say hath Everlastingly Purposed to give and doth actually give his Holy Spirit to Believers to put forth such an exceeding greatnesse of Power as whereby in the use of meanes they shall certainely be preserved to Salvation This God can doe saies our Author This Concession being made by the Remonstrants in their Synodalia Mr Goodwin I presume thought it but duty to be as free as his Predecessors and therefore consented unto it also although it be an axe laid at the root of almost all the Arguments he sets up against the Truth as shall hereafter be farther manifested I draw now to a close of those places §. 55. which among many other omitted tender themselves unto the proofe of the stable unchangeable Purpose of God concerning the safe-garding and preservation of Believers in his Love and unto Salvation I shall mention one or two more and close this second Scripturall Demonstration of the Truth in hand The first is that eminent place of Ephes. 1. 3 4 5. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spirituall blessings in heavenly places in Christ according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the World that we should be holy and without blame before him in Love having Predestinated us unto the adoption of Children by Jesus Christ to himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will verse 3. the Apostle summarily blesseth God for all the spirituall mercies which in Jesus Christ he blesseth his Saints withall of all which v. 4. he discovereth the fountaine and spring which is his free choosing of them before the foundation of the World That an Eternall Act of the Will of God is hereby designed is beyond dispute and it is that foundation of God on which the whole of the building mentioned and pourtraid in the following verse is laid All the Grace and Favour of God towards his Saints in their Justification Adoption and Glory all the fruits of the Spirit which they enjoy in Faith and Sanctification flow from this one fountaine and these the Apostle describes at large in the verses following The ayme of God in this eternall and unchangeable Act of his Will he tells us is that we should be unblameable before him in Love Certainly cursed Apostats backsliders in Heart in whom his soule takes no pleasure are very farre from being unblameable before God in Love Those that are within the compasse of this Purpose of God must be preserved unto that State and Condition which God aimes to bring them unto by all the fruit and issues of that Purpose of his which was pointed at before A Scripture of the like importance unto that before named is 2 Thess. 2. 13 14. God hath from the beginning chosen you to Salvation through Sanctification of the Spirit and beliefe of the Truth whereunto he calls you by our Gospel to the obtaining of the Glory of the Lord Jesus The same fountaine of all spirituall and eternall mercy with that mentioned in the other place is here also expressed and that is Gods choosing of us by an everlasting Act or Designing us to the end intended by a Free Eternall Unchangeable Purpose of his Will Secondly The end aimed at by the Lord in that Purpose is here more clearely set downe in a twofold Expression 1. Of Salvation v 13. He hath chosen us to Salvation that 's the thing which he aimed to accomplish for them and the End he intended to bring them to in his choosing of them and 2 ly v 14. The Glory of the Lord Jesus or the obtaining a portion in that Glory which Christ purchased and procured for them with their being with him to behold his Glory And 3 ly You have the meanes whereby God will certainly bring about and accomplish this his designe and Purpose whereof there are three most eminent Acts expressed 1. Vocation or their calling by the Gospel v 14. 2. Sanctification v 13. through the Sanctification of the Spirit And 3. Justification which they receive by beliefe of the Truth Thus much then is wrapt up in this Text God having in his Unchangeable Purpose fore-appointed his to Salvation and Glory certainly to be obtained through the effectuall working of the Spirit free justification in the Blood of Christ it cannot be but that they shall be preserved unto the enjoyment of what they are so designed unto To summe up what hath been spoken from these Purposes of God § 56. to the Establishment of the Truth we have in hand Those whom God hath purposed by effectuall meanes to preserve to the enjoyment of Eternall Life and Glory in his Favour and Acceptation can never so fall from his Love or be so cast out of his Grace as to come short of the end designed or ever be totally rejected of God The Truth of this proposition depends upon what hath been said and may farther be insisted on concerning the unchangeablenesse and Absolutenesse of the Eternall Purposes of God the Glory whereof men shall never be able Sacrilegiously to robbe him of Thence the Assumption is concerning all true Believers and truly sanctified persons are these Purposes of God that they shall be so preserved to such ends c. as hath been abundantly proved by an induction of particular instances and therefore it is impossible they should ever be so cast out of the Favour of God as not to be infallibly preserved to the End Which is our Second Demonstration of the Truth in hand CAP. IV. 1. An entrance into the Consideration of the Covenant of Grace and our Argument from thence for the Unchangeablenesse of the Love of God unto Believers 2. The intendment of the ensuing discourse 3. Gen. 17. 3. opened and explained with the confirmation of the Argument in hand from thence 4. That Argument vindicated and cleared of Objections 5. Confirmed by some observations 6. Ierem. 32. v. 38 39 40. compared with Cap. 31. v. 32 33. The Truth under consideration from thence clearely confirmed 7. The certainty immutability and infallible accomplishment of all the Promises of the New Covenant demonstrated 1. From the removall of all causes of Alteration 2. From the Mediator and his undertaking therein 3. From the Faithfulnesse of God 8. One instance from the former considerations 9. The indeavour of M. G. to Answer our Argument from this place 10. His observation on from the Text considered 1. This promise not made to the Jewes only 2. Nor to all the Nation of the Jewes proved from Rom. 11 3. not intending principally their deliverance from Babylon 11. His inferences from his former observations weighed 1. The Promise made to the body of the People of the Jewes Typically only 2. An Exposition borrowed of Socinus Rejected 3. The Promise not appropriated to the time of the Captivity and the disadvantage ensuing to M. G. cause upon such an Exposition 12. The place insisted on compared with Ezek. 11. 17 18 19
that Believers receive the spirit of Adoption to cry Abba Father which being a worke within them cannot be wrought and effected by Adoption it selfe which is an extrinsicall Relation Neither can Adoption and the Spirit of Adoption be conceived to be the same He also farther affirmes it 1 Cor 2. 12. we have received the spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are freely given us of God We have so received him as that he abides with us to teach us to acquaint our hearts with Gods dealing with us bearing witnesse with our spirits to the condition wherein we are in reference to our Favour from God and Acceptation with him and the same he most distinctly asserts Gal. 4. 6. God hath sent forth the spirit of his Sonne into our hearts crying Abba Father The distinct Oeconomy of the Father Sonne and Spirit in the work of Adoption is clearly discovered He is sent sent of God that is the Father That name is Personally to be appropriated when it is distinguished as here from Sonne and Spirit That is the Fathers work that work of his Love he sends him He hath sent him as the spirit of his Sonne procured by him for us promised by him to us proceeding from him as to his personall subsistence and sent by him as to his office of Adoption and Consolation Then whether the Father hath sent the spirit of his Sonne where he is to abide and make his residence is expressed it is into our Hearts saith the Apostle there he dwells and abides And lastly what there he doth is also manifested he setts them on worke in whom he is gives them priviledges for it Ability to it Incouragement in it causing them to cry Abba Father Once and againe to Timothy doth the same Apostle assert the same truth 1 Epist. 3. 14. the good thing committed unto thee keep by the Holy Spirit which dwelleth in us The Lord knowing how much of our Life and Consolation depends on this Truth redoubles his Testimony of it that wee might receive it even wee who are dull and slow of heart to believe the things that are written 3. Whereas some may say §. 3. it cannot be denyed but that the Spirit dwels in Believers but yet this is not personally but only by his Grace though I might reply that this indeed and upon the matter is not to distinguish but to deny what is positively affirmed To say the Spirit dwells in us but not the Person of the Spirit is not to distinguish de modo but to deny the thing it selfe To say the Graces indeed of the Spirit are in us not dwell in us for an Accident is not properly said to dwell in its subject but the Spirit it selfe doth not dwell in us is expressly to cast downe what the word sets up If such distinctions ought to be of force to evade so many positive and plaine Texts of Scripture as have been produced it may well be questioned whether any Truth be capable of proofe from Scripture or no. Yet I say farther to obviate such Objections and to prevent all quarrellings for the future the Scripture it selfe as to this businesse of the Spirits indwelling plainely distinguisheth between the Spirit it selfe and his Graces He is I say distinguished from them and that in respect to his indwelling Rom. 5. 