Mr Gs Anfwérpropofèd:to tonftderation. C® P. XVII. Anf: Do&or Prideaux his choofing notto l ay theweight ofthis Anfwer, to the Arguineat ofthe Arminians from this place, on the Hypotheticall manner of the expreffion ufed therein, is called a defiling this sanEtuaryby the Guardi- ans ofthe caufe whole protection it undertakes. Crimina rafts, librat in aintithe- fis; dotlaspofuiffefguraa laudatur? what are my thoughts of it I need not ex- preffe, being unconcerned in the buknefe, as knowing it not at all needfull to be infified on, for thepurpofe for whichit is produced, theText looking not at all towards the Doctrines under con;deration ; yet I mùfi needs fay, I am not fatisfied with the Doctors attempt for the removal' of it', nor with what is farther added by theRemonfirants, in the place which weare fent un- toby M. Goodroins marginali diredions though it fhouldbe granted, that fuch conditional' expreflìons do fuppofe,or may ( for that they alwaies do is not áffirmedand in force cafes it is evident they doe not ) that there is fomething in pof/e, as theDoElor fpeakes, whereunto they doe relate, yet they doe not inferre, that thepoßibi1itymay by no meanes be hindred from ever being reduced into A&. We grant a poffibility ofdefertion in Believers , in refpe&of their own principlesof operation, which is ground fiifficient for to give occafion to fuch Hypothetical/ expreffons,as containecommina dons, and threatnings in them, but yet notwithfiandingthat poffibility on that ac- count fuppofed, yet the bringing forth of that poffibility into an aetuall ac- complifhment, may not be effe&ually prevented by the fpirit andgrace of God, theDoor faies nothing. This I fay is ground fufficient for fach Hypo- theticall comminations, that in refpe&ofthem, towhom they are made, it is poffibleto incurre the thing threatned , by the meanes therein mentioned, which yet upon other accounts is not poflible. T hat God who faies, if the Righteous man turnfrom his Righteoufneffe, hefhalldye, and faies foon purpofe topreferveRighteous men from fo doing , knowes full well, that the things in refpeet of themfelves, of whom , and to whom hefpeakes , is fufficiently poffible, to give acleare foundation tothat expreffion. So that ifM. Goodwin bath not fomethingofhis own to adde, he will find little reliefe from thecon- ceptions ofthat LearnedDollar : wherein, yet , I fhould not have tranflated fume phrafes and exprefíìons, as M.G bath made bold to doe, He adds therefore Pag. 276. Tofay that Godputteth a cafe in filchfolemnity andemphaticalneffe ofwords and phrafe, as are remarkeable all along in the car- riage oftheplace in hand,ofwhichthere is no poffibility, that itfhould ever hap- pen,orbe exemplifyed in reality ofevent', andthis in vindication ofhimfelfe, and the equityofhis dealings andproceedingswith men, is to bring afcandall andre proach of weakeskkfe upon that infinite Wifdomeof his, which magnifyes it felfe in all his workes, which alfo is fo much the more unworthy andunpardona- ble,when there is afence commodious every way worthy,aswell the infinitemifdome ne theGoodneffeofGod, pertinent andproper to theoccafion hebath in hand, which offers it file plainely andclearely. So far He. And this is all it feenies which Mr Goodwin bath to adder and indeed thisallis nothing at all,but onlythe repetition ofwhat was urged before from the Dolfor, in more fwelling,and leffefignificanttermes.What poffiblity there isin the thing, hath been beforemanifefled ; that this, poffibility fhould ne- ceffarily beexemplifyed in reality of togive fignificancy to this ex- preflìon,I fuppofe is not Mr Goodwinrowne intendment; True Believers ac- cording to the Do&ringhe afferts (as hepretends) are only in filch a remote poffibility ofApo/lafyy, as that it can fcarce be called danger. Now doubtleffe it is pnffrble that fbch a remote poffibility may never be reduced into A&. But now if Mr Goodwin will not becontented with fuckapoffibility, as may,but alto will have that, mutt be exemplifyed in realityofevent, he is advanced from 407 4. 13e
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=