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
personall Appellations 2. In personall Operations 3. Personall Circumstances 1. First there are ascribed to the indwelling Spirit in his indwelling Personal Appellations He that is in you is greater then he that is in the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that is in you is a personall Denomination which cannot be used of any Grace or gratious habit whatsoever so John 14 16 17. He shall abide with you he dwelleth with you shall be in you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 John 16. 13. But when the Spirit of Truth is come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His Person is as signally designed and expressed as in any place of Scripture to what intent or purpose soever mentioned Neither is it possible to apprehend that the Scripture would so often so expressly affirme the same thing in plaine proper words if they were not to be taken in the sence which they hold out The maine Emphasis of the Expression lyes upon the Termes that are of a personall designation and to evade the force of them by the fore mentioned distinction which they seeme signally to obviate and prevent is to say what we please so we may oppose what pleases us not 2. Personall Operations such acts and actings as are proper to a person only are ascribed to the Spirit in his indwelling That place mentioned before Rom. 8. 11. is cleare hereunto But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you he who raised Christ from the dead shall quicken your mortall bodyes by his Spirit which dwélteh in you or by his indwelling Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To quicken our mortall bodyes is a Personall acting such as cannot be wrought but by an Almighty Agent And this is ascribed to the Spirit as inhabiting whch is in order of nature antecedent to his quickning of us as was manifested And the same is asserted v. 15. The Spirit beareth witnesse with our spirits that we are the Sonnes of God That Spirit that dwells in us beares witnesse in us a distinct Witnesse by himselfe distinguished from the Testimony of our owne spirit here mentioned is either an Act of our naturall Spirits or Gracious fruit of the Spirit of God in our hearts If the first what makes it in the things of God Is any Testimony of our naturall spirits of any value to assure us that we are the Children of God If the latter then is there here an immediate operation of the Spirit dwelling in our hearts in witnesse-bearing distinct from all the fruits of Grace whatever And on this account it is that whereas 1 Epistle of John 5. 7 8. the Father Sonne and Spirit are said to beare witnesse in Heaven the Spirit is moreover peculiarly said to beare witnesse in the Earth together with the Blood and Water 3. There are such Circumstances ascribed to him in his indwelling as are proper only to that which is a Person I will instance only in one his dwelling in the Saints as in a Temple 1 Cor. 3. 16. Yee are the Temple of God and his Spirit dwelleth in you that is as in a Temple so plainely chap. 6. 19. Your body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you which you have of God giving us both the distinction of the Person of the Spirit from the other Persons he is given us of God and his residence with us being so given he is in us as also the manner of his in-being as in a Temple Nothing can make a place a Temple but the Relation it hath unto a Deity Graces that are but Qualifications of and Qualities in a Subject cannot be said to dwell in a Temple This the Spirit doth and therefore as a voluntary Agent in an habitation not as a necessary or naturall principle in a subject and though every act of his be Omnipotent intensively being the act of an Omnipotent Agent yet he worketh not in the acts extensively to the utmost of his Omnipotency he exerteth and puts forth his Power and brings forth his Grace in the hearts of them with whom he dwells as he pleaseth to one he comunicates more Grace to another lesse yea he gives more strength to one and the same person at one time and in one condition 1 Cor. 12. then another dividing to every one as he will and if this peculiar manner of his personall presence with his Saints distinct from his Ubiquity or Omnipresence may not be believed because not well by reason conceived we shall lay a Foundation for the questioning principles of Faith which as yet we are not fallen out withall And this is our first manifestation of the Truth concerning the Indwelling of the Spirit in the Saints from the Scripture The second will be from the signall Issues and benefits which are asserted to arise from this indwelling of the Spirit in them of which I shall give sundry instances 1. The first signall Issue and Effect which is ascribed to this Indwelling of the Spirit §. 6. is Union not a Personall Union with himselfe which is impossible He doth not assume our natures and so prevent our Personality which would make us one Person with him but dwells in our Persons keeping his owne and leaving us our Personality infinitely distinct But it is a spirituall Union the great Union mentioned so often in the Gospell that is the sole fountain of our Blessednesse our Union with the Lord Christ which we have thereby Many thoughts of heart there have been about this Union §. 7. what it is wherein it doth consist the causes manner and Effects of it The Scripture expresses it to be very Eminent neere durable setting it out for the most part by similitudes and Metaphoricall Illustrations to lead poore weak Creatures into some usefull needfull acquaintance with that Mystery whose depths in this life they shall never fathome That many in the dayes wherein we live have miscarried in their conceptions of it is evident some to make out their Imaginary Union have destroyed the person of Christ and fancying a way of uniting man to God by him have left him to be neither God nor Man Others have destroyed the Person of Believers affirming that in their Union with Christ they loose their own Personality that is cease to be Men or at least these or these Individuall men I intend not now to handle it at large but only and that I hope without offence to give in my thoughts concerning it as farre as it receiveth light from and relateth unto what hath been before delivered concerning the Indwelling of the Spirit and that without the least contending about other wayes of Expression I say then §. 3. this is that which gives us Union with Christ and that wherein it consists even that the one and selfe-same Spirit dwells in him and us The first saving Elapse from God upon the Hearts of the Elect is the Holy Spirit Their quickning is every where ascribed to the Spirit that is
of Elders do precisely intend Bishops in a distinction from them who are only Deacons and not Bishops also as he asserts when by whom by what Authority were Elders who are only so inferior to Bishops peculiarly so termed instituted and appointed in the Churches And how it comes to pass that there is such express mention made of the Office of Deacons and the continuance of it none at all of Elders who are acknowledged to be superiour to them and on whole shoulders in all their own Churches lies the great weight and burden of all Ecclesiastical Administration As we say of their Bishops so shall we of any Presbyter not instituted and oppointed by the Authority of Jesus Christ in the Church let them go to the place from whence they came 2 I desire the Doctour to informe me in what sense he would have me to understand him Disser 2. cap. 29. 21 22 where he disputes that those words of Hierom. Antequà m studia in Religione fierent diceretur in populis Ego sum Pauli ego Cephae communi Presbyterorum consensu ecclesiae gubernabantur are to be understood of the times of the Apostles when the first Schisme was in the Church of Corinth when it seemes that neither then nor a good while after there was any such thing as Presbyters in the Church of Corinth nor in any other Church as we can hear of As also to tell us whether all those Presbyters were Bishops properly so called distinct from Elders who are only so out of whom one man is chosen to be a Bishop properly so called To these enquiries I shall only adde 3ly That whereas in the Scripture we find clearly but of two sorts of Church-Officers mentioned as also in this Epistle of Clement the third that was afterward introduced be it what it will or fall on whom it will that we oppose This saith the Doctour is that of Presbytery give us the Churches instituted according to the word of Christ give us in every Church Bishops and Deacons rather then we will quarrel give us a Bishop and Deacons let those Bishops attend the particular flock over which they are appointed preaching the word and administring the holy ordinances of the Gospel in and to their own flock And I dare undertake for all the Contenders for Presbytery in this nation and much more for the independents that there shall be an end of this quarrel that they will not strive with the Doctour no◠any living for the introduction of any third sort of persons though they should be called Presbyters into Church Office and goverment Only this I must adde that the Scripture more frequently termes this second sort of men Elders and Presbyters then it doth Bishops and that word having been appropriated to a third sort peculiarly we desire leave of the Doctour and his associates if we also most frequently call them so no waies declining the other Appellation of Bishops so that it be applyed to signify the second and not third ranke of men But of this whole business with the nature constitution and frame of the first Churches and the sad mistakes that men have by their own prejudices been ingaged into in this delineation of them a fuller opportunity if God will may eare long be afforded To returne then to our Ignatius even upon this consideration of the difference that is between the Epistles ascribed to him and the writings of one of the same time with him or not long before him as to their language and expression about Church order and Officers it is evident that there hath been ill-favour'd tampering with them by them who thought to prevaile themselves of his Authority for the asserting of that which never came into his mind As I intimated before I have not insisted on any of those things nor do on them altogether with the like that may be added as a sufficient foundation for the total rejection of those Epistles which go under the name of sgnatius There is in some of them a sweet gratious spirit of Faith Love Holiness zeale for God becomming so excellent holy a witness of Christ as he was evidently breathing and working Neither is there any need at all that for the defence of our Hypothesis concerning the non-institution of any Church officer what ever relating to more Churches in his Office or any other Church then a single particular Congregation that we should so reject them For although many passages usually insisted on and carefully collected by D. H for the proof of such an Episcopacy to have been received by them of old as is now contended for are exceedingly remote from the way and manner of the Expressions of those things used by the Divine Writers with them also that followed after both before as hath been manifested and some while after the dayes of Ignatius as might be further clearly evinced and are thrust into the series of the discourse with such an incoherent Impertinency as proclaimes an Interpolation being some of them also very ridiculous so foolishly Hyperbolical that they fall very little short of Blasphemies yet there are Expressions in all or most of them that will abundantly manifest that He who was their Authour who ever he was never dreamt of any such fabrick of Church-Order as in after ages was insensibly received Men who are ful of their own apprehensions begotten in the◠by such representations of things as either their desirable presence hath exhibited to their mind or any after prejudicate presumption hath possessed them with are apt upon the least appearance of any likness unto that Church they fancy to imagine that they see the face all the lineaments thereof when upon due examination it will be easily discovered that there is not indeed the least resemblance between what they find in and what they bring to the Authors in and of whom they make their enquiry The Papists having hatched owned by several degrees that monstrous figment of Transubstantiation to instance among many in that Abomination a folly destructive to whatever is in us as being living Creatures Men or Christians or what ever by sense Reason or Religion we are furnished with all offering violence to us in what we heare in what we see with our eyes and look upon in what our hands do handle and our palats tast breaking in upon our understandings with vagrant flying formes selfe subsisting Accidents with as many express contradictions on sundry accounts as the nature of things is capable of Relation unto attended with more gross Idolatry then that of the poor naked Indians who fall down and worship a peice of red Cloth or of those who first adore their gods and then correct them do yet upon the discovery of any Expressions among the Antients which they now make use of quite to another End and purpose then they did who first ventured upon them having minds filled with their own Abominations do presently cry out and triumph
