A Vindication of Free Grace, Introduction – Errata
A Breviate of ſuch ſpecial proceedings with Mr John Goodwin as may ſufficiently evince the neceſsity of publiſhing the ſequell.
NOt to mention the former paſſages being Epitomized in the beginning of the enſuing Reply; I diverſe moneths paſt, deſired him to take ſome time to examine this matter, and having his promiſe that I ſhould have notice of his firſt leiſure, I contented my ſelf her with for ſundry moneths: after which I renued my former requeſt, Jan. 2. 1644. whereto receiving this Anſwer, that I ſhould have notice of his firſt leiſure, by Mr John Price, I contented my ſelf with this alſo, till neceſſity forced me to commend to him this following Motion.
Sir,
THe drift of your laſt words to me (Jan. 2. 1644.) being to put me in expectation of your pre-fixing a time for your peruſing my Reply to your Sermon, which time you promiſed to make known to my Loving friend Mr John Price, I accordingly expected the ſame, and notwithſtanding my knowledge of his long abſence from London, I was deſirous to forbear the renuing of my deſire till his return; but there is ſuch an alteration now in hand, touching my proper conditiou, as that I am neceſſitated without any delay to addreſſe my ſelf to you, humbly deſiring your peruſall of the ſaid Reply: And that both becauſe the next week will be inconvenient becauſe of the Faſt, and alſo that I conceive that my condition afterwards will not permit any longer delay. My deſire therefore is, That you would be pleaſed to take ſome time this week for view thereof, that I may know your mind concerning this matter; Of which I pray be pleaſed to return a certain Anſwer to my loving friend Mr William Milner, whom I make bold withall at the preſent, becauſe I have a buſineſſe of much importance to tranſact this day; and if I may understand that you will pick out a time this week, ſo as that I may know your mind in it, I ſhall this morning bring or ſend the Reply to you, ſealed up: Otherwiſe I conceive I muſt neceſſarily conſider upon ſome way of Vindicating the truth, whether by publiſhing, or otherwiſe, whereto craving your Anſwer, I reſt
Coleman-ſtreet Feb. 18. 1644.
for Mr John Goodwin.
Yours in humility, truth, & love. SAM. LANE.
IN Anſwer whereto he prefixed next Thurſday's Even, Feb. 20. the day before which I meeting him deſired him to diſpence with mine abſence the time prefixed, becauſe of ſome ſpeciall occaſions, and in lieu of my comming, to accept of ſome friends to be with him, whereto he willingly conſenting; accordingly Mr. Thomas Weaver and another ſpeciall friend of mine were preſent, and read a good part of the Reply: whereto the ſubſtance of his Anſwer was, The he did not hold, nor go about to prove that God is bound to give g… upon mans endeavours.
Which Anſwer ſo expreſly denying the direct tendency of the firſt errour oppoſed, and of the following Sermon (both ſtrictly concerning naturall mens power towards attaining grace) puts me out of all expectation of his publike Vindication of that truth, which he thus denies to have at all oppoſed. Now foraſmuch as the firſt enſuing Letter, though privately commended, hath occaſioned the publike preaching of the Sermon following, wherein the Covenant of Free-Grace is bitterly reproached; there appears hence a great neceſſity of publike vindication thereof. And yet for a more orderly juſtification, I ſhall declare, firſt, ſuch teſtimonies as evidence Mr John Goodwins maintaining that errour: ſecondly, why his maintaining thereof ſhould be publikely mentioned.
The firſt of which particulars refers to two things,
1. The Teſtimonies concerning his firſt delivery of that errour.
2. Thoſe that concern his Preaching of the enſuing Sermon.
For the former ſort of which Teſtimones, I refer in ſpeciall to the three manuall Teſtimonies ſubſcribed to the extract next enſuing. Which extract twice together containes that errour. Beſides which I commended two Coppies more of the ſame extract to the peruſall of Mr Thomas Weaver, and Mr Thomas Ruddyard, two known exact writers, who both teſtified, That they found thoſe Coppies to be the ſubstance of what he then delivered. Yea Mr Goodwin himſelf immediately after his Preaching the following Sermon told me he had read the firſt letter enſuing, (which chargeth him with that errour) not diſclaiming any jot thereof. All which Teſtimonies may be lookt upon not meerly as ſufficient, but alſo as ſuperfluous, if we obſerve the enſuing Sermon, in which the ſame errour is three times repeated, as in the Reply is after declared.
And touching the Teſtimonies concerning the enſuing Sermon; Though I could not obtain Mr Goodwins own Coppie, which I deſired of him, yet I obtained a Coppie from Mr Tho. Ruddyard; one, who by Mr Goodwins Teſtimony to me, was affirmed to be a very exact writer: Of which Coppie though I could not obtain Mr Goodwins Examination, which I alſo deſired; yet I obtained the examinaned of two exact writers, whoſe ſubſcribed Teſtimonies are hereafter affixed to that Sermon: Yea, I had alſo the verball Teſtimonies of Mr John Price, and Mr Henry Brandrift, who upon peruſall affirmed, that they found it to be the ſame that Mr Goodwin delivered.
