the promotion of godliness, in the hearts and ways of them by whom it is received, he thus proposeth. chap. 13. sect. 32. p. 333. That doctrine, which is according to godliness, and whose natural and proper tendency is to promote godliness in the hearts and lives of men, is evangelical, and of unquestionable comportance with the truth; such is the doctrine which teacheth the possibility of the saints' declining, both totally and finally:' ergo.

Of this argument he goeth about to establish the respective propositions, so as to make them serviceable to the enforcement of the conclusion he aimeth at, for the exaltation of the Helena, whereon he is enamoured: and for the major proposition (about which, rightly understood, we are remote from contesting with him or any else, and will willingly and cheerfully at any time drive the cause in difference to issue, upon the singular testimony of the truth wrapped up in it) he thus confirmeth it.

'The reason of the major proposition, though the truth of it needed no light but its own to be seen by, is, because the gospel itself is a doctrine which is according unto godliness, a ministry of godliness; is a doctrine, truth, and mystery, calculated, contrived, and framed by God with a singular aptness, and choiceness of ingredients, for the advancement of godliness in the world; therefore what particular doctrine is of the same Spirit, tendency, and import, must needs be a natural branch thereof, and hath perfect accord with it; this proposition then is unquestionable.'

Ans. According to the principles formerly laid down, 'I have something to say (though not to the proposition itself, as in the terms it lieth, but) only as to the fixedness and staidness of it, that it may not be a nose of wax, to be turned to and fro at every one's pleasure, to serve their turns; for what sort of men is there in the world professing the name of Christ, that do not lay claim to an interest in this proposition, for the confirmation of their opinions. It is but as a common exordium in rhetoric, a useless flourish; the doctrine which is according to godliness, that is, which the Scripture teacheth to be true, and to serve for the promotion of godliness (not what doctrine soever any dark brain-sick creature doth apprehend so to do), in the state and condition wherein the saints of God walk with him, is a branch of the

gospel: I add, in the state and condition, wherein we walk with God; for in the state of innocency, the doctrine of the law, as a covenant of life, was of singular aptness, and usefulness to promote obedience, which yet is not therefore any branch or part of the gospel, but opposite to it, and destructive of it. All the advantage then Mr. Goodwin can expect from this argument to his cause, dependeth upon the proof of the minor proposition, which also must be effected in answerable proportion to the restrictions and qualifications given to the major, or the whole will be void and of none effect. That is, he must prove it by the testimony of God, to be according to godliness, and not give us in (by a pure begging of the thing in question), that it is so in his apprehension, and according to the principles whereon he doth proceed, in the teaching and asserting of godliness. Mr. Goodwin knows that there is no less difference between him and us, about the nature and causes of godliness, than there is about the perseverance of the saints; and therefore his. asserting any doctrine to be suited to the promotion of godliness, that assertion being proportioned to his other hypothesis of his own, wherein we accord not with him, and in particular to his notions of the causes and nature of godliness, with which conceptions of his we have no communion, it cannot be of any weight with us, unless he prove his affirmation according to the limitations before expressed; now this he attempteth in the words following:

'What doctrine,' saith he, 'can there be more proper and powerful to promote godliness, in the hearts and lives of men, than that, which on the one hand, promiseth a crown of blessedness and eternal glory to those that live godlily without declining; and on the other hand, threateneth the vengeance of hell fire eternally against those, that shall turn aside into profaneness, and not return by repentance: whereas the doctrine which promiseth, and that with all possible certainty and assurance, all fulness of blessedness and glory, to those that shall at any time be godly, though they shall the very next day or hour degenerate, and turn loose, and profane; and continue never so long in such a course, is most manifestly destructive to godliness, and encouraging above measure unto profaneness.'

Ans. There are two parts of this discourse: the one

(KATAσKEVAOTIKη, or) confirmatory of his own thesis; the other (avaσKEVAσTIKỲ, or) destructive of that which he opposeth: for the first, it is upon the matter all that he produceth for the confirmation of his minor proposition, wherein any singular concernment of his opinion doth lie: now that being, in a sound sense, the common inheritance of all that profess the truth, under what deceits or mistakes soever; the sum of what is here insisted on, is, that the doctrine he maintaineth concerning 'the possibility of the saints' defection, promiseth a crown to them that continue in obedience, and threateneth vengeance of fire to them that turn to profaneness,' which taken as a proof of his former assertion is liable to some small exceptions. As,

1. That this doth not at all prove the doctrine to be a branch or parcel of the gospel, it being, as it standeth severally by itself, the pure tenor of the covenant of works, which we confess to have been of singular importance for the propagation of godliness and holiness, in them to whom it was given, or with whom it was made; being given and made for that very end and purpose; but that this alone by itself is a peculiar branch or parcel of the gospel, or that it is of such singular importance for the carrying on of gospel-obedience, as so by itself proposed, that should here have been proved.

