C. XIII. AII'ertors ofStsPerf. comparedwith their Ad%erlaries. 310 expreffions feeminglyvarying from that Do&rive we Affert, upon the ac- count oftheir different apprehenfionsofthe tearmes, of Faith, being Regene- rated, Holineffe, and the like, (which are all ofthem íäll with us, asin the Scripture, ofvarious fignifications, and not clearely expreffive of any one fence intendedby them, untill diftinguifhed) is not denyed. Speakingofall thofe who had beenBaptized, and madeprofeflionoftheir Faith as Believerr, it isno wonder ifthey granted that fome Believers might fall away. But yet in the meanetimethe moft eminent of them, conftantlyaffirmed that there is a fort ofBelievers, who upon the matter with them, were theonly true and Reali Believers(being fuch as we formerly defcribed) that could not fall ei- ther totally or finally; but as far thisI hope full fatisfa&ion is tendered, the Learned Reader in the Prefaceof this Difcourfe. So that thefe Exceptions notwithflanding, the prejudices that Mr Goodwin's Do&rìne labours under, from the oppofition made to it and againft it, in the defenceof that which it rifeth up to over throw, by that Generation oftheSaints ofGod, lyes up- ón the (boulders thereof, as a burthento heavy for it to beare. 4. to. Secondly, Mr Goodwin farther proceeds, Se&. 27 to informe us of fome other miftakes in theinftance given, tomake good the former obfervation, For as for Calvin, Mafculus, Martyr, Bucer, with the Minifters of this Nation who in the laft Generation fo ZeaÌoufly oppofed, the perfecutions and inno- vations of fome returning with fpeed and violence toRome, He tells us theywere veryfarce from having their fudgnaents fettled, asto the Dothrine under conteftfo as refolvedlly to have imbraced the one, and rejec`íed the other. I fhouldwillingly walke in the heigh way for the manifeftationand cleare evi&ionof the untruth ofthis fuggeftion: via. by producing their Teftimo- nyesin abundant plentiful) manner to,confirme their cleareneffeand Refolu- tion in the Truth we profeffè, with their Zealous índeavours for theeftablifh- ment, confirmation and propagation ofit, but that fome fewConffderations, delivered me from ingaging in fofacile a tafke. Fo"r Firft I amnot able to perfwade my(elfe, that any man who ever read the writings ofthe firft fort ofmen mentioned, and knowes the confiant Do- &rine to this day, of the Churches which they planted and watered, or ever did /mare ofthe latter, will entertaine this Affertion of Mr Good- winswith any thing but Admiration, uponwhat grounds he fhould make it. And Secondly,Hitnfelfe difcovering in part on what account hedoth it, name- lybecaufeoftheir Exhortationsto watchfulneffe,carefulneffe, anddole wal- kingwithGod, with their denuntiations of threatnings to them, that abide not in the Faith,which he fancyes tpbe inconfiftent with the Do&rine ofPer- feverance,fo asby him oppofed (which inconfifrency wehave long lince fully manifefted, tobe the iffue & offspringofhis owne imagination,begotten ofit by the cunning sophyfiry ofhis Pelagian Friends) I know not why IMould far- ther infiftupon the wiping away ofthis Reproach, caft upon thofe Bleffed Soules whom God fo magnified in the workeof the -Gofpell ofhis Sonne in their Generation; I rememberNavaret aDominican Fryer,upon hisObfer- vation ofthe fubtiltyes ofthe Jefuits, towreft many fayings ofthe Ancients infavour of their. Opinions,in thofeDo&rines wherein thofe two Orders are at variance, Affirmes That he was afraid that when he was dead, although he had written 2i difputedfo much atainfl them,they wouldproduce him for a Teflimo- ny andWitneffe on theirfide. What hefearedconcerntng himfelfe,Mr Goodwin bath attempted,concerningmanymore worthy Perlons: cuttingofffentences from what goesbefore, and followe' after, reftrayning generali expreflions, impofing bis owne Hypothefis or hi s Reader,in making applicationofwhat he quotes
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