The ſecond thing to be proved is the neceſſity of publiſhing his maintaining the ſame. For which, I am not to declare how neceſſary it is that the following errours ſhould be publikely declaimed againſt, too ſadly known to be now moſt rife in this City; but more ſtrictly to ſhew how needfull 'tis to declare according to the enſuing Teſtimonies, Mr Goodwins maintaining the ſame.
Firſt, becauſe his diſputings upon this matter have been highly approved of by many: whereof divers give this Teſtimony, That he hath cut the hair between other Divines and the Arminians. Yea, Mr Goodwin told me he was much deſired to Print his diſputes againſt the Arminians, ſo highly are they eſteemed; in the laſt of which diſputes, the enſuing errour was pleaded for.
But ſecondly, and ſpecially whereas there are (as 'tis conceived) thouſands now amongſt us, who hold that grand errour, That God hath promiſed grace upon mans doing; two of that Sect, diſcourſing with a Reverend Divine of this City, told him, That in holding this Tenent, they held but that which Maſter John Goodwin maintaines, in whom they greatly glory. Now 'tis not eaſie to conceive how great miſchiefe the Preaching and arguing of ſo eminent a perſon for that errour may do to the confirming of men therein, eſpecially if we conſider how highly he hath gratified the maitainers thereof in another way alſo; as namely, by his earneſt pleading for a tolleration of any Sect whatſoever.
Thirdly, I might adde the conſideration of his ſo often preſſing that errour, not onelyonly thee ſeverall Lords dayes, on the laſt of which the enſuing Sermon was wholy ſpent to maintain it; but alſo in ſome of his laſt exerciſes againſt the Arminians, in the laſt whereof the ſaid errour was pleaded for, both by that grand Argument, That God cannot in juſtice deſtroy man for not doing that which is altogether out of his power to do, and alſo that of Adams not having a power to beleeve. Which two Arguments are a great part of the Sermon enſuing: yea further it hath been often acknowledged by a known member of Mr Goodwins Church that about 7. years ago, he Preached the ſame matter, and that then divers able Divines of this City did affirm to Mr Goodwin that he Preached Arminianiſm. Seeing then this errour together with its defenſive Arguments have been with gre…t zeal ſo often inculcated for a more ſure and through diſtilling the ſame into the minds of the hearers, hence its neceſſary not onelyonly to declaim againſt it, but tanquam digito monſtrare, ſo diſtinctly and directly to point it out, as that all ſuch hearers may have peculiar admoniſhment hereof, and that by mentioning the publiſher of it. Beſides which, other grounds might be urged, but I deſire to ſhun further prolixity herein, which nevertheleſſe I thought needfull to glance at, hereby to ſhew that it hath been mine endeavour ſo to fulfill the Law of truth, as not to tranſgreſſe the Law of that Chriſtian reverence and reſpect which is due unto him.
S. L.
An extract of ſome particulars in a Sermon of Mr John Goodwin, of Aprill 12. 1644. which are ſcrupled.
ONe particular whereof was a third motive he gave to naturall men on that Text 1 Cor. 1.3. Which motive was, that if naturall men will but ingage themſelves withall within them to ſeek for this grace, they ſhall ſurely finde it, they ſhall not miſcarry in it; but certainly this grace ſhall be vouchſafed to them; which for proof were alleaged two Texts, Mat. 7.7. & John 6.37. Which was further proſecuted, by anſwering an Objection touching mans being dead in ſins and treſpaſſes: the fi…th part of which anſwer was this. Fifthly, That men that are in ſuch a ſenſe dead in ſins and treſpaſſes, have a naturall life of reaſon, judgement, underſtanding, conſcience, &c. in them: by reaſon of which excellent principles of nature, reaſon, &c. Men are able to ponder upon ſuch wayes & means propounded, and conceive them probable for that work; they are not ſo dead, but if they will gave out themſelves to do, they may do ſuch things whereunto God hath been graciouſly pleaſed to annex a promiſe of grace, there is a power in men to do ſuch things (if they will give it forth & imploy it accordingly) as unto which things God hath by way of promiſe annexed grace and acceptation: for which, beſides thoſe Texts fore-mentioned, ſee Prov. 2.1, 2, 3. & 10.6.27. and ſtrive to enter in at the ſtrait gate.
One Copy whereof ſent Mr. Richard Atkins is thus ſubſcribed.
Sir, For the ſum and ſubstance you have drawn a true draught of that which Maſter Goodwin did deliver.
Yours to command Rich. Alkins.
A ſecond Copy commended to Mr. Laurence Steele is thus ſubſcribed.
I finde nothing in ſubſtance differing from my Copy, ſave only I finde not the two firſt Scriptures in this Sermon, but I ſuppoſe I have them in that before.
L. Steele.
A third Copy commended to Mr. Iohn weeks, is thu… ſubſcribed.
Sir, I have peruſed this, and finde it in the main to agree with mine, only it was delivered in more full expreſſions.
Yours John Weeks.
Which 3. Teſtimonies, as alſo thoſe two affixed to the enſuing Sermon, are left with Michael Spark ſenior, leaſt any calumniate the truth in the Authors abſence.
Errat.
Page 56. line 7. for Goſpel reade groſſeſt.