A Preface to the Reader, quofdamnimia voluntatia fun fiducia extulit infuperbiam , Cr quofdam nimia volunta tirfun dif- fidentsa dejecit in negligentiam : Illi dictent quid rogamea `Deum ne vincanaur tentatione quod in no(lrit eft poteflate ? lfti dicunt, at gnid canamur beni vivere , quod in `Dei efl Tot:flare ? ô Do- mine , ô Pater qui es in Calis, ne not infer& in quarnlibct iflarum Tentationum , JedNara nos d malo. Audiamru Dcminumdièentem rogavi proTe `Petre , nefides defciat tua ; nefic éxiJli- memus fidem noflram elfe inLibero Arbitriont Divin° non egeat adjutorio. &c. That, with both of there forts of men,the way andwork ofthe Grace of God , is at this day perverted, and obfcured, is fo known to all that it needs no Exemplification. Some repaire nomore to the Conqueft of Temptations , but men's own rational confederationof their Eternal flare and condition , with the tendency ofThat , whereto they are tempted : Others torniro the Grace ofGod into wantonnefs, & fupinely callingaway all heedful regardofwalking with God, being en(laved to their lofs and corruptions , under a pretence of God's workingall in The latterdenying themfelves tobe men the former tobe men corrupted ; And in plaine terms the Milevimne Councel tells es , fiquisftnxerit ideo Gratiameffe nectf oiarnad eitanda peccata,goìalotit hominem cognofcerepeccata,&difcernere inter Pcccata,& can peccara,quîi Dif= cretione pergratiam habitll, per libertina Arbitriumpoteft vitare;isprociel, &c.The light ofGrace to difcerne the (late of things the nature of Canne, and to confider theft aright,thePelagian allowed which isall the 1 ottome of that perfeverance ofSaints whichwe have offered by Mr. Goodwin: but upon that lupplie ofthefe meanes to abide and perfevere in faith, to fly and avoid fnne, is a thing ofourown performance. This the Dodlors ofthat Councel Anno420. condemned asa Pelagianfininn,As Profper al- fo prefents it at Iarge,C:zS:againfl Calame the Semi-Pelagian,& further cleares & confirmes it: fo Auflin againe: De Bono Per/ev :c: 3:cur iflaperfeverantia peritar dDeo finon dotter si Der? an ci-iJla irriforia Petitio eft,cum 'Nod abee petitur,quodfcitur non ipfumDare,cd ipfo candante, e9einhaminis pote!late? finer irriforiaeft etiam ilia Gratiarum Ac`lio;fi ex hocgratin agentur Deo quodnon donavit ipfe, necfecit:And.the fame Argument he ufeth againe,Cap:6,9:much refting on Cyprian's Interpretationofthe Lord's Prayer: and Cap: z6: he further preflech it, as to the root andfoundationof thisGift ofGod: Siad Liberum Arbitrium Hominis,gnodcanfecun- dun gratiam,fed contra tam defendis pertinere dicis,utperfeveret in Bonoquifquis, vel nonperfe- veret,non Deodancefic perfeverat , fed l'amana voluntatefaciente. Oneor two inflances more in this kind, amongft hundreds that offer themfelves may fuifice. De Correptione & gratid, Cap: 14. Apoftolsufud&,cum dicit,ei autem qui potens efl,t c: nonne apertifmé oftendit DonumDei efe Perfeverare inBona nfgr ad Finem? quidtaira aliadfa- nat quipoteft con(ervare not fine ofenfone,& conflituere ante con!peftumgloriafoe , immaculate! in Latitiá,nifi Perfeverantiam Banana? più mm infinie dedpiat,utnegre Perfverantiam efe Do- nom Dei, cime dicit Sanflifmua 7eremiaa , timoremmeum dabo in cordeeorano sat non recedant sale , Nc. I !hall adde only that one placemore out ofthe fame Book , (C:59. )where both the matter,&manner of the thing in hand,isfully delivered:in hoc loco miferiarum, nbi tentario eft vita haminumToper terram,virtus inftrntitate perficitur;qun virtue?nil gnigloriator,eat indo- mino glorietat, per hoc de ipfoperfeveraneiti Boni volait Dew SaabOs footin viribus foia,fedin ip- fo gloriari,qui eis non Tolimadot Adjntariumquod Primo homini deditfine goo nowpeer perfevera- re f velit ,fed in its edamoperator 6- velle: C4" quoniam nonperfeverabunt nifi G' pont , (r ve- lint, perfeverandi eis (Jpofbilitaa,& valant&Divina Gratin largitale donator: tamum quip -. peSpirita Sanflo accenditurvolunta! carom , ut ideó pofTnt quia fic valant , ideó fic veline,grtia Deus operatorut velint. 2Vamfi tantá infirmitate hoped vita ip/is relicque:or velum&/tie , ut. fin Adjurons Dei,fine goo perfeverarenon poffent,manerent d vellent , ne Dette is: rit operaretor tie velint, intertot Co- tart& tentationes,1nfirmitatefassifuccomberet volant&,& idcpcefeeverare non poffent, quiadeficientes infirmitate voluntatis non vellent, act non ira yeller:: ,rd poCent. Subvert. turneft igiturinfirmitativoluntatiohumana, tit divinligratisiindeclinabiliter ,t, injuperav`iiiahr ageretur, & ideò quamvisinfirma non tarnen deficiat : it as not poflible that any one fhoaid dei laver his ferife more clearly to the whole ofout prefent Conteft, than this holy and learned, man harp done,in the words nowrepeatedfrom him : Agift ofGod he affects it tobe, (and . not anAft or courreofourown , whereto we are prompted by certaine ConVersoions , and aflifledwith firthoutward meanesas arealfoadded to us ) to the real prodne?ion cf that nf- felt by the efficiencyof the Grace ofGod. And for the manner of this work , it is faith he, by the effeélual working , the Actual will of perfeverance (in the continuance ofour obedi- ence) ina Difpenfation ofGrace , different from , and be and what was given tohim , who had a Power ofPerfevering ifhe would; but received not the will. thereof, Now to fida,ns Perfeverance there wasnothing wanting, but his Willsconfirmation in obedience and his Adtu. all
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