t lohn 3.9` Argued and Vindicated. C. XV. That this is in it felfe PO e there being no fuchAntipathie in any to finne; 369 but that they may eafily fall into it, yea andWith great difficulty and labour - do reffraine from it, as the Apoffle argueth at large Korn. 7: So is it alto flat- lycontradi&ory to the words themfelves: theApoffle faith, He that is borne of Godfnnethnot, cannotfinite; Hecanfinne(faith this Gloffe) though difficultly; now he that canfinnedifficultly, can finne: can finne, and cannot finne,areflat- ly contradi&ory; He cannot then finne at all, the finne that is intended in the place, ofwhom it isPaid he cannotfinne, Thus wehave cleared the firft Propofition in the words, both as to the sub- jeEt, every one that is borneofGod; and the Predicate,fanneth not cannotfinne, Which lift exprefíion , taken in its only proper and moff.ufuall fignification, denoteth an Impoífibility ofthe event,&plainely confirmeth indirect termes the pofition we infili on from the words. Mr Goodwin knoweth not well, Of i am able to gather any thing ofhis 65à thoughts, from his exprefíìons to the Argument in hand;) what to fay to this Affertion ofthe Apofiles. The Argument,he intendeth to deale withall from the place hecafieth into this forme, He thatfanneth not neither canfinne, can- not fall away, whofòever is borne ofGodfanneth not, neither confinite Ergo, Comming to the confiderationof that exprefion [cannotfin]he findeth out, as he fuppofeth, fonr feverall acceptations in theScripture, ofthe word [cannot] Sz giveth us an account ofhisthoughts upon the confiderationofthê, that in refpe&ofthefefencesboth Propofitionsate falfe. Nów oneofthePro= pofitions being the expreffe language& literall Expreffionof the Holy Ghofi, not varyedin the leaff,there is no way torelieve himfelfe,from being thought and conceivd to give the lye to the Bleffed Spirit of God , by flatly deny= ing what he peremptorily affirmeth , but only by denying the word { cannot] to betaken in this place, in any ofthe fences before mentioned; Dothhe then fixe on this courfe for his own extrication Doth hegivein another fenceofthe word, which he accepts and grants that in that fence theaffirmation oftheHoly Ghofi may be true ¿ Not in the leaf[? Yea plainly for oneofthe fences he fuppofeth himfelftohave foundbutoftheword [can- not] viz. That it is Paid ofmen, they cannot do fuch or fuch a thing, becaufe oftheir averfeneffé andindifpofition to ir, which he exemplifyeth in that of Chrifieto thePharifees John8.43. He afterwards more than intimateth, that this is the fence, wherein thewords cannotfinne are in this place to be taken. Se&: 34. So that he will notallow the Holy Ghofi to fpeake the truth , al- though he takehis words in what fence he pleafeth. Yea and adding a fifth fence, SeCt.3 t. Which isall it feemeth he could find out, (for weheare not of anymore) hedenyeth that to bethe meaningofthe place, and fo ihutteth up themind oftheHolyGhofi into Tome ofthofe fignificatiós,whereinifthe words be taken (he faith) they are felfe. The Difcourfeof Mr Goodwin Se&. 28, 29,3o.(being taken up with the Confederationof the various fignifications of the word [cannot] and his inferences thereon;taking it in this place, this way or that way,then it is foor fo,fhewing himfelfe very fkilfull at fencing &war- ding offthe force ofour Arguments, asperhaps his thoughts ofhimfelfe were noon á review ofwhat he had done.) we are not concerned in. And though itwerevery eafy tomnifeff that in the diflribution of. his.inffances, for the exemplification of the feverall fignifications which in part he feigneth, and faftneth upon the words, , he bath been overtaken with many groffe iniffakes, forne of them occationed by other corrupt principles than thofe now under confideration, yetnone ofthe fences infifted On by him, coming really up to the intendment of the Holy Ghofi withont any difadvantage to our caufe inhand,beingwholly inconcerned therein,we may paffe Izy that wholeHarangue. E b b That
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