The Doctrine of the Saints' Perseverance

The scope of the place enforces that exception of these words,¹ which we insist upon. Our Blessed Saviour observing the trouble and disconsolation of his followers, upon the apprehension of his departure from them, stirs them up to a better hope and confidence by many Gracious Promises, and engagements, of what would and should be the Issue of his being taken away. v. 1. He bids them to free their hearts from trouble, and in the next words, tells them, that the way whereby it was to be done, was by acting Faith on the Promises of his Father, and those which in his Fathers name, he had made, and was to make unto them. Of these he mentions many in the following verses, whereof the Fountain, Head, and Spring, is that of giving them the Comforter, not to abide with them for a season, as he had done, with his bodily presence, but to continue with them as a Comforter, (and consequently, to the discharging of his whole dispensation towards Believers) for ever. He speaks to them as Believers, as disconsolate dejected Believers, quickening, their Faith by Exhortations, and gives them this Promise, as a solid Foundation of peace and composedness of Spirit, which he exhorted them unto. And if our Saviour intendeth any thing, but what the words import viz. that he will give his Holy Spirit, as a Comforter, to abide with them for ever, the Promise hath not the least suitableness to relieve them in their distress, nor to accomplish the end for which it was given them. But against this it is excepted Cap. 11. Sect. 13. Pag. 233

The scope of the place inforces that exception of these words,¹ which we insist upon. Our Blessed Saviour observing the trouble and disconsolation of his followers, upon the apprehension of his departure from them, stirres them up to a better hope and confidence by many Gracious Promises, and ingagements, of what would and should be the Issue of his being taken away. v. 1. He bids them to free their hearts from trouble, and in the next words, tells them, that the way whereby it was to be done, was by acting Faith on the Promises of his Father, and those which in his Fathers name, he had made, and was to make unto them. Of these he mentions many in the following verses, whereof the Fountaine, Head, and Spring, is that of giving them the Comforter, not to abide with them for a season, as he had done, with his bodily presence, but to continue with them as a Comforter, (and consequently, to the discharging of his whole dispensation towards Believers) for ever. He speakes to them as Believers, as disconsolate dejected Believrs, quickning, their Faith by Exhortations, and gives them this Promise, as a solid Foundation of peace and composednesse of Sprit, which he exhorted them unto. And if our Saviour intendeth any thing, but what the words import viz. that he will give his Holy Spirit, as a Comforter, to abide with them for ever, the Promise hath not the least sutablenesse to relieve them in their distresse, nor to accomplish the end for which it was given them. But against this it is excepted Cap. 11. Sect. 13. Pag. 233