Johnio.27,28,29. opened and vindicated. CAP.VI.ß: ,6. hint as his sheepe, upon the Omnipotence ofGod,which upon account ofthe i 55 confancieofhis Lovetowards them, hewill exerciCe and exert asneed fhall be,in their behalfe. Thereare many eniphaticall expreffions both of theircon- tinuance in the Obedience ofFaith,and ofhis undertakingfor their Preferva- tion therein. The latterI at prefent only intend. (Saith he) a. /know these. 2. 'igve them EternallLire. 3. Theyfhall neverperifh. .. No man(hall placke them out ofmy hand. 5. My Father is Omnipotent : andhath a Soveraignty over all, andhe taketh careofthem, andnone(halltake them outofhis band.It is not eafy to caft thefe words into anyother form of arguing, then that wherein they lye, without looting much ofthat convincing Evidence that is in them: this you may take for the furnine of their influence into the Truth in hand- Thofe whomChrift fo owneth, as to take upon him togive them. Eternall Life, and by his Power, and the Power of his Father, to preferve them thereunto, whichpower fhall not, nor poífibly canbeprevailed againft, fo that the end aimed at tobe accomplifhed therein, {hould not be brought about, thofe [hall certainely be kept for ever in theFavour and LoveofOod, they fhall never be turned from hiut.Suchis the cafe of all Believers: for they are all the Sheep ofChrift, they all heare his voice and follow him. Somefew;things towreft this Gracious affurance given Believers, ofthe e- verlaf}ing good will ofGod&Chrift unto them,byMr Goodwin Cap.io.See`t. t.36; 37.Pag. 203. are attempted: t. Hegranteth,thatthere isan engagement ofthe mighty power ofGodfor thefafegardingofthe Saints, asfach, or remaining fuch,againflalladverfepower what ever: But no wherefor the compelling ornecefitatingofthem to perfevere, and continuefuch, is there any thing in thescripture . Ant', The fum is,ifthey will continue Saints,Gòdwill takecare that not. withftanding all oppoftion, they (hall be Saints fill. Very well! iftheywill befo,they fhall be fo:But that they (hall continue tobe fo,that is not premifed. The termes ofCompelling, or Neceffitating, are calf in ; meetly to throe dirt upon the Truth ,-leak the beauty fhining forth too brightly,there might have bin danger,that the very Exceptorhimfelfe couldnot have born it:We fay riot that God by his Power compellethmen to perfevere, (that is) maketh them doe it,whether they will or no.Perfeverance being an habitual Grace in their wills,it is a groffe contradi&ion once to imaginethat men fhould be compel- led thereunto. But this we fay,'that by the Almighty Power ofhis Spirit, and Grace, he confirmethhis Saints, in a voluntary abiding with him all their dayes. Having made them awilling People in the dayofthe Power ofChrift towards them,he preferveth them unto the end. Neither are they wrapt upby thepòwer ofGod into fuch a neceffity ofPerfeverance, as fhouldobfu& rthe liberty oftheir Obedience; Thenecefiity that regardeth them in that Condi-. tion, refpe4ling only the ifùe and endof things, and not their manner of fupport in their abiding with God. And it is not eafie to cohjeéturè why our Author, hhould fo fudioufly avoid the grant ofa Promife offinali Perfeve- rance, in thefe Words , who in his next obfervation upoh them, affiirmeth, that they refpeci thefateof theSaints in Heaven, and not at all thofe that are on Earth; I meanethat part Oftholewords, which exprefieth their prefervati- onand fafegarding by the Power of God. So that this is fancied perhaps, e- ven to be the conditionoftheSaints inHeaven,thatGod will there preferve themwhilf they continueSaints, but that they fhall fodo, there isnot any Affurance given, or tobe had. It is marvelous ifthis be fo, that info large and vaft á fpace oftime, weyet never heard ofany of thofe holy ones, that werecall- out ofhisInheritance, or that forfeited his injoyment. But let us heare what is farther afferted. He addeth by way ofAnfwer, X 2 to
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