87 / 504
Obfervations concerning the
ControverCy.
C
A
P.I.
4:
51.
Ìlemonftration
of
the
firft Pofition,
concerning
the
ZJnchangeablenefc
of
the
31
Love
of
God
towards
his,to
whom
he
gives
Iefws
Chri_
fl,for
Beauty
and
Glory
and
freely
accepts
them
in
him.
Firft,as
to
their
Inherent
Holineffe,the
Queftion
is
not
concerning
Als,
ReS
15
either
as
to their vigour,which
may
be abated, or
as
to their
frequency,which
3.
may be
interrupted,but
only
as
to thespirit
&Habit
of
it
which
(hall
never
de-
Ifa.
5v
17.
part:We
doe
not
fay
they cannotfinne,
fall
into
many
finnes,great finnes,which
10
s4
2
j:
the Scripture plainely
affirmes
of
all
the
Saints,
that
went before:
and
who
1011,14..6.
of
them
living
doth not
this day
labour
under the
Truth ofit
?
But
through
the
Prefence
of
God with
them, upon
fuch
Grounds and
Principles,as (hall
Tam.
3.2.
afterwards be
in
fitted
on, they
cannot,
fl
all not,
fanne
away
the
Spirit and
1
King.8. 3g,
Habit
of
Grace
,
(which without
a miracle
cannot be done
away by
any
one
11x.64.5,6;
A
&,
and God
will
not worke
Miracles for
the deflruttion
of
his
Children,)
fo as
to
fall
into
that
ftate, wherein they were,before they were Regenerate,
and
of
the Children
of
God, become Children
ofthe
Devill, tatting
of the
fecond Death,
after they have been made
Partakers
of
the
firft
Refurre
&ion.
Rev.
20.6.
Secondly,the Queftion
is
not about
the
decay
of
any
Grace,but the
loffè
of
all;
not about
fickneffè
and
weakenefès,but
about
death
it
feife; which
alone
we
fay,
they
(hall
be preferved from. Neither doe
we fay,
that
Believers
are
endowed with
any fuch
rich and plentiflill Stock
of
Grace,
as
that
they may
Paa35316
fpend
upon it
without
new fupplyes all
their
dayes,
but grant that
they ftand
in
continual] need
of
the
renued communication
of
that
Grace,
which
bath
1011.15
.
3,4s
its abode and refidence in
their
Soules,and
of
that
attuall
Afíiftance,whereby
Á
m7
any
thing
that
is
truly
and Spiritually good,
is
wrought
in
them.
Thirdly,
loh.1.16.
whereas
there
is
a
twofold Impoflibility.
(Firff) that
which
is
abfolutcly
col.
2.1
s
and
limply
fo in
its
own
nature
:
And (Secondly)
that
which
is fo
only upon
ti
i.a.
12.
s
fome fupofition,we
fay
the totall
falling away
oftheSaints
is
imppoffible only
in this
latter
fence.
The
unchangeable Decree and Purpofe
of
God,his faith-
full Promifes,and
Oathes,the
Mediation
of
the Lord
Jefus being
in
the
AfTer-
tion
fuppofed: And
Fourthly,
whereas we
affirme,
they
(hall
afli
redly
con-
tinue
unto
the end, the Certainty and
Affurance
intimated,
is
not
mentis
but
entis,not
fubjeaive,
but
objeïtive,
not
alwayes
in
the
perfon
perfevering,
but
1121g.14,
alwayes
relating
to the
thing it
felfe.
Fiftly,
that
the three
things, formerly
11,.5.1,
mentioned,
Acceptance
with
God,
Holineffe
from
God,
and
the
Defence
CarT5.2,6-
upon them
both unto the
end,
are
that
threefold corde
of
the
Co-
Peal°
X1.26,
venant,
which
cannot
be broken. This
will
appeare,
by
compare
-
ing thofe two eminent
places
together,
which
afterwards mutt more
fully
be
infifted
on;
7erem.
3t,
34,
35.
Cap.
32.
38,
39, 4o.
In gene-
rail
God
undertakes
to
be
their
God
and that
they
(hall
be
his People,cap. 31.
3
r.
cap.
32.38. And this he
manifefts in
three
things. Firft,
that
he
will
Accept
them
freely, give them
to
finde
great
Favour before him,
in
the
forgiveneffe
of
their
finnes
for which alone
he
hath
any quarrell with them.
iwiti
(faith
he)
forgive their iniquities and
remember
theirfinnes
no
more, cap
:31.34.
As
'tie
againe
repeated,
Heb.8.12. Secondly,
that
they
fhall
have fanctification and
Holinefe
from him,./
will pat
my
Law in
their inward
parts
and
'write
it
in
their
Hearts,
cap,
31.33.
I
will
put
my
flare
in their
Hearts,
v:
4o.
with
Ezek.
66.67.
calls the
putting
his
Spirit in
them ,
who
is
the Author
of
that
Grace and
Ho-
lineffe
which
he doth bellow: Thirdly that
in
both
thefe,
there
(hall
be
a continuance
for
ever,
cap:
32.40,
i
will
not
turne
away
from
them
to
doe
them good,
and
I
will
put
my
flare
in their
Hearts
and
they
fhall not
depart
from
me;
Or
as n
:39:
They
flail
feare
me
for
ever;
which
diftin-
guifheth
this
Covenant
from
the
former,
made with
their
Fathers,
in
that that
was
broken
,
which this fhall
never be.
Cap: 21: 32:
This
it