The certaine salvation of the whole mystical body of Christ with whom he hath that communion as to give them his Spirit as he took their flesh for he took upon him flesh and blood because the Children were partakers of the same is evidently asserted which he could not do who thought that any of those on whom he bestowed his spirit might perish everlastingly And againe de praescripti ad Haeret. In pugnâ pugilum gladiatorum plerumque non quia fortis ost vincit quis aut quia non potest vinci Sed quoniem ille quivictus est nullis viribus fuit adeò idemille victor bene valenti posteâ comparatus etiam superatus recedit non aliter haereses de quorundam infirmitatibus habent quòd valent nihil valentes si in benè valentem fidem incurrant Solent quidem illi miriones etiam de quibusdam personis ab Haeresi captis aedificari in Ruinam quarè ille vel illa fidelissimi prudentissimi usitatissimi in Ecclesiâ In â—â—am partem tranfierunt quis hoc dicens non ipse sibâ— respondet neque prudentes neque fideles neque usitatos aesimandos quos haeresis potuit demutare He plainly denies them to have been believers that is truely throughly properly so who fall into pernicious haeresies to their destruction Cyprian is express to our purpose saith he nemo existimet bonos de Ecclesiâ posse disecdere tritioum non rapit ventus nec arborem solidâ radice fundatam procella subvertit inanes paleae tempestate metantur invaâ—â—â—e arbores tutbinis incursione evertuntur Hos execratur percutit Apostolus Johannes dicens ex nobis exierunt sed non fuerunt ex nobis si enim fuissent ex nobis mansissent utique nobiscum Cyp de Unita Eccles The whole Doctrine we contend for is plainly and clearly asserted and bottomed on a text of Scripture which in a special manner as we have cause we do insist upon all that is lost by temptations in the Church was but Chaffe the Wheat abides and the rooted Tree is not cast down Those fall away who indeed were never true believers in heart and union what ever their profession was And yet we are within the compass of that span of time which our adversaries without proof without shame claime to be theirs One Principal foundation of our Doctrine is the bestowing of the holy Ghost upon Believers by Jesus Christ. Where he is so bestowed there say we he abides for he is given them for that end viz to abide with them for ever Now concerning him Basil tells us that though in a sort he may be said to be present with all that are baptised yet he is never mixed with any that are not worthy that is he dwells not with any that obtaine not salvation Basil Lib de Spir Sanc Cap 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By that seeming presence of the holy Ghost with hypocrites that are baptized professors he evidently intends the common gifts graces that he bestowes upon them and this is all he grants to them who are not at last for such he discourses ofâ— found worthy Macarius Aegyptius Homil 5 about the same time with the other or somewhat before is of the same mind He tells us that those who are Christians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how men can be assured of Heaven whilest they live here by the earnest of it which they have received as well as if they were crowned and reigning in Heaven If those who have received that earnest may loose it againe I know not The words of Ambrose to this same purpose Lib 1. de Jacob Vitâ beat are many But because they do not only fully assert the truth we contend for but also insist briefly on most of the Arguments with which in this case we plead I shall transcribe them at large and they are as followeth Non gloriabor quia justus sum sed gloriabor quia redemptus sum gloriabor non quia vacuus peccati sum sed quia mihi remissa sunt Peccata non gloriabor quia profui nec quia profuit mihi quisquam sed quia advocatus pro me apud Patrem Christus est sed quia pro me Christi sanguis effusus est Haeredem te fecit Cohaeredem Christi Spiritum tibi adoptionis infudit Sed vereris dubios vitae anfractus adversarit insidias cûm habeas auxilium Dei habeas tantam ejus dignationem ut filio proprio pro te non peperceâ—it nihîl enim excepit qui omnium concessit Authorem Nihil est igitur quod negari posse nobis verâ—â—â—ur nihil est in quo de munificantiae divinae diffidere perseverantia debeamus eujus fuit tanâ— diutuâ—na jugis abertal ut primò praedestinaret deinde vocanet quos vocavit has justificaret quos justificaret has glorificaret Poterit deâ—erere quos tantis beneficiis neque ad prâ—mia prosecutus est Inter â—ot beneficia Dei num metuendâ— sunt aliquae accusationis insidea sed quis audeat accusare quos electos divine ceâ—nit judicia num Dous pater ipse qui Contulit potest dona sua resâ—iâ—dere quos adaptione suscapit eos à paterni affectâs gratiâ religare sed metus est ne judea severior sit confidera quâ—m judicem habeas nempe Christo dedit pater omne judicium poterit te ergò ille demnare quem redemit à morte pro quo sâ— abtulit cujus vitam suaemortis mercedem esse cognescit nonne decit quae utilitas in sanguine meo si damno quem ipse salvavi deinde consideras judicem non consideras advocatum The foundation of all our glorying in the Love of God and assurance of salvation He lays in the free grace of God in redemption and justification for the certainty of our continuance in that estate he urges the decree of Gods prâ—destination the unchangeableness of his love the Compleat Redemption made by Christ with his effectual Intercession all which are at large insisted upon in the ensuing treatise Adde to him his contemporary Chrysostome Serâ—â— 3. in 2 Cor 1. 21. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of these words of the Apostle he given the ensuing exposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The designe and aime of our Establishment by the Spirit is he tells us that we be not shaken or moved from the saith of Christ So establisheth 〈…〉 not to depart fall away from the faith And that the argument which he insistion from what we have presently received to an assurance of abode in our Condition to the enjoyment of the full inheritanceis not contemtible in the Cause in hand as is further manifested in the treatise it selfe And these instances may suffice for the first period of time mentioned before the rising of the Pelagian heresy of which those others of the same kind that might be produced though they may not seem so full and expressive to
I know not Must that little evidence which they have of their acceptance with God be therefore necessarily built upon such bottomes or rather topps as are visible to them in hypocrites so that upon their Apostasie they must needs not only trye and examine themselves but conclude to their disadvantage and disconsolation that they have no true faith Credat Apella Secondly §. 9. the comfortablenesse he tells us of the testimony of a mans conscience concerning his uprightnesse with God depends mainly and principally upon his uniforme and regular walking with God now this being by the neglects of the Saints often interupted with many staines of unworthinesse the testimony it selfe must needs be often suspended now true believers finding themselves outgon in wayes of obedience by them that impenitently Apostatize if from hence they must conclude them Hypocrites they have no evidence left for the soundnesse of their owne Faith which their consciences beare Testimony unto upon the fruitfullnesse of it which is inferiour by many degrees to that of them who yet finally fall away This is the substance of one long Section pag. 109 110. But First here is the same supposall included as formerly that the only Evidence of a true Faith and acceptance with God is the testimony of a mans conscience concerning his regular upright walking with God For an obstruction in this being supposed his comfort and consolation is thought to vanish but that the Scripture builds up our assurance on other foundations is evident and the Saints acknowledge it as hath been before delivered Nor Secondly doth the Testimony of a mans owne conscience as it hath an influence into his consolation depend solely nor doth Mr Goodwin affirme it so to doe on the constant regularity of his walking with God Job 35. 10. It will also witnesse what former experience it hath had of God Psal. 77. 5 6. 7. calling to mind its song in the night all the tokens and pledges of its fathers love all the gracious visits of the holy and blessed Spirit of grace Isa. 40. 28 29 30. all the imbracements of Christ all that intimacy and communion it hath formerly been admitted unto Canti 3. 1 2. 5. 4 5. the healing and recovery it hath had of wounds Psal 42. 6 7 8 9 10 11. and from back-slidings with all the spirituall intercourse it ever had with God Hos. 2. 7. 14. 2. 8. to confirme and strengthen it selfe in the beginning of its confidence to the end And Thirdly in the testimony that it doth give from its walking with God and the fruits of Righteousnesse it is very farre and remote from giving it only or chiefly Heb. 3. 14. or indeed at all from those waies workes and fruits which are exposed to the eyes of men Isa. 38. 3. and which in others they who have that Testimony may behold Psal. 139. 23 24. It resolves it selfe herein in the frame principles and life of the hidden man of the heart Revel 3. 1. which lies open and naked to the eyes of God 1 Pet. 3. 4. but is lodged in depths not to be fathom'd by any of the Sons of Men 2 Cor. 2. 12. There is no comparison to be instituted between the obedience and fruites of Righteousnes in others whereby a believer makes a judgement of them and that in himselfe from whence the testimony mentioned doth flow that of other men being their visibly practicall conversation his being the hidden habituall frame of his heart and spirit in his waies and actings so that though through the fallings of them he should be occasioned to question his own faith as to triall and examination yet nothing can thence arise sufficient to inforce him to let goe even that part of his comfort which flowes from the weakest witnesse and one of the lowest voyces of all his store Hee eyes others without doores but himself within Fourthly §. 10. whereas 1 Iohn 3. 7. Little Children let no man deceive you he thâ—t doth righteousnesse is righteous is produced and two things argued from thence First that the caveat be not deceived plainly intimates that true believers may very possibly be deceived in the estimate of a righteous man and secondly that this is spoken of a man judging himselfe and that emphatically and exclusively he and he only is to be judged a righteous man I say 1. That though I grant the first Ans. that we may very easily be and often are deceived in our estimate of righteous persons yet I doe not conceive the inference to be inforced from that expression let no man deceive you the Holy Ghost using it frequently or what is equivalent thereunto not so much to caution men in a dubious thing wherein possibly they may be mistaken as in a way of detestation scorne and rejection of what is opposite to that which he is urging upon his Saints which he presseth as a thing of the greatest evidence and cleernesse as 1 Cor 6. 9. chap 15. 32. Gal 6. 7. neither is any thing more intended in this expression of the Apostle then in that of 1 Cor 6. 9. be not deceived no unrighteous person shall inherit the Kingdome of heaven so here no person not giving himselfe up to the pursuit of righteousnesse in the Generall drift and scope of his life cases extraordinary and particular acts being alway in such rules excepted is or is to be accounted a righteous man Secondly also it may be granted though the intendment of the place leads us another way that this is so farre a Rule of selfe judging that he whose frame and disposition suits it not or is opposite unto it cannot keep up the power or vigor of any other comfortable evidence of his state and condition But that it should be so farre extended as to make the only solid and pregnant foundation that any man hath of assurance and consolation to arise and flow from the Testimony of his own conscience concerning his own regular walking in waies of Righteousness seeing persons that walk in darkness and have no light are called to stay themselves on God Isai 50. 10. and when both heart flesh faileth yet God is the strength of the heart Psal 73. 6. is no way cleare in it selfe and is not by M. Goodwin afforded the least contribution of assistance for its confirmation To returne then from this digression a Temptation we acknowledge and an offence to be given to the Saints by the Apostasie of Professors yet not such but as the Lord hath in Scripture made gracious provision against their suffering by it or under it so it leaves them not without sufficient testimony of their own acceptance with God and sincerity in walking with him This then was the state of old thus it is in the daies wherein we live As the practice and waies of some §. 11. so the principles and teachings of others have an eminent tendance unto
