CA P. I 1í.ß:48. Our Expofition ofJohn 8.37,38. Vindicated. 88 any CompuIfionor neceffitation inconfiftent with the molt abfolute free- Ephef, a.s. dome, that a Creature is capable of. Hethat workes Faith inBelievers, can continue it and increafe it in them, without Compulfion. And this is the fumme of Mr Goodwin Anfwer toan Argument that notwithftanding all which he bath fpoken, bath yet ftrength enough left, to caft his whole buil- ding downe to the ground. What he further fpeakes to the particularplace, which gaveoccafion to this Difcourfe,may breifelybe confidered. He fpeakesfomething to0.37. which I infiftednot on. As to the purpofe in hand, he tells you that Chrifi willin nowife canout ,ñv ioc6Evevov, him that is coming; butyet he that is. coming on his way may turne hackandnevercome ftallyup to him. 2 Cor.a.ry. Anf But ifthis be not Huckflering, oftheWord of God, I knownet what is. The words before in the fame verle are,All that the Fathergiveth me, (hall come to me. Saith MrGoodwin, they may come but halfe way, and fo turne back again, not comingfullyhome tohim. Saith Chrift,theyfhallcome to mee. Saith Mr Goodwin, they may perhaps come but halfe way. Nuncfatis eft dixi,ffé, ego mira poemata pango . But why fo ? Why, ;?x6r-tivoy is coming , a coming it feemes infieri, but not inpelt) of e; that is, it denotes a traer oftime , whileft theman is travellinghis journey. As though believing,werea fuccefivé mo- tion; as to theA& oflayinghold on Chrift. But is he that is on his way , that Chrift receiveth; a Believer or not? Hath he Faith or not? Ifhebath noFaith, theFaith whereofwe fpeake , how can he be laid to becoming , feeing the loh.3. 34 wrath ofGodabidethon him ? Ifhebath Faith , how is it, that he is not come to Chrift ? Hath any one trueFaithat adiftance fromhim? God gives ano- therTeftimony /oh. I. 11,12. But (faith he) there isnothing in thewords, that they are underno pofìbilityoffalling away,who come to Cbrifl. But t. there is in thofe that follow, that (as to the event,) they are under an impoffrbility of fo doing, in refpe6t ofthe Will and Purpofeofgod; ( which fufliceth me) as fhall be made to appeare. 2. That Emphaticall expreffion i will inno wife cafl them out, expreffes fo muchCare and Tenderneffe inChrift towards them, that we are very apt to hope, and believe , that he willnot loofe them any moresbut that he will not only not caft themout , but al fo according tohis Fathers appointment, that he will keep them , and preferve them in fafety, until] he bring them to glory, asis fully afferted v,39,40. as bathbeen declared. Againe Mr Goódwin tells you, it is not fpoken of loofng Believers bydefetlionofFaith , but by Death : And to affare Believers of this, Chrill tells them, It is hisFathers Will,that hefhould raifè them up at the laßday :. Betidesifany .be loft by defellionfrom Faith, this cannot be imputed toChrill,who did his Fathers pleafure to the utmofi for their prefervation : but to them= felves, Anf. For the perverting ofv.37. the beginningofit was left out ; and far the accomplifhingofthe like defignes upon v.39.4o (which farther clears the Math:4.6, mind and intendment ofChrift in the words,) is omitted:He tells you,that it is the Will oftheFather, that every one that comesto him, that is , that Be- lieves on him, have Everlafting life: What is Everlafting life in theGo/pelf, is well known from roh:17.3. and unto this bellowing on them everlxfting Life, his railing ofthem atthe laft Day (as was mentioned) is a neceffary confe- quent: namely, that they may be brought to the full and compleat fruition ofthat life, which here inCome meafure they aremadepartakers of. Even in thewords ofv: 39. that pafï'age (' IAuld loofe nothing) extends it l'elfe t o the whole Compaffe ofourSaviours Duty, in reference to his Fathers Will, for the fafe- garding ofBelievers: and is it only death, and the ftateofdifl'olutionof Body andSoul; that it isthe Will ofGod that he fhould deliver them from ? and
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