2. As it is also a part of the gospel declaring the faithfulness of God, and the end and issue of the proposal of the gospel unto men, and of their receiving or refusing of it, so it is altogether foreign to the doctrine of Mr. Goodwin under contest: and he might as well have said, that the doctrine of apostacy is of singular import for the promotion of holiness, because the doctrine of justification by faith is so; for what force of consequence is betwixt these two? That God is a rewarder of them that obey him, and a punisher of them that rebel against him, is an incentive to obedience : therefore the doctrine that true believers united to Jesus Christ, may utterly fall out of the favour of God, and turn from their obedience, and be damned for ever, there being no promise of God for their preservation, is also an incentive

to holiness.

3. What virtue soever there may be in this truth, for the therance and promotion of holiness in the world, our doc

trine layeth as clear claim to it as yours; that is, there is not any thing in the least in it inconsistent therewithal; we grant, God threateneth the vengeance of hell fire unto those that turn aside from their profession of holiness, into profaneness, the gospel itself becoming thereby unto them ' a savour of death unto death;' the Lord thereby proclaiming to all the world, that the wages of sin' and infidelity is death, and that he that believeth not, shall be damned;' but that any thing can hence be inferred for the apostacy of true believers, or how this assertion cometh to be appropriated to that doctrine, we see not.

The latter part of this discourse, whereby its author aimeth to exclude the doctrine hitherto asserted by us, from any claim laid to usefulness for the promotion of godliness, is either a mistake of it, through ignorance of the opinion he hath undertaken to oppose, or a wilful perverting of it, contrary to his own science and conscience. Is that the doctrine you oppose? Is it so proposed by those who through grace have laboured to explain and vindicate it? Doth not the main weight of the doctrine turn on this hinge, that God hath promised to his saints, true believers, such supplies of the Spirit and grace, as that they shall never degenerate unto such loose and profane courses, as are destructive to godliness? Doubtless that doctrine is of a most spotless untainted innocency, which its adversaries dare not venture to strangle, before they have violently and treacherously deflowered it.

And thus Mr. Goodwin leaveth his arguments in the dust, like the ostriches' eggs under the feet of men, to be trampled on with ease.

The residue of this discourse onwards to the next argument, being spent in the answering of pretended objections, put in against himself in the behalf of the doctrine of perseverance, not at all called out by the import of his present arguments and discourses, I might pass them over: but inasmuch as that which is spoken thereunto, tendeth to the farther clearing of what formerly hath been evidenced, concerning the suitableness of the doctrine contended for, unto the promotion of holiness, I shall farther consider what he draweth forth on this occasion. Sect. 33. he giveth us an objection; and a fourfold answer thereunto, pp. 333—335,

That which he calleth an objection he layeth down in these words:

*If it be objected and said: yea, but assurance of the unchangeableness of God's love towards him that is godly, is both a more effectual and persuading motive unto godliness, and more encouraging to a persevering in godliness, than a doubtfulness or uncertainty, whether God will be constant in his affection, to such a man or no; certainty of reward is more encouraging unto action, than uncertainty.'

Ans. If any one hath been so weak, as to make use of this plea in behalf of that doctrine it seemeth to defend (which I scarcely believe), it will, I doubt not, be an easy task to undertake, that he shall be no more admitted, or entertained, as an advocate in this cause. The assurance of the unchangeableness of God's love to them that are godly, is but one part of the doctrine in hand, and that such as may perhaps be common to it with that which is brought into competition with it. It is the assurance of the unchangeableness of God's love to a man, to keep him up to godliness, to preserve him in that state and condition of holiness to the end, and of the certainty of the continuance of the love of God unto him, on that account and in that way, that is that great gospel motive to obedience, wherein, as its peculiar, our doctrine glorieth, as hath formerly been manifested. Perhaps Mr. Goodwin doth not think, that any man is bound to lay more blocks in his own way, than he judgeth himself well able to remove; and therefore he framed that objection so, that he might be sure to return at least a specious answer thereunto, and this he attempteth accordingly, and telleth us in his first paragraph three things:

1. That the doctrine teaching the saints' defection, doth also maintain the unchangeableness of the love of God, to them that are godly.'

Ans. But what love (I pray you) is that, which when it might prevent it, will yet suffer those godly ones, to become such ungodly villains and wretches, as that it shall be utterly impossible for the Lord to continue his love to them? Is the love you mention indeed a love to their persons, or only an approbation of their duties and qualifications? If the first, whence is it that God ceaseth at any time to love them? Doth he change, and alter his love like the sons of men? Why,