C.XI.g,3,4 Dca.ofPerfof Sts its ufefulnes topromote Gofp,Obedience. 248 choiceneffeofingredients, for the advancement ofGodlineffé in the wor/d;,there- fore what particular Dotfrine is o f thefame Spirit, tendency, and import, mint needs be a natural/branch thereof, andhail)perfect accordwith it this Propofiti- on then isnnqueffionable. 4: 3 Anf According to theprinciples formerly laid downe, I have fomething to fay (though not to thepropofition it felfe, as in the termes it lyeth, but) onlyas to the fixedneflè, and ftayedneffe of it, that itmay not beanofe o f wax,to beturned to and fro at every ones pleafurt, toferve their turnes; for what fort ofmen is there in the world, profeffng thenameo£Chrift, that do not lay claime to an intreft in this Propofition, for the confirmation of their OpinionsIt is but as aCommonExordium in Rethoricke,a ufeleffe flourifh; TheDotfrine whichis according to Godlineffe, that is, which the Scripture teach- eth tobe true, and to ferve for the promotion ofGodlinefl'e, (riot what Do- &rine foever anydarke braineficke Creature doth apprehend fo todo)in the fate andCondition, wherein the Saints of Godwalkewith him, is a branchofthe Gofpell: I adde, in the 'late andcondition, whereinwe walkewith God: for in the frateof innocency, the Do&rineofthe Law, as a Covenant ofLife,was ofan- gular aptneffe, and ufefulneffe to promote Obedience, which yet is not thereforeanybranch, or part of the Gofpell, but oppofìte to it, and deftru- &ive ofit. All the advantagethen Mr Goodwin can expeet from this Argu ment to his caufe, dependeth upon the proofe of the minor Propofition, which alto muff beeffe&ed in afwerable proportion to the reftri&ions and qualifications given to theMajor, or the whole will be void and ofnone effe&; That is, he mutt prove it by the TeftimonyofGod, tobe according toGodlinefle,and not giveus in (bya pure beggingofthe thing in Queftion,) that it is fo in his Apprehefion , and according to the principles whereon he 'cloth proceed, in the teaching and afferting of Godlineflè: Mr. Goodwin knowes, that thereis no idle difference btween him and us, about the nature and caufes ofGodlitieffe, then thereis aboute the Perfeveranceofthe Saints: and thereforehis afferting any Do&rine to be fuited to the promotionof ,Godlineflè, that Affertion being proportioned to his other Hypothefisof his owne, wherein weaccord not with him , and in particular to his notions of the caufes andnature ofGodlineffe, with which conceptions of his we have no communion, it cannot be Of any weight with us, unleffe he prove his affirmation cordingto the limitations before expreffed; Now thisheat- tempteth in the words following. 4 4 What Dot-trine (faith he,) can there be more proper and powerful/ topromote Godlineffé, in the hearts and lives ofmen, then that; which, on the ,zrtandlpró enifeth acrown ofBlejdnefe, andeternal/ Glory to thofe, that live Gocililywith- out declining; 'andon the otherhand,threatneth the vengeance ofHellfire, eternal- lyagainfi thofe,that (hall turne aide intoprofaneneffe,andnot returne by repen- tance: whereas the Dotrine, which promifeth, and that withal lpojblecertainty andaffurance,all fulneffeofBleffedneffè and Glory, to thofe thatfhall at any time be Godly,though they fball thevery next d) or hour, degenerate, and turne bofe, andprofane; and continue neverfo longinfueh a coml.e, is moll manifefflydeffru- tfive toGodlineffe,and encouraging abovemeafore untoprofanenefJe. 4 5 Anf, There are two parts ofthis Difcourfe: the one (;t4e,Cxtuasva or) confirmatory of his owneThefis; the other (ávaCxevznxñ or) defirutfive oft-hat which he oppofeth; For the firft, it is upon the. matter, all that heprodu- ceth for the confirmationofhis Minor Propofition, wherein any angular con- cernementof his opinion cloth lye: Now that being, in a found fence, the common Inheritance ofall that profeffe the Truth, under what deceits or miftakes foever; thefemme ofwhat is here infiftedon, is, that the Do&rine he maintail eth
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