kind of efficiency well said And that when one workes Necessitatingly and another by Perswasion they cannot be said to cooperate no more then one that runnes or another that walkes can be said to walke together Certainly our Author never dreamed that any man whatever would put himselfe to the trouble of examining these dictates or he would have been more wary of his asserting them and we had not had so much not only new and strange Divinity but new and uncouth Philosophy heaped up without any considerable endeavour of proofe or confirmation First §. 38. That two Agents cannot concurre or cooperate to the producing of the same effect but with the same kind of efficiency is a rare notion indeed Was he never perswaded to doe any thing in his life What thinks he of David's the Amorites killing of Vriah of a Judge an Executioner slaying a Malefactor of God Satan moving David to number the People of God Iosephs brethren sending him to Egypt But what need I mention Instances Who knowes not that this so confounds all causes Efficient that principall Instrumentall Materiall Finall Formall which in their production of effects have all their distinct efficiency and yet their cooperation Secondly The proofe from the Scripture mentioned extends only to the interesting of Ministers in the great honour of Cooperating with God in the work of begetting increasing Faith in their own spheare according to the work to them committed But that God and they do work with the same kind of efficiency 't is the maine intendment of the Apostle in the place cited 1 Cor 3. to disprove He tells you indeed there is a work of Planting and watering committed to the Ministers of the Gospell but the giving of increase a peculiar working with a distinct kind of Efficiency that is alone to be ascribed to God It is I say his designe who every where abundantly informes us that Faith is the gift of God wrought in us by the exceeding greatnesse of his Power to prove in this place that though the dispensation of the Word of the Gospell be committed unto men yet their whole Ministry will be vaine and of none effect unlesse by an immediate efficacy or working of his Spirit giving bestowing Faith on his Elect God do give an increase Thirdly For the terme of Necessitating put upon the reall effectuall work of Gods Grace on the wills of men giving them power assistance and working in them to will and to do as different from that which is purely Morall or Perswasive only which communicates no strength or power I shall need no more but to reject it with the same facility wherewith 't is imposed on us The similitude of one walking and another running wherewith the inconsistency of a Reall efficient work of Grace with perswasions so farre as that they should be said to cooperate to the producing of the same effect doth not in the least illustrate what 't is intended to set off for though one runne and another goe softly as suppose one carrying a little loafe another a great burthen of meat for a supper and both going to the same place Why may not they be said to cooperate to the providing of the same supper Must all Agents that cooperate to the producing of the same effect be together in one place You may as soone bring Heaven and Hell together as prove it And why must reall efficiency be compared to running and Perswasion to soft walking As though one were supposed to carry on the work faster than the other when we say only That in the one there is a distinct power exerted from what is in the other which that it may be done might be proved by a thousand instances and illustrated by as many similitudes if any pleasure were taken to abound in causâ facili God or man then cooperate in respect of the tendency of their working unto the event not in respect of the kinds of their efficiency Of the seventh Section whereon we shall not need long to insist § 39. which in the entrance frames an Objection and pretends an Answer to it there are three parts In the first he sayes that we affirme That though the will be necessitated by God yet 't is free in her Election which how it may be he understands not But if this were all the inconvenience that Mr G. could not understand how to salve the Operation of God in man with the Liberty of his will seeing as wise men as himselfe have herein beene content to Captivate their Vnderstandings to the Obedience of Faith it were not much to be stumbled at but the truth is the Chimaera whose nature he professeth himselfe unacquainted withall is created in his owne imagination where 't is easy for every man to frame such notions as neither himselfe nor any else can bring to a consistency with Reason or Truth Of Necessitating the Will to Election wee have had occasion more than once already to treat and shall not burthen the Reader with needlesse Repetitions In the second division of the Section §. 40. he gives you his judgement of the manner of the worke of God upon the soule unto the doing of that which is good and the effect produced thereby Whereof the one as was said before consists in perswasions which he sayes are thus farre irresistible that they who are to be perswaded cannot hinder but that God may perswade them or exhort them though he prevaile not with them Which doubtlesse is a notable Exaltation of his Grace Thus Mr Goodwin workes irresistibly with one or other perhaps every day And the effect of this perswasion is that is when it is effectuall that impression which it leaves upon the soule to the things whereunto it is perswaded As the case is in the dealing of men one with an other for my part I see no reason why our Author should so often so heedfully deliver his Judgment concerning this thing especially without the least attempt of any Scripturall proofe or indeavour to answer those innumerable cleare and expresse places of Scripture which he knowes are every where and on all occasions produc'd and insisted on to prove a real efficient acting of God in and with the wills of men for the producing working and accomplishing that which is good in a way distinct from that of perswasion which contributes no reall strength to the Person perswaded concurring only Metaphorically in the producing of the effect Let this at last then suffice we are abundantly convinced of his deniall of the worke of Gods Grace in the Salvation of soules §. 41. In the third place we have a Rhethoricall flowrish over that which he hath been laying out his strength against all this while being a meere repetition of what hath been already tendered and given into consideration over and over If God cause the Saints effectually to persevere his tearmes of irresistibly and Necessitating have been long
their comportments with him in his higher and farther application they become filled with the spirit according to the expression of the Apostle Be ye filled with the spirit i.e. follow the spirit close in his present motions and suggestions within you and you shall be filled with him i.e. ye shall find him moving and assisting you upon all occasions at a higher and more glorious rate Ans. First what this joyning of our Wills of the spirit is was in part manifested before The Will of the spirit is that we be mortified His motions hereunto are his perswasions that we be so To joyne our Wills to his is in our Will to answer the Will of the spirit that is upon the spirits motions we mortify our selves By this also he tells us we draw or obtaine farther strength or assistance from the spirit for that worke which we have done already but how so why he tells you afterward that this is the Law of the Spirit It seems then that by doing one thing we obtaine or procure the assistance of the spirit for another and that by a Law I aske by what Law by the Law of workes by that Law the Apostle tells you that we doe not at all receive the spirit therefore by a parity of Reason we obtaine not any farther supplies from him by that Law By the Law of Faith or Grace that Law knows nothing of such termes as that we should by any acting of ours procure the Holy Spirit of God which he freely bestowes according to the maine tenour of that Law Farther How is this second grace obtained and what is the Law of the Spirit therein is it obtained ex congruo or ex condigno produce the Rule of Gods proceeding with his Saints or any of the sonnes of men in the matter of any gratious behovement of his and you will out-doe what ever your Predecessors whether Pelagians Papists Arminians or Socinians could yet attaine unto Our Lord hath told us that without him we can doe nothing yea all our sufficiency is of God and without him we cannot think a good thought that he workes in us to will and to doe not only beginning but perfecting every good worke fulfilling in us all the good pleasure of his goodnesse and the work of Faith with power ascribing the whole of the great work of Salvation to Himselfe and his Holy Spirit working freely and gratiously as he wills and pleaseth Of this order of his dealing with men that his first or preventing Grace should be free but his subsequent Grace procured by us and bestowed on us according to our working and cooperation with his first grace invented by Pelagius Iulianus and Celastinus and here introduced a new by M. Goodwin he informes us nothing at all In briefe this whole discourse is the meere Pelagian figment wrapt up in generall clowdy expressions with allusions to some Scripture Phrases which prophane as well as erring spirits are prone to concerning the bestowing of the Grace of God according to the differing deportments and deservings of men differencing themselves from others and in comparison of them holding out what they have not received But Secondly §. 21. to Answer the first and gentle motions of the spirit is to be led by him and then we shall be filled by the spirit But how doth M. Goodwin prove that to be led by the spirit is to answer his first gentle motions and thereby to obtaine his farther and more glorious actings and perswasions Is it safe thus to make bold with the word of God or is not this to wrest it as ignorant and unstable men doe unto perdition Saints being led by the spirit of God and walking after the spirit are in Rom 8. expressions of that Effectuall sanctification exerting it selfe in their conversation and walking with God which the spirit of God worketh in them and which is their duty to come up unto in opposition to living or walking after the flesh If this now be attained and the Saints come up unto it antecedently to the subsequent Grace of the Spirit what is that subsequent grace which is so gloriously expressed and wherein doth it consist Neither doth that expression of led by the Spirit hold out the concurrence or comportment of their Wills as it is phrased with the gentle motion of the spirit but the powerfull and effectuall Operation of the spirit as to their Holinesse and walking with God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not they comport or concurre with the Spirit in his motions but by the spirit they are acted and carried out to the things of God Neither hath this any relation to or coherence with that of the Ephesians 5. 18. % Be filled with the spirit neither is there any such intendment in the expression as is here intimated of a promise of receiving more of the spirit on condition of that compliance concurrence and comportance with his motions as is intimated That the spirit is sometimes taken for his Graces sometimes for his Gifts habitually sometimes for his actuall operations is known The Apostle in that place disswading the Ephesians from turning aside to such carnall sinfull Refreshments as men of the world went out unto bids them not be drunke with Wine wherein is excesse but to be filled with the Spirit to take their refreshment in the joyes of the spirit speaking to themselves in Psalmes and Hymnes and spirituall Songs v. 20. Could I once imagine that M. Goodwin had the least thought that indeed there was any thing in the Scripture looking towards his intendment in the producing of it I should farther manifest the mistake thereof To play thus with the word of God is a liberty we dare not make use of yet Thirdly he concludes That the reason why Believers are overcome by the Lustings of the flesh is not because the Spirit is not stronger than the flesh but because men have more will to harken to the Lusts of the Flesh than to the Spirit Fortunam Priami cantabo nobile bellum This is the issue of all the former swelling Discourse mens sinnes are from their owne willes and not because the Spirit is not stronger than the flesh And who ever doubted it the Conclusion you were to prove is That Believers sinne with their whole will and full consent of their wills and that the new principle that is in them doth not cause their wills to decline from acting in sinne to the just efficacy of all their strength and vigour But of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the insinuation in that expression of the Will hearkening to the lusts of the flesh and not the lusting of the Spirit in a sovereigne indifferency to both and a liberty for the performance of either in a way exclusive of good or vicious habituall Principles of operation in the will it selfe I shall not now divert to the consideration of What else remaines in this Section §. 22. either doth not concerne the businesse
formerly considered but yet leaving them to the liberty of their judgment who are so minded that the reason given by them and here againe repeated by Mr Goodwin doth not in the least enforce any to let go this Answer to the objection proposed that shall be pleased to insist upon it hath been manifested To this Mr Goodwin farther addes that weighty Observation that the word If is not in the Originall and thence takes occasion to fall foule upon the Translators as having corrupted the passages out of favour to the Doctrine contended for I wish they had never worse mistaken nor shewed more partiality in any other place For first will Mr Goodwin deny that a proposition cannot be Hypotheticall nor an expression conditionall unlesse the word if be expressed were it worth the labour instances might abundantly be given him in that language whereof we speake to the contrary He that shall say to him as he is journying going the right hand way you will meet with theeves may be doubtles said to speake conditionally no lesse than he that should expresly tell him If you go the way on the right hand you shall meet with theeves Secondly what cleare sence significancy can be given the words without the supplement of the conditionall conjunction or some other terme equipollent thereunto Mr Goodwin hath not declared For it is impossible for those who were once enlightned c. And they falling away as the words verbum de verbo lye in the text is scarce in english a congruous or significant expression Yea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Syntaxe and coherence wherein it lyes is most properly and directly rendered if they fall away As is also the force of the expression Chap. 10. 26. Yea thirdly the connexion of the Translation mentioned by Mr Goodwin doth not in the least relieve him as to the delivery of the words from a sence Hypotheticall When they fall away though his when be no more in the text than the Translators if doth either include a supposition that they shall and must fall away certainely and so requiers the event of the thing whereof it is spoken or it is expressive only of the condition wheron the event is suspended if it be taken in the first sence all Believers must fall away if in the latter none may notwithstanding any thing in this Text so learnedly restored to its true significancy the words only pointing at the connexion that is between Apostacy and punishment Notwithstanding then any thing here offered to the contrarary those who affirme that nothing can certainely be concluded from these places for the Apostacy of any be they who they will that are intended in them because they are conditionall Assertions manifesting only the connexion between the sin and punishment expressed need not be ashamed of nor recoyle from their Affirmation in the least For mine owne part §. 27. I confesse I do not in any measure think it needfull to insist upon the conditionalls of these assertions of the Holy Ghost as to the removall of any or all the oppositions that from them of old or of late have been raised and framed against the Doctrine of the Saints Perseverance there being in neither of the Texts insisted on either name or thing enquired after nor any one of all the severalls enquired into and constantly in the Scriptures used in the description of the Saints and Believers of whom we speake This I shall breifely in the first place demonstrate and then proceed with the eonsideration of what is offered by Mr Goodwin in opposition thereunto Some few observations will lead us through the first part of this worke designed I say then 1. There is an inferiour common worke of the Holy Ghost in the dispensation of the word upon many to whom it is preached causing in them a great alteration and change as to Light Knowledge Abilityes Guists Affections Life and Conversation when the persons so wrought upon are not quickned regenerate nor made new creatures nor united to Jesus Christ. I suppose there will not be need for me to insist on the proofe of this Proposition the truth of it being notoriously knowne confessed as I suppose amongst all that professe the name of Christ. 2. That in persons thus wrought upon there is or may be such an assent upon light and conviction to the truths proposed and Preached to them as is true in its kind not counterfeit giving and affording them in whom it is wrought profession of the Faith and that sometimes with constancy to the death or the giving of their bodies to be burned with perswasions whence they are called Believers of a future enjoyment of a glorious and blessed condition filling them with ravished affections and rejoycings in hope which they professe suitable to the expectation they have of such a state and condition This also might be easily evinced by innumerable instances and examples from the Scripture if need required 3. That the persons in and upon whom this work is wrought cannot be said to be hypocrites in the most proper sence of that word that is such as counterfeit and pretend themselves to be that which they know they are not nor to have faith only in shew and not in substance as though they made a shew and pretence only of an assent to the things they professed their high gifts knowledge faith change of affections and conversation being in their own kind true as the Faith of Devills is and yet notwithstanding all this they are in bondage and at best seeke for a righteousnesse as it were by the workes of the Law and in the issue Christ proves to them of none effect 4. That among these persons many are oftentimes endued with excellent gifts lovely parts qualifications and abilities rendring them exceeding usefull acceptable and serviceable to the Church of God becoming vessells in his house to hold and convey to others the precious liquour of the Gospell though their nature in themselves be not changed they remaining wood and stone still 5. That much of the worke wrought in and upon this sort of persons by the Spirit and word lies in its own nature in a direct tendency to their relinquishment of their sinnes and selfe-righteousnesse to a closing with God in Christ having a mighty prevalency upon them to cause them to amend their wayes and to labour after life and salvation from which to Apostatize and fall off upon the account of the tendency mentioned of these beginnings is dangerous and for the most part pernitious 6. That persons under the convictions and workes of the Spirit formerly mentioned partakers of the guifts light and knowledge spoken of with those other endowments attending them are capacitated for the sinne against the Holy Ghost or the impardonable Apostasy from God These things being commonly knowne and as farre as I know universally granted I affirme that the persons mentioned and intended in these places are such as have been
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
25. and his own keeping in a covenant of Workes that of the Saints since the fall is purchased for them laid up in their head dispensed in a covenant of grace whose eminent distinction from the former consists in the permanency and abidingness of the fruits of it But of this afterwards To others adventitious and added as to all that have contracted any qualities contrary to that Originall Holinesse wherewith at first they were indued as have done all the sonnes of men who have sinned and come short of the glory of God Now the Holiness of these is either compleate as it is with the spirits of just men made perfect or inchoate and begunne only as with the residue of Sanctified ones in this life The certain Perseverance of the former in their present condition being not directly opposed by any though the foundation of it be attempted by some we have no need as yet to engage in the defence of it These latter are said to be sanctified or holy two waies upon the twofold account of the use of the word in the Scripture 1. For first some Persons as well as Things are said to be holy especially in the old Testament and in the Epistle to the Hebrewes almost constantly using the termes of Sanctifying and Sanctifyed in a legall or Temple signification in reference unto their being separated from the residue of men with relation to God and his worship Exod. 28. 36 38. or being consecrated and dedicated peculiarly to the performance of any part of his will Levit. 5. 15. Ezek. 22. 8. or distinct injoyment of any portion of his mercy Heb. 2. 11. thus the Arke was said to be holy and the Altar holy the Temple was holy and all the utensils of it ch 10. 10. Ioh. 17. 19. with the vestments of its officers So the whole people of the Iewes were said to be holy the particular respects of Covenant Worship Separation Law Mercy the like upon which this denomination of Holinesse and Saintship was given unto them did depend are known to all yea persons Inherently uncleane and personally notoriously wicked in respect of their designement to some outward work which by them God will bring about are said to be sanctified distinguishing gifts with designation to some distinct employment is a bottome for this Apellation though their gifts may be recalled and the employment taken from them Isai 13. 3. We confesse Perseverance not to be a proper and inseparable adjunct of this subject nor to belong unto such persons as such though they may have a right to it it is upon another account yet in the pursuit of this businesse it will appeare that many of our adversaries Arguments smite these men only and prove that Such as they may be totally rejected of God which none ever denied Againe §. 16. the Word is used in an Evangelicall sence for inward purity and reall Holynesse whence some are said to be Holy Luk. 1. 15. and that also two wayes for either they are so really Rom. 6. 19. 22. and in the Truth of the thing it selfe or in estimation only 2 Cor. 7. 1. and that either of themselves or others That many have accounted themselves to be holy Ephes. 1. 4. 4. 24. and been pure in their owne eyes who yet were never washed from their iniquity have thereupon cryed peace to themselves I suppose needs no proving 1 Thes. 5. 13. 4. 7. It is the case of thousands in the world at this day they thinke themselves Holy Heb. 12. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they professe themselves Holy and our Adversaries proove none gainesaying that such as these may backslyde from what they have and what they seeme to have and so perish under the sinne of Apostacy Prov. 30. 12. Isa. 65. 5. Againe some are sayd to be Holy upon the score of their being so in the steeme of others Isa. 7. 48 49. which was and is the condition of Many false Hypocrites in the Churches of Christ both primitive and Moderne Isa. 9. 40 41. 1 Thes. 5. 3. Like them who are said to believe in Christ upon the account of the profession they made so to doe Math. 25. 29. 2 Pet. 2. 21 Ioh. 6. 16. yet he would not trust himselfe with them because he knew what was in them Such were Judas Simon Magus and sundry others of whom these things are spoken which they professed of themselves and were bound to answer and which others esteemed to be in them These some labour with all their strength 2 Pet. 2. 1. Act. Synod Dec. sent Art 5. p 266 267. c to make true believers that so they may cast the stumbling-block of their Apostacy in the way of the Saints of God closing with the Truth we have in hand But for such as these we are no Advocates let them goe to their owne place according to the Tenor of the Arguments leuyed against them from Heb. 6. 4. 2 Pet. 2. And other places Moreover of those §. 17. who are said to believe and to be holy really and in the Truth of the thing it selfe there are two sorts First such as having received sundry common gifts and Graces of the Spirit Heb. 6. 4. 1 Sam. 10. 10. 2 Pet. 2. 20. 1 King 21. 27. 2 Cor. 7. 10. as Illumination of the Mind Change of affections and thence Amendment of life with sorrom of the World legall Repentance temporary Faith and the like which are all True and Reall in their kind do thereby become Vessells in the great house of God Math. 17. 3 4. Math. 13. 20. Marke 6. 20. 2 Kings 10. 16. being changed as to their use though not in their Nature continueing Stone and Wood still though hewed and turned to the serviceablenesse of Vessels and on that account are frequently termed Saints believers On such as these their is a lower and in some a subordinate work of the Spirit effectually producing in and on all the faculties of their Soules somewhat that is true Hos. 6. 4. 2 Tim. 2. 20. good and usefull in it selfe answering in some likenesse and sutablenesse of operation unto the great worke of Regeneration which faileth not Ioh. 6. 34. Acts 26. 28. Math. 7. 26 27. There is in them Light Love Joy Faith Zeale Obedience c. All true in their kind which make many of them in whom they are do worthily in their Generation Revel 3. 1. Marke 4. 16. howbeit they attaine not to the Faith of Gods Elect neither doth Christ live in them nor is the life which they lead by the Faith of the Sonne of God as shall hereafter be fully declared If ye now casheere these from the roll of those Saints and Believers about whom we contend seeing that they are no where said to be Vnited to◠Christ Quickned and Justified partakers of the first Resurrection Accepted of God c.
