The Doctrine of the Saints' Perseverance

So that here is a Second instance of a conjunction of Promises of Perseverance, with Exhortations to use the means suited thereunto; which who so denies to have a just and sweet consistency, do charge the Holy Ghost with folly or weakness; [Greek or Hebrew].

So that here is a Second instance of a conjunction of Promises of Perseverance, with Exhortations to use the meanes suited thereunto; which who so denies to have a just and sweet consistency, doe charge the Holy Ghost with folly or weaknesse; 〈non-Latin alphabet〉.

Thirdly,¹ The verses pointed to out of Heb. 6. 4, 5, 9. do not so directly express the conjunction insisted on, as those places already considered do; only the discourse there used by the Apostle is peremptory, that men may without any disparagement to their wisdom or reason, earnestly deal with others and exhort them to avoid falling away from God, though they are fully persuaded, that those whom they so exhort, by the help of those Exhortations, and upon other considerations, shall abide with God to the end, or be attended with things accompanying Salvation. But had Mr Goodwin been pleased to look to the following verses, wherein the Apostle gives an account of the ground of this persuasion of his, he might have found something to exercise the best of his skill upon. The words are, Beloved we are persuaded better things of you, & things that accompany Salvation, though we thus speak; for God is not unrighteous to forget your work & labour of Love which you have shown towards his name, in that ye have Ministered to the Sts & do Minister, and we desire that every of you do show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end; he tells ⟨p. 292⟩them v. 10. it is upon the account of the Righteousness of God, in carrying on the work of their Labour of Love which was begun in them, and which they had shown or manifested, that he had this persuasion concerning them, which in the ensuing verses, he farther pursues, clearing up the engagement of the Righteousness of God in his Oath, of which else where; So that notwithstanding any thing attempted to the contrary, evident it is that in carrying on the work of our Salvation, the Holy Ghost doth make use of Promises of effectual Grace for Perseverance, and eminent Exhortations to abide with God, in such an harmony and consistency, as is well suited to the things themselves, and in a course which takes Sanctuary under the shade of his wisdom from all the charges of folly and weakness, which poor weak and foolish men may under their Temptations, and in their darkness rise up against it withal; whether there are express Promises of Perseverance in the Scripture, some advantage I hope will be given to the pious Reader to judge, from what hath been spoken, and what by the Lords Assistance, may be insisted on to that purpose.