indeed we own and for the discovery of that which is brought forth to contest for Acceptance with it upon the score of Truth and usefullnesse First then §. 30. for the Doctrine of the Saints Perseverance how it stands stated in Mr Goodwins thoughts and what he would have other men apprehend thereof may from sundry places in his Booke especially Cap. 9. be collected and thus summarily presented It is saith he Cap. 9. Sect. 3. a promising unto men and that with height of assurance under what loosnesse or vile practises so ever exemption and freedome from punishment so Sect. 4. It is in vaine to perswade or presse men unto the use of such meanes in any kinde which are in themselves displeasing to them seeing they are ascertained and secured before hand that they shal not fail of the end however whether they use such means or no a lushous Fulsome conceit Sect. 5. intoxicating the flesh with a perswasion that it hath Goods layed up for the daies of Eternity A notion comfortable and betideing peace to the flesh Sect. 15. in administring unto it certaine hope that it shall however escape the wrath and vengeance which is to come yea though it disporteth it selfe in all manner of loosnesse and licentiousnesse in the meane time A presumption it is that men Sect. 18. may or shall injoy the love of God and Salvation it selfe under practises of all manner of sinne and wickednesse Representing God Sect. 20. as a God in whose sight he is Good that doth evill promising his love favour and acceptance as well unto doggs returning to their vomit or to swine wallowing after their washing in the mire that is to Apostates which that believers shall not be is indeed the Doctrine he opposeth as unto Lambs aud sheepe A Doctrine whereby ' t is possible for me certainly to know that how loosly how profanely how debauchedly soever I should behave my selfe yet God will love me as he doth the holdest and most righteous man under Heaven With these and the like Expressions doth Mr Goodwin adorne and Gilde over that Doctrine which he hath chosen to oppose with these Garlands flowers doth he surround the Head of the Sacrifice which he intends instantly to slay that so it may fall an undeplored Victim if not seasonably rescued from the hands of this sacred Officer Neither through his whole Treatise do I find it delivered in any other sence or held out under any other notion to his Reader The Course here he hath taken in this case and the paths he walkes in towards his Adversaries seeme to be no other then that which was traced out by the Bishops at Constance when they caused Divells to be painted upon the Cap they put on the Head of Huss before they cast him into the fire I do somthing doubt though I am not altogether Ignorant how abominably the Tenents and Opinions of those who first opposed the Papacy are represented and given over to posterity by them whose interest it was to have them thought such as they gave them out to be whether ever any man that undertooke to publish his Conceptions to the world about any opinion or parcell of Truth debated amongst Professors of the Gospell of Christ did ever so dismember disfigure defile wrest and pervert that which he opposed as Mr Goodwin hath done the Doctrine of Perseverance which he hath undertaken to destroy Me thinks a man should not be much delighted in casting filth and dung upon his Adversary before he begin to graple with him In one word this being the account he gives us of it if he be able to name one Author ancient or moderne any one sober person of old or of late that ever spent a pen full of Inke or once opened his mouth in the defence of that Perseverance of Saints or rather profane walking of dogs and swine which he hath stated not in the words and termes but so much as to the matter or purpose here intimated by him and it shall be accepted as a just defensative against the Crime which we are inforced to charge in this particular and which otherwise will not easily be warded If this be the Doctrine which with so great an indeavour and a Contribution of so much Paines and Rhetorique he seeks to oppose I know not any that will thinke it worth while to interpose in this fierce contest between him and his man of straw Neither can it with the least colour of Truth be pretended that these are Consequences which he urgeth the Doctrine he opposeth withall and not his Apprehensions of the Doctrine it selfe For neither doth he in any place in his whole Treatise hold it out in any other shape but is uniforme and constant to himselfe in expreffing his notion of it nor doth he indeed almost use any Argument against it but those that suppose this to be the true state of the Cōtroversy which he hath proposed But whether this indeed be the Doctrine of the Perseverance of Saints which Mr Goodwin so importunately cryes out against upon a briefe consideration of some of the particulars mentioned will quickly appeare First then §. 34. doth this Doctrine promise with height of Assurance that under what loosnesse or vile practices soever men doe live they shall have Exemption from punishment wherein I pray in that it promiseth the Saints of God that through his Grace they shall be preserved from such loosenesse and evill practises as would expose them to Eternall punishment Psal. 23. 6. Doth it teach men that it is vain to use the meanes of mortification because Jerem. 31. 33. 1 Cor. 10. 13. they shall certainly attaine the end whether they use the meanes or no Or may you not as well say that the Doctrine you oppose is that all men shall be saved whether they believe or no with those other comfortable and chearing associate doctrines you mention Or is this a Regular Emergency of that Doctrine which teaches 1 Pet. 1. 5. that there is no attaining the End but by the meanes between which there is such a Concatenation by Divine appointment that they shall not be separated Doth it speake peace to the flesh in Assurance of Blessed Immortality though it disport it selfe in all folly in the meane time Doe the Teachers of it expresse any such thing Doth any such Abomination issue from their Arguings in the defence thereof Or doth the Doctrine which teaches Believers Saints who have tasted of the love and pardoning mercy of God and are taught to valew it infinitly above all the world that such is the Love and goodwill of God towards them in the Covenant of mercy in the blood of Christ that having appointed Good works for them to walke in Ephes. 2. 10. 2 Cor. 3. 5. for which of themselves they are insufficient he will graciously continue to them such supplyes of his Spirit and Grace as that they shall never depart from following
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
of the floud I have sworne saith he that is I have entred into a covenant to that end which was wont to be confirmed with an Oath and God being absolutely faithfull in his covenant is said to sweare thereunto though there be no expresse mention of any such oath that the World should no more be so drowned as then it was now saith God see my Faithfulnesse herein it hath never been drowned since nor ever shall be with equall Faithfulnesse have I engaged even in Covenant that that kindnesse which I mentioned to thee shall alwaies be continued so that I will not be wroth to rebuke thee that is so as utterly to cast thee off as the World was when it was drowned But some may say before the floud the Earth was filled with violence and sinne and should it be so againe would it not bring another floud upon it Hath he said he will not drowne it notwithstanding any interposall of sinne wickednesse or rebellion whatever Yea saith he such is my Covenant I took notice in my first engagement therein that the Imagination of mans heart would be evill from his youth Gen 8. 21. and yet I entred into that solemne Covenant so that this exemption of the World from an universall deluge is not an Appendix to the obedience of the World which hath been upon some accounts more wicked since then before as in the crucifying of Christ the Lord of Glory and in rejecting of him being preached unto them but it solely leaneth upon my Faithfulnesse in keeping Covenant and my Truth in the accomplishment of the Oath that I have solemnely entred into So is my kindnesse to you I have made expresse provision for your sinnes and failings therein such I will preserve you from as are inconsistent with my kindnesse to you and such will I pardon as you are overtaken withall When you see an universall deluge covering the face of the Earth that is God unfaithfull to his Oath and Covenant then and not till then suppose that his kindnesse can be turned from Believers Something is excepted against this Testimony §. 19. Ch 11. Sect 4 Pag 227. but of so little importance that it is scarce worth while to turne aside to the consideration of it The summe is that this place speaketh only of Gods Faithfulnesse in his Covenant but that this should be the Tenor of the Covenant that they who once truly believed should by God infallibly and by a strong hand against all interposalls of sinne wickednesse or rebellion be preserved in such a Faith is not by any word syllable or Iota intimated Ans. This is that which is repeated usque ad nauseam and were it not for variety of expressions wherewith some men doe abound to adorne it it would appeare extreame beggerly and over-worne but a sorry shift as they say is better then none or doubtlesse in this place it had not been made use of For 1. This Testimony is not called forth to speake immediately to the continuance of Believers in their Faith but to the continuance and unchangeablenesse of the Love of God to them and consequentially only to their preservation in Faith upon that account 2. It is not only assumed at a cheap and very low rate or price but clearly gratis supposed that Believers may make such interposalls of Sinne Wickednesse and Rebellion in their walking with God as should be inconsistent with the continuance of his Favour and Kindnesse to them according to the tenor of the Covenant of Grace His Kindnesse and Favour being to us things extrinsecall our sinnes are not opposed unto them really and directly as though they might effectually infringe an Act of the Will of God but only meritoriously now when God saith that he will continue his kindnesse to us for ever notwithstanding the demerit of Sinne as is plainly intimated in that Allusion to the Waters of Noah for any one to say that they may fall into such Sinnes and Rebellions as that He cannot but turne his Kindnesse from them is a bold attempt for the violation of his Goodnesse and Faithfulnesse and a plaine begging of the thing in Question Certainly it is not a pious labour to thrust with violence such supposalls into the Promises of God as will stoppe those breasts from giving out any consolation when no place or roome for them doth at all appeare there being not one word syllable Iota or tittle of any such supposalls in them 3. The Exposition and Glosse that is given of these words namely that upon conditon of their Faithfulnesse and Obedience which notwithstanding any thing in this or any other Promise they may turne away from he will engage himselfe to be a God to them is such as no Saint of God without the helpe of Satan and his owne unbeliefe could affixe to the place neither will that at all assist which 4. Is affirmed namely that in all Covenants and his Promise holdeth out a Covenant there must be a condition on both sides For we willingly grant that in this Covenant of Grace God doth promise something to us and requireth something of us and that these two have mutuall dependance one upon another But we also affirme that in the very Covenant it selfe God hath graciously promised to worke effectually in us those things which he requireth of us and that therein it mainly differeth from the Covenant of Works which he hath abolished But such a Covenant as wherein God should Promise to be a God unto us upon a condition by us and in our own strength to be fulfilled and on the same account continued in unto the end we acknowledge not nor can whilest our hearts have any sence of the Love of the Father the Bloud of the Sonne of the Grace of the Holy Spirit the fountaines thereof Notwithstanding then any thing that hath been drawn forth in opposition to it Faith may triumph from the Love of God in Christ held out in this Promise to the full assurance of an everlasting Acceptance with him for God also willing yet more abundantly to give in consolation in this place to the heirs of the Promis assureth the stability of his Love and kindnesse to them by another allusion v. 10. The Mountaines saith he shall depart and 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 biddeth them consider the mountaines and hilles and suppose that they may be removed and depart suppose that the most unlikely things in the World shall come to passe whose accomplishment none can judge possible while the World endureth yet my kindnesse to thee is such as shall not fall within those supposalls which concerne things of such an impossibility I am exceeding conscious that all Paraphrasing or Exposition of the words that may be used for their Accommodation to the Truth we plead for doth but darken and Eclipse the Light and Glory
name in the great worke of Redemption And therefore he informes us Ioh. 17. 4. 6. that when the Comforter whom he procureth for us shall come he shall Glorify him and shall receive of his and shew it unto us Ioh. 16. 14. farther manifest his Glory in his bringing nothing with him but what is his or of his procurement so also instructing us clearly and plentifully to aske in his name that is for his sake which to doe plainly and openly is the great priviledge of the New Testament for so he tells his Disciples Ioh. 16. 24. hitherto have you asked nothing in my name who yet were Believers and had made many addresses unto God in and through him but darkely as they did under the Old Testament when they begged mercy for his sake Dan. 9. 17. But to plead with the Father clearly upon the account of the Mediation and Purchase of Christ That I say is the priviledge of the New Testament Now in this way he would have us aske the Holy Spirit at the hand of God Luke 11. 9 13. Aske him that is as to a clearer fuller Administration of him unto us for he is antecedently bestowed as to the working of Faith and Regeneration even unto this Application for without him we cannot once aske in the name of Christ for none can call Jesus Lord or doe any thing in his nane §. 22. but by the spirit of God This I say then He in whom we are blessed with all spirituall blessings Eph. 1. 4. hath procured the Holy Spirit for us and through his Intercession he is bestowed on us Now where the Spirit of God is 2 Cor. 3. 17. there is liberty from sinne peace and acceptance with God But it may be objected although this Spirit be thus bestowed on Believers yet may they not cast him off Rom. 8. 14. so that his abode with them may be but for a season and their Glory not be safegarded in the Issue but their condemnation increased by their receiving of him This being the only thing wherein this proofe of Believers abiding with God seemes lyable to exception I shall give a triple Testimony of the certainty of the continuance of the Holy Spirit with them on whom he is bestowed that in the mouth of two or three witnesses this Truth may be established and they are no meane ones neither but the three that beare witnesse in Heaven the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost The first you have Isa. §. 23. 59. 21. But as for me this is my Covenant with them saith the Lord my Spirit which is upon thee and my words which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy Seed nor out of the mouth of thy Seeds Seed saith the Lord hence forth and for ever That which the Lord declares here to the Church he calls his Covenāt Now whereas in a Covenant there are two things 1. What is stipulated on the part of him that makes the Covenant 2. What of them is required with whom it is made which in themselves are distinct though in the Covenant of Grace God hath promised that he will worke in us what he requires of us that here mentioned is clearely an Evidence of somewhat of the first kinde of that Goodnesse that God in the Covenant doth promise to bestow Though perhaps words of the future tense may sometimes have an Imperative Construction where the import of the residue of the words inforces such a sence yet because it may be so in some place therefore it is so in this place and that therefore these words are not a Promise that the Spirit shall not depart but an injunction to take care that it do not depart as Mr Goodwin will have it is a weake inference And the close of the words will by no meanes be wrested to speake significantly to any such purpose Saith the Lord henceforth even for ever which plainely make the words Promissory an ingagement of God himselfe to them to whom they are spoken So that the interpretation of these words this is my Covenant with them by Mr Goodwin Cap. 11. Sect 4. Pag. 227. That Covenant of perpetuall Grace and Mercy which I made with them requireth this of them in order to the performance of it on my part that they quench not my Spirit which I have put into them doth plainly invert the intendment of God in them and substitute what is tacitely required as our duty into the roome of what is expressly promised as his Grace Observe then Secondly that as no Promise of God given to Believers is either apt of it selfe to ingenerate or by them to be received under such an absurd notion of being made good what soever their deportment be it being the nature of all the Promises of God to frame and mould them to whom they are given into all Holinesse and purity 2 Cor. 7. 1. and this in especiall is a Promise of the principall Author and cause all Holinesse to be continued to them and is impossible to beapprehended under any such foolish supposall so also that this Promise is absolute not Conditionall can neither be colourably gainesaid nor the contrary probably confirmed so that the strength of Mr Goodwins two next Exceptions 1. That this cannot be a Promise of Perseverance unto true Believers whatsoever their deportment shall be And 2. That it must be Conditionall which cannot as he saith be reasonably gainesaid The first of them not looking towards our perswasion in this thing And the latter being not in the least put upon the proofe is but very weakenesse For what Condition I pray of this Promise can be imagined God promises his Spirit of Holinesse that sanctifyeth us and worketh all holinesse in us and therewith the holy Word of the Gospell which is also Sanctifying John 17. 7. that they shall abide with us for ever It is the continuance of the presence of God with us for our Holinesse that is here promised On what condition shall this be supposed to depend Is it in case we continue Holy Who seeth not the vanity of interserting any condition I will be with you by my Spirit and Word for ever to keep you Holy provided you continue Holy 3. Thirdly It is a hard taske to seeke to squeeze a condition out of those gracious words in the beginning of the verse As for mee which Iunius renders de me autem words wherein God graciously reveals himselfe as the sole Author of this great blessing promised it being a worke of his owne which he accomplisheth upon the account of his free Grace And therefore God signally placed that expression in the entrance of the Promise that we may know whom to look unto for the fulfilling thereof And it is yet a farther corruption to say that as for me is as much as for my part I will deale bountifully with them provided that they doe so
higher then outward dispensations when the words expressly mention the Spirit already received Evident it is that the whole Grace Love Kindnesse and Mercy of this eminent Promise and consequently the whole Covenant of Grace is enervated by this corrupting Glosse Doe men think indeed that all the mercy of the Covenant of Grace consists in such tenders and offers as here are intimated that it all lyes in outward endearements and such dealings with men as may seeme to be suited to win upon them and that as to the reall exhibition of it it is wholly suspended upon the unstable uncertaine fraile wills of men The Scripture seemes to hold out something farther of more efficacy Ezek. 11. 19. The designe of these exceptions Jere 31. 32. 32. 40. is indeed to exclude all the effectuall Grace of God promised in Jesus Christ upon the account that the things which he promiseth to work in us thereby are the duties which he requireth of us In summe these are the exceptions which are given into this Testimony of God concerning the abiding of the spirit with them on whom he is bestowed and for whom he is procured to whom he is sent by Jesus Christ. And this is the Interpretation of the words As for mee for my part or as much as in me lieth this is my Covenant I will deale bountifully and gratiously with them the whole Nation of the Jewes my spirit that is in thee that they ought to take care that they entertaine and retaine the Holy Spirit and not walk so extremely unworthily that he should depart frō them the residue of the words wherein the maine Emphasis of them doth lye is left untouched The import then of this Promise is the same with that of the Promises insisted on before with especiall reference to the Holy Spirit procured for us and given unto us by Christ. The stability and establishing Grace of the Covenant is here called the Covenant as sundry other particular mercies of it are also Of the Covenant of Grace in Christ the blessed Spirit to dwell in us and rest upon us is the maine and principall Promise This for our consolation is renewed againe and againe in the Old and New Testoment As a Spirit of sanctification he is given to men to make them believe and as a spirit of Adoplion upon their Believing In either sence God even the Father who takes us into Covenant in Jesus Christ affirmes here that he shall never depart from us which is our first Testimony in the case in hand With whom the Spirit abides and whilest he abides with them they cannot utterly forsake God nor be forsaken of him for they who have the spirit of God are the Children of God sonnes and Heyres But God hath promised that his Spirit shall abide with Believers for ever as hath been clearly evinced from the Text under consideration with a removall of all exceptions put in thereto The second witnesse we have of the constant abode and residence of this spirit bestowed on them §. 26. which Believe for ever is that of the Sonne who assures his Disciples of it Joh. 14. 16. I will saith he pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever As our Saviour gives a Rule of Interpretation expressely of his Prayers for Believers that he did in them intend not only the men of that present Generation but all that should believe to the end of the World Ioh. 17. 20. I pray not for these alone but for them also who shall believe on me through their word so is it a Rule equally infallible for the interpretation of the gracious Promises which he made to his Disciples that are not peculiarly appropriated to their season and worke in which yet as to the generall Love Faithfulnesse and Kindnesse manifested and revealed in them the concernements of the Saints in all succeeding ages does lye they are proper to all Believers as such For whom he did equally intercede to them he makes Promises alike They belong no lesse to us on whom in an especiall manner the ends of the World are fallen then to those who first followed him in the Regeneration Let us then attend to the Testimony in this place and as he shall be pleased to increase our Faith mix it therewithall that the Spirit he procureth for us and sends to us shall abide with us for ever and whilest the Spirit of the Lord is with us we are his Doubtlesse it is no easy taske to raise up any pretended plea against the evidence given in by this Witnesse the Amen the great and faithfull witnesse in Heaven He tells us that he will send the Spirit to abide with us for ever and therein speaks to the whole of the case in hand and Question under debate All we say is that the Spirit of God shall abide with Believers for ever Christ saies so too and in the issue what ever becomes of us he will appeare to be one against whom there is no rising up Against this Testimony it is objected by Mr Goodwin §. 27. Cap. 11. Sect. 14. Pag. 234. This Promise saith he concerning the abiding of this other Comforter for ever must be conceived to be made either to the Apostles personally considered or else to the whole body of the Church of which they were principall members If the first of these be admitted then it will not follow that because the Apostles had the perpetuall residence of the spirit with them and in them therefore every particular Believer hath the like no more then it will follow that because the Apostles were infallible in their judgments through the teachings of the spirit in them therefore every Believer is infallible upon the same account also If the latter be admitted neither will it follow that every Believer or every member of the Church must needs have the residence of the spirit with them for ever There are principall priviledges appropriated to Corporations which every particular member of them cannot claime the Church may have the residence of the spirit of God with her for ever and yet every present member thereof loose his interest and part in him yea the abiding of the spirit in the Apostles themselves was not absolutely promised Ioh. 15. 10. 1. The designe of this discourse is to prove Ans. that this Promise is not made to Believers in generall or those who through the word are brought to believe in Christ in all Generations to the end of the World and consequently that they have no Promise of the Spirits abiding with them for that is the thing opposed and this is part of the Doctrine that tends to their Consolation and improvement in Holinesse What thankes they will give to the Authors of such an eminent discovery when it shall be determined that they have deserved well of them and the Truths of God I know not especially when it shall be considered that not
own thoughts but what may oppose ours that is the plaine and obvious sence of the words that he is concerned to make use of It being not the sence of the place but an escaping our Argument from it that lies in his designe he cares not how many contrary and inconsistent Interpretations he gives of it haec non successit aliâ aggrediemur viâ The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 denotes as is confessed the intention of Christ in sending the Spirit that is that he intends to send him to Believers so as that he should abide with them for ever Now besides the impossibility in generall that the intention of God or of the Lord Christ as God and man should be frustrate whence in particular should it come to passe he should faile in this his intention I will send ye the holy spirit to abide with you for ever that is I intend to send you the Holy Spirit that he may abide with you for ever what now should hinder this Why it is given them upon condition that they be true to their own interest and take care to retaine him what is that I pray Why that they continue in Faith Obedience Repentance and close walking with God but to what end is it that he is promised unto them Is it not to teach them to worke in them Faith Obedience Repentance and close walking with God to Sanctifie them throughout and preserve them blamelesse to the end making them meet for the inheritance with the Saints in Light In case they Obey Believe c. the Holy Ghost is promised unto them to abide with them to cause them to Obey Believe Repent c. 4. The Intention of Christ for the sending of the Spirit and his abiding for ever with them to whom he is sent is but one and the same And if any frustration of his intention do fall out it may most probably interpose as to his sending of the Spirit not as to the Spirits continuance with them to whom he is sent which is asserted absolutely upon the account of his sending him He sends him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his abode is the end of his sending which if he be sent shall be obtained Upon the whole doubtlesse it will be found that the Doctrine of Perseverance findes so much for its establishment in this place of Scripture and Promise of our Saviour that by no Art or cunning it will be prevailed withall to let goe its interest therein And though many attempts be made to turne and wrest this Testimony of our Saviour severall wayes and those contrary too and inconsistent with one another yet it abides to looke straight forwards to the proofe and confirmation of the Truth that lyes not only in the wombe and sence of it but in the very mouth and literall expression of it also I suppose it is evident to all that Mr Goodwin knowes not what to say to it nor what sence to fixe upon At first it is made to the Apostles not all Believers then when this will not serve the turne there being a Concession in that Interpretation destructive to his whole cause then it is made as a Priviledge to the Church not to any individuall Persons but yet for feare that this priviledge must be vested in some individualls it is denyed that it is made to any but only is a Promise of the Spirits abode in the world with the Word but perhaps some thoughts coming upon him that this will no way suit the scope of the place nor be suited to the intēdmēt of Christ it is lastly added that let it be made to whom it will it is conditionall though there be not the least intimation of any condition in the Text or Context and that by him assigned be coincident with the thing it selfe promised But hereof so farre And so our second Testimony the Testimony of the Sonne abides still by the Truth for the confirmation whereof it is produced and in the mouth of these two witnesses the abiding of the Spirit with Believers to the end is established Adde here unto thirdly the Testimony of the third that beares witnesse in Heaven §. 29. and who also comes neere and beares witnesse to this Truth in the hearts of Believers even of the Spirit it selfe and so I shall leave it sealed under the Testimony of the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost As the other two gave in their Testimony in a word of Promise so the Spirit doth in a reall worke of Performance wherein as he beares a distinct Testimony of his owne the Saints having a peculiar Communion and fellowship with him therein so he is as the common seale of Father and Sonne set unto that Truth which by their Testimony they have confirmed There are indeed sundry things whereby he confirmes and establisheth the Saints in the Assurance of his abode with them for ever I shall at present mention that one eminent worke of his which being given unto them he doth accomplish to this very end and purpose and that is his Sealing of them to the day of Redemption A worke it is often in the Scripture mentioned and still upon the account of assuring the Salvation of Believers 2 Cor. 1. 22. by whom also ye are sealed Having mentioned the Certainty Unchangeablenesse and efficacy of all the Promises of God in Christ and the end to be accomplished and brought about by them namely the Glory of God in Believers v. 20. all the Promises of God are yea and Amen in him to the Glory of God by us the Apostle acquaints the Saints with one Foundation of the security of their interest in those Promises whereby the end mentioned the Glory of God by them should be accomplished This he ascribes to the efficacy of the Spirit bestowed on them in sundry workes of his Grace which he reckoneth v. 21 22. Among them this is one that he seales them As to the nature of this sealing and what that Act of the Spirit of Grace is that is so called I shall not now insist upon it The end and use of Sealing is more aimed at in this expression then the nature of it what it imports then wherein it consists Being a terme forensicall and translated from the use and practice of men in their Civill Transactions the use and end of it may easily from the originall rise thereof be demonstrated Sealing amongst men hath a two fold use First to give secrecy and security in things that are under present consideration to the things sealed And this is the First use of Sealing by a seale set upon the thing sealed Of this kind of sealing chiefely have we that long Discourse of Salmasius in the vindication of his Jus Atticum against the Animadversions of Heraldus And 2 ly to give an assurance or faith for what is by them that seale to be done In the first sence are things sealed up in Baggs and in Treasuries that they may be kept safe none daring to
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
given unto them There is not a quickning a life-giving Power in a quality a created thing In the state of Nature besides gracious dispensations and habits in the Soule inclining it to that which is good and making it a sutable subject for spirituall Operations John 5. Eph. 2. 1 2. we want also a vitall Principle which should actuate the disposed subject unto answerable Operations this a quality cannot give He that carries on the worke of quickning doth also begin it Rom 8. 11. All Graces whatever Gal. 5. 22. as was said are the fruits of the Spirit and therefore in order of Nature are wrought in men consequentially to his being bestowed on them Now in the first bestowing of the Spirit we have Union with Christ the carrying on whereof consists in the farther manifestation and operations of the Indwelling Spirit which is called Communion To make this evident that our Union with Christ consists in this the same Spirit dwelling in him and us and that this is our Union let us take a view of it First from Scripturall Declarations of it and then Secondly from Scripture Illustrations of it both briefely being not my direct businesse in hand 1. First Peter tells us §. 9. that it is a participation of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. We are by the Promises made partakers of the Divine Nature that is it is promised to be given unto us which when we receive we are made partakers of by the Promises That this participation of the Divine Nature let it be interpreted how it will is the same upon the matter with our Union with Christ is not questioned that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be only a gracious habit quality or disposition of Soule in us I cannot easily receive that is somewhere called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 5. 17. the New Crea ure but no where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Divine Nature The pretended high and spirituall but indeed grosse and carnall conceits of some from hence destructive to the Nature of God and Man I shall not turne aside to consider What that is of the Divine Nature or wherein it doth consist that we are made partakers of by the Promises I shewed before That the Person of the Holy and Blessed Spirit is promised to us whence he is called the Holy Spirit of Promise Eph. 1. 13. hath been I say by sundry evidences manifested Upon the Accomplishment of that Promise he coming to dwell in us we are said in him by the Promises to be made partakers of the Divine Nature We are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we have our Communion with it Our participation then of the Divine Nature being our Union with Christ consists in dwelling of the same Spirit in him and in us we receiving him by the Promise for that end 2. Christ tells us § 10. that this Union arises from the eating of his flesh and drinking of his bloud Ioh 6. 56. Hee that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud dwelleth in me and I in him The mutuall Indwelling of Christ and his Saints is their Union this saith Christ is from their Eating my flesh and Drinking my bloud But how may this be done Many were offended when this saying was spoken neere and close trialls of sincerity drive hypocrites into Apostasy from his Christ takes away this scruple v 63. it is saith he the spirit that quickneth the flesh profiteth nothing It is by the Indwelling of the quickning Spirit whereby we have a reall participation of Christ whereby he dwelleth in us and we in him So 3. He prayes for his Disciples Ioh. 17. 21. that they may be one §. 11. as the Father in him and he in the Father that they may be one in the Father and Sonne and v. 22. let them be one even as we are one And that yee may not think that it is only union with and among themselves that he presses for though indeed that which gives them Union with Christ gives them Union one with another also and that which constitutes them of the Body unites them to the Head there is one Body because there is one Spirit Eph. 4. 4. which even Lombard himselfe had some notion of in his Assertion that Charity which is in us is the person of the Holy Ghost from that place of the Apostle God is Love I say he farther manifests that it is Union with himselfe which he intends v. 23. I in them saith he and thou in mee This Union then with him our Saviour declares by or at least illustrates by resemblance unto his union with the Father Whether this be understood of the Union of the Divine Persons of Father and Sonne in the Blessed Trinity the Union I meane that they have with themselves in their distinct Personality and not their Unity of Essence or the Union which was between Father and Sonne as Incarnate it comes all to one as to the Declaration of that Union we have with him The Spirit is Vinculum Trinitatis the Bond of the Trinity as is commonly and not ineptly spoken proceeding from both the other Persons being the Love and Power of them both he gives that Union to the Trinity of Persons whose substratum and Ground is the inestimable unity of Essence wherein they are one Or if you take it for the Union of the Father with the Sonne Incarnate it is evident and beyond inquiry or dispute that as the Personall Union of the Divine Word and the Humane Nature was by the Assumption of that Nature into one Personall Substance with it selfe so the Person of the Father hath no other union with the Humane Nature of Christ immediatly and not by the Union of his own Nature thereunto in the Person of his Sonne but what consists in that Indwelling of his Spirit in all fulnesse in the Man Christ Jesus Now saith our Saviour this Union I desire they may have with mee by the dwelling of the same Spirit in me and them whereby I am in them and they in me as I am one with thee O Father 2. The Scripture sets forth this Union by many Illustrations §. 12. given unto it from the things of the neerest Union that are subject to our apprehension giving the very termes of the things so united unto Christ and his in their Union I shall name some few of them 1. That of Head and Members making up one Body §. 13. is often insisted on Christ is the Head of his Saints and they being many are Members of that one Body and of one another as the Apostle at large 1 Cor 12. 12. even as the Body is one and hath many members and all the members of that one body being many are one body so is Christ The body is one and the Saints are one Body yea one Christ that is mysticall They then are the Body what part is Christ He is the Head 1 Cor. 11. 3. the Head of every man
one houre and the next cast them into Hell one day rejoycing over them with joy another rejoycing to destroy them as it is dishonorable to God and derogatory to all his Divine Excellencies and Perfections so in particular it clotheth his Love with the most uncomly and undesirable Garment that ever was put upon the Affections of the meanest worme of the earth What can ye say more contemptible of a man more to his dishonour among all wise and knowing men or that shall render his Respects and Affections more undesirable then to say He is free of his Love indeed but he abides not in it What a world of Examples have we of those who have been in his bosome and have againe been cast out Though among men something may be pretended in excuse of this with respect unto their ignorance the shortnesse of their foresight disability to discern between things appearances yet in respect of God before whom all things are open naked in whose eye all incidences Events lye as clearely stated as things that are already passed and gone what can be said of such a vaine supposall for the vindication of his Glory It is said that men change from what they were when God loved them and therefore his love changeth also But who first made them fit to be Beloved Did not the Lord Do they make themselves differ from others On what account did he do it was it not merely on the acount of his owne Grace Can he not as well preserve them in a state of being beloved as put them into it And if he determined that he would not preserve them in that Condition why did he set his Love upon them when himselfe knew that he would not continue it to them was it only to give his Love the dishonour of a Change I say then the Doctrine contended for gives the Love of God the Glory of its Immutability asserts it to be like himselfe Unchangeable that there is not indeed in its selfe the least shaddow of turning it may be eclipsed and obscured as to its beames and influences for a season but changed turned away it cannot be And this consideration of it renders it to the soules of the Saints inestimably precious the very thought of it considering that nothing else could possibly save or preserve them is marrow to their bones and health to their soules and makes them cry out to all that is within them to love the Lord and to live unto him 3. It gives it the Glory of its Fruitfulnesse A barren Love is upon the matter no Love Love that hath no breasts no bowels that pitties not that assists not deserves not that Heavenly name Will ye say shee is a tender loving mother who can looke on a languishing perishing Child yea see a ravenous beast whom yet she could easily drive away take it out of her armes and devoure it before her face and not put forth her strength for its assistance or deliverance Or will ye say shee is a Tygre and a monster in Nature And shall we faigne such a Love in God towards his Children which is such that all the bowells of a tender Parent to an only Child are but as a drop to the Ocean in comparison of it As that he lookes on whilest they languish and perish fall sinke and dye away into everlasting calamity yea that notwithstanding it he will suffer the Roaring Lyon to come and snatch them away out of his Armes and devoure them before his face That he will look upon them sinking into eternall separation from him and such destruction as that it had been infinitely better for them never to have been borne without putting forth his Power and the efficacy of his Grace for their preservation Ah foolish people and unwise shall we thus requite the Lord as to render him so hard a Master so cruell a Father to his tender ones the Lambs of his Sonne washed in his Bloud quickned by his Spirit owned by him smiled on embraced ten thousand times as to suffer them so to be taken out of his hands Is there nothing in his Love to cause his Bowells to move and his repentings to be kindled together towards a poore dying Child that surely departeth not without some sad lookes towards his Father Nemo repentè fit turpissimus Is this the kindnesse which he exalteth above the Love of a Woman to her sucking Child of a Mother to the fruit of her Wombe Oh that men should dare thus foolishly to charge the Almighty to ascribe such a barren fruitlesse Love to him who is Love towards his Children who are as the Apple of his eye his deare and tender ones as would be a perpetuall blot and staine to any earthly Parent to have righteously ascribed to him I say then our Doctrine gives the Love of God the Glory of its fruitfulnesse It asserts it to be such a Fountaine-love as from whence continually streames of Grace kindnesse mercy and Refreshment doe flow because he loves us with everlasting Love therefore he drawes us with Loving-kindnesse Ier. 30. 1 2 from that Love proceeds continuall supplies of the Spirit and Grace by which those of whom it is said they abide are preserved lovely and fit by him to be beloved It tells us that because God loves his people therefore are they in hiâ— hand Deut 33. 3. It declares it to be such a Love as is the Wombe of all mercy whence pardon healing recovery from wounds sicknesses and dying pangs doe continually flow A Love upon the account whereof the Persons loved may make conclusion that they shall lack nothing Psal. 23. 1. A Love whose fruitfulnesse is subservient to its own constancy preserving the Saints such as he may rest in it unchangeably Rom. 8. 29 30. A Love whereby God sings to his vineyard watches over it and waters it every moment Isa. 27. 2 3. And now what flint almost in the Rock of stone would not be softned and dissolved by this Love When we shall think that it is from the Love of God that our wasted portion hath been so often renewed that our dying Graces have been so often quickned our dreadfull back-slidings so often healed our breaches and decayes so often repaired and the pardon of our innumerable transgressions so often sealed unlesse we suck the breasts of Tygers and have nothing in us but the nature of Wolves and uncleane Beasts can we hold out against the sweet gracious powerfull effectuall inâ—luences that it will have upon our soules Thus I say doth the Doctrine which we have in hand set out the Love of God unto us in his eminent endearing properties wherein he being embraced through Christ a Foundation is laid and eminent promotion given unto the Holinesse and Obedience which he requireth of us 2. This Doctrine renders Jesus Christ lovely to our soules to the soules of Believers §. 17. It represents him to them as the Standard bearer to ten thousand as
condition They are no lesse obnoxious to that death from whence our Regeneration is a delivery by the bestowing of a new Spirituall life than a sinner of an hundred yeares old A returning to this condition it seemes is Regeneration Quantum est in rebus inane Thirdly The qualifications of Infants not Regenerated are meerely negative and that in respect of the acts of sinne not the habituall seed and root of them for in them dwells no good that in respect of these qualifications of Innocency that are in them by nature Antecedent to any Regeneration all which are resolved into a Naturall impotency of perpetrating sinne they are accepted in Grace and favour with God had been another new notion had not Pelagius and Socinus before you fallen upon it without Faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11. 6. And his wrath abides on them that Believe not Iohn 3. 36. That Infants have or may have Faith and not be regenerated will scarcely be granted by them who believe the Spirit of Christ to cause Regeneration where he is bestowed Tit. 3. 5. And all Faith to be the Fruit of that Spirit Gal 5. 26 27. Farther for the qualifications of Infants by Nature how are they brought cleane from that which is uncleane Are they not conceived in sinne and brought forth in iniquity Or was that Davids hard case alone If they are borne of the flesh and are flesh if they are uncleane how come they to be in that estate upon the account of their Qualifications accepted in the Love and favour of him who is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity If this be the Doctrine of Regeneration that M. G. preaches I desire the Lord to blesse them that belong unto him in a deliverance from attending thereunto Of the Effects of the death of Christ in respect of all children I shall not now treat That they should be saved by Christ not washed in his Bloud not sanctifyed by his Spirit which to be is to be Regenerate is another new notion of the new Gospell The Countenance which Mr Goodwin would begge to his Doctrine from that of our Saviour to his Disciples Except ye be turned and become as little Children ye cannot enter into the Kingdome of God reproving their ambition and worldly thoughts from which they were to be weaned that they might befit for that Gospell state imployment whereunto he called them wherein they were to serve him does no more advantage him nor the cause he hath undertaken than that other caution of our Saviour to the same persons to be wise asserpents innocent as Doves would do him that should undertake to prove that Christians ought to become pigeons or snakes Thus much then we have learned of the mind of M. G. by this digression 1. That no children are Regenerate 2. That they are all accepted with God through Christ upon the account of the good Qualifications that are in them 3. That Regeneration is a mans returing to the state wherein he is borne And having taken out this Lesson which we shall never learne by heart whilst we live we may now proceed I shall only adde to the maine of the businesse in hand §. 49. that so long as a man is a child of God he cannot he need not to repeat his Regeneration But that one who hath been the child of God should cease to be the child of God is somewhat strange How can that be done amongst men that he should cease to be such a mans sonne who was his sonne Those things that stand in Relation upon any thing that is past and therefore irrevocable cannot have their beings continued and their Relation dissolved it is impossible but that cause and effect must be related one to another such is the relation between Father and Sonne The foundation of it is an act past and irrevocable and therefore the Relation it selfe is indissoluble Is it not so with God and his Children when they once stand in that Relation it cannot be dissolved But of these things hitherto To proceed with that place of Scripture which I laid as the foundation of this discourse §. 50. The generall way of Lusts dealing with the soule the bringing forth of sinne whereof there are two acts expressed v. 14. the one of drawing away the other inticing is to be insisted on Upon the first the person tempted is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 drawn off or drawne away and upon the second he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inticed or intangled The First stirring of sinne is to draw away the soule from what it ought to be fixed upon by its rising up irregularly to some delightfull object For a man to be drawne away by his lust is to have his Lust drawne out to some object suited to it wherein it delighteth Now this drawing away denoteth two things 1. The turning of the soule from the actuall rectitude of its frame towards God Though the soule cannot alwayes be in actuall Exercise of Grace towards God yet it ought alwayes to be in an immediate readinesse to any Spirituall duty upon the account whereof when occasion is administred it doth as naturally goe forth to God as a vessell full of water floweth forth when vent is given unto it Hence we are commanded to pray alwayes Our Saviour giveth a Parable to instruct his Disciples that they ought to pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 18. 1. And we are commanded to pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without ceasing or intermission 1 â—hess 5. 17. Which the same Apostle in an other place calleth praying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in every place namely as occasion is administred It is not the perpetuall exercise of this duty as the Iewes some of them have ridiculously interpreted the first Psalme of reading the Law day and night which would shut out and cut off all other dutyes not only of mens Callings and Employments as to this Life but all other dutyes of the wayes worship of God whatever But it is only the readinesse and promptitude of the heart in its constant frame to that necessary duty that is required Now he who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by lust is drawne off from this frame that is he is interrupted in it by his lust diverting unto some sinfull object And as to this particular there is a great difference betwixt the sinning of Believers and those who arise not beyond that height which the power of Conviction beareth them oftentimes up unto For 1. The maine of a true Believers watching in his whole life § 51. and in the course of his walking with God is directed against this off-drawing from that habituall frame of his heart by lust and sinne His great businesse is as the Apostle telleth us to take the whole armour of God to him that sinne if it be possible may make no approach to his soule Eph. 6. 13. It is to keepe up their spirits to a hate of
the whole nature of the New-Covenant easily disproved by innumerable instances Fourthly §. 13. That Believers are to be wrought upon to obedience alwaies whatever the frame of their spirits be by the same waies and meanes Thence 't is that promises promises of highest and greatest assurance are in this discourse coupled with cautions of the deepest charge as though they must at the same time operate the same way to Believers or else the Holy-Ghost be liable to be traduced as inconsistent with himselfe When the great variety that is in their spirituall frame and temper the manifold Temptations wherewith they are assaulted the Light and Darke places they walke through c. give occasion sufficient to the exercising towards them all the piping and mourning that is provided for them Fiftly §. 14. That all Believers are assured of their Perseverance that to such a degree as not to feare any Apostasy or to care what becomes of them that is assured to presumption not Believing therefore are those Cautions and Admonitions of the Holy Ghost on that Account tending to stirre up in them any Godly care or feare rendred frustrate when M. Goodwin himselfe thinks that very few of them doe upon any good and abiding foundation know themselves to be Believers And we never once supposed that all of them have Assurance of their Perseverance nor any of them upon the termes here proposed all the strength of what is here insinuated lyes in this that God gives Assurance to men of the stedfastnesse and constancy of his Love under supposall of their falling into all manner of abominable sinnes Which supposall alone renders an inconsistency between the sence of the Promises we embrace and that of the Admonitions that are given to the Saints charging them to walke heedfully and to watch diligently against the attempts and assaults of Sathan Now this supposall is in it selfe false and ridiculous Neither ever did the Lord nor do we ever say he did tender men Assurance of his Love on such termes Neither is it possible for any one for ever to have a true perswasion of his owne Perseverance under such notions Sixtly § 15. That there is an inconsistency betwixt Faithfull Promises of attaining an end by the use of meanes and Exhortation with Admonitions to make use of those meanes so that if it be supposed that God promiseth that Sathan shall not in the issue prevaile over us prescribing to us the meanes whereby we shall be preserved from his prevalency 't is in vaine to deale with us for the application of our selves unto the use of those meanes Seaventhly §. 16. 'T is also supposed that an Assurance of the Love of God and the continuance of it to the Saints unto the end so that they shall be never utterly rejected by him is an effectuall way meanes to induce them to carnall loose walking and a negligence in those things which are a provocation to the eyes of his Glory and therefore if he Promise Faithfully never to leave us nor forsake us it is an inducement for us to conclude let the Divell now take his swing do with us what he pleaseth To exhort us to take care for the avoidance of his subtiltyes and opposition is a thing altogether ridiculous The vanity of this supposall hath been sufficiently before discovered and it selfe disproved Upon such Hypotheses as these I say upon such painted posts §. 17. is the whole pageant erected which we are here ingaged withall and these being easily cast down the whole rushes to the ground in the roome whereof according to our principles this following Discourse may be supplyed You that are true Believers §. 18. called Justifyed Sanctifyed by the Spirit and Bloud of Christ adopted into my family ingrafted in united unto the Son of my Love I know your weakenesse insufficiency disability darkenesse how that without my Sonne and continuall supply of his Spirit you can do nothing the power of your Indwelling sinne is not hid from me how with violence it leads you captive to the Law thereof and though ye do believe yet I know you have yet also some unheal'd unbeliefe and on that account are often overwhelmed with Feares Sorrowes Disconsolations and Troubles and are ready often to thinke that your way is passed over form me and your Judgment hidden from your God And in this Condition I know the Assaults Temptations and Oppositions of Sathan that you are exposed to how he goes up and downe like a roaring Lion seeking to destroy you his wayes Methods wiles and baits that he layes for you and whereby he seekes to destroy you are many he acts against you as a Serpent subtilly and wisely as a Lyon dreadfully and fearefully and with snares not of you by your selves to be resisted you have Principallityes and Powers to wrestle withall and the darts of the wicked one to defend your selves against Wherefore beware of him be not ignorant of his devices stand fast in the Faith take to you the whole armour of God resist him overcome him cast him out by prayer and the bloud of the Lambe watch night and day that you be not surprised nor seduced as Eve was by him that he turne you not out of the way into pathes leading to destruction and thrust you headlong into such sinnes as will be a dishonour to me a griefe to my Spirit a scaudall to the Church and bitternesse to your owne soules And as for me who know your disability of your selves to do any of these things and so to hold to the end because it pleased me to love you set my heart upon you having chosen you before the Foundation of the world that you should be holy and unblameable before me in Love having given my only Sonne unto you who is your peace through whom you have received the Attonement with whom I will not deny you or withhold from you any thing that may safeguard your abiding with me unto Salvation I will through the riches of my Grace worke all your workes for you fulfilling in you all the good pleasure of my Goodnesse the worke of Faith with power I will tread down Sathan this cruell proud Malicious bloudy enemy of your Soules under your feet and though at any time he soile you yet ye shall not be cast down for I will take you up and will certainly preserve you by my power to the end of your hope the Salvation of your soules whatever betide you or befall you I will never leave you nor forsake you the mountaines may depart and the hills be removed but my kindnesse shall never be removed from you comfort ye be of good courage and runne with joy the race that is set before you This I say is the language which according to the tenour of the Doctrine whose maintenance we are ingaged in God speakes to his Saints and Believers and if there be folly and
guidance of their judgement in the receiving or rejecting of them On the account of its destructivenesse to Godlinesse and obedience do the Socinians reject the Satisfaction and merit of Christ and on the account of conducingnesse thereunto do the Papists assert and build up the Doctrines of their owne merits Penance Satisfaction and the like On that principle did they seeme to be acted who pressed Legall Judaicall suppositions with a shew of wisdome or will worship and humility and neglecting the body Col. 2. 23. Neither did they faile of their plea concerning promotion of Godlinesse in the Worship of God who reviled rejected and persecuted the Ordinances of Christ in this Generation to set up their own Abominations in the Roome Yea it is generally the first word wherewith every Abomination opens its mouth in the world though the men of those Abominations do rather suppose this pretence of Godlinesse to be serviceable for the promotion of their opinions than their opinions any way really usefull to the promotiō of godlines Neither need we go far to enquire after the Reasons of mens miscarriages pretending to judge of Truth according to this Rule seeing they ly at hand are exposed to the view of all for besides that very many of the pretenders to this plea may be justly suspected to be men of corrupt minds dealing falsely treacherously with their own soules the truth the pretence of furthering Holinesse being one of the cunning sleights wherewith they ly in wait to deceive which may justly be suspected of them who together with this plea and whilst they make it are apparently themselves loose and remote from the power of a Gospell conversation as the case hath been with not a few of the most eminent assertors of Arminianisme How few are there in the world who have indeed a true notion and Apprehension of the nature of Holinesse in its whole compasse and extent as in the Fountaine Causes Rise and Use and end thereof And if men know not indeed what holinesse is how shall they judge what Doctrine or Opinion is conducing to the furtherance thereof or is obstructive to it Give me a man who is perswaded that he hath power in himselfe being by the discovery of a Rule directed thereinto to yeild that obedience to God which he doth require who supposeth that threats of hell destructiō are the greatest most powerfull effectuall motive unto that obedience that the Spirit Grace of God to worke create a new heart in him as a suitable principle of all holly actings are not purchased nor procured for him by the Bloud of Christ nor is there any holinesse wrought in him by the Almighty efficacy of that Spirit and Grace he having a sufficiency in himselfe for those things that there is not a reall Physicall concurrence of the Grace of God for the production of every good act whatever and that he is Justifyed upon the account of any act or part of his Obedience or the whole and I shall not be much moved or shaken with the Judgement of that man concerning the serviceablenesse suitablenesse of any Doctrine or Doctrines to the furtherance of Godlinesse and Holinesse There are also many different opinions about the nature of Godlinesse what it is and wherein it doth consist I desire to be informed how a man may be directed in his Examination of those opinions supposing him in a streight and exigency of thoughts between them in considering which of them is best suited to the promotion of Godlinesse I do not intend in the least to derogate from the certaine and undoubted truth of what was premised at the beginning of this Discourse viz. That every Gospell Rule whatever is certainly conducing to the furtherance of Gospell Obedience in them that receive it in the Love and power thereof Every errour being in its utmost Activity especially in corrupting the principles of it obstructive thereunto much les do we in any measure decline the tryall of the Doctrine which I assert in opposition to the Apostacy of the Saints by this touch-stone of its usefulnesse to Holinesse having formerly manifested its eminent Activity and efficacy in that service and the utter aversenesse of its corrivall to lend any assistance thereunto But yet I say in an inquiry after and dijudication of truth whatever I have been or may be streightned between different perswasions I have and shall rather close in the practice of Holinesse in prayer Faith and waiting upon God to search the Scripture to attend wholly to that Rule having plentifull promises for guidance and direction than to weigh in any Rationall consideration of my owue what is conducing to Holinesse what not especially in many truths which have their usefullnesse in this service as is the case of most Gospell Ordinances and institutions of Worship not from the connexion of things but the meere will of the appointer Of those Doctrines I confesse which following on to know the Lord we know from his Word to be from him and in which doing the will of Christ are revealed to us to be his will a peculiar valuation is to be set on the head of them which appeare to be peculiarly and eminently serviceable to the promotion and furthering our Obedience as also that all opinions what ever that are in the least seducers from the power truth and Spirituality of obedience are not of God are eo nomine to be rejected yet having a more sure rule to attend unto I dare not make my apprehensions concerning the tendency of Doctrines any Rule if God hath not so spoken of them for the judging of their truth or false-hood if my thoughts are not shut up and determined by the power of the Word The next proposall made by M. Goodwin §. 7. is of the advantages he hath to judge of Truths which he hath done unto plenary satisfaction according to the Rule now considered The first thing he offereth to induce us to close with him in his judgement of Opinions is the knowledge he hath of the generall course of the Scripture what is intended by the generall course of the Scripture well I know not so am not able to judg of M. Goodwins knowledge thereof by any thing exposed to publique view If by the generall course of the Scriptures the matter of them is intended the importance of the expression seems to be coincident with the Analogy or proportion of Faith a safe rule of Prophesy but what ever M. Goodwins knowledge may be of this I am not perfectly satisfied that he hath kept close unto it in many Doctrines of his Book entituled Redemption Redeemed and so the weight of his skill in judging of truths on this foundation will not ballance what I have to lay against it for the inducement of other thoughts than those of closeing with him The course of the Scripture cannot import the manner of the expressions therein used in that there
forbearance of the allowance of temporall things from them to whom he Preached which was due to him by all right whereby any claime in any kind whatever may be pursued together with the expresse institution of the Lord Jesus Christ by him before laid downe In this course he behaved himselfe with wisdome zeale and diligence having many glorious aimes in his eye as also being full of a sence of the duty incumbent on him v. 6. to whose performance he was constrained by the Law of Jesus Christ as he also here expresses Among other things that provoked him to and supported him in his hard labour and travaile was the Love he bare to the Gospell and that he might have with others fellowship in the propagation and declaration of the glorious message thereof This is his intendment v. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. For the Gospells sake or the love he bare to it he desired with others to be partaker of it that is of the excellent worke of preaching of it for of the benefit of the Gospell he might have bin partaker with other Believers though he had never bin set a part to its promulgation In his whole Discourse he still speaks accommodately to his businesse in hand for the describing of his worke of Apostleship in preaching the glorious Gospell of Jesus Christ and as to the end of this worke he acquaints us that there was proposed before him the incorruptible Crown of his Masters approbation upon his lawfull running and striving in the way of the ministry whereto he was called the peculiar Glory of them whom he is pleased to imploy in this service and though the cause of his fighting at that rate as he did was not wholly the feare of non approbation in that worke a necessity of duty being incumbent on him which he was to discharge yet he that knowes how to value the crowne of approbation from Christ the holy Angels and the Church of having Faithfully discharged the office of a Steward in dispensing the things of God will think it sufficiently effectuall to stirre up any one to the utmost expence of Love paines and diligence that he may not come short of it And of Mr Goodwins proofe this is the issue His next is from Heb. 6. 4 5 6 7. with Chap. 10. 26 27. which he brings in attended with the ensuing Discourse §. 26. Sect. 18. The next passage we shall insist npon to evince the possibility of a finall defection in the Saints openeth it selfe in these words For it is impossible for those who were once enlightned and have tasted of the Heavenly guift and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost and have tasted of the good Word of God and the powers of the world to come if they shall fall away to renew them againe nnto repentance seeing they crucify to themselves the sonne of God afresh and put him to an open shame For the earth which drinketh in the raine that cometh oft upon it and bringeth forth herbes meet for them by whom it is dressed receiveth blessing from God But that which beareth thornes and briers is rejected and is nigh unto cursing whose end is to be burned Answerable hereunto is another in the same Epistle For if wee sin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more Sacrifice for sinnes but a certaine fearefull looking for of Judgement and fiery indignation which shall devour the Adversaryes He that despised Moses Law dyed without mercy under two or three witnesses Of how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall he be thought worthy who hath troden under foot the Son of God and hath counted the Bloud of the Covenant where with he was Sanctifyed an unholy thing and hath done despight unto the Spirit of Grace Evident it is that in these two passages the Holy Ghost after a serious manner with a very pathetique moving straine of Speech and discourse scarce the like to be found in all the Scriptures admonisheth those who are at present true Believers to take heed of relapsing into the wayes of their former ignorance impiety This caveat or admonition he presseth by an argument of this import that in case they shall thus relapse there will be very little or no hope at all of their recovery or returne to the Estate of Faith and Grace wherein now they stand Before the faces of such sayings and passages as these rightly understood and duely considered there is no standing for that Doctrine which denies a possibility either of a totall or finall defection of the Saints But this light also is darkened in the Heavens by the interposition of the vailes of these two exceptions 1. That the Apostle in the said passages affirmes nothing positively concerning the falling away of those he speakes of but only conditionally and upon supposition 2. That he doth not speake of true and sound Believers but of Hypocrites and such who had Faith only in shew not in substance The former of these exceptions hath been already nonsuited and that by some of the ablest Patrons themselves of the cause of Perseverance where we were taught from a pen of that Learning that such conditionall sayings upon which Admonitions Promises or Threatnings are built doe at least suppose something impossible however by vertue of their Tenor and forme they suppose nothing in being But 2. As to the places in hand there is not any Hypotheticall signe or conditionall Particle to be found in either of them as they come from the Holy Ghost and are carried in the Originall Those two Iffs appearing in the English Translation the one in the former place the other in the latter shew it may be the Translators inclination to the cause but not their faithfulnesse in their engagement an infirmiâ—y whereunto they were very subject as we shall have occasion to take notice of the second time ere long in another instance of the like partiality But the Tenor of both the passages in hand is so ordered by the Apostle that he plainly declares how great and fearfull the danger is or will be when Believers doe or shall fall away not if or in case they shall fall away Ans. Of the two Answers which as himselfe signifyeth are usually given to the objections from these places of Scripture that Mr Goodwin doth not fairely acquit his hands of either will quickly appeare 1. To the first that the forme of speech used by the Apostle in both places is conditionall whence there is no arguing to the event without begging the thing in question or supposall that the condition in all respects may be fulfilled where it requires only to the coÌ„stitution of it as a condition in the place of arguing wherein it is used that it be possible in some only he opposeth That some of them who have wrote for the Doctrine of the Saints Perseverance have disclaimed the use of it as to its application to the place in Ezechiel