' CA p. L x:49,50. IJa:C.4. opened, The Doft. ofPerfeverance Rated. 30 the fame root with thin. In this place it is by common confent rendered, a defenceorprateition, being fo ufed, either by Allufion to that refrefhment, cant.a. 4. that the Lord Chrift the great Bridegròonte gives tohis Bride in his Banque- tingHoufe, orrather in purfuit ofthe former fimilitudeofthe Cloude, that was over tha7abernacle,and the Arke,which reprefented the Gloryof that People. Thus this defence or covering is Paid tobeupon, or above the Glory,as theClaude was overthe Tabernacle, and as theMercyfeste lay upon the Arke. Adde only thus muchtowhat hath been fpoken (which is altoaffirmed in thebeginning of theverte) viz. That this defence is created, or is an immediate produ& Ofthemighty Power ofGod, notrequiringunto it the leaft concurrence of Creature Power, and the whole will manifeft the intendment of the Lord everlaflingly tofafegarde theSpirituallGloryes ofhis Saints inChrifi. s. 49 As there was before {hewn, there are twoparts ofour spiritual!Glory: the one purely Extrinfecald,to wit,the. Love and Favour ofGod untous,his free and Gracious Acceptationofus in Chrift;on this part ofour Glory, there is this defenceCreated, it fhall abidefor everit{hallnever be removed. His owne Glory and Excellenciesare ingaged for theprefervation of this excellency and gloryofhis People. This Sunne,though it may be fora while eclipfed, yet {hall never fet,nor give placeto an eventng,thar fhall make long the {bade thereof: whomGod oncefreely accepts in Chrift, he will never turne away his Love from them, nor cafe them Vtterlyout of his Favour. The other is within ue, and that is our sanl ification: our,Portion fromGod by the Spirit ofHolinef ïe, and thefruits thereof,in our Faith, Love, and Obedience unto hire; And on this part ofourGlory, there is this,Defence, that this Spirit {hall never Vtterly be diflodged from that Soule , wherein he makes his refi- dence, nor refigue his habitation to the Spirit ofthe World , that hisfruit {hall never fo decay, as that the Fruitsofsoclome, and the Grapes ofGomorra {hould grow in their roomer nor they,wherein they are Everlaftingly, Utter- ly and wickedly growbarren, in departingfrom the Living God ; thefe two make up that Perfeverance,whereofwe.fpeake:Whom God accepts in Chrift, he will continue todoe fo for ever : whom he quickens towalke with him , they {hall doe it to theend. And there three things, Acceptance with God, Ho- lineffefromGod, anda Defence upon them both, unto the end'', : all Free and in Chrift, are that . threefold cord of the Covenant ofGrace , which cannot be broken. 4 5o. In the handling then ofthe Do&rive propofed unto confideration, I {hall (theLord affifting) {hew, Firft, that theLove and Favour ofGod, as to the freeAcceptation ofBelievers with him in Chrift,is conftant, abiding,and (hall never be turned away; handling at largethePrinciples, bothof its being and manifeftation. Secondly, that the spirit and grace of Sanatfication, which they freely receive from him, (hall never utterly be extinguifhedin them, but fo remaine, as that they{ball abide withhim for ever: the Sophifticall fepa- ration ofwhich two parts ofour.Do&rine, is the greateft advantage our Ad- verfaries have againft the whole. And demonftrate Thirdly, theReal!, and Caufall influences;which this Truthbath, into theObedience andConfolationof theSaints, confidered bothabfolutely,and comparedwith the Do&rine, which is fet up incompetition with it: In the purfuit ofwhich particulars, I fhall in- deavour toInforceandprefl'e thofeplaces of Scripture, wherein they are a- _ bundantly delivered, and vindicate them from all the Exceptionsput in,to our inferences from them by M. Goodwin in his Redemption Redeemed; as alto Anfwer all theArguments , which he hath withmuch labour and induftry, colle&edand improved, inoppofition to the 'Truth' in hand: Take then on- ly thefe few Previous obfervations, and I {hall infìft fullyupon the proofe and Demon-
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