C.XIV. EefricacyofGrace andExhortation toPerfeverance confluent, 318 affuredfrommy will and command given unto you in that behalfe, yea according to the infallible word ofTruthwhich you havefromme, that you cannot po(ìbly, no not by all the mófi horridfnns and abominableprallices,that youfhall,o r can commit fall away either totallyorfinallyfromyourFaith ;for in the midit ofyour foulefl' allions&courfes there remaines afeed inyouwhich isfufcient to make you true Believers,& to preferve youfrontfalling awayfinally, that it is impofibleyou fhoulddye inyour f noes;you that know â are affxred,that Iwill by an irretllible handworfe Perfeverance inyou,& confeque,ntly thatyou areout ofall. danger of condemnation, and that Heaven andSalvation belong unto you,and are as goodas yours already,fo that nothingbut givingofthanker appertaines toyou which alp you know that Iwill, do what you will in the meane time, necef f tate you unto; you 'fay that arefully and throughly perfwaded andpopffed with the truth ofail thefe things, I earnefily charge, admonifb, exhort, and befeech, thatyee take heed toyourfelves,thatyee continue in the Faith, that there be not at any time an evil/ heart ofunbeliefe in any to depart from the Living God, that you_fall not fromyour owneftedfaftnefe, yea Ideclare and profefe untoyou that ifyou(hall drawback, myfoule(hall have no pleafure inyou, that ifyoes(halldeny me, Iwill denyyou, that ifyou be againovercome of the lofts oftheworld, andbe intanglesl here with,thatyour latterendfhall be worfe thanyour beginning, that ifyoufsall turne away,allyourformerRighteoufnesfhall not be remembred,butyoufhall dye in your f nnes, andfatter thevengeance ofEternal/fire . On the other handifyoufhall continue to the end, my Promife is,thatyoufiall be Saved; therefore firive to enter in at the ftraite gate, quityourfelves like men, labourfor the meat that indureth unto Everfalling Life, and be notfloathfull, but followers ofthem, who through Faithand Patience inherit the Promifes. He that fhall duly weigh and confider, what afencelejfe and indeedridiculous incongruity there is, between theft Exhor- tations, Adjuratións, 7hreatnings, and latterPromifes, and thofe Declarations, Applications, andformer Promifes dóubtleff e willconfefe that either theone, or the other ofthemare notfromGod, or according to themindofGod. 4 s Auf The incongruity ofthis &ion, with the Doarine it is framed a- gainft, is fo eafily manifefted that it will not much concerne us, to confider the incongruity that the feverall parts ofit have one with an other. For Firft the whole Foundation of thisfanatic4Fabrick, is ridiculous in it felfe, and ridiculouflyimpofedon the Doctrineof Perfeverance. For .whereas it fayes not that all Saints' have any comfortable Afuranceoftheir Perfeverance .and fo may by allGofpell wayes whatever, by Promifes, and Threatnings, be ftirred up to the ufe ofthofe meanes whereby Perfeverance is wrought , andAffurance obtain'd, fo it flies that no one Saint in the world, ever had, can have, or was taught to exile& his Perfeverance or the leaft fence, or Ain- raneeofit under fuch an uncouth fuppofition, as falling into & continuing in fins &Abominations ;thePromifes they have toAire the of their infeparable abode withGod to the end,are,that he will write his Law in their hearts,&put his Feare in their inwardparts; that they (hall never departfrom hire; and they (hail be kept up thereto, by theufe of meanes fuitable as appointedofGod for the attainingoftheend propofed,beingkept by the power ofGod,but through Faithunto Salvation. God Both notcall (nor doth the Dort: ofPerfeverance of the Saints, 'or of the ftability and Unchangeableneffeofhis Promifes in Chriff toBelievers afllert it)any toBelieve that they fhall never fall away from him, what [inner andRebellions fo ever they fall into, neither bathhe promi- fed any fuch things untothe,but onlythat hewill through his Grace preferve them in the ufe ofmeanes from fuels Rebellions, as are inconfiftent withhis Love and freeacceptation through Chrift according to the Tenor oftheCo- venant ofGrace;fo that inlead ofthefirft part of this fi&ion,whofeinc0nf ffency
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