A discourse of the true nature of the Gospel demonstrating that it is no new law, but a pure doctrine of grace : in answer to the Reverend Mr. Lorimer's Apology / by Tho. Goodwin ...

CHAP. I. (Book 1)

The general Design of this Discourse, is not to promote Controversies, or to propagate Quarrels, but to maintain the Truths of the Gospel in their first native Purity. The State of the Question concerning the Gospel's being a Law.

I Am so far from inventing, or defending any new dividing Opini∣ons, to trouble the Peace of the Churches, that I heartily lament the fatal Disturbances which are produced by them; and instead of fomenting the prevailing Heat of our Contentions, or blowing a Fire which is but too great, I would willingly contribute all my poor Endeavours to quench the Flames. It is not therefore out of an hu∣mour of Disputing that I engage in this Debate, nor to promote the In∣terest of a Party: I know no Interest, and by the Grace of God will never espouse any, but that of Christ and his Gospel. It is an apprehen∣sion of the Injury offered to this, which is the Motive of my undertaking its Defence. It is the Interest of wronged Truth that I assert, which all who love, have indispensable Obligations to vindicate. It is the pure Gospel, by so many various Attaques assaulted, that I stand to guard; and which being Eternal, tho it may be invaded, yet can never be op∣press'd nor sink for want of Support, tho my Strength prove unequal to so great a Performance. It is that Gospel which was taught by our

Lord Christ, and his Apostles, which was own'd in the first and best Ages of the Primitive Church, and is now professed in all the Confessions of Faith of the Reformed; which not all the Arts, and Power, neither of Rome Heathen, nor which is worse, Antichristian, were able to extir∣pate; which not two Ages ago was recovered out of the Darkness of Antichrist by the first Reformers, and vigorously asserted by them, against all the Subtleties and cunning Evasions, both of Papists and others, to shift off the Force of Truth; and is from those our worthy Ancestors of the Protestant Religion deliver'd down to us; which was seal'd by the Blood of Martyrs, which was maintained against all the Powers of the Earth arm'd for its Ruin; and is, and will be (I doubt not) by a greater Power preserved to survive the Ashes of the World, though it is in more danger of being betray'd by its pretended Friends, than ever it was of being conquered by an open War of its declared Enemies.a 1.1 And indeed the Antichristian Party gain a grea∣ter Advantage by Protestants starting such new Opinions, which seem to favour their Errors, than ever they could by their open and undis∣guised opposition to the Truth. For not to debate whether the Jesuits have not a great Hand in promoting these Controversies, who can easily turn themselves into all Shapes to gain their Ends; yet 'tis certain they rejoice, and triumph in our Dissentions; where, whatever the Success be, they are sure of an Advantage. For if these Erroneous Doctrines of Justification prevail among the People, they are brought so much the nearer to Popery; or, if Truth prove victorious, as (I do not at all doubt) it will in the End, yet by the first starting these disputable Opi∣nions, a hopeful Union among Protestants is broken, and those troublers of Israel have shattered us to pieces, and may bring us within a Point of our Ruin; and so what they unsuccessfully attempted by Power and Per∣secution, they will effect (if God doth not avert) by our own sad Divi∣sions.

It is this oppos'd Gospel which I love and value above all things, and by the help of my Lord Jesus Christ, I will defend its pure Truths en∣tire and unmangled. And as it is this Gospel which teaches me not to treat any of its Ministers with insolent Contempt, however I may differ from him, in my Sentiments, so I will endeavour to observe its Dictates, in avoiding all base and scurrilous Reflections (being but the Follies of an im∣potent

