XV.] THE SINS OF BELIEVERS CONSIDERED. 571
use and nature of it, and its abiding in the person in whom it is. Whatever it is, it is called " seed," not in respect of that from whence it Cometh, as is the cause and reason of that appellation of other seed, but in respect of that which it produceth, which arise th and ensueth upon it; and it is called the "seed of God," because God useth it for the regeneration of his. Being from God, being the principle of the regeneration of them in whom it is, abiding in them even when it hath brought forth fruit, and continuing so to do, it can be no other but the new creature, new nature, inward man, new principle of life or habit of grace, that is bestowed upon all believers, whence they are regenerated, quickened, or born again ; of which we have spoken before.
This seed, saith the Holy Ghost, " abideth" or " remaineth in him." Whatever falling or withering he may seem to have or hath, this seed, the seed of God, remaineth in him, — the principle of his new life abideth. Some exceptions are made, as we shall see afterward, to the signification of the word ^Ive;, "remaineth," and instances given where it signifieth "to be," and denoteth the essence of a thing, not its duration. That to " abide," or " remain," is the proper signification of the word, I suppose will not be questioned. That it may in some place be used in another sense is not disputed. All that lieth under consideration here is, whether the word in this place be used properly, according to its genuine and first signification, or no. It supposeth, indeed, "to be" also, but properly signifieth only to "abide" or "remain." Now, if nothing can be advanced, from the text or context, from the matter treated on or the parallel sig- nificancy of some expression that is in conjunction with it, that should enforce us to carry it from its proper use and signification, the in- stancing of other places, if any such be, wherein it is restrained to denote being, and not duration, is altogether impertinent to the business in hand. When an argument is urged from any place of Scripture, to pick out any word in the text, and to manifest that it hath been used improperly in some other place, and therefore must be so in that, is a procedure so far from an ingenuous answer, that it will scarce pass for a tolerable shift or evasion. To " remain," then, or to " abide," is the proper signification of this word, and nothing is in the least offered to manifest that it must necessarily in this place be diverted from its proper use.
According to the import of the word, the seed of God remaineth in believers. Now, that remaining of the seed is the cause of their not sinning that sin, or in that manner as the apostle here denieth them to be liable to sin ; for that is the reason he giveth why they cannot sin, even because the seed of God remaineth in them. Mr Goodwin granteth that this seed remaineth in believers always, un- less they sin by a total defection from God. Of not sinning the sin
572 DOCTllINE OF THE SAINTS' PERSEVERANCE. [CHAP.
of total defection from God, the remaining or abiding of this seed is the cause. Whilst that abideth they cannot sin that sin; for it is an unquestionable cause, and uncontrollable, of their not so doing. This seed, therefore, must be utterly lost and taken away before any such sin can be committed. Now, if the seed cannot be lost without the commission of the sin, which cannot be committed till it be lost, neither can the seed be lost nor the sin be committed. The same thing cannot be before and after itself He that cannot go such a journey unless he have such a hoi'se, and cannot have such a horse unless he go such a journey, is like to stay at home. In Avhat sense the words " Cannot sin" are to be taken was before declared. That there are sins innumerable whereinto men may fall notwithstanding this seed, is confessed. Under them all this seed abideth. So it would not do under that which we cannot sin because it abideth; but be- cause it abideth that sin cannot be committed.
The latter part of the reason of the apostle's assertion is, " For he is born of God ;" which is, indeed, a driving on the former to its head and fountain. What it is to be " born of God" we need not dispute ; it was sufficiently discovered in the mention that was made before of the " seed of God." God, by his Holy Spirit bestowing on us a new spiritual life, which by nature we have not, and in respect of whose want we are said to be dead, is frequently said to " beget" us, James i. 18, and we are said to be " born of God." He is the sovereign dis- poser, dispenser, and supreme fountain, of that life which is so be- stowed on us, which we are begotten again unto, and are born with and by. And Jesus Christ, the mediator, is also said to have this " life in himself," John v. 26, because he hath received the Spirit of the Father to give to his, for their quickening; who taketh of his, and thereby begetteth them anew. And this life which believers thus receive, and whereby, indeed, radically they become believers, is every- where in Scripture noted as permanent and abiding. In respect of the original of it, it is said to be " from above, from heaven, of the will of God, of God;" as to its principle, to be "not of flesh, or blood, or of the will of man," or of any thing done by us, but of the " seed of God, incorruptible seed, seed that abideth;" in respect of its duration, to be " eternal," and that it may so be, to be safe-guarded, being " hid with Christ in God." In this place, receiving this life from God is placed as the cause, and " Cannot sin" as the effect. "He cannot sin, for" or because, " he is born of God." The connection that is between this cause and effect, or wherein the causality of being born of God to a not sinning doth consist, needs not be in- quired into. That it hath such a causality the Holy Ghost hath asserted, and our argument resteth thereon. If tliat be the nature of regeneration or beiug born of God, that it doth exclude apostasy, then he that is regenerate or born of God, as every believer is, can-