APreface to theReader,. all doing fo. Power he had within , and meanes without abundantly fufficient for that end in their Rind. This then He afferts tobe given to the Samts , and to be the work of God in them; even their eí7Elual Perfeverance. Without this he alfo manifefleth that fuch is the infirmity of our wids,and fuck the Power of our Temptations(thatwhat meares fo ever may be Ilipplyed and left to their Power , or what man-like rational conGderations whatever man may engage his thoughts into ) that it is impoflible any fhould perfevere to the end : which Tradwardine more conhrmes. De Cauf:Dei Lib: 2. Cap. 8.Coroll: Omne quad ell natmrale,ß non ill- perfe Tale,fs mavere debeat immubottom, aportet quod innitatur continue nlieui fixo per fe: gave quilibetjutru Deo. And the holy man ( Auffin I meane) concludes , that this workofGod being wrought in a man his will is indeclinably and infeperablyfixed fo to obedience, as not to fall off from God. This is the foundation that He layes of the Doctrine of the Perfeverance of Saints: That it is a Gift of God , and that fuch a Gift, as he effe&ually , and A1ually works in him onwhom hedoth bellow it. A Foundation that will by no meanes regularly beare the hay& ffubble,wherewithmen think to build upa Doctrine ofperfeverance: making it afruit that may , or may not be brought forth,from our own oie of the meaner allowed for that end &purpofe. And indeed the Aller- tingof the Perfeveranceof the Saints in that way , is as bad , ifnot a worfe and more fearful oppofition to, and (lighting ofthe Graceof God, as the denyal ofit,in the way they oppofe: By the latter they oppofe theGraceof God, by the former,fet up the Power and flrength of their own will. Thus far /boffin is clearly engaged with us; that perfeverance iea Gift of god, that it it given by him toeveryone that doth perfevere : that every one to whomit isgiven, to mf e perably confirmed in Grace , andßiell infalliblyperfevere to the end. In that earneft , and long Conteft, which that learned Dodor infifls upon,to prove Perfe- verance to be theGift of God (for which hebath fufficient ground from that of the Apoltle, a Cor: I.7, 8: that ye comebehind in no Gift, waitingfor the comingof our Lord 7eftu &c. ) two things he efpecially aimed at:firfl,an oppoGngof/uch aPerfeverance,as fhould not be the fruit &work ofthe Grace ofGod in us : but the work and Effeet ofour own endeavours, upon a fupplyof fuch means, motives , perfwafions, &conGderations as we are,or may befurnifhed withal. Secondly , that it is fo given and bellowed,as that onwhomfoever it is bellowed, he certainly bath it , that is, he doth certainly Perfevere. As it was Herefy to that holy man , to deny Perfeverance to be the Giftof God , fo it was ridiculous to him , to fay that that Gift: was given to any , and yet that they received it not ; that is , that theymight not Perfevere.. abu(faith he) de Cor.&Cyrat:C: a I.)gsi Chriflo in/iti fumua,talis data eft Gratia, ut noníò- 1ùm pojmtm fi velimtufedetiam ut velimtu in Chriflo perfeverare.And C: a z:non fol%rn at foe i11ó dono perfeveranteo efe non pe f ny verúm etiam ut per hoe Domainnon ni/i perfeverantetfine. A rid that which.he addes afterwards is moft conliderable , concluding from that ofour Saviour you havena'rchofen me, but I have chafenyou , andordainedyou tobeare fruit; eis(faith l:e ) non Idiomjufliriam, verúmetiam inWA' perfeverantiamdedifemanf?ravit. Chriflo twins fi: cos ponente ut rant &fruc7um arrant, &frail-1m comm manear,gsois audeat dicereforlitan non manebunt? Though they dare fay fo,who alto dare to topretend bis Authority for what they fay! how fallly, how injuftly, is evident to all ferious obfervers of his mind and fpirit, in and about the things ofthe Grace ofGod. z As he mentioned Perfeverance to be fuch a Gift ofGod,as indeclinably wrought in them on whom it was bellowed a wallto Perfevere,and on that account Perfeveranceitfelfe ( an Affertion as obnoxious to the Calumny,and Clamour of the Adverfaries of the Dochineun- der cónfideration, as any weteach or affirme concerning it) fo he further conftantly taught this Gift and Grace tobe a fruit ofPredefiination or E/eElIan, and to be bellowed on all, and only ele/ed believera:fo De Prede/tinatione Sanc:C.Iy. F/acdons Dei dantur Ele/tit ,fecundum Dei Propofitum vocatis,in quibue rf & incipere & credere,&in fidead toupee vitaeritumperfe- verare.And afterwards C:9,. De bono Perfev:ex duebua piis(of his meaning in that wordafter- wards ) cur huir donetur Terfeverantia, oafq infinem, illi nondonetur,infcrutabilia font judicial Dei I illudtarnen frdelibuedeber effe certifrnum , hunt cffe ex Pradefliratit,illum sone(fe: ram /1 fuifent ex nabos (ait mime Tradeftinatorurn qui é peílore Domini liberal.hoc fecretum) manf:fent.. uti,4 nobifcum. eft Oa Difcrerio?patentLibriDei,nanavertamue afpeílam, clamar Scripturd Divina,adhibeamus auditum,non cramex eis,quia noncrane fecundmmpropoftam vacati:noncrass in Chriflo E leiti ante mandi conffitutionem, non Brant in eofortem can/motel,non Brant Pradeflimar tifecundurn Prepofienm éjus grti or. rich operatur. And unto thefe Eleft, Tredeftinate Belie- vers ,ist èoncluded !till, that Perfeverance was fo given in and for Chrifl,foproceeding from f the
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