Sect. 28, Mr Goodwin urges sundry reasons to prove that " they are not hypocrites or outside professors only, but true believers, that are described." If by " hypocrites and outside professors" he intends those who are grossly so, pretending to be what they are not, and what they know themselves not to be, we contend not about it. If in these expressions he compriseth also those whom we characterized in the entrance of this discourse, who unto their profession of the faith have also added those gifts and endowments, with the like, which we mentioned, but who, notwithstanding all their advancement in light, conviction, joy, usefulness, [and] conversation, do yet come short of union with Christ, I shall join issue with him in the consideration of his reasons offered to be " pregnant of proof" for the confirmation of his assertion. He tells you, sect. 28, p. 288 : —
" First, There is no clause, phrase, or word, in either of the places, any ways characteristical or descriptive of hypocrisy or hypocrites. There are none of those colours to be seen which are wont to be used in drawing or limning the portraitures or shapes of those beasts, as
G14 DOCTRINE OF THE SAINTS* PERSEVERANCE. [CHAP.
distinguished from creatures of a better kind. All the lineaments of the persons presented in these tables, before the mention of their falling away, become the best and fairest faces of the saints (as hath been proved), and are not to be found in any other. Yea, the greatest and most intelligent believer under heaven liath no reason but to desire part and fellowship with the ' hypocrites' here described, in all those characters and properties which are attributed unto them before their falling away or sinning wilfully."
Ans. 1. The design of the apostle is not to discover or give any characters of hypocrites, to manifest them to be such, but to declare the excellencies that are or may be found in them, from the enjoy- ment of all which they may decline, and sin against the mercy and grace of them, to the aggravation of their condemnation; neither had any lines used to particularize those "beasts" in their shape, wherein they differ from believers, been at all useful to the apostle's purpose, his aim being only to draw those wherein they are like them and conformable to them. Neither,—
2. Is it questioned whether those things here mentioned may be found in true believers, and become them very well, rendering their faces beautiful ; but whether there be not something else than what is here mentioned, that should give them being as such, and life, without which these things are little better than painting. Nor, —
3. Is it at all to the purpose that believers may desire a partici- pation in those characters with the persons described ; but whether they who have no other characters or marks upon them of true believers than what are here mentioned must necessarily be so ac- counted, or will of God be so accepted. Many a believer may desire the gifts of those hypocrites, who have not one dram of the grace wherewith he is quickened. So that this first reason, as pregnant as it seems of proof, is only indeed swelled and puffed up with wind and vanity. He adds, —
"Secondly, True believers are in an estate of honour, and are lifted up on high towards the heavens ; in which respect they have from whence to fall: but hypocrites are as near hell already as lightly they can be, till they be actually fallen into it; from whence, then, are they capable of falling? Men of estates may fail and break, but beggars are in no such danger. If hypocrites fall away, it must be from their hypocrisy ; but this is rather a rising than a fall. A beggar cannot be said to break, but only when he gets an estate. When he doth this, the beggar is broke."
Ans. All that here is added arises merely from the ambiguity of the word " hypocrites." The persons that fall are on all hands sup- posed to have and enjoy all that is made mention of in the texts in- sisted on; so that they have so much to fall from as that thereupon Mr Goodwin thinks them true believers. They have all the heights
XVII.] CERTAIN PASSAGES IN SCEIPTURE CONSIDERED. 645
to tumble from which we before mentioned, and very many others that it is no easy task to declare. They fall from the excellencies they have, and not from the hypocrisy with which they are vitiated,- — - from the profession of the faith, with honesty of conversation, etc., not from the want of root or being built on the rock. So that this pre- tended "pregnant reason" is as barren as the former to the proving of the assertion laid down to be proved by it. He adds, —
" Thirdly, It is no punishment at all to hypocrites to be under no possibility of being ' renewed again by repentance :' nay, in case they should ' fall away,' it would be a benefit and blessing unto them to be under an impossibility of being ' renewed again;' for if this were their case, it would be impossible for them to be ever hypocrites again, and doubtless it is no great judgment upon any man to be incapable of such a preferment."