5. The Love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost that is given to us The Holy Ghost is given to us to dwell in us as hath been abundantly declared and shall yet farther be demonstrated Here He is mentioned together with the Love of God and his shedding thereof abroad in our Hearts that is with his Graces is as clearely distinguished and differenced from them as Cause and effect Take the Love of God in either sence that is controverted about this place for our Love to God or a sence of his Love to us and it is an eminent Grace of the Holy Spirit If then by the Holy Ghost given unto us yee understand only the Grace of the Holy Ghost He being said to be given because that is given then this must be the sence of the place The Grace of the Holy Ghost is shed abroad in our Hearts by the Grace of the Holy Ghost that is given to us Farther if by the Holy Ghost be meant only his Grace I require what Grace it is hereby the expression intended Is it the same with that expressed the Love of God This were to confound the efficient cause with its effect Is it any other Grace that doth produce the great worke mentioned Let us know what that Grace is that hath this power energie in its hand of shedding abroad the Love of God in our Hearts So Rom. 8. 11. He shall quicken your mortall bodyes by the Spirit that dwelleth in you This quickning of our mortall bodies is generally confessed to be and the scope of the place inforceth that sence our Spirituall quickning in our mortall bodyes mention being made of our bodyes in Analogie to the body of Christ by his death we have life and quickning Donbtlesse then it is a Grace of the Spirit that is intended Yea the habitual principle of all Graces And this is wrought in us by the Spirit that dwelleth in us There is not any Grace of the Spirit whereby he may dwell in men antecedent to his Quickning of them Spirituall Graces have not their residence in dead soules So that this must be the Spirit himselfe dwelling in us that is here intended and that personally or the sence of the words must be The Grace of quickning our mortall bodyes is wrought in us by the Grace of Quickning our mortall bodyes that dwels in us which is plainely to confound the Cause and Effect Besides it is the same Spirit that raised up Jesus from the dead that is intended which doubtlesse was not any inherent Grace but the Spirit of God himselfe working by the exceding greatnesse of his Power Thus much is hence cleared Antecedent in order of nature to our Quickning there is a Spirit given to us to dwell in us Every efficient Cause hath at least the precedency of its effect No Grace of the Spirit is bestowed on us before our Quickning which is the preparation and fitting of the subject for the receiving of them the planting of the Roote that containes them vertually and brings them forth actually in their order Gal. 5. 22. All Graces whatsoever come under the name of the fruit of the Spirit that is which the Spirit in us brings forth as the Roote doth the fruit which in its sodoing is distinct therefrom Many oher instances might be given but these may suffice 4. There is a Personallity ascribed to the Holy Ghost in his dwelling in us and that in such a way §. 4. as cannot be ascribed to any Created Grace which is but a Quality in a subject and this the Scripture doth three wayes 1. In
gloryings even then when the precedency of that which is bestial in this world force and violence outwardly beares them down with insultation and contempt will rather envie then pity you in any contest that on this foot of account you can be engaged in You are not the first that have fought with men after the manner of Beasts nor will be the last who shall need to pray to be delivered from absurd and unreasonable man seeing all men have not faith Men of prophane Atheistical spirits who are ready to say who is the Lord what is the Almighty that we should feare him or his truth that we should regard it whose Generation is of late multiplied on the face of the earth crying a Confederacy with them who professing better things are yet fiâ—â—ed with grievous indignations at the sacrifice that hath been made of their Abominations before their eyes by that Reformation of this place wherein you have been instrumental are a continual goad on the other side and would quickly be a sword in your very bowels were not He that is higher then the highest your dwelling place and refuge in your Generation These are they upon whom God having poured contempt and stain'd their glory who instead of accepting of his dispensations are filled with wrath and labour to make â—then drink of the cup which hath been offered to themselves With their reproaches sleightings undervaluations slanders do your worth diligence integrity labours contend from one end of this earth to the other He that hath delivered doth deliver and in him we trust that he will deliver What other oppositions you do meet or in your progress may meet withal I shall not mention but waite with patience on him who gives men Repentance and chang of Heart to the Acknowledgment of the things that are of him This in the midst of all hath hitherto been a cause of great rejoyoing that God hath graciously kept off ravenous wolves from entring into your flocks where are so many tender lambes and hath not suffered men to arise from amongst your selves speaking perverse things drawing away disciples after them but as he hath given you ac obey from your heart that forme of doctrine which hath been delivered unto you so He hath preserv'd thâ—â— faith amongst you which was once delivered to the Saints Your peculiar designation to the service of the Gospel and defence of the Truth thereof your Abilities for that works your abiding in it notwithstanding the opposition you meet 〈◊〉 in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation are as I sayd before my Incouragements in this address unto you wherein I shall crave leave a little further to communicate my thoughts unto you as to the matter in hand Next to the Son of his love who is the Truth the greatest and most eminent gift that God hath bestowed on the Sons of men and communicated to them is his Truth revealed in his word The knowledge of him his mind and will according to the discovery which he hath made of himselfe from his own bosome having magnified his word above all his name The importance hereof as to the eternal Concernments of the Sons of men either in ignorance refusing and resisting or accepting and embracing of it is that which is owned and lyes as the bottome and foundation of all that we any way engage our selves into in this world wherein we differ from them whose hope perisheth with them Unto an enquiry after and entertainment of this divine and sacred depositum hath God designed the fruit and labour of that wherein we retaine the resemblance of him which whilest we have our being nothing can abolish The mind of man and divine truth are the two most eminent Excellencies wherewith the Lord hath adorned this lower part of his Creation which when they correspond and are brought into conformity with each other the mind being changed into the Image of Truth there is glory added to glory and the whole rendred exceeding glorious By what sutableness and proportion in the things themselves that is between Truth and the mind of man as we are men by what Almighty secret and irresistible power as we are corrupted men our minds being full of darkness and folly this is wrought is not my business now to discuss This is on all hands confessed that setting aside the consideration of the eternal issues of things every mistake of divine Truth every opposition to it or rejection of it or any part of it is so farre a chaining up of the mind under the power of darkness from a progress towards that perfection which it is capable of It is Truth alone that Capacitates any soule to give glory to God or to be truly useful to them who are partakers of flesh and blood with him without being some way serviceable to which end there is nothing short of the fulness of wrath that can be judged so miserable as the Life of a man Easily so much might be delivered on this account as to evince the dread of that judgment whereto some men in the infallibly wise counsel of God are doomed even to the laying out of the labour and travel of their minds to spend their dayes and strength in sore labour in making opposition to this Truth of God Especially is the sadness of this Consideration encreased in reference to them who upon any account what ever do beare forth themselves and are looked upon by others as Guides of the blind as Lights to them that sit in darkness as the Instuctours of the foolish teachers of Babes For a man to set himselfe or to be set by others in a way wherein are many turnings cross pathes some of them leading and tending to places of innumerabâ—e troubles and perhaps death and slaughter undertaking to be a guide to direct them that travel towards the place of their intendments where they would be and where they shall meet with rest for such an one I say to take hold of every one that passeth by and pretending himselfe to be exceeding skilful in all the windings and turnings of those wayes and pathes and to stand there on purpose to give direction if He shall withal his skill and Rhetorick divert them out of the path wherein they have perhaps safly set out and to guide them into those by wayes which will certainly lead them into snares and troubles if not to death it selfe can he spend his time labour and strength in an imployment more to be abhorred or can he designe any thing more desperately mischievous to them whose good and welfare he is bound and promiseth to seek and promote Is any man's condition under heaven more to be lamented or is any man's imployment more perilous then such an ones who being not only endowed with a mind and understanding capable of the Truth and receiving impressions of the will of God but also with distinguishing Abilities and Enlargements for the receiving of greater measures
