C.X11,4. to. Do&. of StsPere no hinderance to the workofthe Miniary, 266 not but inf(f upon the former obfervation; That notwithftanding Mr Good. wins pretenceof proving , and arguing for the Doctrine hemaintaines, yet upon the matter, he bath not any thing to fay, in the carrying onof that de- fgne, but inffantly falls to his old workof railing objections, in their very Petting up prepared tobe calf downe, (for the moff part)which with all his might helaboureth toremove. The ffrefe ofthe whole, (as farre as weare concerned in it) Beth on the Minor, which is thus farther attempted tobe made good: The Minir Pro- pofition isDemonffrated thus, The Doílrine which rendreth the Labour and Faithfirineffeofa Minifier inprengfuchExhortations, Threatnings, and Promi- fes, which tendto theprefervationofthe Saints, in Faithand holineffe to the end, ufeleffè, rendreth the Mini ry ofthe Gofpell, as farre as it concerneth the encos. ragement, or inablingof the Saints toPerfevere, needleffeand vaine : but guilty of fuch a tendency as this, is the commonly received Doctrine of Perfeverance: Ergo. Anf. This labour might have been faved, and both thefeSyllogifines very eafily reduced to one: but then another Teeming Argument (as we (hall find afterwards)infeffed on, would have been prevented. Our trade in fuch cafes as this isby weight, and not by number: the lidinor then, is frill tobe confir- med; which he laboureth thus to doe. The commonDoctrine ofPerfeverance, requireth and commandeth all Saints or trueBelievers, to befullyperfwaded, andthis with thegreatej andmoll indubita- ble certaintyofFaith, thatthere isanabfolute and utter impartibility, either ofa totall,orfnall defaeonoftheir faith: that though they fliouldfall into ten thug- fandenormousandmofí abominable f nnes, and lye wallowingin them, like a fivíne inthe mire,yet theyfhould remaine all the while in an eflateofGrace and that Godwill by aflrong handofirrefrflible grace, bring themof from their f nnes,tby Repentance,before they dye: but the Doctrine which requireth and commandeth all this, andmuch more oflike import, to be confidentlybelievedby trueBelievers, rendreth theprefsingofall Exhortations, Threatning, Promifes upon them in or- cier toprevaile with them, or make them carefullto Perfevere, bootleffé andtone- ceflary.. Ergo. 4 to, Anf, t. What weight M. Goodwin, (with all thole with whom as to his undertaking under confideration He is in fellowfhip)doth layupon this Argu. ment, isknown to all. The whole foundation of what isafterwards at large infiffed on, for theeffablifhment,of it being laid upon theproofeof the Minor Propofition formerly denied, here laid downe; It will early begranted, that it was incumbent onhim tomake fure workehere,and not Peleave any thing liable to any juff Exception. An errour, or a miftake in thefoundation, is not eafely recoverable; All that isafterwards heaped up, beareth it (elfe on a (up pofetion oftheTruth of what is here delivered. If this faile in the leafy , we may (pare our Labour, as to any farther confiderationof what followeth; Now the amineofthe proofe here infiftedon lieth in the Declarationofthat which he calleth, the Coition Doarine ofPerfeverance, and concerning this he informeth his Reader. T. Thatit commandeth all Saints to he fullyperfwaded, and that with the gseateflandmoss indubitable certaintyof Faith, that there is an abfolute andut- ter impoifibility either ofa totall,or final/defeslionoftheirFaith. Anf. a. What is the intendment ,of there Aggravating expreffions of; [fullyperfwaded,greateil and mollindubitable certainty of Faith] I know not. Will it pleafe you, ifit fhould require them to beperfwaded, but notfully perfwadedBelieve it, but with little and dubitable cetaintyofFaith, oruncer- tainty rather? Fullperfwafion, greatefl certainty,without doubting orfiaggering, are
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