Corruptions are strong and God doth not appeare in my behalfe Judgment is not executed on them and what will be the issue of this my sad estate What the Lord proposeth and holdeth out unto them for their Establishment in this condition and to assure them that what they feared should not come upon them he ushers in by an effectuall expostulation v. 27. Hast thou not heard Hast not thou been taught it by the Saints that went before thee Hast thou not knowne Hast thou not found it true by experience What it is he would have them take notice of and which he so Pathetically insinuates into their understandings and affections for their establishment is an Exurgency of that Description of himselfe which he gives v. 28. 1. From his Eternity he is the Everlasting God 2. From his Power he is the Creator of the ends of the Earth 3. From Vnchangeablenesse he fainteth not he waxeth not weary and therfore there is no reason he should relinquish or give over any designe that he hath undertaken especially considering that he layes all his purposes in that whereby he describes himselfe in the last place even his Wisdome there is no end of his Vnderstanding He establisheth I say their Faith upon this fourefold description of himselfe or Revelation of these foure Attributes of his Nature as ingaged for the effecting of that which he incourageth thē to expect Who is it ô Jacob with whom thou hast to doe that thou shouldest feare or complain that thou art rejected He is Eternall Almighty Vnchangeable Infinitely Wise if he be ingaged in any way of doing thee good who can turne him aside that he should not accomplish all his pleasure towards thee He will worke who shall let him It must be either want of Wisdome and fore sight to lay a designe or want of Power to execute it that exposeth any one to variablenesse in any undertaking Therefore that they may see how unlikely how impossible a thing it is that their wayes should be hid from the Lord and their judgment passed over from their God he accquaints them who and what he is who hath undertaken to the contrary but alasse They are poore faint Creatures they have no might no strength to walke with God Vnstable as water they cannot excell It is impossible they should hold out in the way wherein they are ingaged unto the end To obviate or remove such fears and misgiving thoughts he lets them know v. 29. That though they have or may have many decayes for they often faint they often faile wherof we have Examples and Complaints in the Scripture made lively by our owne experience yet from him they shall have supplyes to preserve them from that which they feare He is Eternall Almighty Unchangeable and infinitely Wise he will give out Power increase Strength when they Faint in themselves have no might at all The Lord doth not propose himselfe under all these considerations to let them know what he is in himselfe only but also that he will expert and act sutably to these Properties in dealing with them and making out supplyes unto them notwithstanding all their misgiving thoughts which arise from the consideration of their owne faintings and totall want of might Though in themselves they are weake and faint yet their springs are in him and their supplyes from him who is such as he hath here described himselfe to be Hereupon also he anticipates an Objection by way of Concession v. 30. Even the youth shall faint and be weary and the young men shall utterly faile Men that seeme to have a great stock of strength and Ability may yet faile and perish utterly An objection which as I formerly observed these daies have given great force unto We see many who seem to have the vigor of youth and the strength of young men in the wayes of God that have fainted in their course and utterly failed they began to runne well but lay downe almost at the entrance and be it so saith the Lord it shall so come to passe indeed many that goe out in their own strength shall so fall and come to nothing But what is that to thee O Jacob my chosen thou that waitest upon the Lord v. 31. The unchangeable God will so make out strength to thee that thou shalt never utterly faint nor give over but abide flying running walking with speed strength and stedfastnesse unto the end That expression they that wayt upon the Lord is a Description of the Persons to whom the Promise is made and not a condition of the Promise it selfe It is not if they waite upon the Lord but they that waite on the Lord if it were a Condition of this Promise there were nothing promised it is only said if they wait on the Lord they shall waite on the Lord But of the vanity of such conditionalls I shall speak afterwards A Scripture of the like importance you have Isaiah 44. §. 12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. verses Yet now heare O Jacob my servant and Israel whom I have chosen thus saith the Lord that made thee and framed thee from the wombe which will help thee feare not O Jacob my servant Iessurun whom I have chosen for I will pour water upon him that is thirsty and stoods upon the dry ground and I will put my Spirit upon thy seed and my blessing upon their off-spring and they shall spring up as among the grasse as Willowes by the water courses One shall say I am the Lords and another shall call himselfe by the name of Iacob and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord and surname himselfe by the name of Israel thus saith the Lord the King of Israel and his redeemer the Lord of Hosts I am the first and I am the last besides mee there is no God c. I shall not need to insist long on the opening of these words the generall designe of them is to give Consolation and Assurance unto Israel from the Eternity Vnchangeablenesse and Absolutenesse of God with some peculiar references to the Second Person the Redeemer who is described Rev. 1. 8. with the titles for the substance of them whereby the Lord here holds out his own Excellency I shall only observe some few things from the words for the Illustration of the Truth we have in hand contained in them The State and Condition wherein Iacob Israell Iessurun severall titles upon severall accounts given to Believers are described to be is two fold First of Feare and Disconsolation as 't is intimated in the redoubled Prohibition of that frame in them v. 2. feare not and v. 8. feare ye not neither be afraid some temptation of farther distance or separation from God the only thing to be feared was fallen upon them This they are frequently exercised withall 't is the greatest and most pressing temptation whereunto they are lyable and exposed To conclude because some Believers in Hypothes◠may
