compared with their Adverfaries. C.Xlll. who have appeared in the Caufe that Mr Goodwin hath nowundertaken, are 3O9 Tompfon, Mountagu &c.with an obfcureRabble of that Generation.' fhall ea- filyallowMrGoodwin tobe a man more ftarpefightedthan the mofl ofthofe with whom hehath todo, in this prefent cornett; as alto to have his fences more exercifed, in the Writings óf thofe eminent Perfons lafl named; But yet that he is fenfibleof fuck a Spirit ofHolines,breathing in their writingsfwhich for the moll part are fluffedwith cruellfcoffings at the Profeffours of it, and horrible contempt ofall clofe walking with God )I cannot eafrly & readily believe; Ihould he adde tothem Arminius, with all that followed him, in the Low Countryes, their moll LearnedCorvinos, Drunke andSober; As alto fuch among thePapifls, and Lutherans,as are his Companions in this worke,and fwell théall withthe Rethorickofhis commendations until/they breake,I dare fay hewill never beablebe'oreindifferent Judges, tomakeout hisAflèrtion of theexcellencyoftheir writings, forthe futheranceofHolineffe, compared with the Labours ofthofe great and holy Souks, who have both among our felves,and abroad,'Laboured in the worke 1 am at prefent ingaged in. The Worldof men profefiìng the Reformed Religion have long fince in their Judgmentsdeter mined this difference, nor doth it deferve any farther de. bate. Secondlp,That thofe who maintaine the Perfeverance ofthe Saints, arefore §:8- indeed in their Exhortationsto Holineffè, but contemptible in their Principles up- on which theyfhould build thofe Exhortations, Is an infinuation that Mr Good- win fometimes makes ufe of, handfomely tobeg the thing in ueflion, whenhe defpairestocarry it by any convincing Argument in a faire difpute: Thatthe PrinciplesofthisDo&rine are eminently ferviceable, tothe furtheranceand promotionofHelinefTe, hathbeen formerly evinced beyond all poffibility of Contradi&ion from them,who in any meafure underftand what trueGodli- rreffe is, andwherein it dothconfifl. Neither ought Mr Goodwin if he would be efteemedas amandifputingfor his perfwafion , fooften tobegge the thing in Qteftion; knowing fullwell, that he bath not fo deferved of them with whomhe bath to do, as tòobtaineany thing ofthisnature, on thofe tearmes at their hands. Thirdly, what was thejudgement ofthe Primitive Chriflians,as in others, 4. 9, fo in and about this head ofChrifiian Religion,is heft known from that rule ofDo&rine, which it isconfeflèd theyattended unto, being delivered unto them; and in the defence whereof, and togive Teflimony whereto, fomany Thoufands ofthem, lovednot their livesunto death. Of thofe that committed overto pofterity, any thing oftheir thoughts, in that fpaceoftime limited by M. Goodwin, (viz three hundred years,)he namesbut two ofwhom I (hall not fay, that iftheyfailed in their Apprehenfions ofthe Truth in this matter, h is not the only thingwherein they fo failed; And yet that it canbe evident in the leaft, that they were contenting in judgement with M. Goodwin, wherewithfrom ushe differs, is abfolutely denied. This elfewhere is already farther confidered. It is acommon obfervation , and not deflitute ofa great evidenceofTruth, thatthe LibertyofExpreffron which is ufed by men in the delivery ofany Do&tine, efpecialIy ifit be done obitèr by theway, before fomeoppofitinnbath been framed, and Plated thereunto, bath given advan- tage to thofefollowing of them, (when death bath prevented all poflibility for them toexplaine thémfelves, and their own thoughts) to draw them into aparticipation with them, in that, which their Souks abhorred. Theplea of Arius and his Affociats , concerningthe judgement of the Do&ors of the Church, in thedaies before him , about the great Article ofour Faith, The Diet, ofChrift, isknown. That there are it many of the Ancients , fundry exprelf ons
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