Mr G. Grounds ofSts Perfeverance. ` C a P. I. 4:37- lfition, and preferved from all, or any fuch finnesas will certainely make a 2 3 feparation betweeneGod and their Soules ? Nay there is not one fuck Pro- mife in all theBooke ofGod; theyare Conditionall, for the injoyment ofthe good things;whereof Believers (rand all their dayes upon their good behavi- our? Is it then that the Lord Jefus,who is aiwais heardofhi s Father,interceder for them,that their Faithfalle not, & that theymay bèprefervedby thepower ofGod unto Salvation, & that not only upon Condition of their Believing,but cheefiy,that they may bekept and preferved in Believing ? Or is it that their Enemies are fo conquered for.them and on their behalf; in theDeath and RefurreCEion ofChrift, that they (hall never have dominionover them, that their Security doth arife?Neither the one, nor theother; nor any, nor all of thefe,are the Grounds, and FoundationsoftheirEftablithment, but they are wholygiven up to the powerfull handoffome Confderations, whichM. Good- win expreffeth and fetteth outto the life, Cap. 9. Seel. 327 33, 34 Pag. 174, 175 Now becaufe theitemonftrantshave always told us,that God bath provided 4.3q. fuftcieütly for the Perfeveranceof the Saints, if they benot fupinely wanting to coitxag.es.s themfelves in the life of them;but havenot hitherto, either joyntly,orfeverally (that I knowof) taken the paints todifcover in particular, wherein that 5,Tte¡.2. Sufficiency ofProvifion for their fafetylothconfift, or what the meanes are thatGodoffords them to this end and purpofe; Mr Goodwin who is a lear- nedMyftes ofall their Councels, havingexá&ly and fully layd them forth, as a folid Foundation of his Affertion, concerning only a remote Poflibility of the Saints totall Defeûion, let it not "feerne Tedious or Impertinent, if Tranfcribe, for the clearer Debateof before,theReader, that whole Dif- courge ofhis, and confiderit inorder as it lyes. if(faith he) it be Demanded, what are the Meaneswhich Godbath givenfo- abundantly to the Saints, to make themfelves fo free,fo flrong in inclinations to avoid thingsfo apparantly deflru- £liveto the spiritual/Peace,and Salvation of Soules,ae naturally men are to forbeare all fuch occafions which -are apparantly deflruCiive to their naturali lives, fo that theyneed not tobe, any mores any whit more afraid of looting their Soules through their ovine alltugs, then-men are,orneed to beofde- l-fraying their naturali lives upon thefame termer. 7Anfwer a. First, hebath given them Eyes wherewith,& Light whereby Clearaly,& evi- dently to fee andknow, thatit is not more rationall, or manlikefor men to re- frame allfachas; which they know they cannot performe, but to the prefentand unavoidadle defiruilionoftheir naturall, liver, then'tis to forbeare allfinfull 4th whatfoever,and efpeciallyfirth; which are apparantly defirulive to their Soules, 2.. Secondly; God hath not only given them the Eyes; and the Light we fpeake of, wherewith,and whereby cleerely tofee;& vnderftand the things ma= nifefled, but hath farther indeed them witha faculty ofConfederation, where- with to reliedupon, and review, andponder, fo oft as theypleafe, what they See, Underhand, andKnow in this kind. Nowwhatfoever a man is capable, Firft, of Seeing andKnowing: (Secondly)ofPonderingand Conjidering, he is capable or ` railing or workingan inclination inhimfelfe towards it; an!werableinStrength, Vigour andPower, to anydegree ofGoodneffe,or Defireablenefs, which he is able to apprehend therein:for what is an inclinationtowards any thing, but a propenfion, and laying out ofthe heart andThule towards it?So that if therebeworth,andgood nets fufftcient inany objeEl whatfoever?o heart it and(Secondly) ifa manbe in a capacity of difcovering and apprehending thisgood clearly; and (Thirdly) be inalike capacity ofconfedering thisvion, certainly he is in a capacityand at liberty to workehimfelfe towhatflrength,or degree of defere and inclination to- wards
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