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men whose judgments are not turned upside down with prejudice to determine.'

1. Sundry things might be observed from the text, to render this discourse altogether useless, as to the end for which it is produced: as 1. That sundry copies, ver. 13. instead of oλws read ỏλiyov, who almost, or in a little way or measure, so escaped as is said. 2. That it is not said, that those who are so escaped may apostatize; it is said, indeed, that the false prophets and teachers, deλɛàLovoi do lay baits for them, as the fisher doth for the fish that he would take, by proposing unto them a liberty, as to all manner of impurity and uncleanness, but that in so doing, they prevail over them is not affirmed. 3. The conditional expression, ver. 20. may be used in reference to the false prophets, and not to them that are said to escape the pollutions of the world;" and if to them, that nothing can be argued from thence, hath plentifully upon several occasions been already demonstrated: but to suffer Mr. B. to leap over all these blots in his entrance, and to take the words in his own sense and connexion; I say,

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1. In what large and improper sense, such persons as we treat of, are termed hypocrites, hath been declared. Those who pretend to be godward, what they knew themselves not to be, making a pretence of religion, to colour and countenance them in vice and vicious practises, or sensual courses, wherein they allow and bless themselves, we intend not: but such as in some sincerity, under the enjoyment and improvement of gifts and privileges, do or may walk conscientiously, as Paul before his conversion, and yet are not unitedto Christ.

2. Of these we say, that they may so escape, &c. but that sound believers, may wallow in all manner of sinfulness, and defile themselves with all manner of pollutions, we say not: nor will any instance given amount to the height and intendment of those expressions, they being all alleviated by sundry considerations, necessarily to be taken in with that of their sinning.

3. If we may compare the worst of a saint, with the best of a formal professor, and make an estimate of the states and conditions of them both, we may cast the ballance on the wrong side.

4. We do say that Simon Peter was a believer when he denied Christ, and Simon Magus a hypocrite, and in the bond of iniquity, when it was said he believed. We do say, that a man may be alive notwithstanding many wounds and much filth upon him, and a man may be dead, without either the one or the other, in that eminently visible manner. adds,

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2. The persons here spoken of, are said to have, ovrws, truly and really escaped from those, who live in error. Doubtless a hypocrite cannot be said, truly or really, but in shew or appearance at most, to have made such an escape (I mean from men who live in error), considering that for matter of reality and truth, remaining in hypocrisy, he lives in one of the greatest and foulest errors that is.'

The whole force of this second exception, lies upon the ambiguity of the term 'hypocrite;' though such as pretend religion, and the worship of God, to be a colour and pretext for the free and uncontroled practising of vile abominations, may not be said so to escape it, yet such as these we have before described, with their convictions, light, gifts, duties, good conscience, &c. 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, cannot upon any tolerable account, either of reason or common sense, be said to be allured (i. e. by allurements to be deceived) or overcome 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 by a bait held to her.'

Ans. But he that hath been so far prevailed upon by the preaching of the word, as to relinquish and renounce the practices of uncleanness; wherein he sometime 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 thereunto, which he had entertained, that in its own nature tended to a better end.

4. Says he, Hypocrites are nowhere said, neither can they with any congruity to Scripture phrase, be said to have escaped the pollutions of the world through the acknowledgment (for so the word kriyvwois should be translated) of Jesus Christ, the acknowledgment of the truth, and so of Christ and of God, constantly in the Scriptures, importing a sound and saving work of conversion: as we lately observed in this chap. sect. 20.'

Ans. It sufficeth that the thing itself intimated, is sufficiently revealed in the Scriptures, and confirmed by the examples of all those who have acknowledged the truth of the word to the putting on a form of godliness, though they come not up to the power or saving practice of it; and truly I cannot but 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, &c.

Mr. Goodwin shuts up this chapter with a declaration concerning the usefulness 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, 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 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.

OF THE

MORTIFICATION OF SIN

IN

BELIEVERS:

THE

NECESSITY, NATURE, AND MEANS OF IT:

WITH A RESOLUTION OF

SUNDRY CASES OF CONSCIENCE,

THEREUNTO BELONGING.

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