The Doctrine of the Saints' Perseverance

5. That a Judgement of what Truths and Doctrines are peculiarly conducing unto the promotion of Piety and Godliness, is not to be made upon the Apprehensions and reasonings of men, wrested with a thousand Corruptions and prejudices, full of darkness and vanity, but according to what the Scripture it self holds forth, and the nature of the things themselves, (that is, the Evidence and Consequence that is between the Truth revealed, and Obedience) doth require; If the Testimonies of the Sons of men must be admitted in this case, to determine what Doctrine is according to Godliness, the cry and noise of them, will be found so various, discrepant; confused, and directly contradictory to it self, that none will ever thereby be lead to establishment; Then Papists will cry out for their Merits, Penance, Vows, Purgatory; the Socinians, Familists, Formalists, all contend upon the foundation of their own persuasions, as to their tendency to Godliness, of their Abominations. That Doctrine, which hath no other proof of its Truth and worth, but that men, ⟨p. 229⟩some men profess, it tends to Godliness and Holiness of conversation, I dare say, is a lye and vanity, and did never promote any thing, but vain, legal, superstitious, counterfeit Holiness; Indeed upon a supposition of its truth, it is of concernement for the Advancement of any Doctrine, in the esteem and opinion of the Saints, to manifest, that it leads to Godliness: but to prove it to be true, because men, who perhaps never knew any thing beyond Formal, Legal, Pharisaical Holiness all their days, say, it tends to the promotion of Holiness, is but to obtrude our Conceptions upon others, that are no way moulded into the frame of them; That the embracement of such a Truth, will further us in our Obedience, and walking with God, therefore value and prize it, is good arguing; but that such a Doctrine will further us in a way of Godliness, therefore 'tis a Truth, when we may be mistaken both in Godliness it self, and in the motives to it, and furtherances of it, is but a Presumption. To commend then the Truth, which we have at large otherwise confirmed, to the Hearts and Consciences of the Saints of God, and to lay a foundation for the full removal of those vain and weak exceptions, which on this account are laid against it:

5. That a Judgement of what Truths and Doctrines are peculiarly conducing unto the promotion of Piety and Godlinesse, is not to be made upon the Apprehensions and reasonings of men, wrested with a thousand Corruptions and prejudices, full of darknesse and vanity, but according to what the Scripture it selfe holds forth, and the nature of the things themselves, (that is, the Evidence and Consequence that is between the Truth revealed, and Obedience) doth require; If the Testimonies of the Sonnes of men must be admitted in this case, to determine what Doctrine is according to Godlinesse, the cry and noyse of them, will be found so various, discrepant; confused, and directly contradictory to it selfe, that none will ever thereby be lead to establishment; Then Papists will cry out for their Merits, Penance, Vowes, Purgatory; the Socinians, Familists, Formalists, all contend upon the foundation of their own perswasions, as to their tendency to Godlinesse, of their Abominations. That Doctrine, which hath no other proofe of its Truth and worth, but that men,