C A p. I. y: l7 28. OfApof'cacy , Saints, and Per leverance. i6 man,in whom there is anhabit let on by fomightyan impref ion as,the Scrip- turementions, to a&conftantly contrary thereunto, is to think what we will, without troubling our (elves to confider how it maybe brought about. Farther,whileft thisPrinciple,life,and habit ofGrace isthus confuming , cloth Eph, T. 23. their God and Father look on and fuffer it todecay, and their fpirituall man col. 2.19. to pineawayday by day, giving them no newfupplies, nor increafangthemwith Eph:4.16. the increafeofGods hath heno pitty towards adying child?or can he not help i Thet3. t 2. him?doth he,of whom it is faidthat he isfaithfull,and that he will not fuffer Phil: t. 6. cos: to.1 3. is to be tempted abovewhat we areable, but with the very temptation will make wayfor is to efeape, let look fuch floodgates ofTemptations upon them, as he knows his grace will not beable to Rand before, but will beconfumed and expelledby it? what álfo(hall we fuppofe are the thoughts oflefts Chrifl to- ueb,2:r9,t8. wards a witheringmember, a dyingbrother, a perifhing child , a Wandring fheep? 7.25. where is his xeale andhis tender mercies, and the foundingof his bowells? are Ira: 4o. II. they reftrained? Will henot la y holdofhis strength, and ftirre uphis Ri hte- & 63.&. Ezek:34.4, oufneffe to lavea poore finking creature? AlfoHe that is inus is greater thenhe I 2. that is in theworld; and will he fuffer himfelfe to be wrought out ofhis habi- tation, and not ftirre up his ftrengthtò keep poffeffionofthedwelling place which he had chofen? So that neither in the nature ofthe thing it felfe, nor in refpett ofhim,withwhom we have to doe, cloth this feem poffible. ß. 27. But fecondly, Sinneprocureth by theway of merit, the takingaway ofthe Spirit, and removeall ofthe Habit graciou(ly beftowed: Believers deferve by finn, that God thould takehis Spirit from them, and the Grace that he hath beftowed on them: Theydoe fo indeed, it cannot be denied but will the tfa:48.9. Lorddeale fowith theme Will hejudge his bottle with fuchFier and vengeance? Is that the wayofa Fatherwith his Children? untill he bath taken awayhis Spirit and grace? although theyareRebellious Children, yet they are his Chil- drenRill: and is this the way ofa tender Father to cut the throatsof hisChil- dren, when it is inhis power tomend them?The caningof awickedman in- toHell, is not a punifhment tobe compared to'this:the loffe ofGods prefence is the worn ofHell. How infinitely, mutt they needsbe more fenfibleof it in:49.15,16 who have once enjoyed it, then thofe who were nrangers to- it from their Ita:66.r3." wpmbe? Certainly the Lordbears another Tenimony concerning his kind- Ieretn:2. t4. Hot2.t4.Ac. nell'eto his Sonnes and Daugghters, then that we fhould entertain fuch dif. mall thoughts ofhim. He chaflifes his Children indeed, but he doth not kill them; he correllr them with roads, but his Kindnefjéhe fakes not from them: notwithnanding ofthe attempt made by the Remonftrants in their synodalia, I may fay that I have, not as yet met with any tolerable extricationof thofe difficulties: more to this purpofe will afterwards be infined on. 3. That which we intend,when we mention the Perfeverance of Saints, is their continuance to the end in thecondition ofSaintfhip, whereunto they are called. Now in thefate of Saintship, there are two things concurring, 1. That Holineffe which they receive fromGod, and 2. That Favour which they have withGod, being junified freely byhis grace, through theblood of Chris: and their continuancein this condition to the endof their lives, both to their reali Holineffe, andgracious Acceptance, is thePerfeverance whereof we muff treat. Theone refpe&ing the reall enate, the other their relative; ofwhichmore particularly afterwards. ß. a8. And this is a briefe delineation ofthe Do&rine, which, the Lordaffining, (hall be explained, confirmed, and vindicated in the infuing difcourfe, which being firft fet forth as a meere Skeleton, its symetry and Complexion, Its Beauty andComelineffé,Its Strength andvigor, Excellency and Vfefulneffewill in
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