Blood c Joh. 1. ◠Ephes. 5. 8. Col. 1. 13. Luk. 4. 18. Darknesse d Rom. 8. l 6 7 8. Rom. 5. 10. Col. 1. 21. Gal. 3. 13. Joh. 3. 35. Bindnesse Enmity curse and Wrath Disobedience Rebellion Impotency and Vniversall Alienation from God is beyond all contradiction by Testimonies plentifully given out here a little and there a little line upon line manifest in the Scripture Shall we now say that this Grace of God is bestowed on men upon the account of these Qualifications and continued without revocation on condition that they abide in the same State with the same Qualifications Let then men continue in sinne that grace may abound Is the case any other as to Iustification doth not God justify the ungodly Ro. 4. 5. are we not in filthy Robes when he comes to cloath us with Robes of Righteousnesse Zech 3. 3. are we not reconciled to God when alienated by wicked workes Col 1. 13. these are the Qualifications on which it seemes God grafts his Gifts and Graces and whose abode in the Persons in whom they are is the condition whereon the irrevocablenesse of those Gifts and Graces does depend Who would have thought they had been of such reckoning and esteeme with the Lord And this considering what is learnedly discoursed elsewhere may suffice as to the other Assertion 1 Cor. 4. 7. that God gives his Gifts and Graces to Qualifications not to Persons Those Qualifications are either Gifts of God or not if not who made those men in whom they are differ from others if they are on what Qualifications were those Qualifications bestowed That God freely bestows on Persons of his own good pleasure not Grafting on Qualifications his Gifts and Graces we have Testimonies abundantly sufficient to out-ballance M. Goodwins Assertions Rom 9. 18. He hath Mercy on whom he will have Mercy he bestowes his Mercy and the fruits of it not on this or that Qualification but on whom or what Person he will and to them it is given saith our Saviour to know the Mysteries of the Kingdome of God but to others it is not given I see no stock that his gift is grafted on but only the Persons of Gods good will whom he graciously designes to a Participation of it Truth is §. 9. I know not any thing more directly contradictory to the whole Discovery of the worke of Gods Grace in the Gospell then that which is couched in these Assertions of M. Goodwin neither is it any thing lesse or more then that which of old was phrased The Giving of Grace according to merit ascribing the primitive discriminating of persons as to Spirituall Grace unto selfe indeavours casting to the ground the free distinguishing good pleasure of God and that Graciousnesse of every Gift of his I speake as to the first issue of his love in quickning renewing pardoning Grace which eminently consists in this that he is found of them that seeke him not and hath Mercy on whom he will because so it seemed good to him Not to digresse farther in the discovery of the unsatisfactorinesse of this pretence from the pursuit of the Argument in hand Because Gods gifts are not repented of therefore doe men continue not in the condition wherein they find them but wherein they place them And all Qualifications in men whatever that are in the least acceptable to God are so farre from being stocks whereon God grafts his Gifts and Graces that they are Plants themselves which he plants in whomsoever he pleaseth Yea the Tree is made good before it beare any good fruit and the Branch implanted into the True Olive before it receive the sap or juyce of any one good Qualification The summe of Mr Goodwins Answer amounts to this let men be stedfast in a good condition and Gods Gifts shall stedfastly abide with them if they change they also shal be revoked which is directly opposite to the plain intendment of the place viz. That the stedfastnesse of men depends upon the irrevocablenesse of Gods Grace and not è contra there is not in his sense the least intimation in these words of the permanency of any Gift or Grace of God with any one on whom it is bestowed for a Day an Houre or a Moment but notwithstanding this Testimony of the Holy Ghost they may be given one houre and taken away the next they may flourish in a man in the morning and in the evening be cut downe dried up and withered this is not to Answer the Arguings of men but positively to deny what God affirms To conclude God gives not his gifts to men I mean those mentioned because they please him Jerem. 31. 32. but because it pleaseth him so to doe he does not take them away because they displease him but gives them so to abide with them that they shall never displease him to the height of such a provocation Neither are the Gifts of God otherwise to be repented of then by taking them from the Persons on whom they are bestowed But this heape being removed we may proceede Farthermore then §. 10. in sundry places doth the Lord propose this for the Consolation of his and to assure them that there shall never be an everlasting separation between him and them which shall be further cleared by particular instances Things or Truthes proposed for Consolation are of all others most clearely exalted above exception without which they were no way sutable considering the promptnesse of our unbelieving hearts to rise up against the worke of Gods Grace and Mercy to compasse the end for which they are proposed Isaiah §. 11. 40. 27 28 29 30 31. Why sayest thou O Jacob and speakest O Israell my way is hid from the Lord and my Judgment is passed over from my God hast thou not knowen hast thou not heard that the everlasting God the Lord the Creator of the ends of the earth fainteth not neither is weary there is no searching of his Vnderstanding He giveth power to the faint to them that have no might he increaseth strength Even the youths shall faint and be weary and the young men shall utterly faile but they that wait upon the Lord shall renue their strength they shall mount up with wings as as Eagles they shall runne and not be weary they shall walke and not faint v. 27. Jacob and Israel make a double complaint both parts of it manifesting some feare or dread of Separation from God for though in Generall it could not be so yet in particular Believers under Temptation may question their owne condition with their right unto and interest in all the things whereby their state and Glory is safegarded My way say they is hid from the Lord The Lord takes no more notice sets his heart no more upon my way my walking but lets me goe and passe on as a stranger to him And farther My judgement is passed over from my God Mine enemies prevaile perhaps Lusts and
