The Doctrine of the Saints' Perseverance

And this the same Author further Confirms, (saith he) p: p: Q: 109. A: 9. Cùm nullum agens secundum agat nisi in Virtute primi, sitque care spiritui perpetuò rebellis; non potest Homo licet jam gratiam consecutus, per seipsum operari Bonum, & vitare Peccatum, absque novo Auxili• Dei, ipsum moventis, dirigentis, & protegentis; quamvis alia Habitualis gratia ad hoc, ei necessaria non sit. And the Reasons he gives of this conclusion in the body of the Article are considerable. This saith he, must be so; primò quidem, ratione generali propter hoc, quòd nulla Res creata potest in quemcunque Actum prodire, nisi virtute motionis divinae. The Pelagian self-sufficiency, and exemption from dependence, in Solidum, upon God both providentially, and Physically, as to operation was not so freely received in the Schools as afterward.

And this the same Authour further Confirmes, (saith he) p: p: Q: 109. A: 9. Cùm nullum agens secundum agat nisi in Virtute primi, sitque care spiritui perpetuò rebellis; non potest Homo licet jam gratiam consecutus, per seipsum operari Bonum, & vitare Peccatum, absque novo Auxili• Dei, ipsum moventis, dirigentis, & protegentis; quamvis alia Habitualis gratia ad hoc, ei necessaria non sit. And the Reasons he gives of this conclusion in the body of the Article are considerable. This saith he, must be so; primò quidem, ratione generali propter hoc, quòd nulla Res creata potest in quemcunque Actum prodire, nisi virtute motionis divinae. The Pelagian selfe-sufficiency, and exemption from dependance, in Solidum, upon God both providentially, and Physically, as to operation was not so freely received in the Schooles as afterward.

Secundò (saith he) ratione speciali, propter Conditionem statûs Humanae Naturae, quae quidem licèt per Gratiam sanetur, quantum ad mentem, remanet tamen in eo Corruptio, & Infectio quantum ad carnem, per quam servit legi peccati; ut dicitur, Ro: 7: Remanet etiam quaedam Ignorantiae obscuritas in intellectu, secundùm quam (ut etiam dicitur Rom: 8.) quid eremus sicut oportet nescimus: ideo necesse est nobis, ut à Deo dirigamur, & protegamur, qui omnia novit, & omnia Potest. And will not this man think you, who in his gropings after Light, when darkness covered the Face of the Earth, and thick darkness was upon the Inhabitants thereof, with this his discovery (of the impotency of the best of the Saints for Perseverance, upon the Account of any Grace received, because of the perpetual powerful rebellion of indwelling Lust, and Corruption, and that all that do persevere, are preserved by the power of God unto salvation) rise in Judgment against Those who in our Days, wherein the Sun of Righteousness is risen with healing under his wings, do ascribe a sufficiency unto men in themselves upon the bottom of their Rational Considerations, to abide with God, or Persevere to the end?