C.X111. TheAffertors of theSts Perf comparedwith their Adverfaries, 3o6 they really believed, the whole fabricke of his Doetrine whereinhe bath de- parted from theFaith, heonce (as they fay) profeffed, to be a lye; A lye of dangerous and pernitious Confequence to the foulesofmen, a lye derogatory to the Glory of God, the efficacyofGrace, themerit of the Death. ofChrift, and the honour ofthe Gofpell, and full of difconfolation topoore fouler, being in and under Temptation;What though they fuppofe it fecretly to un- dermine the maine fundamentals ofthe Covenant of Grace, andcovertly to fubftitute another Covenant in the Rome thereof, what though theyhaye obferved that the Do&rine they have received, was Imbraced, Preached, pri_ zed, by all thofe great and bleffed fouler, which in the Taft Generation, God magnified with the converfionoffomany thoufands in thisNation,given into their Miniftrywhiffs they fpent their dayesunder continuali Afii&ions& per- fecutions?what though they have the generali known confent ofall thefefor- Churches beyond theSeas with them,in their zeale for the DotirineunderCon- fideration; What thoughunder thefe & thelike apprehenfions,theyprofefle in the prefence ofGod, his holyAngels and men,that the eternal! Intereft of, theprecious foulesofmen,is morevaluable to them tenthoufand times than their owne lives,and that that is the foieReafon oftheir oppofition toM. G: in his attempts againft the Do&rive they have fo received and imbraced, yet it is meet for us to Judge, and for all to whom evillfermifes are not efleemed to be amongthe worker of thefleAthat all theiroppofition, is nothing but a cb» plyance with,and purfuit ofthofe worldly lowand wretched aimes,that they are filled withal!. But as to thofe Perlons before mentioned, what !hall we fay? Their Piety, Literature, Zeale, Diligence, Indieflry, Labour with fucceffein the worke of theMini.ffry, <and that under manifold difcouragetnents) are fo renowned in the world, that howvor wherewith they fhaIl be {bitted of, from being confiderable in their Teftimony, I cannot imagine. Ifever Per- fons in thefe latter Ages had written upon their breafis,Rolyneffe to the Lord, Ifever any bare about, a conformity to the Death and refurreaion ofour Lord 7efaChr 1, they may put in for an eminent efteeme, and name among them; & will doubtleffe befound at laft tobe ofthe thirty, ifthey attaine notto the firfl Ranke oftheWorthyes of Chrift in thefe ends oftheworld;How isit that they werenot retarded, in the courfeof their Gofpell Obedience, by their entertainement of thiswretched Do&rive ofthe Saints Perfeverance? But what though they kept themfelves Perfonally from thepolltitianofit yet pof- fibly their Miniftrywas defiled and rendered ufeleffe by it. And who I pray is it that in this Generation can fo fupport ,himfelfe with fucceffe in the Mi- nifiry, as to rife upwith this accufation againft them ? Many thoufànds.who were their Crowne, their Glory, and Rejoycing in Chrift, are fallen a fleepe, and forne Continue tothis day. Of the Reafons given by Mr Goodwin why all the Zealous, Fruitfull, Faithfidl Preachers, of former dayes, imbraced this Do&rine, we !hall inftantly undertake theConfideration. In the meane time this feemsftrange, that God fhould magnify, and make famous theMinifihy offomany, throughout theworld, and give in that vifible Meiling o their Labours therein, whichhath filled this Ifland with fuch an increafe ofChil- dren to sion,as that fhe bath not lengthnedthe cordsofher Tabernacle, to fuch an extent and compafhe, in any proportionable fpot ofearth under Heaven, ifany one eminent part oftheir DoiFrine, and that whereon they lay'd great weight in theirMiniftry, which they prefled with as much fervency and con- tentionofSpirit as any head of the Iike importance, fhould indeed befo ap- parently deftru&iveofHolineffe,and offucha dire& and irrefiftibleefficiency to renderufeleffe that greatOrdinanceof the Miniftry committed to them, as this is clamoured to be. What will be the fucceffe &them, in their Mini- 11'7
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