To the third, wherein he argues, with his predecessors, from our opinion concerning faith, a brief reply will suffice. That " a faint, weak perception and relish of heavenly things," is suflicient to make a man a believer, is so far from being our opinion that we utterly dis- claim them from being believers to whom this is ascribed, if nothing else be added in their description from whence they may be so esteemed. It is true, faith is sometimes little and w^eak in the exer- cise of it; yea, a man may be so overtaken with temptations, or so clouded under desertions, as that it may not deport itself with any such considerable vigour as to be consolatory to him in whom it is, or demonstrative of him unto others to be what he is: but we say, that the weakest, lowest, meanest measure and degree of this faith, is yet grounded and fixed in the heart, where, though it be not always alike lively and active, yet it is always alive and gives life. How far believers may fall into the guilt of "enormous courses " has been already manifested. The intendment of the expression is to disadvantage the persuasion he oppose th. We do not grant that believers may fall into any enormities, but only wdiat God himself affirms they may, and yet not utterly be cast out of his love and favour in Jesus Christ. Farther; the weakest faith of which we affirm that it may be true and saving, though it may have no great perception nor deep taste of heavenly things for the present, yet hath always that of adherence to God in Christ; which is exceed- ingly exalted above any such perception of heavenly things what- ever that may be had or obtained without it. So that, from the consideration of what hath been spoken, we may safely conclude that Mr Goodwin hath not been able to advance one step in his intendment to prove that the persons here described are true believers.
XVII.] CERTAIN PASSAGES IN SCRIPTURE CONSIDERED. 653
I know no sufficient ground or reason to induce me to any large consideration of the other two or three expressions that remain, and that are insisted on by Mr Goodwin, seeing it is evident from their associates, which liave been akeady examined, that tliere is none of them can speak one word to the business in hand. I shall there- fore discharge them from any farther attendance in the service they have been forced unto.
The next privilege insisted on which to these persons is ascribed is, that they are ''made partakers of the Holy Ghost." In men's participation of the Holy Ghost, either the gifts or graces of the Holy Ghost are intended. The graces of the Holy Ghost are either more common and inchoative, or special and completing of the work of conversion. That it is the peculiar, regenerating grace of God that is intended in this expression, of being " made partakers of the Holy Ghost," and not the gifts of the Spirit, or those common graces of illumination, unto which persons not truly converted, but only wrought upon by an effectual conviction in the preaching of the word, may attain, Mr Goodwin is no way able to prove. And there is also this consideration rising up with strength and power against that interjDretation, namely, that those that are so made joartakers of the Spirit as to be regenerated, quickened, sealed, comforted thereby, — which are some of the peculiar acts of his grace in and to- wards the souls of those that believe,— can never lose him nor be de- prived of him (as Avas manifested before at large), being sealed and confirmed not only in the present enjoyment of the love and favour of God, but also unto the full fruition of the glory which is provided for them; and therefore [they] cannot fall away, as these are sup- posed to do. What there is in Mr Goodwin's discourse on this passage, sect. 23, 24, to weaken in the least what is usually answered, or farther to enforce his exposition of the place, I am not able to apprehend, and shall therefore proceed with what remaineth.
All that follows in the place of the apostle under contest is regu- lated by the word "taste:" "They have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come." What the sense and importance of that word is hath been already declared; neither can it be proved that the persons here described do so "taste the good word of God" as to mix the promises of it with faith, or of the "powers of the world to come" as to receive them in power in their hearts by believing : so that farther contest about these words seems to be alto- gether needless.
How far men may proceed in the wa^'S of God ; what progress they may make in amendment of life; what gifts and common graces they may receive; what light and knowledge they may be endued withal; what kind of faith, joy, repentance, sorrow, delight, love, they may have in and about spiritual things; what desires of mercy and heaven ;
654 DOCTRINE OF THE SAINTS' PERSEVERANCE. [CHAP.
what useful gifts for the church's edification they may receive ; how- far they may persuade their own souls, and upon what grounds, that their condition God-ward is good and saving, and beget an opinion in others that they are true believers, — and yet come short of union with Christ, building their houses on tlie sand, etc., is the daily task of the preachers of the gospel to manifest, in their pressing that ex- hortation of the apostle unto their ]iearers, to "examine and try them- selves," in the midst of their profession, "whether Christ be in them of a truth" or no. I shall not now enter upon that labour. The reader knows where to find enough, in the writings of holy and learned men of this nation, to evince that men may arrive at the utmost height of what is in this place of the apostle by the Holy Ghost ascribed to the persons of whom he speaks, and yet come short of the state of true iaelievers. Mr Goodwin, indeed, tells us, sect. 27, —