What hath been spoken of the promises of the first sort might also be manifested concerning those of the second; and the Hke might also be cleared up in reference to those other weapons of ministers' warfare, in casting down the strongholds of sin in the hearts of men, to wit, exhortations and threatenings. But because Mr Goodwin
406 DOCTRIJ^E OF THE SAINT.s' I'EllSEVKllAiS'CE. [CHAP.
hath taken great pains, both in the general, to prove the unsuitable- ness of our doctrine to the promotion of obedience and a holy con- versation, and in particular its inconsistency with the exhortations and threateuings of the word, managed by the ordinances of the ministry, what is needful i'arther to be added to the purpose in hand will fall in with our vindication and rescuing of the truth from the false criminations wherewith it is assaulted and reproached as to this particular; and therefore I shall immediately address myself to the consideration of his loug indictment and charge against the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints as to this very thing.
CHAPTER XI.
ARGUMENTS AGAINST THE DOCTRINE CONSIDERED.
The entrance into an answer to Mr G.'s arguments against the doctrine of the saints' perseverance — His sixth argument about the usefulness of tlie doctrine under consideration to the work of the ministry proposed — His procjf of the minor proposition considered and answered — Many pretenders to promote godliness by false doctrines — Mr G.'s common interest in this argument — His proofs of the usefulness of his doctrine unto the promotion of godliness con- sidered and answered — The consequence of his arguing discovered — The doc- trine by him opposed mistaken, ignorantly or wilfully — Objections proposed by Mr G. to himself to be answered — The objection as proposed disowned — Certainty of the love of God, in what sense a motive to obedience — The doc- trine of apostasy denies the unchangeableness of God's love to believers ; placeth qualifications in the room of persons — How the doctrine of persever- ance promiseth the continuance of the love of God to believers — Certainty of reward encouraging to regular action — Promises made to persons qualified, not suspended upon those qualifications — Means appointed of God for the accomplishment of a determined end certain— Means not always conditions — Mr G.'s strange inference concerning the Scripture considered — The word of God by him undervalued and subjected to the judgment of vain men as to its truth and authority — The pretended reason of the former proceeding dis- cussed— The Scripture the sole judge of what is to be ascribed to God, and believed concerning him — The doctrine of the saints' perseverance falsely im- posed on, and vindicated — Mr G.'s next objection made to himself against his doctrine — Its unscasonableness as to the argument in hand demonstrated — No assurance of the love of God, nor peace left the saints, by the doctrine of apostasy — The ground of peace and assurance by it taken away — Ground of Paul's consolation, 1 Cor. ix. 27 — The meaning of the word aioKif^a; — Another plea against the doctrine attempted to be proved by Mr G. — That attempt considered — Not the weakness of the flesh naturally, but the strength of lust spiritually pretended — The cause of sin in the saints farther discussed — 'J'he power ascribed by Mr G. to men for the strengthening and making willing the Spirit in them considered — The aptness of the saints to perform, what and whence — The opposition they have in them thereunto — Gospel obedience, how easy — The conclusion — Answer to chap. xiii. of his book proposed.
The argument wherein Mr Goodwin exposeth the doctrine under contest to the trial concerning its usefulness as to the promotion of
XI.] ARGUMENTS AGAINST THE DOCTRINE CONSIDERED. 407
godliness in the hearts and ways of them by whom it is received, he thus proposeth, chap. xiii. sect. 82, p. 333, " That doctrine which is according to godliness, and whose natural and proper tendency is to promote godliness in the hearts and lives of men, is evangelical, and of unquestionable comportance with the truth ; such is the doctrine which teacheth the possibility of the saints' declining, both totally and finally : ergo."
Of this argument he goeth about to establish the respective pro- positions, so as to make them serviceable to the enforcement of the conclusion he aimeth at, for the exaltation of the Helena whereof he is enamoured; and as for the major proposition (about which, rightly understood, we are remote from contesting with him or any else, and will willingly and cheerfully at any time drive the cause in differ- ence to issue upon the singular testimony of the truth wrapped up in it), he thus confirmeth it : —
" The reason of the major proposition, though the truth of it needed no light but its own to be seen by, is, because the gospel it- self is a doctrine which is according unto godliness, a mystery of godliness, — is a doctrine, truth, and mystery, calculated, contrived, and framed by God with a singular aptness and choiceness of ingre- dients for the advancement of godliness in the world. Therefore, what particular doctrine is of tlie .same spirit, tendency, and import, must needs be a natural branch thereof, and hath perfect accord with it. This proposition, then, is unquestionable."