Thirdly, He farther informs us how this doctrine of the perse- verance of the saints came to be so generally entertained by the godly, zealous, and able ministers of this nation, that when we see how they fell into it, their testimony given thereto may be of less validity with us.
" This," he telleth you, " was the permission of Mr Perkins' judg- ment to be overruled by the texts of Scripture commonly insisted on for the proof of this doctrine. The great worth of the person com- mended, therefore, the worth of the opinion ; and he verily believeth, as men were then induced to receive this opinion, so to a relinquish- ment of it they want nothing but the countenance and authority of
XIII.] ASSERTORS AND ADVERSARIES COMPARED. 4)91
some person of popular acceptance to go before them. And the reason he giveth of this his faith is the observation of the principles they usually hold forth, especially in the applicatory part of their sermona"
Ans. What and who they were who are thus represented by Mr Goodwin, in their receiving and embracing of that doctrine which, with the great travail of their souls, all their days they preached, and pressed to and upon others, is known to all. The persons I named before, one of them only excepted, with all those eminent burning and shining lights which for so many years have laboured with renown and success, to the astonishment of the world, in the preaching of the gospel in this nation, are the men intended. Doubt- less such thoughts have not in former days been entertained of them, however the contemplation of any man's own ability may now raise him to contempt of them. Mr Perkins received this doctrine, and therefore all the godly ministers of this nation did so too ! If any one of the like esteem with him did fall off from it (now whom they should obtain to lead them, of equal reputation and acceptance with him who hath in vain attempted it, I know not), they would quickly follow, not like shepherds but sheep, into an opposition thereunto ! Those who have not very slight thoughts of them, — which doubtless they that are fallen asleep did not deserve, — will scarcely suppose that they entertained a truth of so great importance as this upon so easy terms as these insinuated, or that they would have parted with it at so cheap a rate.
Farther ; why the ministers of England should be thought to en- tertain this doctrine merely upon the authority and countenance of Mr Perkins given thereunto, when the universality of the teachers of all other reformed churches, of the same confession in other things with them, did also embrace the same doctrine, and do continue in profession of it to this day, what reason can be assigned ? Had there been a particular inducement to the ministers of England for the re- ceiving of it, which was altogether foreign unto them who as to our nation are foreigners, whence is it that there should be such a coin- cidence of their judgments with them therein? or why may not ours be thought to take it upon the same account with them, upon whose judgments and understandings the authority of Mr Perkins cannot be supposed to have had any influence? Is Mr Goodwin the only person who in this nation hath impartially weighed all things of concernment to the refusing or embracing any matters or doctrines in religion? Have no others, in the sincerity of their hearts, searched the Scrip- tures, and earnestly begged the guidance of the Spirit, according to that encouraging promise left by their Master that they should re- ceive him so doing? The good Lord take away from us all high thoughts of ourselves, and all contempt of them that profess the fear
492 DOCTEINE OF THE SAINTS' PERSEVERANCE. [CHAP.
of the Lord, with whom we have to do ! For the reason of Mr Good- win's faith in this thing, concerning the readiness of the godly minis- ters of this nation to apostatize from the doctrine of the saints' per- severance,— namely, their manifesting themselves to be possessed of many principles of a contrary tendency unto it in the applicatory part of their sermons, — the vanity of it hath been long since dis- covered, so that there is no farther need to lay open the unreason- ableness thereof.
Mr Goodwin, mistrusting his abihty to persuade men that the persons of whom he hath discoursed were not clear in their judg- ments as to an opposition to that doctrine which he positively owneth and zealously contendeth for, and knowing that it cannot be denied but that they were men of eminency for godliness and close walking in communion with God all their days, yet excepteth, as his last re- fuge, " That it cannot be manifested that this opinion had the least influence in their pious conversation, which is wholly to be ascribed to other commendable principles that they embraced." This, in- deed, may be said of any part of the doctrine whatsoever that they received, and some of them suffered for. Atheists may say it of the whole profession of Christianity, and ascribe the goodness of the lives of the best of them that profess it to some other principles common to them with the residue of mankind, and not at all to any of those whereby they are distinguished as such. This they pro- fessed to have a powerful efficacy to prevail with them for that exact- ness in walking with God which, by his grace, they attained unto; and why they should not be believed herein, as far as any men whatever, bearing the like testimony to any doctrine whatever, I know not. Besides, the intendment of this instance of the persons and their piety who formerly believed and spake forth this doctrine was, to manifest, by an eminent experiment, that there was not in it, nor is, any tendency to a contrary frame unto piety and holiness, which it is injuriously charged withal; and if by the consideration thereof we do not obtain that it hath a jaroper and direct serviceable- ness to the promotion of godliness, yet at least we have a convincing demonstration that it is no way obstructive to it.