he knoweth it to be but positively to judge and conclude of it accordingly If then it be possible for men by any such fruits workes or expressions to know true Believers the persons we speake of may be known to have been such Though the words of our Saviour principally lye on the other side of the way giving a Rule for a condemnatory Judgment of men Ans. whose evill Fruits declare the Root to be no better wherein we cannot well be deceived the workes of the flesh being manifest and he that worketh wickednesse openly and brings forth the effects of sinne visibly Gal. 2. 19. in a course as a Tree doth its fruit may safely be cōcluded Rom. 6. 16. whatsoever pretence in words he makes to be a false corrupt Hypocrite yet by the way of Analogie and proportion it is a Rule also whereby our Saviour will have us make a Judgement of those Professors and Teachers with whom we have to do as to our Reception and Approbation of them He bids his Disciples tast try the Fruit that such persons beare and acording to that not any specious pretences they make or innocent Appearances which for a season they shew themselves in let their Estimation of them be Yea but sayes Mr Goodwin we doe not only stand bound by the Law of Charity but by the Law of a Righteous and strict Judgment it selfe to judge such persons Believers This distinction between the Law of Charity and the Law of a Righteous Judgment I understand not Though Charity be the principle exerted eminently in such dijudications of men yet doubtlesse it proceeds by the rules of Righteous Judgment When we speake of the Judgment of Charity we intend not a loose conjecture much lesse a Judgment contradistinct from that which is Righteous but a Righteous and strict Judgment according to the exactest rules whatsoever that we have to Judge by free from evill surmises and such like vices of the minde as are opposed to the grace of Love By saying it is of Charity we are not absolved frō the most exact procedure according to the Rules of judging given unto us but only bound up from indulging to any Fnvy Malice or such like works of the flesh which are opposite to Charity in the subject wherein it is Charity in this assertion denotes only a gracious qualification in the subject and not any condescension from the Rule and therefore I something wonder that Mr Goodwin should make a Judgment of Charity as afterwards a meere conjecture and allow beyond it a Righteous and strict Judgement which amounts to knowledg It is true our Saviour tells us §. 21. that by their fruits we shall know them But what knowledge is it that he intendeth is it a certain knowledge by demonstration of it or an infallible assurance by revelation I am confident M. Goodwin will not say it is either of these but only such a perswasion as is the result of our thoughts concerning them upon the profession they make the works they doe upon which we may according to the minde of Christ who bare with them whom he knew to be no Believers having taken on them the profession of the faith know how to demeane our selves towards them so farre we may know them by their fruits and judge of them other knowledge our Saviour intendeth not nor I believe does M. Goodwin pretend unto Now notwithstanding all this even on this account and by this rule it is very possible yea very easy and practically proved true in all places and at all times that we may judge yea so farre know men to be or not to be seducers by their fruits as to be able to order aright our demeanour towards them according to the will of Christ and yet be mistaken though not in the performance of our duty in walking regularly according to the lines drawne out for our paths in the persons concerning whom our judgement is the knowledge of them being neither by demonstration nor from revelation such as cui non potest subesse falsum we may be deceived The Saints then or believers §. 22. of whom alone our discourse is may be briefely delineated by these few considerable concernements of their Saintship 1. That whereas by nature they are children of wrath as well as others and dead in trespasses and sinnes Rom. 8. 28 29. that faith and holinesse which they are in due time invested withall whereby they are made Believers and Saints and distinguished from all others whatever is an effect and fruit of and flowes from God's eternall purpose concerning their salvation or election Act. 13. 4. Eph. 1. 4. 1 Pet. 1. 2 3 4 5. their faith being as to the manner of its bestowing peculiarly of the operation of God and as to its distinction from every other gift that upon any account what ever is so called T it 1 1. in respect of its fountaine termed The faith of Gods elect 2. For the manner of their obtaining of this pretious faith it is by Gods giving to them that holy Spirit of his 2 Pet. 1. 1. Rom. 8. 11. whereby he raised Jesus from the dead to raise them from their death in sinne Eph. 1. 19 20. 2. 1 5 5 8 10. to quicken them unto newnesse of life endowing them with a new life with a Spirituall gracious supernaturall habit spreading it selfe upon their whole soules making them new creatures throughout in respect of parts investing them with an abiding principle Mat. 7. 17. 12. 33. being a naturall genuine fountaine of all those Spirituall acts Galat. 2. 20. 1 Ioh. 5. 12. 2 Cor. 5. 17. 1 Thes. 5. 25. Gal. 5122 23. 1 Ioh. 3. 9. Eph. 2. 10. 1 Pet. 1. 22. Philip. 12. v. 13. workes and duties which he is pleased to worke in them and by them of his own good pleasure 3. That the holy and blessed Spirit which effectually and powerfully workes this change in them Ioh. 4 16 26. 15. 26. 16. 7 8 9. Rom. 8. 10 11. is bestowed upon them as a fruit of the purchase and intercession of Jesus Christ to dwell in them and abide in them for ever upon the account of which inhabitation of the Spirit of Christ in them they have union with him 1 Cor. 6. 19. Rom. 5. 5. 1 Ioh. 4. 4 13. i. e. one and the same spirit dwelling in him the Head and them the Members 2 Tim. 1. 14. 1 Cor. 6. 17. 12. 12 13. Ephes. 4. 4. 4. By all which as to their actuall state and condition they are really changed from a 1 Ioh. 3. 14. Eph. 2. 2. Col. 2. 13. Rom. 6. 11 13. 8. 2 8 9. death to life from b Act. 26. 18. Eph. 5. 8. 1 Thes. 5. 4. Col. 1. 13. 1 Pet. 2. 9. darknesse to light from c Ezek. 36. 25. Zach. 13. 1. Isa. 4. 3 4. Eph. 5. 6. 1 Cor. 6. 11. Tit. 3.
will destroy them and separate them from God and that by Obedience they shall come to the Greatest Good Imaginable where upon it is in their Power so strongly to incline their hearts unto Obedience that they shall be in no more danger of departing from God then a Wise and Rationall man is of killing or willfully destroying himselfe The first part whereof may be performed by them who are no Saints the latter not by any Saint whatsoever And is not this noble Provision for the Security and Assurance of the Saints enough to make them cast away with speed all their interest in the unchangeable purposes Gracious and Faithfull Promises of God Intercession of Christ Sealing of the Spirit and all those Sandy and triviall supports of their Faith which hitherto they have rejoyced in And what ever experience they have or Testimony from the Word they doe recieve of the Darkenesse and Weakenesse of their Minds the stubbornesse of their Wills with the strong inclinations that are in them to sinne and falling away what ever be their Oppositions from aboue them Ephes. 6. 12. Heb. 12. 1. Rom. 7. 17. about them within them on the right Hand and on the Left that they have to wrestle withall let them give up them selves to the hand of their owne manlike Considerations and weighing of things which will secure them against all danger or Probability of falling away For if they be but capable First of seeing and knowing Secondly of pondering and considering and that rationally it matters not whether these things are Fruits of the Spirit of Grace or no nay 't is cleare they must not be so that such and such evill is to be avoided and that there is so and so Great a Good to be obtained by continuing in obedience they may raise and worke inclinations in themselves answerable in strength vigour and power to any degree of goodnesse which they apprehend in what they see and ponder The whole of the Ample sufficient Meanes §. 40. afforded by God to the Saints to inable them to Persevere branching it selfe into these two heads First The rationall considering what they have to doe Secondly Their vigorous Inclination of their Hearts to act suitably and answerable to their Considerations I shall in a word consider them apart 1. First the Considerations mentioned of Evill to be avoided and Good to be attained I meane that which may put men upon Creating those strong inclinations For such considerations may be without any such Consequence as in her that cryed video meliora proboque deteriora sequor are either Issues and products of mens owne naturall faculties and deduced out of the power of them so that as men they may put themselves upon them at any time or they are Fruits of the Spirit of his Grace who worketh in us to will and to doe of his owne good Pleasure 2 Pet. 1. 3 4. If they be the latter I aske seeing all Grace is of Promise whether hath God promised to give and continue this Grace of selfe-consideration unto Believers or noe If he hath whether absolutely or conditionally If absolutely then he hath promised absolutely to continue some Grace in them which is all we desire If Conditionally then would I know what that Condition is on which God hath promised that Believers shall so consider things mentioned And of the Condition which shall be expressed it may farther be enquired whether it be any Grace of God or only a meer Act of the Rationall Creature as such without any immediate Inworking of the Will and Deed by God Whatsoever is answered the Question will not goe to Rest untill it be granted that either it is a Grace Absolutely promised of God which is all we desire or a pure Act of the Creature contra-distinct thereunto which Answers the first inquiry Let it then be granted that the Considerations intimated are no other but such as a Rationall man who is inlightened to an assent to the Truth of God may so exert and exercise as he pleaseth then is here a Foundation layd of all the Ground of Perseverance that is allowed the Saints in their owne indeavours as men without the Assistance of any Grace of God Now these Considerations be they what they will must needs be beneath one single good thought for as for that we have no sufficiency of our selves yea Vanity and nothing for without Christ we can doe nothing yea evill and displeasing to God 2 Cor. 3. 3. Ioh. 15. 5. Gen. 8. 21. as are all the thoughts and imaginations of our Hearts that are only such I had supposed that no man in the least acquainted with what it is to serve God under Temptations and what the worke of Saving Soules is but had been sufficiently convinced of utter the insufficiency of such Rationall Considerations flowing only from Conviction to be a solid Foundation of abiding with God unto the end If mens Houses of profession are built on such Sands as these we need not wonder to see them so frequently falling to the ground 2. Secondly §. 41. suppose these Considerations to act their parts upon the stage raised for them to the Greatest Applause that can be expected or desired yet that which comes next upon the Theater will I feare foully miscarry and spoyle the whole Plot of the Play That is mens vigorous inclination of their hearts to the good things pondered on to what height they please For besides that 1. First it is liable to the same Examinations that passed upon it's Associate before or an inquiry from whence he comes whether from Heaven or Men upon which I doubt not but he may easily be discovered to be a Vagabond upon the earth to have no Passe from Heaven and so be rendred liable to the Law of God 2. Secondly it would be inquired whether it hath a Consistency with the whole designe of the Apostle Rom. 7. and therefore 3. Thirdly it is utterly denied that Men the Best of Men have in themselves and of themselves arising upon the account of any Considerations whatsoever a Power Ability or Strength vigorously or at all acceptably to God to incline their Hearts to the performance of any thing that is spiritually good or in a Gospell tendency to walking with God All the Promises of God all the Prayers of the Saints all their Experience the whole designe of God in laying up all our stores of Strength and Grace in Christ joyntly cry out against it for a counterfeit pretence In a word that men are able to plant in themselves Inclinations and Dispositions to refraine all manner of Sinne destructive to the safety of their soules fuller of Energie Vigor Life Strength Power then those that are in them to avoid things Apparantly tending to the destruction of their naturall lives is an Assertion as full of Energy Strength and Vigor Life and Poyson for the destruction and eversion of the Grace of God in Christ as any can be
for the preservation of this excellency and glory of his People This Sunne though it may be for a while eclipsed yet shall never set nor give place to an evening that shall make long the shade thereof whom God once freely accepts in Christ he will never turne away his Love from them nor cast them Vtterly out of his Favour The other is within us and that is our Sanctification our Portion from God by the Spirit of Holinesse and the fruits thereof in our Faith Love and Obedience unto him And on this part of our Glory there is this Defence that this Spirit shall never Vtterly be dislodged from that Soule wherein he makes his residence nor resigne his habitation to the Spirit of the World that his fruit shall never so decay as that the Fruits of Sodome and the Grapes of Gomorra should grow in their roome nor they wherein they are Everlastingly Utterly and wickedly grow barren in departing from the Living God these two make up that Perseverance whereof we speake Whom God accepts in Christ he will continue to doe so for ever whom he quickens to walke with him they shall doe it to the end And these three things Acceptance with God Holinesse from God and a Defence upon them both unto the end all Free and in Christ are that threefold cord of the Covenant of Grace which cannot be broken In the handling then of the Doctrine proposed unto consideration § 50. I shall the Lord assisting shew First that the Love and Favour of God as to the free Acceptation of Believers with him in Christ is constant abiding and shall never be turned away handling at largethe Principles both of its being and manifestation Secondly that the Spirit and grace of Sanctification which they freely receive from him shall never utterly be extinguished in them but so remaine as that they shall abide with him for ever the Sophisticall separation of which two parts of our Doctrine is the greatest advantage our Adversaries have against the whole And demonstrate Thirdly the Reall and Causall influences which this Truth hath into the Obedience and Consolation of the Saints considered both absolutely and compared with the Doctrine which is set up in competition with it In the pursuit of which particulars I shall indeavour to Inforce and presse those places of Scripture wherein they are abundantly delivered and vindicate them from all the Exceptions put in to our inferences from them by M. Goodwin in his Redemption Redeemed as also Answer all the Arguments which he hath with much labour and industry collected and improved in opposition to the Truth in hand Take then only these few Previous observations and I shall insist fully upon the proofe and Demonstration of the first Position concerning the Vnchangeablenesse of the Love of God towards his to whom he gives Iesus Christ for Beauty and Glory and freely accepts them in him First §. 51. as to their Inherent Holinesse the Question is not concerning Acts either as to their vigour Revel 2. 5. 3. 2. which may be abated or as to their frequency which may be interrupted Isa. 57. 17. but only as to the Spirit Habit of it which shall never depart Hos. 14. 4. We doe not say they cannot sinne fall into many sinnes great sinnes which the Scripture plainely affirmes of all the Saints Isa. 59. 21. that went before and who of them living doth not this day labour under the Truth of it Ioh. 14. 16. But through the Presence of God with them 1 Ioh. 3. 9. upon such Grounds and Principles as shall afterwards be insisted on 1 Ioh. 1. 8. they cannot shall not sinne away the Spirit and Habit of Grace Iam. 3. 2. which without a miracle cannot be done away by any one Act 1 King 8. 38. and God will not worke Miracles for the destruction of his Children so as to fall into that state Isa. 64. 5 6. wherein they were before they were Regenerate and of the Children of God become Children of the Devill tasting of the second Death Rev. 20. 6. after they have been made Partakers of the first Resurrection Secondly the Question is not about the decay of any Grace but the losse of all not about sicknesse and weakenesses but about death it selfe which alone we say they shall be preserved from Neither doe we say that Believers are endowed with any such rich and plentifull Stock of Grace Psal. 23. 6. as that they may spend upon it without new supplyes all their dayes Isa. 35. 1 2. c. but grant that they stand in continuall need of the renued communication of that Grace Ioh. 15. 3 4 5 6. 7. which hath its abode and residence in their Soules Rom. 11. 18. and of that actuall Assistance whereby any thing that is truly and Spiritually good Ioh. 1. 16. is wrought in them Thirdly whereas there is a twofold Impossibility Col. 2. 19. First that which is absolutely and simply so in its own nature Luk. 17. 5. And Secondly that which is so only upon some suposition Phil. 2. 13. we say the totall falling away of the Saints is imppossible only in this latter sence The unchangeable Decree and Purpose of God his faithfull Promises and Oathes the Mediation of the Lord Jesus being in the Assertion supposed And Fourthly whereas we affirme they shall assuredly continue unto the end the Certainty and Assurance intimated is not mentis but entis Isa. 49. 14 15 16. not subjective but objective not alwayes in the person persevering but alwayes relating to the thing it selfe Isa. 5. 17. Fiftly that the three things formerly mentioned Cantt 5. 2 6. Acceptance with God Psal. 73. 26. Holinesse from God and the Defence upon them both unto the end are that threefold corde of the Covenant which cannot be broken This will appeare by compareing those two eminent places together which afterwards must more fully be insisted on Jerem. 31. 34 35. Cap. 32. 38 39 40. In generall God undertakes to be their God and that they shall be his People Cap. 31. 31. Cap. 32. 38. And this he manifests in three things First that he will Accept them freely give them to finde great Favour before him in the forgivenesse of their sinnes for which alone he hath any quarrell with them I will saith he forgive their iniquities and remember their sinnes no more cap 31. 34. As 't is againe repeated Heb. 8. 12. Secondly that they shall have sanctification and Holinesse from him I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their Hearts cap. 31. 33. I will put my feare in their Hearts v 40. with Ezek. 66. 67. calls the putting his Spirit in them who is the Author of that Grace and Holinesse which he doth bestow Thirdly that in both these there shall be a continuance for ever cap 32. 40. I will not turne away from