Distinctions Yet the certaine accomplishment of them as they are ascribed unto God is here asserted by the Holy Ghost Were the confirmation of the matter of our present Discourse §. 9. my designe in hand I could farther confirme it by inlarging these ensuing Reasons 1. First from the Immutability of God the least questioning whereof falls foule on all the Perfections of the Divine Nature which requireth a correspondent affection of all the Internall and Eternall Acts of his Mind and Will 2. Secondly from his Soveraignty in making and executing all his Purposes which will not admit of any such mixture of Consults or Cooperations of others as should render his thoughts lyable to Alteration Rom. 11. 34 35 36. The Lord in his Purposes is considered as the great Former of all things who having his clay in the hand of his Almighty power ordaines every parcell to what kind of vessell and to what use he pleaseth hence the Apostle concludes the consideration of them and the distinguishing Grace flowing from them with that admiration 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oh the depth c. 3. Thirdly from their Eternity which exempts them from all shadow of change and lifts them up above all those sphears that either from within and their owne nature or from without by the impression of others are exposed to turning that which is Eternall is also Immutable Acts 15. 18. 1 Cor. 2. 11. 4. Fourthly from the Absolutenesse and Independency of his Will whereof they are the Acts and Emanations Rom. 9. 15 16 17 18 19 20. whatever hath any influence upon that as to Move it Cause it Change it must be Before it Above it Better then it as every cause is then its effect as such This Will of his as was said is the fountain of all beings to which free and independent Act all Creatures owe their being and subsistence their operations and manner thereof their whole difference from those Worlds of beings which his Power can produce but yet shall lye bound up to Eternity in their nothingnesse and possibility upon the account of his good Pleasure Into this doth our Saviour resolve the disposall of himselfe Math. 26. 42. and of all others Math 11. 25 26 27. certainly men in their wrangling Disputes and Contests about it have scarce seriously considered with whom they have to doe shall the thing formed say to him that formed it why hast thou made nice thus 5. Fiftly §. 10. from the Ingagement of his Omnipotency for the accomplishment of all his Purposes and Designes as is emphatically expressed Isa 14. 24 25 26 27. Surely the Lord of Hosts hath Sworne saying surely as I have thought so shall it come to passe and as I have purposed it shall stand that I will breake the Assyrian in my land This is the purpose of God that is purposed upon the whole Earth and this is the hand that is stretched out upon all the Nations for the Lord of Hosts hath purposed and who shall disanull it And his hand is stretched out and who shall turne it back The Lord doth not only Assert the certain Accomplishment of all his Purposes but also to prevent and obviate the Vnbeliefe of them who were concerned in their fulfilling he manifests upon what account it is that they shall certainly be brought to passe and that is by the stretching out of his hand or exalting of his mighty Power for the doeing of it so that if there be a fayling therein it must be through the shortnesse of that Hand of his so stretched out in that it could not reach the end aymed at A Worme will put forth its Strength for the fullfilling of that whereunto is is inclined and the Sonnes of men will draw out all their Power for the compassing of their designes if there be Wisdome in the laying of them and foresight of Emergencyes they alter not nor turne aside to the right hand or to the left in the pursuit of them And shall the Infinitely Wise Holy and Righteous thoughts and Designes of God not have his Power engaged for their accomplishment His Infinite Wisdome and Understanding are at the foundation of them they are the Counsells of his Will Ephes. 7. 11. who hath known his minde in them saith the Apostle and who hath been his Counsellour though no creature can see the paths wherein he walks nor apprehend the reason of the waies he is delighted in yet this he lets us know for the satisfying of our hearts and teaching of our inquiries that his owne Infinite Wisdome is in them all I cannot but feare sometimes that men have darkned counsell without knowledge in curious contests about the Decrees Purposes of God as though they were to be measured by our rule line and as though by searching we could find out the Almighty to Perfection But he is Wise in heart he that contendeth with him let him Instruct him Adde that this Wisdome in his Counsell is attended with infallible Prescience of all that will fall in by the way or in the course of the accomplishment of his Purposes and you will quickly see that there can be no possible intervenience upon the account whereof the Lord should not ingage his Almighty Power for their accomplishment He is of one minde and who can turne him he will worke and who shall let him 6. Sixtly by demonstrating the Vnreasonablnesse Folly and Impossibility of suspending the Acts and Purposes of the Will of God upon any actings of the Creatures whatsoever seeing it cannot be done without subjecting Eternity to time the first Cause to the second the Creator to the Creature the Lord to the Servant disturbing the whole order of Beings and Operations in the world 7. Seventhly by the removeall of all Possible or Imaginary Causes of Alteration and change which will all be resolved into impotency in one kind or other Every Alteration being confessedly an imperfection it cannot follow but from want and weaknesse Upon the Issue of which Discourse if it might be perused these Corollaries would insue 1. First Conditionall Promises and Threatnings are not declarative of Gods Purposes concerning Persons but of his Morall Approbation or Rejection of Things 2. Secondly There is a wide difference betweene the Change of what is Conditionally pronounced as to the things themselves and the change of what is Determinately willed the certainty of whose event is proportioned to the Immutable Acts of the Will of God it selfe 3. Thirdly That no Purpose of God is Conditionall though the things themselves concerning which his Purposes are are often times conditionalls one of another 4. Fourthly That conditionall Purposes concerning Perseverance are either Impossible implying contradictions or Ludicrous even to an unfitnes for a Stage But of these and such like as they occasionally fall in in the insuing Discourse This foundation being laid §. 11. I come to what was Secondly proposed namely to manifest by an Induction of particular Instances the ingagement
and Favour to them whilest they wallow in all manner of Abominations and desperate Rebellions against him An Hypothesis crudely imposed on our Doctrine and repeated over and over as a matter of the greatest detestation and abomination that can fall within the thoughts of men And such supposalls and conclusions are made thereupon as border at least upon the cursed cost of Blasphemy but cui fini I pray To what end is all this noyse as though any had ever Asserted that God promised to continue his Love and gracious Acceptation alwaies to his Saints and yet took no care nor had promised that they should be continued Saints but would suffer them to turne very Devills It is as easy for men to confute Hypotheses created in their own imaginations as to cast downe men of straw of their own framing and setting up We say indeed that God hath faithfully promised that he will never leave nor forsake Believers but withall that he hath no lesse faithfully engaged himselfe that they shall never wickedly depart from him but that they shall continue Saints and Believers Yea if I may so say Promising alwaies to accept them freely it is incumbent on his Holy Majesty upon the account of his Truth Faithfulnesse and Righteousnesse to preserve them such as without the least dishonour to his Grace and Holinesse yea to the greatest advantage of his Glory he may alwaies accept them delight in them and rejoyce over them and so he tells us he doth Ierem. 31.7 Yea I have loved thee with an everlasting Love therefore with loving kindnesse have I drawne thee he drawes us with his kindnesse to follow him obey him live unto him abide with him because he Loves us with an Everlasting Love 2. That these promises of God doe not properly and as to their originall rise depend on any conditions in Believers or by them to be fulfilled but are the Fountains and Springs of all conditions whatever that are required to be in them or expected from them though the Grace and Obedience of Believers are often mentioned in them as the means whereby they are carried on according to the appointment of God unto the enjoyment or continued in it of what is promised This one Consideration that there is in very many of these Promises an expresse non obstante or a not-withstanding the want of any such condition as might seeme to be at the bottome and to be the occasion of any such Promise or Engagement of the Grace of God is sufficient to give light and evidence to this Assertion If the Lord sayeth expresly that he will doe so with men though it be not so with them his doing of that thing cannot depend on any such thing in them as he saith notwithstanding the want of it he will doe it Take one instance Isai. 54. v. 9 10. In a little wrath have I hid my face from thee for a moment but with everlasting kindnesse will I have mercy on thee saith the Lord they Redeemer for this is as the waters of Noah unto mee whereas I have sworne that the waters of Noah shall no more cover the Earth so have I sworne that I will not be worth with thee nor rebuke thee for the mountaines shall depart aud the hills be removed but my kindnesse shall not depart from thee neither shall the Covenant of my peace be removed saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee He will have mercy on them with everlasting kindnesse v. 8. Yea but how if they walke not worthy of it Why yet this kindnesse shall not faile saith the Lord for it is as the waters of Noah God sweareth that the waters of Noah should no more cover the Earth and you see the stability of what he hath spoken The World is now reserved for Fire but drowned it shall be no more my kindnesse to thee saies God is such it shall nor more depart from thee then those waters shall returne againe upon the Earth Neither is this all wherein he compareth his kindnesse to the waters of Noah but in this also in that in the Promise of drowning the World no more there was an expresse non obstante for the sinnes of men Gen. 8 21. The Lord said in his heart I will not againe curse the ground any more for mans sake for the imagination of mans heart is evill from his youth Though men grow full of wickednesse and violence as before the Flood they were yet saith the Lord the World shall be drowned no more And in this doth the Promise of kindnesse hold proportion with that of the waters of Noah there is an expresse reliefe in it against the sinnes and failings of them to whom it is made viz. such as he will permit them to fall into whilest he certainly preserves them from all such as are inconsistent with his Love and Favour according to the tenor of the Covenant of Grace and therefore it depends not on any thing in them being made with a proviso for any such defect as in them may be imagined 3. To affirme that these Promises of God's abiding with us to the end do depend on any condition that may be uncertaine in its event by us to be fulfilled as to their Accomplishment doth wholly enervate and make them void in respect of the maine end for which they were given us of God That one chiefe end of them is to give the Saints consolation in every condition in all the straights tryalls and temptations which they are to undergoe or may be called to is evident When Ioshua was entring upon the great work of subduing the Canaanites and setting the Tabernacle and people of God in their appointed Inheritance wherein he was to passe through innumerable difficulties tryalls and pressures God gives him that word of Promise I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Iosua 1.5 so are many of them made to the Saints in their weaknesse darknesse and desertions as will appeare by the consideration of the particular instances following Isa. 4. 3 4. Now what one drop of consolation can a poore drooping tempted soule squeeze out of such Promises that depend wholly and solely upon any thing within themselves he will be with mee and be my God it is true but alwaies provided that I continue to be his That also is a sweet and gratious Promise but that I shall doe so he hath not promised It seems I have a cursed Liberty left me of departing wickedly from him so that upon the matter notwithstanding these Promises of his I am left to my selfe If I will abide with him well and good he will abide with me and so it shall be well with mee That he should so abide with me as to cause me to abide with him it seemes there is no such thing Soule look to thy selfe all they hopes and help is in thy selfe but alas for the present I have no sence of this Love of God and I know not that I haue any true
