A53688:684
The Doctrine of the Saints' Perseverance
The doctrine of the saints perseverance, explained and confirmed, or, The certain permanency of their 1. acceptation with God & 2. sanctification from God manifested & proved from the 1. eternal principles 2. effectual causes 3. external means thereof ... vindicated in a full answer to the discourse of Mr. John Goodwin against it, in his book entitled Redemption redeemed : with some digressions concerning 1. the immediate effects of the death of Christ ... : with a discourse touching the epistles of Ignatius, the Episcopacy in them asserted, and some animadversions on Dr. H.H. his dissertations on that subject / by John Owen ...The doctrine of the saints perseverance, explained and confirmed, or, The certain permanency of their 1. acceptation with God & 2. sanctification from God manifested & proved from the 1. eternal principles 2. effectuall causes 3. externall meanes thereof ... vindicated in a full answer to the discourse of Mr. John Goodwin against it, in his book entituled Redemption redeemed : with some degressions concerning 1. the immediate effects of the death of Christ ... : with a discourse touching the epistles of Ignatius, the Episcopacy in them asserted, and some animadversions on Dr. H.H. his dissertations on that subject / by John Owen ...
London: printed by Leon. Lichfield, 1654
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
2. For those of the first sort,1 which I shall now handle, farther to clear the foundation of their ensuing Application, I shall propose only some few things unto consideration. As,
2. For those of the first sort,1 which I shall now handle, farther to cleare the foundation of their ensuing Application, I shall propose only some few things unto consideration. As,
- 1§. 10.
1. That they are not to be taken, or looked upon, as to their use for Argument in the present Controversy, separated and divided from those other Promises formerly insisted on, which assure Believers, that they shall always abide with God, as to their Obedience: all hope that any have to prevail against them, is by dividing of them. It is a very vain supposal and foundation of sand, which our Adversaries build their inferences upon, which they make against the Doctrine of the Saints Perseverance, viz. the Impossibility that God should continue his Love and Favour to them, whilst they wallow in all manner of Abominations, and desperate Rebellions against him: An Hypothesis crudely imposed on our Doctrine, and repeated over and over, as a matter of the greatest detestation, and abomination, that can fall within the thoughts of men. And such supposals and conclusions are made thereupon, as border at least upon the cursed cost of Blasphemy, but cui finny, I pray? To what end is all this noise? as though any had ever Asserted, that God promised to continue his Love and gracious Acceptation always to his Saints, and yet took no care, nor had promised, that they should be continued Saints: but would suffer them to turn very Devils. It is as easy for men to confute Hypotheses created in their own imaginations, as to cast down men of straw of their own framing, and setting up. We say indeed, that God hath faithfully promised, that he will never leave nor forsake Believers; but withal, that he hath no less faithfully engaged himself, that they shall never wickedly depart from him, but that they shall continue Saints and Believers. Yea (if I may so say) Promising always to accept them freely, it is incumbent on his Holy Majesty, upon the account of his Truth, Faithfulness, and Righteousness, to preserve them such, as without the least dishonour to his Grace, and Holiness, yea to the greatest advantage of his Glory, he may always accept them, delight in them, and rejoice over them: and so he tells us he doth,