Resolution fall upon the Sonnes of men to whom God is pleased to continue the use of that little sparke of Reason wherewith they are indued If you say God purposed it should continue in case their disobedience hindered it not I aske againe did God fore-see the Disobedience that would so hinder it or did he not If he did not the same difficulties will arise which formerly I mentioned If he did then God decreed and purposed that the Priesthood should continue in the House of Eli if they kept themselves from that disobedience which he saw and knew full well they would runne into Cui sint 2. Secondly if God did thus Purpose and Decree he was able to bring it about and accomplish his designe by waies agreeable to his Goodnesse Wisdome and Righteousnesse or he was not If he was not where is his Omnipotency who is not able to fullfill his Righteous Designes and Purposes in waye corresponding to that state of Agents things which he hath allotted them How can it be said of him he will worke and none shall let him That God ingageth his Power for the Accomplishment of his Purposes was shewed before If he were able to accomplish it why did he not doe it but suffer himselfe to be frustrated of his end Is it suitable to the Soveraigne Will and Wisdome of God eternally to purpose and Decree that which by meanes agreeable to his Holinesse and Goodnesse he is able to bring to passe and yet not to doe it but to faile and come short of his Holy and Gracious intendment 3. Thirdly the Obedience of the House of Eli on which the Accomplishment of the pretended Decree is suspended was such as either they were able of themselves to performe or they were not To say they were is to exclude the necessary Assistance of the Grace of God which Mr Goodwin hath not in termes declared himselfe to doe not are we as yet arrived at that height though a considerable progresse hath been made If they were not able to doe it without the Assistance of the Spirit and Concurrence of the Grace of God did the Lord purpose to give them that Assistance working in them both to will and to doe of his own good pleasure or did he not If he did so purpose why did the not doe it If he did not purpose to doe it to what end did he Decree that that should come to passe which he knew could not come to passe without his doing that which he was resolved never to doe It is all one as if a man knew that another were shut up in a prison from whence it was impossible that any body but himselfe should deliver him and should Resolve and Purpose to give the poore prisoner an hundred pound so that he would come out of prison to him and resolve withall never to bring him out 4. Fourthly God from Eternity fore-saw that the Priesthood should not be continued to the House of Eli therefore he did not from Eternity Purpose and Decree that it should To know that a thing shall not be and to determine that it shall be is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rather beseeming an halfe frantik Creature then the infinitely Wise Creator Againe upon what account did God Foresee that it should not be so Can the futurition of Contingent Events be resolved in the Issue into any thing but Gods Soveraigne Determination God therefore did not Determine and Purpose that it should be so because he Determined and Purposed that it should not be so Whatsoever he doth in time that he purposed to doe from Eternity Now in time he remooved the Priesthood from the House of Eli therefore he Eternally Purposed and Determined so to do which surely leaves no place for a contrary Purpose and Decree not so much as Conditionall that it should so continue for ever The truth is the mystery of this Abomination lyes in those things which lye not in my way now to handle A disjunctive Decree a middle Science Creature Dependency are Father Mother and Nurse of the Assertion wee oppose whose monstrous Deformity and desperate Rebellion against the Propertyes of God I may the Lord assisting hereafter more fully Demonstrate But you will say §. 24. doth not the Lord planely hold out a Purpose and Decree in these words I said in deed Did he say it Will you assigne Hypocrisy to him and doubling with the sonnes of men I say then secondly that the expression here used holds out no intention nor Purpose of God as to the Futurition and Event of the thing it selfe that the Priesthood should continue in the House of Eli but only his Purpose and Intention that Obedience and the Priesthood should goe together There is a Connexion of things not an Intendment or Purpose of Events in the words intimated The latter cannot be ascribed to God without the charge of as formall Mutability as the poorest Creature is liable to Mr Goodwin indeed tells yee Sect. 43. pag. 209. That the Purpose of God it selfe considered as an act or conception of the minde of God dependeth not on any Condition what soever and all Gods Purposes and Decrees without exception are in such respect absolute and independent How weake and unable this is to free the Lord from a charge of Changeablenesse upon his supposalls needs little paines to demonstrate The Conceptions of the minds of the Sonnes of men their Purposes as such are as absolutely free inconditionall as the nature of a Creature will admit only the Execution of our Purposes and resolves is suspended upon the Intervention of other things which render them all Conditionall And this it seemes is the state with God himselfe although in the Scripture he most frequently distinguisheth himselfe from the Sonnes of men on this acompt that they purpose at the greatest rate of uncertainty imaginable as to the accomplishment of their thoughts and therefore are frequently disappointed but his Purposes and his Counsells stand for ever so Psa. 33. 10 11. The expression then here I said relates plainly to the in vestiture of Aaron and his seed in the Priesthood There was a twofold ingagement made to the House of Aaron about that office one in Generall to him and his Sonnes the other in Particular to Phinehas and his Posterity The latter to Phinehas is farre more expressive and significant then the other you have it Numb 25. 11 12 13. Phinehas the Sonne of Fleazar the Sonne of Aaron the Priest hath turned my Wrath away from the Children of Israel while he was Zealous for my sake among them that I consumed not the Children of Israel in my Jealousy wherefore say I Behold I give unto him my Covenant of peace and he shall have it and his seed after him even the Covenant of an everlasting Priesthood because he was Zealous for God and made an Attonement for the Children of Israel Here is a Promise indeed and no Condition in termes expressed But yet
great Promise of giving Christ to us and for us who is Peace Ephes. 2. 14. And who of God is made unto us Wisdome Righteousnesse Sanctification and Redemption 1 Cor 1. 30. Who loves us and washeth us in his owne blood and makes us Kings and Priests to God and his Father Revel 1. 6. Giving himselfe for his Church that he might purify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word that he might present it to himselfe a glorious Church Eph. 5 26 27 not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be Holy and without blemish Tit. 2. 14. Doing and accomplishing all things Gen. 3. 15. that are required for the fore-mentioned Ends And this is the first maine Streame Job 19. 25. that flowes from that Fountaine Christ as a Redeemer Eph. 2. 14. a Saviour Heb. 2. 17. a Mighty one a Priest a Sacrifice an Oblation a Ransome our Peace Righteousnesse Eph. 5. 2. 1 Tim. 2. 6. and the Author of our Salvation is the Subject matter thereof 2. That we may be kept and preserved meet for communion with him as our God and for the enjoyment of him as our Reward For this End flows forth the other great Streame from the former Fountaine namely the Promise of the Holy Spirit which he gives us to make us meet for the inheritance with the Saints in Light Col. 1. 11. to put forth and exercise towards us all the Acts of his Love which are needfull for us and to worke in us the Obedience which he requires and accepts of us in Jesus Christ so preserving us for himselfe This Promise of the Spirit in the Covenant Isa. 59. 21. with his worke and peculiar dispensations Ezek. 11. 21. is plentifully witnessed in very many places of the Old Testament and New Ch. 36. 26 27 some whereof must afterwards be insisted on Hence he is sometimes called the Promise of the Covenant John 14. 15 16. c. Acts 2. 59. The Promise is to you which Promise is that which Christ receiveth from his Father v 33. even the Promise of the Holy Ghost I shall only adde that though this be a great Streame flowing from the first Fountaine yet it comes not immediately thence but issues out from the Streame before mentioned the Promise of the Lord Jesus Christ for he is given by him unto us John 14. 16. Gal. 4. 6. as procured for us and given only unto his Now from these two grand Streames § 8. doe a thousand Rivulets flow forth for our refreshment All the mercy that Christ hath purchased all the Graces that the Spirit doth bring forth which in the former description I call all things that are either required in them or needfull to them to make them accepted before God and to bring them to an enjoyment of him all Promises of Mercy and Forgivenesse all Promises of Faith and Holinesse of Obedience and Perseverance of Joy and Consolation of Correction Affliction and Deliverance they all flow from these that is from the matter of those Promises doth the matter of these arise and hence are the ensuing Corollaries 1. Who ever hath an interest in any one Promise hath an interest in them all and in the Fountaine-Love from whence they flow He to whom any droppe of their sweetnesse floweth may follow it up unto the Spring Were we wise each tast of Mercy would lead us to the Ocean of Love Have we any hold on a Promise we may get upon it and it will bring us to the Maine Christ himselfe and the Spirit and so into the bosome of the Father It is our folly to abide upon a little which is given us meerely to make us presse for more 2. That the most Conditionall Promises are to be resolved into absolute and inconditionall Love God who hath promised life upon Believing hath promised Believing on no Condition on our parts at all because to sinners This in generall being given in §. 9. concerning the nature of the Promises I shall proceed to some such Considerations as are of particular usefulnesse unto that improvement which the Lord assisting I intend to make of them for the confirmation of the Truth under debate And they are these 1. All the Promises of God are true and faithfull and shall most certainely all of them be accomplished His nature his veracity his Unchangeablenesse his Omniscience and Omnipotency do all contribute strength to this assertion Neither can these Properties possibly continue intire and the honour of them be preserved unto the Lord if the least failing in the Accomplishment of his Promises be ascribed unto him Every such failing must of necessity relate to some such Principle as stands in direct Opposition to one or more of the perfections before mentioned It must be a failing in Truth Unchangeablenesse Prescience or Power that must frustrate the Promise of any one We indeed often alter our Resolutions and the Promise that is gon out of our mouthes and that perhaps righteously upon some such change of things as we could not foresee nor ought to have supposed when we entred into our engagements No such thing can be ascribed unto him who knowes all things with their Circumstances that can possibly come to passe and hath determined what shall so do and therefore will not engage in any Promise that he knowes something which he foresaw would follow after would cause him to alter It were a ludicrous thing in any sonne of man to make a solemne Promise of any thing to another if he particularly knew that in an hower some such thing would happen as should enforce him to change and alter that promise which he had so solemnely entred into And shall we ascribe such an action to him before whom all things are open and naked Shall he be thought solemnely to engage himselfe to do or accomplish any thing which yet not only he will not do but also at that instant hath those things in his eye and under his Consideration for which he will not so do as he Promiseth and determined before that he would not so do If this be not unworthy the infinite Goodnesse Wisdome and Faithfullnesse of God I know not what can or may be ascribed unto him that is Yea the Truth and veracity of God in his Promises cannot be denyed him without denying him his Deity or asserted without the certaine Accomplishment of what he hath Promised 2. There are sundry things relating to the Accomplishment of Promises as to Times Seasons Persons Wayes c. wherein we have beene in the darke and yet the Promises concerning them be fully accomplished The rejection of the Jewes supplyes us with an instance pregnant with this objection The Apostle tells us that with many this Objection did arise on that Account If the Jewes be rejected then the Promises of God to them do faile Rom. 6. 9. He layes downe and answers this Objection
Ephes. 1. 7. in whom we have redemption through his bloud even the forgivenesse of sinnes or the Intercision of that Obligation unto punishment which attends sinne in reference to the sinner and his subjection to the Law of God and the righteousnesse thereof As the oblation of Christ respecteth God and his justice to whom it is given as a price and Ransome and whereof it is an Attonement so it is and is called or we are said to receive thereby Redemption As it respects them who receive the benefit of that Redemption Rom. 1. 5. it is the forgivenesse of sinnes Forgivenesse of sinnes as t is compleated and terminated in the Consciences of Believers requireth the interposition of Faith 1 Cor. 1. 30. for the receiving of Christ in the Promise who of God is made unto us Righteousnesse but in respect of the procurement of it and the removing all causes Rom. 4. 4. upon the account whereof sinne should be imputed unto us that is perfected in the oblation of Christ hence he is said to beare our sins in his own body on the Crosse 1 Pet 2. 24. and being once on him either he was discharged of them or he must for ever lye under the burthen of them They were on him on the Tree what is then become of them If he were freed of them and Justifyed from them as he was Isa. 50. 8 9. how should they ever be laid to our charge And yet this freedome from condemnation for sin for all the Elect which God himselfe so clearly asserts Rom. 8. 32. 33. c. doth not in the least set them free from the necessity of Obedience nor acquit them from contracting the guilt of sin upon the least irregularity or disobedience Secondly we are said to doe together with Christ those things which he doth for us in his own person Rom. 6. 5 8. and that upon the account of that benefit which by those his personall performances 2 Cor. 5. 15 16. doth redound unto us and which being done Col. 3. 1. the Quarrell about sinne as to make an utter separation between God and our souls Rom. 6. 7. is certainly removed Thus we are said to dy with him to be raised again with him and with him we enter into the holy place this whole businesse about sin being passed through for he that is dead is justifyed from sin Now all this being done by us and for us in by our head can we hencesorth dy any more shall death any more have dominion over us This the Apostle argues 2 Cor. 5. 15. we judge saith he that if one dyed for all then were all they that is all those for whom he dyed dead or dyed likewise they were dead in and with him their sponsor as to the curse due for sin that henceforth they might live to him that dyed for them Thirdly the Compact or agreement that was between the Father and the Sonne as Mediator about the businesse of our Redemption in his blood manifests this Truth Psal. 40. 8. The Father required at his hands that he should doe his will Isa. 53. 10 11. fulfill his pleasure and counsell make his soule an offering for sinne and do that which the Sacrifices of Bulls Goates shadowed out Heb. 10. 5 9 7. but could never effect upon the performance whereof he was to see his Seed and to bring many Sonnes to Glory Heb. 2 10. A covenanting and agreement into an uncertaine Issue and event as that must be of God and the Mediator if the Salvation of the persons concerning which and whom it was be not infallibly certaine ought not at any cheap rate or pretence to be assigned to infinite Wisdome In the Accomplishment of this undertaking whereunto Christ was designed the Father dealt with him in strict aud rigid Justfce Rom. 8. 32. There was neither composition about the debt 2 pet 2. 4. nor commutation about the punishment that he had taken upon himselfe 2 Cor. 5. 21. Now doth not exact Justice require that the Ransome being given in Gal. 3. 13. the Prisoners be delivered That the debt being paid Heb. 2. 9. the bond be cancelled as to any power of imprisoning the Originall debtor That punishment being undergone and the Law fulfilled the offendor goe free Especially all this being covenanted for in the first undertaking doubtlesse wrath shall not arise a second time The right knowledge use and improvement of this Grace being given bounded directed by the Gospell it is safegarded from abuse by that which God calls his owne Wisdome Fourthly §. 13. it appeares from what God bestowes upon his Elect upon the Account of the undertaking of Christ for them in the pursuit of the Eternall purpose of his Will antecedently to any thing whatsoever in them that should ingage him to do them the least good when God comes as a friend to hold out unto bestow good things upon men I meane good in that kind of Mercy which is peculiarly suited to the bringing of them to the enjoyment of himselfe it is evident that he hath put an end to all enmity and quarrell between him them Isa. 59. 20. 21 Now antecedently unto any thing in men God for Christs sake bestowes Rom. 8. 11. with the greatest act of friendship imaginable Gal. 5. 22. no lesse than the holy Spirit on them 1 Cor. 7. 4. By him they are quickned 2 Cor 3. 5. their Faith is but a fruit of that Spirit bestowed on them John 15. 3 5. If they have not any sufficiency in themselves as much as to think a good thought Ephes. 2. 1 2. nor can doe any thing that is acceptable to God being by nature dead in trespasses and sinnes which at present the Scripture affirming it I take for granted then assuredly God doth give his Holy Spirit to the Saints whereby he workes in them both to will and to do of his owne good pleasure Phil. 1. 13. antecedently to any good thing in them Col. 1. 12. that is well pleasing unto him Every thing that men do must either be brought forth by the strength and Ability of their owne naturall facultyes assisted and provoked by motives and perswasions from without or it must be of the operation of the Spirit of God there is not another principle to be fixt on The first at present I take for granted is not the fountaine of any Spirituall acting whatsoever John Gal Neither can any Gracious act be educed radically from the corrupt naturall faculty Gen. 8. 21. however assisted or advantaged It must be the Spirit then Job 14. 4. that is the sole principall cause and Author of all the movings of our soules towards God Mat. 12. 33. that are acceptable to him in Christ Now the cause is certainely before the effect and the Spirit in order of Nature is bestowed upon us
