The Doctrine of the Saints' Perseverance

Ans. First, what this joining of our Wills of the spirit is, was in part manifested before; The Will of the spirit is, that we be mortified. His motions hereunto are his persuasions, that we be so; To join our Wills to his, is in our Will, to answer the Will of the spirit; that is, upon the spirits motions we mortify our selves. By this also (he tells us) we draw or obtain farther strength, or assistance from the spirit, for that work which we have done already; but how so? why he tells you afterward, that this is the Law of the Spirit: It seems then, that by doing one thing, we obtain or procure the assistance of the spirit for another, and that by a Law; I ask by what Law? by the Law of works? by that Law the Apostle tells you, that we do not at all receive the spirit, therefore by a parity of Reason, we obtain not any farther ⟨p. 335⟩supplies from him, by that Law; By the Law of Faith, or Grace? that Law knows nothing of such terms, as that we should by any acting of ours, procure the Holy Spirit of God, which he freely bestows, according to the main tenor of that Law. Farther; How is this second grace obtained, and what is the Law of the Spirit therein? is it obtained ex congruo, or ex condigno? produce the Rule of Gods proceeding with his Saints, or any of the sons of men, in the matter of any gracious behovement of his, and you will out-do what ever your Predecessors, whether Pelagians, Papists, Arminians, or Socinians, could yet attain unto. Our Lord hath told us, that without him we can do nothing: yea all our sufficiency is of God, and without him we cannot think a good thought; that he works in us to will and to do; not only beginning, but perfecting every good work, fulfilling in us, all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of Faith with power, ascribing the whole of the great work of Salvation to Himself, and his Holy Spirit, working freely and graciously, as he wills, and pleaseth; Of this order of his dealing with men, that his first, or preventing Grace should be free, but his subsequent Grace procured by us, and bestowed on us, according to our working, and cooperation with his first grace, invented by Pelagius, Julianus, and Celastinus, and here introduced a new by M. Goodwin, he informs us nothing at all.

Ans. First, what this joyning of our Wills of the spirit is, was in part manifested before; The Will of the spirit is, that we be mortified. His motions hereunto are his perswasions, that we be so; To joyne our Wills to his, is in our Will, to answer the Will of the spirit; that is, upon the spirits motions we mortify our selves. By this also (he tells us) we draw or obtaine farther strength, or assistance from the spirit, for that worke which we have done already; but how so? why he tells you afterward, that this is the Law of the Spirit: It seems then, that by doing one thing, we obtaine or procure the assistance of the spirit for another, and that by a Law; I aske by what Law? by the Law of workes? by that Law the Apostle tells you, that we doe not at all receive the spirit, therefore by a parity of Reason, we obtaine not any farther