declared He who hath been esteemed amongst the Ecclesiastical Writers of old to have laboured more and to more purpose in the Doctrine of the Grace of God then all that went before him or any that have followed after him whose renowne in the Church hath been cheifly upheld and maintained upon the account of the blessed paines and labours wherin the Presence of God made him to excel for the depressing the pride of all flesh and the exaltation of the riches of God's love and efficacy of his grace in Jesus Christ wherewith the whole Church in succeeding Ages hath been advantaged beyond what is easy to be expressed That Prosper Hilary Fulgentius and the men of renowne in the Congregation of God at the end of that Age did fall in with their judgments to that which Austine had delivered I suppose will be easily confessed Prosper ad Cap 7. Gal. quomodo eos habeat praeordinata in Christo Electio cum dubium non sit donum Dei esse Perseverantiam in bono usque ad finem quod istos ex io ipso quod non perseverârunt non habuisse manifestum est Also the breaking of the Power and 〈◊〉 of the attempt of Pelagius by sundry Doctors of the Church and Synods to that end assembled whereof Prosper gives us an account reckoning them up in their order and Austine before him Epist 42. 47 with special relation to what was done in Africk and in the begining of his verses De Ingratis with what troubles were raised and created anew to the Champions of the Grace of God by the writings of Cassianus Faustus Vincentius the Masilienses with some others in France and the whole rable of Semi-Pelagians with the fiction of Sigibert about a Predestinarian Heresy whereof there was never any thing in being no not among the Adrumetine Monks where Vossius hoped to have placed it the Councel of Arles the Corruptions and falsifications of Faustus in the business of Lucidus the impositions on Goteschalcus with the light given to that business from the Epistle of Florus have exerciâ—ed the commendable endeavours of so many already that there is not the least need further to insist upon them What entertainment that peculiar Doctrine which I am in the Consideration of found in the following ages is that which I shall further demonstrate After these was Gregory 1 who Lib. 1. Epist 99 speakes to the same purpose with them in these words Redemptor noster Dei hominumque mediator Conditionis Humanae non immemor sic imis summa conjungit ut ipse in unitate permanens ita Temporalia occulto Instinctu piâ consulens moderatione disponat quatenus de ejus manu antiquus Host is nullatenus rapiat quos ante Secula intra Sinum matris Ecclesiae adunandos esse praescivit nam et si quisquam eorum inter quos degit Statibus motus ad Tempus ut palmes titubet radix tamen rectae Fidei quae ex occulto prodit divino judicio virens manet quae accepto Tempore fructum de se ostentare valeat qui latebat This is the summe of what we contend for viz that all those whom God hath predestinated to be added to the Church receiving a saving faith though they may be shaken yet on that account the Root abides firme their Faith never utterly perisheth but in due time brings forth accepted fruits againe And most expressive to our purpose is that discourse of his which you have Lib. 34. Moral Cap. 8 saith He Aurum quod pravis Diaboli persuasionibus quasi lutum sterni potuerit Aurum ante Dei Oculos nunquam fuit qui enim Seduci quandoque non reversuri possunt quasi habitam Sanctitatem ante ocules hominum videntur amittere sed eam ante oculos Dei nunquam habuerunt The Exclusion of those from being True Believers who may be seduced and fall away doth most eminently infer the Perseverance of all Them who are so Adde unto these Oecumenius though he be one of a latter date and those shall suffice for the period of time relating to the Pelagian Controversy saith he in Epist ad Ephes cap. 1. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All is confirmed and Ratified by the earnest of the Spirit that is given to them that believe Of those that lived after the days of the forementioned I meane all of them but the last that I may not cloy the Reader I shall not mention any until the business of Divinity and the profession of it was taken up by the School-men and Canonists who from a mixture of Divine and Homane principles framed the whole body of it anew and gave it over into the possession of the present Romish Church moulded for the most part to the worldly carnal Interests of them on whom they had their Dependency in their several generations But yet as there was none of those but one way or other was eminently conducing to the carrying on of the mystery of Iniquity by depraving perverting and corrupting one Truth or other of the Gospel so all of them did not in all Things equally corrupt their waies but gave some Testimony more or less to some Truths as they received them from those that went before them so fell it out in the matter of the Grace of God and the Corruption of the Nature of man though some of them laboured to corrode and corrupt the ancient received Doctrine thereof so some againe contended with all their might in their way and by their Arguments to defend it as is evident in the Instance of Bradwardine crying out to God and Man to help in the Cause of God against the Pelagians in his Dayes in particular complaining of the great Master of their Divinity So that notwithstanding all their Corruptions these ensuing Principles pass currantly among the most eminent of Them as to the Doctrine under consideration which continue in credit with many of their Sophistical Successours to this Day 1 That Perseverance is a grace of God bestowed according to Predestination or Election on men that is that God gives it to Believers that are Predestinated and Elected 2 That on whomsoever the Grace of Perseverance is bestowed they do Persevere to the end and it is impossible in some sense that they should otherwise Doe 3 That none who are not predestinate what grace soever they may be made partakers of in this world shall constantly continue to the end 4 That no Believer can by his own strength or power incited or stirred up by what manlike or rational considerations so ever Persevere in the Faith the Grace of Perseverance being a gift of God It is true that their Judgments being perverted by sundry other Corrupt Principles about the Nature and Efficacy of Sacraments with their Conveyance of Grace ex opere operato and out of Ignorance of the Righteousness of God and the Real work of Regeneration they generally maintaine though Bradwardine punctually exprest himselfe to be of another
ensuing Treatise and dismisse the Reader from any further Attendance in the Porch or entrance thereof The Title of the book speakes of the Aime and Method of it the Confutation of Mr. Goodwin was but secundarily in my eye and the best way for that I judged to consist in a full Scriptural Confirmation of the Truth he opposed That I cheifly intended and therein I hope the pious Reader may through the Grace of God meet with satisfaction In my undertaking to affirme the Truth of what I assert the Thing it selfe first and then the manifestation of it was in my Consideration for the thing it selfe my arguing hath been to discover the Nature of it it's principles and causes it 's relation to the Good will of the Father the mediations of the Son and dispensation of the Holy Ghost to the Saints thereupon it 's use and tendency in and unto that fellowship with the Father and the Son whereunto we are called and admitted As to the manner of it's Revelation the proper seates of it in the Book of God the occasion of the Delivery thereof in several seasons the Significant Expressions wherein it is set forth and the receiving of it by them to whom it was revealed have been diligently remarked In those parts of the Discourse which tend to the vindication of the Arguments from Scripture whereby the Truth pleaded for is confirmed of the usefulness of the thing it selfe contended about c. I have been I hope Careful to keep my Discourse from degenerating into Jangling and strife of words the usual Issue of Polemical writings being not altogether Ignorant of the devices of Satan and the usual carnal Attendencies of such proceedings The weight of the Truth in hand The Common interest of all the Saints in their walking with God therein sense of my own duty the near approach of the Account which I must make of the ministration to me Committed have given bounds and limits to my whole discourse as to the manner of handling the Truth therein asserted Writing in the Common language of the Nation about the Common possession of the Saints the meanest and weakest as well as the wisest and the most learned labouring in the workes of Christ and his Gospel I durst not hide the understanding of what I aim'd at by mingling the plaine doctrine of the Scripture with Metaphysical Notions expressions of Arts or any pretended ornaments of wit or fancy because I Feare God For the more sublime Consideration of Things and such a way of their Delivery as depending upon the acknowledg'd reception of sundry Arts and sciences which the Generality of Christians neither are nor need to be acquainted withal Scholars may communicate their Thoughts and Apprehensions unto and among Themselves and that upon the stage of the world in that language whereunto they have consented for to that end purpose That I have carefully abstayned from Personal reflections scoffes Undervaluations applications of Stories and old sayings to the provocation of the Spirit of them with whom I have to do I think not at all prayse worthy because that upon a review of some passages in the treatise now irrecoverable I feare I have scarce been so careful as I am sure it was my duty to have been Errata in the Preface Read p. 1. l. 36 it 3 a fine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 3 l. 24 viz 104. 