CXV. i John3. 9. Arguedand Vidicated. 372 According to the import ofthe word;thefeed ofGod remaineth in Believers; now that remainingofthefeed, is the caufe oftheir notfinning that finne,or in that manner,as the Apofile heredenyeth them to be liable to finne. For that is the Reafon he giveth why they cannotfinne, even becaufe the feedofGod remaineth in them. Mr Goodwingranteth, that thisfeed remaineth in Believers alwayes,unleffe they finne by a totali defection fromGod. Ofnot finning the finne oftotall defection fromGod, the remainingor abiding ofthis feed is the caufe. Whilft that abideth, they cannot finne, that fin, for it is anunqueffio- nable caufe & uneontrouleable oftheir not fodoing. This feed therefore ìnuft be utterly loft, and taken away, before any each firm canbe committed. Now if the feeed'cannot be loft, without the commiffìon of the finnewhich cannot be committed till it be loft, neither can the feed be loft;, nor the fin becommited. The fame thing cannot be before, and after its felfe, He that cannot go fucha journey, unleffe he have fuch a horfe, & cannot have fuch a horfe unleffehegofilch a journey,is liketo stay at home.In what fence thewords [cannotfin] are to be taken,was before declared.That there are fins innumerable, whereinto men mayfall notwithftanding this feed, is confeffed: Under them all,thisfeed abideth; fo it would not dounder that whichwecan- votfise,becaufe it abideth;but becaufe it abideth,that fin cannotbecommitted. 0.68. The latter part of theR.eafonof the Apoffles affertion, is,forhe is borne of God; which is indeeda,driving _on' the former to its head, and fountaine. What it is tobe borneofGod weneed not difpute. It was fufficiently difco- vered in the mentionthat was made before of feed" of God by his HolySpirit beftowing on usa newSpirituallLife which bynaturewe have not, and in refpe& ofwhole want weare Paid tobedead, is frequently faid to beget us, Tames a. t4, And we arePaid to beborne ofGod. He is the Soveraigne di- fpofer, dilpenfer, and lupremeföuntaineofthat Life, which isfo beftowed on us, which weare begotten againe unto,and are bornewith, and by; And Je- fusChrift the &lediatour,is alloPaid tohave this Life in himfel fe,3ob: g.becaufe hebath.received thefpiritofthefather, to give tohis, for their quickning; who taketh ofhis, and thereby begeteth themanew. And this Life which Be- lievers thus receive,: and whereby indeed radicallythey become Believers, is everywherein Scripturenoted as Permanent and abiding. In refpea of theo- riginall ofit, it is faid tobe from above, from Heaven, ofthe willof God, of God; As to itsprinciple , tobenot of flefb, orbiota, or ofthe will of man, or of any thing done by us, but ofthefeedofGod, incorruptiblefeed, feed that ahi- deth; in refpeft ofits daration to eternal', and that it may fobe, to fate- guarded; beinghid inGod withChrif. In this placeReceiving this Life from God, is placed as the caufe; and cannotfinne, as the effe&. He cannot finne, for, or becaufe he is borneofGod. The connexion that. is between this caufe and effeet,orwherein the caufality of Being borne of God to a not fnningdoth conift, needs not beinquired into. That it hath fuch a caufnlity, theholy Ghoft bath afferted, and our Argumentrefteth thereon. Ifthat be the nature ofRegeneration, or being borneof-God that it dothexclude Apoftacy, then he that is Regenerate, or borneofGod, as:every Believer is, cannot fo finne as to Apoliatize,orfall totally fromGod: But that fuch is the nature of.:Re- generation whereby any one is borneofGod, the,holyGhoft here declaneth; For he denyethApoftacy upon the,account of Regeneration; Hecannot fnne becattfehe isborne ofGod;which is that whichwe intended todemonftrate from this textof Scripture. O. 69. Toevade the forceof Argument, M. Goodwin (as bathbeen declared) undettakethto.gtvean Expofition of this-place of Scripiture, turning every (tone, and labouring towreft everyword in it. Thefeverall .fignifications of the
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=