The Doctrine of the Saints' Perseverance

2. To the Example urged, I shall only ask what Mr Goodwin's judgement is of the Promises, that God hath made to Believers, that they shall never relapse into their former state of unbelief, and on what condition they are made? Whether his Promise of his Love unto, and Acceptance of Believers, wherein he will abide for ever, do not infer their Preservation in the Condition, wherein they are (i e. Believers), will in the next place fall under our Consideration. Your Conclusion is, in the sense explained you admit the Proposition; whatsoever God promiseth is certain, that is, it shall certainly be fulfilled, or it shall not.

2. To the Example urged, I shall only aske what Mr Goodwin's judgement is of the Promises, that God hath made to Believers, that they shall never relapse into their former state of unbeliefe, and on what condition they are made? Whether his Promise of his Love unto, and Acceptance of Believers, wherein he will abide for ever, doe not inferre their Preservation in the Condition, wherein they are (i e. Believers), will in the next place fall under our Consideration. Your Conclusion is, in the sence explained you admit the Proposition; whatsoever God promiseth is certaine, that is, it shall certainly be fulfilled, or it shall not.

There is moreover no small contribution of strength, as to our establishment in the Faith of it,¹ given to our Proposition, by the signal engagement of the Faithfulness of God, for the Accomplishment of the Promises, which he makes unto us; as it is manifest in those words of the Apostle, 1 Cor. 1. 9. God is ⟨p. 125⟩faithful, by whom you are called to the fellowship of his Son: in the foregoing verse he telleth them that God will confirm them to the end, that they may be blameless in the day of the Lord Christ; of which confident Assertion, he gives them this account, God is faithful to make good his Promises made unto them, he changeth not. When a Promise is once passed, that which first presents it self to the consideration of them to whom it is made, and whose concernement it is, that it be fulfilled, is, the Faithfulness of him that hath made the Promise. This property of Gods nature doth the Apostle therefore mind the Saints of, to lead them to a full Assurance of their preservation. His Promise being passed, fear not his faithfulness for its Accomplishment. Might there in this case a supposal be allowed of any such interveniences, as might intercept them in the way of enjoying what God truly promised, and cause them to come short thereof, what assurance could arise to them from the consideration of the Faithfulness of God, who made those Promises unto them? The Faithfulness of God then is engaged for the Accomplishment of the thing promised, which also shall be done, in case that fail not. So also the 1 Thes: 5. 23, 24. The very God of peace sanctify you wholly, and I pray God, your spirits, and souls, and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: faithful is he that calleth you, who will also do it. He assures them of their preservation in, and unto the enjoyment of the things which he prayed for, and that upon the account of his Faithfulness who had promised them: and, saith he, he will do it: viz. because he is Faithful. Let the oppositions to it be never so many, the difficulties never so great, the interveniences what they will; He is faithful, and he will do it: as it is affirmed 2 Thes: 3. 3. But the Lord is faithful, who shall establish you, and keep you from evil: as also in the 1 Cor: 10. 13.