CA r.1. 4: 19.20. Grounds ofjudging mens fpirituall condition. 12 throne ofGod, and tomake thetnfearchersofthehearts atad tryers ofthe reynes ofothers, who are fo often in the darke to themfelves, and neverin this life fufficiently acquainted with their owne inwardchambers: or elfe at once to cut offand deftroy all communion ofSaints, by rendringit impoffible for us to attainefatisfa&ion,whoare fo indeed, fofarre as towalke with them upon Rom.i2.9. that account,inLove without dimulation. Doubtleffe theDifciples of Chrift werebound to receivethem for Believers, ofwhom it is laid , that they did beleive,becaufeof theirprofefíion fo todoe, & that with fome hazard & dan- Ioh.2.23,24. ger; though hewho knewwhat wasin man, would nottruft himfelfwiththem, becaufe the roote ofthe matter was not in them. I fuppofeT shall not need to put my felfe to the labour to proove,or evince 4 ì9. this Groundofour charitable procedure, hi our thoughtsof men profeflìng the wayes ofGod , though their hearts are not upright withhim; But, fayes Mr Goodwin, Tofay that whit they flood, men were indeed bound to judge them Believers: but by their declining, they difcover themfelvesnot to havebeen the men, is but to begge thegueflion, and that upon very ill termes to obtain it. Anf. For my part,Ifindenot in this Anfwer to that objet1ion(But theyhad the linea, ments oftrue Believersand therefore we were bound to judge themfa, ) that,this did notat all proove them tobefo,any beggingofthe guefiion, but rather a fair 'Sam. x6.7. Anfwer given totheir importune Requeft, that the appearance oftheface, as farre as the eyes ofmencanpeirce, muff needs conclude them in the eyes of God to anfwer that Appearance in the inward and hidden man of the heart. But Mr Goodwin further purfues his defigne in hand, from thewords of ourSaviour Mat. 7. 2o. Bytheirfruityee(hall know them: iffaithhe, this ride be Authentically we doe not onlyftand boundbythe law ofCharity, but bythe law ofR.ighteoufneffe or difirict judgment itfelfe, to judge theperfons, wefpeake of, true Believers; whilil they adorne theGoffell with fuchfruits ofRighteoufn effe, aswere mentioned;for our Saviour doth notfay; by their fruits yee(hall have grounds to conceive orconjecture themfuch orfuch,ortojudge them in charityfuch orfuch, but ye(ball know them; now what a man ltnowes, he is not bound to con- jeture, or tojudge inn wayofcharity to be that which hekuoweth it tobe, but pofitively to judge, and conclude ofit accordingly. Ifthen it be pofflbleformen by anyfuch fruits,worltes,or expreffions,to know trueBelievers,the perfons wefpeake of,may be known to have been ruch. Though the wordsofour Saviour principally lye oittheotherfideofthe way, givinga Rule for a condemnatoryJudgment of men, wholeevils Fruits declare theRoot tobe nobetter; wherein we cannot well be deceived, the wor4esof the flefh being manifefl', and he that workethwickedneffeopenly, and brings Ga1.2.19. forththe effeéts of finne vifibly, in a courte, as a Tree cloth its fruit, may Rom:6.z6. fafelybe cócluded,whatfoever pretence in words he makes,to beá falle cor- rupt Hypocrite; yet by theway ofAnalogie andproportion, it is a Rulealto, whereby our Saviour will have ut make a Judgement of thole Profeffors and Teachers, with whomwe have to do, as toour Reception and Approba tionof them. He bidshis Difciples taft,& try the Fruit that fuchperfons beare, and acordingto that,(not any fpeciouspretences they make, or innocent Ap- pearanceswhich for a feafon theyPhew themfelves in) lettheir Eftimationof them be; Yeabut, (ayesMr Goodwin, we doe not onlyHandboundby the Lawof Charity, but by the Lawofa Righteous and flriei judgment itfelfe to judge fuch perfons Believers. This diftin&ion between the Law ofCharity, and the Law of a Righteous Judgment, I underftand note Though Charity be the principle exerted eminently in fuch dijudications ofmen, yetdoubtlefte it Q. 20. Anf
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