sinne the body of it or the ruling of Originall sinne the old man and the full fruit of actuall sinne in the body of it is by the death of Christ crucified and destroyed and in that whole Chapter from our participation in the death of Christ he argues to such an abolition of the Law and Rule of sinne to such a breaking of the power and strength of it that it is impossible that it should any more rule in us or have dominion over us Of the way whereby virtue flowes out from the death of Christ for the killing of sinne I am not now to speake And this is the first way whereby the death of Christ hath an influence into the safegarding of Believers in their continuance of the Love and Favour of God He so takes away the guilt of sinne that it shall never be able utterly to turne the Love of God from them and so takes away the rule of Sathan and power of sinne destroying the one and killing the other that they shall never be able to turne them wholly from God Farther §. 19. to secure their continuance with God he procureth the Holy Spirit for them as was shewed before But because much weight lyes upon this part of our foundation I shall a little farther cleare it up That the Spirit of Grace and Adoption with all those Spirituall Mercyes and operations wherewith he is attended and accompanied is a Promise of the new Covenant doubtlesse is by its own evidence put out of question There is scarce any Promise thereof wherein he is not either clearly expressed or evidently included Yea and often times the whole Covenant is stated in that one Promise of the Spirit the actuall collation and bestowing of all the Mercy thereof being his proper worke and peculiar dispensation for the carrying on the great designe of the Salvation of sinners So Isa. 59. 20. As for me saith God this is my Covenant with them my Spirit that is upon thee and my word which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart from thee This is my Covenant saith God or what in my Covenant I do faithfully ingage to bestow upon you But of this Text and its vindication more afterwardes Many other places not only pregnant of proofe to the same purpose but expressly in termes affirming it might be insisted on Now that this Spirit §. 20. promised in the Covenant of Grace as to the bestowing of him on the elect of God or those for whom Christ dyed is of his purchasing and procurement in his Death is apparent 1. Because he is the Mediator of the Covenant by whose hands and for whose sake all the Mercyes of it are made out to them who are admitted into the bond thereof Gen. 17. 1. Though men are not compleatly stated in the Covenant before their owne Believing Ierem. 31. 32. 32. 38 39 40 which brings in what of their part is stipulated yet the Covenant and Grace of it layes hold of them before even to bestow Faith on them Ezek. 11. 19. 36. 25 26. or they would never Believe for Faith is not of our selves it is the Guift of God God certainely bestowes no such Guifts but from a Covenant Spirituall Graces are not administred soly in a providentiall dispensation Heb. 8. 9 10 11. Faith for the receiving the pardon of sinne is no guift nor product of the Covenant of workes Now as in generall the Mercies of the Covenant are procured by the Mediator of it so this whereof we speake in an especiall manner Heb. 9. 15. For this cause he is the mediator of the New Testament that by meanes of death they which are called might receive the Promise of Eternall Inheritance By his death they for whom he dyed and who thereupon are called Deut 27 29. being delivered from their sinnes which were against the Covenant of workes Gal. 3 12. receive the Promise Rom. 3. 21. or pledge of an Eternall Inheritance What this great Promise here intended is and wherein it doth consist the Holy Ghost declares Acts 2. 23. The Promise which Jesus Christ received of the Father upon his exaltation was that of the Holy Ghost having purchased and procured the bestowing of him by his Death upon his Exaltation the dispensation thereof is committed to him as being part of the Compacte and Covenant which was between his Father and himselfe The grand bottome of his satisfaction merit This is the great Originall radicall Promise of that Eternall Inheritance By the Promised Spirit are wee begotten a new into a hope thereof Rom. 8. 11. made meet for it Col. 1. 12. and sealed up unto it Ephes. 4. 30. Yea do but looke upon the Spirit as promised and yee may conclude him purchased for all the Promises of God are yea and a men in Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 1. 20. They all have their Confirmation Establishment and Accomplishment in by and for Jesus Christ. And if it be granted that any designed appointed Mercy whatever that in Christ the Lord blesseth us withall be procured for us by him in the way of merit being given freely to us through him but reckoned to him of debt it will easily be manifested that the same is the condition of every Mercy whatever promised unto us and given us upon his Mediatory interposition 2. It appears from that peculiar promise § 21. that Christ makes of sending his Holy Spirit unto his owne He tels them indeed once and againe that the Father will send him Ioh. 14. 16 26. As he comes from that originall and Fountaine Love from which also himselfe was sent But withall he assures us that he himselfe will send him Ioh. 15. 26. When the Comforter is come whom I will send unto you from the Father even the Spirit of truth It is true that he is promised here only as a Comforter for the performance of that part of his Office But look upon what account he is sent for any one Act Ioh. 16. 7. or Worke of Grace on that he is sent for all I will send him then saith Christ and that as a fruit of his death as the procurement of his Mediation for that alone he promiseth to bestow on his And in particular he tells us that he receives the spirit from the Father for us upon his Intercession wherein as hath been elsewhere demonstrated he askes no more nor lesse Salus Electorum sanguis Iesu. then what by his death is obtained Iohn 14. 16 17. I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever even the spirit of Truth whom the World cannot receive he tells us v. 13. that whatsoever we aske he will doe it But withall in these verses how he will doe it even by interceding with the Father for it as a fruit of his Bloodshedding and the Promise made to him upon his undertaking to Glorify his Fathers
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
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
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
actings are from habits though to the actuall exercise of any Grace within new helpe and assistance is necessary in that continuall dependance are we upon the fountaine Whether it consists in that which is called habituall Grace or the gracious suitablenesse and disposition of the soule unto Spirituall Operations may be doubted The Apostle tells us Christ is our Life Gol. 3 4. When Christ who is our Life shall appeare and Col. 2. 22. Christ Liveth in me Christ liveth in Believers by his Spirit as hath been declared Christ dwelleth in you and his Spirit dwelleth in you are expressions of the same import and signification But 2. God by his Spirit worketh in us both to will and to do of his owne good pleasure All vitall actions are from him it may be said of Graces and Gratious Operations as well as Guifts all these worketh in us that one and selfe same Spirit dividing to every one as he will But this is not now to be insisted on 3. The Spirit as indwelling gives guidance and direction to them in whom he is as to the way wherein they ought to walke Rom 8 14. As many as are lead by the Spirit of God The Spirit leades them in whom it is and v 1. They are said to walke after the Spirit Now there is a twofold Leading Guidance or direction 1. Morall and Extrinsecall the leading of a Rule 2. Internall and Efficient the leading of a Principle Of these the one layes forth the way the other directs and carryes along in it The first is the Word giving us the Direction of a way of a Rule the latter is the Spirit effectually guiding and leading us in all the paths thereof Without this the other direction will be of no saving use It may be line upon line precept upon precept yet men goe backward and are insnared David notwithstanding the Rule of the Word yea the Spirit of Prophecy for the inditing of more of the mind of God for the use of the Church when moved thereunto yet in one Psalme cryes out four times Oh! give me understanding to keepe thy Commandements concluding that hence would be his life that therein it lay Oh give me saith he understanding and I shall live Psal. 119. 144. so Paul bidding Timothy consider the Word of the Scripture that he might know whence it is that this will be of use unto him he addes I pray the Lord give thee understanding in all things 2 Tim 2. 7. How this Understanding is given the same Apostles informes us Eph. 1. 17 18. The God of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of Glory give unto us the Spirit of Wisdome Revelation in the knowledge of him the eyes of our understandings being thereby inlightned It is the Spirit of Wisdome and Revelation the Holy Spirit of God from whom is all Spirituall Wisdome and all Revelation of the will of God 1 Cor. 2. 11. who being given unto us by the God of our Lord Jesus Christ and our God in him inlightens our understandings that we may know c. And on this account is the Sonne of God said to come and give us an Vnderstanding to know him that is true that is himselfe by his Spirit 2 Joh. 5. 20. Now there be two wayes §. 18. whereby the Spirit gives us Guidance to walke according to the Rule of the Word 1. By giving us the knowledge of the will of God in all Wisdome and Spirituall Vnderstanding Col. 1. 9. carrying us on unto all Riches of the full assurance of Vnderstanding to the acknowledgment of God and of the Father and of Christ Cap. 2. 2. This is that Spirituall Habituall Saving Illumination which he gives to the Soules of them to whom he is given He who commanded light to shine out of darkenesse by him shining into their minds to give them the knowledge of his Glory in the face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4. 6. This is else where termed translating from darknesse to light opening blind eyes Col. 1. 13. giving light to them that are in darknesse 1 Pet. 2. 9. freeing us from the Condition of naturall men who discerne not the things that are of God Eph. 5. 8. This the Apostle makes his designe to cleare up and manifest 1 Cor. 1. He tells you Luk. 4. 18. the things of the Gospell are the Wisdome of God in a mystery 1 Cor. 2. 14. even the hidden Wisdome which God ordained before the world unto our glory v. 7. And then proves that an acquaintance herewith is not to be attained by any naturall meanes or abilityes whatsoever v 9. Eye hath not seene eare hath not heard nor hath it entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for those that Love him And thence unto the end of the Chapter variously manifests how this is given to Believers and wrought in them by the Spirit alone from whom it is that they know the mind of Christ But saith he God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit for the Spirit searcheth all things even the deepe things of God for who knoweth the things of a man but the spirit of a man who knoweth the things of God but the Spirit of God and we have received the Spirit not of this world but the Spirit which is of God that we may know the things which are freely given us of God The word is as the way whereby we goe yea an externall Light Ps. 119. 119. as a light to our feet and as a Lanthorne to our paths yea as the Sunne in the firmament sending forth its beames of light abundantly But what will this profit if a man have no Eyes in his head There must not only be light in the object and in the medium but in the subject in our Hearts and Minds And this is of the operation of the Spirit of Light and Truth given to us as the Apostle tells us 2 Cor. 3. 18. we all with open face beholding the Glory of God as in a glasse are changed into the same Image from Glory to Glory as by the Spirit of the Lord This is the first way whereby the Holy Spirit dwelling in us gives Guidance and direction fundamentally habitually he enlightens our mindes gives us eyes understandings shines into us translates us from darknesse into marvelous Light whereby alone we are able to see our way to know our paths and to discerne the things of God without this men are blind and see nothing a farre off 2 Pet 2. 9. There are three things §. 19. which men either have or may be made partakers of without this this communication of Light by the Indwelling Spirit 1. They have the Subject of knowledge a naturall faculty of understanding their mindes remaine though depraved destroyed perverted yea so farre that their eye Math. 6. 23. and the light that is in them is darknesse yet the faculty remaine still 2. They may have the
Object or Truth revealed in the word This is common to all that are made partakers of the good Word of God that is to whom 't is Preached and delivered as it is to many whom it doth not profit being not mixt with Faith Heb 4. 2. 3. The way and meanes of Communicating the truth so revealed to their minds or understandings which is the Litterall Grammaticall Logicall delivery of the things contained in the Scriptures as held out to their Minds and Apprehensions in their meditation on them and this meanes of convayance of the sence of the Scripture is plaine obvious and cleare in all necessary Truths A Concurrence of these three will afford and yeild them that have it upon their diligence and enquiry a Disciplinary knowledge of the Litterall sence of Scripture as they have of other things By this meanes the Light shines 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sends out some beames of light into their darke minds but the darknesse comprehends it not John 1. 5. receives not the Light in a spirituall manner there is notwithstanding all this still wanting the work of the Spirit before mentioned creating and implanting in and upon their understandings and minds that Light and power of discerning spirituall things which before we insisted on This the Scripture sometimes calls the opening of the understanding Luk 24. 45. sometimes the giving an understanding it selfe 2 Tim 2. 7. 1 John 5. 20 sometimes light in the Lord Ephes. 5. 8. Notwithstanding all the Advantages formerly spoken of without this men are still naturall men and darknesse not comprehending not receiving the things of God that is not spiritually for so the Apostle adds because they Spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2. 14. Receiving Spirituall things by meere naturall mediums they become foolishnesse unto them This is the first thing that the Spirit dwelling in us doth towards Guidance and Direction he gives a new Light and Understanding whereby in generall we are inabled to discerne comprehend and receive Spirituall things 2. In particular he Guides and leades men to the embracing particular Truthes and to the walking in and up §. 20. unto them Christ promised to give him to us for this end namely to lead us into all Truth John 16. 13. He will guide us into all Truth There is more required to the receiving entertaining embracing a particular Truth rejecting of what is cōtrary unto it then an habituall Illumination This also is the work of the Spirit that dwells in us he works this also in our minds hearts therefore the Apostle secures his little Children that they shall be lead into Truth preserved frō seduction on this account 1 John 2. 20. You have au Vnction from the holy one or ye have received the Spirit from the Lord Jesus and you shall know all things why so because it is his worke to Guide and Lead you into all the things whereof I am a speaking And more fully v 27. You have received an Vnction from him that abideth in you and you have no need that any teach you but as the Vnction teacheth you of all things and is true and is no lye and as he hath taught you abide in him It is received as promised it doth abide as the Spirit is said to do and it teacheth which is the proper worke of the Spirit in an eminent manner Now this Guidance of Believers by the Spirit §. 21. as to the particular Truthes and actings consists in his putting forth of a twofold Act of Light and Power First Of Light and that also is twofold 1. Of Beauty as to the things to be received or done he represents them to the soule as Excellent Comely Desirable and Glorious leading us on in the receiving of truth from Glory to Glory 2 Cor. 2. 18. He puts upon every Truth a new Glory making and rendring it desirable to the soule without which it cannot be closed withall as not discovering either suitablenesse or proportion unto the minds and hearts of men And 2. By some actuall elevation of the minde and understanding to goe forth unto and receive into it selfe the Truth as represented to it by both of them sending forth Light and Truth Psal. 43. 3. blowing of the Cloudes and raising up the day Starre that rises in our hearts Secondly 2 Pet. 2. 19. Of Power Isa. 35. 6. The breaking forth of Streames makes not only the blind to see but the lame to leape Strength comes as well as Light by the powring out of the Spirit on us Strength for the receiving and practice of all his Gracious discoveries to us He leades us not only in Generall implanting a saving Light in the minde whereby it is disposed and enabled to discerne Spirituall things in a Spirituall manner but also as to Particular Truths rendring them Glorious and Desirable opening the mind and Understanding by new beames of Light he leades the soule irresistably into the receiving of the truths revealed which is the second thing we have by him I shall only observe for a close of this §. 22. one or two Consequences of the weight of this twofold Operation of the indwelling of Christ. 1. From the want of the first or his creating a new light in the minds of men it is that so many Labour in the fire for an acquaintance with the things of God It is I say a consequence of it as darknesse is of absence of the Sunne Many we see after sundry years spent in considerable labours and diligence reading of many bookes with a contribution of assistance from other usefull Arts and Sciences Rom. 1. 21 22 in the issue of all their indeavours do wax vaine in their imaginations having their foolish hearts darkned professing themselves wise they become fooles being so farre from any Sappe and savour that they have not the leaves of ability in things Divine Others indeed make some progresse in a disciplinary knowledge of Doctrines of the Scriptures and can accurately reason and distinguish about them according to the formes wherein they have been exercised and that to a great height of conviction in their owne spirits and permanency in the profession they have taken up But yet all this while they abide without any effectuall power of the Truth Rom. 6. 17. conforming and framing their spirits unto the likenesse and mould thereof They doe but see men walking like trees some shines of the light breake in upon them which rather amaze then guides them they comprehend it not They see Spirituall things in a Naturall Light and presently forget what manner of things they were and in the species wherein they are retained 1 Cor. 2. 12 13 14. they are foolishnesse 2. From the want of the latter it is that we our selves are so slow in receiving some partes of Truth and do find it so difficult to convince others of some other parts of it which to us are written with the beames of the Sunne Unlesse the
performances And how comes that about saith the Psalmist it is by Gods satisfying my mouth with good things he satisfyed his mouth with good things or answered his prayers What these good things are which the Saints pray for and wherewith their mouthes are satisfied our Saviour tells us your Father saith he knoweth how to give good things to them that aske them of him which expressing in another place he saith your Father will give the Holy Spirit to them that aske him of him He is given us and he renewes our strength as the Eagles making our soules which were ready to languish prompt ready cheerefull strong in the wayes of God To this purpose is that Prayer of the Spouse Cant. 4. 6. Awake O North wind and come thou South and blow upon my Garden that the savour of my spices may flow out let my beloved come into his Garden that he may eate of the fruit of his precious things Shee is sensible of the withering of her Spices the decayes of her Graces and her disability thereupon to give any suitable entertainment unto Jesus Christ Hence is her earnestnesse for new breathings and operations of the Spirit of Grace to renew and revive and set on worke againe her Graces in her which without it could not be done All Graces are the fruits of the Spirit Gal. 5. 25 26. The fruit of the Spirit is Love Joy Peace Long-suffering Kindnesse Goodnesse Faith Gentlenesse Temperance if the Root doe not communicate fresh juyce and sappe continually the fruit will quickly wither were there not a continuall communication of new life and freshnesse unto our Graces from the Indwelling Spirit we should soone be poore withered Branches this our Saviour tells us Ioh. 15. 4 5. abide in mee and I in you as the branches cannot bring forth fruit of themselves unlesse they remaine in the Vine no more can yee unlesse ye abide in mee I am the Vine yee are the Branches he who abideth in mee and I in him he bringeth forth much fruit for separate from mee ye can doe nothing Our Abiding in Christ and his in us is as was declared by the Indwelling of the same Spirit in him and us Hence saith Christ have you all your fruit-bearing vertue and unlesse that be continued to us we shall wither and consume to nothing David in his spiritually declined condition intangled under the power and guilt of sinne cries out for the continuance of the Spirit and the restoring him as to those ends and purpose◠in reference whereunto he was departed from him Ps 51. 21 22. This the Apostle praies earnestly that the Ephesians may receive Ch. 3. 16 17. I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ that he will give unto you according to the riches of his Glory that ye may be strengthened with might by his spirit in the inward man that Christ may dwell in your hearts by Faith that yee being rooted and grounded in Love c. The inward Man is the same with the new Creature the new principle of Grace in the Heart This is apt to be sick to faint and decay the Apostle prayes that it might be strengthened how is this to be done how is it to be renewed increased enlivened It is saith he by the mighty power of the Spirit and then gives you particular instances in the Graces which flourish and spring up effectually upon that strengthening they receive by the might and power of the Spirit as of Faith Love Knowledge and Assurance the increasing and establishing of all which is ascribed there unto him He who bestowes these Graces on us and workes them in us doth also carry them on unto perfection Were it not for our inflowings from that spring our Cisternes would quickly be dry therefore our Saviour tells us that he the Spirit is unto Believers as Rivers of living water flowing out of their bowels Ioh 7. 38 39. A never failing fountaine that continually puts forth living waters of Grace in us This may a little farther be considered and insisted on being directly to our main purpose in hand It is true indeed it doth more properly belong unto that which I have assigned for the Second Part of this Treatise concerning the Ground or Principle of the Saints abiding with God for ever but falling in conveniently in this order I shall farther presse it from Ioh. 4. 14. whosoever saith our Saviour shall drink of the water which I shall give unto him shall not thirst for ever but the water which I shall give unto him shall be in him a fountain of water springing up unto eternall life The occasion of these words is known §. 29. they are part of our Saviours Colloquie with the poore Samaritan Harlot having told her that he could give her another manner of water and infinitely better then that which she drew out of Jacobs well for which the poore Creature did almost contemne him and askt him whence he had that water whereof he spake how he came by it or what he made of himselfe Did he think himselfe a better man then Iacob who dranke of that well which shee was drawing water out of to convince her of the Truth and reality of his Promise he compares the water that he would and could give with that which she drew out of the Well especially as to one eminent effect wherein the water of his Promise did infinitely surmount that which she so magnifyed for v. 13. he tells her for that water in the well though it allayed thirst for a season yet within a little while she would thirst againe and must come thither to draw but saith he whosoever drinketh of the Water I shall give him thirsts no more and this he proveth from the Condition of the Water he giveth it is a well of Water not a drought not a Pitcherfull as that thou carryest away but it is a Fountaine a Well yea perhaps in it selfe it is so a Fountaine or Well but he that drinkes of it he hath but one draught of that water Nay saith Christ it shall become a Well in him not a Well whereunto he may goe but a Well that he shall carry about in him He that hath a continuall spring of living water in him shall doubtlesse have no occasion of fainting for thirst any more This our Saviour amplifies and clears up unto her from the nature and energy of this Well of water it springeth up unto everlasting life in these last words instructing the poore sinfull Creature in the use of the Parable that he had used with her Having taken an occasion to speake to her of heavenly things from the nature of the employment that she was engaged in at present Two or three things may be observed from the words to give Light unto their tendency to the Confirmation of the Truth we have under consideration First §. 30. the Water here Promised by our Saviour is the Holy and Blessed Spirit this
new Obedience and there will be the work of that Faith in purifying the Heart and mortifying of the sinnes supposed Farther the way here prescribed and limited to the Lord Jesus how he shall intercede for his and for what viz. not for actuall Perseverance and continuance in the Faith to be wrought in them by the exceeding greatnesse of the power of God but for meanes to inable them to preserve themselves we are perswaded he walkes not in And that much upon this account that the way whereby God begins and carries on Believers in the way of Faith and Obedience is not by such a supply of meanes as leaves them to themselves to work and effect the things for which they are so supplied but he himselfe workes in them to will and to doe of his own good pleasure fulfilling in them all the good pleasure of his Goodnesse and the worke of Faith with power giving them all their sufficiency and preserving them by his power through Faith unto salvation To make Faith and Perseverance therein to follow such a supply of meanes as leaves the production of them to the power of the wills of men so that after God hath done all that on his part is to be done or performed that is quickned them being dead giving them new Hearts Spirtis shone into their mindes to give them the knowledge of his Glory in the Face of his Sonne c. it is yet uncertaine whether â—ver Faith shall be wrought in their Soules or no or rather whether men so supplied with means will Believe and Persevere or no is an Assertion that will never be proved to Eternity nor whilest Truth is Truth it is capable of proofe The granting of such meanes and such a presence of his Spirit that men may be inabled to worke for themselves is an expression exceedingly unsuited to all the Promises of the new Covenant what ever either of the Spirit of Grace or the meanes of it is given out to Believers Christ intercedes that his Father would keepe them not that they should keepe themselves he was too well acquainted with our frame and our temptations to desire we might be our own keepers God forbid we should be left to our owne preservation to the hand of our owne counsell and power though compassed with all the supposed sufficient meanes that may be not eventually effectually God creates a defence upon our Glory and doth not leave it to our owne safegarding Our salvation is not in our own custody That the Father doth not keepe us or preserve us that the Sonne doth not Intercede that we may be so preserved that the Spirit doth not make us meete for and keepe us unto the Inheritance of the Saints in Light but that in the use of meanes we are as Adam was our own keepers are some of the Principles of that new way of administring consolation to Believers which Mr Goodwin hath found out This then is the utmost which Mr Goodwin will allow to be for disputation sake not that he really believes it granted that Christ intercedes for his Saints as to their continuance and preservation in that condition viz. That God would give them such meanes as they may use or not use at their liberty which may be effectuall or not effectuall as their own wils shall choose to make use of them which he also takes for granted to be common to all the World and not to be peculiar unto Believers But it is farther argued If Christ should simply and absolutely Intercede that no sinne or wickednesse whatsoever may destroy the Faith of any true Believer and consequently deprive him of Salvation should he not hereby become that which the Apostle rejects with indignation as altogether unworthy of him I meane a Minister of sinne Is therefore Christ the Minister of sinne God forbid or whereby or wherein can it lightly be imagined that Christ should become a minister of sinne rather then by interceding with his Father that such and such men how vile and abominable soever they shall become may yet be precious in his sight and receive a Crowne of Righteousnesse from his hand Or doth not such an Intercession as some men put upon him as they who make him to Intercede simply and absolutely for the Perseverance of Believers in their Faith amount to an Intercession of every whit as vile and unworthy Import as this Ans That this is the tenor of Christs Intercession with his Father for men let them become as vile as they will how vile and abominable soever yet that they may be still precious in his sight and that he would give them a Crowne of Righteousnesse M. Goodwin knoweth full well not to be the Doctrine of them he opposeth If he shall otherwise affirme it will be incumbent on him to produce some one Author that hath wrote about this Doctrine in what language soever and so stated it If he be ignorant that this is not their Doctrine he ought not to have ingaged into an opposition thereof if he argue that it is otherwise this procedure is unworthy of him That Christ Intercedes for his Saints that they may be kept from all such sinnes as would separate them from the Love and Favour of his Father for which there is no Remedy provided in the Covenant of Grace and that their Faith may not faile or perish under such sinnes as they may through Temptation fall into is the Doctrine which he opposeth or at least ought to oppose to make good his undertaking Now if this be so then saith he is Christ the minister of sinne why so He sees and foretells that Peter should deny him thrice yet he prayes that Peters Faith may not faile under that sinne and wickednesse is he therefore a minister of sinne because he Intercedes that his Saints may not be given up to the power of sinne nor every time they are assaulted lye conquered by sinne is he therefore a minister of sinne or rather a deliverer from sinne That very thing which M. Goodwin affirmes would make him a minister of sinne he affirmes himselfe to do in the case of Peter how he will free himselfe from this charge and imputation ipse viderit 2. What it is to Intercede simply and absolutely for Believers that they may continue believing we are not so cleare in Christ Intercedes that they may be preserved by the power of his Father in and through the use of those meanes which he graciously affords them and the Powerfull presence of the Spirit of God with them therein and that not on any such absurd and foolish conditions that they may be so preserved by his Father provided they preserve themselves and continue Believers on condition they continue to believe and if this be of a vile and unworthy import the Gospell is so too and one of the most eminent Graces that is inwrapped in the New Covenant is so too What there is farther in M. Goodwin Sect. 34. Pag. 249
hath abounded that they may live in all filth and folly because God hath promised never to forsake them not turne away his Love from them they doe not looke upon it as an hellish abuse of the Love of God which they labour to crucifie no lesse then any other worke of the flesh whatsoever Presuppose indeed the Saints of God to be Dogges and swine wholly sensuall and unregenerate that is no Saints and our Doctrine to be such that God will Love them and save them continuing in that state wherein they are and you make a bed for Iniquity to stretch it selfe upon But suppose that we teach that the wrath of God will certainly come upon the Children of disobedience that he that Believeth not shall be damned and that God will keepe his owne by his power through Faith unto Salvation and that in and by the use of meanes they shall certainly be preserved to the end and the mouth of iniquity will be stopped 2. They say it takes away that strong curbe and bridle §. 14. which ought to be kept in the mouth of the flesh to keepe it from running headlong into sin and folly namely the feare of Hell and punishment which alone hath an influence upon it to bring it to subjection and under Obedience But now if there be nothing in the world that is of use for the mortification and crucifying of the flesh and the lusts thereof but it receives improvement by this Doctrine this crimination must of necessity vanish into nothing 1. Then it tells that the flesh and all the deeds thereof are to be crucifyed and slaine God having ordained good workes for us to walke in That for the workes of the flesh the wrath of God comes upon the Children of disobedience if any say let us continue in sinne because we are not under the Law or the condemning power of it for sinne but under Grace it cries out God for bid Rom. 6. 15 16. And saith this is Argument enough and Proofe snfficient that sinne shall not have dominion over us because we are not under the Law but under Grace It tells you also that there is a twofold feare of Hell and punishment of sinne First of Anxietie and doubtfullnesse in respect of the end Secondly Of Care and diligence that respecteth the meanes And for the first it saith that this is the portion of very many of the Saints of God of some all their dayes though they are so yet they know not that they are so and therefore are under anxious and doubtfull feares of Hell and Punishment notwithstanding that they are in the armes of their Father from whence indeed they shall not be cast downe as a man bound with chaines on the toppe of a tower he cannot but feare and yet he cannot fall He cannot fall because he is fast bound with strong chaines He cannot but feare because he cannot actually and clearely consider often times the meanes of his preservation And for the latter a feare of the wayes and meanes leading to punishment as such that continues upon all the Saints of God in this life neither is there any thing in this Doctrine that is suited to a removall thereof And this it saies is more much more of use for the mortification of the flesh then the former 2. It sayes that the great and Principall meanes of mortification of the flesh is not feare of Hell and Punishment but the Spirit of Christ as the Apostle tells us Rom. 8. 13. If ye through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the flesh yee shall live It is the Spirit of Christ alone that is able to do this great Worke We know what bondage and Religious drudgery some have put themselves 〈◊〉 upon this account and yet could never in their lives attaine to the mortification of any one sinne It is the Spirit of Christ alone that hath soveraigne power in our soules of killing and making alive As no man quickneth his owne soule so no man upon any Consideration whatsoever or by the power of any threatnings of the Law can kill his own sinne There was never any one sinne truly mortified by the Law or the threatning of it All that the Law can do of it selfe is but to intangle sinne and thereby to irritate provoke it like a Bull in a net or a beast lead to the slaughter It is the Spirit of Christin the Gospell that cuts its throate destroyes it Now this Doctrine was never in the least charged with denying the Spirit of God to Believers which whilst it doth grant maintaine in a way of opposition to that late Opinion which advanceth it selfe against it it maintaines the mortification of the flesh and the lusts thereof upon the only true and unshaken foundations 3. It tells you that the great meanes whereby the Spirit of Christ worketh the mortification of the flesh and the Lusts thereof is the Application of the Crosse of Christ and his Death and Love therein unto the soule and saies that those vaine endeavours which some promote and encourage for the mortification of sinne consisting for the most part in slavish bodily exercises are to be bewayled with teares of bloud as abominations that seduce poore soules from the Crosse of Christ For it saies this work is truly and in an acceptable manner only performed when we are planted into the likenesse of the death of Christ having our old man crucified with him and the body of sinne destroyed Rom. 6. 5 6. and thereupon by Faith reckoning our selves dead unto sinne but alive unto God v. 11. It is done only by knowing the fellowship of the sufferings of Christ and being made conformable to his death Phil. 3. 10. by the Crosse of Christ is the world crucified unto us and we unto the world The Spirit brings home the power of the Crosse of Christ to the soule for the accomplishing of this work and without it it will not be done Moreover it saies that by the way of motive to this duty there is nothing comes with that efficacy upon the soule as the love of Christ in his death as the Apostle assures us 2 Cor. 5. 14. for the Love of Christ constraineth us because we thus judge that if one died for all then were all dead and that he died for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him which died for them and rose againe now it was never laid to the charge of this Doctrine that it took off from the vertue of the Death and Crosse of Christ but rather on the contrary though falsely that it ascribed too much thereunto so that these importune exceptions notwithstanding the Doctrine in hand doth not only maintaine its own innocency as to any tendency unto loosenesse but also manifestly declareth its own usefulnesse to all ends and purposes of Gospell Obedience whatsoever For 3. It stirres up §. 15. provokes and drawes out into action every
