A53688:933
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. It is no less evident, that according to the interpretation, here, without the least attempt of proof, importunately suggested, the Promise is no way suited to give the least Encouragement or Consolation unto the Disciples, in reference to the Condition, upon the account whereof it is now so solemnly given them; It is alone as if our Saviour should have said, you are sadly troubled indeed, yea your hearts are filled with trouble & fear, because I have told you that I must leave you, be not so dejected; I have kept you whilst I have been with you in the world, & now I go away, and will send the Holy Spirit into the world, that, whatsoever becomes of you, or any of you, whether ye have any Consolation or no, he shall abide in the world (perhaps) with some or other, (that is, if any do believe, which it may be some will, it may be not) until the end, and consummation of it.
2. It is no lesse evident, that according to the interpretatiō, here, without the least attempt of proofe, importunately suggested, the Promise is no way suited to give the least Incouragement or Consolation unto the Disciples, in reference to the Condition, upon the account whereof it is now so solemnly given thē; It is alone as if our Saviour should have said, you are sadly troubled indeed, yea your hearts are filled with trouble & fear, because I have told you that I must leave you, be not so dejected; I have kept you whilst I have been with you in the world, & now I goe away, and will send the Holy Spirit into the world, that, whatsoever becomes of you, or any of you, whether yee have any Consolation or no, he shall abide in the world (perhaps) with some or other, (that is, if any doe believe, which it may be some will, it may be not) untill the end, and consummation of it.
3. Is this Promise of sending the Holy Spirit given to the Apostles, or is it not? If you say not, assign who it is given or made unto: Christ spake it to them, and doubtless they thought he intended them, and it was wholly suited to their Condition. If it were made unto them, is it not in the letter of the Promise affirmed that the Spirit shall abide with them for ever, to whom it was given? If there be any subject of this Promise in receiving the Spirit, he must of necessity keep his residence and abode with it for ever. The whole design of this Section, is to put the persons, to whom this Promise is made, into the dark, that we may not see them; yea to deny that it is made to any persons at all, as the recipient subject of the Grace thereof. He tells ye, that he abides in the world: how I pray? Doubtless not as the unclean Spirit, that goes up and down in dry places, seeking rest and finding none. Christ promiseth his Spirit to his Church, not to the world, to dwell in the hearts of his, not to wander up and down. Nay he abides with the Apostles, and their Spiritual posterity, that is Believers, in our Saviours interpretation