Whether Doarine renders menproud and prefumptuous. C.XVII. affured; & therefore knowing the terrour ofthe Lord doperfwade men(what 'we.are able) to call downe all high thoughts and imaginations concerning their owneAbilities to doe good, to believe, to obey the Gofpell, ortoabide in the Faith thereof, and torowle themfelves freely, fully, wholly on the free Graceand faithfulneffe of God , in the covenant ofMercy , ratityed in the blond ofhisSonne, wherein they fhall be affured tofind Peace to their foules. On this foundation doe we'build all our endeavours, for the exalting the fo- veraigne, free, effe&uall graceofGod, in oppolition to theproud and pre, tmp- tuous conceits ofmen, concerning their own imbred, nativopower in.fpirituall things; an Apprehenfion whereofwe are well allured, difpofeth the heart in- to fuch a frame as God abhorres, and prepares the fouleto a battle againft him, in the higheft and molt abominable Rebellion imaginable; I no waits doubt, but that theway and meanes whereby innumerable poore creatures have been hardened to their eternall Ruine, have had all their fprings and fountains, ly in this one wretched referve , of apower in themfelves turne to God, and to abide with him. That any one by mixing theprotnifes of Godwith Faith, whereinthe Lord bath gratioully affured him, that feeing he hath no firengihinhimfelfetocontinueinhismercy,he will preferve andkeep him in, and through the Sonneof his Love, hath ever been , or ever can be turned wholly afide to anyWay orpath not acceptable toGod,or not ending in everlafting peace, will never be made good whileft the Gofpell ofChrift findshonour and credit amongft anyof the fonnes of rien There may be force indeed, who areftrangers to thecovenant ofproniife., what ever they doe pretend, who may turnthis Grace ofGod in theGofpell, asalto that of the Satinf4 'ion ofChrift, Redemption byhis blond, andJuftifrcation by Faith, (the wholeDoEtrineof the covenant ofGrace inChrift) into lafcivioufneffe5 but fhall their unbeliefemake the FaithofGod ofnone effect? fhall their wicked- nffeand Rebellion , prejudicethe mercy; peace , and Confolation of the Saints ? Becaufe the Gofpell is to there thefavour ofDeathuntoDeath, may it not be thefavour ofLifeunto Life unto them that doe embrace it ? What e- ver then be thedifaffers, ( ofwhich themfelves are the foie cattle ) of men with their prefumptuousconceits ofthe impoflìbility of milëarrying ( feeing every prefumptuous conceit ofwhat kind foever, is adefperate tnifcarriage) their ruine and deftru&ion cannot in theleaft , be afcribed to that Do&rine, which callsfor Faith in the promifes ofGod, aFaithworkingby Love, and de- crying all prefumptuous conceits whatever; A Do&rive without which , and the neceffary concomitant Do&rives thereof, the whole bottomeofmens walking with God , andof their obedience, is nothing butprefomption and conceit, wherebyPetting afide the cold fins they are fometitnes caít into, by the checks of theirconfciences, they fpend their daies in the diftemper of a Feaver ofPrideand Folly. In the infuing Difcourfe Mr Goodwin informes usof thefe two things. Firft, What Rule he proceeds by injudging of the Truth ofcontrary opinions when (as he phrafeth it) th_e toting of the Scripturefeemes to be r loven about them. And Secondly, Ofhis owne Advantages and abilityes to maize a rightjudg- meat according to=that Rule. TheRulehe attends unto upon the information hebath given us is, 7he Conftderattott of which of the opinions that are at any time Rivallsfor hisjudgement andacceptation tend molt. unto Godlineffe; the Gofpell being the truth whichis according to Godlineffe, ofhis owne advantages and abilityes tomake arightjudgment according to this rule, there a're fe- verall heads and fprings; as his knowledgeof thegeneral' courfe ofthe Scripture, the Experienceofhis owne heart, his long obfervation o f the Spirits andwayes of men, but chiefelythat light ofKeafon andVnderftandingwhich he bath. And by this 399 4,ÿ<
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