care and Godly feare about the meanes instituted and appointed with respect to the end which Exhortations do beget and will notwithstanding those Promises 5. The greatest inconsistency that can be imagined between Exhortations and Promises as by us explained is no more than this that in one place God promiseth that unto us as his Grace which in an other he requires of us as our duty between which two who ever feignes an Opposition he doth his endeavour to set the Covenant of Grace as to us proposed and declared at variance with it selfe The whole ensuing Discourse unto Sect 12. §. 19. drawing deepe upon an other Controversy viz. the manner of the Operation of Grace and being for the most part borrowed from what is delivered on that head in the Arminian writings Acta Synodal might be past over as not of any necessary consideration in this place What we assigne to the Exhortations of the Word and their consistency with whatever else we teach of the Saints Perseverance being already heard this Argument is at its properissue But the taske undertaken is not to be waved or avoided I shall therefore proceed to the discussion of it Thus then he goes on If saith he such Exhortations as we speake of be a meanes to effect the Perseverance which our Adversaryes suppose to be Promised in the Saints then must the Act of Perseverance in the Saints necessarily depend upon them so as that iâ— cannot nor will not be effected without them i.e. without the Saints submitting themselves to them But persevering upon these tearmes clearely supposeth a possibility of non-persevering for whatsoever dependeth upon a mutable condition and which possibly may not be performed may be also possible never to come to passe Ans. 1. Exhortations are improperly said to be a meanes to effect Perseverance We say only that they are meanes to stirre up quicken and increase those Graces in the exercise whereof the Saints according to the Purpose and Promise of God do persevere 2. The Perseverance of the Saints doth consist in the abiding and continuance of those Graces in them which those Exhortations do so stirre up further or increase And in that regard there is a connexion between the Perseverance of the Saints and the Exhortations mentioned yea a dependance of the one on the other But this dependance ariseth not from the nature of the things themselves whence such a Certainty as is asserted would not arise but from the purpose and Appointment of God that they should be effectuall to that end And therefore 3. A Perseverance on these termes supposeth a possiblity of non-persevering if you regard only the nature of the things themselves and set aside all Consideration of the Purpose and Promises of God concerning the end which is to begge the thingin hand yea the Promise of God extends it selfe to the certaine Accomplishment of the Saints submission to those exhortations So that the end aimed at doth not depend on a mutable condition If I understand any thing of that Expression so unsuited to the businesse in hand the performance of the condition or the yeilding of such Obedience as is required to the essence of the Saints Perseverance being certaine also from the Promises of God His fift Section is as followeth §. 20. If it be said that the said Exhortations are meanes of the Saints persevering in this respect because God by his Spirit irresistibly and infrustrably drawes and perswades the Saints to obey these Exhortations as meanes of their persevering I Answer It cannot be proved that God doth draw or perswade his Saints upon any such tearmes to obey these Exhortations Nay frequent experience sheweth and our Adversaries Doctrrne frequently mentioned expressely granteth that the Saints many times are so farre from obeying these Exhortations that they walke for a long time in full opposition to them is in security loosenesse vile practices nor have they yet proved nor I believe ever will prove but that they may walke yea and that many have thus walked I meane in full opposition to the said exhortations to their dying day Secondly If God by his Spirit irresistibly drawes his Saints to obey the Exhortations we speake of he thus draweth them either by such a force or power immediately acted upon their wills by which they are made willing to obey them or else he maketh use of the said Exhortations so to worke or affect their wills that they become willing accordingly If the former be asserted Then first the said Exhortations are no meanes wereby the Perseverance of the Saints is effected but God alone irresistibly by his Spirit for if the Will be thus immediately affected by God after such a manner and wrought to such a bent and inclination as that it cannot but obey the said Exhortations or do the things which the said Exhortations require Then would it have done the same things whether there had been any such Exhortations in beeing or no and consequenly these Exhortations could have no manner of efficiency about their Perseverance For the Will according to the common saying is of it selfe a blind faculty followes its owne predominant bent inclination without taking knowledge whether the wayes and actions towards which it stands bent be commanded or exhorted unto by God or no 2. If the will of a S t be immediately so affected by God that it stands inclin'd bent to do the things which are proper to cause them to Persevere then is this bent inclination wrought in the Will of such a person after his being a S t consequently is not essentiall to him as a S t but meerely Accidentall Adventitious if so then is there no inclinations or bent in the Will of a S t as such or from his first being a S t to Persevere or to do the things which accompany Perseverance but they come to be wrought in him afterwards Which how consistent it is with the principles either of Reason or Religion or their owne I am content that my Adversaries themselves should judge 3. If God doth immediately irresistibly incline or move the wills of the S t s to do the things which accompany Perseverance the said Exhortations can be no meanes of effecting this Perseverance for the will being Physically irresistibly acted drawne by God to do such such things needeth no addition of Morall meanes such as Exhortations are if they be any in order hereunto What a man is necessitated to he needeth no farther helpe or meanes â—o do it 4. The things which accompany Perseverance import a continuance in Faith Love to the end If then the wills of the S t s be immediately and irresistibly moved by God thus to continue I meane in Faith Love to the end what place is there for Exhortations to come in with their efficiency towards that Perseverance Need they be exhorted to continue in Faith Love or to Persevere after the end
Thus then we clearely see that the former of the two Consequents mentioned cannot stand God doth not by his Spirit irresistibly draw or move the wills of the S t s to do things which are necessary for the procuring their Perseverance immediately or withont the instrumentall interposure of the said Exhortations Ans. First §. 21. the intendment of this as also of some following Sections is to prove and manifest that the use of Exhortations cannot consist with the efficacy of Internall Grace and the worke of the Spirit in producing and effecting those Graces in us which in those Exhortations we are provoked and stirred up unto A very sad undertaking truely to my apprehension for w eh the Church of God will scarce ever returne thankes to them that shall ingage in it He was of an other minde who cryed Da Domine qvod jubes jube quod vis yea the Holy Ghost hath in innumerable places of Scripture exprest himselfe of another mind promising to worke effectually in us what he requires earnestly of us by the one manifesting the efficacy of his Grace by the other the exigeney of the Duty which is incumbent upon us Nay never any Saint of God once pray'd in his life seeking any thing at the hand of God but was of another mind if he understood his owne supplications To what is here urged against this Catholicke Faith of Believers I say That Exhortations are the meanes of Perseverance in as much as by them in their place and kinde and with them the Spirit of God effectually workes this Peseverance or the matter of it in the Saints Those cloudy expressions of irresistibly and unfrustrably we owne no farther then as they denote the certainty of the event and not the manner of the Spirits operation which also they do very unhandsomely We leave out then in the proposall of our Judgement about the use of Exhortations which Mr Goodwin opposeth those tearmes and adde in their Roome by and by with those Exhortations which he omitts He saith then This cannot be proved because the Saints live and dye often times in opposition and disobedience unto these Exhortations But Obedience is twofold First as to the generall frame of the heart Obedience in the habit and so 't is false that the Saints live at any time in an ordinary course much lesse dye in opposition to those Exhortations the Law of God being written in their hearts and they delighting in it in their inward man they abide therein the fruit of Obedience for the most part being brought forth by them And this sufficeth as to their Perseverance Secondly It regardeth particular acts of Obedience and in respect of them we all say that yet they all sinne Optimus ille est qui minimis urgetur but this prejndiceth not their Perseverance nor the generall end of the Exhortations afforded them for that purpose But he adds Secondly If God by his Spirit irresistibly drawes his Saints to persevere ut supra But this is sorry Sophistry which may be felt as they say through a paire of mittins For First who saies that God workes by force immediately upon the wills of men Or who makes force and power to be tearmes equivalent Or that God cannot put forth the exceeding greatnesse of his power in them that believe but he must force or compell their wills or that he can not work in us to will and to do of his owne goodpleasure immediately working in and with our wills but he must so force them Secondly whence ariseth the disjunctive force of this Argument Either by immedate actings upon their wills or he makes use of those Exhortations As though the one way were exclusive of the other and that the Scripture did not abundantly and plentifully ascribe both these unto God both that he exhorts us to know him love him believe in him and gives us an understanding and an heart so to do working Faith and Love in us by the exceeding efficacy of his power and Spirit I say then that God workes immediately by his Spirit in and on the wills of his Saints that is he puts forth a reall Physicall power that is not contained in those exhortations though he doth it by and in and with them The impotency that is in us to do good is not amisse termed Ethico-physica both Naturall and Morall and the Applications of God to the soule in their doing good are both Really and Physically efficient and Morall also the one consisting in the efficacy of his Spirit the other lying in the exhortations of the Word yet so as that the efficacy of the Spirit is exerted by and with the Morall efficacy of the Word his workes being but Grace or the Law in the heart the Word being the Law written so that all the ensuing Reasonings are bottomed upon things Male divisa that stand in a sweet harmony and compliance with each other But Mr Goodwin tells you That if God worke by his Spirit his Grace immediately on the wills of men to cause them to persevere then are Exhortations no meanes of their Perseverance Why so I pray It seemes we must have no internall effectuall Grace from God or no outward Exhortations of the Word But he tells you it must be so because If the will be Physically and Irresistibly acted and drawne by God to do such and such things it needeth no adition of Morall meanes such are Exhortations thereunto That is if the will be effectually inclined to the wayes of God by his Grace there is then no need of the Exhortations of the Word But yet First the Spirit of God though he have an immediate efficacy of his owne by with those Exhortations yet by those Exhortations he also inclines the will as he workes on the will as Corrupt impotent by his Grace so he workes on the will as the will or as such a faculty is apt to be wrought upon by a mediation of the understanding by Exhortations Secondly to say Obedience would have been produced and wrought had there been no Exhortations is not required of us what efficacy soever we ascribe to Grace unlesse we also deny Exhortations to be appointed of God and to be used by the Spirit of God for the producing of that Obedience Neither Thirdly doth God worke upon the will as a distinct faculty alone of it selfe without suiting his operations to the other faculties of the soule Nor is Grace to be wrought or carryed on in us meerely as we have Wills but as we have Understandings also whereby the Exhortations he is pleased to use may be conveyed to the will and affect it in their kind in a word this is but repeating what was said before If there be any effectuall Grace there is no use of Exhortations If exhortations be the meanes of continuing or increaseing Grace what need the efficacy of Grace or immediate actings of the Spirit working in us to will and to do of Gods
good pleasure what validity there is in these inferences will be easily discerned God worketh Grace in men as men and as men impotent and corrupted by sinne As men he workes upon them by meanes suited to their Rationall being by Precepts and exhortations but as men impotent and corrupt by sinne they stand in need of his effectuall power to worke that in them which he requireth of them Of the termes wherewith his arguing in this case is clowded and darkened enough hath been remarked already His second Argument to this purpose §. 22. viz. That the Inclination of the will to good and to persevere in a Saint must be after his being made a Saint is as weake and no lesse Sophysticall than the former That inclination is radically wrought in every Believer at his Conversion the Spirit being bestowed on him which shall abide with him for ever and the Seed of God laid in his heart that shall remaine and never utterly faile with an habituall inclination to the exercise of all those Graces wherein their persevering doth consist Actually this is wrought in them according to the particular dutyes and actings of Grace that are reqnired of them which they are carryed forth unto by the daily influence of Life Power and Grace which they receive from Christ their head without whom they can do nothing Neither is the third Exception of any more validity being only a Repetition of what was spoken before rendred something more impedite darke and intricate by the termes of Physically Irresistibly and Necessitated which how farre and wherein we doe allow hath been frequently declared The summe of what is spoken amounts to this Gods reall worke in and upon the Soule by his Spirit and Grace is inconsistent with the exhortations to Obedience which we have before disproved and do reject it as an Assertion destructive to all the efficacy of the Grace of God and the whole worke of it upon the Soules of Men. What his Fourth Argument also is but a Repetition of the same things before crudely Asserted in other termes let them apprehend that can If God worke Faith and Love in the hearts of his Saints and support them in them to the end what place is left for Exhortations I say their own proper place the place of meanes of meanes appoynted by God to stirre up his to Perseverance and which himselfe makes by his Spirit and the immediate efficacy thereof effectuall to that end and purpose And I know no use of that Query Are exhortations effectuall to perswade men to Persevere after the end being built only on his false Hypothesis and begging of the thing in Question viz. That if God worke Faith and Love and continuance of them in our hearts effectually by his Grace there is no need no use of exhortations though God so work them by and with those exhortations And this is his first Attempt upon the first member of the Division made by him selfe wherein what successe he hath obtained is left to the judgement of the Reader And but that I shall not having now the part of one that Answers incumbent on mee turne aside unto the proofe of things denied I should easily confirme what hath been given in for the removall of his Objections from the Testimony of God by innumerable places of Scripture He proceeds then Sect. 6. and saies §. 23. Secondly Neither can the latter of the said consequences stand God doth not make use of the said Exhortations to influence or effect the Wills of the Saints upon any such termes as hereby to make them Infallibly Infrustrably Necessitatingly willing to Persevere or to do the things upon which Perseverance dependeth For first If so then one and the same act of the Will should be both Physicall and Morall and so be specifically distinguished in and from it selfe for so farre as t is produced by the irresistible force or power of the Spirit of God it must needs be Physicall the said irresistible working of the Spirit being a Physicall action and so not proper to produce a Moralleffect Againe as farre as the said Exhortations are meanes to produce or raise this Act of the Will or contribute any thing towards it it must needs be morall because Exhortations are Morall causes and so not capable of producing Physicall Naturall or Necessary effects Now then if it be impossible that one and the same Act of the Will should be both Physicall and Morall that is Necessary not Necessary impossible also it is that it should be produced by the irresistible working of God and by exhortations of this joynt efficiency It may be Objected they who hold or grant such an influence or operation of the Spirit of God upon the Will which is frustrable or resistible do or must suppose it to be a Physicall action as well as that which is irresistible If so then the act of the Will so farre as t is raised by the meanes of this action or operation of God must according to the tenor of the former Arguments be Physicall also and so the pretended Impossibility is no more avoided by this opinion then by the other I Answer Though such an operation of God upon the Will as is here mentioned be in respect of God of the manner of its proceeding from him Physicall yet in respect of the Nature and Substance of it t is properly Morall because it impresseth and affecteth the Will upon which t is acted after the manner of Morall causes properly so called that is Perswadingly not Ravishingly or Necessitatingly When a Minister of the Gospell in his preaching presseth or perswadeth men to such such dutyes or actions this act as it proceedeth from him I meane as 't is raised by his naturall abilityes of under standing or speaking is Physicall or Naturall but in respect of the substanceo◠native tendency of it 't is clearely Morall viz. because it tendeth to incline or move the wills of men to such or such Elections without necessitating them thereunto and so comports with those Arguments or Exhortations in their manner of efficiency by which he presseth or moveth them to such things By the way to prevent stumbling and quarrelling it no way followes from the Premises that a Minister in his preaching or perswading unto duty 's should doe as much as God himselfe doth in or towards the perswading of men hereunto it only followes that the Minister doth cooperate with God which the Apostte himselfe affirmes in order to one the same effect i.e. that he operateth in one the same kind of efficiency with God Morally or perswadingly not necessitating for where one necessitates another only perswades they cannot be said to cooperate or worke the one with the other no more than two when the one runnes the other walkes a soft pace can be said to goe or walke together But when two perswade in one and the same action one may perswade more effectually by many
