A53688:1742
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.
That Doctrine whose genuine and proper tendency is to advance the peace and joy of the Saints in Believing, is of a natural sympathy, with the Gospel, and upon this account a truth; such is the Doctrine, which informeth the Saints of a possibility of their total and final falling away: Ergo.
That Doctrine whose genuine and proper tendency is to advance the peace and joy of the Saints in Believing, is of a naturall sympathy, with the Gospell, and upon this account a truth; such is the Doctrine, which informeth the Saints of a possibility of their totall and finall falling away: Ergo.
The Proposition of this syllogism he supposes we will grant,1 and (not to trouble the Reader with the Qualifications, and limitations formerly annexed, to that which proposed the furtherance of the obedience of the Saints, as a proof of the truth of any Doctrine) for my part I do. For the proof of the Assumption wherein alone Mr Goodwin's interest in this Argument doth lye, He refers us to his 9. Chapter: where, as he tells us, (if we may believe him) he hath undeniably demonstrated the truth of it. But we have considered whatever looks that way in that Chapter, and have found it all as Chaff and stubble, before the breath of the Spirit of the Lord in the Word. That which lies upon his shoulders, to support; (A burden too heavy for him to bear) & whose demonstration he hath undertaken is, that it tends to the Peace, Joy, & Consolation of the Saints of God, in their walking with him (which arises from, and solely depends upon that assurance they have of their eternal fruition of him through Christ) to be instructed, that indeed they are in themselves weak, unable to do any thing as they ought, that they have no strength to continue in the Mercy of God, but carry about with them a body of death, and that they are continually exposed to a world of Temptations, whereby many strong men fall down, thrust through and are slain every day, and that in this condition there is no consideration of the Immutability or Unchangeableness of God, that may secure them of the continuance of his Love to them, no eternal purpose of his that he will preserve them, & keep them, through his power, no Promise of not leaving them, or of giving them such supplies of his Spirit and Grace that they shall never forsake, nor leave him, nothing in the Covenant, or Oath of God whereby it is confirmed, to Assure them of an Abiding, and a not-to-be destroyed communion with him, that Christ by his death and oblation hath not so taken away the guilt of their sins, nor laid such a sure foundation, for the destruction of the power of them, as that they shall not arise either way to their ruin: