CAP, XVII. M. G's Anfwer propofed and confidered. 406 courfe, I might well fuperfedeanyfarther proceeding in the Examination of what h h prepared a as for a Repl y to the An firers commonly given to the Ar- gument taken from thisplace:ytt that all fecurity imaginable may be given to the Reader of the moffenfiveneíle of this place as tothe Truth we.maine- nine ; I (hall briefely manifeft, that Mr Goodwin hathnot indeed effectually taken up and off, any one Anfwer,or any one parcel]ofany fuch,that hath u- fually been given byour Divinesunto the Objeecion againft the Doctrine of perfeverance hence levied. 11. That whichnaturally firft offers it (elfe to ourConfideration, is, the forme and tenourofthe Exprefíìon here ufed: which is not of an abfolutenature, butHypotheticall; The import of the words is, Ifa righteous man turnefront hisRighteoufnefe andcontinue therein he ,(ball dy: True; fay they who make ufeof thisConfideration; God herepropofes the defert offinne, and the con- nexion that is by his appointment, between Apoftacy and the puni(hment thereunto allotted; but this not at all inferres, that any one who is trulyrigh- teoús, (hall or may everlaftingly fo Apofiatize. Such comminationsas thefe God makethufeofto caution Believers of the evill of Apòftafy, and there- by topreferve them from it , as their tendency to that end, by theappoint- ment ofGod, and their efficacy thereunto, hath been declared. So that to fay, becaufe Gód, Cayes Ifa righteous man turnfromhis Righteoufneffè hefball dye; the whole Emphafis lying in theconnexion, that is between fuch turning array,& dying,to conclude (confidering what is the proper ufe & intendment of fuch threatnings) that a man truly Righteous may fo fall away , is to build up that which the Texts contributes not any thing to in the leaft. 4.12. Againft this plea Mr Goodwin rifeth up with much contempt and indig- nation, Chap.12.Se&.9. in thefe words. Butthissaniluary hath afòbeen profaned, by fome ofthe chiefeGuardians themfelves of that Caine,for the protellion andfafet, whereofit was built. There needsno morebe done (thoughmuch moremight bedone, yeaand hath beendone by oth. ers) than that LearnedDoélor (fo lately named) hath donehimfelfefor the demolifhingofit. Having propounded the Argument front thé place in Ezekiel according to theimport ofthe interpretation afferted by us; Some(faith he )an- fwer that a conditionproues nothing inbeing: whichhow true foeverit may be in refpebl offuchHypotheticalls, which are made ufe of onlyfor the amplyficationof matters,&fervefor the aggravating eitherofthedifficulty orindignity ofa thing; (as ifIfbouldclimbe up into Heaven thouart there Pfal,t 39. It were ridiculous to inferre, therefore a manmay climbe up into Heaven;) yet fuch conditionoll fayings uponwhich Admonitions, Promifes, or Threatnings are built, doat leaf' fuppofe fomething inpofïbility,however by vertue oftheir tenour&forme,theyfuppofe no- thing in being. Forno manferioufly intending to encourage a Student in his way wouldfpeakthas to him; If thou wilt getall the Books in theVnive,,rftyLibrary by heart,thoufbalt be Doblor this Commencement. Betide in 'the cafe in hand, he that hada minde to deride the Prophet, might readily come upon him thus: But a righ- teous man accordingto the judgement ofthofe that are Orthodox, cannot turne awayfrom his rghteoufnefé : therefore ourThreatning is in vaine. Thuswefee to how littlepurpofe it is, tafeekefor farting holes in fuch Logicke guirkes as thefe; Thusfarre thegreat Afertor ofshe Synodof Dort,and the caufewhich they maintained, tofbew the vanityoffuchafence or confrullion, put upon the words now in debate, whichPall render them meerely conditionall, and willnotallow them to import fo much as a pofibility , ofany thingcontained or expreffed in them. Anf.
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