The Doctrine of the Saints' Perseverance

Sect. ¹22. is a pretty pageant, and by the Readers favour I shall show it him once more. If it be objected that true Believers have a Promise from God that they shall never loose their Faith. I answer, first that this hath of been said, but never so much as once proved. Secondly upon examination of those Scriptures wherein such Promises of God are pretended to reside, or to be found, we find no such thing in them, we find indeed many Promises of their Perseverance, but all of them Conditional, and such whose Performance in respect of actual and complete Perseverance, is suspended upon the diligent and careful use of means by men to persevere. And lastly to affirm that true Believers can by no commission of sin or sins whatsoever, how frequently soever reiterated, how long continued in soever, ever make shipwreck of their Faith or fall away from the Grace and Favour of God so as to perish, what is it but to provoke the flesh to an outrageousness in sinning, and to encourage that which remains of the old man in them to bestir it self in all ways of unrighteousness; and doubtless the bringing of that Doctrine hath been the casting of a snare upon the World, and hath caused many, whose feet God hath guided into ways of peace, to adventure so far into desperateness of sinning, that through the just Judgement of God their hearts never served them to return.

Sect. ¹22. is a pretty pageant, and by the Readers favour I shall shew it him once more. If it be objected that true Believers have a Promise from God that they shall never loose their Faith. I answer, first that this hath of been said, but never so much as once proved. Secondly upon examination of those Scriptures wherein such Promises of God are pretended to reside, or to be found, we finde no such thing in them, we find indeed many Pomises of their Perseverance, but all of them Conditionall, and such whose Performance in respect of actuall and compleate Perseverance, is suspended upon the diligent and carefull use of meanes by men to persevere. And lastly to affirme that true Believers can by no commission of sinne or sinnes whatsoever, how freequently soever reiterated, how long continued in soever, ever make shipwracke of their Faith or fall away from the Grace and Favour of God so as to perish, what is it but to provoke the flesh to an outragiousnesse in sinning, and to encourage that which remaines of the old man in them to bestirre it selfe in all wayes of unrighteousnesse; and doubtlesse the bringing of that Doctrine hath been the casting of a snare upon the World, and hath caused many, whose feet God hath guided into wayes of peace, to adventure so farre into desperatenesse of sinning, that through the just Judgement of God their hearts never served them to returne.