as can well be expressed wherefore these being exceptions expressely against the scope of the whole It is objected 3. That it cannot be proved that this promise properly or directly intendeth the collation of Spirituall or heavenly good things unto them so as of Temporall yea the situation of it betwixt Temporall Promises immediately both behind and before it perswadeth the contrary Read the Context from v. 8. to the end of the Chapter Ans. The other forts being demolished this last is very faintly defended That it cannot be proved that it doth so properly or directly but if it doth intend spiritualls properly and directly though not so properly or directly the case is cleare And that it doth properly intend Spiritualls and but secondarily and indirectly Temporalls as to sundry limitations is most evident For 1. The very Conjugall Expression of the Love of God here used manifesteth it beyond all contradiction to be a Promise of the Covenant I will Betroth thee unto mee I will take thee unto mee in a Wedlock covenant What! in Temporall mercies Is that the tenor of the Covenant of God God forbid 2. The Foundations of these Mercies and the principles from whence they flow are Loving-kindnesses and Mercy and Fathfulnesse in God which are fixed upon them and engaged unto them whom he thus taketh into Covenant and surely they are Spirituall Mercies 3. The Mercies mentioned are such as never had a literall accomplishment to the Iewes in Temporalls nor can have and when things promised exceed all accomplishment as to the outward and temporall part it is the spirituall that is principally and mainely intended And such are these v. 18. I will breake the bow and the sword and the battell out of the earth and make you to lye downe in safety How I pray was this fulfilled towards them whilest they lived under the power of the Persian Graecian and Roman Empires to their utter desolation and v. 23. he telleth them that he will sowe them unto himselfe in the Earth and have mercy on them which as I said before Paul himselfe interpreteth and applieth to the speciall Mercies of Faith and Justification in the bloud of Christ So that both the verses going before and those that follow after to the consideration whereof we are sent containe directly and properly spirituall Mercies though expressed in words and termes of things of a temporall importance Thus notwithstanding any Exception to the contrary the Context is cleare as it was at first proposed Let us then in the next place consider the intendment of God in this Promise with that influence of Demonstration which it hath upon the Truth we are in the consideration of and then free the words from that corrupting Glosse which is endeavoured to be put upon them In the first I shall consider §. 25. 1. The Persons to whom this Promise is made 2. The Nature of the Promise it selfe 3. The great undertaking and engagement of the Properties of God for the accomplishment of his Promise 1. The Persons here intimated are such as are under the power and enjoyment of the Grace and kindnesse mentioned in v. 14 16 17 18. Now because a right understanding of the Grace of those Promises addeth much to the Apprehension of the Kindnesse of these particulars insisted on the opening of those words may be thought necessary 1. V. 14. they are those whom God allureth into the Wildernesse §. 26. and speaketh comfortably unto them He allureth and perswadeth them there is an allusion in the words to the great originall Promise of the conversion of the Gentiles and the way whereby it shall be done Gen 9. 27. God perswades Iaphet to dwell in the tents of Shem. Their alluring is by the powerfull and sweet perswasion of the Gospell which here is so termed to begin the Allegory of Betrothing and Marriage which is afterwards pursued It is God's beginning to Wooe the Soule by his Embassadors God perswadeth them into the Wildernesse perswadeth them but yet with mighty power as he carried them of old out of Aegypt for thereunto he evidently alludeth as in the next verse is more fully expressed Now the Wildernesse condition whereunto they are allured or perswaded by the Gospell comprizeth two things 1. Separation 2. Intanglement 1. Separation as the Israelites in the Wildernesse were separated from the residue of the World and the pleasures thereof the people dwelling alone being not reckoned with the Nations having nothing to doe with them So God separateth them to the love of the Gospell from their carnall contentments and all the satisfactions which before they received in their Lusts untill they say to them Get you hence what have we to doe with you any more They are separated from the practice of them and made willing to bid them everlastingly farewell They see their Aegyptian Lusts â—ye slaine or dead or at least dying by the crosse of Christ and desire to see them no more 2. Intanglement as the Israelites were in the Wildernesse they knew not what to doe nor which way to take one step but only as God went before them as he took them by the hand and taught them to goe God bringeth them into a lost condition they know not what to doe nor which way to take nor what course to pitch upon and yet in this Wildernesse state God doth commonly stirre up such gracious dispositions of soule in them as himselfe is exceedingly delighted withall hence he doth peculiarly call this time a Time of Love which he remembreth with much delight All the time of the Saints walking with him he taketh not greater delight in a soule when it cometh to its highest peace and fullest assurance then when it is seeking after him in its Wildernesse Intanglement So he expresseth it Ierem 2. 2. Thus saith the Lord I remember thee the kindnesse of thy youth the Love of thine Espousals when thou wentest after mee in the Wildernesse in a land that was not sowen And what he here affirmeth holds proportion therewithall The Time of their being in the Wildernesse was the Time of their Espousals and so it is here the Time of the Lords Betrothing the Soule to himselfe the Wooing words whereby he doth it being intimated in the next verse For 1. He speaketh comfortably to them §. 27. speaketh to their hearts good words that may satisfy their spirits and give them Rest and deliverance out of that condition What it is that God speaketh when he speaketh comfortably to the very hearts of poore soules he telleth you Isai 40. 1. Comfort you comfort you my People saith your God speake you comfortably to Jerusalem and cry unto her that her warfare is accomplished that her iniquity is pardoned It is the pardon of iniquity that enwrappeth all the Consolation that a poore Wildernesse soule separated and intangled is capable of or doth desire And this is the first description of the Persons to whom this Promise is given They are such as
