sists our separation from that love, that Christ bears us? How is it caused, or may it be procured? Is it not by the loss of our faith and love to him? Or at least is it not an inseparable consequence thereof? Or can it possibly come to pass any otherwise, than on that account? If then he intercedes that we may not be separated from that love he bears us, and that love infers the continuance of ours, doth he not withal intercede, that we may never lose that love, wherewith we love him, by which we continue in his love? If the old shift be not at hand for a relief, this young part of the answer will instantly suffer loss. It is added therefore, 'he loveth us, as we are saints and abide in his love,' that is (for so we must understand it), whilst we are so; for that he bears any effectual love to us, to keep us up to saintship, that is denied; it is true, Christ loveth us as saints, and as abiding in his commandments; but it is also his love to keep us, and he intercedeth that we may abide in that condition, wherein alone it is impossible for us so to do: neither is the question, whether sin, looseness, profaneness, do not separate between God and men, more or less; but whether believers shall not be preserved from such looseness and profaneness, as would make a total separation between God and them; and if God intercedes, as is added in the close, that nothing may make him an enemy to us, certainly he must intercede that no sin may do it; for indeed, sin is something in this business; and this must be, as to the keeping us from it. I suppose no man thinks any thing in all this discourse of Mr. Goodwin's, to look like the least attempt of proof, that Christ doth not intercede for the perseverance of saints. Neither hath he confidence enough positively to deny it, and therefore spends his whole discourse hereabout in evasions and diversions. Let it be directly denied, that Christ doth not intend that the faith of believers may not fail, that his saints may be preserved and saved; and we know what we have to apply ourselves unto: and if the contrary cannot be proved, the saints know what they have to trust unto, that they may no longer lean on that which will yield them no supportment. If this will not be, let it on the other hand be granted, that he doth so intercede; for, 'de unoquoque affirmare, aut negare, verum est."' As to this then he proceeds:

Secondly, 'Were it granted, that part of Christ's intercession for his saints, is, that their faith may never fail, yet the intent thereof would not necessarily, nor indeed with any competent probability, be this, that no sin nor wickedness whatsoever, that shall or can be perpetrated by them, might cause them to make shipwreck of their faith, but rather that God would graciously vouchsafe such means and such a presence of his Spirit unto them, as whereby they may be richly enabled, to keep themselves in faith and good conscience, to the end.'

Ans. Whether prejudiced men will grant it or no, it is clearly proved, if the words of Christ themselves may be taken for proof, that he intercedes for his saints, that their faith may not fail, and that, notwithstanding the interposition of any such sins, as they can or may (suppositis supponendis,' amongst which is his intercession) fall into; so he tells Peter upon the prediction of his dreadful fall, that nevertheless he had prayed for him, that his faith should not fail. That they may fall into such sins, and continue in such, as are inconsistent with their acceptation with God, according to the terms and tenor of the new covenant, is that, which we have been disproving all this while; and which our author ought not, as he doth in all his reasonings, to suppose; in the not failing or dying of their faith, in their preservation therein, is included their deliverance from the perpetration of the sins intimated, or at least from such a manner of committing any sin, as should utterly separate them from God. It is the continuance of a living faith, that Christ prays for; and where that is, there will be works of new obedience: and there will be the work of that faith, in purifying the heart, and mortifying of the sins supposed. Farther, the way here prescribed and limited to the Lord Jesus, how he shall intercede for his, and for what, viz. not for actual perseverance, and continuance in the faith, to be wrought in them by the exceeding greatness of the power of God, but for means to enable them to preserve themselves, we are persuaded he walks not in; and that much upon this account, that the way whereby God begins and carries on believers, in the way of faith and obedience, is not by such a supply of means, as leaves them to themselves to work and effect the things, for which they are so sup

plied; but he himself 'works in them to will and to do of his own good pleasure, fulfilling in them all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power,' giving them all their sufficiency, and preserving them by his power, through faith unto salvation; to make faith, and perseverance therein, to follow such a supply of means; as leaves the production of them to the power of the wills of men, so that after God hath done all that on his part is to be done or performed, that is, quickened them being dead, giving them new hearts and spirits, shone into their minds, to give them the knowledge of his glory in the face of his Son, &c. it is yet uncertain, whether ever faith shall be wrought in their souls or no, or rather, whether men so supplied with means will believe and persevere, or no, is an assertion, that will never be proved to eternity; nor, whilst truth is truth, is it capable of proof. The granting of such means, and such a presence of his Spirit, that men may be enabled to work for themselves,' is an expression exceedingly unsuited to all the promises of the new covenant; whatever either of the Spirit of grace, or the means of it, is given out to believers, Christ intercedes that his Father would keep them, not that they should keep themselves: he was too well acquainted with our frame, and our temptations, to desire we might be our own keepers; God forbid we should be left to our own preservation, to the hand of our own counsel and power, though compassed with all the supposed sufficient means; that may be not eventually effectual; God creates a defence upon our glory, and doth not leave it to our own safeguarding. Our salvation is not in our own custody; that the Father doth not keep us, or preserve us, that the Son doth not intercede, that we may be so preserved, that the Spirit doth not make us meet for, and keep us unto the inheritance of the saints in light, but that, in the use of means we are, as Adam was, our own keepers, are some of the principles of that new way of administering consolation to believers, which Mr. Goodwin hath found out. This then is the utmost, which Mr. Goodwin will allow to be (for disputation sake, not that he really believes it) granted, that Christ intercedes for his saints, as to their continuance and preservation in that condition, viz. That God would give them such means, as they may use, or not use, at their

liberty, which may be effectual, or not effectual, as their own wills shall choose to make use of them, which he also takes for granted, to be common to all the world, and not to be peculiar unto believers.

But it is farther argued, 'If Christ should simply and absolutely intercede, that no sin or wickedness whatsoever, may destroy the faith of any true believer, and consequently deprive him of salvation, should he not hereby become that, which the apostle rejects with indignation, as altogether unworthy of him, I mean, a minister of sin? Is, therefore, Christ the minister of sin? God forbid; or whereby, or wherein, can it lightly be imagined, that Christ should become a minister of sin, rather than by interceding with his Father, that such and such men, how vile and abominable soever they shall become, may yet be precious in his sight, and receive a crown of righteousness from his hand? Or doth not such an intercession, as some men put upon him, as they who make him to intercede simply and absolutely for the perseverance of believers in their faith, amount to an intercession of every whit as vile and unworthy import as this?'

Ans. That this is the tenor of Christ's intercession with his Father, for men, Let them become as vile as they will, how vile and abominable soever, yet that they may be still precious in his sight, and that he would give them a crown of righteousness,' Mr. Goodwin knoweth full well, not to be the doctrine of them he opposeth; if he shall otherwise affirm, it will be incumbent on him to produce some one author, that hath wrote about this doctrine, in what language soever, and so stated it; if he be ignorant, that this is not their doctrine, he ought not to have engaged into an opposition thereof: if he argue that it is otherwise, this procedure is unworthy of him. That Christ intercedes for his saints, that they may be kept from all such sins, as would separate them from the love and favour of his Father, for which there is no remedy provided in the covenant of grace, and that their faith may not fail or perish under such sins, as they may through temptation fall into, is the doctrine which he opposeth, or at least ought to oppose, to make good his undertaking; now if this be so, then,' saith he, 'is Christ the minister of sin.' Why so? He sees and foretels

that Peter should deny him thrice, yet he prays, that Peter's faith may not fail under that sin and wickedness: is he, therefore, a minister of sin? because he intercedes that his saints may not be given up to the power of sin, nor every time they are assaulted, lie conquered by sin; is he, therefore, a minister of sin? or rather a deliverer from sin? That very thing, which Mr. Goodwin affirms would make him a minister of sin, he affirms himself to do in the case of Peter; how he will free himself from this charge and imputation, ipse viderit.

2. What it is to intercede simply and absolutely for believers, that they may continue believing, we are not so clear in; Christ intercedes, that they may be preserved by the power of his Father, in and through the use of those means, which he graciously affords them, and the powerful presence of the Spirit of God with them therein; and that, not on any such absurd and foolish conditions, that they may be so preserved by his Father, provided they preserve themselves, and continue believers, on condition they continue to believe; and if this be of a vile and unworthy import, the gospel is so too, and one of the most eminent graces, that is inwrapped in the new covenant, is so too.

What there is farther in Mr. Goodwin, sect. 34. pp. 249, 250. unto this argument, is either a mere repetition of what was spoken before, or a pressing of consequences upon such supposals, as he is pleased to make, concerning the doctrine that he doth oppose; as we cannot hinder any man from making what supposals they please, and suiting inferences to them, manifesting their skill in casting down what themselves set up, so we are not in the least concerned in such theatrical contests.

What it is, that we teach of the intercession of Christ for believers, hath been sufficiently explained; the end and aim of it is, that they may be kept, that they may not be lost, that the evil one may not touch them, that they may be saved to the utmost, and kept by the power of God unto salvation; all that the Lord Jesus hath for his church, either by his oblation, or his intercession, procured, or doth procure, being made out unto them by the holy and blessed Spirit, which he sent them from his Father, as the first-fruits of his undertaking for them, by and in the use of such means