427 / 504
1
John 3,
9.
Argued
and
Vindicated.
C.XV.
thing
as is aimed
atfrom
the Text
;
nor the word (
abide:)
but
to
the whole
propofition,th_e
feed
afGod abideth
in
him,as
produced to
confirme
theformer
ailertion
of
the
not
finning
of the
Perfons fpoken of,
there
is nothing.
fpoken
at
all
;
I
(hall
therefore briefely
confirme
the Argument
in
hand, by the
ftrength
here
communicated 'unto
it,"bythe.HolyGhoft,
and
then
confider
what
is
anfivered
to any
part of
it,
or
oeJeeu to
the
interpretation
infilted
on'
That
he, that
finneth
not,n either
can
finne
ip
the
fence
+explained (hall
never
fall
away
totally
or
finally
from God,
is
granted-
Thàt
13elieversfnnt
not
-
nor
can
Jinne,
fo,
of
in,
the manner mentioned;
betides
the Tedimony
of
the Holy
Ghoft, worthy
of
all
acceptation
,
in
the
eleare .affertiott
bf.
it,'
we have
the
Reafon thereof manifeded,
in
the.difcovery;
of
the
can
iosofats; troth.
The
firft
Reafon
is,'Becaufe
the
feed
ofGod
abideth-in thefn.
;
Atacite grantfeemeth
to
be
made;
that
fruit
fomerimes:may
not
.
vifibly
appeare,
upon
thern,.as
the
cafe
is
with
a
Tree
in
winter, when
it
calls
its
leaves
brit
its
feed.
remaineth-
Grace
may
abide in the
habit,
in,
and under,a .winter,of
Temptation
,
though
it
doth
not exert
its felfe
in
beating
any luch a&úall
fr,,uiF,..
s
may
be ordinari-
ly
vifible.
The Word
of
God
is
fometimes calledfeed
incorruptible
fed
eau-
fatively,
as
being an
inftrument
in
the hand
ofGòd,
whereby he
planteth the
feed
of
Life
and
hoiinefiè
in
the heart;
That
it
is
not
the
outward word,biat'
that
which
is
produced, and
effe
&ed by
it,through the
efficacy
of
the
Spirit.
of
God,
that
is
by feed
intended,
is
evident from the,ufe
and
nature
of
it. And it
is
a-
biding
in the
Perlon
in whom
it
is.
Whateverit is;
it
calledfeed,
not
in
re-.
fpe&
of
that
from whence it cometh,
as
is
the
caufe
and
Reafon
of
that
ap-
pellation
of
other
feed,
but
in refpeet
of that
which
it
produceth,
which
a-
rifeth and infueth upon
it:
and it
is
called
thefeed
of
God,
becaufe
God ufeth
it
for the Regeneration
of
his. Being
from God, bei ng
the
principle
ofthe
Re-
generation
of
them
in whom it
is,
abiding
in
them
even when
it bath
brought
forth
fruir,
and continuing
fo
to
doe, it can be no
other
but the
New
Creature,
New
Nature,
inward Man, new principle
of
Life,
or habit
ofGrace,
that
is
be-
llowed
upon
all Believers, whence they
are
Regenerate,
quickned, or borne
againe,
Of
which we
have
fpoken before.
This
feed(faith
the Holy
Ghoft)
abideth,
or reinaineth
in
him.
Whatever
falling
or withering
H
may
feerne
tohave,or
harh,thisfeed,the
feed
of
God
re-
maineth
in
him.
The
principle
of
his
new
life.
abided), tome
exceptions
are
made
as
we
(hall
fee
afterwards,
to
the
fignification
of
the word
(µ<tvh)
remai-
neth, and inftances given
where
it fignifyeth for
to
be,
and
denoteth the
effence
of
a
thing not
its duration.
That to
abide,
or
remaine
is
the proper
fignification
of
the word,
I
luppofe will
not
be gue(lioned.:
That
it'
may.
in
Come
place
be
ufed
in
anotherfence,is not dilpuited.
All
that
lyeth under
confederation
here,
is,whetherthe word
in this place
be
tiled
properly
according
to
its
genuine
and
fir(frgnif
cation,
or no
?
It
fitppofeth
indeed
:(to be)
alto; but properly
fi'gnifi-
eth
only
to
abide
or remain..
ì
Now
if
nothing
'
can be advanced:
from
.
the
Text,
of
context,
from
the
matter treated
on,
or the paralell
fignificancy
of
Tome
expreffion
that
is
in
conjunllion
with it,
that
ibould inforce
us
to carry it
from
its
proper
ufe
and fignification,
the iudancing, ,ofother
pl
aces,
if
any
fisch
be,
wherein
it is'redrained
:
to denote
being
and
'not
duratioit,,
.is
alto-
gether impertinent
to the
bufetseffe
in
hand.Whenan:Argument
is
urged from
any place
of
Scripture,
to
pick
out
any
word
in
the
Text
and
to manifeftahat
it hathbeen
ufed improperly;
:inifome
other pláee, and therefore mutt
be
Co
in
that,
is
a
procedure
fo
farte
from an ingenious
Anfwer,,
that'ìtwillfcaree
paffe'for` a
tole.rablé
:fliifr
or:evafion.
To
.rentáine
therVe
or
to
is
the
pro-
per
fignification
of
this word,
&
nothing
is
in
the
leaft offered to
nianifeft.that
it muft
neeeflàrily:
in
this
place be
divertfed,frosri
its proper
de._..
B
b b
a
According
371
4
67.