A53688:689
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.
Are they not on this account rather flints, and pieces of Iron, then Breasts of comfort and joy.
Lastly, if it be so as is supposed, it is evident, that God makes no Promises unto Persons, but only unto Conditions and Qualifications, that is, His Promises are not engagements of his love & Goodwill to Believers, but discoveries of his Approbation of Believing: suppose any Promise of God, to be our God, our allsufficient God for ever, non eminently to include an engagement for the effectual exertion of the all-sufficiency to preserve and continue us, in such a state and spiritual condition, as wherein he may with the Glory and Honour of his Grace (and will not fail to) abide and continue our God, and you cut all the nerves and sinews of it, as to the Administration of any Consolation unto them to whom it is given. The Promises must be made good: that is Certain: and if they are accomplished, or not accomplished unto men, merely upon the account of such, and such Qualifications in them, which if they are not found, then they shall be fulfilled; if not, then they are suspended: they are made to the Conditions, and not at all to the Persons. And though some perhaps will easily grant this, yet upon this account it cannot be said, that God ever made any one Promise unto his Church, as consisting of such persons, namely Abraham and his Seed; which is directly contrary to that of the Apostle. Rom. 9. 8. Where he calleth the Elect, the Children of the Promises, or those to whom the Promises were made. It appears then, that neither are these Promises of God Conditional. As they proceed from free Grace, so there is no other account, on which they are given out, continued and accomplished towards the Children of God. Though the things of the Promise are often placed in dependence one of another, as Means and Ends, yet the Promises themselves are absolute.
Lastly, if it be so as is supposed, it is evident, that God makes no Promises unto Persons, but only unto Conditions and Qualifications, that is, His Promises are not engagements of his love & Goodwill to Believers, but discoveries of his Apporbation of Believing: suppose any Promise of God, to be our God, our allsufficient God for ever, non eminently to include an engagement for the effectuall exertion of the alsufficiency to preserve and continue us, in such a state and spirituall condition, as wherein he may with the Glory and Honor of his Grace (and will not faile to) abide and continue our God, and you cut all the nerves and sinewes of it, as to the Administration of any Consolation unto them to whom it is given. The Promises must be made good: that is Certaine: and if they are accomplished, or not accomplished unto men, meerely upon the account of such, and such Qualifications in them, which if they are not found, then they shall be fulfilled; if not, then they are suspended: they are made to the Conditions, and not at all to the Persons. And though some perhaps will easily grant this, yet upon this account it cannot be said, that God ever made any one Promise unto his Church, as consisting of such persons, namely Abraham and his Seed; which is directly contrary to that of the Apostle.