Mr Goodwin attempts, indeed, once more to re-enforce the triumph- ed-over enemies of the saints, and to call them once more to make head against the intercession of Christ; but with what ill success, the consideration of what arguments he useth with them and for them will demonstrate. Thus, then, he addresseth himself to his task, chap. xi. sect. 33, p. 248, " I answer. It is nowhere affirmed that Christ intercedes for the perseverance of the saints in their faith, or they who once believed should never cease believing, how sinful and wicked soever they should prove afterward ; but Christ intercedes for his saints as such, and so continuing such, that no accusation from any hand whatsoever may be heard against them, that no afflic- tions or sufferings which they meet with in the world may cause any alienation or abatement in the love of God towards them, but that God will protect and preserve them under them, and consequently that they may be maintained at an excellent rate of consolation in every state and condition, and against all interposures of any crea- ture to the contrary."
This answer hath long since ceased to be new to us; it is that, in-
372 DOCTPvlNE OF THE SAINTs' PERSEVERANCE. [oHAP.
deed, which is the shield behind which Mr Goodwin lies, to avoid the force of all manner of arguments pointed against himself, though it be the most weak and frivolous that ever, I suppose, was used in so weighty a matter. It is here cast (as he hath many moulds and shapes to cast it in) into a denial of the assumption of our syllogism, and a reason of that denial. First, he denies that Christ intercedes for believers that they may persevere in their faith ; he prays not for their perseverance.
His reason of this is twofold: — 1. A supposal that "they may prove so wicked as not to continue believing." 2. A description of what Christ intercedes for in the behalf of believers, namely, " that they may continue in God's love if they do continue to believe, not- withstanding all their afflictions." " Homo homini quid interest?" Whether men will or no, these must pass for oracular dictates.
1, For the first, let what hath been spoken already be weighed, and see if there be not yet hope left for poor souls that Christ prays for them that their faith fail not. And, by the way, who w^ill not em- brace this comfortable doctrine, that will assure him, in his agonies, temptations, and failings, that all help and supplies are made out to him from and by the Lord Jesus, in whom is all his hope, and that he receives of his Father, upon his intercession, all the fruits of his death and blood-shedding in his behalf ; but that he should believe, or, being tempted, should be preserved in believing, of that Christ takes no thought, nor did ever intercede wdth his Father for any such an end or purpose! Such consolation might befit Job's friends: " Miserable comforters, physicians of no value." But of this before.
2. For that supposal of his, of their proving wicked afterward to an inconsistency with believing, it hath often been corrected for a sturdy beggar, and sent away grumbling and hungry, and, were it not for pure necessity, would never once be owned any more by its master. Christ intercedes not for believers that they may persevere in the faith upon such foolish supposals, whose opposite is continu- ance in the faith, and so is coincident with the thing itself interceded for. To intei'cede that they may continue believing, is to intercede that they may never be so wicked as Mr Goodwin supposeth they may be. The end asserted of Christ's intercession for the saints is, that they may never wickedly depart from God. Doth Mr Goodwin indeed take this to be the tenor of the doctrine he opposeth, and of the argument which he undertakes to ansAver, — namely, that the faith of believers, and the continuance of that, is interceded for w'ith- out any reference to the work of faith in gospel obedience and com-
^_^^Mmion with God in Christ? or if he tliinks not so, why doth he so risen,-, insist on this calumnious evasion?
for, and loJ,-,nr the aim of Christ in his intercession for believers, we second IS his e»- cogent argument against our position, " Christ inter-
IX. J THE INTERCESSION OF CHRIST. 373
cedes for the things here by me mentioned; therefore he doth not in- tercede for the perseverance of the saints.'' But why so ? Is there any inconsistency in these things, any repugnancy in terms, or contrariety of the things themselves? Christ intercedes that believers may enjoy the love of God ; therefore he doth not intercede that they may be established in believing!
The sum of all that is here ascribed to the intercession of Christ at the best is. That God will confirm and ratify that everlasting law, that believers continuing so to the end shall be saved ; which whether it be the sum of Christ's intercession for his church or no, that church will judge. If there be any thing farther, or of more importance to them, in what is assigned to it by Mr Goodwin, it is wrapped up in the knot of " etc.," which I am not able to untie.