Efficacyof Etfe6ìuall Grace confiftent withMorali Exhortations. C.XII. out all offruflration in men, Perfeverance; There is littleor no aßnity 29i bètween theft: But how and in what fence Godit faid to be irr, ywr, working in men both towilland to doe ofhis good pleafure,ive (ball have occafion to open more at large in the latter part ofthis Work. Anf. I dare fay, an IndifferentReader will conclude,that Mr Goodwin was very-bardput to it for anAnfwer, finding him contenting himfelfe with fuch lorry íhifts, and evident pervertings ofthe wordsof the Text, as thofehere mentioned. For firft, How come the words to be changed into aworking, as to will,fo to doe, that is,perhaps neither the one nor the other ? who taught him to render sdrerr, i ivsnarr,Jas to will, fo to doe ? But Secondly , the chiefe ofthefport made with the words, confins in the Expofition givenof them, as they lye in this newTrantlation, towork in them as to will, fo to doe, that is, to do, what theyfirfl will, not that heworks in them to will,, but that he aJ fls them in doingwhat theyflrfl will; but what isnow become of the tam, quart, above mentioned ? how doth he work in them no towill,fo to do, ifhe only aff f s them indoing, what of themfelves without his afiinance they fire will? Rather thanit (hall be granted, that God byhis grace work s effe&ual- lyon the Willsofmen,.to theproducing of their eliciteaers of Believing and Obedience, any courfe maybe warranted for the perverting of the expref- ons, where fuch an operation feems tobe held out. Perhaps this perfwafion alto ofthe efficacy ofthe graceofGod on the wills of men isfilch, that ifit be found in any place ofScripture, to be declaredor afferted , it isenough to make wife and confidering prudent men to quenion their Authority. But Thirdly,(faith he) This is not infallibly toworkPerfeverance. Ì fay, thew what elfe isrequired toPerfeverance, but towill and doe , according to the mind of` God, whichofhis own good pleafure, he promifeth effe&ually towork inBe- lievers, and youfay fomething that may render your reafonings confiderable; but it feems we mull be kept in abeyance for an anfwer to this, untill hiscri- ticifine be ready tomanifeft, how God is laid to bewary. "r,workrng in men,per- baps what is never wrought without any fuch effe& as is imagined , What may by himbe brought forth to this purpofe, time will fhewi But if be be a- ble tomake ; s£àc 21r ó irepyr út r, God is working inyou to will and to doe,for- boothfrom theParticipall expreffionofthe verbe, he will manife l more skill inGreeke, then he bath hitherto in Divinity, in all his Learned Treatifes : So that here is a Second inttance of a conjun&ion ofPromifes of Perfeverance, withExhortations toufe the meanes fuited thereunto 4 which who fodenies tohavea juif and tweet continency , doe charge the Holy Gholi withfolly or weakneffe, d5Tfn. Thirdly, The verfes pointed toout ofHeb.6.4, 5,9. doe not fo direalyexa preffe the conjun&ion infined on, as thofeplaces alreadyconfidered doe,only the difcourfe there ufed by theApofile is peremptory., that men maywithout any difparagement to their wifdome or reafon , earneftly deale with others and exhortthem toavoid falling away from God , though they are fully per - fwaded, that thofe whom they fo exhort, by the helpofthofe Exhortations, and uponother confiderations, thall abide with God to the end, or beatten- ded withthing r accompanyingsalvation. But had Mr Goodwin been pleafed to look to the followingverfes , wherein the Aponle gives anaccount of the ground ofthis perfwafion ofbis,hemight havefound fomthing toexercife the ben ofhis (kill upon. Thewords are, Belovedwe are perfwaded better things of you, & things that accompanySalvation,thoughwe thusfpeake; for God is net un- righteous toforget your work & labour ofLovewhichyouhave fbewne towards his name,in thatye haveMinifired to theSrs & do Miniffer, andwe de/ire that every ofyou doPhew thefame diligence to thefullaffuranceo fhope unto the end, hetels P p 2 them 4. 326
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