Ofthc comminationofthewords; fhaAdye. C A P. XV1[. fromordinary and lefferfirmer; asindifferent and remiffe indiffìvadingfromfins ofthe greatefl provocation. Ant. The (ummeof this Reafon is, ifthe death therethreatned to thofe menofour prefent context, benot death eternal', we have no fufficient ground to believe, that God will inflict any death on impenitent Apoftates, but only that which is temporali or naturall,which others dye as well as they, andwhy fo I befeech you is thereno other place ofScripture , whence it may be evinced, that eternall death is the wagesof time : or is every place thereofwhere death is threatned tofinne, focircumftantiated as this place is? Is the threatning every where given out upon the like occafron, and to beach. commodated to the like Rateofthings ? Thefe Difcourfes are exceeding loose, fophiflicall, and inconclufive neither is a violent death counted natural], though it be the diffolutionofnature. Neither isthere any thing more added by Mr Goodwin in all his confide- rations ofthe wordsofthis paffageofthe Scriptures, than what wehave in- fitted on, that henextly mentioneth,that i fGodhere threatneth impenitentfilt- ers onlywith temporali death, thenwhyfhould the mollprofligatefnners feareany other punifhment, is ofmore energie, for the confirmationand buildingup the fence which he impofeth on the words, than that which went before, they with whomhe bath todo, will tell him that he doth all along moft vainly af(ume, and beg the thing in queftion, viz. That theperlons intimated, are abfolutely impenitent finners; and not fo under force confiderations only; that is, that do never recover themfelves from their degeneracy from clofe walking withGod; nor do the words indeedneceffarily import any thingelfes andfor impenitent sinners in generali (not thofewho are only fo termed). there are teftimonyes fufficient in the Scriptures concerning Gods righteous judgment,in their eternal' condemnation. . And this is the firft teftimonÿ produced by Mr G . for the proofeofthe saints Apo flacy, a witneffe whichofall others, he cloth molt rely upon , and which he bringeth in, with the greateft acclamationof fuceefle, before the trìall imaginable. That when he hath brought him forth, hegiues us noac- count in the leali, whence he comes, what is his bufineflè, or what he aimesto confirme,nor can make goodhis (peaking one word onhis hehalfe; Indeed as thematter is handled, I force thing queftion, whether lightly a weaker Argument bath been leaned on, in a cafe offogreat importance, than that which from thefe words are drawn for the Apoflacy of theSaints; for as we have not the leaf} attempt made, to giveus an account ofthe context, fcope, and intendment ofthe place, by whichyet the expreflions, in the verfes in- fiftedon, mull be regulated) no more can anyone expreflion in it, bemade good, to beof fence, andfignificarion, whichyet alonewill, or can yeild the leaf}advantage to the caufe,for whole prote&ion it is fo earneftly called upon ; Now the leaders and Captainesofthe forces MtGoodwin bath'tnuftered in this 1 2.Chapter, being thus difcharged, the refidue,or the followers there= of, will eafilybeprevailed with, to returne everyone to his owne- place in peace. Thenext placeof Scripture produced to cotifideration, M. GoodwinMilers ín(sea.1s.) with a defcriptionof the Adverfarieswith whom in this Context, hehath to doe, and Pets themoffto publique view, with thedefireable duali- fications, of ignorance, prejudice, andpartiality, having it teems, neither inge- nuity enough candidly, and fairely themfelves to fearch into, and to weigh theScriptures, wherein thecafe in queflion is clearelydetermined; nor skill enough tounderstand and receive them, when fo dexterotifly opened to their hand by M. G. What they are theLord knowethi willjudge, determine, and in 415
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