The Doctrine of the Saints' Perseverance

I shall not enter upon the consideration of the Nature, ¹and Absoluteness of the Purposes of God, as to an express handling of them, but only a little unfold that Property, and Concernement of them, whereon the strength of the inference we aim at, doth in some measure depend. Many needless, and curious Questions have been, by the Serpentine wits of men, moved and agitated concerning them: wherein perhaps our Author hath not been outgone by many, as will be judged by those, who have weighed his Discourses concerning them, with his distinctions of Desires, Intentions, Purposes and Decrees in God; But this is not the business we have in hand; for what concerneth that, that which ensueth, may suffice; God himself being an Infinite Pure Act, those Acts of his Will and Wisdom, which are Eternal and Immanent, are not distinguished from his Nature and Being, but only in respect of the reference and habitude, which they bear unto some thing to be produced outwardly from him. The Objects of them all are such things, as might not be. Gods Purposes are not concerning any thing, that is in it self absolutely necessary. He doth not purpose that he will be Wise, Holy, Infinitely Good, Just: all these things, that are of absolute necessity, come not within the compass of his Purposes. Of things that might not be, are his Decrees and intentions; they are, of all the Products of his Power, all that outwardly he hath done, doth, or will do to Eternity. All these things to the falling of a hair, or the withering of a Grass, ²hath he determined from of old; now this divine Fore-appointment of all things,³ the Scripture assigns some times to the Knowledge & Understanding, ⁴sometimes to the Will of God, known unto him are all his Works from the beginning of the World, Acts 15. 18. It is that Knowledge, which hath an influence into that most Infinitely wise disposal of them, which is there intimated: and the determination of things to be done is referred to the Counsel of God. Acts 4. 28. which denotes an Act of his Wisdom and Understanding, and yet withal, it is the Counsel of his Will,