in Believers the Children of God who are begotten of the will of God of the Word of Truth and borne againe not of the Will of the flesh but of the will of God there is a new Spirituall principle a constituting principle of their Spirituall Lives wrought implanted in thē by the Spirit of God a principle of Faith Love enabling thē for suiting them unto inciting them to that Obedience which is acceptable and well pleasing to their Father which is in Heaven In which Obedience as they are regulated by the Word so they are stirred up unto it by all those motives which the Lord in his infinite wisdome hath fitted to prevaile on persons indued with such a principle from himselfe as they are It is not incumbent on me to enter upon the proofe and demonstration of a Title to a Truth which the Saints of God have held so long in unquestionable possession nothing at all being brought to invalidate it but only a bare insinuation that it is not so Then Fourthly I deny not but that the Saints of God are stirred up to Obedience by all the Considerations and inducements which God layes before them and proposeth to them for that end purpose And as he hath spread a principle of obedience over their whole soules all their Facultyes Affections so he hath provided in his Word motives inducements to the Obedience he requires which are suited unto fit to worke upon all that is within them as the Prophet speakes to live to him Their Love Feare Hope Desires are all managed within and provoked without to that end and purpose But how it will thence follow that it is the intendment of God by his Threatnings to ingenerate such a Feare of Hell in them as is inconsistent with an Assurance of his Faithfulnesse in his Promises not to leave them but to preserve them to his Heaveuly Kingdome I professe I know not The Obedience of the Saints we looke upon to proceed from a principle wrought in them with an higher Energy and efficacy than meere desires of God to implant it by Arguments and Motives that is by perswading them to it without the least reall contribution of strength or power or the ingrafting the Word in them in with and by a new principle of Life And if this be the Phyllis of our Authors Doctrine Solus habeto Such a working of Obedience we cannot think to have any thing of God of the Spirit of God of the Wisdome of God or the Goodnesse of God in it being exceedingly remote from the way and manner of Gods working in the Saints as held out in the Word of Truth and ineffectuall to the end proposed in that Condition wherein they are The true use of the Threatnings of wrath in reference to them who by Christ are delivered from it hath been before manifested and insisted on In the last division of this Section §. 64. he labours to prove that what is done from a principle of Feare may be done willingly and chearefully as well as that which is done from a principle of Love To which briefely I say First Neither Feare nor Love as they are meere naturall Affections are any principle of Spirituall Obedience as such Secondly That we are so farre from denying the usefulnesse of the Feare of the Lord to the Obedience of the Saints That the continuance thereof in them to the end is the great Promise for the certaine Accomplishment whereof we do contend Thirdly That Feare of Hell in Believers as a part of the wrath of God from which they are delivered by Christ being opposed to all their Grace of Faith Love Hope c. is no principle of Obedience in them whatever influence it may have on them as to restraint when managed by the hand of Gods Grace Fourthly That yet Believers can never be delivered from it but by Faith in the Bloud of Christ attended with sincere and upright walking with God which when they faile of though that Feare supposed to be predominant in the soule be inconsistent with any comfortable chearing Assurance of the favour of God yet it is not with the certaine continuance to them of the thing it selfe upon the account of the Promises of God Section the sixteenth containes a large Discourse in answer to the Apostle §. 65. affirming that Feare hath torment which is denyed by our Author upon sundry Considerations The Feare he intends is a Feare of Hell and wrath to come This he supposeth to be of such predominancy in the soule as to be a principle of Obedience unto God That this can be without Torment Disquiet Bondage and vexation he will not easily evince to the consciences of them who have at any time been exercised under such a frame What Feare is consistent with Hope What incursions npon the soules of the Saints are made by dread and bondage and Feare of Hell and the use of such feares How some are though true Believers scarcely delivered from such Feares all their dayes I have formerly declared and that may suffice as to all our concernement in this Discourse In the seventeenth Section somwhat is attempted as to Promises § 66. answerable to what hath been done concerning Exhortations and Threatnings the words used to this end are many the summe is That the use of Promises in stirring men up to Obedience is solely in the proposall of a good thing or good things to them to whom the Promises are made which they may attaine or come short off Now if men are assured as this Doctrine supposeth they may be that they shall atttaine the end whether they use the meanes or no how can they possibly be incited by the Promises to the use of meanes proposed for the injoyment of the end promised That this is the substance of his Discourse I presume himselfe will confesse and it being the winding up of a tedious Argument I shall briefely manifest its usefullnesse and lay it aside I say then First what is the True use of the Promises of God and what Influence they have into the Obedience and Holinesse of the Saints hath been formerly declared Neither is any thing there asserted of their genuine naturall tendency to the ends expressed enervated in the least by any thing here insisted on or intimated by Mr Goodwin so that without more trouble I might referre the Reader thither to evince the falsenesse of Mr Goodwin's Assertions concerning the uselessnesse of the Promises unto Perseverance upon a supposition that there are Promises of Perseverance Secondly Though we affirme that all true Saints shall Persevere yet we do not say that all that are so do know themselves to be so and towards them at least the Promises may have their Efficacy in that way which Mr Goodwin hath by his Authority confined them to worke in Thirdly we say that our Saviour was fully perswaded that in the issue of his undertakings and sufferings he should be
made good will be of no use to M. Goodwin as to his present purpose The whole strength of this Argumentation is built on this supposall That the effectuall Grace of God in its working the will deed in Believers or the Spirits doing of it by Grace with Gods fore determination of events doth take away the Liberty of the will inducing into it a necessary manner of Operation determining it to one antecedently in order of time to its own determination of it selfe which is false nowise inferred frō the Doctrine under Consideration Yea as Gods Providentiall concurrence with men and determination of their wills to all their Actions as Actions is the Principle of all their naturall Liberty so his Gracious Concurrence with thē or operations in thē as unto Spirituall Effects working in thē to will is the Principle of all their true Spirituall Liberty when the Son makes us free then are we free indeed the Reward then is proposed to an understanding enlightned a will quickned made free by grace to stirre thē up to actions suitable to them who are in expectation of so bountifull a close of their Obedience which actions are yet wrought in them by the Spirit of God whose fruits they are and this to very good purpose in the hearts of all that know what it is to walke with God and to serve him in the midst of Temptations unlesse they are under the power of some such particular errour as turnes away their eyes from believing the Truth Secondly §. 11. The opposition here pretended between a Physicall necessitating and a Morall inducement for the producing of the same effect is in plain tearms intended between the Efficacy of Gods internall grace and the use of Externall exhortations and motives If God give an Internall Principle or Spirituall Habit fitting for inclining to spirituall actions and duties if he followes the work so begunne in us who yet of our selves can doe nothing nor are sufficient to think a good thought with continuall supplies of his Spirit and Grace working daily in us according to the exceeding greatnesse of his power the things that are well pleasing in his sight then though he worke upon us as Creatures endued with Reason Understandings Wills and Affections receiving glory from us according to the Nature he hath endued us withall all Exhortations and Incouragements to Obedience required at our hands are vaine and foolish Now because we think this to be the very Wisdome of God and the opposition made unto it to be a meere invention of Satan to magnify corrupted nature and decry all the Efficacy of the Grace of the new Covenant we must have something besides and beyond the naked Assertion of our Author to cause us once to believe it Thirdly The great Execution that is made by Morall inducements solely without any internally efficacious grace in the way of Gospell Obedience is often supposed but not once attempted to be put upon the proofe or Demonstration It shall then suffice to deny that any perswasions outward motives or inducements whatever are able of themselves to raise ingage and carry out the will unto Action so that any good spirituall Action should be brought forth on that account without the effectuall influence and Physicall operation of internall grace And M. Goodwin is left to prove it together with such other Assertions derogatory to the free Grace of God Dogmatically imposed upon his Reader in this Chapter whereof some have been already remarked and others may in due time The residue of this Section the 13 th spent to prove that Eternall Life is given as a Reward to Perseverance having already manifested the full consistency of the Proposition in a Gospell acceptation of the word Reward with whatever we teach of the Perseverance of the Saints I suppose my selfe inconcerned in And therefore passing by the triumphant conclusion of this Argument asserting an Absolute power in men to exhibite or decline from Obedience I shall goe on to that which in my apprehension is of more importance and will give occasion to a Disconrse I hope not unusefull or unprofitable to the Reader I shall therefore assigne it a peculiar place and Chapter to it selfe CAP. XV. 1. M G's fift Argument for the Apostasy of true Believers 2. The weight of this Argument taken from the sins of Believers The difference between the sins of Believers and unregenerate persons proposed to consideration 3. lames 1. 14. 15. The rise and progresse of Lust and Sinne. 4. The fountain of all sinne in all persons is Lust. Rom. 7. 7. 5. Observations clearing the difference between Begenerate and unregenerate persons in their sinning as to the common fountaine of all sinne The first 6. The second of the universality of Lust in the soule by nature 7. The Third in two inferences the first unregenerate men sinne with their whole consent 8. The Second inference concerning the raigne of sinne and raigning sinne 9. The Fourth concerning the universall possession of the Soule by renewing Grace 10. The fift that true Grace bears rule where ever it be 11. Inferences from the former considerations The first that in every regenerate person there are diverse principles of all Morall operations Rom 7. 19. 20. opened 12. The second that sinne cannot raigne in a Regenerate person 13. The third that Regenerate persons sinne not with their whole consent 14. Answer to the Argument at the entrance proposed Believers never sinne with their whole consent and willes 15. M. G's attempt to remove the Answer 16. His exceptions considered and removed Plurality of Wills in the same person in the Scripture sence of the opposition between flesh and spirit that no Regenerate person sinnes with his full consent proved 17. Of the Spirit and his Lustings in us 18. The Actings of the spirit in us free not suspended on any conditions in us 19. The same farther manifested 20. M. G's discourse of the first and second motions of the spirit considered 21. The same considerations farther carried on 22. Peter Martyrs Testimony considered 23. Rom. 7. 19. 20. considered 24. Difference between the opposition made to sin in persons Begenerate and that in persons unregenerate farther argued 25. Of the sence of Rom. 7. and in what sence Believers doe the works of the flesh 26. The close of these considerations 27. The Answer to the Argument at the entrance of the Chapter opened The Argument new formed the Major Proposition limited and granted and the Minor denied 28. The proofe of the Major considered Gal. 5. 21. Ephes. 5. 5. 6. 1 Cor 6. 9. 10. 29. Believers how concerned in comminations 30. Threatning proper to unbelievers for their sinnes 31. Farther objections proposed and removed 32. Of the progresse of Saints intempting to sinne 33. The effect of Lust in tem ptations 34. Difference between Regenerate and unregenerate persons as to the tempting of Lust 1. in respect of universality 2. of Power 35. Objections Answered 36. Whether
principles the Flesh and Spirit are as those contrary qualityes of the same subject and the inclinations yea and the elicite acts of the will are of the same nature with them so that in the same act they may both be working though not with equall efficacy Notwithstanding any thing then said to the contrary it appeares that in the sinnes which the Saints fall into they do not sinne with their whole wills and full consent which of it selfe is a sufficient Answer to the foregoing Argument Sect. 25. containes a discourse §. 17. too long to be imposed upon the Reader by a transcription There are three parts of it the first rendring a Reason whence it is that if the Spirit be stronger than the flesh yet the flesh doth often prevaile in its lustings The second The way of the Spirits returne to act in us after its motions have been rejected The third endeavours a proofe of the Proposition denied That the Saints sinne with their full and whole consent by the example of David For the first he tells you That the spirit acts not to the utmost efficacy of its vigour and strength but only when his preventing motions are entertained and Seconded with a suitable concurrence in the hearts and wills of men through a deficiency and neglect whereof he is said to be grieved and quenched i. e. to cease from other actings or movings in men This Truth is the ground of such and such sayings in the sayings of Paul for if you live after the flesh ye shall dye but if ye through the spirit doe mortify the deeds of the Body ye shall live for as many as are led by the spirit of God they are the Sonnes of God c. Ans. The Spirit here intended by M. Goodwin is the Holy and Blessed spirit of Grace What his actings to the just efficacy of his vigour and strength are M. Goodwin doth not explaine nor indeed notwithstanding the seeming significacy of that expression is able It must be to act either as much as he can or as much as he will That the Holy Spirit in opposing sinne acts to the utmost extent of his Omnipotency in any I suppose will not be affirmed If it be as much as he will then the sence is he will not in such cases act as much as he will what that signifies we want some other expressive phrase to declare To let this passe let us see in the next place what his actings to this just efficacy are suspended upon it is them in cafe his first preventing motions be received and seconded But then secondly What are these first preventing motions of the spirit §. 18. And what is it to entertaine them with a suitable concurrence of the Will For the First M. Goodwin tells us in this Section they are motions of a coole and soft inspiration such clowdy expressions in a thing of this moment are we forced to embrace preventing motions of the spirit are either Internall Physicall Acts in with and upon the Wills of men working in them to will and to doe called preventing from the actings of the wills themselves or they are Morall insinuations and perswasions to good according to the Analogy of the Doctrine M. Goodwin hath espoused it is the latter only that are here intended The preventing motions of the spirit are his Morall perswasions of the Will to the good proposed to its consideration See then in the next place what it is to second entertane these motions with a sutable concurrence in the heart and Will Now this must be either to yeeld Obedience to these motions and to doe the good perswaded unto or something else if any thing else we desire to know of M. Goodwin what it is and wherein it consists if it be to doe the good perswaded too then what becomes I pray you of those subsequent Helps which are suspended upon this obedience when the thing it selfe is already performed which their help and assistance is required unto They may well be called subsequent motions which are never used nor applyed but when the things whereunto they move and provoke are before hand accomplished and performed yea they are suspended on that condition Farther wherein do these subsequent helps as it is expressed which move at a more high and glorious rate consist We have had it sufficiently argued already to a thorough conviction of what is Mr Goodwins judgment in this matter viz. That he acknowledgeth no operations in or upon the wills of men but what are Morall by the way of perswasion contending to the utmost efficacy of his vigour and strength in disputing that there is an inconsistency between Physicall internall operations in or upon the Will of men and Morall exhortations or perswasions as to the production of the same effect This then is the frame of this fine Discourse If upon the Spirits first perswasion to good men yeild Obedience and do it accordingly the Spirit will then with more power and vigour move them when they have done it and perswade them to doe it That this discourse of his doth readily administer occasion and advantage to retort upon him his third Argument formerly considered of imposing incoherent and inconsistent reasonings and actings upon God in his dealings with men the intelligent Reader will quickly find out and it were an easy thing to erect a Theater and upon Mr Goodwins principles to personate the Almighty with an incongruous and incoherent discourse but we feare God Thirdly That the Spirit is grieved with the sinnes of Believers and their walking unworthily of or not answerable to the grace they have received is cleare Ephesians 4. 31. The Apostle admonisheth Believers to abstaine from the sinnes he there enumerates and consequently others of the like import having put on and learned Christ unto sanctification that they doe not grieve the Spirit from whom they have received that great mercy and priviledge of being sealed to the day of Redemption But that therefore the subsequent and more effectuall motions of the spirit are not free as the first but supended on our performance of that which he first moves unto and so consequently that there is neither first our second motion of the Spirit but may be rendred uselesse and fruitlesse or be for ever prevented is an Argument not unlike that of the Papists Peter feed my sheep therefore the Pope is head of the Church The ensuing discourse also is not to be passed without a little Animadversion §. 20. thus then he proceeds Believers saith he doe then mortify the deeds of the body by the spirit when they joyne their Wills unto his in his preventing motions of grace and so draw and obtaine farther strength and assistance from him in order to the great and difficult work of mortification in respect of which concurrence also with the spirit in his first and more gentle applications of himselfe to them they are said to be led by the Spirit as in
