The Doctrine of the Saints' Perseverance

Ans. Prove that, and 1. Take the case in hand; and 2. Cast down the Church to the ground, it having no one Promise on that account made unto it, as consisting of Abraham's Seed: and so this witness also is freed from all exceptions put in against it, and appears with confidence to give in its Testimony to the Unchangeableness of God unto Believers.

Ans. Prove that, and 1. Take the case in hand; and 2. Cast downe the Church to the ground, it having no one Promise on that account made unto it, as consisting of Abrahams Seed: and so this witnesse also is freed from all exceptions put in against it, and appeares with confidence to give in its Testimony to the Vnchangeablenesse of God unto Believers.

I shall in the next place adjoin another portion of Scripture of the same import with those foregoing,¹ wherein the truth in hand is no less clearly, & somewhat more pathetically, & convincingly expressed than in that last mentioned. It is Isa. 54. 7, 8, 9, 10. For a small moment have I forsaken thee, but with great Mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment, but with everlasting kindness will I have Mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer. For this is as the waters of Noah unto me, for as I have sworn that the Waters of Noah shall no more cover the Earth, so have I sworn that I will not be wrath with thee, nor rebuke thee: for the Mountains shall depart and the hills be removed, but my Loving-kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the Covenant of my Peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath Mercy on thee. The place I have mentioned before, but only as to one special inference from one passage in the words, I shall now use the whole for the confirmation of the general Truth we plead for; the words are full, plain, suited to the business in hand. No expressions of our finding out, can so fully reach the Truth we assert, much less so pathetically work upon the Affections of Believers, or so effectually prevail on their understandings to receive the Truth contained in them, as these words of God himself, given us for those ends, are suited to do. Go to men, whose minds in any measure are free from prejudice, not forestalled with a contrary persuasion, and furnished with evasions for the defence of their opinions, and ask whether God doth not in these words directly and positively promise to those, to whom he speaketh, that he will always continue his kindness to them, to the end: and that for the days of eternity his Love shall be fixed on them: and I no way doubt but they will readily answer, It is so indeed, it cannot be denied. But seeing we have to deal, as with our own unbelieving hearts, so with men who have turned every stone to prejudge this Testimony of God, the words must a little more narrowly be considered, and the mind of the Holy Ghost inquired into.