The Doctrine of the Saints' Perseverance

His fifth Section is as followeth, ¹If it be said, that the said Exhortations are means of the Saints persevering in this respect, because God by his Spirit, irresistibly and infrustrably draws and persuades the Saints to obey these Exhortations, as means of their persevering: I Answer, It cannot be proved that God doth draw, or persuade his Saints upon any such terms to obey these Exhortations, Nay frequent experience showeth, and our Adversaries Doctrine frequently mentioned, expressly granteth that the Saints many times are so far from obeying these Exhortations, that they walk for a long time, in full opposition to them, is ⟨p. 273⟩in security looseness, vile practices: nor have they yet proved, nor (I believe) ever will prove, but that they may walk, yea and that many have thus walked, I mean in full opposition to the said exhortations to their dying day. Secondly, If God by his Spirit irresistibly draws his Saints to obey the Exhortations we speak of, he thus draweth them, either by such a force or power immediately acted upon their wills by which they are made willing to obey them; or else he maketh use of the said Exhortations so to work or affect their wills that they become willing accordingly; If the former be asserted. Then first, the said Exhortations are no means, whereby the Perseverance of the Saints is effected, but God alone irresistibly by his Spirit; for if the Will be thus immediately affected by God after such a manner and wrought to such a bent and inclination, as that it cannot but obey the said Exhortations or do the things which the said Exhortations require, Then would it have done the same things whether there had been any such Exhortations in being or no, and consequently these Exhortations could have no manner of efficiency about their Perseverance; For the Will according to the common saying is of it self a blind faculty, & follows its own predominant bent & inclination without taking knowledge whether the ways and actions towards which it stands bent be commanded or exhorted unto by God or no: 2. If the will of a St be immediately so affected by God that it stands inclined & bent to do the things which are proper to cause them to Persevere;

His fift Section is as followeth, ¹If it be said, that the said Exhortations are meanes of the Saints persevering in this respect, because God by his Spirit, irresistibly and infrustrably drawes and perswades the Saints to obey these Exhortations, as meanes of their persevering: I Answer, It cannot be proved that God doth draw, or perswade his Saints upon any such tearmes to obey these Exhortations, Nay frequent experience sheweth, and our Adversaries Doctrrne frequently mentioned, expressely granteth that the Saints many times are so farre from obeying these Exhortations, that they walke for a long time, in full opposition to them, is