themselves but all the wayes and meanes leading to them though if any one of them sinne any of those sinnes without the deadly attendants of them mentioned in Scripture they have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous but that from thence it may be inferred that Believers may and some doe so sinne and that God intends as it is expressed to destroy them if they so doe when he hath promised they shall never doe so is a very weake and ridiculous Argumentation They are a medium of acquainting them with the desert of sin the tenour of the Law to them that are under it and the riches of Grace in their deliverance It is true §. 30. unbelievers are as you say in our judgement and I wonder what yours is in the case in a state of exclusion from the Kingdome of God whether they perpetrate the workes of the flesh mentioned or no Unbeliefe is in our Judgement sufficient of it selfe to exclude any one from the Kingdome of God But yet withall in our Judgment and we desire to know yours it is impossible that Unbelievers we meane those who are Adulti should not perpetrate the same evills mentioned or others of the import all the thoughts imaginations of their hearts being evill that continually thereupon be farther exposed to the wrath of God which is revealed against all that do evill If therefore the discovery of a mans desperate condition that he may be stirred up to labour strive for a deliverance from it doth concerne him then these the like passages do properly primarily concerne Unbelievers whose state with the issue of it is particularly described therein And to say as our Author doth that it is a vaine thing for the Spirit of God to threaten wrath to men upon the committing of sinne if by unbeliefe they are exposed antecedently to that wrath is to question the wisdome of him with whom whatever become of us poore wormes he cannot contend He hath told us that all men by nature are Children of wrath and uncleane so farre as not to be able to enter into the Kingdome of Heaven unlesse they be washed and borne againe and yet we hope without the least deficiency in wisdome hath farther revealed his wrath from Heaven against the ensuing ungodlinesse that is committed by these Children of wrath to be executed in tribulation and anguish against every soule that so doth evill not to detaine the Reader what hath been said and shall farther be argued concerning the difference that is between Believers and unbelievers in their sinning with that also which hath been spoken of the concernement of Believers in these and the like passages of Scripture sufficiently arguing that no such inference as is made for the confirmation of the Assumption of the Argument under consideration according to Mr Goodwins thoughts and apprehensions of it can possibly be drawne out from them Sect. §. 31. 22. is a pretty pageant and by the Readers favour I shall shew it him once more If it be objected that true Believers have a Promise from God that they shall never loose their Faith I answer first that this hath of been said but never so much as once proved Secondly upon examination of those Scriptures wherein such Promises of God are pretended to reside or to be found we finde no such thing in them we find indeed many Pomises of their Perseverance but all of them Conditionall and such whose Performance in respect of actuall and compleate Perseverance is suspended upon the diligent and carefull use of meanes by men to persevere And lastly to affirme that true Believers can by no commission of sinne or sinnes whatsoever how freequently soever reiterated how long continued in soever ever make shipwracke of their Faith or fall away from the Grace and Favour of God so as to perish what is it but to provoke the flesh to an outragiousnesse in sinning and to encourage that which remaines of the old man in them to bestirre it selfe in all wayes of unrighteousnesse and doubtlesse the bringing of that Doctrine hath been the casting of a snare upon the World and hath caused many whose feet God hath guided into wayes of peace to adventure so farre into desperatenesse of sinning that through the just Judgement of God their hearts never served them to returne Ans. First The foundation of this whole discourse is a supposall of promises of preserving believers in their Faith upon the ridiculous supposition after mentioned to be asserted by the Doctrine of the Saints perseverance and the defenders of it which Mr Goodwin knows fulwell to be far otherwise Secondly It hath sufficiently been proved that Believers have a promise yea many promises to be kept by the power of God from all and any such sinne or any such circumstance of sinne or continuance in sinne as is wholly inconsistent with Believing and that therefore they shall be preserved in Believing Thirdly Upon our calling the examination of the proofes of this assertion to an account we have found them to be made up of triviall exceptions and sophisticall suppositions confident beggings and cravings of the things under contest and debate all the endeavours to prove the promises of Perseverance to be conditionall having also involved in them an absolute contradiction to the Truth and to themselves no way sufficient to evince that the promises and work of Gods grace are suspended upon any conditions in men whatsoever And Fourthly We say that the intrusion of this vaine Hypothesis that believers should continue so under the consideration here intimated by you of sinne when the maine of the Doctrine contended for consists in a full and plaine deniall that they can or shall fall under them according to the import of 1 Ioh. 3. 9. immediately to be insisted on being preserved by the Spirit and grace of him who so workes his Law in their hearts that they shall never depart from him is the great engine you have used in all your attempts against it being indeed a meere begging of the thing in question Fifthly That there is nothing in this Doctrine in the least suited to turne aside the Saints of God from the holy Commandement but that on the contrary it is of an excellent usefulnesse and effectuall influence for the promotion of all manner of Godlinesse in those that are truly Saints howsoever any man may abuse it as any other discovery of the grace of God turning it into Lasciviousnesse hath been declared what use hath been made of the contrary Doctrine in the world we have hitherto had experience only in the Pelagians Papists Socinians and Arminians and with what fruits of it they have abounded the Church of God doth partly know What it is like to bring forth being now translated into another soile or rather having wonne over to it men sometimes of another profession is somewhat though not altogether yet in obeyance Let us then with the Apostle §. 33.
's added to put some colour and glosse upon this Assertion viz. That such persons as are affirmed to be so separated from the Body of Christ do voluntarily disfaith as 't is called themselves is not to the purpose in hand For 1. The question is about the thing it selfe whereunto this Answer de modo is not satisfactory 'T is urged by the Argument that it cannot be allowed any way the answer is t is done this way 2. Were Mr Goodwin desired to explaine unto us the manner how Believers voluntarily do or may disfaith themselves I suppose he would meet with no small difficultyes in the undertaking However this sounds handsomely 3. That they should so disfaith themselves through sinne and wickednesse without being overcome by the temptations of Sathan and the power of the enemyes with whom they have to do and wrestle doubtlesse will not be affirmed whilst they continue in their right witts and if they loose them t will be difficult to manifest how they can voluntarily disfaith themselves The state wherein they are described to be by Mr Goodwin and the considerations which for their preservation he allowes them should not me thinkes suffer him to suppose that of their owne accord without provocations or temptations they will wilfully ruine their owne soules Now that Believers should by the power of any Temptation or opposition whatever or what affliction soever arrising against them be prevailed upon to the losse of their Faith and so to their dismembring from Christ is that which is objected as an unseemely uncouth thing which in this Answer Mr Goodwin earnestly begges may not be so esteemed and more he adds not as yet The following Discourse § 42. wherein he pursues the businesse in hand is so pretty as that I cannot but once more present it to the Reader Saith he As to a politicke or civill corporation 't is better that the Governers should permit the members respectively to go or be at liberty that so they may follow their businesse and occupations in the world upon the better termes though by occasion of this liberty they may behave themselves in sundry kinds very unworthily than it would be to keepe them close prisoners though hereby the said inconveniences certainly be prevented in like manner 't is much better for the Body of Christ and for the respective members of it that he should leave them at liberty to obey and serve God and follow the important affairs of their soules freely and without any Physicall necessitation though some do turne this liberty into wantonnesse and so into destruction than I would be to deprive them of this liberty and to cause and constraine them to any course whatsoever out of necessity though 't is true the committing of much sinne and iniquity would be prevented hereby in many the dismembring of the body of Christs Apostles by the Apostacy of Judas was no disparagement either to Christ himselfe or it Ans. The summe of the whole discourse is that the Lord Jesus Christ hath no way to keepe and secure his members to himselfe that none of them perish but by taking away their liberty which rather than do 't is more to his honour to let them abuse it to their everlasting destruction to this end sundry sine supposalls are scattered through the whole Discourse As 1. That the liberty of Believers is a liberty to sinne which they may abuse to their owne destruction The Apostle is of an other mind Rom. 6. 17 18 19. God bethanked that ye were the servants of sinne but ye have obeyed from the heart that forme of Doctrine which was delivered to you being then made free from sinne ye became the servants of Righteousnesse c. 2. That there is no reall efficacy of Grace that will certainely fulfill in Believers the good pleasure of Gods Goodnesse and bring forth the fruits of an abiding Holinesse but what must needs deprive them in whom it is of their liberty and suitably hereunto 3. That God having through Christ made his Saints Spiritually free frō sin unto Righteousness so that with the utmost liberty that they are capable of as Creatures they shall surely do good cannot by his Spirit continue them in that condition infallibly without the destruction of their liberty 4. That the Spirituall operation of God in with the wills of men induceth a necessitation as to their manner of operation that they must act on that account as necessary not as free Agents with such other the like supposals which are so many grosse figments whereof M. G. shall be able to prove no one to Eternity For the removeall then of all the fine words here tendered out of our way it may suffice to tell their Author that he who is made Redemption to his Saints that sets them free from their bondage to sinne by his Spirit which is allwayes accompanied with Liberty and makes them willing ready and free to Righteousnesse and Holinesse in the day of his power towards them whose effectuall Grace enlargeth and improves all their facultyes in their operations with the choicest attendences as to the manner their of working can and doth by in and with the perfect exercise of their liberty keepe them to himselfe in their union and communion with him for ever That this pretended liberty unto sinne is a bondage from which Christ frees his Saints neither is any thing that can be imagined more derogatory to the glory of his Grace than to affirme that he cannot keepe those committed to him infallibly to the end without depriving them of the liberty which they have alone through him Of Physicall necessitation enough hath been spoken before Judas was never a member of the Body of Christ or of Christ in the acceptation whereof we speake By the body of the Apostles is intended only their number of which Judas though he was never of that body whereof they were members was one Farther the wickednesse of this Apprehension §. 43. that Christ should loose any of those who are true and living members of his Mysticall body is aggravated upon the accovnt of that state and condition whereinto he parts with them They being thereby made members of Sathan and his Kingdome God and the Divell so interchanging Children to the great dishonour and reproach of his name to his M. Goodwin replyes in the 28. Section For the interchange of members between Christ and Sathan the Scripture presenteth it as a thing possible yea as frequent and ordinary know ye not saith the Apostle that your Bodyes are the members of Christ Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them the members of an harlot in the originall it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. i. e. taking away the members of Christ shall I make them c. meaning that true Believers who only are the members of Christ disrelate themselves to him cease to be members of his body whilst they live in a course of
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
antecedently to all the Grace which he worketh in us whether the Spirit be bestowed on men on the account of Christ's undertaking for them none can question but they must withall deny him to be the Mediator of the new Covenant The Spirit of Grace is the principall Promise thereof Isa. 59. 20 21. We are blessed with all Spirituall Blessings in Christ Ephes. 1. 3. Surely the holy Spirit himselfe so often Promised to us of God is a Spirituall Blessing God's bestowing Faith on us is antecedent to our Believing this also is given upon the account of Christ. Phil. 1. 29. It is given to us on the behalfe of Christ to Believe on him If then God for Christs sake antecedently to any thing that is good that is not enmity to him that is not iniquity in men do bestow on them all that ever is good in them as to the root principle of it surely his quarrell against their sins is put to an Issue Thence Christ being said to make Reconciliation for the sins of the people Heb. 2. 17. God as one pacifyed and attoned thereupon is said to be in him reconciling the world unto himselfe 2 Cor. Eph. 2. 13 24 5. 19. And in the dispensation of the Gospell he is still set forth as one carrying on that peace whose foundation is laid in the blood of his Sonne by the Attonement of his Justice and we are said to accept or receive the Attonement Rom. 5. 10. We receive it by Faith it being accepted by him Thus his death and Oblation is said to be a Sacrifice of a sweet smelling savour Eph. 5. 2. that wherein God is abundantly delighted wherewith his soule is fully satisfyed so that as when he smelt a sweet savour from the Sacrifice of Noah Gen. 8. 21. he sware he would curse the Earth no more smelling this sweet savour of the Oblation of Christ on the account of them for whom it was Offered John 17. 19. he will not execute the Curse on them whereof they were guilty Rom. 5. 10. I might also insist on those Testimonies for the further proofe of the former Assertion Rom. 6. 6. where an immediate efficacy for the taking away of sinne 2 Cor. 5. 21. is ascribed to the death of Christ Eph. 5. 25. 26 But what hath been spoken may at present suffice Titus 2. 14. The Premises considered § 14. some Light may be brought forth to discover the various mistakes of men Heb. 9. 14. about the effects of the Death of Christ Heb. 10. 14. as to the taking away of sinne 1 Pet. 2. 24. if that were now the matter before us Some having truly fixed their thoughts on the efficacy of the death of Christ 1 Joh. 1. 7. for Abolition of sin Revel 1. 5 6 doe give their Lusts and darknesse leave to make wretched inferences thereupō as that therefore because we are so compleatly justified accepted before without our believing or the consideration of any thing what ever in us that therefore sinne is nothing nor at all to be accounted of And though they say we must not sinne that Grace may abound yet too many by wofull experience have discovered what such corrupt Conclusions have tended unto Others againe fixing themselves on the necessity of Obedience and the concurrence of actuall Faith to the compleating of justification in the soule of the sinner with a no lesse dangerous reflection upon the Truth do suspend the efficacy of the death of Christ upon our believing which gives life vigour virtue unto it as they say is the sole originally discriminating cause of all the benefits we receive thereby without the antecedent accomplishment of that condition in us or our Actuall believing it is not say they nor will be usefull yea that the intention of God is to bestow upon us the fruits and effects of the death of Christ upon condition we do Believe which that we shall is no part of his purchase and which we can of our selves performe say some of them others not Doubtlesse these things are not being rightly stated in the least inconsistent Christ may have his due and we bound to the performance of our duty which might be cleared by an enlargement of the ensuing Considerations 1. First That all good things that are spirituall whatsoever that are wrought either for men or in them are fruits of the death of Christ. They have nothing of themselves but nakednesse bloud and sinne guilt and impenitency so that it is of indispensable necessity that God should shew them favour antecedently to any Act of their Believing on him Faith is given for Christs sake as was observed 2. Secondly That all the Effects and Fruits of the death of Christ antecedent to our Believing are deposited in the hand of the Righteousnesse and Faithfulnesse of God 1 Tim. 2. 5 6. to whom as a ransome Heb. 2. 17. it was paid as an Attonement it was offered before whom as a price and purchase it was laid downe It is all left in the hands of Gods Faithfulnesse 2 Cor. 5. 18 19. Righteousnesse Mercy and Grace to be made out effectually to them 1 Cor. 6. 19 20. for whom he died in the appointed time or season So that 3. Thirdly The state or condition of those for whom Christ died is not actually and really changed by his death Eph. 2. 1 2 3 4 5. in its selfe but they lye under the curse whilest they are in the state of nature unregenerate and all effects of sinne whatever John 3. 36. That which is procured for them is left in the hand of the Father They are not in the least intrusted with it untill the Appointed time do come 4 Fourthly That Faith and Beliefe are necessary not to adde any thing to compleat the procurement of forgivenesse of sins any or all but only to the Actuall receiving of it when upon the account of the death of Christ it pleaseth God in the Promise of the Gospell to hold it out and impart it unto the soule thereby compleating Covenant-justification And thus the whole businesse of Salvation may be resolved into the mediation of Christ and yet men carried on under an orderly dispensation of Law and Gospell into the enjoyment of it Acts 13. 38 39. Of the whole these degrees are considerable 1 Gods eternall purpose of saving some Rom. 5. 10. in and by the mediation of Christ Joh. 3. 16 that mediation of Christ being interposed between the purpose of God Rom. 5. 7 8. and the accomplishment of the thing purposed 1 Joh. 4. 10. as the fruit and effect of the one Heb. 2. 17. 9. 14. the meritorious procuring cause of the other This Act of the Will of God Eph. 1. 4 5. 6 7 8 9. c. the Scripture knowes by no other name then that of Election or Predestination or the Purpose