The Doctrine of the Saints' Perseverance

The first you have Isa. ¹59. 21. But as for me, this is my Covenant with them saith the Lord, my Spirit which is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy Seed, nor out of the mouth of thy Seeds Seed, saith the Lord hence forth and for ever. That which the Lord declares here to the Church, he calls his Covenant. Now whereas in a Covenant there are two things, 1. What is stipulated, on the part of him that makes the Covenant. 2. What of them is required, with whom it is made, (which in themselves, are distinct, though in the Covenant of Grace, God hath promised, that he will work in us, what he requires of us) that here mentioned is clearly an Evidence of somewhat of the first kind, of that Goodness, that God in the Covenant, doth promise to bestow; Though perhaps words of the future tense may sometimes have an Imperative Construction, where the import of the residue of the words enforces such a sense, yet because it may be so, in some place, therefore it is so in this place, and that therefore these words are not a Promise, that the Spirit shall not depart, but an injunction to take care, that it do not depart (as Mr Goodwin will have it) is a weak inference. And the close of the words will by no means be wrested to speak significantly to any such purpose, Saith the Lord, henceforth even for ever; which plainly make the words Promissory, & an engagement of God himself to them, to whom they are spoken: So that the interpretation of these words, this is my Covenant with them, by Mr Goodwin Cap. 11. Sect 4. Pag. 227. That Covenant of perpetual Grace and Mercy, which I made with them requireth this of them, in order to the performance of it on my part, that they quench not my Spirit, which I have put into them, doth plainly invert the intendment of God in them, and substitute, what is tacitly required as our duty, into the room of what is expressly promised as his Grace. Observe then

The first you have Isa. ¹59. 21. But as for me, this is my Covenant with them saith the Lord, my Spirit which is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy Seed, nor out of the mouth of thy Seeds Seed, saith the Lord hence forth and for ever. That which the Lord declares here to the Church, he calls his Covenāt. Now whereas in a Covenant there are two things, 1. What is stipulated, on the part of him that makes the Covenant. 2. What of them is required, with whom it is made, (which in themselves, are distinct, though in the Covenant of Grace, God hath promised, that he will worke in us, what he requires of us) that here mentioned is clearely an Evidence of somewhat of the first kinde, of that Goodnesse, that God in the Covenant, doth promise to bestow; Though perhaps words of the future tense may sometimes have an Imperative Construction, where the import of the residue of the words inforces such a sence, yet because it may be so, in some place, therefore it is so in this place, and that therefore these words are not a Promise, that the Spirit shall not depart, but an injunction to take care, that it do not depart (as Mr Goodwin will have it) is a weake inference. And the close of the words will by no meanes be wrested to speake significantly to any such purpose, Saith the Lord, henceforth even for ever; which plainely make the words Promissory, & an ingagement of God himselfe to them, to whom they are spoken: So that the interpretation of these words, this is my Covenant with them, by Mr Goodwin Cap. 11. Sect 4. Pag. 227. That Covenant of perpetuall Grace and Mercy, which I made with them requireth this of them, in order to the performance of it on my part, that they quench not my Spirit, which I have put into them, doth plainly invert the intendment of God in them, and substitute, what is tacitely required as our duty, into the roome of what is expressly promised as his Grace. Observe then