What he adds in the last place, namely, " If the apostle's intent
o28 DOCTRINE OF THE SAINTS' PERSEVERANCK [CIIAP.
had been to inform the Ephesians that the gift of the Holy Spirit, •which they had received from God, was the earnest of their inheri- tance, upon such terms that no unworthiness or wickedness whatso- ever on their parts couhi ever hinder the actual collation of this in- heritance upon them, he had plainly prevaricated with that most serious admonition wherein he addresses himself to them afterward, 'For this ye know, that no whoremonger,' etc., * hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ/" This, I say, is of the same alloy with what went before; for, —
1. Here is the same begging of the question as before, and that upon a twofold account: — (1.) In supposing that believers may fall into such sins and unworthiness as are inconsistent with the state of acceptation with God; which is the very thing he hath to prove. (2.) In supposing that if believers are sealed up infallibly to redemp- tion, the exhortations to the avoidance of sins in themselves, and to all that continue in them, destructive to salvation, are in vain ; which is a figment in a case somewhat alike (as to the reason of it), re- jected by men that knew nothing of the nature of God's promises nor his commands, nor the accommodation of them both to the ful- filling in believers " all the good pleasure of his goodness."
2. The assurance the apostle gives of freedom from the wrath of God is inseparably associated with that assurance that he gives that we, according to the tenor of the covenant of grace, shall not be left in or given up to such w^ays as wherein that wrath is not to be avoided.
From this latter testimony this argument also doth flow: Those who are sealed of God to the day of redemption shall certainly be preserved thereunto, their preservation being the end and aim of God in his sealing of them. Mr Goodwin's answer to this propo- sition is, " That they shall be so preserved in case they fall not into abominable sins and practices, and so apostatize from the faith;" that is, in case they be preserved, they shall be preserved. But wherein their preservation should consist, if not in their effectual deliverance from such ways and courses, is not declared. Tliat all believers are so sealed, and to that end, as above, is the plain tes- timony of the Scripture ; and therefore our conclusion is undeniably evinced.
Thus have wo, through the Lord's assistance, freed the triple tes- timony of Father, Son, and Spirit, given to the truth under con- sideration, from all objections and exceptions put in thereunto; so that we hope the mouth of iniquity may be stopped, and that the cause of the truth in hand is secured for ever. It is a fearful thing to contend with God. " Let God be true, but every man a liar."
VIII.] THE INDWELLING OF THE SPIRIT. 329
CHAPTER VIII.
THE INDWELLING OF THE SPIRIT.
Entrance into the digression concerning the indwelling of the Spirit — The man- ner of the abode of the Spirit with them on whom he is bestowed — Grounds of the demonstrations of the truth — The indwelling of the Spirit proved from the promises of it — Express affirmations of the same truth — Ps. li. II ; Rom. viii. 9, opened — Verses 11, 15; 1 Cor. ii. 12; Gal. iv. 6, opened — 2 Tim. i. 14 — The Spirit in his indwelling, distinguished from all his graces — Eva- sions removed — Rom. v. 5 explained — The Holy Ghost himself, not the grace of the Holy Ghost, there intended — Rom. viii. 11 opened — Gal. v. 22 — A personality ascribed to the Spirit in his indwelling : 1. In personal ap- pellations, 1 John iv. 4; John xiv. 16, 17 — 2. Personal operations — Rom. viii. 11, 16, explained — 3. Personal circumstances — The Spirit dwells in the saints as in a temple, 1 Cor. iii. 16, vi. 19 — The indwelling of the Spirit farther demonstrated from the signal effects ascribed in the Scripture to his so doing ; as, 1. Union with Christ — Union with Christ, wherein it consisteth — Union with Christ by the indwelling of the same Spirit in him and us — This proved from, (1.) Scriptural declarations of it — 2 Pet. i. 4, how we are made partakers of the divine nature — Union expressed by eating the flesh and drinking the blood of Christ— John vi. 56 opened — The prayer of our Saviour for the union of his disciples, John xvii. 21 — The union of the per- sons in the Trinity with themselves — (2.) Scriptural illustrations for the mani- festation of union — The union of head and members, what it is, and wherein it doth consist — Of the union between husband and wife, and our union with Christ represented thereby — Of a tree and its branches — Life and quicken- ing given by the indwelling Spirit, in quickening, life, and suitable operations — 2. Direction and guidance given by the indwelling Spirit — Guidance or direction twofold — The several ways whereby the Spirit gives guidance and direction unto them in whom he dwells — The first way, by giving a new un- derstanding, or a new spiritual light upon the understanding — What light men may attain without the particular guidance of the Spirit — Saving em- braccments of particular truths from the Spirit, 1 John ii. 20, 27 — The way whereby the Spirit leads believers into truth — Consequences of the want of this guidance of the Spirit — 3. The third thing received from the indwell- ing Spirit, supportment — The way whereby the Spirit gives supportment : (1.) By bringing to mind the things spoken by Christ for their consolation, John xiv. 16, 17, 26 — (2.) By renewing his graces in them as to strength — The benefits issuing and flowing from thence — Restraint given by the in- dwelling Spirit, and how— The continuance of the Spirit with believers for the renewal of grace proved — John iv. 14, 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 drunk of the Spirit explained — Mr G.'s exceptions considered and removed — The same work farther carried on ; as also the indwelling of th? Spirit in believers farther demonstrated by the inferences made from thence — The first: Our persons temples of the Holy Ghost, to be disposed of in all ways of holiness — The second : Wisdom to try spirits— The ways, means, and helps, whereby the saints discern between the voice of Christ and the voice of Satan.