The Doctrine of the Saints' Perseverance

yea all the Testimonies which they produce for the supportment of their cause from Antiquity, flow from hence, that their Witnesses thought good to allow persons Baptized and professing the Gospel, the name of Believers, and being Regenerate (that is, as to the participation of the outward Symbol thereof) whom yet they expressly distinguished from them, whose Faith was the Fruit of their Eternal Election, which they constantly maintained should never fail.

yea all the Testimonies whch they produce for the supportment of their cause from Antiquity, flow from hence, that their Witnesses thought good to allow persons Baptized and professing the Gospell, the name of Believers, and being Regenerate (that is, as to the participation of the outward Symbol thereof) whom yet they expressely distinguished from them, whose Faith was the Fruit of their Eternall Election, which they constantly maintained should never faile.

Of such as these M. ¹Goodwin tells us Cap. 9. Sect. 7. pag. 107, 108. That if there be any persons under Heaven, who may upon sufficient grounds, and justifiable by the word of God, be judged true believers, many of the Apostates we speak of, were to be judged such, all the visible lineaments of a true faith, wherein their faces,² as far as the eye of man is able to pierce, they lived Godly, righteously and soberly in this present World: doth any true believer act zealously for his God? So did they: is any true believer fruitful in good works? they were such: yea there is found in those we now speak of, not only such things upon the sight and knowledge whereof in men, we ought to judge them true believers, * but even such things further, which we ought to reverence and honour, as lovely and Majestic characters of God and holiness,³ therefore it is but too importune a pretence in men to deny them to have been true believers.