worship of God, to be a colour and pretext for the free and uncon- trolled practising of vile abominations, may not be said so to escape it, yet such as those we have before described, with their convictions, light, gifts, duties, good conscience, etc., may truly and really escape from them and their ways who pollute themselves with the errors of idolatry, false worship, superstition, and the pollutions of practices against the light of nature and their own convictions. It is added that, —
" 3. A hypocrite, whose foot is already in the snare of death, can- not upon any tolerable account, either of reason or common sense, be said to be ' allured ' (that is, by allurements to be deceived) or ' over- come by the pollutions of the world,' no more than a fish that is already in the net or fast upon the hook can be said to be allured or deceived by a bait held to her."
Ans. But he that hath been so far prevailed upon by the preach- ing of the word as to relinquish and renounce the practices of un- cleanness, wherein he some time wallowed and rolled himself, may be prevailed upon and overcome by temptations to backslide into the same abominable practices wherein he was formerly engaged, deserting that way and course of attending to the word and yielding obedience thereimto which he liad entertained, that in its own nature tended to a better end. Says he, —
" 4. Hypocrites are nowhere said, neither can they with any con- gi'uity to Scripture phrase be said, to have ' escaped the pollutions of the world through the acknowledgment' (for so the word e'rlyvudig should be translated) ' of Jesus Christ;' the acknowledgment of the truth, and so of Christ and of God, constantly in the Scriptures im- porting a sound and saving work of conversion, as we lately observed in this chapter, sect. 20."
Ans. It sufficeth that the thing itself intimated is sufficiently re- vealed in the Scriptures, and confirmed by the examples of all those who have acknowledged the truth of the word to the putting on of a form of godliness, though they come not up to the power or saving practice of it. And truly I cannot admit that any one who hath had never so little experience in the work of the ministry, or made never so little observation of religion, should once suppose that all such persons must needs be accounted true believers, regenerate, etc.
Mr Goodwin shuts up this chapter with a declaration concerning the uselessness of cautions and admonitions given to believers about backsliding, upon a supposition of an infallible promise of God for their perseverance. I presume the reader is weary as well as myself; and having in the last chapter heard him out to the full [as to] what he is able to say to this common-place of opposition to the doctrine we have thus far asserted, and offered those considerations of the ways
G6G DOCTRINE OF THE SAINTS' PERSEVERANCE. [CHAP. XVII.
of God's dealings with believers to preserve them in the course of their obedience and walking with him which, I hope, through the mercy and goodness of God, may be satisfactory to them that shall weigh them, I shall not burden him with the repetition of any thing already delivered, nor do judge it needful for to add any thing more.
END OF VOL. XI.
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