The Doctrine of the Saints' Perseverance

For the one half of that small space of time,¹ which is passed since the breaking forth of the light of the Gospel in this Nation, we are disenabled from pursuing the Comparison instituted: The one part being not to be considered, or at least not being considerable; The time when first Head was made against the Truth we profess, and Criminations like those managed by Mr Goodwin hatched and contrived to Assault it withal, was, when it had been eminently delivered to the Saints of this Nation, and all the Churches of Christ, by Reinolds, Whitakers, Greenham and others like to them, their fellow labourers in the Lords Vineyard. The poor weak Worms of this present Generation, who embrace the same Doctrine with these men of name, are thought to be free (some of them at least) from being destroyed by the poisonous and pernicious embracing of it, by their own weakness and disability, to discern the natural genuine Consequences and Tendency, in the progress of that, which in the Root and Foundation they embrace. Their ignorance of their own Doctrine in its compass, & Extent, is the Mother of that Devotion, which in them, is nourished thereby. So our great Masters tell us, against whose Kingly Authority in these things there is no rising up. For the Persons formerly named, the like relief cannot be supposed. He that shall provide an Apology for them, Affirming that they understood not the state, nature, consequences, and tendencies of the Doctrines they received, defended, preached contended for, will scarce be able by any following defensative, to vindicate his own credit, for so doing. In the lives then and the Ministry of those men, and such as those, if any where are the fruits of this Doctrine to be seen. If it corrupted not their lives, nor weakened their Ministry, if it turned not them aside from the paths of Gospel Obedience, nor weakened their hands in the Dispensation of the Word, in the Promises, Threatenings and Exhortations thereof, to the Conversion of souls, and building up of those who by their Ministry were called, in their most holy Faith, it cannot but be a strong presumption, that there is no such venomous infectious quality in this Doctrine, as of late some Chemical Divines pretend themselves to be able to extract out of it: Now what I pray were these men? What were their Lives? What was their Ministry?

For the one halfe of that small space of time,¹ which is passed since the breaking forth of the light of the Gospell in this Nation, we are disenabled from persuing the Comparison instituted: The one part being not to be considered, or at least not being considerable; The time when first Head was made against the Truth we professe, and Criminations like those managed by Mr Goodwin hatched and contrived to Assault it withall, was, when it had been eminently delivered to the Saints of this Nation, and all the Churches of Christ, by Reinolds, Whitakers, Greenham and others like to them, their fellow labourers in the Lords Vineyard. The poore weake Wormes of this present Generation, who imbrace the same Doctrine with these men of name, are thought to be free (some of them at least) from being destroyed by the poysonous and pernicious embracing of it, by their owne weakenesse and disability, to discerne the naturall genuine Consequences and Tendency, in the progresse of that, which in the Roote and Foundation they imbrace. Their ignorance of their owne Doctrine in its compas, & Extent, is the Mother of that Devotion, which in them, is nourished thereby. So our great Masters tell us, against whose Kingly Authority in these things there is no rising up. For the Persons formerly named, the like reliefe cannot be supposed. He that shall provide an Apology for them, Affirming that they understood not the state, nature, consequences, and tendences of the Doctrines they received, defended, preached contended for, will scarce be able by any following defensative, to vindicate his owne credit, for so doing. In the lives then and the Ministry of those men, and such as those, if any where are the fruits of this Doctrine to be seene. If it corrupted not their lives, nor weakned their Ministry, if it turned not them aside from the pathes of Gospell Obedience, nor weakened their hands in the Dispensation of the Word, in the Promises, Threatnings and Exhortations thereof, to the Conversion of soules, and building up of those who by their Ministry were called, in their most holy Faith, it cannot but be a strong presumption, that there is no such venomous infectious quality in this Doctrine, as of late some Chimicall Divines pretend themselves to be able to extract out of it: Now what I pray were these men? What were their Lives? What was their Ministry?