7. for there is no more Offering for sinne required And on this foundation I may say there doth not remaine any such Guilt to be reckon'd unto Believers as that with regard thereunto God should forsake them utterly and give them over unto everlasting ruine And this is the summe of the Apostles discourse in that Chapter as it lookes upon the matter under present consideration That Sacrifice which so taketh away the Sinnes of them for whom 't is offered as that thereupon they should be perfect or perfectly accquitted of them and have no more conscience which is a judgement of a mans selfe answering to the judgment of God concerning him of sinne so to judge him and condemne him for it as not to have remedy of that Judgement or condemnation provided in that Sacrifice that I say doth so take away the Guilt of sinne as that it shall never separate between God and them for whom and whose sinne it was offered but such was the Sacrifice of Christ Ergo The Reason of the Consequence is cleare from the very forme of the proposition and nothing is assumed but what is the expresse Testimony of the Apostle in that and other places So Daniel 9. 24. §. 6. The designe in the Death of Christ is to finish the Transgression to make an end of Sinne and to make reconciliation for iniquities and to bring in everlasting Righteousnesse Christ makes an end of sinne not that there should be no more sinne in the world for there is yet sinning to the purpose in some respect Heb. 6. 4 5. 10. 28. much more then before his death and there will be so to eternity if those under the ultimate sentence may be thought to sinne but he makes an end of it as to the Controversy and difference about it between God Rom. 5. 10. and them for whom he died and that by making Reconciliation On the part of God attoning him toward us which Attonement we are perswaded to accept Isa. 27. 3 4. 45. 24 25. and by bringing in for us a Righteousnesse which is everlasting and will abide the triall which God will certainly accept Now when God is satisfied for sinne and we are furnished with a Righteousnesse exactly compleat and answering to the utmost of his demand whence can any more contest arise about the guilt of sinne or the obligation of the sinner unto punishment that from the Justice and Law of God doth attend it This also the Apostle urgeth Rom. 8. 34. Who is he that condemneth It is Christ that died He argueth from the death of Christ to the ablation Heb. â— 10. 14 15 16 17 18 or removall of Condemnation for sinne because by his death he hath made an end of sinne as was shewed and brought in everlasting Righteousnesse To suspend the issue of all these transactions between God and the Mediator upon conditions by us to be accomplished not bestowed on us purchased for us and as to their event uncertaine is disadvantagiously to begge the thing in question Now because it appears 1 Cor. 6. 11. that notwithstanding the death of Christ many for whom he died Eph. 2. 11 12 are kept a long season under the guilt of sinne and are all of them borne in a condition of wrath Ephes. 2. 3. I shall crave leave a little to insist on this instance and to shew that notwithstanding the Truth thereof yet the guilt of sinne is so taken away from all those for whom Christ died by his death that it shall never be a cause of everlasting separation between God and them 2 Cor. 5. 18 19 20. In the Obedience and Death of Christ whereby as a compleatly sufficient and efficacious meanes he made way for the Accomplishment of his eternall purposes in such paths of infinite wisdome as brought in all the good he aymed by it in that order which the very frame and nature of things by him appointed required the exaltation of his Glory God is satisfied well pleased and resolved that he will not take his course at Law against those in the behalfe of whom he died Though an Arrest was gone forth against all mankind yet the Lord suspended by his Soveraignty the utmost Execution of it that roome and space might be given according to the Eternall thoughts of his heart for the deliverance of some A reprieve is granted mankinde out of Reasons and for Purposes of his owne After the sentence of Death was denounced against them God being pleased to magnify his Grace according to his Eternall Councell and purpose in Jesus Christ Eph. 1. 6 11. innovates the Law as to the Obligation of it unto punishment on the behalfe of some 2 Tim. 1. 9. by an interposition of the Sonne of his love in such way as to undergoe what was due unto those Heb. 7. 22. 10. 9. on whose behalfe the interposition was made 2 Cor. 5. 21. and by this undertaking of Christ in the very first notion of it as it was satisfactory thus much is done and accomplished First §. 8. the vindictive Justice of God is satisfyed that is whereas such is the naturall Right Gen. 18. 25. Soveraignty and Dominion of God over his Creatures Josh. 24. 19. and such his Essentiall Perfections of Holinesse Psal. 5. 4 5 6. Purity and Righteousnesse that if his Creatures cast off his yoake Hab. 1. 13. and their dependance on him which they do by every sinne Ro. 1. 18 32. what in them lyeth it is then of indispensable necessity that he render unto that sinne 2 Thess. 1. 6. or sinner guilty thereof a meet Recompence of Reward Jesus Christ hath so answered his Righteousnesse Vid. Diat de Just. Div. that without the impairing of his Right or Soveraignty without the least derogation from his Perfections he may receive his sinning Creatures againe to favour It being the Judgment of God that they who commit sinne are worthy of Death Rom. 1. 32. and a Righteous thing with him to render Tribulation to sinners 1 Thess. 1. 6 7. For shall not the Judge of all the world do right Gen. 18. He hath set forth his Sonne to Declare his Righteousnesse for the forgivenesse of sinnes Rom. 3. 24 25. Now for whom Christ dyed he dyed for all their sinnes 1 John 1. 7. The Bloud of Christ cleanseth us from all sinnâ—e The Application of it being commensurate to his intendment in his Oblation not extending it selfe to the actuall effecting of any thing whatever which was not meritoriously procured thereby He loved his Church and gave himselfe for it that he might Sanctify and Cleanse it with the washing of water that he might present it to himselfe a Glorious Church not having spotte or wrincle or any such thing but that it should be Holy and without blame Ephes. 5. 25 26 27. He makes compleate Attonement to the Justice of God on their behalfe so that the very vindictive Justice
