his humiliation, obtained for himself a conftant immunity in glory from all harm; fo by the fame merit, he alfo obtained, that he might prefent to himself his whole myftical body glorious, Eph. 5. 27, that is, the true church, and each fpiritual member thereof. But >this he could not do, was any of his members to be wholly cut of 2dly. As the animal fpirits, which produce motion in the members, by means of the nerves, inceffantly flow from the head to the lower parts for that power and efficacy, wherein fpiritual blife both confifts and is exercifed, flows continually from Chrift to believers; and tho' it unequally moves them to produce fpiritual actions, he at least preferves that life, and will not fuffer, it altogether to be ftifled.livs toa

1

from

XXVI. There is no ground to object the instance David not of David, as if, when he defiled himself by his adul- entirely tery with Bathsheba, and was joined to her, be bad feparated taken a member of Christ, and made it a member of an Christ by karlos, according to 1 Cor. 6. 15. For, ift, It is cer- his adultain, that David was neither finally nor totally cuttery. off from Chrift. For, the fpiritual life, which in1 ceffantly flowed from Chrift, being exceedingly oppreffed, and almoft ftified with the poifon of fin, did, tint its appointed time, powerfully exert itself by the evidence of a fincere repentance. Hence he begged of God not to take bis holy spirit away from him, Pf. ngt. 11; intimating, that though he was indeed very much grieved and oppreffed, yet not quite taken away. 2dly, Paul's words run thus; aças e à péhn, Tỡ Hapistã, meinow repms μén, shall I then take the members of Chrift, and make them the members of an barlot? But the verb ap does not always fignify to take away, but to take upon onfelf, to attempt, or enterprife fomething therewith. And fo the meaning is, fhall I take upon me, to put the members of Chrift to fo vile a use? 3dly, The Apostle does not say, that a perfon is fo eftranged from Chrift by one act of inhyd du continence,

4

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continence, as to become one with the harlot; hư fpeaks of him, who is joined to an harlot; being a much inclined towards her, as a husband, by the com mand of God, towards his lawful spouse. In fum, be declares the natural confequence of whoredom, and the ufual cafe of thofe, who do not defit from it: but be does not limit the grace and mercy of God; as if be, who has joined himself to a barlot, could not for fome time, be continued in union with Christ. These are the words of Ames in his Antifynodalia, de perfever. fanit.

c. 5.

The Holy XXVII. The HOLY SPIRIT, by an infurmountable Sit, efficacy, taking poffeffion of the hearts of the Elect, Elect. Which was the place Chrift had defigned for him,

oides in

and having vanquished and expelled the evil fpirit, keeps his throne conftantly there alone, and never quite forfakes his habitation: according to what Chrift fays, John 14. 16, 17, and I will pray the father, and be shall give you another comforter, that HE MAY ABIDE WITH YOU FOR EVER; even the fpirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it feeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him, for HE DWELLETH with you and SHALL BE in you. This promife was not made to the Apoftles alone, nor does it treat of that effect of the Spirit only, by which they were rendered infallible, in preaching the Gofpel; but regards all believers. For, 1ft, it is propofed as the fruit of our Lord's afcenfion to heaven, and of his facerdotal interceffion; the benefit of all which redounds to all the elect. 2dly, He is not fpeaking concerning the spirit, as the author of infallibility in teaching, which the Apostles and fome other evangelifts had; but as an advocate and comforter, which belongs to all the faithful. 3dly. They to whom the fpirit is promifed, are not diftinguished from other believers, as teachers are from the common people; but from the world of reprobates, who neither fee nor know the fpirit, and confequently cannot re ceive him. Nor are we to think, that this continual indwelling

indwelling of the fpirit is fo promifed to the whole church, that every member of it cannot claim it to himself: for, by these words, our Lord comforts every one of his difciples in particular; for being grieved for his approaching departure, he gives them the promises of fuch a prefence of the fpirit, that fhall never at any time be entirely taken from them. But fo long as the spirit of Chrift dwells in any perfon, fo long, it is felf-evident, he is Chrift's, nor can he belong to the devil. We indeed, allow, that the holy fpirit, when he is ill treated and grieved by believers, will fometimes depart, as to the influences of his confolations, and their having cheerfulness in the fpiritual life: yet abides with them as the fource of their life, and the band of their union with Chrift.

to David's

prayer.

