allowance
of
temporal/ things,
from them
to
whom he Preached, which
was
due
to
him,
by all
right,
whereby any
claimein
any
kind whatever, may
be puriued, together with the
expreffe
inftitution
of
the Lord
Jefus
Chrift, by
him before
laid
downe.
In
this
courfe he
behaved
himfelfe
with wifdome,
zeale and
diligence
, having manyglorious
aimes in
his
eye,
as
alto
being full
of
a
fence
of
the duty incumbent
on
him
(v. 6.) to
whofe
performance he
was
conítrained
by
the
Law
of
Jefus Ch
rift,
as
he
alto here
exprefles.
Among
other
things
that provoked
him
to,
and fupported him
in
his
hard labour and
travaile,
was,
the
Love
hebare to the
Gofpell,
and
that
he might
have with
others
fellowfhip in
the propagation
and declaration
of
the
glorious meffage
thereof. This
is
his
intendment
v. 23.
90
né
&c.For
the
Gofpells fake,
or the
love he
bare
to it,he
defired with others
to be partaker
ofit;that
is,ofthe ex-
cellent worke
of
preaching
ofit
;for
of
the
benefit
of
the
Gofpell he
might
have bin
partaker
with
other
Believers,though he had never bin fet
a
part
to
its
promulgation.
In
his
whole Difcourfe he
(till fpeaks
accommodately to
his
bufineffe
in
hands for
the defcribingofhis worke
ofApoftIefhip
in
preaching
the
glorious Gofpell
of
JefusChrift; and
as
to
the end
of
this
worke, he
ac-
quaints
us
that there
was
propofed before him
the
incorruptible
Crown
of
his
Matters approbation,
(upon
his
lawful! running and
¡hiving
in
the
way
of
the
miniftry,whereto he
was
called) the
peculiar
Glory
of
them,
wliom he is
plea-
fed
to
imploy
in
this
fervice5
and though,
the
caufe
of
his
fighting
at that rate,
as
he
did,was
not
wholly
thefeare
of
non -approbation
in
that
worke,
a
ne-
cefty
ofduty
being incumbent on him,
which
he
was
to
difcharge, yet he
that
knowes how
to
value the crowne
of
approbation fromChrift,
the
holy
Angels and the Church,
of
havingFaithfully difcharged the
office
of
a
steward
in difpen(ìng
the
things
of
God,
will
think it
fufficiently effe6tuall
to
ftirre up
any one
to the utmoft
expence
of
Love, paines
and
diligence
that
he may
not
come fhort
of
it
And
of
Mr
Goodwins
proofe
this
is
the dine.
His
next
is
from
Heb.
6.
4,
5,
6,
7.
with
Chap:
to.
26,
27.
which he
brings
in
attended
with the enfuing Difcourfe,
Se&.
18.
The
next
paffage we
(hall
infift
npon to evince the poffibility
ofa finall
defeElion
in
the
Saints,
openeth
it
felfe in
there words.
For
it
is impolible
for
thofe who were
once
enlightned,and have
tailed
of
the
Heavenly
guift, and
were made
partakers
o
f
the
Holy
Ghoft,
and
have
tailed
of
the
good Word
of
God,
and
the
powers
of
the
world
to come,
ifthey(hall
fall
away, to renew them
again
unto repentance,
fee-
ing
they
crucify
to
themfelves
the
Sonne
of
God afrefh,
and
put him
to
an
open
fhame. For the
earth, which
drinleth
in
the
raine, that
cometh
oft
upon
it,and
bringeth
forth
herbes meet
for them
by
whom
it
is
dreffed, receiveth
biding
from
God.
But
that
which beareth
thorns
and
briers, is
rejeEled
and
is
nigh
unto
curling,
whofe
end is
to
be
burned. Anfwerable hereunto is another
in
the fame
Epiftle.
For
ifwee
fin
wilfully
after
we
have received the
knowledge
of
the
truth,
there
remaineth
no more
Sacrifice
for
firmes,
but
a certaine feare
full
looking
for of
judgement
and
fiery
indignation,
which
fball
devour theAdverfaryes.
,1:7e
that
de-
fpifed
MofesLaw dyed
without
mercy
under
two
orthree witne
fles.
Of
how
much
forer
punifbment,fuppofeye,
fball
he be
thought worthy,who
hath
troden under
foot
the
Son
of
God,
and bath
counted
the
Blond
of
the
Covenant where
with
hewas
Sanilifyed an
unholy
thing, andbath
done defpight unto
the
Spirit
of
Grace..
Evi-
H
h h
3
den
421
Q.
26,