241 / 504
Of
the Sealing
of
the Spirit, its influence
into
the
SLs
Perf.
in
the
Saints,
as
areinconfiftent with
the
life
of
Faith, and
the favour
of
God,
i$g
as alto ofApoftafy, are
but
a
poore meane infinuation, for the begging
of the
thing
in
Quefon,
which will
never
be granted
of
any
fuch
termes.
An
inter-
veniency
of
Apoftafy,
that
is
defe
&ion
from
the Faith,
is
not
handfomely fup-
poled,
whileft
men continue
in
the
Faith.
2.
That
which
is
given
for the
confirmátion
of
their Faith,
and on
Pet
purpofe
to
adde continuance
to
it,
as
this
is,
cannot depend
on
the condition
of
the continuance
of
their
Faith.
The
HolyGhoft
feales
them to the day-of
_Redemption,
confirming
and
eftablifhing
thereby
an infallible continuance,
of
their Faith,
but it
feemes
upon condition
of
their
continuance
in
the Faith.
Cui
fini?
Of
what
hitherto
is
Paid
this
is
the
fumme..
If
they
who are fealed
Apoftatize into
finne
and
wickedneffe
,
they
shall
not
be
laved, notwith-
ftanding
that
they havebeen
fealed
:
and
this muff pafle
for an anfwer
to
our Argument proving
that they
cannot
fo
apoftatife, hecaufe they are
Sea
-
led, on
purpofe
to
preferve and fecure them from
that
Condition:
Men
need
not
goe farre
to
feeke
for
Anfwers
to
any
Argument,
if
fuch
as
thefe
,
(pure
beggings
of
the
thing
in
Queftion
and
argued)
will
fiiffice.
3.
Neither
doth the
begining or
firfi
impreffïon
of
the
fealing depend up-
on
their Faith,
any otherwife,
but
as Believers
are
the
fubjef
of
it, which
is
not to
have any kind
of
dependance upon
it,
either
as
to
its
nature
or
ufe.
Neither doth that
place
of
the
Apoftle
Éph.
i.
i
3.(dfterye
Believedye
were
fea-
led,) prove any
fuch
thing,
unlefíe this
general'
axiome
be
firft
eltablifhed,
that
all things which in
order
of
nature, ate
before,.and
after,have the Con-
nexion
of
Caufe,
and
effe&,
or
at
leaft
of
Condition, and Event between'
them;
It proves indeed
that
their
Believing is in
order
of
nature, antecedent
to
their
Pealing,
refpe&ing
the
ufe
of
it here mentioned;
but
this
proves
not
at
all,
that
Faith
is
the condition
of
fealing:,
the
beftowing
of
Faith, and
the
grant
of
this
Peale
to
eftablifh it,
being
both ads depending
meerely, folely,
&
diftin&ly, on
the free Grace
of
God
in
Chrift
;Though
Faith
in
order
ofna-
ture,goe beforeHope,yet
is
noHope befiowed on men
on
the condition ofle_
lieving.
Thetruth
is,both Faith
&
Sealing,& all
other
fpirituall
Mercyes,as
to
the
Goodwill
of
God
beftowing
them,are at
once
granted
us
in
Jefus
Chrift:
but
as
toour
reception
of
them,& the
a&uall
inflating
of
our
foules in
the en-
joyment
ofthem,
or rather
as
to the
exerting
of
themfelves
in
us,
they
have
that
order
which
either
the nature
of
the
things themfelves requires,
or the
foveraigne
W ill
of
God, hath alotted to them; neither doth
fealing
befpeake
any Grace
in us,
but
a
peculiar
improvement
of
the Gracebellowed on.
us.
So
that
q,.
We
refufe
the
Anfwer fuggefted
by Mr
Goodwin,
That Sealing
depends
(that
is
in
his
fence)
upon
Believing
as
to
the
fzrli grant
of
it,
but not as
to
the
continuance thero
f:
and
reje& his fitppofall
of
one
that
hath
truly Blieved,
making fbipwrack,
of
his
Faith,
as
to importune
a
crye, or begging
of
that
which
it
is
evident
cannot be proved.. I
(hall
adde
only
that
Mr
Goodwin
granting here the continvance
of
Faith
to be
a
thing,
uncertain;
which
is
a
word
to
expreffe
a
very weak probability
of
a
thing,
is
much fallen
off
from
his
former confident exprefiion
of
the
only
remote
pofiibility
of
Believers
falling away.
That
their
falling away fhould
be
fcarfly
poflìble, and yet their
continuance
in
the Faith
very uncertaine,
is
fomewhat uncouth.
But this
is
the
foundation
of
that
great Confolation
which
Mr
Goodwins
Do
&rive
is
fo
pregnant
and
teemingwithall,that
it
even grones
to
be delivered
Their con.
tinuance
in Believing
is
uncertaine,
therefore they
muff needs
rejoyce and
be
filled with Confolation.
But
he Anfwers
farther:
Bb
..