i john 2. tg. Explained and vindicated leaft, for feare ofbeing at liberty to deale fo with them inmatters ofgreater 391 importance. I fay then that there is not the lean coulour for any fuch fuppo- fall from the inference we make from the text; nor is there any thingof that nature intimated, or fuggefted in the words, or Argument from them; the bodyof them whom the Apoftates forfooke, were true Believers; and their abiding in the fellowfhip of theSaints, was a manifeftation of it fuf icient for them to beowned as fuch, which the others manifefted themfeves never to have been,by their Apoftacy. But faith he, 4.3 ;. sixtly, The inference under conteft yetfarther fuppofeth,'1hat john certainely knew, that they who were now gon outfrom them, neither were, now, nor ever before true Believers,yea andthat he certainely knew this by their departure or going out from them. Anf. This is the very thing that the Apoftle affirmes, that he certainely knew thofe Apoftatesnever tohave been trueBelievers, and that their Apoftacy, or falling totally from the Gofpell, becomming feducers andop- pofers ofChrift5 Let him argue it out with the HolyGhoft , ifhecan, whofe plaine and cieare expreffion this is, and that confirmedby the infuing Argu- ment of the Perfeverance of them who were true Believers, and whole fel- lowfhip is with the Saints, in their communion with the Fatherandthe Sonnc; Wherefore faith he, Laftly itprefumeth yetfarther that all true Believers do alwayesabide in the 4.34» externall communionoftheChurch; and that when mendo notfo abide they plain- ly declare herein, that they neverwere true Believers, which ,is not onlyantanifeft untruth, but exprefsly contrary to theDa trine it felfe, o f thofe menwho affert the inference; for they teach(as we -heardbefore)that a true Believer mayfalllbfoulely. andfofarce, that theChurch according to the commandofChrilt, may be con- ftrained to tettify thatThee cannot tolerate them in her externall communion, nor that ever theyJballhave anypart orportion in the Kingdome ofChrift, unlefe they repent ; Doubtlefe tobecafé out of the Church according to the in/titution and commandofChrift (who commands no fuch thingbut upon very heinous and high unchriftian mifdemeanours) isofeverywhit asfad importa nce,as a voluntary de- fertion of theChurches communion can befor afeafon. Anf. It fuppofeth that no true Believers fallfo offfrom the Church, as to become Antichrift's, oppofers of Chrifl, and the Church, foás to deny that Chrilt is come in thefleJh,which was the great butines of theAntichrifts in thofe dayes 5 Tistrue, and grantedby us, that a trueBeliever may forfake the out - ward communionofIonic particular Church for a feafon, yea and that upon his irregular walking andnot-according to the.rule of Chrift, he may by the Authority of fuch aChurch, be rejef ed from its communion for his amend- ment and recovery into theright way, of which before : But that a trueBe- liever, canvoluntarily defert the communionof the Saints, and become an Antichrift,that this text denyes, and we from it, and the many other wit- neffesofthe fame truth, that have been produced : Notwithftanding thenall Mr Goodwinexceptions, there is nothing prefumed in the inference, we make from there words, but what is either expref?lycontained, or evidently included in them. But Mr Goodwinwill not thus give over, he prefers Ms exceptions to this ß 35. Teflimony in another whole Seíéion: which becaufe the Demonftrat ionofthe truth in hand fromMisplace, though here handled by the by, isofgreat im- portance, and fuch as by its tingle ftrength, is fufficient utterly to café to the ground the figment fet upin oppofition to it, I fhail prefent entirely to the Reader (that our. Authour may be heard out and nothing omitted that he pleads
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