29. an impeca p. 5. 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 6. l. 7. quae 3. Canonical 8 à fine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 7. l. 23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 29. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 8. l. 1. 2. d. that he wrote l. 21. à fine then he addes p. 9. l. 1 5. Genevatismum 18. dele no. 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 10. l. 2. helped p. 11. l. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 14. Vienna and Lyons 17. A Syrian p. 12. l. 6 breakes 10. him in that course of proceeding 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 12. 26 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 30. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 31 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 32. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. ult 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 13. l. 2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 38. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 39. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—3 à fine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 12. à fine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 11 à fine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 8 a fine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 7. â fine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 6. à fine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 14. l. 9. dele l. 3. ext 24. approbation is added 7 à fine spiritu p. 15. l. 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 27. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 16. l. 6. d ab l. 5. à fine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 15. l. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 17. give us Châ—p 20. l. 22. à fine antients seeming to favour them p. 21. l. 7. à fine Episcopal p. 22. l. 22. à fine Archiepiscopal l. ult He be sound CAP. I. 1. The various thoughts of men concerning the Doctrine proposed to consideration 2. The great concernment of it how ever stated on all hands confessed 3. Some speciall causes pressing to the present handling of it 4. The fearfull Back-sliding of many in these daies 5 The great offence given and taken thereby with the provision made for its removeall 6 The nature of that offence and temptation thence arising considered 7 Answer to some Arguings of Mr G. c 9. § 8 9 10 11. from thence against the truth proposed The use of trialls and shakings Grounds of believers assurance that they are so 8. The same farther argued and debated 9 Of the Testimony of a mans owne conscience concerning his uprightnesse and what is required thereunto 10. 1 Ioh 3. 7. considered of the rule of selfe-judging with principles of settlement for true Believers notwithstanding the Apostasies of eminent Professors 2 11. Corrupt teachings rendring the handling of this Doctrine necessary its enemies of old and of late 12 The particular undertaking of Mr G. proposed to consideration 13 An entrance into the stating of the Question 14. 15. The termes of the Question explained of Holinesse in its severall acceptations Created holinesse Originall or Adventitious Compleate or Inchoate Typicall by dedications Reall by purification 16. Holinesse Evangelicall either so indeed or by estimation 17. Reall Holinesse partiall or universall 18 19. The partakers of the first or Temporary Believers not true Believers maintained against Mr G. Ground of judging professors to be true believers 20. Mat. 7. 20. Considered what is the rule of judging men therein given 21 22. What knowledge of the
assurance they have that those who are borne of God cannot shall not sinne unto deaths 1 Joh. 3. 9. seeing their own interest in that estate and condition may be clouded at least for a season and their consolation thereupon depending interrupted might occasion thoughts in them of very sad consideration but whilest besides all the beams raies that ever issued from a falling starre all the leaves and blossomes with abortive fruit that ever grew on an unrooted tree all the goodly turrets and ornaments of the fairest house that ever was built on the sand 1 Joh. 5. 7 8. there are moreover three that beare witness in Heaven the Father Sonne and Spirit and three that beare witness on Earth the Water Bloud and Spirit 1 Joh. 2. 20 21 whilst there is a teaching anoynting and assuring earnest a firme sealing to the day of redemption a knowledge that we are passed from death to life 2 Cor. 1. 21 22. the temptation arising from the Apostasie of Hypocrites is neither so potent nor unconquerable 2 Cor. 5. 5. but that by the grace of him through whom we can doe all things Ephes. 1. 14. it may be very well dealt withall Ephes. 4. 30. This I say Rom. 8. 16. supposing the ordinary presence and operation of the spirit of grace in the hearts of believers with such shines of Gods countenance upon them as they usually enjoy Let these be interrupted or turned aside and there is not the least blast or breath that proceeds from the mouth of the weakest enemy Psal 30. 6 7. they have to deale withall but is sufficient to cast them downe from the excellency of their joy and consolation The evidence of this truth is such § 8. that M. Goodwin is forced to say * Verè fidelit uti pro tempore praesenti de fidei conscientiae suae integritate certus esse potest ita de salute sui de salutiferâ Dei erga ipsum benevolentiâ pro illo tempore certus esse potest debet Farre be it from me to deny but that a man may very possibly attaine unto a very strong and potent assurance and that upon grounds every way sufficiently warrantable and good that his faith is sound and saving Cap 9. Sect 9. but unto this concession he puts in a double exception First That there is not one true believer of an hundred yea of many thousands who hath any such assurance of his Faith as is built upon solid and pregnant foundations I must by his leave enter my dissent hereunto and as we have the liberty of our respectiue apprehensions so neither the one nor the other prove any thing in the cause Setting aside causes of desertion great temptations and tryalls I hope through the riches of the grace and tenderness of the love of their father Act. Synod p. 182. decl sent Thes. 7. the condition is otherwise then is apprehended by M. Goodwin with the generality of the Family of God The reasons given by him of his thoughts to the contrary doe not sway me from my hopes or byas my former apprehensions in the least His reasons are First Because though the testimony of a mans heart and conscience touching his uprightness towards God or the soundness of any thing that is saving in him be comfortable and chearing yet seldome are these properties built upon such foundations which are sufficient to warrant them at least upon such whose sufficiency in that kind is duely apprehended For the testimony of the conscience of a man touching any thing which is spiritually and excellently good is of no such value unlesse it be first excellently inlightned with the knowledge nature proprieties and condition of that on which it testifieth and Secondly be in the actuall contemplation consideration or remembrance of what he knoweth in this kind Now very few believers in the World come up to this height and degree First Ans. 1. There is in this reason couched a supposition which if true would be farre more effectuall to shake the confidence and Resolution of beleevers then the most serious consideration of the Apostasies of all professors that ever fell from the glory of their profession from the beginning of the World and that is that there is no other pregnant foundation of Assurance but the testimony of a mans own heart and conscience touching his uprightness towards God and therefore before any can attaine that assurance upon abiding foundations they must be excellently inlightened in the nature properties and condition of that which their consciences testifie unto as true faith and uprightnesse of heart and be cleare in the disputes and Questions about them being in the actuall contemplation of them when they give their Testimony I no way doubt but many thousands of believers 1 Cor. 1. 26. whose apprehensions of the nature properties and conditions of things Jam. 2. 5. as they are in themselves are low weake and confused yet hauing received the Spirit of Adoption bearing witness with their spirits Rom. 8. 16. that they are the Children of God 1 Joh. 5. 10. and having the Testimony in themselves have been taken up into as high a degree of comforting and cheering assurance and that upon the most infallible foundation Imaginable 1 Joh. 5. 6. for the spirit witnesseth because the spirit is truth as ever the most seraphically illuminated person in the World attained unto Yea in the very graces themselves of Faith and uprightnesse of heart there is such a seale and stamp impressing the image of God upon the soule as without any reflex act or actuall contemplation of those graces themselves have an influence into the establishment of the soules of men in whom they are unto a quiet comfortable assured repose of themselves upon the love and faithfulnesse of God neither is the spirituall confidence of the Saints shaken Math. 7. 25. much lesse cast to the ground by their conflicting with feares Math. 16. 18. scruples and doubtfull apprehensions seeing in all these conflicts they have the pledge of the faithfulness of God Psal. 77. 10. that they shall be more then conquerours 1 Cor. 1. 9. Though they are exercised by them 1 Thes. 5. 23 24. they are not dejected with them 1 Cor. 10. 13. nor deprived of that comforting assurance and joy which they have in believing Rom. 8. 37. But yet suppose that this be the condition practically of many Saints of God that they never attaine to the state of the primitive Christians 1 Pet. 1. 8. to whose joy and consolation in believing the Holy Ghost so plentifully witnesseth nor doe live up to that full rate of plenty which their Father hath provided for them in his Family and sworne that he is abundantly willing they should enjoy and make use of Heb. 6. 17 18. what will hence follow as to the businesse in hand I professe
