The Doctrine of the Saints' Perseverance

That this procedure is also furthered by the burdensomeness of sound doctrine unto the generality of men, who having itching ears, as far as they care for these things, do spend their time in Religion, in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing, cannot be denied. Besides to defend, improve, give and add new light, unto old truths (a work which hath so abundantly and excellently been laboured in, by so many worthies of Christ, especially since the Reformation) in any eminent manner, so as to bring praise and repute unto the undertakers (which whether men will confess or no, it is evident that too many are enslaved unto) is no easy task: and for the most part of what is done that way, you may say, Quis leget haec? The world (says every one) is burdened with discourses of this nature. How many have we in our days, who might have gone to the grave in silence among the residue of their brethren, and their names have remained for a season in the voisinage, where they might have done God the service required of them in their generation, would they have kept themselves in the form of wholesome words and sound doctrine; that have now delivered their names into the mouths of all men, by engaging into some singular opinions, though perhaps raked out of the ashes of Popery, Socinianism, or some such fruitful heap of error, and false notions of the things of God?

That this procedure is also furthered by the burdensomeness of sound doctrine unto the generality of men, who having itching eares, as farre as they care for these things, do spend their time in Religion, in nothing else, but either to tell, or to heare some new thing, cannot be denyed. Besides to defend, improve, give and adde new light, unto old truths (a worke which hath so abundantly and excellently been labour'd in, by so many worthies of Christ, especially since the Reformation) in any eminent manner, so as to bring praise and repute unto the undertakers (which whether men will confess or no, it is evident that too many are enslaved unto) is no easy taske: and for the most part of what is done that way, you may say, Quis leget haec? The world (sayes every one) is burden'd with discourses of this nature. How many have we in our dayes, who might have gone to the grave in silence among the residue of their brethren, and their names have remained for a season in the voisinage, where they might have done God the service required of them in their generation, would they have kept themselves in the forme of wholsome words and sound doctrine; that have now delivered their names into the mouthes of all men, by engageing into some singular opinions, though perhaps raked out of the ashes of Popery, Socinianisme, or some such fruitful heap of errour, and false notions of the things of God?