The fallacious around ofthis Argument of M. G's. judge themfor ever excluded from the Kingdome ofGod without repentance from whence it undeniably follower, that they may commit filch [inner, whereby their Faith inChri.fl will be totally lofl',becaufe there is no condemnation unto thole that are byFaith in f efus Chrifi, whether they repent or not, and therefore they that f and in needofRepentance , to give them a right anel title to the kngdome of God, are nofonnes ofGodby Faith;for were theyfonnes, they wouldbe heirerralfò, and confequently have righ t and title to the inheritance; fo that to pretend that howfoever theSaints may,fall intogreat and grievousfinites, yet theyAll/ .certain- ly be renewed againe by Repentance before they dye, though this be an a ertion without anybottame on Reafon or Triith , yet cloth it no wayes oppofe, butfuppofe rather a po' ibility of the total defetíion ofFaith in trueBelievers. Anf. Ffrft, That trueBelievers may finne, above the rate Offinnesof In- firmity, becaufe they may finne, as that according tothe appointment of Jefus chriff, they may be caft out ofa particular Church, is not attemp- ted to beproved: doth M. Goodwin think none may be excommunicated but fuch as have finned themfelves out of the ftateof Grace? That a man may through infirmity, fall intoTome fuch finne, as for it to be amoved from a Church fociety,(that a motion being an ordinance of Chriff, for his reco- very from that finne) Iknow not that it can be reafonably queftioned. So that byour confef ion, that true Believers may fo finne, as to berighteoully cat out ofthe externall vifible fociety of a particular Church, dothno way inforce us to acknowledge that they may finne above the rateof them, who are overtakenwith, orfurprized in finne, upon the account of their weaknefle or infirmity. Secondly,TheChurch ofChrift in reje&ing ofone from its fociety, accor- ding to the appointmentofJefus Chriff, is fo farre from being obliged to judge any oneforever excluded from the KingdomeofGod ; that they doe fo reje& a man, that hemaynever be excluded from that Kingdome: It is true he may beEcclefiallicallyandDeclaratively excluded from the vifible Kingdome ofGod, and hisright and title to the outward Adminifrration of the good thingsthereof; but that fuch an one is, and muff be thought tobe properly and really excluded from hisintereft in the LoveofGod , and grace of the Covenant,(being ftill by the appointment of,God , and command ofChriff, left underthe power ofan ordinance, annexed by him, to the Adminifirati- on ofthat Covenant, it cloth not follow. Thirdly, The non-reftauration ofperlons caftout of communion , by the Church, to their place in the KingdomeofGod, but upon Repentance, holds proportion with what was fpoken before upon exclufion, The Repentance intended is fuch, as is neceffary for the fatisfakionof the Church, as to itsex- preffeneffe and being known;, yet we grant withal!, that all finnes whatever without Repentance, in that kind and degree, that is appointedand accep- ted ofGod, are exclufiveofthe Kingdome ofGod; andwe doe muchwon- der that M. Goodwin to theText Konz.8.r. fhould adde, whether they repent or not, which is not only beyond the fence of,what went before, but direly contrary to that which followes:after,that walhe not after,the Elefhbut eifter the spirit; not to repent offin, is, doubtleffe towalke after the fief/3, andno oneof themwho are freed from condemnation in Chrift,dothgood and finneth not Thewords we confeflè, are not the condition in the intention ofGod , on which their non- condemnation is. fufpended , but yet they are a defcription infallibleofthem, who through Grace are made partakers ofit. We fay then, thatBelievers may fo fall, as that being on that account, rejected from the communion ofthe Church, foas not to be reffored, but upon the evidenceof their Repentance (andwe fay that Repentance is required for all finnes, or Y y 3 men 349
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