invented To shut up this Discourse and to proceed §. 42. If these are the solid Foundations of Peace and Consolation which the Saints have concerning their Perseverance if these be the means sufficient abundantly sufficient afforded them for their Preservation that are laid in the ballance as to the giving of an Evangelicall Genuine Assurance with the Decrees and Purposes the Covenant Promises and Oath of God the Blood and Intercession of Christ the Annoynting and Sealing of the spirit of Grace I suppose we need not care how soone we enter the Lists with any as to the comparing of the Doctrines under contest in reference to their Influence into the Obedience and Consolation of the Saints which with it's Issue in the close of this discourse shall God willing be put to the triall Now that I may lay a more cleere Foundation for what doth insue §. 43. I shall briefely deduce not only the Doctrine it selfe but also the Method wherein I shall handle it from a portion of Scripture in which the whole is summarily comprized and branched forth into suitable Heads for the Confirmation and vindication thereof And this also is required to the mayne of my designe being not so directly to Convince stout Gaine-sayers in vanquishing their Objections as to Strengthen Weak Believers in helping them against Temptations therefore shall at the entrance hold out that whereinto their Faith must be ultimately resolved the Authority of God in his Word being that Arke alone whereon it can rest the sole of its foot Now this is the Fourth chap. of Isaiah of which take this short account It is a Chapter made up of Gracious Promises given to the Church in a Calamitous season the Season it selfe is described verses 25 and 26. of the third Chapter and the first of this all holding out a distressed estate a low condition it is indeed Gods Method to make out gracious Promises to his People when their condition seems most deplored to sweeten their soules with a sence of his Love in the multitude of the perplexing thoughts which in distracted times are ready to tumultuate in them The Foundation of all the following promises lies in the second verse §. 44. even the giving out of the Branch of the Lord and the Fruit of the earth for Beauty and Glory to the remnant of Israel Who it is who is the Branch of the Lord the Scripture tells us in sundry places Isaiah 11. 1. Ier. 23. 5. 33. 15. Zach. 3. 8. The Lord Jesus Christ the Promise of whom is the Churches only Supportment in every tryall or distresse it hath to undergoe He is this Branch and Fruit and he is placed in the Head here as the great Fountain Mercy from whence all others doe flow In those that follow the Persons to whom those promises are made and the Matter or Substance of them are observable the Persons have various Appellations and descriptions in this Chapter They are called First the Escaping of Israell v. 2. They that are left in Sion v. 3. Jerusalem it selfe v. 4 The Dwelling places and Assemblies of Mount Sion v. 5. That the same individuall Persons are intended in all these severall Appellations is not questionable It is but in reference to the severall Acts of Gods dwelling with them and outgoing of his Love and Goodwill both eternall and temporall towards them that they come under this variety of Names and Descriptions First in respect of his Eternall Designation of them to Life and Salvation they are said to be written among the living or unto life in Jerusalem Revel 3. 12. 13. 8. their names are in the Lambs book of life from the foundation of the World Luke 10. 20. and they are recorded in the purpose of God from all eternity Secondly in respect of their Deliverance and actuall Redemption from the bondage of death Satan which for ever prevaile upon the greatest number of the Sonnes of Men shadowed out by their deliverance from the Babilonish Captivity Revel 5. 9. pointed at in this place they are said to be a Remnant Eph. 5. 25. 26. an Escaping such as are Left and Remaine in Jerusalem From the perishing Lump of Man-kind Zech. 3. 2. God doth by Christ snatch a Remnant whom he will preserve like a Brand out of the fire John 17. 9. Thirdly in respect of their injoyment of Gods Ordinances and Word Rom. 8. 38. and his Presence with them therein they are called Psal. 48. 11 12 13 14. 16. 1 2 3. c. the Daughter of Sion and the Dwelling places thereof There did God make known his Mind and Will Jerem. 50. 5. and Walked with his People in those Beauties of Holinesse Zecl 8. 2. These are they to whom these promises are made the Elect John 12. 17. Redeemed and Called of God or those who being Elected and Redeemed Psal. 110. 3. shall in their severall Generations be Called according to his Purpose who worketh all things Isa 49. 14. according to the Councell of his own will For the Matter of these promises §. 45. they may be reduced to these three Heads First of Justification vers 2. Secondly of Sanctification v. 3 4. Thirdly of Perseverance vers 5 6. First of Justification Christ is Made to them or Given unto them for Beauty and Glory which how it 's done the Holy Ghost tells us Isaiah 61 10. I will greatly rejoyce in the Lord my soule shall be joyfull in my God for he hath cloathed me with the Garment of salvation he hath covered me with the Robes of Righteousnesse saith the Church he puts upon poore deformed Creatures the Glorious Robe of his own Righteousnesse to make us Comely in his Presence and the Presence of his Father Zac. 13. 3 4. Through Him 1 Cor 1 20. 54. 17. his being given unto us made unto us of God Righteousnesse Isa. 45. 24 25. becoming the Lord our Righteousnesse doe we find free acceptation as Beautifull and Glorious in the eyes of God Jer. 23. 6. But this is not all He doth not only Adorne us without Rom. 5. 1. 8. 1. but also Wash us within the Apostle acquaints us that Col. 2. 10. that was his designe Ephes. 5. 25 26. and therefore you have Secondly the promise of Sanctification added verses 3 4. v. 3. you have the thing it selfe they shall be called holy Made so called so by him who calleth things that are not as though they were and by that Call gives them to be that which he calls them 2 Cor. 4. 6. he said let there be light and there was light And then the manner how it becomes to be so v. 4. first setting out the Efficient cause Ezek. 11. 19. the spirit of Judgment and Burning Joh. 3. 5. that is of Holinesse and Light Secondly the way of his producing this great effect Rom. 8. 2. washing away
the Promise of Salvation by Jesus Christ and Faith in him cometh in for their deliverance The Promise is given to them as shut up under sinne which they receive by mixing it with Faith And Rom 3. 23. 24. All have sinned and come short of the Glory of God being justified freely by his Grace through the Redemption that is in Christ. Their condition is a condition of sinne and falling short of the glory of God when the Promise for Justification is given unto them and finds them Thence the Lord tells us Isai 54. 8 9. that this Promise of mercy is like that which he made about the waters of Noah Gen 5. 21 22 where is mentioned no condition at all of it but only the sinnes of men And in that state unquestionably was Adam when the first Promise was given unto him To say then that Gospell Promises are made to men in such conditions and are to be made good only upon the account of mens abiding in the condition wherein they are when the Promise is made to them is to say Ephes. 2. 4 5 8. that for men to leave the state of sinne is the way to frustrate all the Promises of God All deliverance from a state of sinne is by Grace all Grace is of Promise under that condition then of sinne doth the Promise find men and from thence relieve them 4. I say §. 7. these Discoveries of Gods good Will are made through Christ as the only medium of their Accomplishment 2 Cor. 1. 20. and only procuring cause of the good things that flowing from the good will of God are enwrapped and tendred in them And they are said to be in Christ as 1. The great Messenger of the Covenant as in him who comes from the Father because God hath confirmed and ratified them all in him not in themselves but unto us He hath in him and by him given Faith and Assurance of them all unto us declaring and confirming his good Will and Love to us by him He reveals the Father as a Father from his own Bosome Ioh 1. 18. declaring his name or Grace unto his Ioh 17 3. 2 Cor. 1. 20. In whom all the Promises of God are yea and in him amen to the Glory of God by us Ioh 17. 3. In him and by his Mediation they have all their Confirmation Establishment and unchangeablenesse unto us And 2. Because he hath undertaken to be Surety of that Covenant whereof they are the Promises Heb 7. 24. He is the Surety of the Covenant that is one who hath undertaken both on the part of God and ours what ever is needfull for confirmation thereof 3. Because that himselfe is the great Subject of all these Promises and in him it being of his own Purchase and procuring he having obtained Eternall Redemption for us Heb 9. John 1. 16. there is treasured up all the fulnesse of those Mercies Col. 1. 18 19. which in them God hath graciously engaged himselfe to bestow cap. 2 10. c. they being all annexed to him as the portion he brings with him to the Soule Rom. 8. 32. Then I say 5. That they are discoveries of Gods good will in a Covenant of Grace they are indeed the Branches Streames and manifesting conveyances of the Grace of that Covenant and of the Good Will of God putting it selfe forth therein Hence the Apostle mentions the Covenant of Promise Ephes 2. 