Passion) when I write for those Truths which are calm, peaceful, and gentle, Jam. 3. 17. And indeed ever since the Light of common Rea∣son began to dawn upon my Mind, as well as since God gave me a greater, I always abhorr'd that Method of managing Controversies in Religion, wherein Arguments are mingled with Invectives, and the De∣ficiences of Reason made up with Calumnies and Reproaches. Tho the double injury done both to Truth, and my Friend, the one of which is equally insulted with an haughty fierceness, as the other is openly af∣fronted, might tempt a Man of the greatest Moderation to some passio∣nate Resentments; yet nothing shall move me from my fixed Resolution of not being angry. I write not from an Humour of Strife, nor for Pride and vain Glory, but for Truth, and therefore shall concern my self no further than I find that to be interested; which if I thought to be on my Learned Brother's Side, I should be so far from contesting it with him, that I would join in the Defence. This Truth lies between us, and should not be lost in a crowd of angry Words; tho this is the Fault of most Disputes in Religion, and is a Reproach to what we all profess, that when Philosophers and Heathens discours'd their different Opinions with a Calmness of Mind, we Christians, for whom our Great Lord died, that God might be reconciled to us, and we to one another, are inflamed with all Passions, because we do not think and speak the same Things. We every one of us dispute, because we think we are in the right, when we so order the loud Disputation, that Truth which speaks softly cannot be heard, its still Voice being drowned in the Cla∣mour of our Contentions. Now then that nothing may disturb a Sere∣nity of Mind, which ought to be in a Person who argues not for In∣terest, but purely for the Truth, I shall only consider in my Reve∣rend Brother's Discourse, what carries the Face and Appearance of Reason, without suffering my Thoughts to be diverted or rufled by his Invectives. In a Word, I will not change a Defensive War for the com∣mon Interests of our Christian Religion, into a private Quarrel, since it is not any Man's Person, but the Truth which I have undertaken to vin∣dicate. And indeed the Reputation for Piety and Learning of those whom he insults, is so glorious, that any Attempt to defend them is al∣together needless. As for Bradwardine and Dr. Owen, on whom he is pleas'd to bestow some disadvantageous Remarks, they are so great Names, and have deservedly obtain'd such an high Esteem among Men, that they are equally above his little Reflections, as beyond any Endeavours I can imploy for their Vindication. They are both known Champions against two the most malignant Heresies which ever infected the Church, Pela∣gianism, (to which that of the Arminians is very nearly related) and

Socinianism. And as for Mr. Marshal, that very Book which our Au∣thor so much vilifies, discovers a pious Heart, joined with a closeness and consistency of Thought. And all who know that other worthy Per∣son, against whom his Passion is more furiously fired, must give his Cha∣racter very different from that, by which, with an unsuccessful attempt of Wit, he endeavours to represent him. But as in Debates of Reli∣gion, all little Efforts of Wit (if I had any) would be very unsuta∣ble and impertinent; I shall only seriously argue the Cause in question by Scripture and Reason, since also I do not think that People are oblig'd to mispend their Time to read long Discourses, to entertain themselves unprofitably with those personal Reflections, with which such are usual∣ly stuff'd, more than with Arguments; since it doth not concern them to know, whether such or such a Man be so wise and so rational as he is ap∣prehended to be, or silly and ridiculous, but only what is Truth, and the Danger of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in the Faith, which may be clear'd to them in very few words: I 〈◊〉〈◊〉 accordingly study brevity and plainness as much as ever I can; and shall reduce my following Discourse to as narrow a Compass as possible, and so consider in that of the Learned Mr. Lorimer no more than what seems most to the Purpose. I will not at all affect Niceties, or subtile Evasions; and indeed any Opinion which needs them, and I know not how many perplexing Distinctions to maintain it, may very well be suspected: for Truth never seeks Corners to hide in, nor can endure to be set in a false Light, but loves to appear in its pure native Brightness. And it is our Duty, who by Office and Commission, as Ministers of Christ, are to teach the Gospel to the People, that we do not scatter Mists about them, as if throwing Dust in their Eyes was the way to clear their Sight; that we do not amuse them with new Terms fetch'd from the Civil Law, and make it necessary for them to study Justinian, Bartolus, and Cujacius; to read the Pandects and the Codes, that they may know how they are justified. This, instead of instructing, would be to confound those whom we are to lead into the Truth, by the clearest Expressions of God's Holy Word, and to inform them in the plainest manner that we can.

What I have proposed to my self to debate in the present Discourse, is, Whether the Gospel be a new Law? Without multiplying words, which doth but obscure the clearness of Things, the Question in dispute is not, Whether the Gospel be a new Law, if by that Word is meant a Doctrine of Grace newly reveal'd, after the Covenant of Works was broken, wherein God hath declared in what Order and Manner he will save guilty condemned Sinners. If by a new Law no more is meant than this, it is presently granted, and the Controversy is at an end. What

is denied is this, That the Gospel is a Law commanding new Precepts, as Conditions of obtaining its Blessings, and established with a Sancti∣on, promising Life and Happiness to the observance of them, and threatning the Neglect.

Tho according to the Laws of a Discourse, I should first urge Argu∣ments to prove, that the Gospel is not such a Law; yet my first Design being to answer the Reverend Mr. Lorimer's Apology, I shall first shew how little to his Purpose he eagerly catches at the word Law, where∣ever he can meet with it in the Scriptures, or in the Writings of Men.

And first I shall demonstrate, that where-ever the Gospel is nam'd a Law, either in the Old or New Testament, only a Doctrine of Grace is to be understood by it.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Credita Res, capti{que} dolis, Lachrymis{que} coactis, Quos ne{que} Tydides, nec Larissaeus Achilles, Non Anni domuere decem, non mille Carinae. Virgil. Aeneid. l. 2. V. 196.