VIII CONTENTS.
Wliat light men may attain without the iiarticnlar j,aiidance of the Spirit— Saving embracements of particular truths from tlie Spirit, 1 John ii. 20, 27— The way ■whereby the Spirit leads believ(;rs into ti-utli — Coiiscrpicnces of the want of this guiiluiice of tlio Spirit— 3. 'J'lie third thing received from the indwelling Spirit, sup- piirtnu'Kt— The way whereby the Spirit gives supportment: (I.) By bringing to jniiiil tlie things spoken by Christ for their consolation, John xiv. 10, 17, 20- (2.) By renewing his graces in them as to strength — The benefits issuing and flowing from thence— Jvcstraint given by the indwelling Spirit, and how— 'J'he continuance of the Spirit with believers for the i-enewal of grace proved— John iv. H, that promise of our Saviour at large opened — The water there promised is the Spirit — The state of them on whom he is bestowed — Spiritual thirst twofold— Isa. Ixv. 13; 1 Pet. ii. 2— The reasons why men cannot thirst again who have once dmnk of the Spirit ex- plained— Mr (J. 's exceptions considered and removed — The same work farther car- ried on; as also the indwelling of the Spirit iu believers farther demonstrated by the inferences made from thence — 'f he first : Our persons temples of the Holy Ghost, to be disposeil of in all ways of holiness — The second: Wisdom to try spirits — 'J'he ways, means, and helps, whereby the saints discern between the voice of Christ and tlie voice of Satan, ......... 329
CHAPTER IX.
TUK INTKllCESSION OF CUBIST.
The nature of it — Its aim, not only that believers continuing so may be saved, but that they may be preserved in believing —This farther proved from the typical interces- sion of the Judaical high priest — The tenor of Christ's intercession, as manifested John xvii. 11, opened, and verses 12-15— The result of the argument from thence — The saints' perseverance fully confirmed — Rom viii. 33, 34, at lai'ge explained — Mr Gr.'s interpretation of the place in all the parts of it confuted — Vain supposals ground- les.sly interserted into the apostle's discourse— What Christ intercedes for for believers farther manifested — The sum of what is assigned to the intercession of Christ by Mr <jr. — How far it is all from yielding the least consolation to the saints manifested — The reasons of the foregoing interpretation proposed and answered — The end as- signed of the interci'ssion <]!' (Christ answered— God works perseverance actuallj' — A supply of means that may not be efi'ectual not to be ascribed thereunto— Farther objections answered : Christ not the minister of sin by this doctrine— Supptsals and instances upon the former interpretation disproved and rejected— A brief account of our doctrine concerning the intercession of Christ for believers, and of the true end of the act of his mediation — The close of the argument, and of the first part of this ti'eatise, ......... 305
CHAPTER X.
THE IMPUOVEMKNT OF THE DOCTRINE.
The improvement of the doctrine of perseverance in reference to the obedience and con- solation uf the saints — Why its tcndencj- to the promoting of their obedience is first bandied, belbre their consolation — Five previous observations concerning gospel truths in general— 1. That all are to be received with equal reverence— 2. That the end of them all is to Avork the soul into a conformity to tJod ; proved by several scrinturcs, 2 Tim. iii. Iti, 17; Tit. i. 1, etc. — 3 Some truths have a more immediate tendency hereunto than others have, 2 (Jor v. 11 — l. Most weight is to be laid by believers upon sucii— 5. Men are not themselves to determine what truths liavc most in them of this tendency, etc.— (iospel obedience, what it is. and why so called— Us nature— I. In the niatter of it, which is all and only the will of (iiod-^2. In the form of it, which is considered— (1.) In the princii)le setting it on work, faith— (2.) In the manner of doing it, eyeing both precei)ts and promises— (3.) The end aimed at in it, the glory of tiod as a rewarder, Heb xi. (I; Rom. iv 4— The princijile in us whence it pioceeds, wliich is the new man, the Sjiirit, proved, Eph iii. Ki-iy, etc — What kind of motives conduce most to the cariying on of this obedience, namely, such as most ciierish tliis new man, which they do most that discover nuist of the love of (lod and his good-will in Christ— Such as the-e are alone useful to mortification and the subduing of the contrary princiiile of flesh, whicii hinders our obedience, proved, 1'it ii. 11, 12; Rom. vi. — \y hat ]iersons the improvement of this doctrine concerns; only ti-ue believers, who will not abuse it— How this doctrine of por.-;everance con- duces so eminently to the carrying on of gospel obedience in the hearts of these true believers— 1. By removing discouragements— (1) Peri)lexing fears, which impair
I their faith; (2.) Hard thoughts of (u)d, which weaken their love: Avithout which two. faith and love, no gospel obedience performed— 2. Unspeakable obligations to live to (Jod iience |)ut upon the souls of the saints — Objections concerning the abuse of this truth to ])iesumption and carelessness discus.sed, examined at large, and remove l—'i'he mortification of the fles!i, wherein it consists, how it is performed — 1'he influence of the doctrine of the saints' perseverance thereinto — Dread and terror of hell not the means of mortification, at large proved by showing quite another means