12. either for the Promises of the Covenant or its manifestation as I said before Indeed as to the Subject-Matter and eminently the Promise is but one as the Covenant is no more but both come under a plurall Expression because they have been variously delivered and renewed upon severall occasions So the Covenant of Grace is said to be established upon these Promises Heb 8. 6. that is the Grace and Mercy of the Covenant and the usefulnesse of it to the Ends of a Covenant to keep God and man together in Peace and Agreement is laid upon these Promises to be by them confirmed and established unto us God having by them revealed his Good Will unto us with an attendency of stipulation of duty Their use for the begetting and continuing Communion betweene God and us with the concomitancy of precepts places them in the capacity of a Covenant And then 6. I mentioned the foundation of the Certainty and Vnchangeablenesse of these Promises with our Assurance of their Accomplishment The Engagements and Undertakings of God upon his Truth and Faithfulnesse is the stock and unmoveable foundation of this respect of them Therefore speaking of them the Holy Ghost often backs them with that Property of God He cannot lye so Heb 6. 17. 18. God willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of Promise the immutability of his Councell confirmed it by an Oath that by two immutable things wherein it was not possible for God to lye c. So Tit 1. 2. God which cannot lye hath promised us eternall life There is no one makes a solemne Promise but as it ought to proceed from him in sincerity and Truth so he engageth his Truth and Faithfulnesse in all the credit of them for the Accomplishment thereof what lyeth in him And on this account doth David so often appeale unto Psal. 31. 1. 5. 14. and call upon the Righteousnesse of God as to the fulfilling of his Promises Isa 45. 19. 2 Pet 1. 1. and the word which he caused him to put his trust in It is because of his engagement of his Truth and Faithfulnesse whence it becometh a righteous thing with him to performe what he hath spoken How farre this Respect of the Promises extends and wherein it is capable of a dispensation is the summe of our present Controversy but of this afterwards Then 7. A briefe description of the Matter of these Promises and what God freely engageth himselfe unto in them was insisted on Of this of the Promises in this regard there is one maine Fountaine or Spring whereof there are two everlasting Streames whence Thousands of refreshing Rivolets doe flow The originall Fountaine and spring of all good unto us both in respect of its being and manifestation is that He will be our God Gen 17. 1 2. I am Almighty God walke before me and be thou perfect and I will make my Covenant So every where as the bottome of his dealing with us in Covenant Ierem 31. 33. I will be their God Hos 2. 23. and they shall be my People Isai 54. 5. And in very many other places Now that he may thus be our God two things are required 1. That all Breaches and Differences between him and us be removed perfect Peace and Agreement made and we rendred acceptable and well pleasing in his sight These are the termes whereon they stand to whom he is a God in Covenant For the Accomplishment of this is the first maine streame that floweth from the former Fountaine namely the
it and to preserve it from being destroyed But may it not at one time or other be surprized into desolation No saith he I will keep it night and day but what if this vineyard prove barren what will he then doe Nay but he will so deale with it that it shall never be so barren as to cause him to cast it up He is not with it for nought his presence is attended with Grace and Kindnesse I water it saith he and that not now and then but every moment He powres out fresh supplies of his Spirit upon it to make it fruitfull Thence it becomes a vineyard of red wine v. 2. the best wine the most delicious the most pretious to cheare the heart of God himselfe as Zep 3. 17. The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty he will Save thee he will rejoyce over thee with joy he will rest in his Love he will joy over thee with singing He causes them thereby that come of Iacob to take root he makes Israel blossome and bud to fill the face of the World with fruit This is that which God promiseth his people he will not forsake them he will alwaies give them his presence in the kindnesse and supplies of a God in Covenant to protect them from others to make them fruitfull to himselfe This is his not forsaking them He will preserve them from others who shall take them out of his hand he will make them fruitfull to himselfe he will worke and who shall let him 2. The Reason why the Lord will not forsake his People why he will continue doing them good is expressed in these words for his owne name sake and in this Assertion two things are considerable 1. A tacite exclusion of any thing in themselves for which or upon Consideration whereof God will constantly abide with them It is not for their sakes for any thing in them or what they have done may or can do it is not upon the account of any Condition or qualification whatever that may or may not be found on them but meerely for his name sake which in the like case he expresseth fully Ezek. 36. 32. Not for your sakes doe I this saith the Lord be it knowne unto you be ashamed and confounded for your owne wayes oh House of Israel The truth is they may prove such as on all accounts whatever shall deserve to be rejected that nothing in appearance or in their owne sence as well as others though the root of the matter be in them may be found upon them when God takes delight in them Like those you have described at large Isai. 43. 22 23 24 25. But thou hast not called upon me Oh Jacob but thou hast been weary of me Oh Israel thou hast not brought me the small Cattell of thy burnt offerings neither hast thou honoured me with thy Sacrifices I have not caused thee to serve with an Offering nor wearied thee with Incense thou hast brought me no sweet cane with money neither hast thou filled me with the fat of thy Sacrifices but thou hast made me to serve with thy sinnes thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities I even I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine owne sake and will not remember thy sinnes any more Weary of God they are neglecting his worship making his Patience and Forbearance to serve with their iniquities It seemes to be impossible almost for any Creature to apprehend that God will not give them up to everlasting confusion Yea perhaps they may be forward in their follies and contend with God when he goes to heale them Isai. 57. 17. For the iniquity of his covetousnesse was I wroth and smote him I hid me and was wroth and he went on forwardly in the way of his heart Iniquity is upon them a vile iniquity the iniquity of Covetousnesse God is wroth with them and smites and hides him and they goe on frowardly and yet for all this he forsakes not for ever he abides to be their God and that because his so doing is not bottomed on any consideration of what they are have been or will be but he doth it for his Names sake and with regard unto that which thereupon he will doe for them And upon this account this Promise of Gods abiding and continuing with his let Grace be never so weake corruption never so strong temptations never so violent may be pleaded and the Lord rejoyces to be put in remembrance of it by the weakest frailest sinfullest Saint or Believer in the World 2. The Cause or reason is positively expressed § 6. why God will not forsake them it is for his Great Name sake His Great name is all that he consults withall about his continuance with his people this he calls himselfe Isa. 43. 25. I blot out thy sinnes for my own sake that is for no other cause in world that may by found in thee or upon thee The Name of God is all that whereby to us he is knowne all his Attributes his whole will all his Glory When God is said to doe any thing for his name it is either the Cause and End of what he doth or the Principle from whence with the motive wherefore he doth it that is by him intended In the first sence to doe a thing for his Name sake is to doe it for the manifestation of his Glory that he may be known to be a God in the Excellency of those Perfections whereby he reveals himselfe to his with most frequently a speciall regard to his Faithfulnesse and Grace it is in those properties to make himselfe knowne and to be exalted in the hearts of his So all his dispensations in Jesus Christ are for the praise of his glorious Grace Eph. 1. 6. That he may be exalted lifted up made knowne believed and received as a God pardoning iniquity in the Sonne of his Love And in this sence may the Lord be said to abide with his people for his Name sake for the exalting of his Glory that he may be known to be a God faithfull in Covenant and unchangeable in his Love who will not cast off for ever those whom he hath once received into favour It will not enter into the hearts of Believers sometimes why the Lord should so deale with them as he doth and not cast them off their soules may goe to rest as to this thing he himselfe is glorious herein he is exalted and doth it on that account 2 ly If by his name you understand the principle from whence he worketh and his motive thereunto as it comprehends the whole long-suffering gratious tender unchangeable nature of God according as he hath revealed himselfe in Iesus Christ in whom his name is Ex. 23. 21. and which he hath committed to him to be manifested Ioh 17. 6. so evidently two things in God are engaged when he promiseth to work for his Names sake or according to his great Name 1. His Power or sufficiency
