Owen - Houston-Packer Collection BT768 .O9 1654

C.XV. The fallaciousGround ofthis Argument of M; G's. 334 Farther wherein do thefe fubfequenthelps(as it is expreffed)which moveat a more high, andglorious rate confift ? Wehave had it fufficiently argued al- ready to a thorough convi&ion of what is Mr Goodwin judgment in this matter; viz. That he acknowlédgeth no operations in, or upon the wills of men, but what areMorall, by theway of perfwauon; contending to the ut- moft efficacyofhisvigour, and ftrength indifputing, that there is an incon- fiftency between Phyficallinternall operations, inor upon the Will of men, and Morali exhortations, or perfwafions, as to the produ&ion ofthe fame effect . This then is the frameof this fine Difcourfe; If upon the Spirits firft perfwafion togood, men yeild Obedience and do it accordingly, theSpirit willthenwith more power, and vigour, move themwhen they have done it, and perfwade them to doe it That this difcourfeof his doth readily admi- nifter occafion ,and advantage to retort upon him his third Argument for- merly confidered, ofimpofing incoherent and inconfi(tent reafonings, and a&ings upon God in his dealings with men , the intelligent Reader will quickly find out; and it were an eafy thing toere& a ?heater, and uponMr Goodwins principles, toperfonate the Almighty; with an incongruous, and in- coherent difcourfe; but we feare God. Thirdly, That the Spirit isgrieved with the finnes ofBelievers, and their walking unworthily of, ornot anfwerably to, the grace they have received,is cleare. (Ephefaans.4.31.)The Apoftle admonifhethBelievers to abftainefronì the finnes he there enumerates, and confequently others ofthe like import, havingput on, and learned Chriji, unto fan&ificat'ion, that they doe not grieve the Spirit, from whom they have received that great mercy,. and priviledge ofbeingPealed to theday ofRedemption; But that therefore thefubfeguent and more effe&nall motions ofthe fpirit, arenotfreeas thefir.fl, but fupended on our performance of that , which he firft moves unto , and fo confequently, that there is neitherfirflnorf econd motionof theSpirit ", but maybe rendred ufeleffe, and fruitleffe, or be for ever prevented , is anArgument not unlike that of the Papifts, Peterfeedmyfheep, therefore the Pope is headof the Church. ¢, zo, Theenfuing difcourfeall() is not to bepawed withouta littleAnimadverfi- on; thus thenhe pròceeds. Believers (faith he)doe then mortify the deedsofthe bodyby thefpirit,when theyjoyne their Wills unto his, in hispreventing motions ofgrace, andfo draw, andobtainefarther flrength , and afJ, fiancefromkm , rn order to thegreat, anddifficult workofmortification, in re(pelt ofwhich concur- rusty alfe with the fpirit in hisfzrfi , and moregentleapplications of himfelfe. to them, they arePaid to be ledby the Spirit, as in their comportments with him, in his higher, andfartherapplication, they become filled with thefpirit, according to theexpreon of the Apofile, Beyefilled with the fpirit, i. e. follow thefpirit clofe in his prefent motions, andfnggeIlions withinyou, andyoufhállbe filledwith him, i.e. ye (hallfind him moving and aJfiingyouuponall occafrons at a higher andmoreglorious rate: Anf. Fief},, what thisjoyning ofour Wills to the Will of thefpirit is, was in part manifefted before; TheWill ofthe fpirit is , that we be, mortified. His motionshereunto are his perfwafions, that we be fo; To joyne our Wills to his, is in our Will, to anfwer the Will of the Spirit; that is, opon the fpirits motions we mortify our felves. By this allo (he tells us) we draw or obtaine farther ftrength, or afiìftance from the fpirir, for that worke which we have donealready; but how fo ?why he tellsyou afterward, that this is theLaw of the Spirit. It feems then, that, by doing one thing, we obtaineor procure the affìftance of the fpirit for another, and that by a Law; I aske bywhat Law? by the Law ofworker? by thatLaw the Apoftle tells you, that we doenot at all receive thefpirit, therefore bya parity ofKeafon, weobtaine not any farther fupplies

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