Something is by Mr Goodwin offered to take off the strength of this testimony, but yet so little, that had I not resolved to hear him out to the utmost of what he can say in and unto the case in hand, it would scarce be thought needful to divert to the consideration of it. This place of Scripture he binds up in one bundle with Jiine or ten others, to the composure of one argument, which (almost lino halitii) he blows away, chap. xi. sect. 36, 37, etc., pp. 251, 252, etc. To the consideration of the argument itself there by him proposed I am not yet arrived. The influence of this text into it is from what is said of Christ's preserving believers ; my present consideration is chiefly of the will and intention of the Father's giving them to him to be preserved ; so that I shall observe only one or two things to his general answer, and then proceed to the vindication of this particular place we have in hand: —
First, He tells you, " That the conclusion of the former argument,
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that true believers shall never miscarry or fall away, opposeth not his sense in this controversy." Whether it oppose his sense or no must be judged. This I know, that he hath to his utmost opposed it all this while, showing himself therein very uncourteous and unkind. But why so? on what account is it that this conclusion, which he hath so much opposed, is now conceited not to oppose him? " Those who thus fall away," saith he, " are no true believers, but wicked apostates, at the time of their falling away." That the conclusion mentioned opposeth his sense to me is evident ; but that it is sense wherewith in this place he opposeth the conclusion is not so clear. The question is. Who fall away? "Not believers, but apostates," saith Mr Goodwin. We say so too. In the natural first sense of these words, [they] who eventualiter are apostates were never antecedenter to their apostasy true believers. But this is not your sense, doulitless. That those who fall away, in their falling away (which is the sense of that clause, " At the time of falling away"), were apostates, — that is, were fallen away before they fell away, — is neither our sense nor yours, for it is none at all. Bertius hath an argument against the perseverance of the saints, from the impossibility of finding a subject to be affected witli the notion of apostasy if true believers be exempted from it; "for hypocrites," saith he, " cannot fall away." " Nor can believers," saith Mr Goodwin, " but they are apostates when they fall away!" — that is, it is a dead man that dies, or after he is dead he dies; after he is an apostate, he falls away. Perhaps it would be worth our serious inquiry to consider how believers can indeed possibly come to lose the Spirit of grace which dwells in them, with their habit of faith and holiness. For our part, we contend that they have an infused habit of grace, and that wrought with a mighty impression upon their minds and hearts ; faith being of the operation of God, wrought by the exceeding greatness of his power, as he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead. Whether such a habit can be removed but by that hand that bestowed it, and whether it may be made appear that God will on any occasion so take it away, or hath expressed himself that he will so deal with any of his children, is, I say, worthy our inquiry. But, —
Secondly, He denies the major proposition, and saith, " That those who are kept and preserved by Christ may possibly miscarry." Boldly ventured ! What want is there, then, or defect in the Keeper of Israel, that his flock should so miscarry under his hand? Is it of faithfulness? The Scripture tells us he is " a faithful high priest in things pertaining to God," Heb. ii. 17; "faithful to him that ap- pointed him," chap. iii. 2; and that he did the whole will of God. Is it of tenderness, to take care of his poor wandering ones? He is otherwise represented unto us : Heb. ii. 1 8, " For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are
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tempted ;" and chap. iv. 15, "We have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feehng of our infirmities ; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." Isa. xl. 11, it is said of him, "He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young." And he quarrels with those shep- herds who manifest not a care and tenderness like his towards his flock: Ezek. xxxiv. 4, "The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost;" all which he takes upon himself to perform, verses 15, 16. Or is it want of power? " All power is given unto him in heaven and in earth," Matt, xxviii. 18. "All things are delivered unto him of his Father," Matt. xi. 27. " He is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him," Heb. vii. 25. If he want neither care nor tender- ness, wisdom nor watchfulness, love nor ability, will nor faithfulness, how comes it to pass that they miscarry and fall away into ruin whom he hath undertaken to keep ? David durst fight with a lion and a bear in the defence of his lambs, and Jacob endured heat and cold upon the account of faithfulness; and shall we think that the Shepherd of Israel, from whose being so the psalmist concludes he shall want nothing, Ps. xxiii. 1, who did not only fight for his flock, but laid down his life for them, will be less careful of his Father's sheep, his own sheep, which are required also at his hand, for his Father knows them and calls them all by name?