A(%rtors ofSts Perfcompared with their Adverferies. C,YILL pry, who fha11 undertake to deny and oppofe it, I'hope the PeopleofGod in 307 'this Nation, will not have many Inffances to Judgeby: Thebelt conje&ure, we can for the prefent make ofwhat will be hereafter, muff be taken from what hath already come to paffe; and the bell guef e ofwhat events will be, are to be railed from the confederation ofwhat hath been; from a like dif- pofition ofCaufes,to an AnfwerableneffeofEvents. What MrGoodwinbath to plead in this Cafehe infifts on Chap.9. Seti:24, 4 4, 25,26,27. Pag. 167,168,169,17°,171,172. The fuenme anddime ofhis Dif- courfe, is to Apologize for his Do&rine againft fundry Obje&ions, which in the Obfervationsofmen it is lyable and obnoxious unto. Now thefe are fuch as whatever the Iffue oftheir Confideration prove, doubtleffe it can be of no Advantageunto his Caufe, that his Do&rine is fo readily expofed to them. The firft ofthefe is, that the Do6trine he Oppofeth, and inOppofitionwhere- ß. q. unto that is let up,which hefo induftrioufy afferts,hath generally been recei- ved and imbraced,by men eminent in Piety andGodlineffe, famous on that ac- count in their Generations, with the generality. ofthe People ofGod, with them. And this is attended with that which naturally infues thereon, viz. The Scandaloufneffe ofthemolt of them (yea of themall ofthis Nation is it fpoken, who have formerly afèrted the Do&rine whichMr Goodwinbath lately efpoufed; Whereunto in the third place an Obfervation is fubjoyned, ofthe Ordinary defectionof men to loofe and unfavory pradifes, after they have once drunke in theprinciples ofthat opinion, which he nowfo induflrioufly mix- eth and tempereth for them;It isufuallyPaid there isnofmoake,but where there is fomefire;It would be ftrange if loch Obfervationsas thefe,fhould be readily and generally made by men, concerningthe Do&rine under Conteft, unlefle there were Tome evident occafion Adminiftred by it thereuto. And I 'Miff needs fay,that if they proveTrue, and hold under Examination, theywill be- come as urgingaprejudice, as can lightlybe laid againft any caufe inReligion whatfoever. The Gofpell being a DoElrineaccording unto Godlinefjé, feverall perfwafions pretending to be pacts and portions thereof, ifone (hall be found to bethe conftant Faith, and,profeffionofthofe, who allo have the life and power ofGodlineffe in them; the other tobe maintained by evill men audfe- ducers, who upon their receiving it, doe allo waxworfe and worfe; it is no fmall advantage to the firft,in its plea for admittance to the right and titleof a truth oftheGofpell. To Evade this chargeMrGoodwin premifes this in General!. ß. 6. The experience Aférted in the Objellion, is not fo unqueflionable in point of Truth, But that i f the elfferters were put home upon the proofe,they would(Ifeare) (doubtleffe heratherhopes it)accompt,moreinprefumption than in reafonablenes ofArgument.For ifPerrousoftheone judgement, &ofthe ather,wereduly compared together, Iverily believe there would be found every whit, as full a proportion of men, truly Confcientiour and Religious, amongfl thofe whofe judgements Hand, andhave_flood for a po ìbilityoffalling away, As on the otherfide: but through a foolifb and unfavourykindofpartiality, we are apt, onall hands, according to the Proverb, to account our ownGeefe for swamies , andother mensswamies Geefe5 Certaine Iam, that if the writings ofmenof theone judgement, and of the other, be compared together, andan e f imate made from thence of the Religion, Worth, andHolineffeofthe Authors refperlively, Thofe who'oppofe the common Dotirine of Perfeverance, doe account it no Robbery tomake themfelves everyway equal/ in this honourwith their oppofers5 The truth is, If it be lawfullfor me to utter what I re- ally apprehend, and judge in the care, I doenotfind that fpirit o fholinefe , to breath with that Authority, height or Excellencyofpower in thewritings of the R r 2 latter,
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