A53688:1553
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.
Ans. The Spirit here intended by M. Goodwin, is the Holy and Blessed spirit of Grace. What his actings to the just efficacy of his vigour and strength are M. Goodwin doth not explain. nor indeed notwithstanding the seeming significacy of that expression is able; It must be to act, either as much as he can, or as much as he will. That the Holy Spirit in opposing sin, acts to the utmost extent of his Omnipotency in any, I suppose will not be affirmed. If it be as much as he will, then the sense is, he will not in such cases, act as much as he will; what that signifies, we want some other expressive phrase to declare. To let this pass; let us see in the next place, what his actings to this just efficacy are suspended upon, it is them in case, his first preventing motions be received, and seconded.
Ans. The Spirit here intended by M. Goodwin, is the Holy and Blessed spirit of Grace. What his actings to the just efficacy of his vigour and strength are M. Goodwin doth not explaine. nor indeed notwithstanding the seeming significacy of that expression is able; It must be to act, either as much as he can, or as much as he will. That the Holy Spirit in opposing sinne, acts to the utmost extent of his Omnipotency in any, I suppose will not be affirmed. If it be as much as he will, then the sence is, he will not in such cases, act as much as he will; what that signifies, we want some other expressive phrase to declare. To let this passe; let us see in the next place, what his actings to this just efficacy are suspended upon, it is them in cafe, his first preventing motions be received, and seconded.
But then secondly; What are these first preventing motions of the spirit?1 And what is it to entertain them with a suitable concurrence of the Will? For the First, M. Goodwin tells us in this Section, they are motions of a cool and soft inspiration; such cloudy expressions, in a thing of this moment, are we forced to embrace: preventing motions of the spirit, are either Internal Physical Acts in, with, and upon the Wills of men, working in them to will and to do, (called preventing from the actings of the wills themselves) or they are Moral insinuations, and persuasions to good, according to the Analogy of the Doctrine M. Goodwin hath espoused: it is the latter only, that are here intended. The preventing motions of the spirit, are his Moral persuasions of the Will, to the good proposed to its consideration.