The Doctrine of the Saints' Perseverance

It is Truth alone that Capacitates any soul to give glory to God, or to be truly useful to them who are partakers of flesh and blood with him: without being some way serviceable to which end, there is nothing short of the fullness of wrath, that can be judged so miserable as the Life of a man. Easily so much might be delivered on this account, as to evince the dread of that judgment, whereto some men in the infallibly wise counsel of God are doomed, even to the laying out of the labour and travel of their minds, to spend their days and strength in sore labour, in making opposition to this Truth of God. Especially is the sadness of this Consideration increased, in reference to them, who upon any account what ever, do bear forth themselves, and are looked upon by others, as Guides of the blind, as Lights to them that sit in darkness, as the Instructors of the foolish, & teachers of Babes. For a man to set himself, or to be set by others, in a way wherein are many turnings & cross paths, some of them leading and tending to places of innumerable troubles, and perhaps death and slaughter, undertaking to be a guide to direct them that travel towards the place of their intendments, where they would be, and where they shall meet with rest, for such an one I say, to take hold of every one that passeth by, and pretending himself to be exceeding skilful, in all the windings and turnings of those ways, and paths, and to stand there on purpose to give direction, if He shall, withal his skill and Rhetoric, divert them out of the path wherein they have perhaps safely set out, and to guide them into those by ways, which will certainly lead them into snares, and troubles, if not to death it self, can he spend his time, labour and strength, in an employment more to be abhorred? or can he design any thing more desperately mischievous to them, whose good and welfare he is bound and promiseth to seek and promote!

It is Truth alone that Capacitates any soule to give glory to God, or to be truly useful to them who are partakers of flesh and blood with him: without being some way serviceable to which end, there is nothing short of the fulness of wrath, that can be judged so miserable as the Life of a man. Easily so much might be delivered on this account, as to evince the dread of that judgment, whereto some men in the infallibly wise counsel of God are doomed, even to the laying out of the labour and travel of their minds, to spend their dayes and strength in sore labour, in making opposition to this Truth of God. Especially is the sadness of this Consideration encreased, in reference to them, who upon any account what ever, do beare forth themselves, and are looked upon by others, as Guides of the blind, as Lights to them that sit in darkness, as the Instuctours of the foolish, & teachers of Babes. For a man to set himselfe, or to be set by others, in a way wherein are many turnings & cross pathes, some of them leading and tending to places of innumerabe troubles, and perhaps death and slaughter, undertaking to be a guide to direct them that travel towards the place of their intendments, where they would be, and where they shall meet with rest, for such an one I say, to take hold of every one that passeth by, and pretending himselfe to be exceeding skilful, in all the windings and turnings of those wayes, and pathes, and to stand there on purpose to give direction, if He shall, withal his skill and Rhetorick, divert them out of the path wherein they have perhaps safly set out, and to guide them into those by wayes, which will certainly lead them into snares, and troubles, if not to death it selfe, can he spend his time, labour and strength, in an imployment more to be abhorred? or can he designe any thing more desperately mischievous to them, whose good and welfare he is bound and promiseth to seek and promote!