such sinnes and unworthinesse as are inconsistent with the state of Acceptation with God which is the very thing he hath to prove 2. In supposing that if Believers are sealed up infallibly to Redemption the Exhortations to the avoidance of sinnes in themselves and to all that continue in them destructive to Salvation are in vaine which is a figment in a case somewhat alike as to the reason of it rejected by men that knew nothing of the nature of Gods Promises nor his commands nor the Accommodation of them both to the fulfilling in Believers all the good pleasure of his Goodnesse 2. The Assurance the Apostle gives of freedome from the wrath of God is inseparably associated with that Assurance that he gives that we shall not be left in or given up to such waies as wherein that wrath according to the tenure of the Covenant of Grace is not to be avoided From this latter Testimony this Argument also doth flow Those who are sealed of God to the day of Redemption shall certainly be preserved thereunto their preservation being the end and aime of God in his sealing of them Mr Goodwins Answer to this Proposition is that they shall be so preserved in case they fall not into abominable sinnes and practises and so Apostatize from the Faith that is in case they be preserved they shall be preserved but wherein their preservation should consist if not in their effectuall deliverance from such waies and courses is not declared That all Believers are so sealed and to that end as above is the plaine Testimony of the Scripture and therefore our Conclusion is undeniably evinced Thus have we through the Lords assistance freed the triple Testimony of Father Sonne and Spirit given to the Truth under Consideration from all Objections and exceptions put in thereunto so that we hope the mouth of iniquity may be stopt and that the cause of the Truth in hand is secured for ever It is a fearfull thing to contend with God Let God be true and all men lyars CAP. VIII 1. Entrance into the Digression concerning the Indwelling of the Spirit The manner of the ahode of the Spirit with them on whom he is bestowed Grounds of the Demonstratious of the Truth 2. The Indwelling of the Spirit proved from the Promises of it 3. Expresse affirmations of the same Truth Psal. 51. 11. Rom. 8. 9. opened v. 11 15. 1 Cor. 2. 12. Gal. 4. 6. opened 1 Tim. 3. 14. 4. The Spirit in his Indwelling distinguished from all his Graces Evasions removed Rom. 5. 5. Explained The Holy Ghost himselfe not the Grace of the Holy Ghost there intended Rom 8. 11. opened Gal 5. 22. 5. A Personality ascribed to the Spirit in his Indwellings 1 In personall Appellations 1 Ioh. 4. 5. Ioh. 14. 19 17. 2. Personall Operations Rom. 8. 11 15. explained 3. Personall circumstances The Spirit dwells in the Saints as in a Temple 1 Cor. 3. 16. Ch. 6. 9. 6. The Indwelling of the Spirit farther Demonstrated from the signall Effects ascribed in the Scripture to his so doing as 1 Union with Christ. 7. Union with Christ wherein it consisteth 8. Union with Christ by the Indwelling of the same Spirit in him and us 9. This proved from 1. Scripturall Declarations of it 2 Pet. 1. 4. How we are made partakers of the Divine Nature 10. Union expressed by caring the flesh and drinking the blood of Christ. Ioh. 6. 56. opened 11. The Prayer of our Saviour for the Union of his Disciples Iâ—h 17. 21. The Union of the Persons in the Trinity with themselves 12. 2 Scripturall illustrations for the manifestation of Union 13. The Union of Head and Members what it is and wherein it doth consist 14. Of the Union between Husband and Wife aud our Union with Christ represented thereby 15. Of a Tree and its branches 16. Life and quickning given by the Indwelling Spirit in Quickning Life and sutable operations 17. 2. Direction guidance given by the Indwelling Spirit Guidance or direction twosold 18. The severall waies whereby the Spirit gives guidance and Direction unto them in whom he dwells The first way by giving a new understanding or a new spirituall light upon the understanding 19. What light men may attaine without the particular guidance of the Spirit 20. Saving Embracements of particular Truths from the Spirit 1 Ioh 2. 20 21. 21. The way whereby the Spirit leads Believers into Truth 22. Consequences of the want of this guidance of the Spirit 23. The 3d thing received from the Indwelling Spirit Supportment 24. The way whereby the Spirit gives supportment 25. 1. By bringing to mind the things spoken by Christ for their Consolation Ioh. 14. 16 26. 26. 2. By renewing his Graces in them as to strength The benefits issuing and flowing from thence 27. Bestraint given by the Indwelling Spirit and how 28. The continuance of the Spirit with Believers for the Renewall of Grace proved Ioh. 4. 14. 29. That Promise of our Saviour at large opened 30. The Water there promised is the Spirit The state of them on whom he is bestowed Spirituall thirst twofold Ioh. 65. 13. 1 Pet. 2. 2. 31. The Reasons why men cannot thirst againe who have once dranke of the Spirit explained 32. Mr G's Exceptions considered and removed 33. The same work farther carried on as also 3â— 35 36. The Indwelling of the Spirit in Believers farther demonstrated by the Inferences made from thence 37. The first Our Persons Temples of the Holy Ghost To be disposed of in all waies of Holinesse 38. Wildome to try Spirits 39. The wayes means and helps whereby the Saints discerne between the voyce of Christ and the voyce of Sathan HAving shewed §. 1. that the Holy Spirit is purchased for us by the Oblation of Christ and bestowed on us through his Intercession to abide with us for Ever a Truth confirmed by the unquestionable Testimonies of the Father Sonne and Spirit I shall in the next place I hope to the advantage and satisfaction of the Christian Reader a little turne aside to consider how and in what manner he abideth with them on whom he is bestowed together with some Eminent Acts and Effects of his Grace which he putteth forth and exerteth in them with whom he abideth all tending to their preservation in the Love and Favour of God A Doctrine it is of no small use and importance in our walking with God as we shall find in our pursuit of it And therefore though not appearing so directly Argumentative and immediately subservient to the promotion of the Dispute in hand yet tending to the establishment guidance and consolation of them who doe receive it and to the cherishing increasing and strengthning of the Faith thereof I cannot but conceive it much conducing to the carrying on of the maine Intendment of this whole undertaking I say then upon the purchase made of all Good things for the Elect by Christ the Holy and Blessed Spirit of God is given to
