Mr Goodwin's fifth argument for the saints' apostasy is taken from the consideration of the sins which they have fallen into, or possibly may so do, and it is thus proposed : sect. 20, —
" They who are in a capacity or possibility of perpetrating the works of the flesh are in a possibility of perishing, and consequently in a possibility of falling away, and that finally, from the grace and favour of God, in case they be in an estate of his grace and favour at the present; but the saints, or true believers, are in a possibility of perpetrating the works of the flesh : and therefore also they are in a possibility of perishing, and so of falling away from the grace and favour of God, wherein at present they stand. The major pro- position of this argument, — to wit, They who are in a possibility of perpetrating or customarily acting the works of the flesh, are in a possibility of perishing, — is clearly proved from all such scriptures which exclude all workers of iniquity and fulfiUers of the lusts of the flesh from the kingdom of God, of which sort are many: 'Of the which,' saith the apostle, speaking of the lusts of the flesh, adultery, fornication, etc., ' I tell you^^^ as I have also told you in time past, that they who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.' So again, 'For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean per- son, nor covetous man, w4io is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.' ' Let no man deceive you with vain words, for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.' Yet again, ' Know ye not that the unris^hteous shall not inherit the kinfrdora of God?' * Be not
510 DOCTRINE OF THE SAINTS' PERSEVERANCE. [CHAP.
deceived, neither fornicators nor idolaters shall inherit the kingdom of God/ From such passages as these, which are very frequent in the Scriptures, it is as clear as the light of the sun at noon-day, that they who may possibly commit such sins as those specified, adultery, fornication, idolatry, may as possibly perish and be for ever excluded the kingdom of God."
Ans. Because, of all arguments whatever used against the truth we assert, this seems to me to wear the best colours on its back, and to have its face best painted, namely, with that plea of the " incon- sistency of sin with the favour and acceptation of God," seeming to have a tendency to caution believers in their ways and walkings to be more careful in watching against temptations, I shall more largely insist on what the Lord hath been pleased to reveal concerning the sins and failings of such as he is yet pleased to accept in a covenant of mercy; whom though he chastens and sorely rebukes, yet he gives not their souls over unto death, nor takes his loving-kindness from them for ever. Now, because the inside and strength of this objec- tion consists in a comparison instituted between the sins of believers and the sins of uuregenerate persons, which being laid in the balance are found of equal burdensomeness unto God, and therefore are in expectance of a like reward from him, I shall in the first place, before I come in particular to answer the argument proposed, manifest the difference that is between regenerate persons and unregenerate in their sinning, and consequently also between their sins; wherein such principles shall be laid down and proved as may with an easy appli- cation remove all that is added in the farther carrying on and en- deavoured vindication of the argument in hand.
A foundation of this discourse we have laid in James i. 14, 15, " But every man is tempted," saith the Holy Ghost, " when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath con- ceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death." The Holy Ghost discovers the fountain of all sin, and pursues it in the streams of it into the dead sea, Avhereinto it falls. All sin whatever is from temptation, and that which tempts to all sin is the cause of all sin. This fountain of sin is here discovered, the principal, proper, criminal cause of sin, in the beginning of verse 14. The adversative "but" is exclusive of any other faulty cause of sin that should principally fall under our consideration, especially of (iod, of whom mention was made immediately before. Now, this is affirmed to be every man's " lust." The general way and means that this original of all sin useth for the production of it is also discovered, and that is " temptation." Eveiy man's own lust tempts him. The progress also it makes in carrying on of sin whereunto it tempts is farther described in the several parts and degrees of it: — 1. It draws aiuay and entices, and the persons towards whom it exerts this effi-
XV.] THE SINS OF BELIEVERS CONSIDERED. 511
cacy are "drawn away and enticed;'' 2. It conceives, "Lust conceives.'" Tlie subject being prepared, answering its drawing away and enticing, without more ado it conceives sin; and then it brings forth into action, — that is, either into open perpetration or deliberate determina- tion of its accomplishment ; and then it "fiuisheth sin," or comes up to the whole Avork that sin tends to; whereunto is subjoined the dismal end and issue of this progress of sin, which is " death." Eternal death is in the womb of finished sin, and will be brought forth by it.