Cnr.V11.4: 28,29. loh: 14.16. Explained and vindicated. 178 that hedid in.them intendnot only the menof that prefent Generation but all that Mould believe to4he endofthe World, loh. r 7.20. ( Ipray not for there alone, butfor them alfo, who (hall believe on me through their word,) fo is it a Ruleequally infallible for the interpretation ofthegracious Promifes,which he made tohis Difciples, that are not peculiarly appropriated to their feafon and worke, (inwhich yet, as to the generali Love, Faithfulneffe, and Kind- . neffe, manifefted and revealed in them,the concernements ofthe Saints ir, all fucceeding agesdoes lye) theyare properto all Believers,as fuch. For whom he did equally intercede, to them he makes Promifes alike. They belong no leffe tous, on whom in an efpeciall manner , the ends oftheWorld are fallen, then to thofe,who firfl; followed him in theRegeneration.. Let us then attend to the Teftimony in this place , ( and as he (hall bepleafed to increafe our Faith, mix it therewithall) that theSpirit he procureth for us , and fends to us , (hall abide withus for ever : and whileft the Spirit ofthe Lord is with us, we arehis. Doubtleffe it is noeafy taske to raife up any pretended plea a- gainft the evidencegiven in by this Witneffe,theAmen, the great andfaithfull witneffe inHeaven: He tells us, that he will fend the Spirit to abide with us for ever; and therein fpeaks to the wholeof thecafe in hand, and Queftion under debate. All we fay,is, that the Spirit ofGod (hall abide with Believers for ever; Chrift faies fotoo : and in the iffue what ever becomes ofus, he will appeare tobe one, againft whom there is no riling up. 4.27. Againft this Teftimony it isobje&edby Mr Goodwin. Cap i T. Seer.14.Pag. 234. This Promife (faith he) concerning the abiding of this other .Comforter for . ever, muß beconceived tobe made, either to the Apoßles, perfonally confidered, or elfe to the whole bodyof the Church, ofwhich they wereprincipallmembers : If thefirß ofthefe beadmitted, then it will notfollow, that, becaufe the Apoßles had theperpetual) refdance ofthefpirit with them, and in them, therefore every par- ticular Believer bath the like: no more then it willfollow, that,becaufe theApo/iles were infallible in theirjudgments, through the teachings of thefpirit in them; therefore everyBeliever is infallible upon the fame account alfo ; If the latter be ádmitted, neitherwill it follow, that every Believer , or every member of the Church, mußneeds have the refidence of the fpirit with themforever : There are principallpriviledges appropriated to Corporations, which everyparticular member of them cannot claime: the Church may have the refidence of thefpirit of bad with herfor ever, andyet every prefent member thereofloofe his intere f and part in him;yea the abiding ofthefpirit in the Apofiles themfelves, was not abfolutely promifed. Ioh. r 5.10. Anf. a. Thedefigne ofthis difcourfe is to prove, that thisPromife is not made to Believers in generali , or thofe, who through the word , are brought to believe in Chrift in all Generations to the endofthe World: and confe- quently that they have no Promife of theSpirits abidingwith them : for that is the thing oppofed ; and this is part ofthe Do&rine, that tends to their Confolation and improvement in Holineffe. What thankes theywill give to the Authors offuch an eminent difcovery, when it (hall be determined that they have deferved well ofthem,and the Truths ofGod,I know not: efpecial- ly when it (hall be confidered that not only this, but all other Promifes uttered by Chrift to his Apoftles (aswehad thought) not for their own be- hoofe alone,but alto fortheufeofthe Church in all ages, are tyedup in their tendency and ufe to the menofthat Generation, and to the employment, to which they , towhom he fpoke, were deigned; But let us fee whether thefe things are fo or no. I fay, 2. There is notany neceffary caufe of that difjun&ive propofition, The Promife ofthe perpetuall refidence ofthe Spirit is made,either to the Apefiles perfonally
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