Apo1 afy ofSaints, in what fence impoflîble. C.XV/. they were not, nor ever had been true Believers, when they were once fo 393 gone out from them, as theywent; asour Saviour Chritt profett themnot to- have been truebelievers, who followedhim for a while, were called and ac- counted his Difciples, when they fell in an honre of Temptation ; Neither have we the leaft reafon to fuppofe, that theApoftle had this knowledge by Revelation, feeing the thing it felfe in reference and proportion to the prince- ples he laies downe ofthecontinuance of Believers, didopenly proclaime it. Fiftly, That true Chriftians or Believers, can fo fall away from the fociety of the Saints, as thefehere mentioned did, is denied ; and agrant of it ought not to bebegged atour hands;'tis true, that ( as was beforegranted) a true believer may for a feafon defert the communion or fellowfhip ofa Church, wherein he bath walk'd,and that caufelefly; yea, he may be furprizedthrough Infirmity, to deny, under mighty temptations, in words , for a moment , the LordChrift, whom yet his Heart loves , andhonours , as in thecafe of Peter was too evident,But that fuoh an one, may forfake theexternall profeffionof Chriftianity, or ceafeprofej ton making, and betakehimfelfe to acontrary in- tereft, oppofing Chrift and his wayes, as thofe here infiftedon did; that's de- nied, and not the leaft attempt ofproofe made to the contrary. Whilft I was upon theconfederation ofthefe exceptionsofMr Goodwin's,to 0. 38. our Tettimonyfrom this Text ofScripture by uainfifiedon,there came tomy hands, his Expofîtionon the 9. Chapter to the Romans; In theEpifilewhereof to. the Reader, he is pleafedSe&. 6. Studioufly t wave the imputationofhaving borrowed this Expofition fromArmi»i is followers: An Apology per- haps unworthyhis prudence,and great ilieyés: which Teftimonyyet I feare, byhaving caft an eye on the bodyofthe Difcourfe, will fcarcely be received . by his Reader, without the helpeofthat vulgar Proverbe Good Witsjumpe: But yet on that occafion I cannot but fay,however hebath dealt in thatTrea- tife,this Difcourfe I have under confideratiori is purely tranflated from them, the condition of verymuch of what bath ben already confidered,havingthe fame which I bad there thought tohavemanifefted,by placing their Latinea gainft his Englifb in the margent:but thefe things are perfonall,not belonging to thecaufe in hand M. G. is fuf iciently known tohave Abilityes ofhis own fuchas wherewith he bath done(in fundry particulars)confderable fervice to theTruth, as fometimes they have been unhappily ingaged in wayes ofa con. trary nature, and tendency. , It being evident from thefeConfiderations that ourAuthor isnot able in the 4. 39, leant to take offthis witneffefrom fpeakeing hometo thevery heart of the caufe inhand, that it may not feeme tobe weakened and impaired by him in the leant : I (hall farther confiderthat diverfion which hewould intice the words unto, from their proper channell and Intendment, and fo leave the Apontacy of theSaints dead,at the footeof it : He givesus then, (Se&.23,24.) an Expofition ofthis placeofScripture, upon the Rack whereof, it feemes not tofpeake what-formerly we received from its mouth, For theoccafion ofthe words,he fayes, For the true meaningof thisplace,'tis tobe conftdered,' that the Apoflles in- ß40. tent in the words. was to prevent, or heale an offence, that weake Chr f fans might take, at the Doílrine which was taught andfpread abroadby thofeAnti- chrifls or Anticriflian teachers, rpoken of in : the formerverfe; and they are faidto.have been many,& that efpecially becaufe they hadfometisaes liv'd& con - verfedwith the Ape/ties . themfelves in ChriflianChurches,andhadprofefl therime Faith &Dollrine with them; by reáronhereo f force Chri/lians not ro con fAerate or judicious mothers, mightpoffibly thinke or conceive,thatfinelyalt things were not E e e , well
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