233 / 504
The
Promife
of
the
Cotnforter,bh.tq.td,
to
whom
made. C.VII.
ß:
z7.
p
erfonally,or
to the
whole
body
of
the
Church:By
the
Itule
formerly given for
179
the
Interpretation
of
thefe Promifes
of
Chrift , it appears,
that
what
in this
kind
was
made
to
the
one,
was
alfo given
to
the
other; and how Mr
Goodwin
will inforceany neceffary conclufion
from this diftin
&ion
framed
by himfelfe,
for his own purpofe,
I know
not;
The
Promife
was
made
both to
thefe
and
thofe,
the
Apoftles,
and all
other
Believers
,
becaufe
to
the
Apoftles,
as
Be-
lievers.
3.
The
making
ofthe
Promife
to
the
Apoftles
perfonally,
Both
not
argue
that
it
was
made to
them ,
as Apoftles ,
but
only
that
it
was
made
to
their
Perfons,
or
to
them, though under
another
qualification
,
viz.
of
Believing.
'Tis
given
to
them
perfinally
as Believers ,
and
fo
to
all Believers
whatever;
This
alto
lets
at liberty,
and
plainly
cafhiers
the
comparifon
inftituted be-
tween
the
Apoftles
Infallibility
as Apoflles,
and their
fanftifÿing
grace
as
Be-
lievers,by
the
Spirit
ofGrace
given for
that
end;
The
Apoftles
Infallibility,we
confefle; was
from
the Spirit;forthey(as other
Holy men
ofold)
wrote as they
were
moved
by
the
Spirit
of
God:
but
that
this was
a
di
fiinaguift
bellowed on
z
Pet.t,ztt
them
as
Apoftles,
and not the
teaching
of
the
Spirit ofGrace, which
is
given
to
all
Believers
t
loh. 2.22. we
need
not contend to prove.
B
ides,to what end doth he contend,
that
it
was
made
to
the
Apoftles
in
the
fence
urged, and by
us
infifted
on,
feeing
he denies it in
the
dole of
this
Se
&ion;
and choofeth
rather to venture
upon
An
oppofition
unto
that
com-
mon received perfwafion,
that
the
Apoftles
ofChrift,
(the
fonne
of perdition
only excepted
)
had
an
abfolute promife
of
Perfeverance, then
to
acknow-
ledge
that,
which
would prove
fo
prejudiciall and ruinous
to
his caufe, as
he
knowes the
confeffion
o_ffuch
a
Promifemade
to
them would inevitably
be:
He
contends not
(I
fay)
about the
fence
of
the
Promife,
but
would faine
di-
vert
it
from
other
Believers,
(at
the entrance
of
the
Seétion
)
by limiting
it to
the
Apoftles;
but
confidering
afterward
better
of
the
matter,
and remem-
bring
that
the
concefiion
of
an
abfolute Promife
of
Perfeverance
to
any
one
Saint
whatever,
would evidently root
up, and
cart
to
the
ground the goodli-
eft
engine,thät
he bath fet up againft
the
Truth
he
oppofeth, he
fuits
it (in the
dole of
the
Se
&ion)
to
an
evafion
,
holding
better
Correfpondency with its
affociates in
this undertaking.
q..
I wonder what
Chimericallchurch
he hath found
out,
to
which Promi-
fes
are made, and
Priviledges
granted,
otherwife then
upon
the
account
of
the
Perlons,
whereof'tis conflituted;
fiippofe
(I pray)
that
Promifes
of
the
Refidence
of
the
Spirit for ever with
it
,
be
made
to
the
Church
,
which
is
made up
of
fo
many members, and
that
all thefe
members
every
one, fhould
lode
their intereft
in
it,
what fubjeft
of
that
Promife would remaine?
What
Vniverfall
is
this,
that
bath
a
reall
exiftence
of
it
felfe
,
and
by it
felfe,
in
ab-
ftra
&ion
from
its
particulars,
in
which alone
it hath
its
being
?
Or
what
whole
is
that,
which
is
preferved
in
the
deftrgtion
and diffolution
of
all
its
effentially
conftituent
parts?
The
Promifes
then
,
that
are made
to the
Church,
are
of
two
forts.
t.
Of
fuch
Grace
and
Mercies,
as,
whether
inherent
or
relative,
have
their
refidence
in, and
refpell unto
particular perlons
as
Inch;
of
this
fort are
all
the
Promifes
of
the Grace
of
San&ificátion,
as
alto
of
ju-
ftification &o. which
are
all things
ofinens
perfonall fpirituall
intereft ;
The
Promifes made
to the
Church
of
this
nature,
are
made
unto
it,
meerely
as
confifting
offo
many,
and
thofe
Ele&ed,
Redeemed perlons
,
whole right and
intereft,
as
thofe individuali perlons they are.
Of
all
Inch
good things,
as
are the
exurgency
of
the
colle&ed
flute
ofthe
Saints,
in reference
to their
fpirituall
invifible
Communion, or
viuible
gathering into
a
Church
,
conftitu-
ted
according
to the
mind
of
Chrift, and
his
Appointment
in
theGofpell;and
A
a
2
there