492 / 504
e
a
r.
XVII.
The words of
the Text
elfe
&uall
to
prove
the
Saints Perfev.
438
of
their
lot
and portions
to
them:
in
v.
28. he layes
downe
in
Thefi
the
flare
and
condition
of
believers and backsliders:
in
v:29. he makes application
of
the
pofition he laid
downe
to
himfelfe and them, r.
negatively
that
they were
not
of
the former fort
of
them
that draw
back,
&c.
2.
Poftively,
that
they
were
of
the
reff
of
them
that
believed,
and thofe
expreflions
v. 29.
xK
,
-
çoAñs,
Axel
9164K,
doe
undeniably
affirme
two
forts
of
perfons
in
both
places
to
be
fpoken
of
&
that
ids
%zoce),ni
i
can
by no meaner be referred to our
J
i&y
which
would entermixe them, whom
the
Apoffle
as
to
their
prefent ffate.and
future
condition,
held
out
in a contradiffin
&ion
one
to
the other
unto
the
end:
All
that
enfues
in
M.
Goodwin:
difcourfe
,
being
built
upon
this fandy
foundation,
that it
is
the
Believer,
of
whom
God
affirmes
that
he
!hall live
by
Faith,
who
is
fuppofed
to
be
i'
<2roso.ñs,
contrary to the
expreffe affertion
of
the
Apoffle,
it
needs
no
farther
confideration, although he
is
not
able
to ma-
nifeff
any ffrength
in conclufion
drawn from
fuppofitions,
of
events
,
which
may
be
poffible in
one
fence,
and
in
another impoff
ble.
4.40.
But before we
paffe
further,
may
not
this
witneffe which Mr
Goodwin
hath
attempted
in
vaine
to
fuborne
to
appeare, and fpeake
in
his
caufe, be
deman-
ded what
he can fpeake,
or
what he
knowes
of
the
truth, of that
which he
is
produced
to
oppofe.
This then
it confeffeth and denyeth
not,
at
firff
word,
that
of
profeffours
there
are two forts :
fome
are
;zrosoañs,
of
filch as
doe
or
may
draw back unto perdition;
fouie
,,
los, which
believe
to the
faving
of
the
foule, and
that
in
oppofition
to
the
others
: Alfo
,
that
thofe
who
with
-
draw are not
mrsems,
not
true
Believers, nor
ever were, notwithffanding all
their
profeffion
and what thèir
guifts,
and attainments,
in
and under
their
profeflion:
So
thatthe
Teffimony
produced, keepeth
ffill
its place,and
is
as
a
King
upon
his
Throne
againff
whom
there
is
no
riling up,
but
yet
fpeaks
quite
contrary,clearly, evidently,
diffinCtly
to what
is
pretended
;both
on the one
hand
&
the
other,is
our
theirs
undeniably confirmed,iu this
place
of
the
Apo-
ffleIfall
thofe who
fall
away
to
perdition were never truly nor
really
of
the
Faith,then
thofe who are
of
the
Faith
canot
fall
away;
but they
who
fall
away
to
perdition, were never
truly
nor
really
ofthe
Faith, or
true
Believers:Ergo.
The
reafon
of
the
confequent
ofthe
firff
propofition is evident : for
their not
being
ofthe
Faith,is plainly included
as
the
Reafon
of
their
Apoffacy,&
their
being
of
the
Faith, intimated
as
that
which would have preferved them
from
fuch defe&ton;
the
Minor is
the
Apoffles, we
are
not;amsoans
ofthem that draw
back, but
of
them
that
believe, which plainely diffinguifheth them
that draw
back, from Believers;Againe
Willie Believers {hall
live,
and continue
to
the
fa-.
ving
of
their
foules, in
oppofition
to them that
fall
away
to
perdition,
then
they
(hall
certainly perfevere
in
their Faith:
for thefe two are
but
one
&
the
fame:
but that true
Believers (hall
live,&
believe,to the
faving
oftheir
foules,
in oppofition
to them that
draw
back, or
fubduet themfelves
to
perdition,
is
the
affection
of
the
Holy Choff:
Ergo: I
prefume by this
time Mr
Goodwin
is
plainly convinced
that
indeed he had
as
good,
yea
and
much
better,for the
Advantage
of
his
caufe
in
hand,have let
his witneffe
have abode
in
quietnefle,
and not entreated
him fo feverely
to
denounce
judgment
againff
that Do-
&rine which
he feekesby him
to
confirme.
4, 41.
Se&:32.the
parable
of
the
(
cony,
ground
Mat.!
3.20,2
r
comes
next
to
confide-
rationahe
words chofen
to be
infiffed
on
are
in
the
verfes
mentioned ,
but he
that
receivedthe reed into
flony
places,i:l:e
that
heareth the
Word,&
anon
with
joy
receiveth
it,
yet path
he
not root in himfelfe, butduretb
for
a while
&c. That
by
the
ffony
ground
is
meant
true
Believers,
is
that
which Mr
Goodwin
under-
takes
to
prove:
but
how
in his
whole Difcourfe, I
profeffe
I perceive not
:
I
mutt
take
leave
to
profeffe
that
I cannot
finde any
thing
looking
like
a
proofe
or