This is the whole of Avhat Mr Goodwin thought good to tender for the protection of his doctrine from the charge laid down at the entrance of this digression; on the consideration whereof, I doubt not but it is evident how unable he is to shield it from the wound
^IV-] THE EXHORTATIONS OF THE GOSPEL. 499
intended unto it thereby. And shall we now, can we, entertain any other thoughts of it but that (having constantly hitherto been denied and opposed by the most zealous, painful, godly, successful preachers of the gospel that these latter ages have ))een, through the goodness of God, blessed withal, entertained chiefly by men of loose, dissolute prmciples and practices, enemies to the power of godliness and the profession thereof, and strongly suspected to corrupt the minds and conversations of men that do embrace it) it is the only serviceable relief and assistance for the making of the ministry of the gospel use- ful and fruitful, ingenerating holmess and obedience in the lives and ways of men ?
CHAPTER XIV.
ARGUMENT AGAINST THE DOCTRINE FROM THE EXHORTATIONS OF THE GOSPEL.
Mr G.'s third argument proposed and considered-The drama borrowed by Mr G. to make good this argument-The frame of speech ascribed to God by the Remonstrants, according to our doctrine, weighed and considered-The dealing of God with man, and the importance of his exhortations, according to the doctrine of the saints' perseverance, manifested_In what sense and to wliat end exhortations and threatenings are made to believers— The fallacious ground of this argument of Mr G.-Mr G.'s fourth argument proposed to consideration, considered-Eternal life, how and in what sense a reward of perseverance-The enforcement of the major proposition considered— The proposition new moulded, to make it of concernment to our doctrine, and denied, from the example of the obedience of Jesus Christ— Efficacy of grace not inconsistent with reward-The argument enforced with a new consider. °"~-^i^^ consideration examined and removed-Farther of the consist- ency ol effectual grace and gospel exhortations.
^^ A THIRD argument is proposed, sect. 18, chap, xiii., in these words- Ihat doctrine which representeth God as wc^k, incongiiious and incoherent with himself, in his applications unto men, is not 'from God, and consequently that which contradicteth it must needs be the truth; but the doctrine of perseverance, opposed by us, putteth this great dishonour upon God, representeth him weak, inconoruous etc. : ergo." For the proof of the minor proposition, to make aood the charge in it exhibited against the doctrine of perseverance there is a dramatical scheme induced (to whose framing and application Mr Goodwin contributed no more but the pains of a translator, takin- It from the Anti-synod., pp. 276, 277), in these words: " ' You that truly believe m my Son, and have been once made partakers of my Holy Spirit, and therefore are fully persuaded and assured, from my will and command given unto you in that behalf, yea, according to the infallible word of truth which you have from me, that you can- not possibly, no, not by all the most horrid sins and abominable prac-
500 DOCTRINE OF THE SAINTS' rERSEVERANCE. [CHAP.
tices tliat you shall or can commit, fall away either totally or finally from your faith, — for in the midst of your foulest actions and courses there remains a seed in you which is sufficient to make you true be- lievers, and to preserve you from falling away finally, so that it is im- possible you should die in your sins ; you that know and are assured that I will, by an irresistible hand, work perseverance in you, and consequently that you are out of all danger of condemnation, and tliat heaven and salvation belong unto you, and are as good as yours already, so that nothing but giving of thanks appertains to you, which also you know that I will, do what you will in the meantime, necessitate you unto; — you, I say, that are fully and thoroughly persuaded and possessed with the truth of all these things, I ear- nestly charge, admonish, exhort, and beseech, that you take heed to yourselves that ye continue in the faith, that there be not at any time an evil heart of unbelief in any to depart from the living God, that you fall not from your own steadfastness. Yea, I declare and profess unto you, that if you shall draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in you ; that if you shall deny me, I will deny you ; that if you be again overcome of the lusts of the world, and be entangled therewith, your latter end shall be worse than your beginning; that if you shall turn away, all your former righteousness shall not be remembered, but you shall die in your sins, and suffer the ven- geance of eternal fire. On the other hand, if you shall continue to the end, my promise is that you shall be saved. Therefore, strive to enter in at the strait gate, quit yourselves like men, labour for the meat that endureth unto everlasting life, and be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the pro- mises.' He that shall duly weigh and consider what a senseless and indeed ridiculous incongruity there is between these exhortations, adjurations, threatenings, and latter promises, and those declarations, applications, and former promises, doubtless will confess that either the one or the other of them are not from God or according to the mind of God."