DoEìaine of Apoliafy difcouraging as to duty. CAP. X[.§: 18. receive,and to fill their Souks, and perplex their confciences, with cares, feares,and manifold intanglements, fuited to weaken their Faith, and Love, and alienate their hearts from thatdelight in God, which they arecalled,and otherwife would be carried forth unto. They being all ofthem, in Tome meafure, acquainted with the ftrength, fubtility , and power of indwelling Sinne, the advantages of Sathan in his manifold Temptations, the eminent fucceile, which they fee everyday the Principalities, and in heavenly places which they wreale withall,to have againftthem, and being herewithall taught, that there isneither Purpofe, nor Promife ofGod for their Prefer- vation , that there is nothing to that purpofe in the Covenant of Grace; the Confiderationoftheir Condition muffof neceftyfill themwithinnume- rable perplexities,andmake them their ówne tormentors all their daies; thus farre(I fay) I owne the Obje&ion; That it is not properly courage, or confi- dence, but Faith, Love, and Reverence, that are the Principles ofour Actions inwalking with God, bathbeen declared. But what faith Mr Goodwin to the Obje&ion, as by himfelfe laid 3., is, downe?Befide what he relateth,ofhis conqueft of itin other places, head- deth That the Saints, notwithftanding the poffibility oftheir final/falling away, have, ormay have, fuch,an Affurance ofthe ' perpetuity oftheirftanding, in the Grace and Favour ofGod, as may exclude all feare, at leafl that, which isofa dfcouraging or enfeebling nature; The Apoftle,aa wehave formerlyfhewed, lived at a very excellent rateboth ofcourage; and confidence; notwithstanding he knew that it waspof f ble for him to become a Reprobate; The affurance he had, that up- on a diligent ufeof thofe meaner, which he knew affuredly God would vouchfafe unto him, hefhould prevent his being a Reprobate, was a Golden foundationunto him, ofthatconfidence, and courage, wherein he equalizedthe Holy Angels them- felves. Anf. r. Thegrounds afferted by Mr Goodwin, on which Believers may build the Affurance pretended of the perpetuity of their ftanding in the Grace and Favour ofGod, notwithstanding the poffibilityoftheir defdtion, (theaffertionwhereofcosts no leffe, then the denying ofall, or any influence front the Purpofe, Promifes, Covenant, or Oath of God, or Mediationof Chrift, into their prefervation) I have formerly confidered: andmanifefted them tobe foexceeding unable,tobeare any fuchbuilding ofConfidenceup- on, as is pretended, that it is almost a Miracle; how any thoughts offuch a any uickfands, could ever finde place in the mindeofaman, thing bsioufly acquainted with the wayes ofGod; The whole ofthe Saints prefervation in the Love and Favour of God, (as it is alto expreffed in this seaion) is refolved into mensfelfe-confiderations, and indeavours, Being weary it feemeth, ofleaning on thePower of God, to bekept thereby unto eternall Salvation, menbegin to truft to themfelves, and theirowne Abili- ties, tobe their owne keepers: But what will they doe in the end thereof? Thefumme ofwhat Mr Goodwin bath formerly faid &what he repeatetha- gaineto the endofthisSellion, is, Men neednot feare theirfalling away, though it is poffible,feeing they may eafly prevent it, iftheywill; Esprefüons fufficient lycontemptive ofthe Graceof God , and the Salvation that God affureth us thereby; an affertion, which thofe Ancients, which Mr Goodwin laboureth todraw into communion with him, would have rejected, and caft out as Hereticall. Mans ability thus topreferve himfelfe, in the Grace and Favour. ofGod, tothe end, is either from himfelfe,or from theGrace,ofGod ? Iffrom himfelfe? Let us know, what that Ability is, and wherein it doth confift, and how he comes by it? Chrifttellethus, that 'without himwe can donothing, and the 255
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