A53688:1532
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.
Fifthly, that where ever true Grace is, in what degree soever,1 there it bears Rule; though sin be in the same subject with it; As sin reigns before grace comes, so Grace reigns when it doth once come: And the reason is, because sin having the first Rule, and Dominion in the heart, abiding there, there is neither Room nor place for Grace, but what is made by conquest. Now who ever enters into a possession by right of Conquest, what resistance soever be made, if he prevail to a Conquest, he reigns. In every regenerate man, though Grace be never so weak, and Corruption never so strong, yet properly the Sovereignty belongs to Grace. Having entered upon the soul, and all the powers of it by Conquest so long as it abides there, it doth reign; So that to say a Regenerate man may fall into reigning sin, as it is commonly expressed, (though as we have manifested no sin reigns, but the sin of Nature, as no good Act reigneth, but the spirit and habit of Grace) and yet continue Regenerate, is all one as to say, he may have, and not have true Grace at the same time.
Fiftly, that where ever true Grace is, in what degree soever,1 there it bears Rule; though sinne be in the same subject with it; As sinne reignes before grace comes, so Grace reignes when it doth once come: And the reason is, because sinne having the first Rule, and Dominion in the heart, abiding there, there is neither Roome nor place for Grace, but what is made by conquest. Now who ever enters into a possession by right of Conquest, what resistance soever be made, if he prevaile to a Conquest, he reignes. In every regenerate man, though Grace be never so weake, and Corruption never so strong, yet properly the Soveraignty belongs to Grace. Having entered upon the soule, and all the powers of it by Conquest so long as it abides there, it doth reigne; So that to say a Regenerate man may fall into reigning sinne, as it is commonly exprest, (though as we have manifested no sinne reignes, but the sinne of Nature, as no good Act reigneth, but the spirit and habit of Grace) and yet continue Regenerate, is all one as to say, he may have, and not have true Grace at the same time.
- 1§. 10.