The Doctrine of the Saints' Perseverance

Now this place is, the I John 3. 9. Whatsoever is borne of God, doth not commit sin, ¹for his seed remaineth in him, and he cannot sin because he is borne of God. A place of Scripture, that alway hath amazed the adversaries of the Doctrine, which hitherto through the Grace of God, we have asserted; being in its self, fully sufficient to captivate every understanding, unto the obedience of its Truth, that is not resolved to cleave to a contrary Conclusion, let what Demonstration soever lye against it. In the defence of the Doctrine under consideration, should we use Expressions of the same importance, with these here used by the Apostle, as we should abundantly satisfy our selves, that we had delivered our minds and sense, to the understanding of any indifferent Person, with whom we might have to do, so we should by no means, avoid all those imputations of folly and error, that our Doctrine suffereth under, from the men that have entertained an enmity against it, as it is held forth in equivalent expressions by us. The Authority of the Holy Ghost, hath gained thus much upon our Adversaries, that when he asserteth in express, and expressive terms, the very thing, or things that in us are called folly, that evasions should be studied, and pains taken to rack his words, to a sense which they will not bear, rather than plainly to deny his Authority. But let the words, with the scope & tendency be considered. (•.) The scope & intendment of the Apostle in the place is to give a discriminating character of the Children of God, and the Children of the Devil; thus he fully expresseth himself unto us v. 10. In this (saith he) the Children of God are manifested, and the Children of the Devil, whosoever doth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his Brother. And withal to press on an Exhortation against sin, whereunto he useth the Argument that lieth in the following words. If any one sin that thinketh himself to be borne of God, he deceiveth himself. v. 7. Little children let no man deceive you; he that doth righteousness, is righteous even as he is righteous, He that committeth sin is of the Devil: But how proveth he this? In these words, Whosoever is borne of God sinneth not, doth not, cannot sin. Such is the Genius and Nature of the Children of God, of them that are borne of him, that they do not, they cannot sin.

Now this place is, the