lieb: 6. 40, d. Heb: ao,ap,z7. prbpofed to confideration. Ca P. -XVII. as he is journying, going the right handway you mill meet with theeves, maybe doubtles faid to fpeake conditionally,no lefTe than he that fhould exprefly tell him,Zfyougo the wayon theright handyouPall meet with theeves. Second- ly,what cleare fence & fignificancy can be given the words, without the fitp- plement of the conditionall conjun&ion, or fouie other terme equipollent thereunto, Mr Goodwin bath not declared. For it is impoJfìbleforthofe who were onceenlightned&c.And they fallingaway :as the words(verbum de verbo) lye in the text, is fcarce in englifh a congruous or fignificant expreflion Yea, ,mey.=od,, es in the syntaxe and coherence wherein it !yes , is molt properly and dire&ly rendered , if they fall away . As is alfó the force of the expreffion, Chap. so. 26. Yea thirdly the connexion ofthe Tranflation mentioned by Mr Goodwin, cloth not in the lean relieve him; as to thedelivery ofthewords from a fence, Hypothetical!. When theyfall away; (though, hiswhen, be nosnore in the text , "than the Tranflators if) doth ei- ther include a fuppofition, that they (hall and mutt fall awaycertainely, and fo requiers the event ofthe thing whereof it is fpoken, or it isexpreffive only ofthe condition,wherontheevent is fufpended;if it be taken in thefiat fence, all Believersmuff fall away, ifin the latter none may , notwithftanding any thing in this Text, (fo learnedly reftored to its truefignificancy) the words only pointing at theconnexion, that is between Apoftacy and punifhment. Notwithftanding then any thing here offered to the contrarary, thofe who affirme that nothing can certainely be concluded from thefe places forthe Apoftacy ofany, be they who theywill that are intended in them, becaufe they areconditional! Affertions, manifefting only the connexion between the fin and punifhment expreffed,need not beafhamed of, nor recòyle from their Affirmation in the leaft. For mineowne part, I confeffe, I do not in any meafure think it needful' to infift upon the conditionallyof thefe affertions ofthe HolyGhoft, as to the removal' ofany, or all the oppofitions that from them ofold, or oflatehave been railed, and framed again(t the Do&rine of the Saints Perfeverance; there being inneither ofthe Texts infifted on, either name or thingenquired after : nor anyoneofall the feveralls enquired into, and conftantly in the Scriptures ufed in thedefcription ofthe Saints, and Believers of whom we fpeake. This I (hall breifely in thefirft place demonftrate, and then proceed with the eonfiderationofwhat is offered by Mr Goodwin inctppofition there- unto. Some fewobfervationswill lead ns through the firft partof this worke defigned. I fay then, s. There isan inferiour common worke of the Holy Ghoft, in the dif- penfation oftheword, upon manyto whom it is preached, caufing in them a great alteration andchange,as toLight, Knowledge,Abilityes,Guifis, Ajjreíli ons, Life, and Converfation, when the perfons fo wrought upon, are not quicI¿ned, regenerate, nor madenew creatures, nor united to Jefus Chrift. I fuppofe therewill not be need for me toinlft on theproofeofthis Propofiti"- on,the truthofit being notorioufly knowne,& confeffedas I fuppofe amongft all that profeffe the naineofChrift. 2. That in perfons thus wrought upon, there is; or may be, fuch an affent upon light and conviftion, to the truths proofed and Preached to them, as is truein its kind, not counterfeit, giving and affording them, in whom it is wrought, profeffion of the Faith, andthat fometimes with conftancy to the death, or thegiving of their bodies to be burned, with perfwafitins,(whence' they are called Believers) ofa future enjoyment, of a glorious add bleffed condition, filling them-with ravi(hed affeerions and rejoycings in hope, which they profeffe,fuitable to the expe&ation they have, of fuelaRate and condi= tion. 423 0. 27.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=