C.XIII. TheAífercots of the Saints Perfeverance 308 latter, which I am veryfenfbleof in the writingsof the former; Theft call for Righteoufne¡fe, Holineffe, andall manner of Chriftian eonverfation, with every whit as high ahand asthe other, andsnide nothing to check, obftruél, or infeehle the Authorityoftheir demands in this Rind; when as the other, though they be fore many times in their exhortations, and conjurements unto holineffe ;yet other while renderboth thefeand themfelves in them contemptible,by avouchingfuch principles, which cut the very f news, and .flrength o f filch their exhortations, and fully ballance all the weightofthofe motives, by which theyfeek to bind themup- on the Confciences ofmen. Andfor men truly holy and Confcientious, doubtleffe the Primitive Chrifliansfor three hundredyearstogether and upwards , next after the timesof the Apoftles, will fitlyballance with an abundant furplufage,both for numbers, andTruth ofGodlineffe,All thofe in the Reformed Churches; whofine Calvinsdales, haveadhered to the commonDoirine of Perfeverance : And that the Churehes'ofChrift more generallyduring the faidfpace of three hundred years andmore, held apofbilityof ee totiaand fs'nall defetlion , even in trueandfound Believers, isfo clearefrom the Recordsyet extant of thofe times,that it cannot be denied. Anf: To let paffeM. Goodwins Proverb, with its Applycatipn, (it being very facile to returne it to its Author, there being nothing in the World by him propofed, to induce us to fuch aneftimation of his affociates , in the workof teaching the Do&rine ofthe Saints Apoftafy, and their labours therein, or a- nyother undertakingoftheirs,as he laboursto beget, in guildingover their Worthand Writings, but onlyhis own judgment,& an overweeningo ftheir Geefefor Swans,) Let us fee what is offered by him to evince the Experience A erted, not tobe fo unquefiionable as is pretended. He offers Firft, his own Affirmation, Thatifaneftimate may be made ofmens Worth and Halinefè by their writistgs,Thofe'who oppofe the Doflrine of the Saints Perfeverance will befound in the promotiono fHolineffe, and thepraflice ofit,tooutgoe their Adver- faries. Theirwritings, he tells us, breath forth a fpirit ofholineffe, fuch as he cannotfind in the writingsofothers; But firft, for this you have onlyM. Good- wins nakedfingle Teftimony: And that,oppofed to the common experienceof thepeopleofGod; What weight this is like tobeare with men, the event will fhew. It is ahard thing for onemanupon his bare word , to undertaketo per- fwade amultitude, that what their eyes fee , and their eares heere, is notfoi M. Goodwin had need have Pythagorean Difciples for the imbracingofthefe di&ates ofhis; The experience ofThoufands, is placed to confirme theobfer- vation infrftedon: faith M. Goodwin, it is notfo , they are in my judgement all deceived. Burg S5:7. Secondly, who are they in whole writings Mr Goodwin bath foundfacha Spirit ofHolineffe, breathing with Authority, as is not to be found out,nor perceived in the writingsofthem,that affert theDo&rine ofthe Perfeverance ofthe Saints. Calvin, Zanchini, Beza, &c. (and to confine our felves home) Reynolds, Whitaker, Perkins, Greenhorn, Dodde, Prellon, Boulton, Sibbs, Ro- gers, Collverwell, Cotton, &c. (whole fame upon this very account,oftheemi- nent and effe&uall breathingofaSpirit ofHolyneffe in theirwritings, is gone out intoall the Nations about us, and theirRemembrance.is bleffed at home and abroade,)are fome ofthe men whó have as bath been.fhewed, laboured in watering the Vineyardof theLord,with the dew and raine of this Dottrine: Who, orwhere are theywho haveexcelled them in this undertaking ? Let the men be named, and the writings produced that Mr Goodwin, may have fome joynedwith him, ina fearch after, and Judgement ofthat Spirit that breathesfo excellently in them, that we be not forced to takehis Teftimony ofwe know not what,nor whom; Thofe amongft our felvesofcheifeft name, who 1 3 `
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