XXVIII. Nor is there any reafon to object David's This not prayer, P. 51. 11, where he fo earnett'y entreats, repugnant that God would not take away his Holy Spirit from him, which he would not have done, had he been affured, he was never taken from the elect. For, ift. We have proved already, Sect. XX, the falfehood of that hypothefis; namely that none prays fervently for what he is well affured will be granted him. zdly. After a believer has fallen into fo horrid a fin, his faith and his full affurance are ufually fo much fhaken, that he dare not always fecurely promise himfelf the continuance of divine grace in that state: hence thofe fighs, and anxious ejaculations of foul to his God. 3dly. When David prays, that the fpirit of God may not be taken from him, it may be underftood. (1) Of the fpirit of royal wisdom, and military prowess of which he had feen a melancholy inftance in Saul. (2) Of the prophetic fpirit, which had before fpoken by his mouth, 2 Sam. 23. 2. (3)..Of that operation of the fpirit, which fhould prevent his commiffion of other fins in the adminiftration of government, whereby the wrath of God would be kindled against Ifrael. (4). Of thofe motions of the fpirit, whereby he now found his heart pricked, 16 VOL. II.

U

and

lious.

and which he fincerely wifhed, that they might not be ftifled again, but heightened by new acceffions, fo as to end in a true and folid repentance.

Nor that XXIX. The cafe is different as to what we read, hoftility of Ifa. 63. 10, but they rebelled, and vexed his Holy Spithe Spirit it; therefore he was turned to be their enemy, and be against the rebel- fought against them. For he is not there fpeaking of elect believers, but of the rebellious Ifraelites. God had placed among that people his Holy Spirit, who fpoke by the Prophets and fanctified the Elect. The rebellious refifted that fpirit, rufhed upon him like wild beasts, Atts 7. 51, by perfecuting the faithful fervants of God and his dear children, + Ifa. 66. 5. In this manner then, they vexed his Holy Spirit, who dwelt not in them, but in the Prophets and other holy perfons; that is, they gave him occafion to do those things, which are the effects of wrath, and which are ufually done by him, who avengeth the injuries he has received: or, if we may explain it of the fpirit working in thofe rebels, then it is to be understood of the convictions of natural confcience, excited by the Spirit, which they impiously oppofed. Therefore it was, that be turned to be their enemy, and rejected that people, and took their kingdom from them, and gave them up to hardness of heart and fought against them, as well externally by his are mies, which flew them, and deftroyed their city and polity; as internally by terrors and anguifh of confcience, Deut. 28. 65. All which is no proof of the total departure of the Holy Spirit from believers.

+ Hear the word of the Lord, ye that tremble at his word, your brethren that hated you, that caft you out from my name's Jake faid, let the Lord be magnified.: The author evidently applies this text of Scripture, to make it appear, that nothing is a greater evidence of rebelling againft and vexing the Holy Spirit, than the perfecuting thofe in whom he dwells, efpecially when they pretend to be acted by zeal for the glory of God. John 16, 2.

. XXX. As

fource of

from the

XXX. As that spirit continually abides in believ- 2. In the ers, fo he is alfo in them as the fpring of eternal life. Elect the For, he is the fpirit of life, Rom. 8. 3. His holy and eternal comfortable energy is the life of the foul: for death life. reigns in a blind and depraved mind. John 17. 3, this is LIFE ÈTERNAL, to know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou haft fent. Spiritual life bconfifts in knowing, loving, revering the grace and otruth of God the Father and of Chrift, and in the joy which arifes from thefe: which is called ETERNAL, because, when it is begun in this world, it is carried on by the continual influence of the fpirit, and brought to perfection in the world to come. In another place it is called a root within, Mat. 13. 21: The anointing which abideth, 1 John 2:27: the feed that remaineth, 1 John 3.9: a well of water fpringing Sup into everlasting life. John 4. 14. 91 XXXI. The nature of that life, which is infufed Very dif. into the elect in regeneration, is far different from ferent that, which was in Adam in innocence, tho' even life of inthat was holy, and from the Holy Spirit. For, ft, nocent In that state, man was left to himself, without any Adam, promife of the conftant inhabitation of the Spirit; fuch as, we have just proved, the Elect have now. 2dly, That caufe which firit produced this life, feems alfo to be the fame which makes them perfevere therein; but this life is implanted in man, who relifts it, and takes pleafure in fpiritual death, and fets himself with all his might, against God: it is infufed, I fay, by the invincible efficacy of the fpirit, which Paul has fo highly commended, Eph. 1. 19. As therefore that efficacy of the Spirit, has, notwithftanding, overcome and fubdued those, that refifted and oppofed his operations; fo, in like manner, after he has once fettled himself in fouls thus vanquished and fubdued, he conftantly keeps the place he has once occupied, and Chould any thing arife, either from within, or from without, that should attempt