Owen - Houston-Packer Collection BT768 .O9 1654

C. XV. The fallaciousground of this Argumentof KG's. 340 It appeares then notwithffandingany thing offered here to thecontrary, g zG upon duecontiderationofit, that Believersfnne not-withtheirwholewills -and fill confents at any time, nor under the power of what temptation foever they may fall for a feafon,and that becaufe ofthe ß. efidence ofthis principle ofa contrary tendency unto finne in their wills which is allwayes aéting, ei- ther direîlly in inclining unto good,or in taking off, or making remiflè the confent ofthe will to finne, notwithfianding the prevalency of principle oppofite thereunto, by its committingoffinne. 4, 27. And hence have wefuf icient Light for the weakning oftheArgumentpro- pofed in the beginningofthis Chap. For though it is weak in itsFoundation(as Mall be fhewed)concluding to what the Saints may do, fromwhat is forbid*" them to do,that prohibition being theOrdinance ofGod certainly topreferve thé from it, yet taking it for granted that theymay fall into the fin intimated, yet feeing they do itnot cuftomarily, not malicioofly,not with theAllandwhole confent oftheir wills,that there isa principle in them fä11oppofing fin, though at any time weakenedby finne, and the conclufiori of that Argument con- cernes them not. I fay then, Firfl to the Major propofition, they who are in a capacityandpoftibility, that is, (an univerfallpojfibility notonly in refpeCt ofan internall principlebut ofall outward prohibiting caufes as the purpofe and PromifeofGod, ofperpetrating the workesof theAP, not of bringing forthany fruits ofthe loftingofthe flefh, which are in the bell., willingly and ordinarily with thefollandwholeconfent of their wills, in which fence alone fuch workes ofthe flelh are abfolutelyexclufive from the KingdomeofHea- ven, theymay pofiblyfall out ofthefavour ofGod andinto deflruWíion. Thispro- pofition being thus limited,and the termes ofit cleared,for to caufe it to paffe; I abfolutely deny the minor, that trueBelievers do, or can fo finne; that is, fobring forth the workes ofthe flefh, as to leave no roome for the con- tinuance ofMercy to them, according to the tenour ofthé Covenant of Grace. But now frame the Propofition fo,as the Affumption May comprife Belie- vers,& wefhall quickly knowwhat to judgeof it;Thofewhoarein a capacity or pol ibility offallirgSntofuchfnnes,as deferve rejection from God, orofperpe- tracingworkes ofthefleJh though theydofo, overborneby thepower of temptation, pillingthe things they do, notabiding intheir finnes May fall totally and finally fromGod: but Believers mayfodo. As the matter is thus (Fated the A fl'ump- tion maybe allowed, to paffe upon Believers, but we abfolutely deny the Major Propofition in the fence wherein it is urged. I {hall only adde that when wedenythat Believers can poffibl.y fall away, it is not any abfolute ins- poffibility we intend, nor an impofíibility with refpe& to any principle in them, only that in, and from it felfe is not perifhable, nor an impoffibility in refpe&of themanneroftheira&ing, but filchan one; as principally refpe- ding the outward removing caufe of fuch an a&uall defeaion, will infallibly prevent the event of it. And thus is the cloud railed by this fifth Argument,dif- gelled and fcattered by the light of thevery firff confideration of thediffer rence in finning, that is, betweenRegenerate and unregeneratemen: fo that it will bean eafy thing to remove, & take a way what afterwards is infifled on: forthe reinforcement and confirmation of the feverall Propofitions of it. 4. ,s, The Major Propo/ition he confirmes from Gal. 5. 2I. Eph. 5. 5,6. iCor. 6. 9, ro. All affirming that neither whoremongers, nar adulterers, nor idolaters nor the like have any inheritance in the KingdomeofGod, orcanbe saved; Thatthe intendment of the Apoflle.is concerning them, who live in a 'courreoffuch finnes, who finnewith their whole wills, . andfroni an evil)route, with whole fappe

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=