that is every Believer is Christ He is the Head of the Church and the Saviour of the Body Ephes. 5. 23. he is the Head of the Body the Church Col 1. 19. This relation of Head and Members I say between Christ and his holds out the Union that is between them which consists in their being so As the Head and the Members make one Body so Christ and his Members make one mysticall Christ Whence then is it that the Head and Members have this their Union whereby they become one Body Wherein doth it consist Is it that from the Head the Members do receive their influences of life sence and guidance as the Saints do from Christ Eph. 4. 15 16. They grow up unto him in all things who is the Head from whom the whole body fitly framed together and compact by the which every joynt supplieth according to the effectuall working in the measure of every part groweth up to an holy increase So also Col 2. 19. holding the Head from whom the whole body by bands and joynts knit together increaseth with the increase of God But evidently this is their Communion whereunto Union is supposed Our Union with Christ cannot consist in the Communcation of any thing to us as Members from him the Head but it must be in that which constitutes him us in the Relation of Head and Members He is our Head antecedently in order of nature to any communication of Grace from him as a Head and yet not antecedently to our Union with him Herein then consists the Union of Head and Members that though they are many and have many Offices Places and dependencies there is but one living quickning soule in Head and Members If a man could be imagined so big and tall as that his feet should stand upon the Earth and his head reach the starry Heavens yet having but one soule he is still but one man As then one living soule makes the naturall Head Members to be one one body so one quickning Spirit dwelling in Christ and his members gives them their Union makes them one Christ one body This is cleare from the 1 Cor. 12. 12. As the first man Adam was made a living Soul so the last man Adam is made a quickning Spirit Secondly §. 14. Of Husband and Wife The Union that is between them sets out the Union betwixt Christ and his Saints There is not any one more frequent Illustration of it in the Scripture the Holy Ghost pursuing the allusion in all the most considerable Concernements of it and holding it out as the most solemne Representation of the Union that is between Christ and his Church Ephes. 5. 31 32. For this cause shall a man forsake his Father and Mother and cleave to his Wife and they two shall be one flesh This is a great mystery but I speake concerning Christ and the Church The transition is eminent from the Conjugall Relation that is between man and wife unto Christ and his Church What the Apostle had spoken of the one he would have understood of the other Wherein consists then the Union between man and wife which is chosen by God himselfe to represent the Union between Christ and his Church The Holy Ghost informes us Gen. 2. 24. They shall be no more twaine but one flesh This is their union they shall be no more twaine but in all mutuall care respect tendernesse and love one flesh The Rise of this you have v. 23. Because of the bone flesh of Adam was Eve his helper made Hence are they said to be one flesh Wherein then in answer to this is the Union between Christ and his Church The same Apostle tells us 1 Cor. 6. 16 17. He saith he that is joyned to an harlot is one flesh and he that is joyned to the Lord is one spirit as they are one flesh so these are one spirit and as they are one flesh because the one was made out of the other so these are one Spirit because the Spirit which is in Christ by dwelling in them makes them his Members which is their Union 3. Of a Tree §. 15. an Olive a Vine and its Boughs and Branches I am the Vine saith Christ yee are the Branches John 15. 5. Abide in me and I in you As Tree Branches they have an abiding Union one with another Wherein this consists the Apostle sets out under the example of an Olive and his Boughs Rom. 11. 16 17. It is in this that the Branches and Boughs being ingrafted into the Tree they partake of the very same juyce and fatnesse with the Root and Tree being nouâ—â—shed thereby There is the same fructifying fatning virtue in the one as the other only with this difference in the Root and Tree it is originally in the Boughs by way of Communication And this also is chosen to set out the Union of Christ and his Both he and they are partakers of the same fruit-bearing Spirit He that dwells in them dwells in him also only it is in him as to them originally in them by Communication from him Take a Cyon a graft a plant fix it to the Tree with all the art you can and bind it on as close as possible yet t is not united to the Tree untill the Sappe that is in the Tree be communicated to it which communication states the Union Let a man be bound to Christ by all the bonds of profession imaginable yet unlesse the Sappe that is in him the Holy and Blessed Spirit be also communicated to him thereis no Union between them And this is the first thing that doth issue and depend upon the indwelling of the Spirit in Believers even Union with Christ which is a Demonstration of it a posteriori 2. The Spirit as indwelling gives us Life and Quickning God Quickens our mortall bodyes or us in them by his Spirit that dwells in us Rom. 8. 11. by which Spirit Christ also was raised from the dead and therefore the Apostle mentioning in another place the beginning and carrying on of Faith in us he saith it is wrought according to the exceeding greatnesse of the power of God which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead Ephes. 1. 8. Now in this Quickning there are two things 1. The Actus primus or the Life it selfe bestowed 2. The Operations of that Life in them on whom it is bestowed For the first I shall not positively determine what it is nor wherein it doth consist This is cleare that by nature we are dead in trespasses and sinnes That in our Quickning we have a new Spirituall life communicated to us and that from Christ in whom it is treasured up for that purpose But what this Life is it doth not fully appeare whilst we are here below All actuall Graces confessedly flow from it and are distinct from it as the Operations of it I say in this sence they flow from it confessedly as suitable
kind of efficiency well said And that when one workes Necessitatingly and another by Perswasion they cannot be said to cooperate no more then one that runnes or another that walkes can be said to walke together Certainly our Author never dreamed that any man whatever would put himselfe to the trouble of examining these dictates or he would have been more wary of his asserting them and we had not had so much not only new and strange Divinity but new and uncouth Philosophy heaped up without any considerable endeavour of proofe or confirmation First §. 38. That two Agents cannot concurre or cooperate to the producing of the same effect but with the same kind of efficiency is a rare notion indeed Was he never perswaded to doe any thing in his life What thinks he of David's the Amorites killing of Vriah of a Judge an Executioner slaying a Malefactor of God Satan moving David to number the People of God Iosephs brethren sending him to Egypt But what need I mention Instances Who knowes not that this so confounds all causes Efficient that principall Instrumentall Materiall Finall Formall which in their production of effects have all their distinct efficiency and yet their cooperation Secondly The proofe from the Scripture mentioned extends only to the interesting of Ministers in the great honour of Cooperating with God in the work of begetting increasing Faith in their own spheare according to the work to them committed But that God and they do work with the same kind of efficiency 't is the maine intendment of the Apostle in the place cited 1 Cor 3. to disprove He tells you indeed there is a work of Planting and watering committed to the Ministers of the Gospell but the giving of increase a peculiar working with a distinct kind of Efficiency that is alone to be ascribed to God It is I say his designe who every where abundantly informes us that Faith is the gift of God wrought in us by the exceeding greatnesse of his Power to prove in this place that though the dispensation of the Word of the Gospell be committed unto men yet their whole Ministry will be vaine and of none effect unlesse by an immediate efficacy or working of his Spirit giving bestowing Faith on his Elect God do give an increase Thirdly For the terme of Necessitating put upon the reall effectuall work of Gods Grace on the wills of men giving them power assistance and working in them to will and to do as different from that which is purely Morall or Perswasive only which communicates no strength or power I shall need no more but to reject it with the same facility wherewith 't is imposed on us The similitude of one walking and another running wherewith the inconsistency of a Reall efficient work of Grace with perswasions so farre as that they should be said to cooperate to the producing of the same effect doth not in the least illustrate what 't is intended to set off for though one runne and another goe softly as suppose one carrying a little loafe another a great burthen of meat for a supper and both going to the same place Why may not they be said to cooperate to the providing of the same supper Must all Agents that cooperate to the producing of the same effect be together in one place You may as soone bring Heaven and Hell together as prove it And why must reall efficiency be compared to running and Perswasion to soft walking As though one were supposed to carry on the work faster than the other when we say only That in the one there is a distinct power exerted from what is in the other which that it may be done might be proved by a thousand instances and illustrated by as many similitudes if any pleasure were taken to abound in causâ facili God or man then cooperate in respect of the tendency of their working unto the event not in respect of the kinds of their efficiency Of the seventh Section whereon we shall not need long to insist § 39. which in the entrance frames an Objection and pretends an Answer to it there are three parts In the first he sayes that we affirme That though the will be necessitated by God yet 't is free in her Election which how it may be he understands not But if this were all the inconvenience that Mr G. could not understand how to salve the Operation of God in man with the Liberty of his will seeing as wise men as himselfe have herein beene content to Captivate their Vnderstandings to the Obedience of Faith it were not much to be stumbled at but the truth is the Chimaera whose nature he professeth himselfe unacquainted withall is created in his owne imagination where 't is easy for every man to frame such notions as neither himselfe nor any else can bring to a consistency with Reason or Truth Of Necessitating the Will to Election wee have had occasion more than once already to treat and shall not burthen the Reader with needlesse Repetitions In the second division of the Section §. 