C. XV. i John 3. tg, Argued. 366. that Effe&ofnot finning; he finneth not becaufe he is borne ofGod5 both the natureofthe principle it felfewhich in it felfe is abiding, and the rifeor ori- ginall that it bath from God, have an influence into thatcaufality that is afcribed to it but about thisthere can benogreat conteft. X.61. 2. Secondly That which is affirmed ofevery fuch perfon, is, that hecom- mitteth notfinne. That this Expreffion is tobe attended with itsreftri&ions and limitations is evident,from that contrariety wherein, in its whole lati- tude it ftandeth to fundryother Teftimonyes in the BookeofGod; yea in this very Epiftle. There i.r none that clothgoodand f nneth not, faithSolomon I Kings 8. and In many things wefinne allfaith 7ames in the3.3amcs4. And thisApo- fileputteth all out of queftion, by convincing the belt of Saints, that have communion with the Father and Sonne, that by Paying wehave no finne, by a denyall ofit, we involve our felves in theguilt ofit, Ifwe (weApoftles, we who havefellowíhipwith the Father and-the Sonne,)faywe havenofine, we deceive ourfelves, 1 john i. 8. (cloth not commit finne then, cannot be taken abfolutely for doth notfinat all. )There is asynechdoche in the wordssand they mutt be reftrained to fome kindoffinne, or to fome manneror degree in, or offinning. Some fay he clothnot, cannotfinne, is, they doe not commit finne with delight, not deliberatelyand with their full and whole will, without relu&an- cy and oppofition in their wills unto thine; (which relu&ancy is at a vaft di- Rance, from the relu&äncy that is railed in wicked men from the convifti- ons oftheir Concience and judgement,)which fence is canvaffed by M. Good- win to no-advantage at all See. 25. For in the way and manner formerly ex- plained, this may well takeplace. Committeth. notfinne then, is, cloth notfo commit finneas that(innefhould raigne in him fpokenof andprevaile with him to death: There is an Fmphafis and intention in the words;Committeth notfin; that is, doth not fo commitit, as to be given up to thepower ofit;:he doth not commitfinne in filch a way as tobefeparated from communion with God thereby; which is only done when finne taketh the Ruleor raigne in any Perlon. 6 This ExpofitionM. Goodwin faith, if it can be made toR will and upright, beare the weight ofthe whole caufe depending alone, but as it h, it argueth weak- neffe to determineforour ownfence,in a Controvert), or uueflion, without giving a veryfubftantiall Keafonfar the Expofztion. I doubt ifM. Goodwin: difcourfes in this Treatife, were tobe tried by thisRule, a man might uponvery fub- ftantiall grounds& reafons call manyofhis affertions intoControverfy ;& be- caufe he addeth thatfilch is his hard hap he can meet with no reafons at all , I mutt needs queftion whether he made any dilligent fearch or no , to this purpofe (hall fupply him with one, or two, that lyehard at hand: This then to be the intendment ofthe words is evident. s. From the fcopeofthe place and aimeof theApoftle therein : This is to diftingui(b (as was Paid) betwixt theChildrenofGod andofthe Divell. The children ofthe Divell commit finne s'.8...He that committethPine isof theDivell, as'he giveth an inftance of one that did fo fin, v. 12. Cain (faithhe) wasofthe Divell, he was of thatwickedone andhe committethfnne. How did Caincommit finne? impenitently,to death, that is the committing of finne which isafcribed to them that areofthe Devil!, ofthe wickedone; Now (faith he whofoever is borneofGoddoth not commit finne; that is, he Both not fo commit finneasthe ChildrenoftheDivell that wicked ¿inc do, Hefinnes not to deathwith impenitency. 2, The fame Apoftle doth moft eminently cleare his own intendment in this expreffion Chap: 9: v:17,18: of thisEpiftle; .rtll unrighteoufneffe isfinne there
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