A53688:1397
The Doctrine of the Saints' Perseverance
The doctrine of the saints perseverance, explained and confirmed, or, The certain permanency of their 1. acceptation with God & 2. sanctification from God manifested & proved from the 1. eternal principles 2. effectual causes 3. external means thereof ... vindicated in a full answer to the discourse of Mr. John Goodwin against it, in his book entitled Redemption redeemed : with some digressions concerning 1. the immediate effects of the death of Christ ... : with a discourse touching the epistles of Ignatius, the Episcopacy in them asserted, and some animadversions on Dr. H.H. his dissertations on that subject / by John Owen ...The doctrine of the saints perseverance, explained and confirmed, or, The certain permanency of their 1. acceptation with God & 2. sanctification from God manifested & proved from the 1. eternal principles 2. effectuall causes 3. externall meanes thereof ... vindicated in a full answer to the discourse of Mr. John Goodwin against it, in his book entituled Redemption redeemed : with some degressions concerning 1. the immediate effects of the death of Christ ... : with a discourse touching the epistles of Ignatius, the Episcopacy in them asserted, and some animadversions on Dr. H.H. his dissertations on that subject / by John Owen ...
London: printed by Leon. Lichfield, 1654
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
First that it is not the making, or the bare making known to the Saints of the Promises of God, that will work the end for which they are given to them, or enable them to mix them with Faith; and according to the strength of that, and not according to the Truth that is in the Promises themselves, is their Assurance of the things promised; And therefore notwithstanding all the clear Promises of Perseverance which are made, and made known to them we see very many of them not to come up to any such Assurance thereof, as to be freed from the First sort of Fear mentioned, which yet is the proper issue of unbelief, to the begetting whereof in them, God hath not instituted any Ordinance.
First that it is not the making, or the bare making knowne to the Saints of the Promises of God, that will worke the end for which they are given to them, or enable them to mixe them with Faith; and according to the strength of that, and not according to the Truth that is in the Promises themselves, is their Assurance of the things promised; And therefore notwithstanding all the cleare Promises of Perseverance which are made, and made knowne to them we see very many of them not to come up to any such Assurance thereof, as to be freed from the First sort of Feare mentioned, which yet is the proper issue of unbeliefe, to the begetting whereof in them, God hath not instituted any Ordinance.
Secondly that none of the Saints of God are by the Promises of Grace which we assert, freed from that Fear which is the proper product and effect of Gods Comminations in respect of them, and therefore by them there is no obstruction laid in the way of the proper efficiency of those threatenings; What is added in the third and last place, is only a Repetition of what was before spoken, without any attempt of Proof; unless he would have it looked upon as a Conclusion from the premises, whose weakness being discovered as to the intent and purpose in hand, we need not farther trouble our selves with it. Instead of Mr Goodwin's now considered, take these few Observations which will give so much light into the whole matter under debate, as may supersede his whole ensuing Discourse.