Dot.ofPerf.of Sts its ufefulnes to promoteGofpell- Obedience.C.XI.ßtó,7. maintaineth concerning the poffìbility of'the Saints defeEíion, promifeth .a 249 cromrte to therit,that continue in Obedience, and threatneth vengeance offire to them;that turne toprofaneneffè, which taken asaproofeofhis former affértion is lyable to fore fmall exceptions. As t- . That this doth notat all prove the Dottrine to be a branch or parcel! oftheGofpell,it being,as it ftandeth feverally by it felfe,the pure tenor ofthe Covenant ofWorkes,which weconfef e tohave beenoffingular importance for the propagationofGodlineffe & Holineflè,in them to whomit was given, or with whom it was made; being given and made for that very endand and purpofe; but that this alone by its felfe is a peculiar branch or parcel! oftheGofpell, or that it is of fuch fingular importance for the carryingon ofGofpell-Obedience, as fo by it felfe propofed, that fhould here have been proved. 2. As it is alfo apart of the Gofpell declaring the FaithfulneffeofGod, and the End and Iffue of thepropofall ofthe Gofpell untomen, andof their receiving or refutingofit, fo it is altogether forraigne to the Dottrine ofMr Goodwin under conteft: &he might aswell have faid,that theDottrineofA- poftacy isoffingular import for the promotion of Holineffe, besaufe the Dottrine ofJufitfication by Faith is fo; for what forceof confequence is be- twixt thefe two ? that God is arewarder ofthem that Obey him, and a puni- fher ofthem that rebell againft him, is an incentive toObedience: therefore the Dottrine that true Believers united toJefus Chrift, may utterly fall out ofthe FavourofGod, and turne from theirObedience, and bedamned for ever, there being no Promife ofGod for their prefervation, isalfoan incen- tive toHolineffe. 3. What virtue foever theremay 'be in this truth, for the furtherance and promotion ofHolineffe in the world, our Dottrinelaieth ascleare claime to it, as yours; (that is) there isnot any thing in the leaft in it incontinent therewith all;we grant God threaveneth the vengeanceof Hell fire,unto thofe that turneafide from their profeffionof Holineffe,into profaneneflè,the Got pelf it felfe becoming thereby unto them a favour of death unto death; the Lord thereby proclaimingto all the world, that the wages ofPanneand infide- lity is death, and that he that believeth not,(hallbedamned; but that any thing can hence be inferred for the Apoffacie of trueBelievers,or how this affertion cometh tobe appropriated to that Dottrine, wefeenot. The latter part of this Difcourfe, whereby its Author aimeth to exclude the, f: 6; Dottrine hitherto afferted byus, from any claime laid to ufefulneffe for the p motT i f,,Gdlinefie, is either a minake ofit, through ignoranceofthe opinion he hath undertaken to oppofe, or a wilful! perverting ofit, contrary to his owne fcience & confcience;Is that theDottrineyou oppofeifs it fo pro- pofed by thofe who through Grace have laboured to explaine,&vindicate it? Doth not the maine weight ofthe dottrine turne on this hinge,thatGod hash promifed to his Saiuts,true Believers,fuch fuppliesoftheSpirit and Grace,as that they thali never degenerate unto filch loofe andprofane courfes, as are deftru&ive toGodlineffe ? Doubtlefle that Dottrine is of' amolt fpotleffe un- tainted innocency, which its Adverfaries dare not ventureto ftrangle, before they have violently& treacheroufly defloured it. And thus Mr Goodwin leaveth his Arguments in theduff, like the Enriches eg,ge.t under thefeetofmen,tobe trampled on with eafe. The refidueofthis Difcourfe onwards tothe next Argument,beingfpent in f. 7, theanfwering ofpretended Obje&ions, put in againft himfelfe in the behalfe oftheDoerrine ofPerfeverance,notat all called out by the import ofhis pre- fent Arguments&Difcourfes, I might paffe them over: but in as much asthat K k which
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