Apot afy ofSaints, in what fence impo1 ble. C.XYI. doing, they (hall attaine the end aimed at , is yet under conteft? And may paffe for the prefent with thofe other Ridiculous fuppofallsy formerly mentioned. But Mr Goodwin proceedes farther in the vindication ofthis Argument sell. 38. And whereas(faith he) they ftìllplead, or pretend rather, thatfuchadm,ni. tions as thefe lately fpecifyed may well Rand with an unconditionedProsnife of Perfeverance,we haveformerly (hewed, that they are not able to make oodthis plea, nor togive any reafonable account ofit,whereas theyadde that theirfence and opinion is not, that tisa thing abfolutelyor everyway impoj iblefor trueBelievers tofall away totally orfinallyfrom their Faith, but that they willingly grant that true Believers what through their owne weakenefe, and what throughthefubtile baites and temptations ofsathanmayfofallaway. I Anfwer, But this is but a fig-leafe fought out to cover the nak dnefe oftheir Opinions whichhath noftrength at allnor weight init. For what though it were in a thorn(and other refpelts neverfo poffiblefor trueBelievers to peril's, yet ifit be al= together impofJble infuch a refpell which over rules all thofe others, and which will& ofnecef ty muff hinder the commingof it topafe,all thofe other notwith- ftanding, 'tis to be judged limply and abfolutely impojJihle,, andall thofe re- fpells wereby tis pretendedpoble are not to be brought into account infuch a cafe. Anf. Whether weare able tomake good our plea concerning theconfi- ftencyofAdmonitions with the PromifesofPerfeverance, Mr Goodwin is not the foieJudge;Neither do either we, or ourplea ftandor fall at his Arbitre- ment; What hathbeen lately fpokenfor the reinforcementof thatplea againft his Exceptions,he may ifhe pleafe, take time to confider. Secondly, For what is now added in this place as a part ofthatpleaofours, as tishere propofedwe ownenot;We doenot grant that true Believers may fall away onany account whatever totallyand finally, ifthe expreflion, may fall away,relate to the iffue andevent;We fay indeed that by the temptations ofSathan Believers may be prevailed againft,to the committingofmany fins, the root whereof is in themfelves, whilft the luff remaines in them which tempteth and infnareth them, whereby God may be di(hononred , and their ownConfciences wounded, which is a fufficient ground and bottome for all the Admonitions that are given them tobewareofhis deceits, to ftrengthen themfelvesagainft his affaults, tobebuilt upon, though through the Grace& -FaithfulneffeofGod and his goodwill manifefted, and fecured unto them in his Covenant andPromifes, he can never totallyprevaile againft them. We fay moreover,that 'tis not fromBelievers themfelves,nor any thing in them,nor fr6 any Faith that theyhave received,that they cannot fo fallfznally away;there being in them a pronenes to fin , & the feedofall fin frill remain- ing, yea a root ofbitternes ready to fpring up & trouble them; but from thofe outward principlesof the Will,Purpofes,Covenant & Promifes ofGod which we have formerly inlfted on: Farther,that there is no neeed ofgranting any filch poflibilitro taking that terme, as relating to the iffue and event, andnot the internal' principle of operation in men, to immiffeft the Harmony that is between the Admonitions under confederation, and the Promifes we have infi- itedon it, being fufficiently evinced on other confederations; So that Mr Goodwins enfuingDifcourfe concerning Abfolute Isnpofbility is not at all re- lated to any thing that wehave afferted. Thirdly, Neither yet doth theReafon by Mr Goodwinproduced, in any meafure convince what he intends though we be not concerned therein; He will not eafily perfwade us that that which is poffible in any refpe&, s lèffe Ddd 385
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=