A53688:1546
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.
Secondly, In the prevalency of the flesh, it is not the Spirit himself that is conquered, but only some motions & actings of him in the heart; Now though some particular actings and motions of his may not come out eventually unto success yet if he generally bears Rule in the heart, he is not to be said (even as in us and acting in us) not to be stronger than the flesh; He is, as in us, on this account, said to be stronger than he that is in the world, because notwithstanding all the opposition that is against us, he preserveth us in our state and condition of Acceptation with God and walking with him with an upright heart in good works and duties for the most part, though sometimes the flesh prevails unto sin, from which yet he recovers us by Repentance.
Secondly, In the prevalency of the flesh, it is not the Spirit himselfe that is conquered, but only some motions & actings of him in the heart; Now though some particular actings and motions of his may not come out eventually unto successe yet if he generally beares Rule in the heart, he is not to be said (even as in us and acting in us) not to be stronger than the flesh; He is, as in us, on this account, said to be stronger than he that is in the world, because notwithstanding all the opposition that is against us, he preserveth us in our state and condition of Acceptation with God and walking with him with an upright heart in good workes and dutyes for the most part, though sometimes the flesh prevailes unto sinne, from which yet he recovers us by Repentance.
Thirdly, To speak a little to Mr Goodwin's sense; By the Spirits insufficiency it is manifest from the Text urged and from what follows in the same place, that he intends not a Spiritual vital principle in the will, having its residence there, with its contrary principle the flesh (perhaps he will grant no such thing) but the Spirit of God himself. How now doth this Spirit lust? Not formally doubtless, but by causing us so to do; and how doth it do that in Mr Goodwin's judgement? Merely by persuading of us so to do; so that to have the flesh prevail against the Spirit, is nothing in his sense, but to have sin prevail, and the motives of the flesh above the motives used by the Spirit, which may be done, and yet the Spirit continue unquestionably stronger than the flesh.