is so great and so much variety therein that it can scarce be cast into one course and current and if the generall scope aime and tendency of the Scripture may passe for the course of it there is not any one thing that lyes so evident and cleare therein as the decrying of all that Ability and strength and power to doe good in men which M. Goodwin so much pleads for and Asserts to be in them with an Exaltation of that rich and free Grace in the efficacy and the power of it which he so much opposeth The experiment all knowledge he hath of his own heart §. 8. the workings and reasonings thereof a thing common to him with others and what advantages he hath thereby I shall not consider Only this I shall dare to say that I would not for all the World have no experience in my heart of the truth of many things which M. Goodwin in this Treatise opposeth or that my weake experience of the Grace of God should not rise above that frame of heart and spirit which the teachings of it seem to discover I doubt a person under the Covenant of workes heightned with convictions and a low or common worke of the Spirit induced thereby to some Regular walking before God may reach the utmost of what in this Treatise is required to render a man a Saint truly gracious regenerate and a Believer And in this also I doubt not lyes the deceit of what is thirdly insisted on viz. His observation of the wayes and spirits of men their firstings and lastings in Religion A sort of men there are in the world who escape the outward pollution of it and are cleane in their owne eyes though they are never wash't from their iniquityes who having been under strong convictions by the power of the Law and broken thereby from the course of their sinne attending to the Word of the Gospell with a temporary Faith do go forth unto a profession of Religion and walking with God so far as to have all the lineaments of true Believers as Mr Goodwin somewhere speakes drawne in their faces hearing the Word gladly as did Herod receiving it with joy as did the stony ground attending to it with delight as they did in Ezech. 33. 31. Repenting of former sinnes as did Ahab and Judas untill they are reckoned among true Believers as was Judas those John 2. 23. who yet were never united unto Jesus Christ of whose wayes and walking Mr Goodwin seemes to have made observation and found many of them to end in visible Apostacy But that this observation of them should cause him to judg them when Apostatized to have been true Believers or that he is thereby advantaged to determine concerning the truth of severall Opinions pretending to his acceptance I cannot grant nor doth he go about to prove For what he mentions in the last place of the light of reason and understanding §. 9. which he hath I do not only grant him to have it in common as he saith with other men for the kind of it but also as to the degrees of it to be much advanced therein above the generality of men yet I must needs tell him in the close that all these helps and advantages seeming to be drawne forth and advanced in opposition to that one great assistance which we enjoy by promise from Christ of his Spirit leading us into all truth and teaching us from God by his owne anointing are to me hay and stubble yea losse and dung of no value nor esteeme Had we not other wayes meanes helps and advantages to come to the knowledge of the Truth than these here unfolded and spread by Mr Goodwin actum esset we should never perceive the things that are of God The Fox was acquainted with many wiles and devices the Cat knew unum magnum wherein she found safety Attendance to the Word according to the direction of the usuall knowne Rules and helpes agreed on for the interpretation of it with humble dependance on God waiting for the guidance of his Spirit according to the Promise of his deare Sonne asking him of him continually that he may dwell with us anoint and lead us into all truth with an utter abrenunciation of all our skill abilityes wisdome and any resting on them knowing that it is God alone that gives us understanding is the course that hitherto hath been used in our enquiry after the mind of God in the Doctrine under consideration and which the Lord assisting shall be heeded and kept close unto in that discussion of the Texts of Scripture wrested by Mr Goodwin as by others before him to give countenance to his opposition to the Truth hitherto uttered confirmed and vindicated from his contradictions thereunto The place of Scripture first insisted on §. 10. and on the account whereof he triumphs with the greatest confidence of successe is that of Ezech. 18. 24 25. Unwhich words he subjoynes a Triumphant Exulting Exclamation What more saith he can the understanding judgement soule and conscience of a man reasonably desire for the establishment in any truth whatsoever than is delivered by God himselfe in this passage to evince the possibility of a righteous mans declining from his righteousnesse and that unto death The councell given of old to the King may not be unseasonable to Mr Goodwin in that dominion which he exerciseth in his owne thoughts in this worke of his let not him that putteth on this armour boast like him that puteth it off You have but newly entered the lists and that with all pressed Souldiers unwilling so much as once to appeare in that service they are forced to If you will but suspend your triumph untill we have made a little tryall of your forces and your skill in managing of them to the battle perhaps you may be a little taken off from this confidence of successe notwithstanding the facing of this Scripture upon the Truth being cut off and taken away from that coherence and connexion and station wherein it is placed of God which is not at the least enquired into it will be found in that issue to beare it no ill will at all As will also be manifested by the light of the ensuing consideration 1. The matter under enquiry into a disquisition of whose state we have hitherto been engaged in the condition of the Saints of God and his dealing with them in and under the Covenant of Grace in Generall For our guidance and direction herein a Text of Scripture evincing the Righteousnesse of Gods dealings with a number of persons in a peculiar case which was under debate is produced and by the tenour of this and according to the tenour of the reasonings therein must all the Promises of God in the Covenant of Grace mape and ratifyed by the Bloud of Christ be regulated and interpreted We have been told by as Learned a man as Mr Goodwin that Promises made to the people of