A53688:1547
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.
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.
Thirdly, To speake a little to Mr Goodwin's sence; By the Spirits insufficiency it is manifest from the Text urged and from what followes in the same place, that he intends not a Spirituall vitall 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 himselfe. How now doth this Spirit lust? Not formally doubtlesse, but by causing us so to do; and how doth it do that in Mr Goodwin's judgement? Meerely by perswading of us so to do; so that to have the flesh prevaile against the Spirit, is nothing in his sence, but to have sinne prevaile, 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.
Fourthly, The sum is, If the Spirit and the flesh, Lust and Grace, may be looked on as habitual qualities and principles in the wills of the same persons so that though a man hath but one will, yet by reason of these contrary qualities, He is to be esteemed as two diverse principles of operation, it is evident that having contrary inclinations continually, the will hath in its actings a Relation to both these principles, so that no sin is committed by such an one with his whole will and full consent; That contrary qualities in a Remiss degree may be in the same subject is known, Lippis & Tonsoribus; These adverse principles the Flesh and Spirit, are as those contrary qualities of the same subject; and the inclinations, yea and the elicit acts of the will, are of the same nature with them; so that in the same act they may both be working though not with equal efficacy. Notwithstanding any thing then said to the contrary,