40. he gives you his judgement of the manner of the worke of God upon the soule unto the doing of that which is good and the effect produced thereby Whereof the one as was said before consists in perswasions which he sayes are thus farre irresistible that they who are to be perswaded cannot hinder but that God may perswade them or exhort them though he prevaile not with them Which doubtlesse is a notable Exaltation of his Grace Thus Mr Goodwin workes irresistibly with one or other perhaps every day And the effect of this perswasion is that is when it is effectuall that impression which it leaves upon the soule to the things whereunto it is perswaded As the case is in the dealing of men one with an other for my part I see no reason why our Author should so often so heedfully deliver his Judgment concerning this thing especially without the least attempt of any Scripturall proofe or indeavour to answer those innumerable cleare and expresse places of Scripture which he knowes are every where and on all occasions produc'd and insisted on to prove a real efficient acting of God in and with the wills of men for the producing working and accomplishing that which is good in a way distinct from that of perswasion which contributes no reall strength to the Person perswaded concurring only Metaphorically in the producing of the effect Let this at last then suffice we are abundantly convinced of his deniall of the worke of Gods Grace in the Salvation of soules §. 41. In the third place we have a Rhethoricall flowrish over that which he hath been laying out his strength against all this while being a meere repetition of what hath been already tendered and given into consideration over and over If God cause the Saints effectually to persevere his tearmes of irresistibly and Necessitating have been long
whoredome and Adultery and make themselves members of another far different relation viz. of those harlots with whom they will fully commit sinne and consequently in such a sence of the Divell Ans. First for the sence of that place of the Apostle 1 Cor. 6. 15. As farre as it relates to the merit of the cause in hand I shall have occasion to speake unto it at large hereafter so shall not anticipate my selfe or Reader For the present I deny that there is the least mention made of any interchange of members between Christ and the Devill much lesse of any such thing as frequent and ordinary 'T is true the Apostle sayes that he that is joyned to an harlot makes his members the members of an harlot and on that consideration and conclusion with part of the dignity of Believers whose persons are all the members of Christ perswades them from the sinne of Fornication That they may so much as fall into that sinne he doth not here intimate That men not only in respect of themselves and their principles of sinne and pronenesse unto it within with the prevalency of Temptations but also eventually notwithstanding any regard or respect to other externall prohibiting causes may fall into all the sinnes from which they are dehorted Mr Goodwin hath not proved as yet nor shall I live to see him do it Secondly for a man to make himselfe the member of an harlot is no more but to commit Fornication which whether it be Mr Goodwin's Judgement or no that none can fall into or be surprised with but he is ipso facto cut of from the Body of Christ thereby I know not Taking in the consideration of what was spoken before concerning the manner of Regenerate persons sinning with what shall be farther argued I must professe I dare not say so In the meane time it is punctually denied that Believers can fall into or live in a course of Whoredome and Adultery and without such a course they cease not according to M. Goodwin's sence of these words to be members of Christ nor doe they otherwise become members of the Divell There is nothing here then that intimates such an interchange in the least Thirdly for M. Goodwins criticisme upon the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is hardly worth taking notice of For First If by taking there be meant taking away the sence must be that they are first taken away from being members of Christ the word expressing a time past in that tendency and then made members of an Harlot which First is not suited to the mind of M. Goodwin who endeavours to prove their ceasing to be members of Christ by becoming members of an Harlot the efficient cause of their ceasing to be joyned to Christ consisting in their being joyned with an Harlot And Secondly destroyes the whole scope of the Apostles reasoning in the place from the great unworthinesse of such a way or practice as making the members of Christ to be the members of an Harlot because none should so be made but those who had first creased to be members of Christ and so his Assertion instead of an effectuall perswasive should upon the matter be entangled in a contradiction to it selfe And Secondly §. 44. as there is nothing in the place to inforce that sence of the word so there is nothing in the word to impose that sence upon the place When our Saviour speaks to his Disciples Luke 9. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he doth not bid them take nothing away for their journey but take nothing with them And so Marke 6. 6. Where his command is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in that of Math 4. 6. When the Divell urged to our Saviour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he did not intimate that the Angells should take him away in their hands but support him from hurt when Jesus Ioh 11 41. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he did not take away his eyes out of his head and cast them upward no more then the Angell did his hand when 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rev 10. 5. or the Apostles their voyce when 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 4. 24. Nor doth Christ command us to take away his yoake in that heavenly word of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Math 11. 29. so that here is little help left to this sence imposed on the place under consideration from the importance of the word so consequently not the least countenance given to that horrible interchange of members between Christ and the Divell which is asserted as an usuall and frequent thing What he addeth in the close of the Section §. 45. is no lesse considerable than the beginning of it for saith he if it be no dishonour to Christ to take in such as have been members of the Divell why should it be any disparagement to him to reject such who by their wicked and abominable wayes render themselves unworthy of such a Relation Ans. Believers hold not their Relation to Christ upon any worthinesse that is in themselves for it but upon the account meerely of Grace according to the tenour of the Covenant of Mercy That they may fall into such wicked and abominable waies as shall render them altogether unmeet for that Relation according to the Law of it is that great Argument call'd petitio principii which Mr Goodwin hath used in this case an hundred times But the comparison instituted in the first words is admirable Confest it is that 't is no dishonour to Jesus Christ yea that 't is his great honour seeing he came to destroy the workes of the Devill to bind the strong man to spoyle his goods to destroy him that had the power of death and to deliver them who by reason of death were in bondage all their dayes to deliver his people from their sinnes washing them in his bloud and to make them a peculiar people unto himselfe zealous of good workes that 't is no dishonour I say for him to translate them from the power of Sathan into his own Kingdome making them meet for the Inheritance of the Saints in Light by redeeming them from their vaine Conversation to do according as he intended and to take his own given him of his Father out of the hands of the Tyrant which held them under bondage Therefore having undertaken to keep them and preserve them having so overcome Sathan in them for them by them broken the head of the Serpent 't is no dishonour for him to loose ground given for his Inheritance with his subjects members brethren children bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh into the hand of the Devill againe what fort is so strong as to hold out against such a battery If it be no honour for Christ to bind Sathan and to spoile his goods then 't is no dishonour for him to be bound by Sathan and to have his goods spoiled Another burthen upon the shoulders of Mr Goodwin's Doctrine §. 46.