Affertors ofSts Perf.compared wich their Adverfaries C.XIll. ofGrace with union, communionand dole walking with God. A defigne was upon themwrittenwith the beatnes of the Sunne, to cry upa barren, outliide, light and loofeprofefíìon, with a vaine, fuperftitious, felfe-invented WorfhipofGod, inftead ofthe Power of a Gofpell-converfation andOrdi- nancesofChrift according to his appointment; Seeking after aRigheoufneffe as it wereby theworkes of the Law, and being ignorant ofthe Righteoufneffe ofChrift, they found thewhole Doctrine whofe defence M. G. bath lately undertaken, fuited to their principles andaimes; and therefore with greedi- neffe drunke it downe likewater, untill they were (welled with the Dropfÿ ofPride and felfe conceit, beyond what they could beare, whatever be now pretended,it was little difputedthen, and in thofe dayes which Mr Goodwin pointeth unto, but that loofeneffe ofLife, inclination toPopery, enmity to the power ofGodlinefhe, were at the bottome of the entertainment ofthe. ArminianPrinciples,bÿ that generationofmen. But Mr G. proceedeth toalleviate this charge, & informesus thus, That if thefoundnes 6, rottennes ofopinions,fhould be efleemedby the goodnes or badnes of the Livesofany parcel! or number ofPerfon:profeffing thefame, as well theO- pinionofAtheifine which denyeth the being of any God, as the opinion ofPoly- theefine which afirmeth a plurality ofGods; mart' beefleewed better and more found, than that which maintaineth the beingofone Godandofone only for cer- tain it is that there havebeen manyHeathen's Pro{ej[öurs fame ofthe one, 6,fame ofthe otherof thofe Opinion:, whohave quitted t emfelves uponfairer tearmes of honour andapprobation in their lives than many Chriflians profeng ofthe leeJ opinion havedone. I am not willing towring this Nofe too farre leaft bloud fhould follow; The lives ofmany Atheifls and Pagans are preferred before the lives ofmanypro- feffing Chriftianìty. By Profefforsof Chriflianity, Mr Goodwin intendeth thole who are fo indeed,. and feafoned with the Power of the Principles of that Religion,or fuch only as makingan outward profeffion ofit,are indeed acted with Principles quite ofanother nature, which notwithftanding all their Profeffion rendreth them in the truth ofthe thing it felfe, enemies ofthe croffe ofChriff, their God being their belly, theirglory beingin their fhame, and their end being defirullion, Philip.3.18,1 g. Ifthe former be intended, as the Af er- tion is moft falfe, the Gofpell only effectually teaching men to denyallungod- lineffe, and to livefoberly, righteoufly, andGodly in this prefent world, fo it ten- deth directly to thehigheft derogation from the honourof our Lord Jefus Chrift, andofhis glorious Gofpell. He that would be .throughly acquainted with thenotorious untruth ofthis infinuation,let him a little confultTertullian, Arnobius, Latlantius, Aufliss, &others, handlingthe Lives& Converfations of the belt cfthePolytheifl: and Heathens, before & in their dayes, ifhe be not contented to take a(hotter courfe, and reft in the Authority oftheApoftle, or rather of the Holy Ghoft defcribing them and their converfations to the Life, as they lay under the juft hardening Judgements ofGod lions. 1.18. to the end. If the latter fort ofmen calledChrifliansbe intended, the compa- rifon in ftituted between themand Atheifts, is to no purpofe; they themfelves being difclaimed and difowned by Chrift & hisGofpell,and reckoned among them with whom they are compared; So that upon the matter this is but the comparing one fort ofAtheifls, with an other; and giving in a Judgement, that ofall, thofe are worft, whoreprat-fifesare fo, and yet pacifie 'their owne Confciences, and deceive theworld, with apretence & flowrith ofa glorious profeflion. I (hall not nowenter upon any long enquiry what influence the ungodly and profane livesofanyought tohave upon the Judgements ofmen, in dif- S f covering 313 ÿ. td.
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